Show of hands: When you saw the title, how many of you knew I would be writing about Peter?
That’s what I thought. Pretty much all of you.
Yes, when we think about the Apostle Peter, he’s the guy who didn’t get it right. Mr. Impulsive. Impetuous, can’t-seem-to-shut-up-when-he-should Peter. That guy. Pretty much the Grand Poobah of “You’re Doing It Wrong.”
There was even a book back in the 70’s called, “The Peter Principle” and it was about how employees rise to the level of their incompetence. It wasn’t actually named after the Apostle Peter, but hey, our Peter had Dr. Laurence J. Peter beat by almost two thousand years.
Of all the disciples, I most identify with Peter. I totally get being “that guy.”
In terms of messing up, the Apostle Peter did so on a Biblical scale. Literally.
At the Last Supper, (See John 13) after Jesus had washed the disciples feet (and Peter had been all weird about that and had to be told to dial it down a notch) Jesus began to detail what would happen throughout the rest of the night. He told them He would be betrayed and the only disciple who messed up more than Peter left the room. He told them this would be their last night together, but Peter didn’t get it.
Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! John 13:36-38 (NIV)
Really Peter? You’re really ready to die for me?
John then gives us four chapters of Jesus preparing His disciples for what is about to happen that night and in the future. (Chapters 14-17) Finally, in Chapter 18, they are in the Garden of Gethsemane and Judas shows up with a detachment of soldiers so that He could be arrested. Jesus does not resist, but impulsive Peter, perhaps in a fit of bravado designed to show he really is willing to die for Jesus (or more likely he didn’t stop and think that the entire detachment of soldiers probably all had swords too), steps up and lops off the ear of the high priest’s slave.
Jesus, in perhaps the greatest example of de-escalation at anytime ever, tells Peter to put the sword away and puts Malchus’s ear back on his head!
They arrest Jesus and the disciples scatter.
Peter and another disciple (most scholars agree it was John) sneak along behind the soldiers to the high priest’s house, where they have taken Jesus, and Peter does indeed deny knowing Jesus three times.
As the rooster crows, Peter remembers what Jesus said and leaves, weeping bitterly. (Matthew 26:75)
Judas hangs himself. Jesus is beaten, tortured, subjected to a sham trial, ridiculed, mocked, and hideously, horrifically nailed to a cross and publicly murdered.
Peter had to have been devastated. His soul had to have been crushed. Not only had this man whom he was sure was the promised Messiah been killed and with Him all that Peter believed, but he had indeed denied Him not once, but three times–just as He said.
Three days later, the news comes that Jesus had risen from the dead. Peter and John run to the tomb, but find it empty. Jesus appears to Cleopus and another on the road to Emmaus, and the remaining disciples minus Thomas later that night. Eight days later, He appears to all the disciples, this time including Thomas. Seven of the disciples go to Galilee on the instructions of the women who had initially seen Jesus.
They waited for days. Apparently Peter became bored with all the waiting and announced he was going fishing. The other six disciples with him (apparently just as bored) all say they’ll go with him. (John 21:3)
They spend all night fishing and catch nothing.
And then we are given this beautiful, glorious scene where the sun is just coming up and Jesus just happens (yeah, right) to be cooking breakfast on the beach right at the time they are about to give up. He calls to them, instructing them to throw out the net on the right side of the boat, and they catch a huge load of fish. John recognizes that it’s Jesus on the shore and Peter ignores the net full of fish and his friends who need his help, throws on a tunic, jumps out of the boat, and takes off swimming for shore.
When he gets there, Jesus tells the disciples to bring some of the fish to shore, so Peter hauls the net and the 153 large fish to shore. I can only imagine his joy and wonder at all of this.
I can see them sitting around that fire on the beach laughing and smiling and just enjoy each other after all that has taken place, reveling in this amazing miracle that Jesus is alive, that He rose from the grave and they are together once again.
