John (Program #10) – An Introduction to Life and Building (6)

Christ as a man is the letter that opens the heavens, that joins the earth to heaven, and that brings heaven down to earth.

When John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God”, two disciples were attracted. Not two thousand, but two. Not even twenty, but two. Two of John’s disciples got attracted, and John was happy. Who were these two? One of these two was Andrew. Who was the other one? John. And then Andrew got attracted, and Andrew went to catch his brother Peter. And, Peter came. The Lord Jesus changed his name from Simon to Cephas, which means Peter. And Peter, or Cephas, means a stone. The book of John is a book of allegories. The Lamb, the dove, the stone. This signifies the Lamb plus the dove produces the stone. Redemption plus regeneration and transformation produces stone…

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2 Peter (Program #1) – The Divine Provision (1)

It’s very interesting how Peter begins his two epistles.  The first one begins “Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ.” whereas he begins the second book “Simon Peter, a slave and a apostle of Jesus Christ.”  Simon, of course was Peter’s old name, his name before he came to the Lord Jesus.  Peter is his new name given to him directly by the Lord Himself.

In putting these two together, Peter is indicating something very marvelous about the entire book of of 2 Peter.  For this is the book showing us that under God’s ruling and under His government we see the Old Creation changed into the New Creation.  Simon fit perfectly in the Old Creation but he had to become Peter to make it in the New Creation.

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1 Peter (Program #2) – The Operation of the Triune God Upon the Elect for Their Participation in His Full Salvation

The story of the Lord’s calling of the apostle Peter as is recorded in the gospel of John includes and intriguing unusual component; he changes his name from Simon to Cephas which literally means a stone. This is John chapter 1: 40-42
1:40 “One of the two who heard this from John and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.”

41 “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, We have found the Messiah (which translated means Christ).”

42 “He led him to Jesus. Looking at him, Jesus said, You are Simon, the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which is interpreted, Peter).”

Of course nothing of God’s genuine work is accomplished merely in name only. And so the changing of this poor Galilean fisherman’s name from Simon to something so solid and permanent, as Peter, a stone for God’s building is full of meaning. And it implies that God has much more in mind for Peter than simply saving him from his sins. For both Peter’s transformation and the accomplishment of God’s very eternal purpose is hinted at in this symbolic act.

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