Mark 8:29
Who is Jesus
29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
John 6:60-69
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Mark 14:66-72
Peter Disowns Jesus
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it.
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Matthew 11:2-3
Question Your Faith
2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Matthew 16:18
Jesus Would Have Peter Build His Church
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
1 Peter 3:15
Being Prepared to Answer
15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
John 17:3
Now This is Eternal Life
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Peter was one of the most solid of the disciples that Jesus recruited to spread His word...When Jesus ask who they (the disciples) thought He was, Peter is the first to answer and says “You are the Messiah.”...Later when other followers of Jesus are leaving Him, Jesus asks the Twelve, if they want to leave to...Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life...We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God.”...Peter knew that Jesus was a Special Man from Above...
Peter solidly believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the One the Prophets said who was to come in the Old Testament...Peter also told Him and the other disciples that He was, in fact, the Holy One of God..They could not leave Him, because He alone has the words of eternal life...Where could they (and all of us) go, except to Him to get salvation and learn about eternal life?...Peter very much said and believed that Jesus was sent by God...But knowing this does not make for a perfect life, or make one a perfect follower...Man is flawed...We are flawed by sins, temptations, and the flesh...
We struggle sometimes on a regular basis just trying to follow Jesus...We struggle sometimes just trying to please others...We struggle sometimes just trying to fit in as a follower of Christ...We struggle sometimes just not knowing what to say to others about Christ...We struggle sometimes maybe because we are embarrassed to admit we are followers of Christ, to others who are not...Peter had struggles, as a believer, the night of Jesus' arrest...He denied he knew His friend and teacher...He denied he knew the One that He had earlier called the Messiah and the Holy One of God..
Yet, Peter would learn through these struggles...He became a better follower with the struggles he had...Peter would become a Great Saint and the the first Pope and would be the first to start and lead the church for Jesus...Jesus knew Peter would struggle and even predicted he would be denied by Him -three times...Peter's denial is written about in all four of the gospels...Yet, Peter would be the Rock, that Jesus would build His church on...
Jesus knows that we struggle with our faith...He knew St. Peter would struggle with his faith...He knows that we can struggle with our faith on a regular basis...Doubts or denials pass through the minds of some of our great believers...Even John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus, if He was the One to come...Many, if not most of us, question our faith in our lives -and many more than once...
The best we can do (at least for me) is to work through these days of doubt and the days we question our faith like John the Baptist did, and like Peter did...Take heart in St. John the Baptist, St. Peter, and St. Thomas...
Jesus never told His disciples or us that believing in Him and following Him would be easy...
During these doubtful times, let us ask what Jesus did at the start of these verses, “Who do you say I am?”... And if we answer the Messiah, the Holy One of God -I like to ask myself the next and similar question...The question is why did and would He come?...Jesus came to teach us about God...He came to help us get closer to His Father...He came to save us and that we might have eternal life for those that know God and the One He sent...He came to earth that we may know and have a relationship with Him and His Father...Jesus came so that we can get to know Him and His Father -and share eternal life with Them...