This Sunday we begin a new series exploring 1 Peter – a letter to which calls us to live in hope and confidence that is not dependant what is going on in the world around us. But before we dive into the book itself, we are taking some time this week to ‘meet the author’.  

If you’ve been around church for a while, you’ve probably heard a bit about Peter. One of the best known disciples, he’s known for impulsive actions like jumping out of boats or refusing to have his feet washed, for heartfelt statements like “You are the Messiah!” and “I’ll never forsake you!” and also for extreme lows like repeatedly denying his Lord while Jesus is being persecuted the night before his death.

But even more fascinating is the change seen in Peter as we read about him in Acts – he’s the same person but wiser, more courageous, more able to hear others, more steadfast in his devotion to Jesus. And the question of why and how this change occurs, is relevant to every one of us!

If you’d like to get to know him better, here are some key stories in Peter’s life –

Luke 5:1-11 – Jesus calls Peter to fish for people

Matt 14:22-33 – Peter walks on water

Matt 16:13-20 – Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah

Mark 14:66-72 – Peter denies that he knows Jesus

John 10:1-10 – Peter sees the empty tomb

John 21:1-23 – Jesus forgives and commissions Peter

Acts 2:14-41 – Peter speaks to the crowd at Pentecost and calls them to repent

Acts 4:1-22 – Peter stands his ground in front of the Sanhedrin

Acts 10:34-48 – Peter welcomes Gentiles into the family of God

Love to you all, Miranda.

Photo by wacriswell.com