Talk

The Restoration of Peter

Ben Stuart
March, 25, 2018

Each and every one of us will slip up, make a mistake, and choose something other than Jesus. The fundamental question that we have to ask ourselves is: What does God think of me when I fail? For most of us, it’s natural for us to assume that on the other side of failure lies judgment, shame, and abandonment; after all, that’s what we see all around us.

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But God…

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God responds to our failures with an open door by making a connection to break down the walls of shame that we put up. What a powerful reminder from Ben Stuart that we are NEVER TOO FAR GONE.

Scripture References

1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way:
2Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
3“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5He called out to them,
“Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6He said,
“Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10Jesus said to them,
“Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
12Jesus said to them,
“Come and have breakfast.”
None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said,

“Feed my lambs.”

16Again Jesus said,
“Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said,

“Take care of my sheep.”

17The third time he said to him,
“Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time,

“Do you love me?”
He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said,

“Feed my sheep.
18
Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him,
“Follow me!”

18
Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him,
“Follow me!”

The Faith of the Centurion

1When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said,

“I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”
10Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said,

“Don’t cry.”

14Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said,

“Young man, I say to you, get up!”
15The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

Jesus and John the Baptist

18John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”

21At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22So he replied to the messengers,

“Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy
are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
23
Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
25
If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.
26
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
27
This is the one about whom it is written:

“ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.’

28

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31Jesus went on to say,

“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?
32
They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“ ‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not cry.’

33

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
35
But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40Jesus answered him,

“Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41

“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,
and the other fifty.
42
Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,”
Jesus said.

44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon,

“Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
47
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48Then Jesus said to her,

“Your sins are forgiven.”

49The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50Jesus said to the woman,

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Jesus Arrested

1When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

2Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them,

“Who is it you want?”

5“Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,”
Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6When Jesus said,
“I am he,”
they drew back and fell to the ground.

7Again he asked them,

“Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8Jesus answered,

“I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”
9This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled:
“I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11Jesus commanded Peter,

“Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

12Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Peter’s First Denial

15Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

18It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20

“I have spoken openly to the world,”
Jesus replied.
“I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
21
Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23

“If I said something wrong,”
Jesus replied,
“testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”
24Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

25Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

26One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Jesus Before Pilate

28Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30“If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.

33Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34

“Is that your own idea,”
Jesus asked,
“or did others talk to you about me?”

35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36Jesus said,

“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered,

“You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

38“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Ben Stuart
Ben Stuart
Ben Stuart is the pastor of Passion City Church D.C. Prior to joining Passion City Church, Ben served as the executive director of Breakaway Ministries on the campus of Texas A&M. He also earned a master’s degree in historical theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Donna, live to inspire and equip people to walk with God for a lifetime.