Bible Study - The Importance of Character - The Apostle Peter - Various - July 27, 2025

 

Bible Study – The Importance of Character – The Apostle Peter – Various – July 27, 2025

GOD equips those Spirit-born with Christlike Character.

Let’s explore!!!

The Apostle Peter had his moments as his character was being shaped.

In the Old Testament scripture reveals to us in Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another. When we look back over our lives, many of us can identify a person, persons or events that have helped us get over the rough spots that come our way and help build our character.

In my life it was my grandfather. My dad worked the third shift in the mill and slept in the daytime. My time with my dad was limited to the weekend, mainly Sunday. He made sure we all went to church with him.

I helped my grandfather build a two-car garage, as such when he got aggravated, his words were “confound it, thunderation.” So, when facing an aggravation, my words were and are “confound it, thunderation.”

So, after growing up and marrying and having children and grandchildren, I was in the downstairs aera working on my computer. My grandson was with me when I got aggravate with my computer and used the words aloud “confound it, thunderation.” Our grandson ran upstairs and told on me to those preparing a meal. Papa is using his words.

When I came up from the basement, I was immediately accosted. Papa was using bad words. I was aggravated at my computer, and I remembered saying “confound it, thunderation.” But to my surprise, those were not the words he said I had spoken. I thought that was all I had said. Oh, NO!

What in the world did I say? You called the computer “stupid.”

Wow! What a relief.

Character is vital for all who are born-again believers and character is a building process. Family members are the best ones to help build character in those they love.

We see this in the life and Spiritual growth of The Apostle Peter.

The Apostle Peter was a doer. Let’s get things done, now!

We will hit some of the highlights in Peter’s walk with JESUS. I quickly discovered that The Apostle Peter’s Spiritual journey had its ups and downs but with an ever-ascending learning experience, like many of us.

Let’s explore!!!

Luke 5 - The First Disciples

5 As the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God’s word, he was standing by Lake Gennesaret.^[a] 2 He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

⁵ “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.”^[b]

⁶ When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets^[c] began to tear. ⁷ So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!” ⁹ For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners.

“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people.” ¹¹ Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.

JESUS called Simon to ministry, and he did not have to think twice. He left his fishing business and followed JESUS.

Later in ministry of JESUS, we read in Matthew 16: ¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,^[f] he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”^[g]

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,^[h] because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound^[i] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed^[j] in heaven.” ²⁰ Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was^[k] the Messiah.

JESUS changed the name of Peter from Simon Barjona or Simon’s son of Jona to Simon Peter and gave him the keys to the kingdom.

What does it mean “having the keys to the kingdom?”

A person with the keys has the power to lock and unlock matters important to the Kingdom of GOD. It is a powerful Gift that must be used as led and guided by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

JESUS giving the keys to the kingdom to Peter reveals the trust JESUS had in Peter or Cephas the rock.

Peter was one of the first followers of JESUS. He was outspoken, enthusiastic, strong-willed, impulsive, and, at times, brash. But for all his strength, Peter had several shortcomings in his life. Still, the Lord who had chosen him continued to mold him into exactly who HE intended Peter to be.

The same is true for all who choose to follow JESUS. There will be ups and downs, which will be learning and building experiences. So, never give up – onward and upward, there are Heavenly rewards at the end of ones life’s journey.Top of Form
Peter had moments in his life, which were building blocks in Peter discovering the true JESUS and GOD’S purpose for JESUS. The Lord, who chose him, continued to mold him into exactly who HE intended for Peter to be.

The same is for all who place their faith in JESUS and walk with HIM, as guided by the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT.

GOD knows a persons’ potential. Life can bring a person of faith severe blows, only GOD can turn the blows life brings into victory and make the person of faith stronger!!!

In Matthew ³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written:

I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.^[f]

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

³³ Peter told him, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

³⁵ “Even if I have to die with you,” Peter told him, “I will never deny you,” and all the disciples said the same thing.

Peter was prepared to fight for JESUS as we read John 18:10, when JESUS was arrested:

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

 

We know from scripture that Peter denied knowing JESUS three times and the rooster crowed.

How did Peter respond when he heard the rooster crow?

² And again he denied it with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

Peter was correct, he did not know the human mission of JESUS. JESUS had performed many miracles to reveal to the world HIS power as the promised Messiah, but HIS mission was to be the perfect acceptable human sacrifice for all sin by the shedding of HIS sinless blood on the cross.

The GOOD NEWS for all people is that GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead to eternal life. JESUS is every person’s go to for forgiveness, salvation and restoration to HIS original design, eternal life.

By HIS stripes we are healed. JESUS took the punishment for our sins upon Himself. But we must place our faith in HIM to be redeemed from eternal death and Hell.

⁷³ After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You really are one of them, since even your accent^[q] gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, ⁷⁵ and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Peter’s heart was broken. He wept “bitterly.” Peter knew what he had done. How could he ever rise above his denial of JESUS?

Peter knew what JESUS could do. He knew the miracles JESUS performed and yet, JESUS did nothing to defend Himself. HE trusted HIS FATHER as we read in Luke 23:46 - And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last.

 JESUS was on mission to complete HIS journey to the cross and for HIM to give up HIS Spirit by the shedding of HIS sinless blood to pay in full for all sin. Peter thought of an earthly kingdom and not the eternal Kingdom GOD has for all who place their faith in JESUS through Spiritual Birth/a person being born-again in his/her spirit.

JESUS gave Peter that opportunity after JESUS was resurrected from the dead as we read in ³ “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them.

“We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. ⁵ “Friends,”^[c] Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?”

I wonder, WHO prevented them from catching the fish and why?

“No,” they answered.

It was a teaching moment for JESUS to give understanding and encouragement to HIS disciples.

⁶ “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did,^[d] and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. ⁷ The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. ⁸ Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards^[e] away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. ¹⁰ “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. ¹¹ So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

¹² “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time Jesus appeared^[f] to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus was not finished there was more to be done. Threefold Restoration of Peter

¹⁵ When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,^[g] do you love me more than these?”

What were these? Likely, JESUS pointed to the fish.

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Feed my lambs,” he told him. ¹⁶ A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Shepherd my sheep,” he told him.

¹⁷ He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

“Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. ¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” ¹⁹ He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

Peter denied JESUS three times and JESUS asked Peter three times “Do you love me?”

What was JESUS’ message to Peter?

-        Feed My Lambs – the young who need nourishment and guidance!

-        Feed My Sheep – The older more mature sheep.

-        Shepherd my sheep – Take care of all by ministering to all young to old. All are precious to ME, and they are yours to care for.

Folks this is our calling because life upon earth is the training ground for eternity, through faith in JESUS.

The Best is Yet To Come!

Ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your heart.

If you prayed this prayer, then welcome into GOD’S eternal Family.

If you are not already in a JESUS believing, teaching, and serving church, ask GOD to lead you to where you can grow Spiritually and serve.

FATHER, I pray for all who prayed such a prayer of repentance or rededication. Blessings upon you and your family.

Blessings!!!