By Mike Evans  

I know you are familiar with this story from Matthew 26 regarding Peter’s denial of knowing Jesus and his attendant failure. I want to look at this again from the perspective of the healing that Jesus walked Peter into after the failure. We don’t often have a problem with God doing big things like healing the sick and raising the dead. But we do have problems when we feel we have failed miserably or we have not been faithful or bold or any number of things we do to ourselves. I want to look at the dynamics of what is happening here as Jesus takes Peter beyond the failure and back into restoration.

First lets go back to when all this started. They are all sitting around the table eating, probably really enjoying each others company when the conversation turns serious. First of all he says “one of you will betray me”, then he begins talking about the bread and the wine and how they represent his body and blood. Shortly after this they go out to the Mount of Olives where this following conversation takes place.

Matthew 26:31-35 — Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Think about what is going on here. Peter has made this very emphatic statement that he would never deny or disown Jesus. I’m sure he was sincere when he said it and couldn’t imagine himself in a position when he would ever deny knowing Jesus. All the other disciples said the same thing. Can’t you picture them standing around shaking their heads saying “yes, me to, I will never deny you.”

How do you think Peter felt when Jesus told him straight out that he would not be able to keep that vow he had just made. That he was going to fail. How would you feel if your best friend told you that when push came to shove you were going to bail.

How do you think Jesus must have felt as he looked at Peter, one of his best friends and told him, “you are going to fail me“! Don’t you think he felt sorrow as well as betrayal. I mean he was human and he had to have felt something. I bet he felt along with the betrayal, sorrow for Peter, and what he knew Peter would have to go through.

Now lets skip down a few verses and reacquaint ourselves with what happened.

Matthew 26:69-75 — Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

When did Peter realize what was happening? When the rooster crowed. This was like a trigger point for him because at that point he remembered what the Lord had said. Imagine what he must have been feeling. Big time failure and probably shame as he remembered himself standing in front of Jesus and all those other disciples loudly proclaiming: “even if.. I will never.”

What utter despair, shame and rejection he must have felt! They are all going to reject me and Jesus is going to reject me, I am a failure, I’m just a stupid fisherman, what made me think I could be anything else! Can’t you just hear this going on in Peter’s head? Can you relate to Peter? “When, if ever have you felt like you betrayed Jesus. Maybe betrayal is to strong a word, how about failed. Ever felt that? Yea we have all dealt with failure. But Jesus is in the business of redemption.

When you think about it isn’t it interesting that both Judas and Peter caved in under pressure but they both reacted differently. Judas hung himself and Peter went back to being a fisherman. Judas must have felt he was beyond redemption, there was no hope, he had failed and betrayed Jesus and could never be forgiven. Peter probably felt that way but he just went back to doing what he did before he came in contact with Jesus. That’s how he made his living, that’s where he was comfortable. How they handled failure determined the future course of their lives. One was destroyed the other became a pillar of Christianity.

Now this is where we get to the good part. This is where Peter moves beyond failure. This is where Jesus brings Peter back into restoration. In John 21 we find the disciples back on the Sea of Galilee fishing just as they were when they first met Jesus. The disciples had struggled all night but caught nothing. And now they were tired, hungry and frustrated. He has built a fire and prepared breakfast for them on the beach.

They are sitting around the fire and Peter is sitting there knowing he has miserably failed Jesus and in the eyes of the other disciples he probably feels a bit ashamed as they are sitting around talking, probably trying to avoid eye contact with Jesus, making small that like: “hey, what have you been doing since you came back from the dead, just kind of hanging around walking through walls, that kind of stuff. Pretty cool. Me? Oh nothing much just mostly fishing, cleaning nets, the normal stuff.

When you have failed somebody or let them down how do you feel later when you see them? Isn’t it hard to make eye contact with them? Don’t you feel a bit embarrassed? Here he is again with Jesus, knowing Jesus knows what he did. As we read this story we realize that Jesus and Peter have come apart from the group and are walking alone down the beach.

I can imagine Peter is expecting the worst. Probably thinking, Jesus is going to really tell me how he feels. I’ll probably be told not to come around any more because I can’t be trusted, or he’s going to tell me how much I’ve let him down and how disappointed he is in me and what my failure has done to our friendship and things will never be like they were before. So they go off walking down the beach.

John 21:15-17 — When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

Many sermons have been preached about this, to try to learn why Jesus asked Peter this probing question three times. After the first time Peter answered, “Yes, Lord you know I love you.” But he must have been in deep despair, thinking, “I may look bold on the outside but inside I’m a jellyfish. I actually denied and cursed the God of glory. I can’t go back to being a fisher of men for Jesus’ kingdom. I’m not worthy.”

Jesus interrupted his thoughts by repeating the question: “Peter, do you love me?” He was saying, in other words: “Peter, this is what God really wants from you. It’s not about your wisdom, your willpower or your works. All he wants is for you to love him more than anything in the world!”

Peter answered, “Lord , you know I love you.” But he still must have been thinking, “There’s too much to understand. All these doctrines are too deep, too difficult to grasp. Others may get them, but they’re beyond me. Sure, I have zeal, but it’s without knowledge. I’m just an uneducated fisherman. I don’t even understand the leading of the Lord. How could ever I live wholly dependent on him?” Finally, Jesus asked the disciple a third time: “Peter, do you love me?” And I believe this time, Peter got the message. Suddenly he say that knowing the Father was about more than reconciliation and rulership. It was also about having a relationship with him!

This was a time of Jesus making it clear to Peter that he was forgiven, and still loved and valued by the Lord. In declaring his love for Jesus, Peter is restored as a committed believer and best of all, Jesus isn’t finished with him yet. He still has plans and purposes for Peter’s life. He has a new role for him. When he commissioned him before, it was as a fisher of men, but now he is to be one of the shepherds over the flock, the church in Jerusalem. Think about this: Would you have nominated Peter to be a leader in the Church? (Maybe, but he would be on probation).

Jack Hayford points out in his book The Power and the Blessing that there was a reason why Peter’s failure didn’t destroy him. The answer is in Luke 22:31. Before predicting that Peter would deny Him Jesus says this, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

There are two scriptures which should cause every believer to shout for joy, Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died, more than that, who was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Let me ask you this: is there anything you have done or not done that has caused separation between you and God. Do you feel ashamed or embarrassed? Has your failure caused you also to feel rejection, to feel that God cannot or will not use you again? Let me assure you that regardless of past failures you are not beyond restoration. Come to Him and let Him restore you back into that relationship that He wants with you.

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Rev. Mike Evans is director of Wholeness ministries which offers a weekly School of Healing Prayer, individual prayer by appointment, numerous resources on both audio and videotape as well as our book “Learning To do What Jesus Did.” Used by Permission: www.wholeness.org