Vian Baptist Church
Mark 16:7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. Peter was a special case of man. He was crude, being a fisherman. He went fishing naked, I suppose to keep his garment from smelling of fish, but I don’t know that for sure. He might have been a sun worshipper or something. All I know is that Scripture tells us he was naked fishing. John 21:7 “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.”
As we follow Peters life from his calling by Jesus to this point, we find a confusion of testimonies. Now a testimony of a man is defined as a public recounting of a religious conversion or experience. Peter was hot and cold. He was vague and firm. He knew the truth yet he denied it when faced with pressure from the world.
When asked who he thought Jesus was he answered, Matthew 16:16 “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He got that right.
When Jesus asked him if he loved him (agape love) (which is a self-giving love willing to surrender his all) he fudged. John 21:15-17 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Each time Peter responded with phileo instead of agape love, which means to be a friemd or is fond of so.
Another instance where Peter failed the Lord is found in the garden while Jesus prayer. Matthew 26:40 “And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?”
Then again, Peter, not only slept when he should have been praying, but actually denied the Lord while he stood around the devil’s fire (my termonology not the Bibles).
Mark 14:70-71 “And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.”
He did go out a weep bitter tears as the rooster reminded him of what Jesus had said the night before. Mark 14:30 “And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.”
After Jesus rose from the dead an angel called His disciples to him in Galilee. That was our text verse. Mark 16:7 “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.”
What I want to point out is the “and Peter”. You see, Peter was a disciple yet He, the Lord Jesus, made sure Peter knew he was welcome to come back. Even though there by the devil’s fire, he denied Christ, Christ still had a plan for Peter and called him back into the fold, so to speak.
We all make mistakes, some worse than others, some we do not think we can recover from, yet Jesus died for all of our sins. We are welcomed back just as the Father welcomed the Prodigal son. In my imagination, I see the other disciples condemning Peter for what he said at the devil’s fire, yet in Christ is forgiveness and mercy.
Mistakes happen all the time. You cannot get though a day without sin, yet Jesus make sure John recorded a very important Scripture, ljohn 1:910 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
Why is He faithful and just to forgiver sin? Because your sin was nailed to the cross with Jesus. The penalty was paid by the shed blood of Jesus the Christ, our Savoiur.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
If you are outside of the church, because of what you have said or done, please come back. If you simply acknowledge your sin and ask for forgiveness, Jesus hears and forgives. He will restore you as he did Peter and gave him great responsibility.
Come Home…come back to Jesus… there is no doubt He loves you.
He died for you. Come Home.
