“PETER” 

 
            This one Knew dependence on the creation. 
                        He knew that daily life depended on some kind of a catch. 
                                    Fishing was his trade… 
                        but he would trade that in for a different kind of dependence 
                                    and a different way of “catching”. 
 
            “Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked.
                        The weather beaten fisherman said, 
 

“YOU ARE THE CHRIST!” 

 
            The Lord said, “You, Peter, are like a rock.” 
                        And so, he was…or was he? 
 
            “Come to me on the water,” Jesus said.  When “Rocky” got scared, 
                        he started to sink…but then, what can you expect 
                                    from a rock. 
 
            He learned the mathematics of forgiveness: 70 × 7  =  
                        a whole bunch (and then some).  And yet, he had to distill 
                                    its deepest meaning in the depths of his soul 
                                                after he denied 
 

“THE CHRIST” 

 
                                    three times - having said he never wood… 
                                    that wood was a part of the cross or…
                                    at least his crossed purposes. 
 
            Ol’ “Rocky” wasn’t very steady when the heat was on. 
                        They “had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold.” 
                                    And there he declared he didn’t know Jesus.  
                                                                                    (John 18:17 & 18)
 
            And after the rock of the tomb was blown open, He came to them 
                        by another fire there on the beach. 
                                    And he asked Peter three times, 
                                                "Do you love me?” 
                                                "Do you love me?”
                                                "Do you love me?”
                                                
                                                Well…do you???
 
            See you for worship in and from the place built on a “rock” of faith
                        as we celebrate Palm Sunday 
                                    and the beginning of Holy Week!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister