Restoring Grace
Mark 16:7
April 7, 2019
Have you ever blown it? I think we’ve all been down that road a time or two. We’ve all said some things which were really, really nasty! We’ve also done some things which can cut a person down. Not only have we done those bad things, we’ve also errored by not doing the good which we should have done.
The broken promises, the hurtful comments, the lack of action. They can devastate a person. We can beat ourselves up over all of our sins and mistakes.
That’s one side of the coin. On the other side is our reaction to the hurt. We can be very unforgiving people, we can be bitter, angry and when bitten, we can bite back pretty well, too.
Have you ever been there? Maybe you’re there right now . . . You’ve made the piercing comments, you’ve hurt someone in some way.
OR - - you’ve been hurt, but forgiveness is not in the cards. You won’t forgive others nor yourself. Forgiveness, grace and reconciliation are not on the menu at your restaurant.
So, that’s where we’re at today - - - as we continue talking about the gift of God’s grace. We’re calling it GRACEOLOGOY. Today, I want to look at one Bible character, a glance at what he did and what was offered to him and who he became.
As Jesus was approaching His death, He was talking to His disciples and to the people around Him. Ultimately, Jesus was betrayed and arrested, disciples
scattered and deserted Him, with the exception of John.
Not only did the disciples flee, but Peter went one step further - - He denied Jesus. Now, Jesus had told Peter he would deny Him, but Peter was incredulous, “NO WAY! I’LL NEVER DENY YOU!! I’LL FIGHT WIT YOU TO THE END!”
But while Jesus was being interrogated, 3 times Peter was asked if he was with Jesus . . . each time Peter said “NO, WHO’S THAT GUY?” Peter was understandably afraid, yet he told Jesus he would never deny Him.
Peter would also remember what Jesus said in Matthew 10 - -
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 10:33
Well, that’s exactly what Peter did. He denied knowing Jesus not once, but three times in a few minute period, all while Jesus could see Peter.
Have you ever blown it like Peter? In whatever way you did, you feel like there’s no returning from what you’ve done. You can’t go back, you can’t be forgiven. In fact, you might be the first to say, you shouldn’t be forgiven.
Have you ever felt that way? Life will never be the same again. I've done it now. I've gone too far. I can’t recover from this one. I’ll have to carry this shame with me for the rest of my life. God could never use me now. I’m sure that’s how Peter felt.
Fast forward to the resurrection. The women go to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. But when they arrive the stone in front of His grave had been moved and He was no longer there. They meet an angel who tells the women that Jesus wasn’t there, He had been raised. Then the angel said - -
7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. – Mark 16:7
It’s a simple phrase, and we so easily miss this simple statement - - - BUT it’s really so important. All of the disciples, except John, ran away. They had silently abandoned Jesus, they just kid of slithered into the darkness. But Peter’s rejection of Jesus was public and obvious.
I can imagine Peter beating himself up over what he did. He can never serve God. He could never be included in anything. It would be on his resume. His Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Linked In accounts would show he was a loser.
How could he even show his face to the other disciples after what he did to Jesus?
For many of us that would be the end of the story. But not in this story!! Because Peter’s story is a story of grace. Peter received something he did not deserve! He received UNMERITED FAVOR. Not just forgiveness, but also restoration and even we could say a promotion. Now, let me add, this is not the way to get a promotion in normal life, because most people just don’t do this.
The angels told the women to inform the disciples, and Peter -- Jesus is in Galilee.
It’s an amazing story. Peter denied Jesus, walked out on his leader. Turned his back on Jesus, denied knowing Him. Yet, in the end, Peter was forgiven. He was restored and became a leader in the church. After the resurrection, on Pentecost, Peter was preaching to the people and 3,000 people believed in Jesus.
Peter healed people, God spoke to him in dreams and visions. He was in prison, and was miraculously set free. When he walked down the street people tried to be in his shadow, believing if his shadow passed over them, they would be healed.
When you read about Peter in the books of Acts and in his 2 books, aptly named 1 and 2 Peter, he seems confident, not bashful, not overcome with grief. He told his readers to be holy, just as God is holy. He spoke about suffering and being persecuted in the name of Jesus. He spoke about being an overcomer!
I believe Peter was so powerful because he had an amazing faith in who Jesus really was, even though his humanness got in the way when he denied Jesus. In Matthew 16, Jesus was with the disciples —
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Peter!
