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"Peter ('Rock')—a genuine servant-leader"
Saturday, 9 September 2017
Acts 2:12 Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, “What can this mean?” 13 But others made fun of them and said, “They’ve just had too much wine!”
14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!
15 “These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:, 15:7 After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them, “Brothers, you yourselves know that a good while back, God chose me from among you to be the one by whose mouth the Goyim should hear the message of the Good News and come to trust. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us;, 13 Ya‘akov broke the silence to reply. “Brothers,” he said, “hear what I have to say. 14 Shim‘on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name., Galatians 2:7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Uncircumcised, just as Kefa had been for the Circumcised; 8 since the One working in Kefa to make him an emissary to the Circumcised had worked in me to make me an emissary to the Gentiles. 9 So, having perceived what grace had been given to me, Ya‘akov, Kefa and Yochanan, the acknowledged pillars of the community, extended to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship; so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised. 10 Their only request was that we should remember the poor — which very thing I have spared no pains to do.
11 Furthermore, when Kefa came to Antioch, I opposed him publicly, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya‘akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers.
14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!
15 “These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:, 15:7 After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them, “Brothers, you yourselves know that a good while back, God chose me from among you to be the one by whose mouth the Goyim should hear the message of the Good News and come to trust. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us;, 13 Ya‘akov broke the silence to reply. “Brothers,” he said, “hear what I have to say. 14 Shim‘on has told in detail what God did when he first began to show his concern for taking from among the Goyim a people to bear his name., Galatians 2:7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Uncircumcised, just as Kefa had been for the Circumcised; 8 since the One working in Kefa to make him an emissary to the Circumcised had worked in me to make me an emissary to the Gentiles. 9 So, having perceived what grace had been given to me, Ya‘akov, Kefa and Yochanan, the acknowledged pillars of the community, extended to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship; so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised. 10 Their only request was that we should remember the poor — which very thing I have spared no pains to do.
11 Furthermore, when Kefa came to Antioch, I opposed him publicly, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya‘akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers.
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We’ll return to Peter’s later life in more detail in this series’ last sermon. But this peek ahead shows us the kind of leader Peter became. He let Jesus shape his bold, outspoken nature into a compelling preacher, bravely declaring the power of the crucified and risen Jesus. He forcefully spoke out on behalf of the legitimacy of Gentile believers, whom he had seen receive God’s Holy Spirit without conforming to all Jewish regulations. But he also accepted James (Jesus’ brother) presiding over the Jerusalem conference. He welcomed Paul to the ranks of apostles, and agreed to focus his mission in a way that didn’t conflict with Paul’s. We hear and read a lot about “servant leaders.” We see Peter living out that kind of leadership.
• Would Peter have been a stronger, more worthy leader if he had required James to step aside and allow him to preside over the Jerusalem conference? If he had told Paul, “You weren’t there when Jesus said I was the rock on which he’d build his church. I will preach wherever and to whomever I please. You will just have to adjust your work to that”? In whatever leadership areas you have, from the largest business or church settings to the smallest, homeiest ones, how can you emulate Peter’s confident and humble model of leadership? Which aspects of Peter’s example are hardest for you to live out?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I need rebuke, make me as willing as Peter was to accept it. But when I need to stand firmly for you, give me his courage and boldness. Amen.
Family Activity: Invite each family member to share the name and special qualities of their favorite teacher. Remind everyone that Jesus was a teacher who spent much of his time helping others learn about God and God’s kingdom. As a family, talk about ways you are teachers of God and God’s ways. How do you teach with words, telling others about God and his love? How do you teach with your actions as you serve other people? Maybe you teach others about God by being kind, patient, generous, or a good listener. Commit to intentionally teaching someone about God’s love this week. Share your stories and experiences with your family. Write a note to your favorite teacher thanking her/him for being so important to you. Pray for one another and for all teachers to share patience, kindness and love with everyone.
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Matt Ozment
Matt is the Media Services Production Manager in the Tech Arts ministry at Church of the Resurrection. He joined the staff in December 2014 and supports the technology needs of each special or weekly event outside of weekend worship at Resurrection Leawood. In his free time, he spends time with his 2 kids, supports his wife’s cake business, and aspires to be a novelist.
If I could name one teacher who had the biggest impact on my life, I would easily identify my high school Theater teacher. Aside from my parents, she was one of the first people who saw in me my strengths and weaknesses, and helped guide me toward a path of using those strengths for the betterment of those around me. The time she took to lead me had a great influence on the man I became.
