Peter, Do you love me?

Writing about the bible always makes me nervous. I never want to misconstrue the word of God. I am not a theologian. I will probably get things wrong. I only can write about my own experience and perceptions. I don’t always enjoy reading the bible. But I love those aha moments that make you stop and think, “wow, that was God talking to me.” Or the times that make you just revel in the awe of God and Jesus.

One of my favorite parts of the bible is about Peter. He was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Why do I like this story? Because I can apply it to my life. I see myself in Peter. Humans are imperfect, sinful, going to fail and fall short no matter what. Peter definitely falls short. He loved Jesus. He told Jesus that he would go to prison for him or die for him. But Jesus knows our hearts. He knew peters heart. He told peter, ” Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Jesus is betrayed by Judas and is arrested. He is taken to the high priest’s home. Peter follows them. The guards sit around a fire in the courtyard and Peter joins them. A servant girl points him out as one of Jesus’s followers. Peter said, “Woman, I don’t even know him.” Then another person said, “You must be one of them.” Peter said, “No, Man, I’m not!” About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is Galilean, too.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” While he was still talking he heard the rooster crow. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what Jesus had said and he left the courtyard and wept bitterly.

It sent shivers down my body when I read that the Lord turned and looked at him at the moment the rooster crowed. Can you imagine? Peter did love Jesus. He feared for his own life. I can sympathize with that. How do we know that we would be brave enough to die for what we believe in or for who we love. I constantly pray thanking God for continuing to seek after me while I stray for him over and over. Jesus knew that Peter was going to sin against him and he prayed for him. Peter repented and Jesus forgave him. He forgives us over and over.

Jesus was crucified and rose from the grave. When Peter heard that Jesus’s body was not in the tomb he ran there to see for himself. Jesus appeared to his disciples several times. One of those times Peter was on a boat fishing. When he knew he saw Jesus on land he jumped into the water to swim to him. The rest of the men stayed on the boat and made their way to the land. Then Jesus has a talk with Peter. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Peter, do you love me?” If you look at the Greek translation the questions sound like this: ” Do you love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friend?” The conversation goes like this:

Jesus: Peter, Do you love me?

Peter: Yes, Lord. You know I love you.

Jesus: Then feed my lambs. Peter, do you really love me?

Peter: Yes, Lord. You know I love you.

Jesus: Then take care of my sheep. Peter, Are you even my friend?

Peter: Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.

Jesus: Then feed my sheep.

Jesus continued talking to Peter, revealing to him that he would die a death that glorified God. That he would be persecuted. Then Jesus said, “Follow me.” Peter spent his life leading people to Jesus. Christianity was outlawed in Rome. Peter was crucified during the persecution of Nero. It is claimed that he requested to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus and that the Romans agreed.

I think we can agree that Peter royally screwed up. Then we see him repent and be forgiven. And we see him prove his loyalty and love and devotion to Jesus. Even to death. When I first read Jesus asking Peter three times, “Peter, Do you love me?” It moved me. Peter had been a disciple of Jesus and had gone back to being a fisherman. His savior and friend had stared him in the eyes as he betrayed him. He probably felt lower than low. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Then Jesus gives him three chances to say that he loved him. Jesus was preparing Peter for the future but it also reminded me of parenting. Jesus’s love for us often reminds me of the love I have for my kids. They mess up and can make me irate. But I always want to put my arms around them and tell them I will always forgive them and they have the chance to make better decisions and be better people.

Peter denied Jesus. But Jesus still loved him and used him to spread the word about Jesus, the savior. Do you think that you have done too many bad things to be loved by God or saved? You haven’t. There is nothing bad enough that God has not already forgiven. It does not matter what you have done. God will still use you. There is still a plan for you. We are human and imperfect. We will sin and mess up. But God is always there waiting for you to turn back to him. He is a loving father that wants a relationship with you. All of our sins were forgiven at the cross when Jesus died in our place.  Jesus asked Peter “Do you love me?” Isn’t he asking us the same question. He told Peter to follow him. Are we? Thanks for reading.