WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?   

Simon Peter, the first leader of the Christian church was a man who, just prior to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, vehemently denied that he even knew the Man. Not once, but three times, after accusations by three different people. This was a man who was chosen by Christ to be the first disciple. A man who was transformed from being a rough, tough, hooligan of a fisherman, who could booze and fight with the best of them, into a savior of souls for the kingdom.

It began one day while Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, and he saw two fishermen casting their nets into the sea. These men were Peter and his brother Andrew.

The Bible does not give us any preamble, but simply says that Jesus said unto them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

We are told they “straightway left their nets and followed him”.

There must have been something special in his demeanor to make these hardy men leave their business and follow a person who was, at the time, a perfect stranger.

I can just imagine Andrew asking Peter later on when the novelty had worn off: “But Peter boy, what really going on here? I mean, we just leave the fishing and gone with this man just so?”

And Peter probably said something to the effect: “Andrew, you know full well you felt the same thing I did. It was just something we had to do.

“There is something about this Jesus that tells me we’re never going to be the same again.”

And they never were.

Time passed and Jesus had gathered unto himself, from diverse occupations, twelve men who were to be called The Twelve.

One time he asked the disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?”

One said: “Some say you are John the Baptist. Some say you are Elias: and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

But Jesus was going straight to the heart. He said: “But whom say ye that I am?”

“And Simon Peter answered and said: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus then gave to Simon Peter what is arguably the greatest accolade ever given to mortal man.

“Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona (son of Jona): for flesh and blood hath not revealed into thee, but my father which is in heaven.

“And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

“And all I give unto thee the keys of heaven, and whatsoever thou shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Could there be any greater charge than this? Could there be any greater authority given to a human being than this?

And yet, not long after, this same Peter said in effect: “What stupidness yuh asking me about? I tell you I don’t know the man!” Three times to boot.

Now he didn’t say he used to see him about the place but they never really got close; or like everybody else he had heard about him; or that he had even sold him a fish once or twice.

No, in thinking about saving his own skin he cussed and carried on and told the soldiers: “Allyuh stop boddering me, I tell you already I don’t know the person, you hear? Now gimme a chance leh me drink mih rum.” (Or whatever it was they used to drink in those days).

Now earlier on in the relationship, Peter was the man who had asked Jesus how often he should forgive someone who had sinned against him. Seven times?

Jesus told him seventy times seven.

This, of course, is not to be taken literally. The idea behind it is that we ought to forgive our fellowman till it hurts. When we experience the love of Christ in our hearts we raise above pettiness and selfishness.

We understand that our brothers and sisters are parts, like ourselves, of the whole, and that what affects us, so that we will be more willing to tolerate mistakes in them.

Sad to say, this is a doctrine which is largely ignored by the majority of people in the world today.

On the night before Jesus’ arrest, after the last supper, he wanted to pray, so he asked Peter, James and John to accompany him to the Mount of Olives, just outside of Gethsemane.

The other disciples were tired and Jesus felt they needed that rest, so he picked up what could reasonably be called his favourites to share with him that final call on his father.

He left them at a certain place and went further to pour out his agony.

When he came back he found them sleeping.

One can almost hear the pathos in his voice when he asked: “Simon, sleepest thou? Could thee not have tarried one hour?”

Twice more he left them and on his return the situation was the same.

So even in his darkest hour, when he called upon his closest friends, he was alone.

Then came Judas the betrayer and the soldiers. He kissed Jesus supposedly in greeting, but which in reality was a signal to the soldiers that this was the man for whom he had been paid thirty pieces of silver.

The final drama unfolded. All the disciples fled and Jesus was taken before the high priest, the elders and the scribes.

The next morning, the priests delivered Jesus up to Pilate, who was the Roman consul at the time.

Peter followed all the proceedings from the time Jesus was taken to the time he was led to Golgotha (the place of a skull), and crucified.

To the uninitiated, Peter might appear to be someone who could not be trusted – and so he was, up to that point – but Peter went on to become one of the greatest exponents of Christianity the world has ever seen.

The death and resurrection of Christ is what the Christian world celebrates at Easter time.

This death and resurrection transformed the lives of Peter and countless others.

The question to be asked here is what has to be done for you?

Are you a better person because of it? Do you stay at the same stage Peter was at before the death of Christ?

Or do you aspire to be one of whom it can be said: ”We can see the benefits of so and so having known Christ Jesus?”

It is worth noting that Christ very often takes those rejected by their fellow man and turns them into powerful forces for good.

People who see themselves as righteous in their own eyes are often found wanting when it comes to the bottom line with Christ.

Consider Saul, who became Paul, another of the greats. He was an intellectual. A member of the Sanhedrin, which was the highest Jewish council of the time.

This was a man who was convinced that he was doing the right thing when he was in the forefront of the persecution of the early Christians. But he too was transformed by the power of Christ, to become one of the world’s most remembered men.

Very often people pay lip service to the message of Christ and think they are fooling God, but remember, God is not mocked.

At this Easter time, while we reflect on the sufferings of Jesus Christ, remember the corollary to his death was his resurrection, so it is not asking too much for us to have a rebirth, a rethinking, a regeneration.

In some circles it was widely believed that the end of the last century would have had great religious significance for the world – possibly the second coming of Jesus Christ.

A chronology of world events would show that the upheavals in the Middle East are a precursor of some astounding event.

Bible students should be aware that when Turkey gets into the fray that that is portentous.

Always will we have to suffer mockers and scoffers, but just in case, just suppose the whole thing is correct, where do you stand, my friend?