After The Resurrection Part 2
Scripture: Matthew 4:18; 14:28-31; 16:13-20; 17:4; 18:21; John 21:15-17
Introduction:
This morning I want to continue with Part 2 of my message “After The Resurrection”. Last week I shared with you that the first thing that became available after the resurrection was joy. The disciples upon learning and understanding that Jesus had risen from the dead returned to Jerusalem full of joy and praising God continually. Before they came to this point they had been scared, worried and in hiding. What would have caused such a drastic change in their behavior? Knowing that Jesus had risen from the dead is what caused the change. So their fears, concerns and worries were replaced by joy and a new boldness to go out and witness. Joy was the first “recognizable” thing that came after the resurrection. This morning I will focus on the second and most important thing which is forgiveness.
I. Peter
I want you to take a moment and think about the most horrible thing you could do. This thing, if done, could cost you your self respect, your self esteem and your total reputation if you did it and it was discovered. Think about how embarrassed you would feel. Think about what you family and friends would say about you. Can you see this now? Now imagine that after it became known everyone read about it in the newspaper with your face plastered across the front page with the act that you had committed. Imagine how you would feel when you saw people on the street and they were holding a paper with your picture on the front page. After you paid the penalty for your crime (whether that’s jail time or a fine), would you expect to be treated the same by those that love you? Would expect to be treated the same by your former co-workers or by potential new employers? It is a sad fact that when your dirty laundry is aired out before the public, there is a change in how you are perceived and treated from that point on. Even if you were innocent, some would continue to question your innocence.
This morning we will look at the forgiveness that was given after the resurrection to man who was absolutely and for certain guilty of the crime he was accused of. The man that we will focus on this morning is the disciple Peter. Before we get to the incident of his failure, we must first go back and examine some the Peter prior to his “fall from grace” as some would phrase it. Let’s start with his calling. Matthew 4:18 records the following: “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.” Peter was a fisherman; a trade that required long hours and a vast understanding of the sea. He was a man whom many of the religious leaders would have turned their nose up at. When Jesus called him he stopped what he was doing and followed Him, no questions asked.
As Peter began his spiritual growth under the guidance of the Master, his personality began to rise to the service. He became one of the more outspoken leaders of the group. Matthew 14:22-33 records the incident when Peter walked on the water. Jesus had sent His disciples to the other side of the water so that He could be alone to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea. About three o’clock in the morning (the fourth watch started at 3 a.m.) Jesus decided to walk out on the water and catch up with the disciples. When they saw Him coming they immediately became scared and cried out as they thought He was a ghost. But Jesus identified Himself and told them to be of good cheer. Now Peter steps into the picture. Matthew 14:28-31 records the following: “And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Many sermons have been preached about Peter taking his eyes off Jesus and began to sink, but we must admit that he most definitely walked on the water for a little while and I want you to consider what made him do it? He knew it was Jesus – he had no doubts. I mean what idiot would ask a stranger (or ghost for that matter) to allow them the power to walk on water. He had spent enough time with Jesus that by this time he easily recognized Jesus’ voice. When he knew it was Him, he wanted to experience what it was like to walk on water. Think about it. He was a fisherman who had previously made his living on the water. How many nights when it was quiet did he dream and think about what it would be like to walk on the water. This was his opportunity to fulfill a possible dream of his and he was not going to pass it up. While everyone else had no intentions of leaving that boat, Peter saw it as an opportunity. Once again, he demonstrated that at Jesus command, he was willing to step out there and be bold. He was willing to do what the others would not. He was willing to go where no man had gone before (besides Jesus). After this incident, Peter’s faith really began to grow. Turn to Matthew 16:13-20.
In these verses Jesus asked His disciples who did men say that He was. After He heard their answers, He asked them ‘Who do you say I am?” Peter was the one who gave the answer. He said in Matthew 16:16 “…..You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” When Peter gave that answer, Jesus said he was blessed because God had revealed the answer to him. Imagine how proud Peter felt that he was the first to give the correct answer and once he did Jesus called him blessed. Can you see him possibly smiling and looking confident at the other disciples? Peter was also one of the disciples who witnessed the transfiguration and professed that it was good that they had been there and stated that if Jesus was willing they could build three tabernacles there (Matthew 17:4). Everything Peter was experiencing was having an effect on him and how he saw the world around him. There is one additional incident that I want to call your attention to before we get to the heart of this message. Turn to Matthew 18:21. It records “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus had just completed teaching them about conflict resolution when Peter asked this question and this question leads us into the second thing that came after the resurrection – complete forgiveness.
Peter was a man who made his living on the seas, yet when Jesus called him, he immediately left what he was doing to follow Jesus. As he listened to Jesus’ teaching, he began to understand the power that rested within this man. He did not fully understand Him, but he knew enough to know that hanging out with Jesus was a good thing and being one of Jesus’ inner circle was even better. He now had authority and was viewed as a lot more than just an everyday fisherman. He was feeling pretty good about his life and his prospect until……..
