If You Have Sinned Like Peter, You Can Be Forgiven Like Peter
October/02/2019 09:31 AM Filed in: CrossWinds
At CrossWinds, it is good for us to return to our study of the Gospel of Mark after a busy summer. As we studied Mark 8 and 9, we learned more about the apostle Peter. While he had the honor of being the first person in this gospel to recognize the identity of Jesus, he also miserably failed Jesus. He had the audacity to disagree with Jesus and try to steer Him away from his plan to die for us on the cross. Jesus strongly rebuked him for trying to turn him away from the reason he came. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter was rebuked by God the Father for doing too much talking to Jesus instead of listening to Him. Later, as Jesus was betrayed, Peter vocally denied knowing Him three times even though he lived with Jesus for three years.
Not many people can say they were personally rebuked by both Jesus and God the Father only weeks apart. Not many can say they denied Jesus not just once but three times after they saw Jesus in all of his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter failed Jesus miserably. Amazingly, when Peter humbly repented, Jesus was forgiving. Jesus restored Peter and used him in ways he couldn’t imagine. Peter preached the first evangelistic sermon on the day of Pentecost that led 3,000 to faith. Peter went on to become the leader of the church in Jerusalem.
In the Gospel of Mark, we see a deeply flawed Peter, but we also see a repentant Peter that Jesus forgave and restored.
Nothing has changed. Like Peter, many of us have made a few right decisions for Jesus, but most of what we remember is failing him miserably again and again.
Praise God that Jesus never changes! When we humbly confess and repent of our sin, Jesus will still restore us and use us to make his name famous, no matter how many times we fail him.
This week, as a church family, let’s spend a few moments in prayer thanking Jesus for offering to treat us like Peter even when we fail him again and again.
Jesus, thank you for the forgiveness and restoration you offered Peter after he failed you many times. Thank you for offering that same forgiveness and restoration to us, even when we sin repeatedly. Amen.
(Written for the CrossWinds Weekly Prayer October 2, 2019.)
In the Gospel of Mark, we see a deeply flawed Peter, but we also see a repentant Peter that Jesus forgave and restored.
Nothing has changed. Like Peter, many of us have made a few right decisions for Jesus, but most of what we remember is failing him miserably again and again.
Praise God that Jesus never changes! When we humbly confess and repent of our sin, Jesus will still restore us and use us to make his name famous, no matter how many times we fail him.
This week, as a church family, let’s spend a few moments in prayer thanking Jesus for offering to treat us like Peter even when we fail him again and again.
Jesus, thank you for the forgiveness and restoration you offered Peter after he failed you many times. Thank you for offering that same forgiveness and restoration to us, even when we sin repeatedly. Amen.
(Written for the CrossWinds Weekly Prayer October 2, 2019.)
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