“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 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.”
17 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. 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.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Ah, yes. The God of second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth (you get the picture) chances. But not always easy second chances.
As we trace Peter's frailty through the New Testament, Jesus responds with an increasing level of rebuke.
Matthew 14:31- After Peter starts to sink, Jesus immediately "reached out his hand and caught him (Peter). 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'" In reading this it comes across to me as almost a sad, disappointed statement. I invision it spoken with a slight head shake and slightly furrowed brow.
In Matthew 16:23 the punctuation used by the writer in regards to Christ's rebuke of Peter was an explanation point. Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" Yikes! I bet Jesus turned quickly to Peter, looked him straight in the eye and spoke the words with such force Peter felt as though he had been struck.
Still Peter continues to disobey.
At Jesus' arrest, Peter draws a sword and attacks an innocent person. It is interesting Peter does not attack one of the temple guards, but instead a slave who had no choice in being present at the arrest. After reading the accounts of both Luke and Matthew in regard to this incident, it appears as if Jesus has had enough of Peter's bluster.
Jesus is exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually. For the past three years he has taught, healed, prayed, worshipped, laughed, cried. . .Experienced every human emotion. Resisted every human temptation. Started a revolution that would change the world. Turned his back on safety and security for a people that wanted to see him dead. Now here is one of his inner circle once again taking matters into his own hands.
"No more of this!" (Luke 22:51) "That's it, Peter! Enough!" I believe Christ was angry with Peter at this point. The Bible does not treat righteous anger as sin. We are warned to not allow that anger to lead us into sin, but there are times when anger is an appropriate emotion.
Christ was exhausted. He knew his fate and he pain that would ensue. Luke writes that while in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was in anguish and "sweat drops of blood". Now he has to deal with Peter trying to pick a fight with an armed group of men who were instruments in God's salvation plan for mankind
"STOP IT, PETER! GET OUT OF GOD'S WAY!"
Are God's warnings, rebukes, corrections in your life become increasingly stern? Is he on the verge of speaking to you with righteous anger? At times in my life, I have continued to ignore the kinder, gentler voice of correction from God. He will pull out the big guns if necessary. Trust me.
Take it from one who knows, it is much better to listen to the still, small rediretion voice. Do your best to avoid God's exclamation points.
Ah, yes. The God of second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth (you get the picture) chances. But not always easy second chances.
As we trace Peter's frailty through the New Testament, Jesus responds with an increasing level of rebuke.
Matthew 14:31- After Peter starts to sink, Jesus immediately "reached out his hand and caught him (Peter). 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'" In reading this it comes across to me as almost a sad, disappointed statement. I invision it spoken with a slight head shake and slightly furrowed brow.
In Matthew 16:23 the punctuation used by the writer in regards to Christ's rebuke of Peter was an explanation point. Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" Yikes! I bet Jesus turned quickly to Peter, looked him straight in the eye and spoke the words with such force Peter felt as though he had been struck.
Still Peter continues to disobey.
At Jesus' arrest, Peter draws a sword and attacks an innocent person. It is interesting Peter does not attack one of the temple guards, but instead a slave who had no choice in being present at the arrest. After reading the accounts of both Luke and Matthew in regard to this incident, it appears as if Jesus has had enough of Peter's bluster.
Jesus is exhausted physically, emotionally and spiritually. For the past three years he has taught, healed, prayed, worshipped, laughed, cried. . .Experienced every human emotion. Resisted every human temptation. Started a revolution that would change the world. Turned his back on safety and security for a people that wanted to see him dead. Now here is one of his inner circle once again taking matters into his own hands.
"No more of this!" (Luke 22:51) "That's it, Peter! Enough!" I believe Christ was angry with Peter at this point. The Bible does not treat righteous anger as sin. We are warned to not allow that anger to lead us into sin, but there are times when anger is an appropriate emotion.
Christ was exhausted. He knew his fate and he pain that would ensue. Luke writes that while in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was in anguish and "sweat drops of blood". Now he has to deal with Peter trying to pick a fight with an armed group of men who were instruments in God's salvation plan for mankind
"STOP IT, PETER! GET OUT OF GOD'S WAY!"
Are God's warnings, rebukes, corrections in your life become increasingly stern? Is he on the verge of speaking to you with righteous anger? At times in my life, I have continued to ignore the kinder, gentler voice of correction from God. He will pull out the big guns if necessary. Trust me.
Take it from one who knows, it is much better to listen to the still, small rediretion voice. Do your best to avoid God's exclamation points.
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