Restored And Following Jesus

"Today's Devotion" For April 25, 2006

Read: John 21:15-25; Luke 22:54-62

RESTORED AND FOLLOWING JESUS

"Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, 'Do you love Me?' He said, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said, 'Feed My sheep." (John 21:17)

Have you ever been in the "doghouse?" You know what I mean - you messed up, blew it, and otherwise did a lousy job of being true to your word or following through on a promise - and the person or persons who were affected by the mess you made won't let you forget about it. There's the classic we all know - a husband forgets his wife's birthday or their anniversary. To extricate himself from those fiascos of relationship requires herculean effort and a lot of groveling in order to get out of the "doghouse." Then there's the executive who blows an ostensibly simple deal for a contract, the company loses money, and the executive ends up resigning because know one will let him live it down. Certainly we could continue to name circumstances in which "living it down” and "getting out of the doghouse" affect people's relationships and their lives.

There's no getting away from it - none of us can ever say we won't ever "blow it," "mess it up," or perpetrate a colossal "screw up." In the same way, no one can honestly say they've never been in the "doghouse," because of a foul up, something they said, or failed to do. Being in the "doghouse" is a subject for commiserating among friends and colleagues, particularly those to whom we have a close relationship. Yet no amount of "mea culpas" or commiserating is going to prevent anyone from ever being in the "doghouse," because, ultimately Sin is at the heart of every such situation. Perhaps there's no better Biblical example of this than Peter's blatant and vigorous denial of Jesus as Jesus was led before the Sanhedrin after His arrest in Gethsemane.

We're told by Luke that Peter went out and wept bitterly over his denial of Jesus. He had sworn it would never happen, but it did. He saw the look Jesus gave him, one, I suspect, of disappointment. Yet it can also be said that Jesus' look was also full of compassion and understanding. After all, it was He who told Peter that he would in fact deny Jesus three times. Imagine, then, after Jesus' resurrection and His appearance to His disciples, how guilty Peter must have felt. Even in his exuberance to get to Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius after the massive catch of fish, one senses an eagerness, perhaps born of guilt, to be with Jesus - to see if there was a barrier between himself and His Lord because of his denial of Him.

Jesus, however, isn't going to allow Peter to continue to feel awkward around Him. After breakfast, He asks Peter, three times (hmmmm! isn't that the number of times Peter denied Jesus?), "Simon, son of John, do you truly love Me?" The Son of God and the Son of Man, asks the son of John, who the most important person is in his life. In fact, Jesus questions start out with the added phrase, "more than these," most likely referring to the rest of the disciples. Each time Peter responds that he does in fact love Jesus and each time Jesus responds to him by telling him to "feed My sheep."

Jesus' words reflect His love for Peter, His confidence in Peter, and His certainty that Peter did love Him. Only to one that we can trust would any of us entrust the care and feeding of our children. Jesus words to Peter, "feed Me sheep," are words of trust and confidence in Peter's faithfulness. They are also words of restoration - Peter's not in the "doghouse" with Jesus, unless its a "doghouse" of Peter's own making. Jesus leads Peter to focus on service to others rather than on himself, just as He calls us to service to others in His name, putting the needs of others ahead of our own in faithful, loving service to our Lord and Savior. Through such service we give powerful testimony to His love and His forgiveness which gives our lives hope and meaning.

The power of Jesus' resurrection for Peter and for us, is that it confirms that God has restored us to Himself in Christ. The sacrifice is complete; His forgiveness is real; eternal life is assured in Jesus. Lifted up and restored by faith to our Lord and Savior, living forgiven becase of His sacrifice on the Cross, we are moved to follow Him, and with Peter, "feed His sheep" and "feed His lambs." so that all might hear His Good News, believe, and live forever. What a wonderful gift to be "restored and following Jesus."

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, You forgave Peter of his sins, especially of his denial of You, and restored him so that he was filled with zeal for Your Word and carried Your Gospel all the way to his death as a martyr. As You did this for him, I pray that You would also do so for me. According to Your promises, forgive me of all my sins and daily restore me in Your love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to faithful service to You and others in Your name. Lord, by the power of Your Word and Spirit, restore me from the "doghouse of sin" which would keep me from Your love and forgiveness and empower me in service to You as a living and fearless witness to Your Word and love. In Your precious name I pray, O Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 The Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.