Listening to Piet's message on Wednesday night and with Easter about us got me thinking again of our wonderful trip to Israel
My mind was cast back to the time we spent there at the site were Peter (not the "Piet" from above<>) was to have denied his friend, his Lord and savior, Jesus.
Do you remember as we were standing there and saw the chickens and the one rooster there? It would have been a very poignant moment if the stupid bird had only crowed three times! However, he did not; he crowed four times… So, that moment was lost!
However, what got me thinking was how Peter must have felt when he got home that night among his friends and family to know that he had denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus foretold. Can you imagine the sorrowful anguish and regret he had burning within him? To go to bed that night, with Jesus in the tomb and thinking that the last thing he did was deny he knew Jesus. Not once, but three times! We are told, in scripture that on the third time he "brought down curses from heaven," Something like "I swear to God that I did not know this man."
Then I stood there thinking (I do this a lot, stand and think <>) what if I had been there? Would I have denied Jesus? You must remember Peter saw Jesus flogged, spat upon, struck in the face, cursed at, crucified, and finally die. Blood running down His body His head swollen beyond recognition as the thorns pierced His brow. With Jesus in the grave. I'm sure Peter thought "I have a family and a business to run, Jesus is gone, encapsulated in a tomb, life goes on!" And this was his best option.
But that blasted rooster! This is the crucial factor here. With Peter in bed and obviously so remorseful and sorry thinking of all excuses as to why he did it, and tossing in bed while sleep eluded him until the early hours of the morning. Then the cock crows! He sits up in bed and the feelings and thoughts flood his mind again. That was the first day, Jesus is still in the grave. Second day, early in the morning, and again another restless night. The cock crows! "I've gotta kill that bird!" must have gone through his mind! Third day, again after a restless night, that cock crows again! By this time he must be going out of his mind! What to do? How do I tell Jesus I'm sorry? Must have gone through his mind.
But, Jesus, being the ever loving, caring, forgiving Savior would not let Peter in this anguished state of mind! What does He do? I singles out Peter, forgives him, asks him three times, "do you love me Peter?" Direct and addressing each and every time Peter denied his Savior. This was a direct forgiveness for each and every one of the denials, leaving Peter with no alternative thought of any of the times he denied his Lord. This way Jesus was forgiving him for each and every denial. Imagine the relief in Peter? He sinned against his father and was forgiven three times over. Jesus could have said, "Peter, I forgive you", but no He made sure Peter grasped the meaning of His forgiveness.
What a Savior, what love for His children, remember there is no sin, that Jesus will not forgive, the minute He enters your being, your heart, you are forgiven and it is ONCE and DONE, past and future. God looks at you and does not see the person you once were He see Jesus, you are redeemed, righteous! Amen.
Later…
Shalom, Shalom and a peaceful Easter to you
