DT – 4/2: Luke 22 – Peter

What is surprising about what Jesus told Peter in light of the fact that he was predicting how Peter would betray him?  Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny him.  What’s amazing is that Jesus did not have words of disappointment or resignation.  Rather, He encouraged Peter to take heart after he has failed so that he might encourage his brothers.  In other words, Jesus doesn’t dwell on Peter’s downfall and the ripple that it has and will make on his own heart.  Jesus is able to look beyond the betrayal and focus on Peter, the other disciples and what they will need in order to stick together so that they may make it to Easter.

Peter cared about Jesus enough to follow him and yet he follows “at a distance” and is found to be sitting “together” near a kindled fire.  What do these facts reveal about Peter’s state of mind?  How is this reflective of my life?  I think Peter followed because he wanted to see what going to happen to Jesus.  But he followed at a distance because he was afraid of being caught.  I think he also followed at a distance because he of shame.   He let his Lord down.  He promised to go to death with Jesus, but because he feared for his own life he could stand alongside Jesus.  Peter must have been overwhelmed by his own sense of failure and shame.  This kind of shame creates a relational distance: Like two similar poles of two magnets, they cannot come together.  Their friendship and loyalty keep them together, but the shame and failure keep them apart.  I’ve felt this way many times, when I’ve been the instigator and when I’ve been the victim.  There is the awkwardness of the “white elephant” in the room that I and the other party can’t talk about.  Our brotherhood in Christ keeps us together, but the sin keeps us apart.  The sin doesn’t win; but it takes time to resolve and forgive.  And while it does there’s a distance.

What was Peter’s response when the servant girl and others recognized him as one of Jesus’ followers? Peter denied knowing Jesus.   Are there some parallels between Peter’s denial of being associated with Jesus and the way I live? I don’t outright deny Jesus.  But there are many moments, I know, where my actions do no live up to my witness.  There are moments where I don’t trust God to lead my life.  There are moments, where I don’t trust God with my finances.  There are moments where I don’t trust God with my ministry.  There are moments where I don’t trust God with my time.  And when I don’t trust God, I think of myself, I act selfishly, I end up hurting others and I force them to clean up after me.

Jesus already knew that Peter would deny him and yet his prayer for Peter was to turn back from his failure and strengthen his brothers (cf Luke 22:32). Given that this was Jesus’ prayer for Peter, what might have been in the heart of Jesus as he turned and looked straight at Peter? As Jesus was looking at Peter, the look must have communicated the following: “Remember, what I said.  You WILL turn back.  Trust me.  And trust my words.  They are greater than your sin.  So have hope, and keep hoping.  Persevere and cling on to my words.”

What perspective does Jesus’ prayer for Peter give to those who are mired in a sense of failure because of some sin or unfaithfulness?  It gives me great hope.  When I’m mired in the middle of sin, my proud thinking takes over and I want to give up, throw in the towel, thinking that Jesus doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.  It’s difficult to move on because my sins tell me that I’m hopeless.  Jesus’ prayer tells me that though I may not have hope, Jesus hopes for me.  He knows that he’s greater than my sins, and so in the midst of my own struggles, while groping around for a way out of the darkness of my sins, I must find Jesus and his hand reaching down to me.  It’s not easy to do, and that’s why I need my leaders and friends.  When I see them hoping for me I find hope in Jesus too.

What did Peter remember, and how did this lead him to repent?  What implication does this have about the role of God’s word in my life?  Peter remembered Jesus’ words.  He remembered that Jesus is greater than his sins, and that his words speak truth.  His words are to be trusted, not the hopeless words of sin.  This tells me that I need to trust in God’s word.  There are many verses in the Bible that speak beautiful words about what God hopes for me.  I need to trust them too.

~ by williamkang on April 2, 2009.