I've started reading the book of John again. My intention today was to see how much I could read in half and hour and then continue in half hour chunks for this week, getting an overview, a big picture view of Jesus in John.
But as often happens, when I actually sit down to purposefully read the Bible, God decides He would like to draw my attention to certain things and not let me get passed chapter 1.
There are so many different levels in Scripture. Stopping and focussing on just a verse or two, taking the time to meditate on it, can have surprising results. It's like God has sown amazing truths and lessons deep down in the soil of Scripture. The Bible has serious depth!
After advising someone just yesterday to see if they could focus on just one verse a day and to soak in it a while, I'm thinking that maybe I should be putting that challenge to myself!
So I got to verse 42 of John chapter 1. Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist have gone off to follow Jesus and find out where he's staying so they could be with him and learn from him. Then Andrew goes to find his brother Simon exclaiming 'We have found the Messiah!' (v41).
V42: He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas' (which is translated Peter).
I got caught on this verse, I think it has a lot to teach.
There are several name changes in the Bible, famous ones include Abram/Abraham Saul/Paul etc... these two examples are name changes given by God Himself, though there are others when those in authority change the names of those who serve them (Joseph, Daniel etc...)
It's interesting that the names given by others, whilst they are noted, are not used by the writers of Scripture after the event has happened. Whereas when God changes someone's name - it's a permanent fixture: it's not just a new identifier, it's a new identity.
three things happen in this episode that jump out at me...
Firstly, Jesus looks at Peter. He notices him, I don't know how much attention Peter had received from others to this point, he was a fisherman, probably smelt pretty bad, not a socialite.
Jesus looks at him knowingly. In all likelihood these two had crossed paths before and so would know his name, but let's not put it passed Jesus to have had a prompting from the Holy Spirit.
He names him: 'you are Simon son of John' his given name and his immediate ancestry - two very important elements of his identity.
The name 'Simon' means 'he has heard' - and he has just heard! 'We have found the Messiah!' the best news he had ever heard, this Simon has truly heard, he could hear no greater message. He has fulfilled the meaning of his name.
Jesus affirms who he is 'you are', but then he goes a step further... 'you are to be'.
'You are to be called Cephas', Peter. Peter means 'rock' - a change in identity, what does 'rock' speak to you of?
steadfastness
security
stability
strength
firm foundations
immovability
Jesus sees the potential in this man (probably a young man - even a teenager) - Jesus sees further than the present, of who he is now.
And he doesn't just see it, Jesus names it! He changes his name and it sticks! Only God does that, right?
It's like Jesus is calling Peter into being. Peter might not be a rock yet, but over the next three intense years he will be formed by Jesus and become the rock upon which the church is built. Please note that Jesus didn't wait until Peter had made it. He continued calling him 'rock' all the way through the gospels, through the times Peter got it and the times he really messed up.
Jesus names Peter in faith. He shows Peter that he believes in him, right from the very beginning.
We mess up frequently just like Peter. But just like this encounter, Jesus has put his faith in us. He believes in us. We need Him desperately to give us all we need, but he has chosen us and wouldn't have it any other way.
What is He calling into being in you?
But as often happens, when I actually sit down to purposefully read the Bible, God decides He would like to draw my attention to certain things and not let me get passed chapter 1.
There are so many different levels in Scripture. Stopping and focussing on just a verse or two, taking the time to meditate on it, can have surprising results. It's like God has sown amazing truths and lessons deep down in the soil of Scripture. The Bible has serious depth!
After advising someone just yesterday to see if they could focus on just one verse a day and to soak in it a while, I'm thinking that maybe I should be putting that challenge to myself!
So I got to verse 42 of John chapter 1. Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist have gone off to follow Jesus and find out where he's staying so they could be with him and learn from him. Then Andrew goes to find his brother Simon exclaiming 'We have found the Messiah!' (v41).
V42: He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas' (which is translated Peter).
I got caught on this verse, I think it has a lot to teach.
There are several name changes in the Bible, famous ones include Abram/Abraham Saul/Paul etc... these two examples are name changes given by God Himself, though there are others when those in authority change the names of those who serve them (Joseph, Daniel etc...)
It's interesting that the names given by others, whilst they are noted, are not used by the writers of Scripture after the event has happened. Whereas when God changes someone's name - it's a permanent fixture: it's not just a new identifier, it's a new identity.
three things happen in this episode that jump out at me...
Firstly, Jesus looks at Peter. He notices him, I don't know how much attention Peter had received from others to this point, he was a fisherman, probably smelt pretty bad, not a socialite.
Jesus looks at him knowingly. In all likelihood these two had crossed paths before and so would know his name, but let's not put it passed Jesus to have had a prompting from the Holy Spirit.
He names him: 'you are Simon son of John' his given name and his immediate ancestry - two very important elements of his identity.
The name 'Simon' means 'he has heard' - and he has just heard! 'We have found the Messiah!' the best news he had ever heard, this Simon has truly heard, he could hear no greater message. He has fulfilled the meaning of his name.
Jesus affirms who he is 'you are', but then he goes a step further... 'you are to be'.
'You are to be called Cephas', Peter. Peter means 'rock' - a change in identity, what does 'rock' speak to you of?
steadfastness
security
stability
strength
firm foundations
immovability
Jesus sees the potential in this man (probably a young man - even a teenager) - Jesus sees further than the present, of who he is now.
And he doesn't just see it, Jesus names it! He changes his name and it sticks! Only God does that, right?
It's like Jesus is calling Peter into being. Peter might not be a rock yet, but over the next three intense years he will be formed by Jesus and become the rock upon which the church is built. Please note that Jesus didn't wait until Peter had made it. He continued calling him 'rock' all the way through the gospels, through the times Peter got it and the times he really messed up.
Jesus names Peter in faith. He shows Peter that he believes in him, right from the very beginning.
We mess up frequently just like Peter. But just like this encounter, Jesus has put his faith in us. He believes in us. We need Him desperately to give us all we need, but he has chosen us and wouldn't have it any other way.
What is He calling into being in you?
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