Each week during March, we will focus on one teaching about discipleship. This week we learned about Peter. John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, who described himself as the forernner of the promised Messiah, developed quite a following of disciples, including Andrew and his brother Simon. Andrew and Simon were fishermen by trade and most likely they were suscessful at it. But when they met Jesus their lives changed forever.

One day John pointed out Jesus to Andrew, John called Jesus the Lamb of God. Curious, Andrew followed Jesus and asked Him where He was staying. Jesus invited him to follow Him, saying, “Come and see” (John 1:39).

Andrew spent the day with Jesus and afterwards went and told his brother Simon about it. He told Simon that Jesus was the Messiah. Simon went back with Andrew to see Jesus. “You are to be called Cephas,” Jesus said when He saw Simon. Cephas is an Aramaic word that means “rock”. In Greek the word is petros, or Peter.

Jesus gave Simon a new name not for who he was at the time, but for who he would become! Jesus looked deep into Peter’s heart and soul and saw his true potential. What did Jesus see in Peter? How was Peter a rock? Would Peter live up to his new name that describes what Jesus saw in him?

God knows our hearts and potential too. As the children get to know Peter over the next several weeks, remind them that no matter how many times Peter failed, God still used him. The same is true for us. God uses imperfect people to do God’s work in the world.

“We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41).