This pretty well describes me lately:
Anyways, on to the blog post!!!
Today, I am going to post another installment on the Holy Spirit. I previously covered the Holy Spirit as the source of Comfort for the Christian. I hope to give an insight on what it means to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Specifically, I am going to look specifically at the Apostle Peter.
We know from scripture that Peter was a Jewish man born, with he name of Simon, in the town of Bethsaida, Galilee. Peter and his brother, Andrew, made a living by being fishermen, which was evidently profitable because he owned his own boat. He lived, for a time, with his mother in law in Capernum, meaning that he was married(his wife was said to have been martyred, when he was away in Rome), and likely had children at some point. In all reality, Peter seemed like your 'average joe' type of guy. Blue collar worker, wife and kids, and all that.
After Peter becomes an Apostle, he sort of has this mixed record. For example, he was very willing to say that Jesus was Christ(Matthew 16:13-18), to which Christ commended him saying that his faith was the rock which the church would be built on, and not even the gates of Hell could prevail against it. This is a very awesome positive check mark for Peter. On the other hand, we have other accounts where he didn't have the faith to continue walking on water(Matt 14:28-31), was called Satan by Christ, when he said Christ wouldn't have to suffer(Matt 16:23), and most famously was known to deny Christ three times.
Here is one account of his denial story:
Matthew 26: 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
And:
Matthew 26: 69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Essentially, Peter knew how to talk the talk, but fell very short while walking the walking. From this same chapter in Matthew, and recounted in the other Gospels, all the apostles, including Peter, were seen as cowards as they ran from the area when Christ was arrested, beat, and crucified. John says they were even hiding behind a locked door(John 20:19).
Even when there was a report of Christ's body being missing from the tomb, Peter ran over to the tomb, saw the empty tomb and linen, and this is what scripture says:
Luke 24:12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Okay. SO let me get this straight. Peter was with Jesus for three years, having watched him work all these miracles, predicting things to come true, and all this. He then says that he will be crucified, and then will rise on the third day. Peter had to have heard this many times from Christ. It wasn't like he was hiding it form anyone. YET, Peter has seen his master and friend crucified (as he said), and then three days later Peter see this empty tomb. And instead of jumping around for joy, and looking for the risen Christ, he simply "went away, wondering to himself what had happened" This is the character of pre-transformed Peter
Yet, two marvelous things happened to forever change not only Peter, but the other apostles, and eventually all of us. First, he came face to face with the resurrected Christ. Luke and John detail how Jesus appeared to them and they were both filled with fear (Luke 24:37,38) and then filled with joy(John 20:20), so much that they could hardly believe it(Luke 24:41). Even at one point, Peter was so excited to see Jesus that he jumped out of his boat while fishing when the apostles saw him on shore.(John 21:7-14)
However, this wasn't ultimately what set him on fire to be a bold witness. Don't take my word for it. Here is what scripture says that Jesus said before his death:
John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you
And then Jesus says this as well, after his resurrection:
Luke 24: 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Luke further records this conversation in Acts 1:4-8
1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Jesus seemed to be very clear in these passages, saying they will be the bold witnesses ONLY after they are filled with the spirit. Notice that the didn't go out and start proclaiming even after having seen Christ alive, on three different occasions.
After saying all of this, Jesus ascended into heaven. At this point, Peter starts to fill his role as the leader of the apostles, by speaking to all the disciples on choosing a replacement for Judas, who had committed suicide after betraying Christ. Yet, they are still waiting around for that spark. And that spark finally came in the form of a wind from heaven filling the room, and setting them on fire. They began to speak in other languages, declaring the wonderful works of God! The people are half amazed, half amused. Some thing they were all drunk. With this, Peter steps fully into his role as chief apostle. He begins to speak very boldly to those mocking them. Later on, he begins to speak before the Sanhedrin, who had condemned Jesus and called for his death, and directly defied their orders to stop speaking about Christ( Acts 4:7-22, 5:18-22). Peter was critical in the decision to reach out to Gentiles, as well as going on a mission to Lydia, Joppa, and Caesarea. After this point not too much is known about Peter, unless one considers extra biblical accounts, which say he went to Rome and was crucified for Christ by Nero's orders.
So, Peter went from an average joe, who talked big things but failed to show up with action, and even being a coward who ran away from his best friend and master, to being one who became a leader who spoke boldly of Jesus Christ to all people, even into his own martyrdom. This is quite a change for anyone person, and this change was only made possible by the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. Here is one more proof of this:
In the time that Jesus was arrested, it was recorded that Peter actually drew his sword to attack one of the captors and struck his ear off. Jesus condemned this action, saying that living by violence would lead to violence. From scripture, we know that the some of the marks of the Spirit are peace, meekness, and love. Here is what Peter later said in his first Epistle:
1 Peter 2: 11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,
14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.
17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.
20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Peter is writing that we should obey all authority, as Christ did! What did Christ do? He was beat, mocked, and killed, yet he never once struck out at those doing these things, instead praying for them! Peter went from pulling a sword ready to kill, to one who said believers should endure suffering for the sake of Christ(In acts, it said John and himself even rejoiced for being considered worthy enough to suffer for Christ.
This is a change that only the Holy Spirit is capable of bringing.
Now, I know what you are thinking "Thomas, Peter was special. He was chosen by Jesus to do all these things. Do you believe that you or I can be anything like that?!" Be like Peter? No. Peter was Peter. He had a certain role to fill, and He did it. You and I have our roles to fill. Maybe we will do things greater than Peter, or less than Peter. I actually even hate saying it like that, as if it is some sort of competition. It is not. We all work for the same kingdom, slaves to the same King. The Spirit transforms every believer to fit the role they will playing for this kingdom. So to ask whether or not we are going to be a Peter, or Paul, or John, or whoever is silly.
I am Thomas(not the apostle!) and the Spirit has transformed me so much from my old man into a new man. I drank. I partied here and there. I lied. I doubted the existence of God. I lived to make myself the best. I desired so much to be known by everyone, to be loved and desired, to have fame and power. Yet Christ saved me from the sins I was committing, and gave the Spirit to change me into one who wants only to make Him famous and adored. This Spirit convicts me of sin when I do it. It leads me away from temptations to avoid sin. It even gives me wisdom to help those who are sinning. I love this Holy Spirit so very much. It has changed me from an unstable, stumbling man who swayed with the wind, to one who is more firmly rooted. And though I am changed a lot now, I know that as I grow more mature, this Spirit will lead me to be more and more like Christ. That is the goal of the Spirit. It praises the Son, and gives the believer reminders about what the Son did. But most importantly, it changes the believer to look more and more like Jesus every day.
So it comes to this: as a believer you can be as I was, as Peter was, as many people currently are. You can say all the right things, yet fail to show true belief when it matters. You can say all you want that you will love Christ forever, yet continuing in the love of your sin in those secret times. You can do that. OR, you can let your life be completely overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit of God. I pray that any who believes this, no matter how mature they are, will take upon the challenge of being immersed in the Spirit more than they currently are. And with that challenge, I leave with this picture as the final thought:
This is awesome Thomas! Just thought I'd let you know.
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