I’ll never forget his words.
“Some sins are so deep that even the love of God can’t reach them.”
My counselee knew that these were lies from Satan—the accuser of the brethren. Yet, he still struggled to receive Christ’s grace and forgiveness.
An Exclamation Point on Grace!
I thought about this counselee again today as I read John 21 in my time in the Word. I’ve spent all of 2019 reading through the four gospels chronologically. What a capstone John 21 is. It puts an exclamation point on Jesus and His gospel of grace!
John 21 occurs about ten days or so after Peter had disowned his Lord three times. Mark portrays Peter’s torment.
The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly (Mark 14:61-62).
Can you imagine the guilt and shame Peter experienced? The eyes of Jesus—Peter’s friend, Savior, and Lord—make eye contact with Peter.
And Peter remembers the prediction that he would disown Jesus three times. Disown. What a terrible, dreadful, awful, horrible, appalling, vile, ghastly word.
Disown.
And Peter weeps bitterly.
And What About You? And What About Bob?
Have you ever felt like some sin of yours was so deep that even the love of God couldn’t reach you—couldn’t forgive you?
Have you ever believed that, having disowned Christ; Christ was disowning you?
Perhaps it was a terrifying thought that you were not truly saved. Or, perhaps you felt like (or feel like) you’re saved, but ruined for ministry, worthless and useless for kingdom work.
If so, you’re certainly not alone. I’ve been there. It’s Satan’s scheme to overwhelm us with excessive sorrow after we’ve sinned (2 Corinthians 2:7-8, 11).
First, Satan tempts us to sin. Then Satan condemns us for sinning! “And you call yourself a Christian. God won’t love and can’t forgive a sinner like you! And God will certainly never use you!”
Jesus Restores Peter: 3 Times!!!
This was Peter’s fear’s—that he was disqualified from ministry. So, a handful of days later, rather than being a shepherd of Christ’s sheep, Peter returns to his former profession—a fisher of fish. He saw himself as unworthy to be a fisher of men.
So, early in the morning, Jesus prepares some fish on an open fire.
When they finished eating, Jesus asks Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” (John 21:15).
Peter replies, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” (John 21:15).
“Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).
This question-answer conversation continues three times.
Three times.
Three denials.
Three questions-answers.
Three “I never knew him!”
Three “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Three “Feed my lambs/take care of my sheep.”
Leon Morris, in his commentary on John, explains:
“There can be little doubt but that the whole scene is meant to show us Peter as completely restored to his position of leadership. He has three times denied his Lord. Now he has three times affirmed his love for Him. And three times he has been commissioned to care for the flock. This must have had the effect on the others of a demonstration that, whatever had been the mistakes of the past, Jesus was restoring Peter to a place of trust” (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, 875).
Where Sin Abounds, Grace Superabounds!
Having spent the past ten months reading through the gospels, Christ’s startling grace keeps clanging in my ears.
The woman caught in adultery…
“Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir.”
“Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:10-11).
The prodigal son, returning home from a life of sexual sin…
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:20-24).
Peter…
“Do you love me?”
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
“Feed my sheep” (John 21:17).
Remember: The Gospel Mirror of Grace
No wonder Peter exhorts us 3 times (3—like the number of times he disowned Christ and like the number of times Christ commissioned Peter) in 2 Peter 1:12-15 to remember that Christ has cleansed us from our past sins (2 Peter 1:9).
Peter, who disowned Jesus, loved Jesus.
Peter, who disowned Jesus, was forgiven by Jesus.
Peter, who disowned Jesus, was loved by Jesus.
Peter, who disowned Jesus, was restored to ministry by Jesus.
Remember the gospel—that forgives, cleanses, and restores to ministry. As Luther reminds us:
“The highest of all God’s commands is this, that we ever hold up before our eyes the image of his dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He must daily be to our hearts the perfect mirror, in which we behold how much God loves us and how well, in his infinite goodness, as a faithful God, he has grandly cared for us in that he gave his dear Son for us. Do not let this mirror and throne of grace be torn away from before your eyes” (Martin Luther).
“You say that the sins which we commit every day offend God, and therefore we are not saints. To this I reply: Mother love is stronger than the filth and scabbiness on a child, and so the love of God toward us is stronger than the dirt that clings to us. Accordingly, although we are sinners, we do not lose our filial relation on account of our filthiness, nor do we fall from grace on account of our sin” (Martin Luther).
You and I, who have disowned Jesus, love Jesus.
You and I, who have disowned Jesus, are forgiven by Jesus.
You and I, who have disowned Jesus, are loved by Jesus.
You and I, who have disowned Jesus, are restored to ministry by Jesus.
As the Good Shepherd feeds us with His grace-love-restoration, so we feed His sheep.
Join the Conversation
Are you overwhelmed by sorrow over your sin? How could you receive Christ’s consolation by remembering the gospel mirror of grace revealed in Jesus’ restoration of Peter?
