In a small group study of the apostle Peter, we brainstormed whatever words and phrases came to mind when thinking of Peter, and the first one that came up for multiple people was “impulsive.” We covered one example of Peter’s impulsiveness in the second part of the study, which comes from the use of the word “immediately” near the end of Matthew 4:18-20:
“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, [Jesus] saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
Taken on their own, these verses make it look like Peter dropped everything “immediately” the first time he met Jesus. Very impulsive! However, there is some important background found earlier in John 1:35-41:
“The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).”
From this we know that Andrew was Peter’s brother, and that Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. Andrew began to follow Jesus, partly based on John’s testimony then, believing that Jesus was the Messiah, testified to his brother Simon, who is soon re-named, in John 1:42 –
“[Andrew] brought [Peter] to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).”
Another bit of important context is the verse leading up to Peter’s call in Matthew, chapter 4, verse 17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Mark also prefaces the story of Peter’s call by Jesus with a call to repentance (Mark 1:15). Both gospel writers are implying that Peter’s response to Jesus is an example of repentance for us to learn from.
But what is repentance and how does Peter’s call illustrate it? The word repent means to think differently about something. I’ve heard repentance defined as “a U-turn on the road of life” which includes both a turning away from sin, and a turning toward God in thankful obedience. Peter, in following Jesus, was thinking differently about the best way to live his life. He turned to Jesus as the best answer to his life’s meaning and purpose.
This decision is not one to be taken lightly, and while Peter followed “immediately,” he was not as impulsive as we might think.
“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” – Luke 14:28
When writing his gospel, John had an objective in mind. As he wrote in John 20:31, he was recording Jesus’ miracles and signs “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”
What was John’s objective? To persuade anyone reading “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.”
In the same book, John says that many were not convinced by miracles: “But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” – John 12:37
John says this failure to convince was intentional on God’s part and a fulfillment of prophecy. John claims to be a first-hand witness of many miracles performed by Jesus, climaxing in the resurrection of one Lazarus, who was apparently dead for so long that “there is a stench” (John 11:39). John spends a lot of time setting the scene — many people had gathered to comfort Martha and Mary, the sisters of the deceased — pointing out that Lazarus had his own tomb, which indicates he was probably affluent and well-known – and so on. This miracle was to be very public. The result when Lazarus came out? John says many believed in Jesus, but many others did not believe, and some even saw Him as a threat – resulting in His crucifixion.
So John, writing for the specific purpose of creating belief, tells us the ultimate miracles are not enough to generate belief in everyone. “Proof” does not always convince, and those who disagree hold their beliefs as strongly as those who agree. Whatever your beliefs, have you ever been frustrated when someone just won’t come around to your view, no matter what you said? Would you be more frustrated if you were told that any argument you could make wouldn’t be good enough?
Some deny miracles because of a purely naturalistic worldview where the supernatural is not allowed in. Miracles do not exist, and never did. In this view, mankind was created through an unknowing process of natural selection and is a type of animal, although perhaps a special animal. These people have just as much conviction as I do. I could argue against those views, which really are what G.K. Chesterton called a “dogma of materialism” because proving it would require disproving every claim about a supernatural occurrence that any human has ever claimed. This is, of course, impossible. The dogma of materialism is a matter of faith, however much proponents of evolution and other “scientific” ideas claim overwhelming evidence and vast consensus. It takes faith to fill in the gaps in the evidence. Those who disagree with me are obviously willing to accept these gaps.
On the other hand, we have the oral and written testimony of many people reporting many supernatural things over the centuries. This includes John’s records of many first century miracles. However, John also testifies that a man raised from the dead was not enough to convince the skeptics on the scene. This man, Lazarus, even became the target of death threats, because he was evidence that threatened the well-being of those who made their living off the established religion.
There is more to proof than meets the eye. There is more to life than cold reason. People have reasons for believing what they do and acting how they act, and the Apostle Paul says “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…” (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, nothing I can write, do, or say is guaranteed to convince anyone, but I take heart that Chesterton also wrote: “When I fancied that I stood alone I was really in the ridiculous position of being backed up by all of Christendom.”
If you are a Christian – what argument can you make that is better than raising a man from the dead, then following that up by raising yourself from the dead? If Jesus couldn’t convince everyone, the best anyone can do is follow Peter’s advice to “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” – 1 Peter 3:15-16
Yesterday I posted about Psalm 36:8, where David thanks God that His people may “drink from the river of your delights.” Since the word for “delights” is the plural of Eden, these occasional sips God provides us point to a past and future paradise. These delights strengthen our hope of heaven and strengthen us to live in this world for Him. Jesus provided such a moment for His disciples in the event known as the Transfiguration, when Jesus took His disciples Peter, James, and John up a mountain for a vision of His future glory. Matthew records in his gospel that Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.”[1]
Moses and Elijah also appeared and spoke with Jesus, perhaps representing the law and the prophets of the Old Testament and how it all pointed to Jesus. Peter wanted to make this moment last, and offered to “make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”[2] But it was not intended to last long, yet.
The Transfiguration was a preview of heaven, a sneak peek into what eternity will be like, a promise of future blessing under Jesus, the glorified King. The fulfillment of everything the law and prophets hinted at will be realized. However, Moses and Elijah soon disappeared, Jesus and His disciples descended from the mountain, and the disciples very soon struggled as we all do, but they persevered as we also must. Pray that God will make eternity real to His people today, even if for only a moment, giving a “drink from the river of your delights” and strengthen us to live for Him.
Chapter 14 of John’s gospel begins with Jesus saying to His closest disciples “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” Near the end of the chapter, Jesus says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” In between, He gives His followers many words of encouragement because they needed it. Why?
