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| This amazing Savior simply invited Peter to sit with him and eat. Jesus wanted to be with his friend. |
If Jesus Can Restore Peter, He Can
Restore You
J. LEE GRADY
One of the saddest parts of the Easter story occurred the
night Jesus was arrested.
.
.
His
disciple Peter was stressed to the breaking point and fearful of the crowd.
.
.
When
the high priest's servant girl accused him of being a disciple of Jesus, he
denied it.
.
.
When
the girl repeated her accusation to some bystanders, he denied knowing Jesus
again.
.
.
When others questioned him, the Bible says Peter "began
to invoke a curse on himself, and to swear, 'I do not know this Man of whom you
speak" (Mark 14:71).
.
.
The
brave disciple who had promised Jesus he would follow Him anywhere turned into
a pitiful wimp. He caved in under the pressure.
.
.
Then the rooster crowed, and Peter remembered Jesus' words: "Before
the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times" (verse 72).
.
.
This
could have been the end for Peter. He wept bitterly and disappeared.
.
.
He
never says anything else in Matthew and Mark's Gospels.
.
.
Luke
says Peter went to Jesus' tomb and found it empty.
.
.
John's
is the only Gospel that explains how Peter found full restoration after his
failure.
.
.
Sulking,
lonely and dejected, Peter went back to what he knew—his fishing job. He had
fished all night and caught nothing.
.
.
But
then Jesus appeared on the shore and invited His friends to cast their nets on
the right side of the boat—and they hauled in a full net of fish!
.
.
This
was a divine sign that their Master still had plans to use Peter, in spite of
his weakness.
.
.
Peter
must have been curious when He saw the full breakfast Jesus had prepared for
the disciples on the beach.
.
.
How
could this be? Jesus wasn't frowning or scowling. Nor was he waiting to deliver
a stern rebuke. He didn't scold Peter or even remind him of his cowardly
denial.
.
.
This
amazing Savior simply invited Peter to sit with him and eat. Jesus wanted to be
with his friend.
.
.
Then Jesus talked his beloved Peter through the process of
healing. He said to Peter three times: "Do you love me?"
.
.
Surely
Peter realized that Jesus was repeating himself three times in order to
intentionally apply forgiveness to his three denials.
.
.
Jesus'
three commands to Peter ("Feed My lambs," "Tend
My sheep" and "Feed My sheep") provided
all the reassurance he needed.
.
.
Jesus
had not disqualified him. Peter was not sent away as a failure. He was back in
the game.
.
.
What
is even more amazing is how the shaky, impetuous, insecure Peter was
transformed after he was baptized in the Holy Spirit a few weeks later.
.
.
This
weak man who crumbled under pressure when His Master was arrested then preached
not one, not two, but three important sermons in the opening chapters of the
book of Acts.
.
.
First,
Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and boldly declared to a crowd that
Jesus is the Messiah—and 3,000 people were converted.
.
.
Second,
after God healed the lame man in Solomon's portico, Peter preached a sermon of
repentance and 5,000 people were saved.
.
.
Third, after Peter and John were arrested and brought before
the high priest, Peter bravely defended his faith in Christ and told the
elders: "There is salvation in no one else" (Acts 4:12).
.
.
Three
denials. Three affirmations of Christ's love. Three courageous sermons
defending Jesus in the face of opposition. I hope you can do the math.
.
.
Peter's
story is my story—and yours.
.
.
We
all need to know that the risen Savior is willing to welcome us back even when
we have disappointed Him. He is faithful even when we are faithless.
.
.
There
is a bit of Peter in all of us. We are weak in the face of temptation. We have
dropped the ball too many times. We allowed fear to paralyze us.
.
.
Maybe
you have even kept a spiritual scorecard to remind yourself how many times you
have struck out. You may have assumed God's grace had reached its limit.
.
.
Yet
the Easter story shows us otherwise. The same Christ who conquered the grave
also conquered our sin and shame.
.
The same Peter who denied knowing Jesus ended up being one of his boldest witnesses.
.
.
The same Peter who denied knowing Jesus ended up being one of his boldest witnesses.
.
Please
remember that after Peter wept over his embarrassing failure, the sun came up
and Jesus appeared on the shore with a meal prepared.
.
.
He
invited Peter to breakfast, and then lovingly restored his faith. Jesus can do
the same for you, no matter how you have failed Him.
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J.
Lee Grady was editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010.
Today he directs The
Mordecai Project,
a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to
women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression. Author of several
books including 10 Lies the Church
Tells Women,
he has just released his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow
him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or go to his website,themordecaiproject.org.
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http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/32404-if-jesus-can-restore-peter-he-can-restore-you
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