We
all love Peter, we love to look and say things like I can’t believe he denied
Christ not once but three times, and Christ still loved him. I would never deny Christ, but what if I told
you that I believe you have, in fact I would dare say more times then you may
realize it. Do not worry I include
myself in this statement. Let us take
just a moment and think about this for just a moment in Revelation 19:7 we are the bride of
Christ. “Let us be glad and
rejoice and honor him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
and his bride has prepared herself.”(Rev 19:7)
Think about the implications here, when I was engaged to Autumn I didn’t
go around and tell other women that I was single, and as far I know Autumn
didn’t go around with her ring off. But
how often did or maybe some of you are still struggling with sin in life. Each time we sin we are denying Christ,
denying that we know him. Let us be glad
and rejoice and honor him. But the Good
news is we do not have to live this type of life. But most people are not really wanting to,
they want to continue to live as they have been. But what was the change what
happened in Peters life that changed him forever?
If
we begin to look at chapter 21 of John we see the disciples fishing, nothing
really wrong with that, but as they are coming, they see Christ. What does Peter do when he realizes that it
is Christ on the shore waiting for them?
He jumps out the boat and heads as quickly as possible to get to Him. Then a while later Christ ask Peter three
times do you love me? I want to just
quickly look at these three times, the commentator tells us this. “Three times
the Lord asked Peter if Peter loved Him. The first two times, Christ used the
word agapaō,
signifying a love of commitment, a love of the will. Peter responded with the
word phileō,
indicating his strong emotion for the Lord. The word suggests warmth, fondness,
and friendship. When Peter acknowledged
that he loved Christ, the Lord gave him the task of feeding His lambs and taking
care of His sheep. Expressing love for Christ implies accepting a duty to do
the work of God and to be faithful. Peter had some difficulty with such
faithfulness during Christ’s earthly ministry. As Christ was getting ready to
depart, He wanted to elicit a commitment from Peter. The third time Jesus asked Peter if he loved
Him He used the word phileō, indicating strong friendship. Christ
had taught that a friend who loves will lay down his life for a friend. Peter,
instead, had denied Christ three times. With Peter’s final response, “You know
that I love You,” Christ had drawn a commitment from Peter and assured the
other disciples of the bond between Himself and Peter. In the process, He
demonstrated His complete forgiveness of Peter. With this exchange, the Lord
restored Peter to a position of leadership in the ongoing ministry of the
gospel.”[1]
But What I really
think is important happens at the end of the conversation
when Peter looks at John ask about him.
What does Christ tell him, do not worry about him. I believe that too many times we are too busy looking behind us and saying
what about them? We get too busy
worrying about what others are doing that we forget we are to be taking care of
one another, making sure that we are growing in are relationship with
Christ. Think of a husband who is
looking behind and saying to his wife, why don’t you do what she does, or look
like her. It’s not good for Him or the
marriage. We need to be looking forward
and moving forward in Christ. Paul told
this to the Corinthians, “Remember
that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must
run in such a way that you will win. All
athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade
away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run straight to the goal with
purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches.
I discipline my body
like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after
preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”(1st Cor 9:24-26)
[1]Radmacher,
E. D. 1999. Nelson's new illustrated Bible commentary. T. Nelson
Publishers: Nashville
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