Introduction:
A. One day an attorney gathered the entire family for the reading of the will of their wealthy relative.
1. Kinfolk came from near and far, to see if they were included in the bequests.
2. The lawyer somberly opened the will and began to read: “To my cousin Ed, I leave my ranch. To my brother Jim, I leave my money market accounts. To my neighbor and good friend, Fred, I leave my stocks. And finally, to my cousin George, who always sat around and never did anything, but wanted to be remembered in my will, I say, ‘Hello, George, I remembered you and remembered that I should leave you nothing but a greeting.’ ”
B. I begin with that story because situations like that have occurred regularly throughout time.
1. Undeserving people show up at the reading of the will to see if the deceased would shower them with both grace and goods.
2. Sometimes the deceased was gracious and other times not so.
C. I want to connect that kind of experience with something that happened in the life of Peter.
1. As we continue to explore his life and the impact of the touch of the Master’s Hand upon him, we are in a very powerful and transformational period in Peter’s life.
2. Last week we witnessed Peter’s bold assertions about how faithful he would be even in the face of death, but then we watched how he denied knowing Jesus three separate times within a span of hours, just as Jesus had predicted.
3. As we wrestled with Peter’s failure last week, I encouraged us to look at our own failures and sins, and to embrace the notion that there is hope for the fallen.
4. In today’s sermon, and in next week’s sermon, I want us to see how that hope was realized in Peter’s life, so that we will be assured that there is hope for us in our failures as well.
5. You might feel that this is a redundant message and you might wonder why I am spending so much time on this subject.
6. But what I want us to realize is that God included so much of Peter’s experience through this period of failure and restoration, so that there would be no doubt that there is hope for the fallen.
I. The Story
A. Let’s begin today where we ended last week. Let’s witness again Peter’s third denial: 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:59-62)
1. So where did Peter go when he left the home of the high priest? No one knows.
a. Did he wander the streets of Jerusalem?
b. Did he go to Gethsemane where he had been with Jesus earlier?
c. Did he go to the place where he was staying in Jerusalem, perhaps at the home of John, according to tradition, John’s family had property in Jerusalem?
2. We don’t know where he went to wallow in his failure, but we know he wasn’t with Jesus.
B. We know where Jesus was and we know what happened to Jesus.
1. After the arrest in the garden, he was first taken to Annas’s house – he had served as high priest for 16 years – Jesus received his initial physical abuse there.
2. Next, Jesus was taken to Caiaphas’ palace and he was imprisoned there.
a. Jesus experienced more physical abuse at their hands.
b. At an early morning meeting of the Jewish elders, scribes and the whole Sanhedrin they decided to take Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate to ask for his execution.
3. Pilate the Roman governor held a hearing for Jesus and concluded: “I find no guilt in this man.”
4. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who had jurisdiction over Galilee, but Jesus refused to answer any of his questions, so Herod quickly returned Him to Pilate.
5. Pilate repeatedly tried to release Jesus, but the Jewish leaders continued to object.
a. Seeking to satisfy the Jewish leaders, Pilate had Jesus tortured, but that was not enough.
b. The Jewish leaders continued to demand that Jesus be crucified.
c. Finally, Pilate relented, washing his hands of the matter, he gave the order to execute Jesus
6. Jesus was forced to carry his own cross up to Calvary where he was crucified at 9 am.
a. The Gospels record much of what took place during the 6 hours Jesus hung on the cross.
b. We know that many of Jesus’ female followers were present, including Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome,
c. The only apostle that we know was present was John.
C. Where was Peter this whole time? We don’t know.
1. Was Peter somewhere hidden in the crowd? Perhaps.
2. In Peter’s first letter, he wrote: To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings…” (1 Peter 5:1)
3. Was Peter speaking of Jesus’ sufferings in general, or was Peter talking about the crucifixion?
4. If he was speaking of the crucifixion, then Peter was present in the crowd, keeping himself hidden and at a distance.
D. Jesus died at 3 pm.
1. We know that none of the apostles, including Peter, had any part in removing Jesus from the cross and placing Him in a tomb.
2. Luke recorded what took place with these words: 50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. (Luke 23:50-56)
3. The Gospel of John reveals that Joseph of Arimathea was a secret follower of Jesus, and that Nicodemus, the Pharisee who had come to talk with Jesus in the night in John 3, assisted Joseph of Arimathea in giving Jesus a respectable burial.
