Peter is an incredible follower of Jesus but isn’t without sin.
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In Luke 22, Jesus shares a final meal with His disciples on His way to the cross.
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Jesus tells Peter to watch out because the enemy wants to sift him.
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Peter doesn’t see himself how Jesus sees him.
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Peter chooses a different way to define himself by his truth, not Jesus’.
‘”Lord,’ he told him, ‘I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.‘” Luke 22:33 (CSB).
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At this moment, this is a deception: Peter isn’t yet who he believes himself to be.
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Rather than trust Jesus, who is Truth, he defines his reality by going his own way.
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He denies Jesus three times, just as Jesus said he would.
“Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:61-62 (CSB).
This is the moment where Peter owns his sinful nature, his weakness. He faces the truth of what Jesus warned him about and repents.
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Peter was confronted with the reality of who he is VS who he wants to be.
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Jesus gives Peter the truth about who he is but leads him in the way of restoration.
Sin shows up in three ways:
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Falling short – For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
(love/holiness) sometimes what we do. Other times what we fail to do.
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Transgression is crooked behaviour (right becomes wrong/justified).
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Trespass against one another, which is ultimately sinning against God.
“Sin is the unwillingness to trust that what God wants for me is only my deepest happiness.” – Ignatius of Loyola.
The final thing Jesus said before ascending to heaven was that we, His followers, need to be filled with different power, the power of the Spirit. We cannot overcome the power of sin in our own strength.
Q: What are the two primary roles the Holy Spirit performs in our lives?
A: “When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment.” John 16:8 (CSB)
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26 (CSB).
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We must trust that Jesus is trustworthy and leading us into Truth.
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Freedom is not found out here, but Jesus wants to bring true freedom from within.
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We can be troubled by the world’s sin, but what would be more powerful is to be deeply offended by the sin inside us.
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In Jesus, we find both accountability and redemption.
Remember what Peter said before he denied Jesus, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”
Sure, at this moment, Peter wasn’t who he thought he was, but in love, Jesus fully restored him, and this same Peter preaches at Pentecost, sees the church established and ends up giving his life for Christ, in love, not in anger or hate.
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Peter learns to trust that Jesus is the most significant authority in His life.
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Authority is an interesting word formed by the word – author.
Who is the author of your life? Who is this authority in your life?
Do you see what Jesus sees when he looks at your life? Ultimately God, the Author and Finisher of our faith, is working out His purposes in our lives, and they are only good.
But God’s good plans for us and our good plans for us can be very different based on the inner desires at war within us and the larger purposes unfolding through our lives. His good for us includes hardship, suffering and denying ourselves to find resurrection life.
Q: Whom are you trusting to be the authority in your life?
A: Will you choose to trust the Author of life?
Do you see what Jesus sees when he looks at your life? Ultimately God, the Author and Finisher of our faith, is working out His purposes in our lives, and they are only good.
But God’s good plans for us and our good plans for us can be very different based on the inner desires at war within us and the larger purposes unfolding through our lives. His good for us includes hardship, suffering and denying ourselves to find resurrection life.
Q: Whom are you trusting to be the authority in your life?
A: Will you choose to trust the Author of life?
Your Turn: Pastor Lori raised some important questions for you to ponder. Share your responses to her questions or thoughts on this blog in the comments below. Thank you!