In grade school and middle school, I began to discover my passion for writing. Unfortunately, I was amply bullied out of it, causing a fear of showing creativity that I couldn’t easily overcome. I can’t remember if I had ever talked about this passion with my teacher or not, but one day she gave me the simplest, yet single greatest gift I had ever received from a teacher: a book about how to structure a novel and get it published. I found that book again just a few months ago among other things from my childhood in a box my mom gave me. It brought tears to my eyes as I recalled how meaningful this simple gesture was to me, reviving that desire to write.
In just the past month, I have twice heard the prompt to write a note to a teacher, thanking them for the life-changing guidance he or she has given. The first was at the Global Leadership Summit at the beginning of August. The second was in the Family Activity of this GPS. This particular GPS is an ironic milestone for me. In addition to that question, this is also the first time I’ve ever “put my work out there.”
God chose Peter to teach his Word because he saw his strengths in leading, in teaching, and in the ability to read his audience. God also helped Peter’s pupils have an understanding of the importance of his message by sending his Holy Spirit to dwell among them. Peter gave of himself through teaching by seeing the needs of every person with whom he interacted. The beauty of Peter’s ministry is that he humbled himself by preaching to the outcasts, similarly to Jesus, and allowed others to hold him accountable. He gave room for others to speak, used what he saw to change the hearts of the religious leaders, and then allowed God to work through all of this instead of forcing his own agenda.
God used my Theater teacher to set a trajectory for my life, and very likely the lives of many of her other students. We all have points in our lives where God may be using us to make an impression on others, and places where God is using others to teach and care for us. Can you identify those people in your life? Do you see the outcasts to whom God may be asking you to extend a hand, to stand up for, or just simply accept? Is there someone in your life who may have done this for you?
I know I have people all around me like that, and before I submit this, I’m going to respond to this all-too-clear nudge from God and write a thank-you note.
Matt OzmentMatt is the Media Services Production Manager in the Tech Arts ministry at Church of the Resurrection. He joined the staff in December 2014 and supports the technology needs of each special or weekly event outside of weekend worship at Resurrection Leawood. In his free time, he spends time with his 2 kids, supports his wife’s cake business, and aspires to be a novelist.
If I could name one teacher who had the biggest impact on my life, I would easily identify my high school Theater teacher. Aside from my parents, she was one of the first people who saw in me my strengths and weaknesses, and helped guide me toward a path of using those strengths for the betterment of those around me. The time she took to lead me had a great influence on the man I became.
In grade school and middle school, I began to discover my passion for writing. Unfortunately, I was amply bullied out of it, causing a fear of showing creativity that I couldn’t easily overcome. I can’t remember if I had ever talked about this passion with my teacher or not, but one day she gave me the simplest, yet single greatest gift I had ever received from a teacher: a book about how to structure a novel and get it published. I found that book again just a few months ago among other things from my childhood in a box my mom gave me. It brought tears to my eyes as I recalled how meaningful this simple gesture was to me, reviving that desire to write.
In just the past month, I have twice heard the prompt to write a note to a teacher, thanking them for the life-changing guidance he or she has given. The first was at the Global Leadership Summit at the beginning of August. The second was in the Family Activity of this GPS. This particular GPS is an ironic milestone for me. In addition to that question, this is also the first time I’ve ever “put my work out there.”
God chose Peter to teach his Word because he saw his strengths in leading, in teaching, and in the ability to read his audience. God also helped Peter’s pupils have an understanding of the importance of his message by sending his Holy Spirit to dwell among them. Peter gave of himself through teaching by seeing the needs of every person with whom he interacted. The beauty of Peter’s ministry is that he humbled himself by preaching to the outcasts, similarly to Jesus, and allowed others to hold him accountable. He gave room for others to speak, used what he saw to change the hearts of the religious leaders, and then allowed God to work through all of this instead of forcing his own agenda.
God used my Theater teacher to set a trajectory for my life, and very likely the lives of many of her other students. We all have points in our lives where God may be using us to make an impression on others, and places where God is using others to teach and care for us. Can you identify those people in your life? Do you see the outcasts to whom God may be asking you to extend a hand, to stand up for, or just simply accept? Is there someone in your life who may have done this for you?
I know I have people all around me like that, and before I submit this, I’m going to respond to this all-too-clear nudge from God and write a thank-you note.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
•Dick Walker and family on the death of his daughter-in-law Stacy Walker, 8/30
•Tom McCabe and family on the death of his mother Margaret McCabe, 8/29
•Colleen Aegerter and family on the death of her sister Cindi Hutchinson, 8/26
• Linda Reppell and family on the death of her brother-in-law Loren Martin, 8/19
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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