4. It took a lot of courage for those two men, leaders in the Jewish religion, to honor Jesus in this way.
E. The Sabbath that began the night after Jesus’ crucifixion, must have been one of the longest and gloomiest Sabbaths for the apostles and other followers of Jesus.
1. Even though Jesus had told them repeatedly that this would happen – that he would be handed over in Jerusalem, that he would be crucified, and on the third day be raised – it just didn’t seem to make any sense to them.
2. They were still in shock over his death, and none of them were hopeful that come Sunday morning they would have Jesus back with them raised from the dead.
3. I’m sure that none of them suffered as much during those hours from the crucifixion and the resurrection than did Peter.
F. Let’s be reminded of what took place that resurrection Sunday that turned out to be an especially wonderful surprise for Peter.
1. The resurrection itself would have been enough of a surprise for Peter, but there was even more of a surprise just for him.
2. An ancient tradition closely associates Peter with the authorship of the Gospel of Mark.
a. Although the Gospel of Mark does not name its author, it is the unanimous testimony of early church fathers that Mark was the author.
b. He was an associate of the Apostle Peter, and evidently his spiritual son (1 Peter 5:13).
3. It is generally agreed that Mark is the John Mark of the New Testament (Acts 12:12).
a. His mother was a wealthy and prominent Christian in the Jerusalem church, and probably the church met in her home.
b. Mark joined Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, but abandoned them along the way.
c. Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on the second missionary journey, but Paul strongly disagreed and parted ways because of Mark. (Acts 15:37-38).
d. However, near the end of Paul’s life he called for Mark to be with him (2 Timothy 4:11).
4. There are graphic touches in Mark’s Gospel that are clearly reminiscences of one who had been an eyewitness of Jesus’ life.
a. From Peter, Mark must have received this first-hand information of the events and teachings of the Lord that Mark preserved in written form.
G. At the forefront of these personal reminiscences that Mark records that are absent from the other Gospels, are two words found in the story of Jesus’ resurrection.
1. Let’s look at these words from Mark’s Gospel: 1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (Mark 16:1-7)
2. Did you notice the two words that would have been a wonderful surprise to Peter?
a. The angel’s message to the ladies that morning was: “Go tell his disciples and Peter.”
b. Peter is one of the disciples, so why mention him specifically?
c. The angel didn’t mention John, James, or Thomas, or any of the others. Why Peter?
3. Just like the man listening for his name at the reading of the will in my opening story, I’m sure Peter thought that his name had been removed from Jesus’ will.
a. Just like the slacker who got nothing left to him, Peter must have thought that he had no future among the disciples, that he had been disqualified to continue as a disciple because of his failure.
4. The message that Jesus sent through the angel was as clear as it could be – “I have risen from the dead and I am looking forward to seeing all of my disciples in Galilee, yes even you, Peter!”
a. You can see that if Mark’s Gospel is really the Gospel according to Peter, why those two words are included.
b. Those words meant more to Peter than to anyone else there that day.
c. But those words should also mean so much to all of us.
d. Peter fell, just like all of us fall, but he wasn’t disqualified or dumped because of his failure – isn’t that encouraging?!
H. Let’s see what Peter and the other disciples did when they received the good news from the women.
1. The Bible says that after hearing from the women: 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. (John 20:3-10)
2. Upon hearing the news, instantly Peter was on his feet and hurried out the door, followed by John.
a. The two of them raced to the cemetery as fast as they could run.
b. John, being younger and faster, reached the tomb first, but he did not enter the tomb, rather with reverence and respect, and with wonder and awe looked into the tomb.
c. But Peter, true to his impulsive nature, blew by John and plunged immediately into the tomb, then John followed him into the tomb.
3. As they examined the scene, it became obvious that it had not been ransacked by either friend or foe.
a. The careful disposition of the grave-clothes made that hypothesis impossible.
b. The clothes had fallen together so naturally as though the body that had laid within their folds had been withdrawn without removing them.
c. The cloth for the head was carefully folded up, as only deliberate hand would fold it.
4. In John’s Gospel, he reported that he, John, saw and believed, but still didn’t completely understand.
5. Luke’s Gospel says this about Peter’s response: But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened (Luke 24:12).
