MARCH 22, 2016
Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
–Matthew 26:30-35
By Chris Wilson
Peter… Peter the fisherman, the loudmouth, the one that never knew when to hush…
In the week leading up to the single most important event in human history, we see and hear Peter. Bold and confident in himself, Peter learns a valuable lesson that will impact the rest of his life and our’s too. It is said that “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.”
It wasn’t too long ago that Peter heard the Savior of the world speak his name, calling him to follow. This bigger than life man, this God-Man, would bring this smelly fisherman into His inner circle and off the boat for a midnight walk on the water. He would not only teach him but also show him what it was like to experience miracles and wonders that were beyond human imagination and understanding.
Fast forward to the morning after the last supper, the words of Jesus still fresh in his mind, “You will deny me three times.” Then Peter hears the dreaded sound of a rooster crowing and as soon as he does, he sees Him. Bound and mocked, bruised and exhausted. Their eyes meet and Peter the loudmouth is silent; We are told in scripture that Peter leaves and weeps bitterly. This isn’t crying or being sad, this is a man self-destructing. For Peter it seems as if all hope is lost! There will be no tomorrow to say I’m sorry or to take it back, no inner circle meeting to make it better, nothing. Peter isn’t a smart man but he knows Jesus is not long for this world and his chance to finally do the right thing has passed by him.
Jesus has been tried, accused and crucified. HE is dead. He has been buried. It is finished. The only One to ever be innocent was found to be guilty by guilty men. The sound of morning dew falling is no match for the sound of Peter’s conscience scolding him for his hypocrisy. Peter sits off from the rest. Dried blood from the Passover sacrifices has made its way down the streets of Jerusalem and on the sandals of our broken fisherman. As he looks at the blood stains he is reminded of the supper and the wine. “What does it all mean?… Why?… If only I had one more chance.”
Then, he hears the sound of women screaming. He knows them, their voices and they are calling out Peter’s name. They have an important message for Peter. Out of breath, shaken and in unison, they scream the three words that change Peter forever… “HE IS ALIVE!”
Peter runs to see for himself and in what seems like a blink of an eye, he goes from a broken hypocrite wallowing in guilt to eating breakfast on the shore with Jesus. From foe to forgiven. From loudmouth to loved.
Hope is not lost. It might seem as if there is no hope for tomorrow, no hope for our mistakes, no hope for our sin, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
On the cross, Jesus was punished for Peter’s hypocrisy, lies, his arrogance and self-reliance. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment for all of Peter’s sins and for ours too.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6
Believer, lift up your head! The victory has been won! It does NOT end at your sins or with your failures!
A great price has been paid for your sin; an empty tomb proves that THE payment has been accepted!
Rejoice!
Why?
Because He is Alive!
This is an introduction to this column by Chris Wilson that will run on TheLevisaLazer.com weekly. After a week or so it will appear on the Church Section.