Peter, A Picture of Restoration.

Peter, who was originally named Simon, worked as a fisherman, most likely as a commercial fisherman. When I think of Peter, I imagine the tough guys out at sea risking their lives on TV shows like Deadliest Catch and Wicked Tuna. These are the guys who get tossed around on the boats, battered by the waves, and put themselves in harm's way to get the job done. Peter was a rugged and robust man who didn’t care much for the formal business attire of the day.

However, Peter's life took an extraordinary turn when he met a man named Jesus by the Sea of Galilee. After fishing all night and catching nothing, Jesus performed a miracle that morning that changed Peter's life forever.

Following this life-altering encounter, Jesus called Simon to follow him, promising to transform him into a 'fisher of men.' Leaving behind his nets and former life, Simon embarked on a journey that would lead him to become one of Jesus' most trusted disciples.

Later, Jesus called him Peter ("rock"), signifying his pivotal role in the church's foundation. Peter was part of Jesus' inner circle, along with James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were also fishermen. These three witnessed significant events that others did not. One such event was the raising of Jarius's daughter from the dead. Jarius was the local synagogue administrator, so he was known by everyone, making Peter a witness to this significant miracle.

Another memorable moment in Peter's life occurred during a storm on the Sea of Galilee. As I mentioned earlier, several of the disciples were experienced fishermen used to the dangers of the sea. However, amidst the storm's fury, when fear gripped even these most seasoned fishermen, Peter, with unwavering faith, called out to Jesus, 'Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water.' And Jesus, in his boundless grace, responded,' Come.'

Peter, in a mixture of faith and doubt, took a step of unparalleled bravery. He stepped out of the boat's safety amid the storm to join Jesus. He began to walk on the water, and if he had kept his focus on Jesus, he would have continued. But he began to sink when he shifted his attention to the waves and the wind. Jesus, in his compassion, reached out and saved him, imparting a profound lesson about faith. Some may see this as a failure, but I see it as a demonstration of faith and courage. Would you have stepped out of the boat?

Peter's impulsive nature often led him to speak before thinking. I think this might be one of the reasons Peter is one of the most respected disciples today. He declared Jesus the Messiah and later rebuked Him when Jesus predicted His suffering and death.

However, the most heartbreaking episode in Peter's life was his denial of Jesus. There was also a dispute among the disciples, which seemed to occur frequently. Jesus told them, "The kings of the Gentiles rule over them, and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules should be like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are one of those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus continued, saying, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and death."  Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me" (Luke 22:24–34).

This passage takes place during Jesus' last Passover meal with His disciples. He has just instituted Communion and mentions a disciple (Judas) at the table who will betray Him. He calls Judas out in front of all the others. This causes an argument among the disciples about who is the best. Unfortunately, even after all this time with Jesus, they are still quick to launch into these discussions.

Jesus reiterates a point He made when frustration erupted among the disciples because James and John had requested prominent positions in Jesus' coming kingdom (Matthew 20:20–28): The greatest are those who serve. Jesus came as one who served; if we genuinely want to be like Him, we'll also serve.

Jesus then turns His attention to Peter, and it's hard to know how this shift occurs. It might be that Peter made a forceful case that he was the greatest of the apostles. Who knows? But Jesus alerts Peter that a moment of trial is coming for them all. It's touching that Jesus also lets Peter realize He's been praying for the disciples. It's a good reminder for all of us of the words of Paul:

"Who then condemns? No one. Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Romans 8:34, emphasis added).

After the Passover Seder was complete and Judas left, Jesus led the disciples to pray at Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. I am sure they all knew this place well, as Jesus liked to get away from the crowds, pray, and commune with the Father.

It is here that the authorities arrested Him. Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers who reported to the high priest. The group included some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons. You recall that Judas sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver, probably thinking that once Jesus felt the pressure from the religious leadership, he would call upon His Angels to descend to the earth and eliminate the Roman oppressors or perform some other feat to show that He had come as the warrior King and not the Servant Messiah.

