Doing some more contextual reading of 1 Peter in preparation for a personal study  of the epistle. Following the first rule of preaching: drink in the context , deep and wide. So reading and re-reading the whole epistle itself is where we begin… always.

This time through, I noticed the repetition of the concept of being “called”. It’s an identity element that he teaches his readers on average at least once per chapter. If we join the actual use of the word “called” with other uses of the idea of being “chosen”, we have  a total of 8 occurrences of the concept in the epistle. ( Sharp exegetes like me will sooner or later spot this as a trend of thought!Kidding, kidding…)

The point of all of this to bear in mind as his writing is studied is that Peter intensely valued the concept of being a called person. Perhaps this is because he bore the special and sad privilege of being called twice. Once to follow His teacher in a neophyte’s excitement as a disciple (Matt. 4:18-20)and then again to follow His Lord in sad realization that he had failed Him (John 21).

Both events, it occurred to me this morning, happened on the beach of the sea of Galilee. Both involved leaving fishing nets behind, and the old life they represented. And both involved walking after Jesus into the mist of the unknowns of ministry. Which of the two , I asked myself, was the harder to do? The second one , without doubt. It was done with eyes wide open, filled with the knowledge of his (Peter’s) own weakness. But it was the call , of the two, that really mattered.