Scripture Portion: 2 Peter 1

Peter had the privilege of seeing the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as he
himself testifies in 2 Peter 1:16, and he had the same burden for those to whom he
wrote this epistle. We as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should see the glory and
the virtues of our highly exalted Lord. We pray that the Lord may help many of us to
see His beauty, majesty and glory. That is possible through the personal experience
of the Lord Jesus Christ as we read in verse 2. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto
you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord". As we go on receiving
new glimpses of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, we find grace and peace
multiplied automatically. Now we want to see how the Lord Jesus Christ opened the
eyes of Peter who testified saying, "we...were eyewitnesses of his majesty", so that
we too can have the same privilege and experience. Peter's experiences are recorded
in God's Word for our edification. When we first see Simon Peter, he was a God
fearing man waiting for the Messiah, but his eyes were not opened to see the Lord's
glory. Our Lord went on leading him from one experience to another till he began to
see His glory. God used many experiences and trials to bring Peter to that position
and it is so with us also, so that we too may see Him as He is.

In John 1: 40-41 we read how Andrew brought Peter to the Lord Jesus. He
was a young man at that time waiting for the coming Messiah. There were several
young men who thought that the Messiah would come again to restore the kingdom
of David. That is why they could not recognize the Lord Jesus Christ when He came
as a Savior. For the same reason, till today, the Jews as a nation are blind about
salvation. They are waiting for the Messiah but not for the Savior. They think that
they should again rule over" all nations as in the days of David and Solomon. These
young men were waiting and longing for God's kingdom to come upon the earth
straightway, because they could not understand fully the prophecies in the Scriptures
about the coming of the Lord Jesus. All the sacrifices and offerings in the Old
Testament, prophesied about the coming of the Lord Jesus as the Savior, but they
did not understand. They only thought about other prophecies concerning the coming
King. No doubt He will reign as the King of kings, but before that He had to come to
seek and to save sinners, who will by His grace reign with Him as kings and priests.
God had shown John the Baptist that on whom he would see the Holy Spirit descend
as a dove, the same was the Savior and Messiah (John 1: 31-35). When John the
Baptist baptized the Lord Jesus Christ this sign was fulfilled. When he saw the Lord
passing by, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God", and two of the disciples of John the
Baptist, having heard these words followed the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord turned
round and saw them coming after Him, and asked, "What seek ye?" They said,
"Rabbi, where dwellest thou?" He said, "Come and see", and they went and spent
the whole day with Him.

John the Baptist saw the Lord Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God"
(John 1 :29); he never said, "Behold the Messiah", yet Andrew understood that He
was the Messiah. There are many names given to the Lord Jesus Christ and one of
them is, "The Lamb", which means the One Who came into the world to die as God's
Lamb for the sins of the whole world. The Jews sacrificed a lamb without blemish on
the Passover day. But they never knew the purpose of that sacrifice. When John the
Baptist called the Lord Jesus the Lamb of God, he prophesied that Jesus would die as
God's Lamb for sinners. If you want to know the Lord Jesus, first of all you should
know Him as "God's Lamb". The Jews were looking for a great King who will have a
kingdom. They were God- fearing and good people but they were blind spiritually. All
of us have to pray again and again, "Lord, open my eyes to see Thy glory and
beauty".

Andrew having found Simon, brought him to the Lord Jesus Christ and
straightway the Lord said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called
Cephas". In other words, "Simon, I know who you are. I know your name, I know
your father's name. You will be called by a new name in future". Now Andrew did not
tell the Lord Jesus Christ anything about Simon, but our Lord knew everything.
Simon heard these words and wondered, "What wonderful words these are! What a
wonderful Man He is! He knows my name, He knows my past and my future too". He
was wonderstruck, but still blind spiritually. We do not find any inward change in
Peter yet. He only knew that our Lord is a great and a wonderful Person. In the same
way, people throughout the world admire the Lord Jesus Christ for His great love,
power, life and sacrifice. But they do not know Him by experience, nor have they
seen His glory. Simon heard wonderful things that day but no change took place in
him. He continued doing his own business of fishing. Had he known Him as he
should, he would have straightway followed Him. Many people are like that. They
hear many sermons, shed many tears, and shake their heads in the meetings, but
when they go home they shake off everything that they have heard. They return
home as they came.

