“Peter was
hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love
me?”
– John 21:17
It’s
one of the most dramatic passages in the Bible. After Peter denied Jesus three
times, he was once again face to face with the man he’d promised to follow
without fail. And in John 21, Jesus questions Peter … three times.
Three times denied—three times FORGIVEN. Three times denied—three times RESTORED. Three times denied—three times PROMOTED.
Then, in verse 18, Jesus prophesies Peter’s martyrdom: “When you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” As best we can tell, it was about 34 years later, in 64 A.D., when Simon Peter was crucified for his faith in Jesus Christ. Peter died for his faith – but not before leading thousands of lost sheep to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and feeding them the Word of God.
Here are just two of many life lessons we can draw from this passage:
Life Lesson #1: Love covers a multitude of sins. Years later, in his first epistle, Peter writes: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Peter is speaking from personal experience. Jesus Christ IS love. And Jesus had covered a multitude of Peter’s sins. Jesus lifted Peter out of his guilt and shame and transformed him from a wimp into a warrior … from a failure into a success … from a disgrace into one of the most influential Christians in history. Jesus’ love and grace were big enough to cover Peter’s sins, and they are certainly big enough to cover yours. So, bring your sin, guilt and shame to Jesus – and let Him get to work.
Life Lesson #2: Loving Jesus comes at a cost. Loving Him brings both a responsibility and a cross. Each time Jesus responds to Peter’s profession of love, He says, in essence: “IF you love Me, then you have to prove it by doing what I ask you to do … even if it costs your life.” Love always requires sacrifice. And if Jesus is your First Love, love requires you to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian
Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple
Valley.