So You Fell, Now What?

Luke 22:31-34.  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luke 22:32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Luke 22:33. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
Luke 22:34. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Later that night, Jesus is arrested:

 Luke 22:54-62. Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.
 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.
 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.
 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.
 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.
 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.
 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

We Now pick up the story a few days later , after Jesus rose from the dead.

Imagine what was going on in Peter’s mind at this time. a week ago, he was in the inner circle of the closest people to Jesus. He had been with Jesus for three years. He had seen Him do many miracles. He knew Jesus was The Messiah, And he was closer to Him than just about anyone. Then the day came when The Lord told him he would deny him. Peter said, “no way, I am willing to die for you!” but a few hours later, he failed. He remembers the look that Jesus gave him when the rooster crowed. Then, he saw Christ crucified and buried. Three days later however, Mary comes running in to say that He is alive. And, sure enough, Jesus comes and reveals Himself to his disciples. Oh, he’s glad that Christ rose from the dead. He’s excited to know he’s alive, but….all Peter can think about is how he failed the Lord. He’s ashamed, and figures it will never be the same between him and Jesus again. He decides to go back to the fishing business. But Jesus has a different idea.

John 21:1-6. After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

John 21:15-17. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Here is what we learn from this incident:

I. Jesus knew Peter was going to mess up before he did it. God is not shocked when we sin, He knew we would before we were even born.

II. Jesus already, before Peter sinned, planned on his restoration. (After thou art converted…)

III. Jesus already planned on using him again. (Strengthen thy brethren.)

Well, Peter didn’t understand all this because the devil was having a hay day rubbing it in his face, so Jesus comes along and tries to help Peter get back on track. Notice the questions he asks:

  1. John 21:5. Have you any meat, (or any success, or, now that you doing your own thing instead of my will, how’s it going?) 

  2. V.15. Lovest thou me more than these?, (or do you really love these smelly old fish more than me?)

  3. He lovingly tells Peter to get back to serving Him.

Finally, I have a few questions for you.

    1. Have you messed up recently?

    2. feeling kind of depressed and ashamed?

    3. Has the devil been rubbing it in your face?

    4. Have you given up and started doing your own thing again?

    5. How’s it going?

    6. If Jesus were to ask you the question, “Lovest thou me more than these” what would he be referring to, that you’ve been putting in front of him?

    7. In Revelation 2, Jesus told a wrote a letter to a church and said, “ I have a few things against thee....” If Jesus wrote to you and said.”, “I have at least one thing against thee”, what would it be?

Remember:

  1. Jesus knew you were going to mess up before you did it. It might have surprised you, but it didn’t surprise Him.

  2. He already planned on forgiving you.

  3. He already planned on you serving him again.

The next time we see Peter, he’s preaching on the day of Pentecost and has 3,000 people saved!

Will you get back in fellowship and let God use you again?