In the twenty-six chapter of Matthew, Jesus explains to the disciples what would happen to Him and subsequently to them. He told them that they would be made to stumble because of Him. Peter spoke up immediately when Jesus said that and said “……Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” (Matthew 26:33) We need to understand the impact of this statement. Jesus told all of them that they would stumble because of Him and Peter, once again speaking first, states that even if everyone else stumbled, he never would. The other disciples were sitting there with them and Peter basically told them “You may stumble, but I am standing with Jesus!” Imagine how they felt at this proclamation. When Jesus heard this He quietly told Peter, “….Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” (Matthew 26:34) Peter responded that even if he must die with Jesus, he would never deny Him. Peter had no clue as to what was about to happen, he was too busy enjoying his current state of affairs. He was one of the men who walked closely with Jesus and he would not give that up nor ever deny that he walked with Jesus. Well, you know the rest of the story. When they came and took Jesus, Peter followed them. While he waited to see what would happen to Jesus, on three separate occasions, people recognized him as being one of Jesus’ followers. Three different times he denied knowing Jesus and on the final time he actually cursed the person out who accused him of being with Jesus. Immediately he remembered what he had said to Jesus and before the other disciples and more important, he remembered what Jesus had told him (Matthew 26:69-75).
Remember at the beginning I asked you to think about the worst thing you could ever do and how you would feel if it got out. Imagine what Peter felt like. He was always the first one to try something; the first one to speak up; the first one to support Christ; he even got to the point when he was offering advice to Jesus. He was possibly the envy of the other disciples and he had made them look bad on a couple of occasions. Think about the fact that his denial of Jesus is recorded in all four Gospels. Peter did not write any of the Gospels, but the writers wanted it known what Peter had done. If it was that important to record, think about how important it would have been to those who witnessed it and knew Peter. Think about how important it was to Peter. He was the one to profess that he alone would stand with Jesus and now look at him. He had denied knowing Christ three different times. He stood in the shadows scared to profess what he had professed in the safety of the brethren. Imagine how he felt when he witnessed Jesus being crucified. Imagine how he felt when Jesus actually died and he had to go into hiding. Imagine how he felt when he had been the one bragging about standing with Jesus only to deny Him three times and his fellow disciples now knowing all about it. Imagine the looks they gave him – the one who had made them look bad. Imagine the guilt Peter felt coupled with his embarrassment and fear. He was a broken man. He probably felt he was not worth being called a disciple. He probably felt there was nothing else he could ever do as a follower of Jesus. Imagine how he felt before the resurrection.
II. Forgiveness After The Resurrection
On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. Now imagine how Peter felt when he knew it was true. The One he had walked with; the One he had stated he would follow to the death; the One who he had denied is alive and well. Imagine how he felt when he first saw Jesus. Would Jesus remember that He denied Him? Would Jesus hold it against him? Would Jesus kick him out of the group? What would Jesus do? Well Jesus did remember and He had something to say about it. Let’s read from John 21:15-17.
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’ He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’ He said to Him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.”
Peter had denied Jesus publicly three times and Jesus now gave Peter the opportunity to profess his love for Him three times. After each confession, Jesus told Peter to do something. The first time He told Peter to “feed His lambs.” A lamb is a small young sheep. I believe He was telling Peter to share His words with those who would be young to the faith. The second time He told Peter to “tend My sheep.” A sheep is a grown lamb. In other words Jesus was telling Peter to take care of those who would be maturing in their faith. The third time He told Peter to “feed My sheep.” Again, this goes back to ensuring that those who belonged to Christ, even though they may be more mature in their faith, He expected Peter to continue to share the Word with them. In these three examples, Jesus was letting Peter know that not only was he forgiven, but Jesus still had work for Peter to do. He also shared with Peter that because of his faith and what he would eventually do for Christ, He would lose his life in a similar manner in which Christ had died. The life he had saved by denying Christ would eventually be freely given because of his acknowledgement of and service to Him.
Where Are You?
I have shared with you before, depending on where you are right now will determine how you respond to the resurrection in the next hour, tomorrow, and this week. Where are you? Are you at the scene when Jesus was crucified? Are you at the tomb? Or are you at Galilee in His presence?
If you have ever felt hopeless in your faith and doubted God, you will know what Peter felt after he denied Christ. That was an act of betrayal. If you have ever betrayed your faith because of something you did, participated in or went through where you doubted Christ was with you, then you understand what Peter felt. If you have ever doubted that God will forgive your sins and remove them from you, then I ask you to consider the story of Peter. Peter had risen to a position of leadership among Jesus’ followers. He had positioned himself as the defender of Christ when the Roman soldiers came to arrest Him (John 18:10). But when he saw what Jesus was going through; the heat of a national trial, conviction and the death sentence; he denied knowing Jesus three times. When Christ rose from the dead, Peter probably felt disqualified from doing anything further as a disciple. Jesus put that notion to rest. He had Peter confess publicly three times that he loved Him and then Jesus gave Peter more responsibility. Jesus reconnected with Peter and called for him to continue His work.
Forgiveness was the primary benefit we received after the resurrection. It is not only a forgiveness of our past sins, but anything we do in the future, if we truly repent and return to Him. We do not always get a second and third chance in this world. Our families, friends and co-workers often write us off when we fail them the first time. Our court system has a three strike and you’re out rule in some areas. We do not forgive each other as Jesus does. Through Christ’s resurrection, our forgiveness was made complete. Our bondage of sin has been broken. We do not have to suffer alone in misery when we fail. Jesus has provided for us if we accept Him. When we own up to our failures and repent, Jesus provides an unending amount of forgiveness for us.
Where are you? If you are living in the shadows of your past sins, understand that you have been forgiven and your sins are gone. If you are still suffering from your past mistakes (and it does not have to be a sin) Jesus rose from the dead so that we could rise above our past. Where are you? If you art not looking ahead, I ask you to turn your head around. Stop focusing on your past failures and on your future possibilities and opportunities. Remember, God will open doors that no man can close but if you are looking behind you instead of in front of you, you will not find the door. I will conclude this message next week. May God bless and keep you.
