Finding Hope in Failure: Peter’s Story of Redemption and Forgiveness
Introduction
Have you ever found yourself feeling like your past has doomed you to always remain stuck in who you are? We’ve all failed and we’ve all made mistakes, but what if I told you that none of it has to be the defining factor of your life? The apostle Peter isn’t remembered for his failures or wrong decisions – he’s remembered for being a fearless leader who led countless people closer to God. If someone with such an imperfect, troubled past can become so influential in the early Christian church, then there is hope for us too! In this blog post, let us look at some lessons from Peter’s life as we navigate our present struggles from whatever background we come from.
Who is Peter
Peter is well known as one of the disciples but what else do we know about him? He grew up in Bethsaida and owned a fishing operation with his brother Andrew and James and John the Zebedee brothers. He made enough that he owned his own boat. He was married and it is likely that his wife accompanied him on many of his missionary journeys. His given name was Simon and was given the name Peter by Jesus. He was a missionary to the Jews outside Jerusalem and considered the first missionary to the Gentiles. In spite of his many failings Jesus said he would build his church upon him and he did. He became a devoted follower and was eventually martyred in Rome for his faith. He could be crude, impetuous and hot-tempered which is what led to some of his failures. But he also had a capacity to understand the spiritual easier than some of the other disciples and for this reason was thought of as the leader of disciples.
Time With Christ
Big Failures
Peter is often looked to as a giant of the faith but he was also very human. And like humans he faltered. Let’s look at a couple of examples, first his falling asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane and second his denial of Christ.
Falling Asleep in Gethsemane
This story is found in Matthew 26:36-46. Here Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him to Gethsemane to pray. He asks them to wait while he goes away to pray. When Jesus returns he finds them asleep. He rebukes them saying “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Mt 26:41, ESV). He then goes away again and again returns to find them asleep. The third time he returns to find them asleep the time has come for him to be betrayed into the hands of the Jewish leaders.
In our flesh we are indeed weak. Peter’s inability to remain awake and alert while his Savior prayed that the will of God would be done is evidence of this. But this would not be the only time Peter failed big. Not too long after falling asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane Peter falls again to his human nature.
Denial of Christ
To fully understand the impact of his denial let’s go back a little bit in the story. In Matthew 16:13-20 while traveling with the disciples Jesus asks them “But who do you say that I am? (Mt 16:15, ESV).” Peter then replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:16, ESV).” This leads to Jesus telling Peter that he will build His church upon him and that he will give him the keys to the Kingdom of heaven (Mt 16:18-19, ESV). He then tells them to keep this revelation to themselves.
So now we come to Jesus’ arrest and the denial of Peter. Earlier Jesus had predicted that before the rooster crowed Peter would deny him three times which Peter vehemently opposed. But in Mark 14:66-72 we find that this did in fact come to pass. Peter first tells a servant girl who asks him about his being with Jesus that “I neither know nor understand what you mean (Mk 14:68, ESV)” Then he moves away from her and she sees him again and tells the bystanders that he was with Jesus Peter again denies this. The third time it was the bystanders that said he must be one of the ones with Jesus Peter replies with “I do not know this man of whom you speak (Mk 14:71, ESV)” Then the rooster crowed and Peter wept.
Life After Christ’s Ascension
It’s hard to imagine that someone can come back from denying the Savior and yet Peter does. In fact after the resurrection Jesus and Peter share a poignant moment of restoration. In John 21:15-19 we see this interaction in which Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. This nuance is not lost on Peter and each time he responds with an affirmative response that he loves Jesus. What is interesting to note is the use of two different Greek words here. The first two times Jesus asks Peter he uses the word agape and Peter responds with Phileo then the third time Jesus asks with phileo and Peter responds with phileo. Phileo is commonly used for familial love and the love of God for his creation but never for the love people have for God. That is always represented by agape. This leads some scholars to think that maybe Jesus was looking for more from Peter but ultimately decided to meet him where he was in the moment.
Missionary to the Jews
In the Gospels, we found Peter as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He witnessed the miracles of Christ, experienced His teachings, and shared in His ministry. After Christ’s ascension into heaven, Peter continued Jesus’ work, preaching the Gospel and spreading His message of hope and salvation. In this section we will discover Peter’s missionary work to the Jews, explore his teachings, and gain insight into ways we, too, can share God’s love and hope with others in our lives.
Peter’s work to the Jews began on the Day of Pentecost when he addressed the crowds in Jerusalem. He spoke about the fulfillment of prophecy through the coming of Christ and invited the people to repent and be baptized. Three thousand people were added to the church that day, and Peter continued to preach to the Jews, performing miracles, and testifying to the Lordship of Christ. His message was one of repentance, faith, and enduring hope in the Gospel. In the book of Acts, we see Peter preaching in the temple and healing a man who could not walk (Acts 3:1-10). The people were in awe of Peter’s healing power, and this opened the door for him to share the message of Christ.
