God Of Second Chances

The God of Second Chances

My text for this morning is taken from Mark 16:7

But go, tell his disciples and Peter ’He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as He told you’.

Why single out Peter? You see our God is the God of Second Chances, He hasn’t given up on us, even though we feel downcast..

1. Peter

1.1 Historical context

Let’s just put look at the passage in its historical context.

Christ has been crucified and buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Some of the women who followed Jesus came to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body for burial, when they find the tombstone rolled away and the tomb empty.

And to top it all they find a young man dressed in a white robe sitting in the tomb, who tells them Christ is risen. And what he says is telling:

But go, tell his disciples and Peter ’He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as He told you’. (Mk 16:7)

So why is Peter specifically named here?

1.2 Peter’s denial of Christ (Slide 1)

I think the key is to be found in Peter’s denial of Christ.

Peter is a quite remarkable character. He shows great faith and yet Christ reveals how weak his faith was.

1.2.1 Peter’s gift of faith

We read in Matt. 16:16 how much God had revealed to Peter when we read Peter’s response to Christ’s question "Who do you say that I am?"

"You are the Christ the Son of the Living God" to which Jesus replies:

Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah for this was not revealed to you by man but by God. And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.

He is a man you would say has got it all.

1.2.2 Yet Peter’s overconfidence in his own faith was his downfall.

It was the same Peter who is so confident of his own faith in Matt 26:33 who says:

Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.

To which Jesus replied: I tell you the truth, this very night before the rooster crows you will disown me three times.

And we see this fulfilled a few verses later in Matt 26:69-75 (Slide 2)

Now Peter was sitting out in the Courtyard and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee" she said.

But he denied it before them all. I don’t know what you are talking about" he said.

Then he went out into the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth" And he denied it again with an oath saying: I don’t know the man!"

After a little while, those standing there went to Peter and said "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away" And he began to call down curses on himself and swore to them " I don’t know the man".

Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him "Before the rooster crows you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.

God is giving Peter a second chance - yes, the same Peter who had denied knowing Christ three times, is being called by Christ in Mark 16:7.

But go, tell his disciples and Peter ’He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as He told you’.

How miserable do you think Peter was feeling - he had denied Christ three times. Yet Jesus sends a special message to Peter.

Peter I haven’t forgotten you. Doesn’t that encourage you?

1.3 Peter’s restoration

We read in John 21:15-23 how Jesus reinstates Peter.

Peter denied Jesus three times and Christ gives him the opportunity to affirm his love for him three times.

In the first two occasions Christ asks: "Agapas me" to which Peter replies: "Philo se".

In other words do you have "Agape love" for me to which Peter replies - I have "Philo" love for you - brotherly love.

And you see this honesty brings the charge: Feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep.

I am sure if we had been let down, we would have forgiven the other person, but we wouldn’t trust him, would we?

A key to service is realism.

We do need to know where we are. Peter has a realistic appreciation of his weaknesses. And this is where God wants us if he is going to commission us in his service.

1.4 Peter’s transformation

And we see the transformation, after the Power of the Holy Spirit has come upon him in Acts 2, how Peter speaks powerfully in Acts 4:8 to the High Priest himself: