Jesus had many encounters with Simmon Peter throughout the scriptures. The first time at his family’s fishing boat, where Jesus saw that they were cleaning their nets from a night of fishing. He used their boat to push away from shore to better speak to the people that had followed Him.

And when he (Jesus) had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Luke 5:4-11 ESV

It was not written down what Jesus spoke that day or if it was the first time Peter heard Him speak, but from that encounter, Peter walked away for everything he had. Leaving his friends, family, his family business and even the recently fresh catch.

We know throughout scripture that Peter with presumptive in his act and speech. He was passionate and out of those passions, he would act and speak. To us, these actions were mostly good and correct and other times not so. We see Jesus correcting some of his statements but never rebuke his actions or passion.

Jesus continued to pour into Peter and the other disciple as they travel thought out the time Jesus was with them. At times giving the disciples assignments and sending off. They would come back and share their experiences. One time, after Jesus fed the five thousand, He sent them in a boat to the other side without Him.

but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

Matthew 14:24-29 ESV

Peter in his excitement stepped out to the boat and began to walk on the water. What an encounter! What the other disciples were thinking or even the thoughts Peter had in his own mind. Just like Peter God will ask us to do something we begin but shortly get distracted and begin to sink. The great part is that Jesus did not let him sink or rebuked him for trying. Jesus took Peter’s hand, refocused him back to the task and Peter again walk on the water back to the boat.

Peter’s passion got him out of the boat and walking on the water, it seems that is also could have landed him into hot water at times.

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Matthew 16:21-23 ESV

This passion exchange of Peter’s with Jesus, you see Peter is the one rebuking Jesus but Jesus still did not rebuke Peter. Jesus just let him know that his passion was a soul expression and not of the spirit of God.

Peter did this again in Matthew 26 when Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night.” Peter quickly spoke up and said, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” I can imagine Jesus just shaking his head with a little smirk on his face as he responded to him, “Peter Peter Peter…”.

We all are like Peter and will speak out what seems right but we need to quiet our souls so we can hear the spirit of God.

Peter denied Jesus just before daybreak, and Peter ran off and wept bitterly. Jesus shared this with Peter and the other disciples so that when it did happen they would not condemn them. Jesus proceeded to cross, the grave and after the resurrection, Jesus requests that they tell Peter and the Disciples. Jesus showed himself and spend more time with the disciples. Then ascended to heaven right in front of them.

In the book of John, Peter said, “I’m going fishing” some of the disciples followed him. They fished all night and caught nothing…

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

John 21:4-8 ESV

I have heard many messages on Peter and how after Jesus’s resurrection Peter did not know what to so he when back to what he knew. I believe that Peter when to a place he knew Jesus would find him.

Every life-changing encounter Peter had with Jesus was in or near a boat, this was Peter’s place of encounter. Peter did not say “I will take up my old profession” no he said, “I going fishing”. He wanted to be found by Jesus. Out of desperation, he when to the one place that he encountered Jesus in the past. His place of the encounters was the boat.

Jesus did find Peter, and this encounter for Peter was yet another life-changing event that would direct and guide him for the rest of his life.

Do you have a place of encounter? Where is your boat?

APPLICATION

• Find your boat the place where you encounter Jesus
• Visit that place as often as you can, He wants to find you!