The Making of an Apostle – Part 1

From fisherman to Great Apostle (meaning one sent on a mission), Simon Peter’s life changed dramatically over time. He left everything to follow Jesus, and went from the high of being the first to proclaim Him as the promised Messiah to the low of denying Him as He headed to the cross. Peter was redeemed, and after the crucifixion he boldly taught about Jesus wherever he went. In Peter’s story we see that Jesus had foreknowledge of him; Jesus chose Peter and called him. As we reflect on Peter’s story, let’s discover what it is to be known, chosen and called by God.

Read John 1:41-42, Luke 5:1-10

Discuss

1. To Be Known In both the John and Luke readings, we see that Jesus chose Peter and he responded. Read Romans 8:29-30. God always takes the initiative and we echo our response. How do you feel about the fact that you were chosen by God? Do you wrestle with the idea that God chose you rather than you chose God?
2. To Be Chosen In both the John and Luke readings, we see that Jesus chose Peter and he responded. Read Romans 8:29-30. God always takes the initiative and we echo our response. How do you feel about the fact that you were chosen by God? Do you wrestle with the idea that God chose you rather than you chose God?
3. To Be Called In the John and Luke readings, we see that Jesus called Peter. He went from being Simon the fisherman to Peter the Rock and fisher of people. Read 2 Timothy 1:9. Everyone who follows Jesus has been given a calling, without exception. What do you perceive is God’s call on your life? Do you have a sense of a God-given purpose?
4. To Be Deaf Read Matthew 13:14-15. Jesus’s disciples once asked Him why He spoke in parables. How did Jesus respond to people’s reluctance to hear the call of God? Have you ever been deaf to God’s calling in your life? Did you feel that you missed out on anything? What have you done about this?
5. To Disqualify Yourself Read Isaiah 6:5-7. Isaiah comes into the presence of God and is called to be a prophet to the people of Israel. How did Isaiah initially disqualify himself from the calling? How did God overcome this? Have you ever disqualified yourself from the calling God put on your life? How did God overcome this self-disqualification?
6. To Be Defiant Read Jonah 1:1-3. Jonah is called by God to go to the city of Nineveh and proclaim His message to the people there. What did Jonah do instead? Read Jonah 3:1-3. Does God give Jonah a second chance? Have you ever disobeyed God’s calling? Did you experience His grace?

Respond

Wherever you are around the world, God calls you. He calls you into a relationship with Himself and He calls you to a life full of purpose. The response God seeks from each of us to His calling is obedience. We see that Peter was foreknown, chosen and called by Jesus. Reflect on the fact that you too are foreknown, chosen and called by Jesus. Share with the group how you are stepping into your calling. As a group, pray together that each one of you would have the courage to respond to His calling. Over the coming weeks, as we discover more about Peter’s journey, reflect on who you are becoming and who God is calling you to become.

The Making of an Apostle – Part 2

This week we look at the Apostle Peter’s development as a man of prayer. In Matthew 14:22-30, Peter walked on water towards Jesus, showing his faith. Moments later, he was intimidated by the wind and waves, crying out to the Lord in fear. Jesus often withdrew to pray, and prayer is essential in shaping our lives, too. Peter learned to pray earnestly. If we want to learn how to pray, we need to pray in the storm. We may experience silence, disappointments, and setbacks; we will also develop discipline, experience wonder, and strengthen our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Read Matthew 14:22-33, Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 69:1-2

Discuss

1. Read Matthew 14:22-23. How does Jesus’ habit of withdrawing to pray inspire your personal prayer life? What helps you connect with our Father?
2. Read Matthew 14:18-30. What does Peter’s experience of walking on water teach us about faith and fear? Can you share a personal experience where fear caused you to doubt? How did you respond?
3. Describe a time when you felt like Peter, that is, when you stepped out in faith but then became overwhelmed by fear. How does recognizing ‘I Am’ as God’s almighty name (Matthew 14:27) influence our understanding of God’s power in our life? How might this change our perspective on our challenges?
4. Discuss Matthew 11:28-29. How does this passage speak to those who are weary and burdened? In what practical ways can we find rest in Jesus in our busy daily lives?
5. What does Psalm 69:1-2 teach us about praying during times of distress?
6. What can we learn about God’s presence and provision during the storms of life?
7. Have you ever experienced a miracle in your prayer life? Share this with the group.
8. How can we support each other in becoming more dedicated to prayer, especially in challenging times?

Respond

From Jesus’ example, we see the impact, love and necessity of connecting with our Heavenly Father in prayer. Take a step of faith like Peter this week. Commit to setting aside daily time for prayer, focusing on trusting God in your challenges. Share your experiences with the group next week to encourage and hold each other accountable.

