Conversations with Jesus: Love, Part 2
By Jeff Cranston
Have you ever faced a moment when you were so aware of your failure, where you had to throw yourself upon the mercy of God when you had nowhere else to go? Maybe someone confronted you, or perhaps you received some bad news. Maybe you have faced your own massive failure in some way, and you know you’ll never be the same.
In Part 1 of this blog post, we learned about Peter, an overly confident disciple of Jesus, who was on a path to an epic failure. The night that Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Jesus three times, and the rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered Jesus’ words, and he sat down and wept his heart out. That night changed Peter forever.
In Peter’s story, we learn something about restoration. Let us never forget that …
When we fail, Jesus remains faithful.
Jesus isn’t surprised by our weaknesses. He knows we’ll fall away to some extent. He predicted it with His disciples. He knows how we’ll respond. In spite of knowing everything about you, including the places where you might reject the very love He offers, Jesus gave His life for you.
Jesus didn’t leave Peter broken and a mess and hopeless. Jesus remained faithful. And because of Jesus’ faithfulness, even after you have had an epic fail …
Jesus will renew your relationship.
We see that in John 21:15-17. Remember when Jesus said He would see the disciples again after His death? Well, here He is! This is the third time He has manifested Himself to them since His resurrection. John tells us there was no question among the disciples that this truly was the Lord in their midst. In this passage, Jesus gave Peter a new call, a simple call, to be a shepherd for God’s people. This is what matters. Peter doesn’t have to worry about overthrowing governments. He doesn’t have to save the world. He just has to have the heart of God for God’s own people.
Did it last? I think so. We hear it in the words he preached in Jerusalem sometime later. We find men and women from all parts of the Mediterranean region milling about, hearing the gospel being proclaimed in their various languages, and Peter seizes the moment:
“Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them, ‘Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words … let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ – this Jesus whom you crucified.’” (Acts 2:14, 36, NASB)
Peter, who wept so bitterly over denying Christ, never denied Him again, but confessed Him often and openly, and in the face of danger. He told all of Israel that Jesus is Lord and Christ!
So, where are you at today? For some, this is hitting home. You know brokenness, you know epic failure, and you know Jesus and all He has done for you. You live your life from a place of restoration. If that’s you, keep going, but I do have a challenge for you. Please share your story with the rest of us. Help us live more authentically. Help us change the culture from fake posturing and everybody needing to look perfect and good to a place of deep humility.
Or this may be a rooster-crowing moment for you. You’re in the middle of realizing how frail and tenuous your life is and how much is out of your control. Maybe it’s been this pandemic, or maybe it was a recent diagnosis, or a confrontation by someone you love and respect, maybe a financial meltdown, a relational failure. I don’t know. But I would say this: As painful as it may be right now, it might be God’s grace to you. All the pain Peter experienced was used by God in his life in huge ways. If you let this experience do its work in your heart, God will change you. Surrender control of your life into the hands of God who knows you and loves you.
Or maybe you are still wrestling, still trying to make it work on your terms and in your way, telling God where He is wrong and where you have it figured out. So, to you, I ask the Dr. Phil question: How is that working out for you? Are you tired yet? Are you willing to give it up and surrender?
God is patient. He’ll wait … for a time. But why waste time fighting when you could be experiencing all God has for you, and all God can do in you? God wants to be in a relationship with you. He wants to cleanse your sin, to be your strength, to see you whole. But He has to be in charge. So, you have to surrender. The Bible says if we believe with our hearts, confess with our mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord, we will be saved. We will experience all that God has for us.
Can you hear His question to you today, “Do you love Me?”
Because we have already heard and seen Him say to us, “I love you.”
Jeff Cranston is the lead pastor of LowCountry Community Church in Bluffton, S.C.