I. Peter and John and the other disciples were left to wonder about what the empty tomb really meant.
1. Jesus made several appearances that Resurrection Sunday.
2. Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene as she remained crying by the tomb, and then Jesus appeared to Mary and other women with her as they hurried away from the tomb.
3. Next Jesus appeared to Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus.
a. In this wonderful story, Jesus came and walked beside these two disciples as they made the seven mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
b. Jesus somehow hid his identity from them and played dumb as He questioned them about the astounding events in Jerusalem surrounding His crucifixion and resurrection.
c. When Jesus arrived in Emmaus with them, at their urging, He sat down with them to share a meal.
d. Here is Luke’s description of what took place: 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:30-35)
e. Isn’t that amazing, after having made the 7 mile journey from Jerusalem, they immediately made the 7 mile trip back to Jerusalem to report to the apostles that the resurrected Jesus had appeared to them.
J. And amidst that account of the meeting of Cleopas and his fellow traveler with the apostles, we learn about the most wonderfully surprising of Jesus’ appearances that resurrection Sunday.
1. In verse 34, we learn that Jesus had made a private, personal appearance to Peter that morning.
2. When Paul rattled off the resurrection appearances of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15, he mentioned the appearance to Peter: 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Cor. 15:3-8)
3. I wish we had more information about Jesus’ appearance to Peter.
a. I would like to know where it took place.
b. But more importantly, I would love to know what Peter said to Jesus when he saw Him, and what Jesus said to Peter.
c. I wonder if it was like the scene Jesus painted in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
d. I can picture Peter trying to deliver a sorrowful speech he had prepared, begging for forgiveness.
e. I can picture Jesus holding a weeping Peter close to His chest, saying, “Enough of that Peter, I know how sorry you are. All is forgiven. Let it go, it is over and done. You are still my Peter, and you will be my rock.”
II. The Application
A. Last week we asked the question: Is there hope for the fallen? And I hope we are able to answer that question with a resounding “yes” after learning what happened to Peter on the day of Jesus’ resurrection.
1. Peter must have surely felt that Jesus would want nothing more to do with him after how badly he had fallen.
2. But right out of the gate on that Resurrection Sunday, Jesus wanted to erase all doubt about that in Peter’s mind.
3. So, Jesus sent word by an angel to Mary Magdalene, “Go tell the disciples and Peter…”
4. And if that wasn’t enough, Jesus made a personal, private resurrection appearance to Peter – something that Jesus didn’t do for any of the other apostles.
B. Let me end with this story: Once there was a minister who observed a boy sitting in church praying very fervently, but much to the preacher’s surprise, he kept hearing the boy say the word: “Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo.”
1. The minister thought to himself, “Why would this boy keep praying about Tokyo?”
2. So when the boy had finished praying, the preacher approached the boy and said, “Young man, I was very pleased to see you praying so fervently, but tell me, why did you keep saying ‘Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo?’ ”
3. The boy replied, “Well, you see sir, I just finished taking my geography test in school, and I am praying for the Lord to make Tokyo the Capital of France, because that is the answer I put in on the test.”
4. Obviously, Tokyo has never been and never will be the Capital of France and to spend our time praying that way is not praying according to the Lord’s Will.
C. But a prayer that is always according to the Lord’s Will, and will always be answered in the affirmative by God, our Heavenly Father is: “Father forgive me, for I have sinned.”
1. The Bible says: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
2. Peter received the wonderful surprise of Jesus’ acceptance and forgiveness, but God’s acceptance and forgiveness should come as no surprise to us any more – it is God’s promise – God is faithful and just and will forgive us from all unrighteousness!
3. We should never let anything keep us from returning to the Father and asking for forgiveness and restoration.
4. God always wants us to return to Him – there is no question about it!
D. Is there some way you need to return to the Lord today?
1. Is there some sin that needs to be confessed to God and repented of?
2. Is there some failure that you feel disqualifies you from serving God?
3. God wants to forgive and restore all of us, just as He wanted to forgive and restore Peter.
4. Grace and mercy are God’s wonderful gifts to us – let’s be sure to accept and receive them!
Resources:
The Life of Peter, F.B. Meyer, Edited by Lance Wubbels, Emerald Books, 1996
The Apostle Peter, James Houck, Xulon Press, 2009
