He was a lowly fisherman but chosen by Jesus to be one of the twelve disciples. He had a brother named Andrew according to Matthew 4:18. He was married, and we know this because Jesus healed his mother-in-law in Matthew 8:14-15.

If you study the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you find many stories about the man called Peter. His name was originally Simon, but Jesus called him Cephas meaning “a rock.”

There have been some misconceptions about Peter, but I want us to focus on just what the scripture says about him. Some of the stories are humorous, and some are sad; but all of the stories about Peter give us hope.

Imagine that you were on that boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when Peter wanted to walk on the water with Jesus (Matthew 14:25-31). Peter became afraid when he saw the waves and the winds; and he cried, “Lord save me.” For just a short time, he took his eyes off of the Lord, and he began to sink. Would you have been afraid?

In Matthew 18, Peter asked Jesus a question. He said, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Peter thought he was really being generous, but Jesus told him a story about forgiveness that taught Peter a lesson he would never forget. Jesus taught him that forgiveness has to be a regular part of our lives. If not, God will not forgive us. Do we forgive like that?

In John 13, the disciples and Jesus had gathered to eat, and Jesus later instituted the Lord’s Supper. No one had performed the custom of washing feet, so Jesus took a towel, poured water into a bowl, and proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet. Peter objected to Jesus’ washing his feet, but Jesus told Peter that if he did not wash his feet he could have no part of him. Peter had to change his attitude quickly. He said, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Would you let Jesus wash your feet?

Jesus took Peter, James, and John into the garden with Him to pray and wait for the betrayal. The disciples slept, unable to watch with Jesus as He requested. Judas came with the soldiers to arrest Jesus. Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest (John 18:10). Would you be willing to defend Jesus against a mob?

While Jesus stood in trial before Caiphas, Peter watched from a distance. He sat with servants, and three times he denied that he was with Jesus. He even took an oath that he didn’t know the man. As the Lord promised, the rooster crowed; and Jesus turned to look into the eyes of the man who had traveled with Him for three years. Peter went out and wept (Luke 22:62). Would you have confessed that you were a follower of Jesus?

In John 21, Jesus prepared breakfast for some of His disciples. After they ate breakfast, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” All three times, Peter assured the Lord that he did love Him.

Following each of these three questions and each of these three assurances, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Can you answer that you love the Lord?

Peter never lost his faith, but sometimes he lost his courage. He was afraid just like we are often afraid. He sometimes wanted to do just enough to get by, just like we sometimes don’t do all that we can do. He was eager to defend, but he let his anger get in the way like we sometimes become angry and sin. He denied the Lord just like we sometimes let our desire to fit in with the world get in our way.

Peter became a leader in the first century church. He was sometimes weak, but he never lost his faith. He just sometimes lost his courage.

Sandra Oliver