Jesus responded to Peter’s three denials by with three restorations. Though Peter had committed a terrible offense to Jesus, Jesus does not see Peter as beyond help. Do you see what this means?
You are not beyond God’s love and forgiveness.
You are not beyond God’s redemption.
You are loved and forgiven.
God can redeem any situation.
Deny him three times? Redeemable.
Turn your back on him, ignore him, give him the silent treatment, and his love never fails.
Jesus concludes by inviting Peter anew, “Follow me.” All is forgiven, Peter is restored.
You can be restored. But notice that Jesus’ restoration leads to action. He is saying, “Peter, be about what I’ve taught you. Love people, care for others. Feed my sheep. Serve in the mission of my Kingdom.” We are restored for mission. We are set free to serve.
You and I can walk in the victory that is found in new life in Jesus. As Paul would later write in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.”
At the end of the chapter, there is a brief conversation. Let’s read that now, starting at verse 20.
“Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
John is reminding us that we are loved and forgiven, even when we deny Jesus, even when we make choices that are not in line with his way of living. Still he loves us and invites us to renew our intention to follow him.
Focus on following Jesus. Focus on his love. His redemption. Choose to accept and believe it is for you. Then feed his sheep, care for his people. We are restored for mission.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 