Devotional Series on the Life of Peter the Apostle

 A Lifetime Following Jesus

I invite you to walk with Peter, follower of Jesus, leader in the making and the Apostle he became, for a brief eight day journey. While we may never measure up to his stature, there is a lot we can learn from this simple but devoted fisherman who became a fisher of men and a leader of leaders, by following his Master for three years.

Read: Mathew 4:18-22

Peter, James and John. What great men they were. They personally walked and worked with the Lord Jesus. Apostles, Jesus called them. Saints, some call them. How can I ever relate to them? What can I, ordinary as I am, possibly relate to them?

It is a mistake to think like this. We think only of their mature years, after they followed the Lord for many years. What were they like when Jesus first called them? Now, that’s a different picture. You will discover that they were very ordinary people. They struggled where you struggle. They failed where you fail. They were so ordinary, I even wonder why the Lord would choose those twelve.

We will take a look at the life of Peter in the next week. What was he like when he first met Jesus? How did he succeed in following Jesus? By the time we finish the week you will find that you have much more in common with Peter and his friends than you think.

Peter was a fisherman from the backcountry of Galilee, the town of Capernaum, a fishing village. He probably had very little education. But he had a colorful, flamboyant personality. Whatever he did, he did with enthusiasm. When he failed, he really messed up. Peter was a natural leader. He became the leader of the disciples and the first leader in the early church. Like all the disciples, except John, Peter died a violent death. Tradition tells us that he died by crucifixion in Rome. Not feeling worthy to die as his Lord, he requested to be crucified upside-down.

Think About This:

Peter was a common fisherman. He came from the humble lake community of Capernaum. He didn’t have much education, yet he served the Lord faithfully over a lifetime. What was it that Jesus was looking for when he called Peter and the other 11 followers? He looked for one thing. He looked for people who would follow him no matter what the price may be. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to follow no matter what the price may be?