Greetings MOL Family!

In part 1 of our last lesson on the life and experiences of the apostle Peter, we are going to study the little word “come,” as it enters into the call of Jesus to Peter, and his response…

“Come”

This word “come,” you know, is often used by the Master. We think of it in that wonderful invitation:

Come unto me. – Matthew 11:28

But in John 1, Peter is introduced to us by way of Andrew, and Andrew is introduced to us by way of John the Baptist. John, James’ brother, and Andrew, were standing with John the Baptist one day, and as Jesus was there, John the Baptist pointed to Him and said, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Those two disciples, Andrew and John, followed Jesus. The 38th verse, Jesus turned and asked them, “What would you like? What are you seeking?” And they said, “Master, where do you live?”

He saith unto them, Come and see. – John 1:39

This is the first invitation of Jesus to His disciples. “Come and see.” “Were do you live?” “Come and see.” So, they went with Him and stayed with Him for several hours that day.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. – John 1:40-42

Andrew came, and then went and got Peter. You know, I’ve thought of what a thrill must have been in Andrew’s heart, as three years later he heard Peter speak the Pentecostal sermon. Down in his deepest heart there must have been a glad feeling. There’s the man I brought to Jesus. Now he’s bringing thousands of others. We little know, my friends, what the influence of a single word for Jesus may be. Well, my point is, Jesus called Andrew and John, Andrew called Peter, and the first disciples had entered into fellowship with Jesus.

Now, let’s turn to Mark 1, and we’ll find this word “come,” again. This is some months later. They’re up on the Sea of Galilee. While the disciples had, in a sense, enlisted with Jesus there at the Jordan, they were still spending part time in ordinary life, ordinary vocations. So here is Peter and the others, fishing:

Now as He walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them. – Mark 1:16-17

What? Come, come. You came down at Jordan, but you need to come closer now.

Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. – Mark 1:17-18

You know, friends, Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ, we’re told. All the way along in our Christian experience, in this world and in the next, we’ll hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Come, come, come.” And the true Christian life is following as Jesus calls. It’s coming every time He says, “Come.” Isn’t that nice?

The Quiet Hour For Communion

Now let’s go to Mark 6:31. His invitation is not always to work. Sometimes it’s to rest:

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. – Mark 6:31

Then Mark tells us why Jesus said that:

For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. – Mark 6:31-32

There, near the Sea of Galilee, was a place out in the country where they could be alone for a little while. Now, it’s true that the multitudes saw them going and soon gathered. So, most of the day was spent in healing and teaching. But, for a little while they had this rest with the Lord.

The Spirit of Prophecy tells us that this invitation is given to us today as much as it was to those first disciples. Like Peter, you and I need seasons of rest, physical rest; time to sleep; time to relax; time to get out in nature; time to be alone with God. We need seasons of spiritual communion when (with the open Bible, on our knees) we can hear the voice of Jesus calling us. To all of this the Saviour is inviting us, and He says, “Come.” Oh, to hear His voice!

All who are under the training of God need the quiet hour for communion with their own hearts, with nature, and with God. In them is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practices; and they need to have a personal experience in obtaining a knowledge of the will of God. – Ministry of Healing, pg. 58

If there’s any one of these invitations that we need today, it is this one, my friends – to come apart, to come aside and commune with Jesus. “Come and rest awhile.”

A Faith Beyond The Ordinary

Now let’s go to Matthew 14. This one is the night after the one we’ve just read. You remember this morning they had that season of rest and recreation. The rest of the day they were teaching and healing the multitude. That evening Jesus fed the five thousand. They wanted to make Him king. He sent them away. He sent the disciples over the lake while He remained to pray. But in the night He came to them, walking on the water. And when He finally revealed Himself, and the disciples had gotten over their fright and recognized the Saviour, notice what Peter said:

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. – Matthew 14:28

What did Jesus say?

He said, Come. – Matthew 14:29

Peter had heard that “come” before. And oh, I can just see Peter as he steps out of that boat, not timidly, not wondering if it will support his weight. He rushes to meet his Lord. “Come, come.”

And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. – Matthew 14:29

Of course, we know that he took his eyes off Jesus. He got to wondering, perhaps, what Andrew and James and John were thinking of his walking on the water. The wind was boisterous. A wave came between him and Jesus. With his eyes off the Lord, what happened? Yes, he sank. But Jesus, as Peter cried to Him, put out His hand and saved him. And arm in arm, Peter and Jesus walked back to the boat.

My point is, friends, Peter opened the way for Jesus to give him an unusual invitation. Jesus didn’t rebuke him for it. Do you know there are those who have a faith that we sometimes think borders on audacity? I suppose that Thomas or Philip would never have thought of that, of asking Jesus if they could walk on the water. But Peter said:

Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. – Matthew 14:28

And Jesus said, “Come.”

Every want that Jesus implants in our hearts He has provided to satisfy. Between now and the coming of the Lord, we’re going to be led into experiences, my dear friends, where we’re going to see marvelous things wrought. It’s going to take somebody who has a faith that goes beyond the ordinary. Now, of course, we shouldn’t be presumptuous. Sometimes there’s a fine line between faith and presumption. But here, as I say, Jesus didn’t rebuke Peter, when he said, “Lord , if it is you, bid me come to You on the water.” He said, “Come.” And Peter, looking to Jesus, walked on the water.

Until next week – Invite a friend, and we’ll see you then…

-Continue on to the next study-

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“The gospel we present for the saving of souls must be the gospel by which our own souls are saved. Only through a living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour is it possible to make our influence felt in a skeptical world…” {MH 469.3} Learn how to come to Jesus, to develop such a relationship with Him. Enter promo code COME and get 50% off our “How to Live” series! Hurry, before class starts, next week!!! >> Order Now

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* This study has been adapted from classes taken by Elder W.D. Frazee.