Knowing all that was about to happen to Him, Jesus went out and asked them, "Who do you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am He," Jesus said. When Jesus said this, they drew back and fell to the ground. Again, He asked them, "Who do you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they said.

Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He. If you are looking for Me, then let these men go." This fulfilled His words: "I have not lost one of those you gave Me."

Then Peter, who had a sword, jumped to show Jesus he wasn't afraid and would never deny Him. He draws a sword and strikes the high priest's servant, Malchus, cutting off his right ear.

Jesus tells Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me" (John 18:2–11)? He then heals Malchus' ear (Luke 22:51).

Jesus is arrested, and Matthew tells us that all the disciples deserted Him and fled (Matthew 26:56).

It's hard to imagine what Peter is feeling at this point. He had just demonstrated raw courage, but it didn't work out, and he got scolded. Now, Jesus had been arrested. The disciples were scattered, and the evening was about to turn even darker.

John's account of the evening dramatically alternates between Jesus' trial and Peter's experience in the courtyard. Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was also known to the high priest, returned, spoke to the servant girl on duty there, and brought Peter in.

"You aren't one of this man's disciples, too, are you?" she asked Peter.

He replied, "I am not."

It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also stood with them, warming himself (John 18:15–18).

There is some discussion regarding the identity of this second disciple known to the high priest. Could it be Judas? Some well-known disciple who was not one of the twelve? Could it be John himself? It's hard to say, and John doesn't consider it critical to the narrative. He wants us to pay attention to Jesus and Peter.

Peter is brought into the high priest's courtyard. Due to the night's events, this relatively small area is occupied by soldiers, priests, and servants. One of the servants asks an innocuous question about why Peter is there. She has no power over Peter, and her question doesn't necessarily endanger him. Peter's impulse to lie has more to do with the others milling around in this area and who might overhear his answer.

After Peter's first denial, John switches the narrative to Jesus before the high priest (John 18:19–24), brilliantly comparing Jesus' response to His interrogation with Peter's. As accusations are leveled against Jesus, He refuses to deny the charges. Peter, on the other hand, denies everything.

Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, "You aren't one of his disciples too, are you?"

He denied it, saying, "I am not."

One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the garden?" Again, Peter denied it, and a rooster immediately began to crow. (John 18:25–27)

Things start spiraling down for Peter. Now, others are inquiring about his relationship with Jesus. A relative of Malchus who was there at Gethsemane recognizes him. Considering his relationship with Malchus and the intense scene in the garden, Peter boldly denies that he was there.

The other Gospel writers add some essential details to this story. Mark tells us that by the third denial, Peter was cursing and denied even knowing Jesus:

He began to call down curses and swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about" (Mark 14:71).

Luke tells us that at the exact moment that Peter denies the Lord for the third time, Jesus is being escorted through the courtyard:

Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord's words to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly (Luke 22:60–62).

The heartbreak of realizing that he has fulfilled Jesus' prophecy about denying Him is compounded mightily by Jesus' presence. Peter's humiliation and sense of failure were deep, and Luke tells us he went away crying.

Fast-forward to one of the times Jesus appears to the disciples; Peter is present for some of these appearances. The denial on the night of his betrayal and trial hangs over the joy of Jesus' resurrection and the connection the two had previously shared.

When the moment presents itself, Jesus finally addresses the topic. When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

Again, Jesus said, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

The third time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you dressed and went where you wanted, but 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." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me" (John 21:15–19)!

Jesus asks him, "Do you love me more than these?" Peter has often been vocal about his faithfulness, suggesting that even if others fall away, he never would (Matthew 26:33), that he would be willing to lay down his life for Jesus (John 13:37), and promising to go to prison or die for Jesus (Luke 22:33). Considering Peter's denial, Jesus pointedly asks him if he still considers himself the most faithful disciple. Peter is forced to consider the rashness of previous commitments.

