What do you do after a big disappointment? Your steps after a failure are of great importance. When you most don’t want to get out of bed to face the day, there’s something Jesus wants you to know.
We will learn this valuable lesson through the story of Peter. Remember, Peter is the gutsy friend of Jesus who always jumped to go first. He was all-in, then he fell all-out.
Anyone else feel that way? You’re all-in, then you stumble and you’re all-out. You struggle to find that steady middle ground where you just stay faithful. You’re up, then you’re down. You’re hot, then you’re cold. You’re in, then you’re out. It’s black, then it’s white. Ahhhh, Jesus likes you. He sees the potential in you! Just like he saw the potential in Peter, his hot and cold friend who sometimes made a mess of things.
Peter’s final interaction with Jesus before the cross was a harsh realization that he had denied knowing Jesus. Peter had been warned it would happen, which means Jesus always knew of Peter’s pending failure, yet he chose him as his friend any way. Jesus says in Matthew 26:34, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” And sure enough, that’s exactly what happens. Peter denies knowing Jesus once, twice, three times, then the rooster crows and Peter begins to weep bitterly.
The next thing that happens is Jesus hanging on a cross. Imagine the guilt and shame Peter must have felt. This was failure. This was disappointment. This must have been a “I want to crawl in a hole and never come out” moment. But, Jesus came back to pull Peter out of that hole and launch him into a greater purpose.
After Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, Peter is out on a boat fishing. Yes, he had returned to doing the only thing he knew to do … fishing. And Jesus shows up on the shore. Peter and the other disciples had been fishing all night, and caught absolutely nothing. Jesus yells from the shore and says, “try throwing your net on the other side of the boat” and the nets became so full of fish, they nearly broke. That’s when they knew it was Jesus. It was THEIR Jesus. They had watched him die on the cross, they had seen him buried in the tomb, but here he was helping them haul in a load of fish!
So of course Peter is the first to jump out of the boat and swim to Jesus. Why? Because that’s what Peter does. He’s the all-in guy with a history of also falling all-out. When Peter gets to him on the shore, Jesus asks him a question. This is the same question he is asking you and I today, so listen closely.
John 21: 15-17, “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.”
Again 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.”
The 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.”
Something very important is happening here. How many times did Peter deny knowing Jesus? Three. How many times did Jesus repeat his purpose for Peter? Three. Yes, once for each failure. Once for each denial. Once for each doubt Peter must have been carrying within him, questioning how he could have ever denied his Jesus and failed him to to point of leading to his death. And Jesus is saying, “Peter, if you love me, then you’re going to have to give up your disappointment, your guilt, and your shame over your failure. And once you give it up, I have something so much greater for you … your purpose!