How much credence would you give to some one who was a liar and a back stabber?
Would it surprise you if I told you a man like that wrote some of the New Testament and was one of the greatest preachers of the early church?
Recently our news was filled with the public interrogation of one of our Supreme Court Justices. What a horrible display by those who are supposed to be leading our country. Most of us will never have to go through that type of scrutiny but if we did I’m sure they would find something in our past that we aren’t proud of and want to keep hidden.
Each day Satan accuses us. He brings up things from our past and tries to keep us in bondage with those memories. He wants us to feel useless and unworthy of being loved. But Jesus is our advocate, He covers our sins with His blood.
“My little children, I’m writing these things to you so that you don’t sin. But if you do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He is God’s way of dealing with our sins, not only ours but the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:1-2 CEV
That preacher I was telling you about is Peter. He was one of those closest to Jesus, but he denied Him. While sitting around a warm fire, watching the witch hunt and sham trial that the religious leaders were conducting he was asked if he knew this Man or was he one of His followers. Peter lied and he denied knowing the Lord.
I can’t imagine the anguish he must have felt when Jesus looked at him after the third denial. Heart sick and broken, he had denied knowing his friend and his Lord. But our story doesn’t end there. Peter’s story is one of forgiveness and restoration.
When Jesus rose from the dead He stayed and ministered to the disciples for forty days before He went back to heaven. Jesus didn’t approach Peter and tell how devastating it was that He had been denied. No, Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep (his followers). Teach them, care for them, provide for them. Peter was forgiven and restored.
Now let’s look at Peter’s message to those sheep.
“You know that in the past the way you were living was useless. It was a way of life you learned from those who lived before you. But you were saved from that way of living. You were bought, but not with things that ruin like gold or silver. 19 You were bought with the precious blood of Christ’s death. He was a pure and perfect sacrificial Lamb. 20 Christ was chosen before the world was made, but he was shown to the world in these last times for you. 21 You believe in God through Christ. God is the one who raised him from death and gave honor to him. So your faith and your hope are in God.
22 You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart. 23 You have been born again. This new life did not come from something that dies. It came from something that cannot die. You were born again through God’s life-giving message that lasts forever. 24 The Scriptures say, “Our lives are like the grass of spring, and any glory we enjoy is like the beauty of a wildflower. The grass dries up and dies, and the flower falls to the ground. 25 But the word of the Lord lasts forever.”
And that word is the Good News that was told to you.” I Peter 1:18-25 ERV
Peter knew about things that pass and things that last. Silver and gold pass; the word of God is incorruptible and will last forever. It brings life changing results. It brings forgiveness to the lowest of the low. It brings new life to all who will receive it.
We all have done things that we are ashamed of and never want anyone to know. The good news is this. Jesus knows what each of us try to keep hidden and He reaches out to us with love and forgiveness. We have been given new life in Christ!
Forgiven! Amen.