Share
February 23, 2025
Peter: The Changed One
By Debbie Smith
According to Ralph Waldon Emerson, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” We can nod in agreement with the sentiment behind this saying…that the learning, experience, and maturity gained along the way to a goal matter a great deal in our transformed arrival at the endpoint. We can see this borne out in the life of Simon, whom Jesus called Peter—rock—even when Simon was anything but solid.
In today’s teaching, we learned that it sometimes takes a long journey with Jesus to actually become what Jesus tells us we indeed are. We watch Simon’s fearfulness at the wind and the waves, his boasting, and his betrayal. Time after time, we see his human frailty. Yet Jesus called him Peter, a destination name. The “Simon,” who was awake and afraid during the storm, would later become the “Peter,” imprisoned, chained, and at rest between two guards. When an angel of the Lord appeared and shone light into his cell, Peter was sleeping so soundly the angel had to prod him out of slumber.
As Peter’s character developed through his trials and grew in faith and fortitude, he also grew in peace and became a person intensely following Jesus. The last recorded words of Peter come from the man Jesus always knew Simon would become, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” As Jesus followers we look forward to joining Paul in worshiping Jesus on that day when every knee will bow. Still, we also grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord as we walk with him day by day on the road to eternity. Life is a journey, but it also includes a destination. Jesus is preparing a room for us and beckoning us home to our forever family.
A prayer for this week:
Lord, you call us by new names both now and to the end of time. You give us identities beyond our own capabilities and human limitations and mold us lovingly into completeness. Teach us how to look at others and ourselves through your eyes. Thank you for seeing us as if we’ve already attained our highest potential and all you created us for. In your good name, we pray Jesus, Amen.
[Monday, February 24]
Matthew 10:2, John 1:42
In today’s passages, Jesus changed Simon’s given name to Peter or “Cephas,” which means ‘rock’ in Aramaic. This happened well before Jesus proclaimed that Peter was the Rock that his church would be built upon. Jesus calls us into new identity in him, sometimes before we are even aware of it ourselves. Prayerfully ponder what purposeful step Jesus could be leading you to take next…where might he be calling you by a new name you hadn’t yet considered?
[Tuesday, February 25]
Luke 5:1-11
We come to church on Sundays, expectant and receptive to hearing from Jesus and encountering God. Jesus reached out to meet Peter while he was cleaning his fishing nets…this seems as unexpected as if Jesus materialized in my driveway while I was shoveling snow. Yet, Jesus is here with us in the mundane, as well as the miraculous. How has Jesus powerfully shown up in your life when you least expected him?
[Wednesday, February 26]
Matthew 14:22-36
We’re drawn to the adventure Jesus calls us into, described as the “Holy Wild” by author Mark Buchanan. At the same time, we can struggle with trust issues, as we’re led into unfamiliar waters that test our sense of security. Lord, show us today where we have places we need to shift our eyes toward you and away from the swirl around us.
[Thursday, February 27]
Luke 22:31-34, Mark 14:37-38, Luke 22:60-62
Jesus called Peter a rock, yet we see how often Peter failed to live up to that lofty label. We can be pretty hard on ourselves, sometimes letting our worst moments weigh heavily in the way we identify ourselves. Here we can learn from the example of Jesus, who lovingly renamed Peter in a way that evoked his kingdom best. Jesus, teach us to see from your perspective. Thank you for this reminder that you see us as bearers of the image of God, not as the sum of our mistakes.
[Friday, February 28]
John 21:1-23
When Peter first met Jesus as he was fishing, Peter was given the opportunity to fish for people as his next calling. When the resurrected Jesus appeared again to a fishing Peter, Jesus entreated him to “feed my sheep.” Jesus welcomes us to join him, but he asks us to partner with him in continuing to extend that welcome. We make space to make Jesus first, and we keep inviting others to join us in that space. How can we lock arms to continue to feed the sheep of Jesus, within Heartland and beyond?
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
Please visit us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and share what you are learning, questioning or experiencing. We love conversations!
© 2025 Heartland Community Church