The Making of an Apostle – Part 3

It is an unfortunate truth that many Christians do not see themselves as natural disciple makers, even though most will firmly profess to be followers of Christ Jesus, the master disciple maker. Jesus said, “If you have known me, you will know my Father too” (John 14:7). He was every bit like God, because He was God. Yet, He became completely human just like us. Through His redemptive work, it became possible for us to become every bit like Him – and on this basis, He commissioned all believers to go and make disciples.

Read Matthew 16:13-23

Discuss

1. As you read the passage, what key points do you notice about the interaction Jesus has with Peter? How are these points significant in the way Jesus discipled Peter?
2. Scripture records 307 different questions Jesus asked people. When speaking one-to-one or to small group, Jesus would pose questions that caused people to think, as He did with Peter in verses 13-15. Why do you think Jesus did this?
3. Discuss the effectiveness of open questions as a discipleship strategy. With regard to discipleship, what practical steps can we take to refine the skill of encouraging people to think? Ask the group to share examples where this has been effective when sharing about Jesus.
4. Read verse 17. Jesus affirmed Peter and spoke positively into his future. How do you think this made Peter feel? Words have power. What is said to a person can cause them to see things differently and open their eyes to see themselves as God sees them.Why do words have such power? Share stories of how your own Christian walk has been encouraged or inspired by someone speaking directly into your life.
5. Read verse 19. Jesus graced Peter with authority. Keys speak of authority of access; that which you lock on earth with be locked in heaven, and that which you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven. Is this authority intended only for church leaders, or for those under the Lordship of Christ (all believers)? Is this authority a gift, or do we have to earn it? Share your experiences of praying with authority and why it is important to pray this way when needed (consider Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, 1 Corinthians 2:5).
6. Read verse 23. Jesus corrected Peter when necessary. It is important to know Jesus was not referring to Peter when rebuking Satan in this passage, but He did correct Peter’s view. In the discipling process, correction is likely to be required. Share constructive and nurturing ways this may be done. What might have happened if Jesus did not correct Peter in this instance? Discuss what may occur if necessary correction is not given to a young Christian disciple.

Respond

Today we glimpsed an Apostle in the making through Jesus’ relational method: make them think, speak positively into their life, encourage their stand and mission in the authority of God, and bring correction with grace when needed. Identify one way you will follow Christ’s discipleship example this coming week.

Download PDF

The Making of an Apostle – Part 4

Jesus brought Peter, James and John to a high mountain where, in awe, they witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. His face and clothes were transformed to reveal His glorious and divine nature (similar to the Book of Revelation’s description of His second coming). This encounter was a ‘big reveal’ of the true nature of Jesus Christ, and was hugely significant for the three men as future disciple makers. What can we learn from their experience as we seek to become effective disciple makers?

Read Matthew 17:1-18, 2 Peter 1:16-18

Discuss

1. Jesus brought Peter, James and John up on a high mountain where they experienced the full reveal of the Son of God in His glory. What’s your most exceptional experience with God in your spiritual journey so far, and how did it change you? Could anybody convince you that love doesn’t exist? What would it take for you to doubt your faith that God is real?
2. One important aspect of being a disciple maker is offering a ‘full reveal’ of Jesus. This was true for Peter, who saw Jesus in all His glory during His transfiguration. How can we facilitate the revelation of God to another person? Share how you have witnessed another person encounter the reality of God in a unique way.
3. A person should fall in love with Jesus, not just with His teaching, church life, fellowship or the blessings of God. Why is it so important that we love God for who He is, not just for what He does or His truth? Reflect on the greatest commandment and how it relates to this.
4. When assessing the historical accuracy of ancient manuscripts, historians consider the time difference between an event’s occurrence and when it was first written down, as well as the volume of surviving manuscripts. The smaller the time difference, the more reliable the source, particularly when eyewitnesses were alive to verify its accuracy. The more numerous the manuscript, the greater its veracity. Ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts, such as those written by or about Ceaser, Aristotle, Homer and Plato, number fewer than 50 and are dated more than 1000 years after the existence of the authors. By contrast, manuscripts of the New Testament number more than 24,000 and are dated less than 25 years after the life of the author (Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh Mc Dowell, part 4 A, section 2 C). What other evidence corroborates the Bible as a unique and reliable collection of writings to be taken seriously?
5. During the transfiguration, God the Father supernaturally proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son… listen to Him.” It is paramount that discipleship is focused on the Lordship of Christ and that people are discipled to grow in obedience to Him. How can we model this to another person?

Respond

To be effective disciple makers, we need to have personal and authentic encounters with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, so that we can share the same revelation with others. Take a few moments to renew your obedience to be a disciple maker like Peter. Who can you invite into your world and disciple towards Christ? Who could you read the Bible with? Share this with your group and pray for this individual together.

