Holy Week Special - Easter People Part 2: Peter

Holy Week Special - Easter People Part 2: Peter

Holy Week is a time when we can reflect on the events that led to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection from the dead. In this short series of sermons that were originally delivered in 2025, we are drawn into these events through the eyes and the experiences of five people. Some were very close to Jesus throughout his ministry whilst others appear momentarily. But all can say the same thing: that they met Jesus. In the second talk in this series, we consider Peter and in so doing, are invited to once again look at events through eyes that may feel familiar. Peter features regularly within the gospels and is known for his passion and for his loyalty to Jesus. He became one of the most important leaders of the 'Way' (the early Christian Church) after Jesus' resurrection. Even so, when it came to the moment when Jesus was arrested, Peter is also famous for denying he knew him. 

You can see past sermons on the Leominster Baptist Church website at https://www.youtube.com/@leobc2402/streams and can contact us directly with your feedback or queries through the Ask Dean a Question link at the top of the episode description text.

Leominster Baptist Church can be found on Etnam Street in Leominster, Herefordshire. To find out more about us, visit our website leobc.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone about anything that you have heard on our podcasts please give us a call and ask for a chat.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Our story when he's people continues with a focus this week on Peter. Peter is one of Peter's most well-known disciples, on whom he said he would build his church. But his journey of a disciple was not about a function. His wife does all sorts of crazy things. And even denies Peter took the last when he was arrested by them. Peter's story shows how deep and constant God's love is for us. No matter where we find ourselves, there's always a way back.

