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The power of forgiveness is real. In God’s hands, your worst mistake and biggest regret can be used for good. There’s a special grace over your life when you realize how desperately you need Jesus.

That was Peter. Of all the disciples, he likely knew just how desperate he was for a Savior. His heart was pure towards Jesus, he meant it when he said he was willing to go and die with him, but still failed when put to the test. Most of us know about this epic failure of Peter – the one who denied Jesus. It’s so easy to be like, “Come on man, Jesus even warned you this was about to happen, and you still messed up.” But the truth is, the flesh in us is strong. There’s a will to survive and a human impulse to avoid pain.

Jesus was not surprised by Peter’s failure, yet he chose him anyway. Chosen not only as one of the twelve disciples, but chosen as one of Jesus’ closest 3 friends. This was Jesus’ best friend. Jesus knew the precise words of denial Peter would speak and the very night he would speak them, yet Jesus still chose to spend that day with him, pouring into him, loving him and preparing him. Here’s what Jesus knew that Peter didn’t – this failure would allow for a future restoration and redemption that would guide Peter for the rest of his life.

So yes, Jesus let Peter fail. He let him speak the words he would come to regret. Peter denied Jesus – denied that he knew him – denied he was with him – denied he believed in him. He denied him not just once, but three times. And then, just as Jesus warned him, the rooster crowed – and Peter knew this was his worst moment.

Epic failure, right? How do you come back from that?

WITH JESUS. That’s how you come back from that! Jesus makes a way back from our worst decisions and hardest of falls.

But let me show you something – Peter didn’t come running back to Jesus. He actually hid in his shame and guilt. The next day, as Jesus stands trial before an unjust government, Peter hides. As Jesus carries his cross up the hill, Peter hides. As Jesus is nailed to that cross, Peter hides. As Jesus suffers, cries out, and dies, Peter hides.

He was one of Jesus’ chosen best friends, but his failure created a separation he couldn’t get over. But Jesus didn’t let it end there. Redemption was always his plan. Restoration was underway.

It’s a several days after the cross, and Peter has returned to his old life of fishing. He’s out on the boat, doing what he knew to do. For the entire night, he had tried to catch fish, but had caught nothing. Then, he hears someone calling from the shore, “Fellows, have you caught any fish.” “No”, they replied. Then the man on the shore says, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

And in that moment, that’s when one of the other disciples realized it’s Jesus! This is all really familiar – a long night of unsuccessful fishing followed by the catch of a lifetime when trying one more time. Hmmmmm, this is how they met Jesus! And in that moment, Peter realizes it’s really him. His Jesus, his best friend, the one who he denied has come back for him. And what does Peter do? He jumps in the water and swims for shore!

Get the visual here because the Bible is specific on how far the boat was from the shore. It says they were about 100 yards out. This means Peter swims the length of a football field to get to Jesus.

Of course he does – because he’s Peter. He’s the one willing to get out of the boat. And this time, he’s desperate to get to Jesus. There’s no way he’s staying in the boat – he’s not waiting for them to row to shore, he’s going NOW!

On shore, Jesus literally has breakfast waiting. Y’all that’s our Jesus! Isn’t that simply amazing? He’s come back after being killed, come back to the group of fellas who mostly all scattered and didn’t even show up for his crucifixion, and he’s offering to share a meal with them again. It’s the picture of forgiveness. It’s the image of redemption.

Yes, you messed up after our last meal together, but I’m making breakfast and inviting you back.

Now, here comes the big moment …. John 21:15, “After breakfast Jesus asked Peter a question – ‘Do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter replied, ‘you know I love you.’ ‘Then feed my sheep.’ Jesus told him.

What’s happening here is like a dance. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Three times Peter responds yes. Three times Jesus tells him, “Then feed my sheep.” Why? Why the repeated question and repeated instruction when Peter’s answer was the same every time?

To understand this life-changing moment, you must understand the words being used here. Love has many different forms. The way I love my children is different from the way I love popcorn. The way I love my dog is different than the way I love your dog. Yes, love – but on a different level.

Jesus is asking Peter if he loves him with an agape love. Agape love is pure and unselfish love. Peter responds with “Yes, I love you”, but not agape but philia. Philia love is an affection between friends. Three times Jesus asks for agape love and Peter responds with philia love.

And this is the dance. Peter is coming closer and closer to Jesus with every response giving the best he had to give, and Jesus is coming closer and closer to Peter. Peter didn’t have perfect love to offer, he had human, flawed love that was going to fail – and Jesus said, “Yip, I can work with that.”

Jesus didn’t wait for Peter to get it perfect – he called him to a greater purpose where he was. He showed him that even after his epic failure of denying him, he still wanted him. “Peter, do you love me? Then feed my sheep.”

Peter, take your imperfections and your failures, and do what you can for me. I still want you! You are forgiven – now step back into your role of leadership.

Why would it be repeated three times? Could it be because Peter denied Jesus three times? Could each declaration of love be a healing for his soul, a restoration of relationship, a redemption of his failure, a step back towards the close relationship he had before? You see for every step Peter had taken away from Jesus, Jesus returned with an invitation to come right back in close again.

Feed my sheep. We are those sheep. The shepherd is Jesus and the spiritual food we need is his word. Peter is told to spiritually feed us. And that’s precisely what he did. Peter’s next step was being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, rise up as the leader of building God’s church, and preach his first sermon – that first sermon brought 3,000 people to faith in Jesus that day. And that was just the beginning.

My favorite verse comes sometime after this when Peter is walking in his purpose doing exactly what Jesus has instructed him to do. Acts 4:13, “The members of the council were amazed when the saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”

And that is huge. He’s now living as a man who could easily be recognized as being a friend and disciple of Jesus. For the man who had denied knowing Jesus, to becoming this man who could now so easily be recognized as having been with Jesus because of the words he spoke and the way he lived – THAT IS SUCCESS. He’s no longer denying his Jesus, he’s representing his Jesus!

Peter would write 1 & 2 Peter in our Bible. He would show us how God could use a flawed, impulsive person who had failed in the past.

Peter went on to feed Jesus’ sheep, spread the gospel, and ultimately give his life for his deep, growing, agape love of Jesus. I’m pretty excited to meet Peter in Heaven and hear all his stories.

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