Please
Read John chapter 21
Key
Verse:
“When they had finished eating, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes
Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs’” John 21:15
Simon
Peter had denied Jesus! He had promised him that he would not let Him die
alone, and that he would always stand by Him, but three times after Jesus was
arrested Peter denied even knowing him. Peter was in the house where Jesus was
being tried and at that moment their eyes met. Then Peter remembered and went
out, weeping bitterly [Luke 22:54-62]. Failure is always painful!
The
steps of Peter’s failure are clear: Self-confidence;
sleeping when he should have been praying; operating in the flesh as he cut off
the ear of the High Priest’s servant; following afar off [Luke 22:54]; and
finally denying Jesus
Peter
decided to return to his old life as a fisherman [verse 3]. Is he in denial but
deep down hurting through his failure? Is it an escape mechanism? All night the fishermen fished without success
but then a “stranger on the shore” told them where to cast their nets. It was a
similar miracle to the one when Jesus first called them, and they recognized
the same Jesus on the shore.
Peter
couldn’t wait to get to Jesus, but it was breakfast first! It must have been so
tough for Peter. After breakfast Jesus challenged Peter three times then and
restored him. Peter had denied the Lord three times, and the Lord re-commissioned
him three times before renewing that original call to follow Him. Failure does
not need to be final!
Questions:
Is there
a failure that has dominated your life? You have tried to leave it behind but
somehow it keeps raising its ugly head. Would you bring that failure to Jesus,
and let Him forgive and heal your heart?
Will you
follow Jesus wherever He calls you to go, and whatever it may cost?
What
other people think of you is none of your business. You Follow Jesus!
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