Luke 24:34. The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!
Some time on Easter Sunday morning Jesus appeared to Simon Peter alone. While the Ten (Judas has passed) were gathered together with other of Jesus’ disciples, Peter must have chosen to be by himself. And who can blame him. His forceful denial of Christ on Friday has left him in shame and despair. Clearly this three-year discipleship experiment is over. At one point Jesus had said that it was Peter’s confession that would be the “rock” of the church. Obviously those days are gone.
Peter was one of Jesus’ first disciples. You probably remember the story. After failing to catch any fish all night, Peter, the master fisherman, obeys Jesus’ command to cast his nets to the other side of the boat. And what happened? Out of the sea came the greatest catch of fish Israel had ever seen. Peter immediately recognized this as a miracle, fell on his face before Christ, and declared his guilt and sin in a pile of fish on the deck of that fishing vessel. Follow me, was Christ’s response.
From there Peter would set the tone for the Twelve. Some of Peter’s confessions are the greatest in church history.
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
“Where else would we go Lord? You have the words of life.”
“We have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peter walked on water, fed the five thousand (and the four thousand), healed the sick, saw the dead raised, and witnessed Jesus transfigured. Peter was given the “keys to the Kingdom.” But Peter was also proud and reactive.
“Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” (in regards to Christ’s death)
“Lord, you shall never wash my feet.”
“Even if all fall away, I will not.”
“Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.”
On that Good Friday night Peter packed a sword, cut off an ear, lied about who he was, and even cursed himself while denying Jesus. Then the rooster crowed and Peter wept.
Clearly God must be done with Peter.
Surely Jesus will move on to the next in line, John maybe.
For sure, Peter will not get his own personal visit from the resurrected and glorified Christ. But he did. A visit that we know nothing about other than that it happened.
God’s ways are not our ways. We would remove Peter from ministry. Put him back in the children’s church. Maybe require counseling and anger management. We’d ask him to move on, resign his position, turn in his church key. But not God. And not Jesus. Like so many failures before him (Moses, David, Jonah), Jesus will restore Peter with one of the most gracious and loving conversations ever recorded:
John 21:15-19. 15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, 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.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Follow me.
A do-over.
Three times Peter denied Christ. Three times Christ re-commissioned Peter. Peter fell away while sitting around the fire. Now, around a fire, Peter will be restored. Three denials require three declarations – you know that I love you. Peter is grieved by the repetition. But so was Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t deny his grief. He doesn’t try to “move on,” or “get over it.” Nor does he cut all ties from a “toxic” friendship. What Peter did that night, Jesus confronts head on. But he confronts with abounding grace and restorative love. Countless second chances until we learn to trust him completely and fear him fully, not man.
Hopefully, by now you can see yourself in Peter. You can relate to his denial, his pride, his faithless failure to follow Jesus, and the shame that follows such a rejection. But hopefully, you can also relate to restoration of resurrection. In Christ, you are no longer identified by your failure, but by HIS success. He is your abiding love, so love him in return. He is your indwelling Good Shepherd, so feed his sheep. He is your master and commander, so follow him all the days of your life.
You: Do you see yourself as a failure? Do you tend to isolate from other believers?
You in Christ: How has Christ in you restored you like Peter?
Christ in you: What would “feeding sheep” look like for you in your church?
Prayer: Father, the resurrection is my restoration and commission. Teach me to live from your grace and to feed the sheep of your pasture. Amen.
To Live is Christ 