The Making of an Apostle – Part 5

Peter denied Jesus at His trial, despite his previous insistence that he was prepared to die for Jesus. At this point, Peter felt like a complete failure. His depth of despair made him feel disqualified from being able to serve Jesus at all. Even so, on a deserted beach, Jesus met Peter where he was at, calling him back and ultimately leading him to unimaginably greater things for the glory of God. God has a very high tolerance of our failures, and a very low tolerance of our disobedience. Every single one of us will fail, the question is what we do at that point. At our point of failure, Jesus calls us to draw closer to Him. He calls us to receive His forgiveness and restoration. Jesus can use our failures for His glory, no matter what we have done. Our part is to repent and come back to Him.

Read John 21:1-19

Discuss

1. Read John 21:1-19 together as a group. What stands out to you in this text? How might you have felt if you were Peter?
2. Have you ever been at a point where you have felt that you have let Jesus down, or disqualified yourself as a disciple? What was your response? What helped you at this time? (Share if appropriate).
3. What was significant about Jesus’ meeting Peter at the beach where he was fishing? What discipleship lessons can we learn from this example?
4. Read John 21:15-17. What is significant about this interaction between Jesus and Peter? What was Jesus looking to achieve? How did Peter respond? How is this relevant to us when we fail? What lessons can we learn from this?
5. Jesus has a high tolerance of failure but a low tolerance of disobedience. What does this mean for us? How do you respond to this?
6. Read 1 John 1:9. When each of us fail (which we all will) we are called to repent and to be restored with Jesus. Why is this difficult to do? What may help us at this time? What is not helpful?

Respond

Jesus met Peter at his point of failure in a place familiar to Peter. This place, where Jesus had originally called Peter to leave his fishing boat and follow Him, was also where Jesus called Peter back to be the Rock on which He would build His Church. Peter’s part was to be willing to repent of his actions, and to accept Jesus’ love and forgiveness.

In your own life, are there any areas where you feel disqualified to be a disciple of Jesus because of your sin? Take a moment now to silently confess this to Jesus, and then pray for each other.

The Making of an Apostle – Part 6

The Apostle Peter was a person of integrity. This developed throughout his journey of faith in simple, incremental steps. He chose courage over comfort, right over what was easy, and practice over profession. Peter’s life was grounded in prayer and the teachings of Jesus. In prayer, he learnt that surrender to God is followed by submission to God. Let’s look at three things God did repeatedly in Peter’s life, and does in ours, that can lead to a life of integrity.

Read Acts 10:9-48

Discuss

1. In Acts 10:11-16, Peter is confronted with a situation that is contradictory to long-held Jewish religious law regarding clean and unclean food. Read Leviticus 11:1-3, 46-47 (Jewish law regarding clean and unclean foods). How does Peter react to the Lord’s command for him to break Jewish law? How does his reaction grow his integrity?

2. Read Matthew 9:10-17. Jesus mixed with those whom religious people of the time refused to associate. How do you react when the Lord brings people into your life that others look down upon? How does your response grow your integrity?

3. Peter was also challenged with another situation that was against the Jewish tradition of not associating with Gentiles (non-Jews). Read Exodus 12:48-49 (Jewish law regarding eating a Passover meal with Gentiles). How did Peter behave towards the Gentiles that the Lord sent to him? How did this situation shape Peter’s character and integrity?

4. Read Micah 6:8. What characteristics did the Lord tell the prophet Micah He required of His people? Read Matthew 11:29. What are the key characteristics of Jesus? How has the Lord shaped your character? Have you experienced surrender by submission in a journey of faith?

5. In Acts 10:44-48, we again see Peter in an uncomfortable situation, entering the home of Cornelius, a Gentile. Despite his discomfort, Peter obeyed the Holy Spirit’s leading. How were the Gentile’s lives impacted by Peter’s act of obedience? How did Peter demonstrate integrity in His response to the Holy Spirit coming upon the Gentiles?

6. Read 2 Timothy 1:6-10. The Apostle Paul encouraged his disciple Timothy to be empowered as a follower of Jesus. How did the Holy Spirit empower Timothy in his life and build his integrity? How might the Holy empower you to live with integrity in every aspect of your life?

Respond

“When you live with integrity, people start to trust you, and that changes everything. God loves you, but as God starts to trust you, it changes everything.” –– Pastor Tim Piesse

Step by step, Peter became a person of integrity by allowing God to make him the person he was created to be. By acting with integrity, Peter became someone people came to trust and, more importantly, someone God could trust. This changed everything! The world was never the same again after Peter brought the message of salvation to the Gentiles, even though it went against his Jewish traditions and beliefs. Reflect on a time when you chose courage over comfort. Share how this developed integrity in your life. Pray together that we would grow as people of integrity. You can use the following as guidance:

• Holy Spirit Come. Not my will but Your will be done. God disrupt our status quo.