Oh No Lord, Can I Start Over?*

Have you ever done something that you wished you had not done? Have you wished you could go back in time to erase what you did, and then start over and do the right thing? Have you done something that even people said that you might do if you stay on the path that you are on, but you didn’t listen to them? And you ended up doing the exact thing that you denied you would do? Boy, I have. Sometimes, I so wish I could go back in time, and change all of my mistakes or sins I have committed, and make everything right.

That’s what happened to Peter. No, I am not talking about your neighbor who cut you off while you were trying to park your car. I am talking about the Peter who was Jesus’ disciple in the Bible and was also his friend.  If you read Matthew 26:31-75, you will find that Jesus tells Peter that Peter will deny Jesus three times and then the rooster will crow. I can picture Peter thinking, I am his friend; I would never do such a thing. Never. Not even once. How could he think that I would ever deny him, my friend and master, three times? I feel hurt that he would feel that way. In the NIV Bible, it replaces the word deny for disown. Can you imagine any worse thing than to deny or disown Jesus? Jesus says that Peter will disown him THREE times. That same day, Jesus takes the disciples to Gethsemane where Jesus prays and his so called friends and disciples fall asleep. Then a little bit later, Jesus is arrested in that garden.

Now Jesus is before the Sanhedrin, which is the highest Jewish court in Roman times. The Sanhedrin say that Jesus is worthy of death. So as you can see, this is an intense meeting. He gets convicted and the result will be the death penalty, but He hasn't done anything wrong. Even though Jesus is God, he came down in human form. He knows what pain and sadness is. He could really use some friends right about now. Peter is in the courtyard listening to what the Sanhedrin are saying when he does the unthinkable. People start approaching him and asking him if he knew Jesus and was he a follower of Jesus. He says “no,” not once, not twice, but three times.” The rooster starts crowing and Peter remembers what Jesus had told him earlier. Peter feels horrible. He had done the exact thing Jesus said he would do. He denies Jesus three times. I can imagine him running to hide his face while weeping profusely until his eyes are blood shot and swollen.  I can see him replaying over and over and over the denials of Jesus, the rooster crowing, and the words Jesus had spoken to him earlier that day. His heart aches. The story doesn’t end there.  

Jesus dies and on the 3^rd day he resurrects. He doesn’t go to Heaven right away.  In John 21, Simon Peter and his friends go fishing. They catch absolutely nothing. Not even a teeny, tiny sardine. The next morning, a man stands at the shore and tells the guys to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. So they probably thought, “Well it wouldn’t hurt.” So they did it. The next thing you know is that the net is filled to capacity of fish. Not just any fish, large fish and 153 to be exact. At this time, all of them realized that the man was their Lord, Jesus. They all go to Jesus and have breakfast of fish and bread with Him. Remember, Peter had previously disowned Jesus three times. Jesus could have thought, “You know Peter, you are not invited because when I needed you the most, you denied even knowing me.” But Jesus didn’t; he includes him for breakfast. He talks with him. He fellowships with him.

John 21:15, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?”

Jesus: “...do you truly love me more than these?”

            Peter: “Yes Lord. You know that I love you.”
            Jesus: “Feed my lambs.”

            Jesus: “...do you truly love me?”

            Peter: “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”
            Jesus: “Take care of my sheep.”

            Jesus: “...do you love me?”

            Peter: “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
            Jesus: “Feed my sheep.”

After the third time that Jesus asked him the question, Peter is feeling frustrated. He’s probably thinking, “Lord, you know that I love you; why do you keep asking me. I totally love you undeniably.” But remember before Jesus was executed, Peter denied him three times.  Maybe Jesus is counteracting the fact that Peter denied him three times, so he asks Peter how much does he really love him, and reinstated him.  Not only does Jesus forgive him, he spends time with him, and reinstates him. No, the story doesn’t even end there.

 Jesus could have said, “you know Peter, you denied me three times, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.” But he doesn’t do this. He includes him with all the disciples each time Jesus appears to them before he goes to Heaven. He even allows Peter to be there during the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:16-20. This is where Jesus tells the disciples, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...” So Jesus includes Peter, to go out and minister to people. He is basically saying, “You denied me, but I forgive you. I know your heart; I know you love me. You were weak and now you are strong.  I want to include you to help me spread the gospel.” The story keeps going...

 
If you read in Acts 2:1 - 5:40, you will see that Peter is a leader, heals the sick, ministers to people and does even more. Even though he screwed up big time, and he couldn’t change the past no matter how hard he tried; he was still used for God’s kingdom to further the gospel. In the Bible, you can read more stories about many people who screwed up, yet God used them in mighty ways to do mighty things, after they repented.  (Repent is to feel sorry for; to change our mind and actions to not do it again).

 Dear God, help us lean on you when we commit sins we have done, temptations we succumb to, flawed characters that need fixed, and other things that we do that we wish we could reverse time and go change them. We can't change the past, but we can accept your grace as we repent. Lord forgive us as we change from the mistakes and sins we commit. Help us to keep moving forward when we do things that we horribly regret like denying you three times. Lord give us strength to live the life you want each of us to live and help us be a blessing to each other and especially to you, God. In Jesus' Name...AMEN


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