I can also imagine the dark cloud still hanging over Peter. Even if a belly full of freshly-cooked fish and bread as the morning sun rose in the sky filled him and satisfied his body, I can imagine that nagging guilt and shame of that cold night when they took Jesus away still haunted him like a ghost. I imagine the rooster’s crow still rang in his ears.
And Jesus would have known that. This impulsive disciple who often got it wrong was also the disciple who jumped in and walked on the Sea of Galilee when all the other disciples were still in the boat with their mouths hanging open. Yes, he had his faults, but Jesus –and the Father–and the Holy Spirit– had big plans for Peter. I think his impulsiveness, his willingness to jump in and do something (even the wrong thing) was an attribute the LORD valued more than the prudent man who did nothing. He could be taught skills. Attitude is something that’s far harder to teach.
But, in order for that to happen. in order for the man who had been Simon to be the Peter he was called to be, things had to be set right. He needed to be restored, renewed, brought back from the pit as it were.
And when I look at the way Jesus did that, I am amazed. He didn’t say to Peter, “You know, you really messed up when you denied me like that.” Those (or similar) words were probably the words in Peter’s head. Crushing words. Condemning words.
But Jesus didn’t crush Peter. He didn’t condemn him. He didn’t bring up the guilt and shame. And He most certainly did not say, “I told you so.”
No, Jesus asked Simon, son of John, if he loved Him. He asked the question three times. And yes, Jesus used the word ἀγαπᾷς (agapas) the first two times. Peter, almost certainly still stinging from having made the brash statement about being willing to die with Jesus and then having denied Him is unable to affirm agapas (perfect godly) love, and can only bring himself to say φιλῶ philō (brotherly) love. The third time, Jesus, compassionately and carefully asks if Peter loves him like a brother.
Peter is hurt at having been asked the question three times, but he says, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” John 21:17 (NLT)
Each time, Jesus’ response was that Peter should feed his sheep.
Jesus didn’t wait until Peter was in tears to tell him his that his mission –his purpose– had not changed. Peter was still to be a shepherd. Peter was still to be one who would feed the sheep and take care of the lambs. Even though Peter had messed up and denied Jesus, even though he had failed miserably just as Jesus knew he would, Peter had never been disowned. He had never slipped through Jesus fingers or been outside the power of His love.
In that moment, in the minutes when Jesus restored Peter, brashness and impulsiveness and bravado collided with humility. In that moment, what Peter came to know would forever change how he would go. The qualities he was born with, that God had uniquely and distinctly put into the man with the image of God whom Jesus called “Peter” would be equipped to bring countless souls to salvation and relationship with God and to forever change the world not by being made perfect, but being made complete.
Jesus then tells Peter that he would indeed die for Him, just as he had said on that night when he had denied him. (John 21:18) He told him he would be crucified, just as He had been.
Peter, still reeling from all this and still very much Peter, then asks about John. It seems like deflection when we read it. It seems like he’s changing the subject, but I can imagine why he asked. John was the only disciple at the foot of the cross. John was the disciple Jesus asked to take care of his mother, Mary. John did not deny Jesus.
Jesus’ reply (if I may paraphrase) was “Don’t worry about him. You just follow me. Just follow me.” He said it twice.
Follow me.
And that’s what Peter and all the other disciples had been doing all along. All they had to do was let Jesus lead and follow Him.
And that’s all we are called to do as disciples. Follow Him.
Yes, we will mess up. Yes, it will be hard and we will have a tendency to beat ourselves up and be harder on ourselves than we should. I think I actually have a tendency to sometimes be harder on myself than Jesus is. While we should certainly learn from our mistakes, what Jesus did with Peter at the campfire on the beach was to keep Peter’ mistake from incapacitating this man who would become one of the most powerful forces God would ever use to bring His love and redemption and restoration to the entire world through the Savior of the entire world, Jesus Christ.
So, the next time the Great Accuser whispers guilt and shame into your life, tell Jesus you do indeed love Him, and follow Him by feeding His sheep with His love.
It’s as close as your folded hands, your Bible, and your radio dial.
Today’s Praise
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 2:17 (NIV)