Peter, James, and John were the innermost group of disciples, remember? Hadn't they walked and talked and eaten with Jesus? Hadn't Jesus even visited Peter's own house and healed his wife's mother? Hadn't Peter been the one to solemnly affirm that this Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God? Hadn't they climbed the Mount of Transfiguration together with Jesus? And hadn't Jesus got down and washed Peter's feet just a few hours before? And now, here is John watching Peter with jaw­

dropping astonishment, as the fellow denies again and again that he even knows Jesus at all, and does it with oaths and blasphemy and cursing, with his coarse Galilean accent giving him away all the time.

John was there! I sometimes wonder how Peter and John ever faced each other again after that terrible night. There must have been agonising moments between them on the Saturday after the crucifixion. Did Peter beg John not to tell the other disciples? How could Peter ever again talk about loving Jesus if John were around and listening? And yet, that is exactly what happened. And John is the one who tells us about it.

It didn't happen because of Peter's initiative, but under Jesus' probing, surgical question-"Peter, do you love me? Do you love me more than these? Peter, do you love me?"-asked three times, like the three times Peter denied Jesus. The connection is obvious. Jesus knows, Peter knows. And John is listening.

But who is this asking the question? This is from John chapter 21, which means this is the risen Jesus now. This is the Jesus who has already been on the cross and in the tomb. This is the Jesus who had taken upon himself all of Peter's guilt, failure, disgrace, humiliation, and sin. All of Peter's shame had been carried by Jesus on the cross. And all of your shame. And all of mine as well.

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned he stood;
Sealed my pardon with his blood.
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

And this is the Jesus who asks the question, “Now then, Peter, do you love me?” And Peter says, “Lord, Lord, you know. You know. You know I love you. I’ve always loved you, and I still do. Even when I was denying you, I loved you. It broke my heart and yours. I hated myself, but I loved you. And I love you now, Lord. I love you, Lord.”

And that's all Jesus wanted to hear this time around. Not all that swearing that he would die for him (which he would do eventually). Not all that great bluster, "Me? No, no, I'll never deny you!" All Jesus wanted to hear was, "Lord, you know that I love you."

And that was all John needed to hear as well. For if Jesus had forgiven Peter, then John must too. He could love Peter again as they both loved Jesus. And that’s why John recorded it for the rest of us. So Peter the failure becomes Peter the forgiven.

Have you been there? I have. I know what it is in my own experience, after an episode of particular and despicable failure of the Lord, to be literally flat on my face on the floor in tears before the Lord Jesus Christ, saying to him again and again, "Lord, I love you. Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, forgive me. I want to go on serving you, if you will allow it. Lord, forgive me. Lord restore me," and clinging to Psalms 32 and 51. And then, too, I know what it is to get up from that experience, deeply repentant, deeply chastened, but knowing that the prayer is answered, knowing the warm relief of forgiveness and cleansing for the sins that have been washed away by the blood of Christ.

That’s the story of Peter’s denial. It’s a shocking story. But in the end, you see, it’s a safe story. It is safe because of where it is, embedded here in the story of the cross.

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Extract from:

(UK) Let the Gospels Preach the Gospel: Sermons Around the Cross, by Christopher JH Wright (Langham Preaching Resources, 2017)
(US) To the cross: proclaiming the gospel from the Upper Room to Calvary, by Christopher JH Wright (IVP, 2017)

 

PRAYER:

Thank you Lord that Peter’s story is a safe story because it is embedded here at the cross. I am sorry for all my sin and failure; wash me with the blood of Christ. Amen.