Then the second instance when Peter met the Lord Jesus Christ is recorded
in Luke 4:38. Peter's mother-in-Law was down with high fever. When the Lord heard
that, He Himself came to Simon's house. What a privilege and what an honor! He
came, rebuked the fever with one word and immediately she was healed. She rose
up and served them. Now Simon was watching carefully. He must have said to
himself , "What a wonderful man! A man of authority! With one word the fever has
gone away! She has become normal and has begun to serve immediately". Looking
at Jesus Christ, Simon might have said in his heart, "I have never seen such a man
in my life!” What a change had taken place in that home! But no change had come in
Peter. He was like a man who goes to a doctor and keeps on saying, "What a
wonderful doctor, what a great doctor, what a clever doctor! He has so many
degrees and titles!" If someone asks him, "Has he cured you?" the answer would be
"No", because he has no personal experience. You too may go on saying about the
Lord Jesus Christ, that He is a wonderful man, a wonderful Savior and a unique
person. But tell me first, has He wrought any inward change in you? If not, no
matter what you say about Him, it is of no use.

The third occasion on which Simon Peter met the Lord Jesus Christ is
recorded in Luke 4:40. That happened in the very street of Simon's house. When the
news of the healing of his mother-in-law spread everywhere, people brought sick
folks to the Lord. Multitudes came with all kinds of infirmities and the Lord healed
everyone of them with no exception. Simon Peter was standing at the door of his
house watching all that was happening, saying " in his heart, "Wonderful power!
What a great power"! But he was still the same old Simon. No doubt, a good man
outwardly, but inwardly a sinner. Unknown to Simon, God was seeking him very
lovingly and patiently and going after him. I believe, unknown to us the Lord seeks
all of us. That is why He burdens so many people to pray for us. Even though many
a time, you refuse to receive Him, yet He comes to you pleading, "0 My son, My
daughter, give Me thy heart". You seek worthless, things, but your loving Savior is
calling you for His heavenly Kingdom.

The Lord Jesus Christ met Simon .for the fourth time in Luke 5. Multitudes
came to hear Him, but the heart of the Lord was after Simon because He knew his
inward longing. He has promised to satisfy the longing soul (Psa.107:9). When the
multitude pressed upon Him to hear Him, He saw two empty boats on the shore, of
which one was Simon's. He purposely entered into Simon's boat and taught the
people. Simon never knew why the Lord had entered into his boat. There he was in
the boat, looking very tired and sleepy, because he had toiled the whole night and
caught nothing. I don't think he heard what the Lord taught that day. After the
message was over, the Lord said to him, "Launch out into the deep, and let down
your nets for a draught" (v.4). Peter said, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and
have taken nothing, nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net" (v.5). Peter
never asked the Lord to help him at that time, but the Lord knew his need. Peter
thought, "We have toiled all night, we are fishermen for many generations. We know
all about the water and fishes. There is not a single fish nearby. But He is a great
Person. Just because He has asked, I will do it. Just to respect Him I will go. I know,
nothing, will happen". So half -heartedly, he launched out into the sea and
something happened. He saw the water go up and down. There were fishes running
here and there, and they came into the net. They did not come slowly but swiftly.

They all wanted to go first. Peter was silent, thinking what a Person the Lord Jesus
Christ is, that even the fishes obey Him! Peter knew that the fishes recognized their
Master as He called them. The fishes knew their Creator. They did not come into the
net for Peter or for anybody else. Our Lord never said a word. His very presence
spoke to the fishes in the water. They saw Him, they recognized Him as their Creator
and they obeyed. Now Simon's eyes were opened. Till that time he only knew Him as
a great teacher, a prophet and a miracle -worker. Now he sees Him as His Creator.
He began to see his inward condition. God's Word says, "The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked"(Jer.17:9). It also says, "For out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts" (Matt.15: 19). That is why straightway, trembling, Peter fell
upon his knees. (To be contd.)

