The Best Day of the Year

A Series on Lent: Peter’s Journey
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
John 21:1-23 

[Lent is a time of reflection. During Lent, we will be looking at Peter’s Journey to learn how his reflections on his own life, his culture, his religion and his savior changed his life forever.]

  

This story takes place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The disciples seem to be lost without Jesus. Not knowing what else to do, they decided to go back to work fishing.

 

All of them had deserted Jesus in his time of need, but Peter had been the worst. He didn’t just turn his back on Jesus, he denied him three times, just like Jesus had said he would. The brash, impulsive leader of the disciples was a failure.

 

He had failed not just in private, but in public. He had disappointed and hurt those who he loved the most. For all his bravado, Peter had been afraid to take a stand; to do what was right; to be loyal to his friend and his Lord. It was no doubt the worst day of his life.

 

How could he look the other disciples in the eye? How could he begin to follow the path that Jesus had set before them? How could he lead the disciples again with a blot of sin staining him like this? He was defined by his failure.

 

It was here on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, that the disciples saw Jesus for the third time following his resurrection. It was here that Jesus called Peter to follow him like he had before.

 

The scene was filled with profound emotions that bubbled to the surface. While yet on the boat, Peter wrapped his tunic around him, jumped into the water and waded 100 yards to the shore. He couldn’t wait for the boat!

 

When he approached Jesus, he may have wanted to fall to his knees, begging him to forgive him. But he didn’t, because he was Peter. Instead, Jesus challenged him three times. The same number of times that Peter had denied him.

 

He challenged him to feed his sheep and to love him. To love him enough to be the leader and to be the person that God had created him to be.

 

¹⁷ The third time he (Jesus) 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.          NIV

 

Like Peter, our Lord Jesus challenges us to be the person we have been created to be; to love him completely; to fulfill God’s will in our life; to overcome our failures; to be reinstated daily.

 

When denying Jesus, I’d like to think that I would have done better than Peter. But I wouldn’t have. I would have failed just as shamefully as he did.

 

My pastor often makes the statement, “Easter is the best day of the year”! I tend to agree with him.

 

Copyright 2022 Joseph B Williams