In this session we will be learning about how the faith of Peter grew during his years with Jesus. If you observe closely, you may find that you and Simon Peter have a great deal in common.

I’ve been giving you a lot to think about. I know that.

We’ve gone over the five levels of faith:

1. Imitating faith
2. Affiliating faith
3. Searching faith
4. Solidifying faith
5. Mature faith

And then we walked through the four struggles of searching faith:

• The intellectual struggle – Is it true?
• The practical struggle – Is it worth it?
• The emotional struggle – Can I let go?
• The moral struggle – Am I too sinful?

Maybe it’s felt a bit like classroom work up to this point. But today? Today’s the good part. This is where it gets real. Because I want to show you how all of this comes to life—not just in theory, but in someone’s actual journey of faith. And that someone is Peter.

Let me show you what it looked like when he searched out his faith—so you can see how you can do it too.

Peter Came to Christ Through Affiliation

Let’s go all the way back to John 1:35–42. That’s where Peter first meets Jesus.

You know how it happened? His brother Andrew brought him.

“We have found the Messiah,” Andrew said. And he brought Simon to Jesus.

That was affiliating faith. That’s how most of us come to Christ, isn’t it? Somebody we love—a parent, a preacher, a friend—brings us. We believe because they believe.

And that’s okay… at first.

But do you know what Jesus did the moment He met Simon?

He changed his name.

“You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which means Peter, or Rock).

Jesus saw what Peter could become—even before Peter believed it himself. He saw the potential in a man whose faith was still attached to his brother’s. And He sees your potential too.

Peter Began to Search Out His Faith

But Peter didn’t stay in affiliating faith. He started searching. And as we’ve learned, searching comes with struggle.

So the question is—which struggle did Peter have?

Let’s look at his life and find out.

Peter Didn’t Have the Practical Struggle

In John 6, Jesus gives a hard teaching—one that caused many disciples to walk away.

“Unless you eat My flesh and drink My blood, you have no life in you.”

That was a shock. And verse 66 says:

“Many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.”

But Jesus looked at the Twelve and asked,

“Do you want to go away as well?”

And Peter? He didn’t flinch.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Peter didn’t waver. He knew it was worth it to follow Jesus. He didn’t have to wrestle with whether it was practical. He already knew—it was everything.

Peter Didn’t Have the Emotional Struggle

Remember the rich young ruler in Mark 10?

He came to Jesus wanting eternal life, but when Jesus told him to give up his riches and follow, he walked away sad.

Peter was watching. And he said to Jesus:

“We have left everything to follow You.”

Peter had already let go. He didn’t struggle to give up his nets, his boats, his old life. He was all in. The emotional struggle wasn’t holding him back.

But Peter Did Have the Moral Struggle

Where Peter did struggle was with feeling unworthy.

In Luke 5, Jesus performs a miracle—an overwhelming catch of fish.

And Peter falls to his knees and says:

“Go away from me, Lord—I am a sinful man.”

That’s the moral struggle.

The feeling that “I’m not good enough for Jesus.”
The thought that “He’s holy, and I’m not.”
That shame that whispers, “You’re too far gone.”

Peter had that. And maybe you’ve had it too.

But here’s the beauty of that moment: Jesus didn’t go away.

He said:

“Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll fish for people.”

He lifted Peter up. He gave him a new purpose.

So hear me: if you’re caught in the moral struggle—if you’re wrestling with shame—Jesus doesn’t walk away from you. He steps in, and He says, “Don’t be afraid.”

Peter Learned the Secret to Faith: Stay Focused on Jesus

In Matthew 14, Peter does something incredible—he walks on water.

But only for a moment. Why?

Because he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind.

He began to sink.

“Lord, save me!” he cried.

And Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him.

That day, Peter learned the most important lesson of faith:

Fix your eyes on Jesus.

When you focus on Him, you can do the impossible. But when fear creeps in, you sink.

Let me remind you—fear destroys faith. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Peter Had Highs and Lows—But He Kept Growing

In Matthew 16, Peter nails it.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus praises him—“Blessed are you, Simon!”—and gives him a vision for the future.

But just a few verses later? Peter tries to rebuke Jesus for saying He’ll suffer and die.

And Jesus says:

“Get behind Me, Satan.”

That’s a hard fall.

But that’s how faith grows—through the ups and downs. Through the moments of clarity and the moments of confusion. Through the triumphs and the stumbles.

Peter Was Just a Man—But a Man Who Grew

Later, in Acts 10:26, when Cornelius bowed before him, Peter said:

“Stand up. I too am just a man.”

He never forgot who he was—or where he came from.

But Peter became the rock Jesus always saw in him.

He wrote Scripture. He preached at Pentecost. He led the church. He finished his race.

Because he didn’t stay where he started.

He moved from affiliating faith to searching faith—and through that struggle, he grew into the man God had always seen.

So What About You?

Have you started your journey like Peter did—with affiliating faith?

Are you searching now? Are you facing struggle?

Maybe it’s the moral struggle, like Peter. Maybe it’s something else.

But whatever it is, take heart—struggle means you’re moving. Struggle means you’re growing. And Jesus meets you in that struggle, just like He did with Peter.

And He’s calling you to follow.

In our next class, we’ll look at Job—a man who wrestled deeply with his suffering and his questions.

But for now, I want you to sit with this truth:

You may not be Peter. But you can be like him. You can grow. You can struggle. You can follow. And by the grace of God, you can become the person Jesus already sees in you.

God bless you. See you in the next class.

 

Discussion Questions

1. Are there any similarities between the way you came to Christ and the way Simon Peter learned about Jesus?
2. Which of the four struggles of Searching Faith did Simon Peter have the hardest time with?
3. Visualize yourself stepping out of a boat to walk on top of the water. What kind of faith would it take for you to do something like that?
4. In your own life, have you ever felt like you were sinking because you took your eyes off of Jesus?
5. Can you think of any other biblical characters who exemplify the five levels of faith or the struggles of Searching Faith?

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