What Did Jesus’ Resurrection Mean? Series
Sunday March 17/02
What Did Jesus’ Resurrection Mean To Peter?
Introduction:
Last week we looked at what Jesus Resurrection meant to Mary Magdalene. Mary along with the other women got up early on Sunday & went to the tomb to finish embalming Jesus’ body. But when they arrived the tomb was empty. They go & tell Peter & John. Let’s read Peter’s reaction to the news out of Luke 24:9-12 (p.787).
What did Jesus Resurrection Mean to Peter?
A. The first word that comes to mind - bewilderment.
1. Luke 24:12 says Peter went away wondering to himself what happened.
2. To better understand Peters reaction Sunday morning, we need to go back to what happened Thursday night....
B. Remember what happened at the Passover supper?
- Peter boasts that he is ready to die with Jesus if its necessary.
- Jesus prophecies that Peter would deny him 3 x that nite.
- Later in the garden when the guards come to arrest Jesus, Peter does take a sword & attacks one of the guards.
- Lets turn to Luke 22:54 & read what happens later on. (p. 786)
(Read 22:54-62 Comment on verses 61 -Jesus turns & looks at Peter; 62 - Peter weeps)
What did Jesus’ resurrection mean to Peter?
C. A second word that comes to mind - forgiveness.
- God knew how Peter must have felt about himself. (sorrowful, hateful)
- That’s why we read in Mark 16:7, when the angel appeared to the women at the tomb, "But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ’He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."
- Make sure you tell Peter also, Jesus is alive & Jesus wants to see Peter too.
- Now Peter is wondering, "What does all this mean? Jesus is alive? And he wants to meet with me? Why? Why does he want to see me when he knows I failed, that I betrayed him?
- I guess Peter was pretty hard on himself because we read in Luke 24:33 that Jesus appears to Peter personally before he appeared to the other disciples. Paul confirms that in his writing to the church in Corinth. We read in 1 Cor. 15:3-6,
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep."
Jesus wanted Peter to personally know that he was forgiven. His sin was no more. Jesus paid for it. Peter did not have to dwell on it anymore.
What did Jesus’ Resurrection mean to Peter?
D. Two words come to mind this time - Second Chance.
- Lets turn to John 21:15-19 (p.809)
- Sometime after the resurrection some of the disciples had gotten together to do some fishing. They didn’t know what else to do I guess. Jesus appears to them again & cooks them a fish sandwich to eat. Lets read what happed next. (vs.15)
- The nite Jesus was taken in Peter had denied 3x knowing Jesus
- Here sitting by the seashore Jesus gives Peter 3 chances to acknowlegde his love for Him. Jesus ask him 1 question 3x. "Do you truly love me?"
- Then Jesus challenges Peter to again, "Follow Me!"
- God is a God of second chances.
- God is a God of new beginnings.
- God is a God of do overs.
Like Peter, we make mistakes. We sin. We deny knowing Christ. Like Peter we can feel the pain later, knowing the hurt we have caused & we can cry. Like Peter we can feel unforgiven, unforgiveable.
Like Peter we can later wonder what God is doing. Where has he gone. What has happened.
Like Peter we can be forgiven and given the opportunity to follow Jesus again. As Jesus challenged Peter, I challenge you:
1. Do you love Jesus? Then feed his lambs. Teach the little ones about God. Teach those new in the faith what Jesus has taught you.
2. Do you love Jesus? Take care of His sheep. Be the leaders that God has called you to be. Demonstrate love, peace, joy, paitence, goodness, faithfulness. Help others in the faith to grow closer to Jesus, not colder.
3. Do you love Jesus? Feed His sheep. Teach each other. Teach me! Love & care for one another.
Follow Him! Let’s pray....
