Recovering from Failure

Posted 2/28/2009

Failure Mat 26:31-35; 69-75

• He vowed to never fall away from Jesus, yet he did.

• He even pledged to die before denying Christ

However, he was arguing that he would not do what Jesus was saying he would do:

• They would all fall away and be scattered because of Jesus

• Peter himself would deny Christ three times before the rooster crowed

First, don't overestimate your ability to prevail. Think of yourself accurately Rom 12:3, i.e. humbly, and save yourself and all around you a lot of grief (and putting up with your arrogance).

 

Second, don't argue with God. He knows way better, even when it doesn't look good for you. What He says will happen, no matter what.

Peter "boldly" followed Jesus and His captors to Caiphas' place, and then melts before the questioning of two girls. Some tough guy! He feigns ignorance, and then progresses to cursing and swearing to prove his point that he has nothing to do with Jesus.

 

The rooster crowed, Peter remembered, and he left and wept bitterly. Why? Jesus had been right! This should be an amazing, wonderful, fulfillment of prophecy! Nope. Peter knew he was better than that, and could beat the odds.

After His resurrection, Jesus finds some of the disciples back to fishing. They don't recognize Him until he performs another miracle by filling their fishing net full of fish.

 

When Peter realizes it's Jesus, he jumps overboard. Why?

 

• He is overjoyed, and swims for shore

• He is dismayed and embarrassed, and tries to hide

• He wants to see if he can walk on water again

 

We aren't told why he jumped in, but he did put all his clothes back on before doing so, and did make it to shore OK to help the others pull the fish to land.

 

Jesus makes a point of asking Peter three times of his love for Him. Peter this time answers affirmatively, but still gets bothered. Either the fact that Jesus was asking him three times reminded him of the other night of denials, or the words Jesus was using. The first two times Jesus asked, he used the word for "unconditional love." However, the third time, when Peter was grieved, Jesus used the word for "love like a friend" instead. Peter used the word for "love like a friend all three times."