Leading up to this, Jesus had just told them “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me,”[1] predicting Judas would soon turn Him over to be killed. Since He knew He would be raised again and ascend to heaven, He had to tell them: “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’”[2] Then, in front of all the others, He told Peter, who had just offered to die for Jesus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.”[3]
In quick succession, this small group of 12 disciples were told that 2 of them would soon be unfaithful, and that their leader would soon be leaving them. They must have felt devastated and troubled in their hearts. Had they given up so much for Jesus, only for it to fall apart? Likewise, when we’re bombarded with bad news in quick succession, our heart may tell us to be troubled, but “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Instead of listening to our gut feeling or our instincts, the only one in whom there is no deceit – Jesus – says to trust Him. He says: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
If you’re troubled with something today, bring it to Him and ask Him for His peace. It can overcome anything.
Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. I took this from a beach in Florida.
Sometimes you watch a movie and years later only remember one or two things about it, and the rest is just “meh”. In Undercover Blues, released in 1993, Stanley Tucci’s character Muerte, a mugger, is the best part of the movie. He growls lines like: “My name is Muerte…it means death! Remember my name!” before or after attacking his victims, with Mariachi guitar accompaniment. It’s a bit silly, but Muerte isn’t to be trifled with – he brutally takes out multiple guys in the movie.
Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner play a married couple of ex-spies (their last name is Blue) on maternity leave in New Orleans who are harassed by muggers, including Muerte, along the way. Unfortunately for Muerte, Jeff Blue is an experienced and confident fighter who isn’t intimidated by Muerte’s speech, and just says: “Well I’m pleased to meet you Morty. My name is Jeff”
Then Jeff Blue beats up Morty and his crew with a stroller! Evil Muerte had met his match. Watch the one-minute video below – I’ll be referring back to it later.
A Conspiracy of Muertes While Muerte picks up his lost tooth, here are key verses for this post, from Psalm 2:1-3:
“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us”
The Psalm refers to the rebellion of nations, peoples, kings, and rulers against the “bonds” and “cords” of “the Lord” and “his Anointed”, or God the Father and God the Son. Nations are rivals, not just with each other, but also with the kingdom of God.
The ultimate example of this rebellion is referenced when the first two verses from above are quoted in Acts 4:25-26, followed by: “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and our plan had predestined to take place.” The crucifixion of Jesus was the result of a massive conspiracy, including possibly six separate trials by both Jewish and Roman authorities, resulting in the death of Jesus, who was not guilty of what He was charged with, but also is the only human to never participate in insurrection against His Father. The Jews hated Him because He was not the political messiah that would lead an insurrection against Rome. The Romans, led by Pilate, answered the call to crucify Him, to avoid a Jewish riot that would result in their punishment or removal by higher Roman authorities. Jesus was a threat to their authority and had to go.
So, they literally succeeded in killing God. Brutally. But then Psalm 2:4 tells us:
“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”
A Surprising Victory Surprising even His followers, on the third day, He was resurrected from the dead, and after a few weeks, was raised “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:21). This Jesus is the one laughing in heaven, and He can laugh because in a way He is like Jeff Blue in the scene from Undercover Blues. At the 27 second mark of the video, after Muerte draws his switchblade, Jeff smiles and says “This is a really bad idea Morty.” Muerte rages and plots in vain, however is no threat to Jeff. Likewise, Jesus knows all nations are no threat to Him and His kingdom.
In “More Than Truth”, I wrote about how some truth “describes the world as it is”, such as Proverbs 14:20: “The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.” Jesus knows all of the descriptive truth about the problems of the world, including subjects of earlier posts:
That since the Fall in Genesis 3, “mankind became inclined to make things that glorify themselves, rather than God,” from the tower of Babel to kingdoms such as Edom
That “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” – Pr. 14:12 and 16:25
That every “Pax Romana” is just a narrative designed to make the state appear to be more than it is
That mankind is incredibly creative in attempting to thwart God’s purpose in creating His kingdom, populated by His family
That even the “religion” of the Old Testament Bible could not produce righteousness
However, all rulers and nations opposed to God are doomed to fail, because even killing God was not good enough to keep Him down. Jesus laughs because He knows His plan will work. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus told Peter that “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
In Acts 4 above, Peter and John quote Psalm 2 after they were released by the religious rulers of Jerusalem, and they testify that Jesus’ enemies only do “whatever your hand and our plan had predestined to take place.” Peter and John were eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus, and knew that all the powers of the world could not keep Him down. His plan would not fail. They did not quote verse 4, but they knew that Jesus was exalted and laughing at the opposition to them. They rejoiced that the same God who had resurrected Jesus had freed them from prison!
Therefore, take comfort that Jesus, knowing all the evil and rebellion of the world that we may feel threatened by or anxious about, laughs. All who challenge God are Morty, not Muerte, even if they once “succeeded” in killing Him.
I read Psalm 2 if I am feeling stressed by the political state of the world, about the political state of my country, or about the 24/7 barrage of bad news online and on TV. “He who sits in the heavens laughs” reminds me that Jesus is laughing at the cause of my stress – He is not threatened and He is in charge. In some ways we are like the baby in the movie scene. We would be helpless against Muerte, but Jeff Blue does not let anything happen to his child. At the 34 second mark of the video, Jeff even checks in on the baby, who slept through the whole thing. In our case, we are tethered to our forerunner[1], Jesus, our King laughing in heaven, who says: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” – John 10:28-29.
I’ll end this post here on a note of confidence, but there remains a trickier and important question…
Do we also laugh? Is the laughter of Jesus descriptive, or prescriptive? What is the truth that is like Proverbs 14:21: “Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor”?
What defines how subjects in the kingdom of the One who laughs should behave? More in Part 2, coming soon.
Driving Toward the Morning Sun 