If You've Blown It
by Derek Gentle
THE STAGES OF PETER IN AND OUT OF SIN
1. Presumptuousness
"Even if all were made to stumble
because of you, yet I will not be" - Mark 14:29
"I will never be made to stumble" - Matthew 26:33
"But he spoke more vehemently, 'If I have to die with
You, I will not deny You'" - Mark 14:33
2. Brokenness
"And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter
remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him,
'Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.' So
Peter went out and wept bitterly" Luke 22:61-22
One kind of brokenness leads to
repentance, the other to resignation
3. Readiness
". . . Now when Peter heard that
it was the Lord, he . . . plunged into the sea" Verse 7
We must learn to run to God with our
sins, instead of from God.
THE GRACE OF JESUS IN BRINGING US OUT OF SIN
1. Confrontation
Time - Jesus gives it time and deals with
Peter on, not the first, but a latter appearance to Peter
(Third to the apostles as a group, vs. 14)
Three Flashbacks:
- First Flashback: Back
to the Boat and back to the Basics - Luke 5:1-11
Jesus arranged it so that this day and the day Peter began to follow the Master were similar. On both days. . .
They had fished all night without
results (Luke 5:5 and John 21:3)
They pulled in full nets after instructions from
Jesus (Luke 5:4-6 and John 21:6, 11)
Peter was made aware of his sin
" - Depart from me, for I am a
sinful man O Lord" (Luke 5:8)
On this day also, "Peter was grieved" (John 21:17)
They began to follow Jesus - "So when they had brought
their boats to land, they forsook all and followed
Him" (Luke 5:11)
On this day, Jesus reaffirms this one basic principle again. . .
". . . And when He had spoken
this, He said to him, 'Follow Me'" - John
21:19
"Jesus said to him, 'If I will
that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You
follow Me.'" - John 21:22
Second Flashback: The Fire of Coals and Facing the Past
"Then as soon as they had come
to land they saw a fire of coals there. .
." - John 21:9
Jesus has set the stage to remind Peter of the night of his denial. He has laid the same kind of fire Peter warmed himself by on that tragic night. . .
"Now the servants and officers
who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it
was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood
with them and warmed himself." - John 18:18
Third Flashback:
Three Direct Questions and a Second Chance - Verses 15-17
"So when they had finished
breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon,
son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?'"
(Verse 15)
Peter had denied Jesus three times and now three times specifically and directly he is asked by Jesus to affirm his
love to Him. Peter picked up on it:
"Peter was grieved because He
said to Him the third time, 'Do you love
Me'" (Verse 17)
Though it was painful, in a subtle way, Jesus was giving Peter a second chance. And this time, Peter is careful not to promise more than he can deliver. . . he has a humble, dependant spirit.
2. Restoration
Jesus trusts Peter with His most precious
possession
Vs. 15-17: "Feed My lambs . . .
Tend My sheep . . . Feed My sheep"
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