Restoration and Redemption for Purpose
This morning’s readings give us two prime examples of how Jesus restores and redeems people for purpose. Peter and Paul are, of course, extremely vital to the ministry of the early church. Peter is the designated leader and Paul the great missionary and teacher. Their stories are quite distinct.
Peter experiences restoration. He is coming face to face with Jesus again. He has already recognized Jesus, recalling their early days by instructing them to cast their empty nets on the other side of the boat to reel in an abundant catch.
When he gets to shore, there is a charcoal fire. That smell wafting into his nostrils surely took Peter back to that awful night, the night of the last supper, his confident pledge to stay with Jesus no matter what, their prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, the arrest, the trial – and his denial. John gets it, but it was Peter who denied Jesus three times that night.
How must Peter have felt that morning when Jesus died? When that cock crowed, he knew he had failed. He knew it. Peter, the leader. Peter, Jesus gave him that name which means the Rock. Jesus also called him Cephas, which means the Head. Now he is Peter the Weak, Peter the Coward. Peter the Failure. There was no opportunity to confess that morning, no opportunity to apologize, no opportunity to make amends.
He had no idea at the time that his failure would be the most famous failure in the history of the world, but we know. Roosters crow every morning – often they don’t wait until morning - but that daily sound had to cut Peter to the very core of his being the first time he heard it and every morning since.
Now here is another confrontation. This is the third time Peter has seen the risen Jesus, the first two being in that upper room. But in neither instance did they speak directly to each other. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?”
Those questions dig, each one going deeper. The third time really hurts, as the charcoal fire smolders. And here we see a most poignant confession. Jesus never mentions Peter’s denials. He never chastises Peter for slipping away. Peter doesn’t confess to his failure. He doesn’t apologize. He doesn’t try to explain. Jesus’ questions cut so much deeper. “Do you love me?”
Peter replies, “Lord you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus’s response is unspoken absolution. The past is gone and forgiven. “Feed my sheep.” Do what I’ve called you to do. Peter is restored, and not just so that he feels better. He does feel better, of course. And he is restored to the leadership model Jesus set for them as the Good Shepherd; to feed his sheep, tend his flock, guide them into green pastures, call them by name, recover the lost and guard them against the enemy.
In this, Peter is the model for most of us most of the time. When we fail, our practice is to take as full account of our sin as we can, lay it at his feet, receive forgiveness and thus be reconciled to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That is as prescribed and as it should be. But there is an important subtext here that must not and cannot be overlooked.
Why are we confessing? Is it because we know we’ve broken the rules, we know we’ve done wrong, and we want to get back on track? Do you feel bad because you failed? Or maybe we just don’t want God mad at us.
That all has integrity but it is incomplete. It doesn’t go quite far enough.
The night before he died, moments after he predicted Peter’s denial, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) So the real question is the one Jesus posed to Peter. Do you love Jesus? Well, do you? Loving him makes the odd failure the exception, not the rule. That is the working out of grace. That is what it all comes down to. Do you love him? If so, then all your sins are and will be forgiven. Just stay on course with that love. Nurture it.
Immediately before that, Jesus gave his side of the New Covenant, “If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:14) There is no question that Jesus loves you. Whatever we ask in accordance with his will, he will do.
Paul’s conversion is abrupt and radical. He goes from “breathing threats” to encountering the risen Jesus, getting entombed in blindness for three days then resurrected to an entirely new life. That is rather distinct from Peter, who was a committed follower who failed in a critical moment.
But there is another element here that ties in with Peter’s restoration. When Saul repents and follows Jesus two powerful gifts are brought to bear in Jesus’ service. One is his story. The radical shift from persecuting the Church to becoming its greatest missionary is profound and ongoing for many, many Christians.
Many of you know the story behind Amazing Grace, that John Newton was a slave trader who Jesus confronted in the middle of a voyage. He turned around and took the slaves back and became a priest. Just like Paul, Newton “was blind but now I see.”
That sort of conversion is wonderful and we are blessed to find many such witnesses across time and among us even now. They are compelling reminders that Jesus will do anything. No matter who you are, where you are, what you’ve done or when you come to him, Jesus will receive you. And sometimes he will just confront people out of the blue.
The other great gift is that every gift, talent and experience Paul had picked up in life were put to great service for Jesus. He was a man of zeal and passion, all of which became focused on building Christian communities everywhere he could. Everything he learned in his extensive training as a Pharisee was brought to extraordinary purpose as Paul was able to articulate the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham in Jesus and the whole notion of salvation by grace through faith.
And Jesus will do that with you, too. He redeems our faults, turning them to strengths and he takes our strengths and uses them, whatever they may be to his purposes. Pray on that and see what he will do with you.
AMEN!