Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:17 ESV)
Starting Over and Faith
Few disciples have been wrong more than Peter. After witnessing the shocking transfiguration, absolute proof that Christ is the Messiah, Peter soon protested that Jesus had to die. He was so wrong, and Jesus rebuked Peter. (John 16:16-23) Peter, after a good start, lacked enough faith to keep believing that Jesus would keep protecting him on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:31)Peter was so afraid (and angry) that he tried to defend Christ at Christ’s moment of arrest. (John 18:10)
And there were more. Including, of course, Peter’s most famous failure… when he denied he knew Jesus, let alone believed in Him. (John 18:25-27)
We would expect that Jesus would have had enough. Peter’s credentials were sullied. Peter’s discipleship was questionable. Peter was not reliable, teachable, or trustworthy.
But Jesus not only forgave that dastardly Peter. Jesus also, in a sense, ordained him. That is what ‘feed my sheep’ means, right? Jesus wanted Peter to be a shepherd for His people. Jesus gave Peter another chance.
And He gives the rest of His people repeated chances, too.
It is partially because Jesus treats us now as we are going to be for eternity…
It is partially because He desires to be gracious…
It is mostly because He loves us…
When because of our failures, we despair of receiving yet another chance from God, remember Christ’s actions towards Peter. When because of our rebellions, our reason assures us that God MUST be done with us, remember Christ’s actions towards Peter. When because we have misunderstood Him, doubted Him, and denied Him, we expect God to be done with us, remember Christ’s actions towards Peter.
Take the Faith God grants us.