This past week I got the opportunity to preach one of my favorite texts, found in the book of
Acts: “Peter stood up.” I love that text because I know how hard that moment was. You
have heard me say that I never thought I would be a preacher. I thought I would be a lawyer
by day and a jazz musician at night. I heard God call me to preach during my third year of
law school, and like Peter, I felt unqualified. There was, and if I am honest, still is, a sense
that I am not worthy. I like how Paul said it in 1 Timothy 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” And yet, Peter stood up.

Peter stood up even when he had flailed and sunk out of the fear of the wind and waves,
only to have Jesus catch him. Peter stood up even when he had fallen into heresy, telling
Jesus that He could not go to the cross, causing Jesus to respond, “Get thee behind me,
Satan.” Peter stood up even though he had fallen into anger, pulling out his knife to cut off
the ear of a guard, only to have Jesus heal the man, correct him, and go with them to the
cross. Peter stood up even though he had fallen into fear, denying Jesus three times; fallen
into embarrassment, cursing to try and prove he was not a follower; and fallen into
exhaustion, unable to fish like he used to, until Jesus showed up. Peter stood up.

I have been trying to whittle down the central theme or element that gave Peter the
continued passion to stand up. By all accounts, he should have given up, turned in his
cross credentials, and gone back to the fishing industry. And yet he kept showing up and,
more importantly, kept standing up.

When I went back and looked at the many instances when Peter failed, I noticed that Christ
was always present. On the sea, Christ was there. In conversations and even in
abandonment, Christ was there. Every time Peter fell, Christ was there. So, my
contention is this: the probable central theme or element that gave Peter the
continued passion and ability to stand was that he was not doing it under his own
power but was standing through the strength of the Lord.

I am a good skater. My kids, not so much. They are athletic and, if given enough practice,
could master it, but we do not go skating often enough for them to perfect it. The other
week we did go. While skating, David, our youngest, was on his way down. He was falling
quickly, so I skated up beside him, and as he was falling, I lifted him and I kept skating until
he lowered his legs, found his balance, and could continue skating on his own.

That is what I think is going on in this text. I think, for Peter and for us, God catches us,
holds us, and allows us to find our balance again. It is Christ’s presence that keeps
giving us the ability to stand. It is because of Christ that, like Peter, we too can stand!

So, this week, remember to stand—not under your own power or out of shame, but with
joy, because it is Christ who is holding you up. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Ronald Bell, II