Three times, the Lord asks Peter if he loves Him, and each time, Peter affirms that he does. Each time, Jesus instructs the disciples to demonstrate that love by serving the church. Jesus then explains to Peter that he will suffer for following Him. And after all this, Jesus issued the same invitation that He gave Peter at the beginning: "Follow me."

What can we learn from Peter's denial of Jesus? Like Peter, it's easy to believe we're more faithful and courageous than we are. However, it is when we encounter challenging moments that we discover the truth. Sometimes, those moments reveal sinful and broken areas we have yet to identify and deal with.

When we fail, we are tempted to give up. Many people have made tragic decisions, and the shame of those decisions caused them to walk away from the Christian community. But it's important to remember that failure isn't fatal. Jesus is in the redemption business, and He does not want us to let failure speak the last word in our lives.

Jesus wants to heal, restore, and invite us to follow Him as He did with Peter. When we let Him, we might discover that our experience has made us stronger, wiser, and more compassionate than we would have been otherwise.

Peter’s denial of Jesus is one of the most significant moments in Scripture. It serves as an important reminder that no matter how deep our faith or knowledge, we are humans and vulnerable to making mistakes.

A critical lesson from Peter's denial of Jesus is that God will always forgive us and help us rise again despite our mistakes and failures. In Luke 22:61-62, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times and wept bitterly afterward when he realized his mistake. However, Jesus still showed him love and forgiveness. This teaches us that we should not be discouraged by our shortcomings but instead turn to God for guidance and strength to overcome them. he wept even more (John 13:38).

Despite his mistake, God gave Peter a second chance to follow Him faithfully by allowing him to leave the courtyard and return to the other disciples (Luke 22:54–62). This demonstrates that God is always willing to forgive us for our sins and provide us with opportunities for redemption.

We see that denial is not the correct answer.  Another lesson from Peter’s denial of Jesus is that denying our faith in or knowledge of Him will not save us. We are called upon as Christians to stand up for our beliefs, no matter how difficult it may seem. Despite being repeatedly warned about his impending denial, Peter was adamant that he would never deny Jesus (Luke 22:33–34).

However, when the moment came, Peter denied Jesus three times. This reminds us that we should not be so quick to dismiss our faith in times of difficulty or temptation. We must remain steadfast and trust in God, no matter the cost.

We see that repentance is essential. Peter’s experience teaches us the significance of repentance. Peter may have denied Jesus three times but expressed sorrow and regret and returned to Him. As a result, he was restored as one of Jesus’ essential disciples (John 21:15–17). This reveals that God forgives us when we turn to Him for forgiveness, even after committing sins.

His experience also teaches us that we must rely on God’s strength.  Peter demonstrated that relying on God’s strength is crucial to maintaining our faith. Before His arrest, Jesus warned Peter about his future denial (Luke 22:34).

Although Peter intended to remain loyal, he gave in to fear when faced with pressure (John 18:15–18). This lesson shows that, although we may attempt to be righteous on our own, we can only truly stand firm by relying on Christ's strength.

Peter’s experience reinforces that God is always present in our lives. Even when facing extraordinary difficulties, we can take comfort in knowing God is there for us. Peter denied Jesus, yet he was still allowed to participate in the Last Supper before Jesus’ arrest (Luke 22:7–13). This exemplifies that God’s unconditional love does not waver, even when we make mistakes or turn away from Him.

Peter's denial of Jesus carries great significance in Christian teachings. It serves as a reminder that despite our mistakes, we can still be forgiven through repentance and reliance on God's power. It also demonstrates the power of God's grace and mercy, as His love remains unwavering even in our darkest moments. No matter what we have done or are going through, we can find comfort in knowing that God's mercy is always available if we repent. Have you ever denied Christ? We have all turned back to our sinful ways at some point. Are you ready to turn back to Him? Like Peter, He can restore you.

Michael