| Sermon Summary by Dan Stevens |
Maturing as a Christian means to have the qualities of Christ more and more in our lives, so that we start to reflect Him. In doctrinal terms, this process is called Sanctification. God takes His believers through different paths in this maturing process.
In the New Testament, we have the example of Paul, who had a dramatic encounter with Christ. The Bible does not tell us of any phase or instance of him backsliding. He wasn’t without flaws, as Paul himself would accept, but his spiritual journey seemed like a steady growth in the right direction.
On the other hand, we have Simon Peter, who also had a dramatic encounter with Christ, but his spiritual growth had its ebbs and flows. His impulsive words, impetuous actions, and inconsistent behavior often got him into trouble, and Jesus had to patiently work on him. Between Paul and Peter, we have the bookends of the sanctification experience.
Peter, in spite of his flaws, remained faithful to the call God placed on him. The graph of his spiritual growth had its ups and downs, but the direction was still where it needed to be. He loved the Lord, and he put himself in close proximity to his Master, both during His earthly ministry and after His ascension, so God could work on him. He was willing to be corrected and did not allow pride to come in the way. He sought the glory of Christ at all costs and eventually laid down his life for the sake of his faith.
F.W. Boreham said,
“When God begins to spell success in a man or woman’s life, He often starts with the letter F.”
If you are experiencing more failures in your spiritual walk and success seems few and far between, let how Jesus worked on Peter, and how Peter kept in close proximity to his Master to be worked upon, be an encouragement for you and me.