Vision, Faith, Commitment - Peter and Christ Jesus

Chuck Swindoll, “Several years ago I met a gentleman who served on one of Walt Disney's original advisory boards. What amazing stories he told! Those early days were tough; but that remarkable, creative visionary refused to give up. I especially appreciated the man's sharing with me how Disney responded to disagreement. He said that Walt would occasionally present some unbelievable, extensive dream he was entertaining. Almost without exception, the members of his board would gulp, blink, and stare back at him in disbelief, resisting even the thought of such a thing. But unless every member resisted the idea, Disney usually didn't pursue it. Yes, you read that correctly. The challenge wasn't big enough to merit his time and creative energy unless they were unanimously in disagreement!” Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p.107.

There is so much we can say about Simon Peter. It reminds me of a preacher who went to talk to a group of students. He said, “I have so many things to tell you, I just don’t know where to begin.” One of the students said helpfully, “Why don’t you begin near the end?” Well, I can’t begin near the end as far as Simon Peter is concerned, but I will select three incidents in his life that, I think, will give you some helpful lessons.

1. The Challenge of Vision (vv. 1–15).

 John 6:1-15
6:1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Feast was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9 "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" 10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 

 It all started when Christ Jesus and His disciples got the news that John the Baptist had been murdered (Matt. 14:8). Christ Jesus was troubled by this, and He wanted to retreat to a deserted area (Matt. 14:13). But word spread, and 5,000 families showed up. When He saw the multitude, Christ Jesus put His own grief aside and set about meeting their needs. That’s a startling response on His part with His cousin having just been killed. 

I don't know about you, but there's a tendency for me to feel that when I'm dealing with my own problems, I really don’t have time or energy to deal with anyone else’s problems. However it is said the best therapy for our problems is very often to get involved in the needs of others. 

After awhile of healing people Christ Jesus took a break and sat down with his close disciples. Looking at the crowd Christ Jesus asked Phillip about about how the masses would be fed. Phillip basicly said we can't feed them. So imagine their dismay when Christ Jesus said, “You feed them!” When all they could come up with was a lad’s lunch, Christ Jesus took that lunch, gave thanks, and began to break it and distribute it among the people. 

It was a noteworthy miracle, between 7 and 10 thousand people ate until they were full with only 5 barley loaves and two fish. And on top of that there were 12 baskets of bread left over. 

Starvation is a stark and unpleasent reality in our modern world. Ten percent of the world's babies die before their first birthday, and one of every four children suffers from malnutrition. Another sad fact is that millions are straving spiritually around the world today. And if not fed they will spend eternity seperated from God. 

Peter and the other disciples missed the significance of this miracle, which is: Human resources, however limited, willingly offered, divinely empowered are more than adequate to achieve divine ends. 

Many today are like those in the crowd who only showed up to see some physical miracle happen. Their say, “Feed me with the stuff of this world.” And they miss having their spiritual hunger fed. Your vision must be broad enough to embrace the principle of this miracle. Christ Jesus will meet your every need, starting with your need for the living bread. With Christ Jesus you will never again be spiritual hungery. That was the lesson Christ Jesus wanted Peter and the disciples to learn. That is the message He wants you to hear today. Won't you let Christ Jesus feed your spiritual hunger this morning?

2. The Challenge of Faith (vv. 15–24).

John 6:16-24
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. 22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 
 

Christ Jesus, still wanting time by Himself, compelled the disciples to sail off. They got into the boat, and Christ Jesus went up the mountainside. The Sea of Galilee lies 600 feet below sea level, and the prevailing winds still blow from the west.

Remember several of the disciples were fishermen, and this east west route across the lake toward the town of Capernaum was not unfamiliar to them. It was dark and the waters were treacherous and the wind was blowing strong that night. This caused the disciples to have a slow going of it. When the disciples had gone about three or four miles or a little over half way Christ Jesus went to them, walking on the water. 

Mark tells us that Christ Jesus had been watching them and knew they were struggling. I have been on the beach at night and the thought of seeing someone walking toward me from the ocean on top of the water and wave would scare me. The disciples thought it was a ghost, but Christ Jesus shouted to them, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” The reason He could make the first and last statements is because of the middle one: “It is I!” It’s pointless to say “Be of good courage,” and “do not fear,” without the Son of God's “It is I.” 

Peter, catching a glimmer of this truth, asked to join Christ Jesus on the water (Matt. 14:28-29.) Christ Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter went and soon began to sink. When Peter began to sink, Christ Jesus rescued him, then gave him a talk. “You were doing very well, Peter, while you kept your eyes on Me, but when you began concentrating on your circumstances and doubted, you ran into problems.” 

Just seeing Christ Jesus and recognizing Him was not enough. They “received Him into the boat.” Folks seeing Christ Jesus and all His good works is not enough. You must receive Him into your heart. The challenge this time was not about Peter’s vision, but about his faith. Is your faith strong enough to walk over the things that sink other people? Is your faith strong enough to receive Christ into your heart as Lord and Saviour? 

Just one more observation, look at verse 21. “ansd immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” Don't you think that if Christ Jesus has the power to heal the sick, and to walk on the waves, that He has power over time and space? He also has power over time and space when it comes to your salvation, the moment you ask Him to become your Lord and Saviour; you are saved.

3. The Challenge of Commitment (John 6:25–68).

John 6:25-69
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." 28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." 

41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, `I came down from heaven'?" 43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 

59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.  67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."  

Arriving on the other side of the lake, the Lord met some critics who said, “When the Messiah comes,” they said, “He will be greater than Moses. Moses fed a million people every day for 40 years with bread from heaven. (vs. 31) Like many modern North Americans, they displayed materialistic and greedy attitudes, working for food that spoiled but not for food that endured to eternal life. (vs. 26-27) 

Christ Jesus conceded the point. “You are quite right, but I want to tell you something. I am the bread from heaven. I have come to a world populated by millions of people living in a spiritual desert, and I am the Source and Substance of Life for them. I am all they will need.” (vs. 33, 41, 43, 51) Some of His disciples thought this was going too far, and they walked away (vs. 60-64, 66). Turning to Peter, Christ Jesus said, “Are you going to leave, too?” Peter replied, “Master, where can we go. You have the words of eternal life.” (vs. 67-68)

The challenge here is the challenge to commitment. Who will you commit to? To the many bizarre cults all around you today? To the false religions of the world? To the secular ideology of a wanton and materialistic society? To a careless indifference when it comes to your eternal life? To the sex of a hedonistic society? Or will you like Peter stands against the crowd who has wandered away from the message of the cross?

Conclusion: In the end, Peter became a man of vision, faith, and commitment—a disciple of Christ Jesus. The challenges are still the same this morning. Is your vision enough to embrace the principle that human resources, however limited, willing offered, divinely empowered are more than adequate to achieve God's ends? Is your faith strong enough to walk across what sinks other people? Is your commitment deep enough to allow you, regardless of where He leads you, to keep on following Him?