Title: The Rock that Broke
Specific purpose: failures can grow us
I accepted Christ many decades ago, and ever since, I have tried my best to love my neighbor as I love myself. Yet, there are times that I fail. That can happen to the best of us. It may be something we say or do that is stupid or not thoughtful or inconsiderate. I do not think Christians fail more than non-Christians do; I think unbelievers do stupid things too. The problem is when we Christians do stupid things; we can do incredible damage. There is no better example than the Apostle Peter. On the night, that night the Temple Guards arrested Jesus, Jesus needed His best friends to stand by Him. However, on that night, Peter, the Apostle that Jesus called a rock, “on this rock I will build my church”, Peter failed. Today, I am taking us back to that time and see what we can learn.
What was that night; it was the celebration of Passover dinner. Passover commemorated the “passing over” of the death of the first born of the Israelites when the Lord “smote the land of Egypt” on the eve of the Exodus.
Remember why Passover was special, God commanded Moses to tell the Israelites to slaughter a lamb and mark their doorframes with its blood. In addition, God gave instructions for cooking and eating the lamb that night as well as how to make and cook their bread. For on that night, God would send the Angel of Death to bring about the tenth plague, slaying all the firstborn in Egypt. However, when the angel saw the blood on the Israelites' doorframes, he would pass over their homes so that the plague would not enter (hence the name). This is part of the broader Exodus story in which the Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites to suppress them, and Pharaoh refused God's demand to let them go. God won that contest. Moses then led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Wilderness. Then at Mount Sinai, Moses received the Law. One of the laws held that the people were annually to celebrate Passover with great joy. It was a festive time remembering the liberation from slavery, a happy time.
In the Upper Room the night Jesus was betrayed, the special Passover meal had been prepared. For the apostles, it was a night of celebration, prayers and traditional recitations. Jesus, unselfish person that He was, must have been torn. He wanted this last night with the apostles to be all that it should be and yet He knew what was to happen next.
John chapter 13 begins with these words, “1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already decided that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus.” Neither Peter nor any of the apostles understood the seriousness of the time—Jesus would soon go to the cross. Only Jesus knew that.
So, what did Jesus do, He washed the apostles feet. Verses 5-9, “5 Then he [Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with a towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ 7 Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ 8 Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ 9 Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!’” Peter is a bit comedian, and the other apostles probably laughed for Passover was a time of merriment and laughter remembering freedom from slavery.
Next, Jesus told His apostles that one of them would betray Him. John 13:21-26, “21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 26 Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So, when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.” Judas then left. The apostles assumed that Judas had some business elsewhere.
What was Judas business, Matthew 26:3 tells us: “Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was Caiaphas, and conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.” Matthew 26:14-16, tells us that Judas had gone to the chief priests and agreed to hand over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins.
Then Jesus instructed His apostles. John 13:31-35, “31 When he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” Peter heard this confession of Jesus love for them and wanted to continue with life as it had been, he did not grasp that he was one of the “Little children” of whom Jesus was talking; Peter and the apostles were yet babes with much more to learn.
Then Jesus told His apostles that after the betrayal, He would go away, but they could not go with Him. John 13:36-38, “36 Simon Peter asked, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ And Jesus replied, ‘You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.’ 37 ‘But why can’t I come now, Lord?’ he asked. ‘I’m ready to die for you.’ 38 Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even knew me.” Then Peter exhibited his impatience for it then registered with Peter that Jesus was going to die; evidently, Peter wanted to protect Jesus, “I’m ready to die for you.” Peter must have been both baffled and hurt that he could not go with Jesus.
The celebration of the Passover meal ended with Jesus praying. John 17:25-26, 18:1-12, “25 “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them. 1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, ‘Whom are you looking for?’ 5 They answered, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus replied, ‘I am he.’ Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, ‘Whom are you looking for?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ 8 Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these people go.’ 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.’ 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?’ So, the soldiers, their officers, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him.”
John 18:15-18, “15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since the high priest knew that disciple, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So, the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. 17 The woman said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ 18 Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.” The High Priest questioned Jesus while Peter stood outside. John 18:25-27, “25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.” Peter, the Rock, was broken.
What does this mean for us today? If Peter, the Rock, “on this rock I will build my church,” can fail, so can we.
Events had moved forward past the time to the trial, the crucifixion, the death of Jesus, the putting Him in the tomb, and the resurrection. Then Jesus made several appearances to His followers. Those days had been busy, up and down emotionally, difficult to understand; I have to think that the apostles needed some time off. So, Peter and his friends decided to relax a little by going fishing. While fishing, they saw a man on the shore. He told them where to cast their nets and they caught plenty of fish. Peter, realizing that it was Jesus on the shore, jumped in the sea and swam to Jesus; the other disciples came in the boat dragging all the fish they had just caught.
When they ashore, Jesus had a fire going and they cooked and ate fish together just as they had done in the early days. John 21:15-17, “15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 16 A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ 17 He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
Notice, Jesus’ instructions to Peter, He first said feed my lambs but in the last two instructions Jesus said sheep. Lambs are babes and sheep are grown. The young of the flock are ready only to accept their mother’s milk. The grown sheep have to graze. The later takes more effort and time.
The repetition of the question a third time naturally caused Peter grief, for it could not fail to remind Peter of his threefold denial. We have many examples in the Gospels of Jesus telling someone that He forgave them of their sins, and then instructed them to go and sin no more. How often are we able to do that? I cannot help but believe that Jesus was showing Peter that he might fail again; but he must get up and continue his mission; feed my sheep. That is what this passage tells us. Personally, I have failed many times, but I always knew that God forgives, He wants me to sin no more but, when I do, He never gives up on me. He offers the same to each of you.
Also notice, Jesus did not address Peter as he had been since Jesus renamed him Peter. Rather Jesus addressed him “Simon Peter, Simon, son of John” going back to Peter’s given name. Jesus’ words addressed him as one who had fallen from the steadfastness of the Rock and was then forgiven.
The word Jesus used in verses 15 and 16 is agapao meaning the strongest kind of love. However, Peter responded all three times using the word phileo, meaning a friendly kind of love. Then in verse 17, Jesus used the word phileo. Jesus seemed to be questioning whether Peter felt the highest form of love or only the love of a friend for a friend. Therefore, Peter response was emphatic, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Near the conclusion of his book, John ended with a promise. John 21:18-19, “Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” This linked the pre-resurrection life to that which followed under new conditions. Peter, “When you were younger,” before you became a disciple, you were leader of a fishing-fleet at Capernaum. You, Andrew, James, and John, you were able to do your will. You were able to do the task before you. You had duties and pleasures; you had time at your disposal, even as now it was with your will that you swam to Me. So, Jesus reminded Peter of his natural self-will, and the reason for his weaknesses. It is time now for self-mastery. There will be no time for self-gratification. Now, a great change has come over you. You now know that your life is no longer your own. You now must check your self-will. Your natural audacity now has a new purpose for you know your weakness. You now have a Divine purpose controlled by a deep fervent love. Yet, it will happen that this new force will more than master you. When you are old and gray with years, your service to others shall be complete. “You will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go”, this meaning that Peter would be crucified. That happened but the apostle asked that he be crucified with his head downwards, on the plea that to be crucified as his Master was too great an honor for one that had denied his Lord.
Peter and all of the disciples lived for us. Jesus died for us. In the spirit of service, let us live the rest of our lives.
