So they arrested Jesus and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”
Luke 22:54-56
Pete was not having a good day. His best friend had just been arrested and hauled off to bond court, and the rest of his friends had disappeared like a burp in a tornado. Pete followed the guards to the bond court building but waited outside. Some of the guards decided to warm themselves with a little fire and Pete joined them. Then some girl started yapping about how Pete was one of the Accused's buddies!
Pete had a choice to make and neither option was going to go well for him. He could admit to being part of the Accused's gang and face the same consequences or he could deny everything and lose all face with those he counted on so closely. What would you have done?
Pete was NOT having a good day. The choice he made was the choice he had been told he would make (and the choice he adamantly declared he would NEVER make). And because of Pete's decision, his best friend was killed and his other friends went back to their lives. But Pete knew.
But here's the part we tend to forget. Pete had gone back to his fishing career with his partners and while they were pulling up empty nets for the umpteenth time Jesus called out to them and told them to try the other side. When they did, they had so many fish that Pete's boat started to sink and they had to call another boat to come help. Eventually, Pete figured out that the man giving them advice was his best friend, Jesus, so Pete jumped out of the boat and swam back to shore where he found Jesus cooking fish for breakfast.
Jesus also had a choice at this point. He could tell Peter to what a freaking idiot he was for denying Him and tell Pete EXACTLY what he should do to himself (and the boat he rowed in on), or Jesus could tell Peter what Peter needed at that point....another chance. Jesus reminded Peter that he was still loved by Jesus and that he was forgiven. Because of Jesus' decision to give Peter a second chance, Peter was instrumental in building the ministry that became the church.
Let me ask you something...ever made a decision your regretted? Me too. LOTS of them. Ever been given a second chance? Yes. Now for the hard questions: Have you even had someone make a bad decision that hurt you deeply? I have. Have you ever offered them a second chance?
Pete had a choice to make and neither option was going to go well for him. He could admit to being part of the Accused's gang and face the same consequences or he could deny everything and lose all face with those he counted on so closely. What would you have done?
Pete was NOT having a good day. The choice he made was the choice he had been told he would make (and the choice he adamantly declared he would NEVER make). And because of Pete's decision, his best friend was killed and his other friends went back to their lives. But Pete knew.
But here's the part we tend to forget. Pete had gone back to his fishing career with his partners and while they were pulling up empty nets for the umpteenth time Jesus called out to them and told them to try the other side. When they did, they had so many fish that Pete's boat started to sink and they had to call another boat to come help. Eventually, Pete figured out that the man giving them advice was his best friend, Jesus, so Pete jumped out of the boat and swam back to shore where he found Jesus cooking fish for breakfast.
Jesus also had a choice at this point. He could tell Peter to what a freaking idiot he was for denying Him and tell Pete EXACTLY what he should do to himself (and the boat he rowed in on), or Jesus could tell Peter what Peter needed at that point....another chance. Jesus reminded Peter that he was still loved by Jesus and that he was forgiven. Because of Jesus' decision to give Peter a second chance, Peter was instrumental in building the ministry that became the church.
Let me ask you something...ever made a decision your regretted? Me too. LOTS of them. Ever been given a second chance? Yes. Now for the hard questions: Have you even had someone make a bad decision that hurt you deeply? I have. Have you ever offered them a second chance?
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