In his letter, Peter emphasized the need for unity among believers and the importance of living a holy and blameless life. He urged his Jewish brethren to put aside their old ways and embrace the new life offered through faith in Christ. Throughout his ministry, Peter emphasized the love of God as the foundation for all our actions, the source of our strength, and the promise of our eternal life with Christ.
Peter faced many challenges throughout his missionary work, including persecution, imprisonment, and opposition from religious leaders. However, his faith remained unwavering, and he continued to preach the Gospel, trust in God’s provision, and encourage other believers. Peter’s courage, humility, and steadfastness inspire all of us to remain committed to our faith in Christ, even in the darkest of times.
In 1 Peter 5:7, he reminds his readers to cast their anxiety on the Lord because He cares for them. In these times of uncertainty and fear, we, too, can find comfort in the promise of God’s love and care for us. As we strive to live out our Christian faith, we can share the hope of Christ with others, encouraging them to trust in God’s provision and rely on His strength.
Peter’s missionary work to the Jews after the ascension of Christ serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of sharing the Gospel with others. His message of repentance, faith, and enduring hope challenges us to examine our own lives and seek ways to live out our faith more fully. Peter reminds us that the love of God is the foundation for all our actions, and we must strive to live a holy and blameless life, even in the face of opposition and persecution. Let us learn from Peter’s example, and seek to share God’s love and hope with others in all that we do.
Missionary to the Gentiles
We are all familiar with the story of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, how he lived among us, performed miracles, died on the cross, and ascended into heaven. But have you ever wondered what happened after he left? How did the apostles carry on his work, and what challenges did they face? One of the most inspiring stories of this time is that of Peter and the Gentile mission. Despite facing opposition from those who believed that Christianity was only for Jews, Peter fought for the inclusion of all people in the promise of salvation. In this section, we’ll explore the story of Peter’s mission to the Gentiles, and how it can inspire us to live out our faith in Christ.
The story of Peter’s mission to the Gentiles begins with a vision he had while in Joppa, as recorded in Acts 10:9-16. In this vision, Peter saw a sheet coming down from heaven filled with unclean animals, and heard a voice commanding him to “kill and eat.” Peter was reluctant at first, as he had always kept the Jewish dietary laws, but the voice responded, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This vision was repeated three times, and soon after, a group of Gentiles came to Peter’s house, asking to hear the message of salvation. Though Peter was initially hesitant to break bread with those who were not Jews, he eventually had a revelation that “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34-35)
This revelation was a turning point for Peter and marked the beginning of his mission to the Gentiles. In Acts 11:1-18, we read that when Peter returned to Jerusalem, he faced criticism from the Jewish Christians for eating with Gentiles, but he recounted his vision and the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence among the Gentiles. This convinced the Jews that God had indeed granted repentance and salvation to the Gentiles, and they praised God.
Peter’s willingness to listen to God’s voice, even when it challenged his beliefs and prejudices, demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into new truths and ways of living. His mission to the Gentiles also teaches us about the importance of inclusivity and acceptance in the Christian faith. It is easy to become comfortable in our own circles or to judge those who are different from us, but the message of the Gospel is one of love and grace for all people. As 1 Peter 2:17 reminds us, “Fear God. Honor the emperor.” This means we must respect authority, but also acknowledge that all people are created in God’s image and deserve love and respect.
Peter’s mission to the Gentiles was not without its challenges, however. In Acts 15, we read about a dispute between Jewish and Gentile Christians over whether the latter needed to follow Jewish customs, such as circumcision, in order to be saved. Peter again spoke up in favor of the Gentiles, citing his experiences with them as proof that God had accepted them. The apostles ultimately agreed that Gentile Christians did not need to follow Jewish customs, and the church continued to grow and thrive.
The story of Peter and the Gentile mission is a powerful reminder of the transformative nature of our faith in Christ. When we listen to God’s voice, overcome our prejudices, and embrace all people as children of God, we become part of a holy mission to spread the message of salvation to the world. As we navigate our own journey of faith, let us look to Peter as an example of courage, humility, and love, and may we always seek to live out the inclusive message of the Gospel.
Conclusion
Peter’s life is an inspiring example of how God can take our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Despite his mistakes, he was still able to become a trusted leader of the church and have an influential role in early Christianity. His story demonstrates that no matter where you are at or what has happened in your past, God can use you for great things if you follow him on the journey. We should be thankful for Peter’s legacy and strive to emulate his faith, obedience, and perseverance so we too can make a difference in this world according to God’s will.
