Daily Devotions
1 Peter
INTRODUCTION
Text: 1 Peter
First encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ
When Simon was first introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ by his brother Andrew, he was given a sobriquet. The Lord Jesus called him, “Peter” meaning, “a rock” (John 1:35-42). No response was recorded concerning his response to the word of the Lord.
A miraculous catch of fish
One day the Lord Jesus came to Peter and asked to use his fishing boat as a floating platform, to speak to the multitude of people who came to Him. They came to hear Him teach about the Kingdom of God. They came also to be healed of their diseases.
After ministering to the crowds, Jesus asked Peter to take his boat out into the deep and to let down his net for a catch of fish. The fishermen had toiled the night before and had caught nothing. Jesus’ word to him was unusual to say the least. Fishing was normally done in the night and not in the day. Yet Jesus asked Peter to go and fish in broad daylight!
However, at the word of Jesus, Peter took his boat out and let down his net. To his great surprise, he found the greatest catch ever. He signalled to his partners for help. They swiftly went to offer assistance. The fishermen began to haul in the fishes. To their horror, their boats began to sink at the sheer number of fish they had hauled into their boats.
It suddenly dawned on Simon Peter what had just occurred! He was experiencing a special miracle. The Person who had asked to borrow his boat was not an ordinary teacher. He was none other than the “Lord” (Luke 5:1-11). He suddenly felt terribly sinful before Jesus!
The Call to follow the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus comforted them and invited them to follow Him. Peter and his fellow-fishermen took up the Call of the Lord Jesus Christ. They became the first Disciples of Jesus!
The three years of training as a Disciple were not easy years. There were so many wrong things to unlearn. There were so many new doctrines and practices to learn and to master. Many mistakes were made along the way, but they had a skilled and patient Teacher.
An outstanding leader
The three years of instruction were not spent in vain! Peter went on to become a leading Apostle of the Lord. He and his fellow-disciples founded the first Church in Jerusalem.
The Church in tribulation
The first century Church faced much tribulation. Believers were persecuted terribly. Many had to flee for their lives. People lost jobs, homes and some even perished.
The Epistles of the Apostle Peter
Peter could not be with his flock physically. He decided to devote time to writing Pastoral Letters to his flock. These brought much hope and encouragement. Believers saw how their faith could be further purified and enriched through tribulation!
The two Epistles of the Apostle Peter are still relevant to us today. We will find much food for our souls. May the reading of the Petrine Epistles see us grow stronger through a deeper knowledge of the Lord!