Simon saw the great draught of fishes and fell down at Jesus' knees saying,
"Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, 0 Lord" (Luke 5:8). Now he saw something
of the glory of the Lord Jesus. He said to himself, "He is my Creator, He knows all my
thoughts". The Lord Jesus Christ reveals His glory in the beginning to all of us by
uncovering our sins. He did not want to put Peter to shame. He came to soften his
heart, change him and take away his old sinful nature. Now by His presence and His
authority, He showed Peter his nature. So he said, "0 Lord, I am a sinful man. Lord,
have mercy upon me and don't punish me for my sins". The Lord said, "Fear not;
from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Thus Peter was able to see something of the
glory of the Lord Jesus.

When the Lord Jesus Christ came early that morning at the lakeside, Simon's
boat was empty because he had caught nothing. Through the empty boat and empty
stomach, the Lord was saying, "Simon, I know your life is empty and barren, even
though you are a good man outwardly." that is how the Lord Jesus Christ shows Us
our condition. By showing His glory, he shows us our empty and barren condition
without Him.

Further, we read in Matt. 16:13-16 how the Lord Jesus put two questions to
His disciples First He asked, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they
said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or
one of the prophets". The next question that Jesus put was, "But whom say ye that I
am?" Peter straightway said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus
said, "..flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven." Now divine light had shined into Peter through the prayers of the Lord
Jesus Christ. So he knew He is Christ, the Son of God. He saw that He had all power
as the Creator and that He came into the world to save sinners. Our Lord Jesus told
His disciples that He must die in their stead. Peter knew that the Lord never spoke a
single idle word. His yea was yea and nay was nay. Also He had all power and
authority. Very lovingly He told them, "My dear disciples, I must give My body to be
broken and My blood to be shed for you. I will allow wicked men to scourge Me and
spit upon Me. I must die and rise again." Having heard that Simon took Him aside
and rebuked Him, and said, "Don't say that, I won't allow you". Then the Lord said,
"Get thee behind me Satan." So far his eyes were not fully opened.

Our Lord is so loving and long suffering that He took Peter, James and John
on a mountain as we see in Matt. 17:1-6. There lovingly our Lord showed Peter, the
purpose for which He had come to the world. As He prayed with them, He was
transfigured. His face shone as the sun (Matt. 17:2). Then there appeared two
prophets, Moses and Elias, for the sake of Peter, James and John. They had
prophesied long ago about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, how He would suffer
for sinners, so that their sins could be forgiven, and they could become partakers of
the glory, the glory which they were seeing on the Lord's face. Now Peter's eyes
were opened and he knew how the Lord must suffer for their sake. In the beginning
they were wondering why He should suffer when He is all-powerful. Now their eyes
were opened and they said, "0 Lord, what a great love Thou hast for us! There is a
high purpose in Thy suffering for us, that we unworthy men may one day become
partakers of Thy glory and blessings." The Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured on the
mountain that day, that they might know the purpose of His suffering and death.

Unless our sins are fully atoned for, we cannot become partakers of His glory
and fullness. Many say that their sins are forgiven, but they cannot testify that one
day they will see the Lord in His glory, receive glorified bodies, and become heavenly
kings and be with Him forever. The Lord took upon Himself all our sins and
judgment, so that we may see His glory and become partakers of His coming glory
(1 Pet.5:1 ). Even though we are ruined completely by sin, our sins can all be
forgiven and washed away by His blood, removed and forgotten. But you must come
to Him with a repentant heart. See Him as your Creator, as your Savior, as your
King, then you will see His glory. Oh! What a Savior! Anyone of us can become
partaker of the glory of the Lord Jesus. One day we shall be like Him, Hallelujah! If
so far your sins are not forgiven, come to Him without any delay, without any
question. Do not let Satan your enemy deceive you and hinder you from salvation.

By -grace He invites you. God's glory is being offered to you. The Creator invites
you. The loving Savior loves you. The King of kings wants you. Come and receive
this great salvation, so that you too may behold His glory and become a partaker of
that glory.