Epic Fails预览

A little background on Peter: his name was originally Simon before Jesus gave him the name Peter, which means "rock." He and his brother were the first two disciples called. Peter was married and had been a fisherman before following Jesus. Fishermen in that day were known to be bold, abrasive, and rough; they were a man's man you might say. He had a reputation as a disciple of sticking his foot in his mouth and not being afraid to speak his mind. However, he was also the first disciple to call Jesus the Son of God. His name was changed to mean "rock" because he would end up becoming pivotal to the Early Church.

The night of his arrest, Jesus tells the disciples that they will deny him yet Peter rebukes him. Jesus then proceeds to speak directly to Peter that three times it will happen before the rooster crows. Peter is so adamant he will never betray Jesus and yet he does this very thing.

You might think you would never do this or that, yet because you are unwilling to admit the possibility you don't properly take the necessary precautions to guard yourself. As a result, you may very well end up doing what you said you never would.

That night Peter denies Jesus three times, and he doesn't even realize it’s happening until the rooster crows. In his failure, he couldn't see what was happening until it was too late. Rather, he was so consumed by the circumstances he wouldn't admit what was happening.

Can you imagine how he felt? He denied his best friend and Savior, now believing it was too late for reconciliation as Jesus had died. The guilt and shame he carried, along with the sorrow of losing someone he loved so much, must have been immensely difficult. Thankfully, he did have a conversation with Jesus. After the Resurrection Jesus appears to some of the disciples and Peter literally jumps out of the boat to get to Jesus. There on the beach, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him; three opportunities to restore the three denials.

Maybe you've turned your back on God? Maybe it's one disappointment after another and you feel like God has given up on you. Because you're feeling lost and forgotten you've decided to give up on God. Whether you've denied Jesus or are on that path, look to him and, like Peter, run towards God! He will forgive you, always, as long as you have a repentant heart. It's never too late to run to him.

After that conversation, things changed in Peter's life. He ended up becoming what his name meant--a pillar in the Early Church. He would boldly proclaim the Gospel, no matter the consequence; never did he betray Jesus again. In fact, he would end up being crucified for his commitment to the Savior he loved.