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Did you hear how Peter answered Jesus’ question? YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD! Peter got it, he knew it.
Even though he was brash, he spoke too soon, he wasn’t successful at walking on water, attacked a Roman soldier, was impulsive . . . Yet, in spite of all of his faults - - - Peter knew who Jesus was. Jesus was in Peter’s heart, mind, spirit and body!
And Jesus proclaimed He would build His church upon Peter. Jesus knew the plan, He knew Peter would reject Him . . . yet in spite of that . . . the church, the kingdom would start with Peter leading the church.
It was the restoring power of the grace of God which brought the healing needed for Peter.
No matter how far you’ve fallen, no matter what you’ve done or not done - - no matter how many times you’ve messed up - - - sinned, fallen short of God’s glory - - - here’s the power
You are never too far down to be picked up and cleaned up and given a new start.
You may feel like your sins have excluded you from any hope of having a good life, of being a success . . . but the restoring power of God's grace changes that. God is the God of the second chances and 3rd chances and 4th chances and 121st chances. His love knows no ends! He is not bound by the time and limits we place.
And here’s part of the amazing beauty and grace. God is also the God of the forgotten past. Do you know what God said?
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. – Hebrews 8:12
17 I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more. – Hebrews 10:17
25 "I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. – Isaiah 43:25
19 He will again have compassion on us; He will tread your iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. – Micah 7:19
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. – Psalms 103:12
34 For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. – Jeremiah 31:34
If you’ve failed, if you’ve messed up, if you’ve dealt with your imperfections, you can experience the same kind of restoration Peter experienced . . .
You can experience the power and grace and mercy of God. I can’t always remember your sins no more. I can’t cause myself to forget, but somehow God can. He can forget, He can no longer remember your sinfulness, your failures, your mess ups, your bitterness, your self hatred.
God takes it all upon Himself. That’s the amazing power and beauty of God!
How do you get there? If your life has collapsed in failure, if you’ve disappointed yourself and everyone around you, if you’re struggling with guilt and the inability to let go of what went wrong yesterday ... how do you experience the restoring power of God's grace?
Let me suggest a couple of things as we get ready to close - - -
Keep the door open for reconciliation with God. God is not done with you. He’s got great plans for you.
Sin is ugly and destructive. There will be consequences. But I want you to know that your sin will never have more power than God's grace. God’s grace is always more powerful than your sin.
This is going to sound overly simple . . . and it’s not rocket science what I’m going to say to do - - -
Pray, Pray, Pray. Then pray some more.
God has great plans for you. Sometimes we just need to talk to God. Just talk to Him. Tell God your struggles and your pain. Tell Him the good and the bad. He already knows it, He just wants you to admit it, and allow Him to help you deal with it. Don’t discount the power of prayer. And prayer doesn’t have to be long winded. Short, quick prayers are great too.
Read the Bible. I can’t tell you how many times after all of these years of reading that I can read the Bible and something jumps off the page like it was the first time I ever read it. Don’t give up reading and learning about who God is calling you to be.
Don’t neglect getting together with people who believe. It’s so important in the world we live in where anything goes, to lose some of our hope and power because we have left the church. Surround yourself with people who will love you and care for you.
If you want to be restored by the grace of God, open your heart to the Holy Spirit, ask Him to come and fill you with His presence, with His power, so that you can live the life God has called you to live.
The guilt, the failure, the shame ... these things can be washed away by God’s grace and mercy.
God is the God of the forgotten past, and he is the God of the brand new day. Not just another miserable day filled with the same old failures and defeats ... but a new day.
A day restoration. A day of victory. A day of power.
It can be yours.
If you have fallen, if your life isn't where it once was, or where you want it to be ... you can be restored by the power of God's grace.
Even if you're tempted to give up on yourself, don't give up on Him. Keep the door open. Let Him come into your life with his mercy and grace. Keep God’s light alive in your life. Keep the fire burning.
And let God do His thing. Don’t try to control God. Allow God to fill you with His love, His grace and His power.
Come to God with empty hands and an open heart. Be ready to receive abundant blessings. I know the depth and breath of our neediness. Sometimes we are drained of strength and power.
Come to God, all you who are weary and heavy burdened . . . come to the Lord and He will give you rest.
Allow His power to fill you, to flow into you. Bathe in the Father’s love for you.
