Restoration

What do you think? They answered and said, “He is worthy of death.” Then they spat in His face and beat Him with the fist. And others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ; who is the one who struck you?” And Peter sat outside in the court. And a girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied all before them, saying, I do not know what you say. And when he had gone out into the porch, another saw him and said to those there, “This one was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and to swear, I do not know the man. And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, “Before the cock crows, you shall deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
(Mat 26:66-75)

For all that Jesus had been to Peter, in times of adversity, Peter still crumbled. Having been with Jesus, one would expect a certain degree of loyalty. Heck, even I would expect Peter to have stood up for righteousness when he saw his beloved master being struck & about to be put to death for no wrongdoings. I can just imagine what Jesus felt when he knew His trusted & loved disciple would DENY Him, not once but three times. Just how many of us would be able to accept rejection or denial the way Jesus did? When Peter faced a situation in the presence of crowds, his self-preservation became the order of the day. And the Judas Iscariot in modern times can exist even in the most noble of peoples. In a situation where the gold on one side of the fence outweighs the other, might prompt the most noble of nobles to jump to the weightier side. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver while Peter denied knowing Jesus even though he knew Judas had betrayed Him. Jesus still said, ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,’ at the point of giving up His life on the cross.

When Jesus was risen from the dead, He appeared to the disciples……

Then when they broke fast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him the second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him a third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” He spoke this signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following (the one who also leaned on His breast at supper, and said, Lord, who is he who betrays You?) Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, and what of this one?” Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” Then this saying went abroad among the brothers, that that disciple should not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him, He shall not die, but, If I desire that he remain until I come, what is that to you? This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many things, whatever Jesus did, which, if they should be written singly, I suppose the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
(Joh 21:15-25)

In this passage, Jesus knew Peter’s heart but still asked him three times if he loved Him. I see this as an act of restoration for in every time Peter denied Jesus before, he was given the same number of chances to redeem himself by declaring his love & showing his will to do what Jesus had asked of him, to feed his lambs, sheep & tend to them. Not the real sheep but tending to the followers of Jesus, the sheep, as Jesus himself, was the shepherd of His people.

Lord, I know I have sinned against You in thoughts, deeds & actions. I ask for Your forgiveness & I pray that You will teach me how to forgive those who have denied me & betrayed me at whatever cost even though no redemption was sought. Especially to those who have plotted me harm when their coveteous plans had been exposed & to those who knew they should have stood for righteousness but did not. I pray for justice upon the other victims of their plots & pray that You would expose their sin & unrighteousness & repay them justly. Those who bless me shall be blessed & those who curse me shall be cursed themselves.

The cross the thorns, the blood the stripes & the shame,
The crowds the scorns, they struck him again & again,
No greater love than this
That a king would give his life for me
No greater words than this
when love quiet down,
Father forgive……

Jesus, The Way, The Truth & The Life,
Out of the darkness into the Light,
We have been called, we have been saved
His blood the price, we’re made alive in Christ