Peter's Leadership Model in Acts 1-10

There is a beautiful story in Numbers chapter 22 that is written as a historical narrative, not an allegory or a parable.  In it God uses two different Asses to preach.  The first is an actual ass, Balaam’s donkey, which the Lord used to preach to Balaam.  The second is the money-grubbing televangelist (or false-prophet) Balaam who would “prophesy” whatever spiritual message you wanted to hear, for the right price.  Balaam is converted, in a sense, and is then used by God to preach against God’s enemies.  I am often reminded of this bit of church history when I think of the Apostle Peter and myself.  If God can use Balaam, Balaam’s donkey and Peter then surely God can use a sinner like me.

           

            Since Peter is so prevalent throughout the New Testament I felt the need to confine the information that I will be expounding on to the fist half of the book of Acts.  There are three separate stories there that I feel best-articulate Peter’s leadership characteristics.  These would include: Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts chapter two, Peter and John disobeying the Sadducees in Acts chapter four, and Peter preaching to the Gentiles in Acts chapter ten. 

            Following Christ’s bodily resurrection and ascension, Peter shows several of our leadership qualities in the Pentecost sermon from Acts chapter two - willingness to take a stand, influence of others, effective communication skills, leading change, and expressing his passion for Christ. 

           

            Though a simple fisherman Peter’s sermon reflects a deep theological understanding of the Old Testament and how that points us to Christ as its fulfillment in the New Testament.  I often hear young pastors today, who have not been to seminary, justify themselves by the fact that the Apostles had no seminary training.  The truth is that spending night and day with God incarnate for years is the best seminary training anyone has ever received.  Peter also models for us servant leadership in how he preaches what Christ empowers us all to preach: repentance and the forgiveness of sins found exclusively in Jesus (Luke 24).  He shows bravery, influence and team building not just in standing amongst the other Apostles but also in taking the spotlight to proclaim Christ.  He shows effective communication in confronting sinners (the Jews) with their sin (murdering the Messiah).  He beautifully weaves bits of Old Testament passages together with contemporary headline news to craft a theologically rich sermon that explains to these Jews why Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for and how it was God’s purpose, not just their ruler’s, that he should be put to death.  He then calls these sinners to believe in Jesus, to be baptized and become fellow disciples (i.e. The Great Commission from Matthew chapter 28). 

            In the Gospels we see a completely different Peter.  I heard a sermon once as a kid called “Peter: the Apostle with the foot-shaped mouth” this briefly describes Peter’s tendency, like mine, to run his mouth off without thinking first.  Peter’s passion at Pentecost shows a deep change within him from the days when he would question, rebuke, reject and deny God.  Peter is still brash and bold but he’s now committed to be a

pastor (or shepherd) of Christ’s sheep (John 21).  Now, since he’s seen both Christ’s resurrection and ascension personally, Peter is unstoppable.  He fears neither the embarrassment in calling his fellow friends and Jews Christ-killers nor does he fear bodily harm from angry Sadducees.  His sole concern is turned toward fulfilling Christ’s commissions.  When threatened by the religious rulers of his day in Acts chapters 3 & 4 his response is, if it is better for us to obey you, mere men, or God you must judge but I’m going to keep preaching Christ.  For Peter influence and teambuilding meant confronting sinners with their Savior and then pastorally shepherding with care and instruction any sheep (or disciples) that God put under him (see 1^st and 2^nd Peter). 

            After the Lord raises a girl from the dead for whom Peter prayed over. Then the Lord directs Peter’s feet to preach to a house full of Gentiles in Acts chapter 10.  Peter exemplifies again Christ’s teaching that a real leader will spend their time, serving.  While externally to us it looks like Peter is leading change in being the first to extend the Gospel to the Gentiles, Peter makes it clear that its not him “leading” as much as its him “following” God.  Preaching Christ because Christ empowers him to in John 21, preaching to the Gentles just like God told him to in Acts 10.  In this act God is slowly sanctifying Peter, shaving off his own natural racism that can be seen in Paul’s public rebuke of Peter in Galatians chapter 2 and Peter’s surprise that God would extend Salvation by Grace through Faith to non-Jews in Acts 10 & 15.  

           

            In all of this we see the light of Christ being reflected in the very earthen vessel of the Apostle Peter as he strives to keep the Church together by preaching and teaching, by prayer, by spreading the Gospel and confronting sinners with their sins, with facing open opposition and persecution from Pharisees and Sadducees, by standing up to the very people that killed Jesus and not stepping aside, or being passive or being tolerant and accepting of diverse religious opinions. He confronted the Law-based, Works-righteous church of his day with the Gospel and the established church crumbled before selfless men who proclaimed not themselves and their pragmatic leadership principles but the Gospel of Jesus and Christ crucified for sinners.

In application, I would just like to remind us that while Scripture records moments of personal discouragement, it nowhere encourages doubt, disbelief, discontentment or even disappointment with God.  Where Scripture instructs it instructs us in repentance, faith, trust, belief and contentment with God’s sovereign rule over the universe.  When Christ predetermines Peter’s martyrdom in John 21 his initial response, like ours would be, Lord you can’t do this it isn’t fair.  Yet by the time of his death Church History tells us that Nero was seeking to kill him and the church in Rome encouraged Peter to flee the city and he got as far as the city gate and was reminded by Christ of the death He had ordained for him and Peter stopped, turned around and headed back into the city to die (Foxe, 2010).  Even in this Peter models for us both servant-hood and leadership.  We can only pray that God would grant each of us but a little of this titan’s strength, faith and boldness to do what he’s called each us to do, to Lead and to Follow faithfully until the time of our own appointed ends.