Been There…Done That
Been There…Done That
“That look…Peter would never forget that look. When Peter looked through the flames, he saw the face of Jesus. Then their eyes met, and Peter saw the hurt and sadness in His face. And he realized that he had done what he promised he would never do. He denied the Lord. And the Bible says that Peter ran away weeping bitterly. Imagine your worst sin or your greatest failure. Now imagine Jesus looking at you, at the very moment you did it. Like a deer caught in the headlights, that is Peter. How do you recover from a failure like that? – Pastor Tony Walliser
When 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.” 16 He 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.” 17 He 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.” – John 21:15-17 ESV
I’ve been there…done that. Maybe you have too.
I’ve been there…that same place where Peter found himself after the abandoning, after the denials, after Jesus looked his way after the third rooster crow…
I’ve been there…maybe you have too.
From a distance Peter watched the beatings, the scourging. He heard the cries and chants to crucify Him. He watched Him carry His cross, saw the nails placed in His hands and feet and watched the soldiers raise Him up.
He even saw Him die.
Knowing that He had denied knowing Jesus and being with Him; denied that he was ever a follower of Jesus. Denied it all. Cursing to make his denials even more believable.
Then…three days later, word came that Mary Magdalene and others had seen Him. That the miracle above all miracles had happened. That somehow the grave was empty, and that Jesus was alive.
And even though Peter had run to the grave and ultimately had seen Him when he appeared to him and the others, Peter knew in his heart of hearts that it would never be the same. He was too broken and ashamed.
I mean, how could Jesus forgive him for what he had done? And if He did, how could he overcome all the guilt…how could he forgive himself?
So, Peter did what most of us would do and likely have done.
He said, “I’m out…I’m going fishing.” And he turned and walked away.
Turning his back on the past three years and all that it was. Turning his back and returning to his old life…to his comfort zone…to what he once did and how he once did it.
Again, knowing that it would never be the same…his relationship with Jesus could never be what it was – not after the denials…not after that look.
And he fished all night and caught nothing…NOTHING (sound familiar?). In the morning, he began to row back toward the shore only to hear a voice call out as he drew closer.
“Have you tried casting your nets on the other side?”
“Dude, I’ve done this all my life…but sure, I’ll try the other side of the boat…just for you.”
And the miracle happened again…the nets were filled with fish.
That’s when he and the others with him realized it was Jesus on the shore, and they left the boat and swam to Him.
Even Peter, in all his shame and guilt…
And Peter was reconciled and given a calling when Jesus asked three times if Peter loved Him…matching the three times Peter had denied…” Feed my sheep…Feed my lambs…Feed my sheep”
Jesus knew what Peter needed. He knew the conversation that had to happen. He knew how to get Peter where He wanted Him to be…”Do you love me? Feed my sheep.”
And Peter went on to become, well, Peter…and to lead the early church…to lead thousands of others to Jesus.
You see, there is nothing that we have ever done that Jesus cannot forgive… No sin that we have ever committed…. No denials we’ve ever made… No questioning, or backsliding, or turning our back and walking away… No going back to our old lives, to the old way we did things, to who we were before Jesus.
Yet there He is on the shore, cooking us breakfast…tenderly calling, calling us home…ready to forgive and reconcile. Ready to prepare us for what may be next.
He told us of the prodigal son and of a father’s forgiveness. He exemplified it in the grace given and the forgiveness and reconciliation of Peter…
And He’ll do it for us.
Have you been there…done that?
“Come home. Come home…all who are weary, come home…”