God Of Second Chances

BACK STORY

In our children’s story we heard about Peter denying Jesus. Peter failed. But Peter shouldn’t have been the one to fail. He was Peter the rock. He was supposed to be the strong one, the solid one.

But Peter had brought it on himself.

Jesus told his disciples what would happen to him. He would die – and his disciples would desert him. ‘Not me,’ said Peter. ‘I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’ That was his first mistake. Peter was blind to his own weaknesses. A preacher called Jonathan Edwards wrote that the spiritually proud person is suspicious of others. The humble person is suspicious of himself. Peter could have done with some of that.

But Peter’s problems didn’t end there. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus told his disciples – and particularly Peter, ‘Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ Prayer is how we prepare for the battle ahead. But prayer requires discipline. Someone said, ‘If I only pray when I feel like praying, I never pray’. But Peter didn’t pray. That was a second mistake.

And then Peter made what looks like a third mistake. Jesus was led to the home of the high priest. Peter followed, at a distance. He was on his own. If Peter had had another Christian beside him, I wonder what would have happened?

What actually happened was that Peter denied Jesus, three times. Was that now the end for Peter? Or was there a way forward?

JESUS RESTORES PETER

I expect most of us know what happens after this. Jesus was crucified but God raised him from the dead. He told his disciples to go ahead of him to Galilee, the place where he had called most of them to follow him.

Peter announces that he’s going fishing. The other disciples join him. At dawn, Jesus stands on the shore of the lake and calls out to them. They come quickly. There’s a charcoal fire. I wonder what that reminds Peter of. Perhaps a fire in a high priest's courtyard? They have breakfast and then Jesus asks Peter to go for a walk with him. As they walk along, Jesus asks Peter, ‘Do you truly love me MORE THAN THESE?’ Has Simon learned his mistake? Has he realized that he isn’t better than the other disciples? Simon wisely says, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I love you.’ Now, he doesn’t claim to love Jesus MORE THAN THE OTHERS. Jesus asks twice more if Peter loves him. I’m sure Peter got the significance of that. He’d denied Jesus three times. Each time, Peter tells Jesus that he loves him. Each time that Peter answers, Jesus gives him a charge: ‘Feed my lambs’, ‘Tend my sheep’, ‘Feed my sheep’. Jesus recommissions Peter. He gives him a second chance.

I’d like to draw four lessons from this.

GOD GIVES SECOND CHANCES

Peter had failed. But he was deeply sorry for what he had done and Jesus gave him a second chance. This is a huge thing we should know about God and Jesus. God is in the business of giving second chances.

In the Bible there are lots of stories of people who messed up and God gave them a second chance.

Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh. God gave him a second chance.

David had an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and then arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle. God gave him a second chance too.

I could give lots more examples. In fact, most of the people in the Bible who we think of as heroes of faith messed up at some point. But God didn’t give up on them.

It’s true today too. Most of us also mess up at some point. When we do, it’s really, really important to remember that God gives second chances. We shouldn’t give up! Go back to God and tell him you’re sorry.

But also, keep in mind that what you’ve done may have consequences. God doesn’t run the video back to before you messed up. Messing up will often leave a mess.

But still, the big point is that after Peter messed up, Jesus gave him a second chance. What Jesus did for Peter he’s willing to do for us.

I said a moment ago, if you mess up, don’t give up. Go to Jesus, say sorry and mean it. Jesus is a gracious lord. He gives second chances.

WE SHOULD GIVE OTHER PEOPLE A SECOND CHANCE

The second point I want to make is that if God gives us second chances, we should give other people second chances. It happens regularly in churches that someone says or does something that offends someone else. They go off in a huff and perhaps even leave the church.