Jesus. : Trusting Jesus First, Only, Now, and Alwaysনমুনা

Peter, James, and John were three of the Twelve disciples Jesus chose to help Him in His ministry in a special way. Each of these men had their faults, but all three remained true to Jesus long after the excitement of talking with Him in person, hearing Him preach like no one else ever had, and watching Him do miracles became a memory. Their faith was real.

Having the Holy Spirit inside of them after Pentecost certainly helped the three remain true, but they were probably also encouraged by three special experiences Jesus had allowed them to have during His time with them.

First, Jesus allowed Peter, James, and John to join Him when He raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead, which proved He had power over death. Second, Jesus let Peter, James, and John see Him in His glorified (heavenly) form. We call this event the Transfiguration. It proved Jesus’s identity as the Son of God and gave Peter, James, and John just a taste of what Heaven would be like. Third, Jesus allowed Peter, James, and John to join Him in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His arrest. They got to hear Jesus pray in His most vulnerable moments and learned what it meant to do what God says even when the results are painful.

Encouraged by Jesus’s example, Peter, James, and John were able to stand firm until the very end of their lives and were rewarded by eternity in Heaven with Jesus along with everyone else who does the same.