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So last week we looked at Mary the Magdalene and her story and how she's the first, the front row seat to Jesus as he comes out of the grave and the grace and the salvation that she experienced through that. This week we're going to focus on a very familiar character, perhaps more familiar than Mary, in the person of Peter and his encounter and his experience of Easter and what happened to him. Because if there's anyone whose story is sort of summed up and captured throughout the Easter week, it is Peter. Someone whose life literally went up in smoke right in front of them. It's him. And you may already know a bit about him, and we're going to go through the story. We're going to jump around quite a bit as we piece it together from the various gospel accounts because the story is told from different perspectives. And so if you're brand new, let me just summarize how this works. In our Bibles, we have four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Jeremy. Make sure you're with me, Luke and John. So four different accounts. And the reason we have four is because there's so much to tell. They tell it from different perspectives. And you say, Well, why do they sometimes tell different stories? And people suggest that they contradict. But as you examine them, you see actually they complement each other. Just as today, if we put out a survey and said what happened in the service, some of you what would have stood out would be the praise and the worship, and you'd say, It was that song when we sang that that captured my heart, and it was when we were together singing that that spoke to me. And others would say, actually, no, it was the food afterwards. That was it was just a wonderful meal, wonderful spread and that time together, fellowship and encouraging others. And some it would be no, it was when the stampede of young people, when they all went out, that really just spoke to me and encouraged me and blessed me. And perhaps one or two might even say, Well, the message also had something to say to me. And you go, Well, which is true. Well, they're all looking at the same thing and picking up on different aspects and uh identifying what mattered and what was significant, and the gospels do that too. Matthew writes for the Jewish people, explaining how Jesus is their Messiah from the Old Testament through to the new. Mark is he writes from Peter's perspective, um, writing down Peter's account and his stories and his witnessing and what he saw. Mark also saying some himself. John, more poetic, speaking of the worldwide nature of Jesus Christ, for God so loved the world, how it's Jew and Greek and everyone in between who are who are brought into this salvation that Jesus has brought. Who's the other one? Luke. Luke does it through interviews. He says, I'm going to investigate the eyewitnesses, I'm going to speak to the people who see it and get first-hand accounts and put it together. And so we have this wonderful spread, four different perspectives of the same story, again and again, inviting us in and helping us to see it from different angles. Well, that being said, that's what we're going to do today as we jump into Peter's story. And Peter's story, really, it's a it's a weekend in his life, a few days in his life that are captured. Uh, and unfortunately, Peter kind of gets defined by by this these few days, but they are significant, and they do speak to us about the grace and the goodness and the power of Easter and what it can do for those who feel at their absolute lowest. And so the story starts. Uh, we'll go for Mark first. Remember, Mark writes from Peter's perspective. Jesus speaks to them, he's been had the last supper with them, they've shared a meal, there's been some concerning things that he said. He's told them again, he's going to leave them, he's going to go, uh, that he's going to be crucified, that he'll be taken away from them. And as they leave, he says these words, You will all fall away, Jesus told them. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. This is a heavy revelation. It's a hard thing to take. You will all fall away. You're all going to be scattered, you're not going to know what to do, you're going to be uncertain, you're going to be confused, you're going to be scared, you're going to be intimidated. This is going to be a difficult night for you. It's going to be difficult for me, but equally it will be difficult for you. But he gives that glimmer of hope. After I have risen, I'll go ahead of you into Galilee. Peter's reply though is he declares, even if all fall away, I will not. These pretenders, Jesus, they've always been a bit half-hearted, they've never really been into it. But if all if all of them fall away, I will not. Jesus takes this as an opportunity to reply to Peter, Truly I tell you, today, yes, tonight, before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times. So Jesus hones in on Peter and says, This is going to apply particularly to you, Peter. I know at the moment you can't see it. You've got all this bravado, all this courage. Oh, if all they fall away, I will stand. But you, Peter, will deny me. Peter insisted. He's not going to have it. No, Jesus. You don't know what's in me. Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. And then all the others seem, well, yeah, that's that's good, Peter. They all chirp up. Yes, us too. Even if we have to die with you, I will never disown you. Jesus has tried to warn them. He's tried to prepare them for what's ahead. It's going to be the darkest night in all of human history. And so it'd be difficult for anyone to be able to stand. Jesus himself suffers under the idea of this night and what it entails. But Peter can't quite see it yet. And so he says, No, not me. I can stand. I will stand with you. If I have to die with you, I will protect you, I will be by your side. And because you probably know where the story goes, you start to feel that churning in the stomach of this is this is hard. As you look back on these words, you see, oh, he doesn't quite get it. He doesn't see how difficult this is going to be. But he speaks with this courage and this boldness. Then they go to the garden and we jump over to John's Gospel, where it says, Now Judas, who betrayed Jesus, knew the place because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons. So this group, armed group, come to take Jesus. And the disciples are there with him. And as they come, it says, Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servants, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Why does it tell you that? Because presumably you could go to Jerusalem and say, I'm looking for Malchus, the high priest's servant, and you could find him, and he could tell you the story himself. And John includes these little details to say, look, I'm not, this isn't made up. You can find this person. Here's his name to discover the story. And Jesus commanded Peter, put your sword away. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me? This is Peter being true to his word. I will protect you, I will stand with you to the end. One of the interesting facts that sometimes we don't pick up on is that this armed battalion has come to take Jesus, soldiers with swords and weaponry, and then there's others, high priest and servants, and the person whose ear was cut off was Malchus, the high priest's servant. What that means is of all the people who are there, the one who would definitely not have been armed was Malchus. The one who would actually have been a young boy because he would have washed the priest's hands and delivered messages from, probably a teenager at most, would have been Malchus. And he's the one that Peter takes the ear off. The one who was least likely to attack, the one who was least likely to be violent. Such is Peter's headspace at this time and his confused thinking that the one he takes on is the one who isn't really a threat. But he cuts off his ear and Jesus says, Peter, no, no, this isn't how we do this. This isn't the way this is going to work. You cannot drive out darkness with darkness. You cannot defeat violence with violence. Only grace and sacrifice and love and mercy, as weak as they often seem, only they will work. And so he says, Peter, put your sword away. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me? Peter, I could call down legions of angels who would wipe these people out in a moment. But that isn't the path that we are going to walk tonight. And all your bravado and all your bolstering and all your courage that you seem to have is actually missing the point. That this is going to be a difficult night, and already your actions are hindering the work rather than advancing it. So the story goes on. They take Jesus and they take him off to be put on trial. He's going to go through six different trials through this night, but they bind him first. They take him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. And Peter and John were told following two of the disciples, two who are often linked. They seem to be more like brothers in the gospel stories than anything else, mainly because of the way they tease each other. You may have noticed it last week when the account they run to the tomb, and John goes, but I got there first. Like this typical brother thing. I'm not going to boast about it, but I did beat him. Peter's an old man, I'm a bit younger. And you see that again in this story as we come to it a bit later. But they go there, and Simon Peter and the other disciple, that's John, were following. But because this disciple, that's John, was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest courtyard. John had connections that Peter didn't have, so he can get in, and Peter's waiting outside at the door. And then the other disciple who was known to the high priest comes back, speaks to the servant girl on duty and brings Peter in. Lots of detail, but just again, this is this is John saying we saw this. We're not created this. This is what happened. Peter couldn't get in. I went and got him, brought him in, and then they're both in there together. Then Peter has this conversation with a series of people. You aren't one of this man's disciples, too, are you? She asked Peter. A young girl asked Peter. He replied, I am not. It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter was also standing with them, warming himself. So gathered around and already he's denied Jesus once. Goes on a bit later. Meanwhile, Peter was still standing there warming himself, still around this fire. So they asked him, You aren't one of his disciples too, are you? He denied it, saying, I am not. And again, one of the high priest servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him. Didn't I see you with him in the garden? I never forget a face, particularly the face of someone who cut off my cousin's ear. That sticks in your head. That isn't something that goes away quickly. Aren't you him? And again Peter denies it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. In the face of the obvious. The face of the you were with him. You know him, you saw him, you were there. No, no, no. Read it from Mark's account. Remember, Mark is relaying a lot of Peter's experience. It says in that in that gospel, Peter began to cool down curses, and he swore to them, I don't know this man you're talking about. The language there hints that what Peter's doing is cursing Jesus, that he's insulting Jesus in such a way to say, I couldn't possibly be his disciple, because I wouldn't speak about him in this way. I wouldn't say he's a traitor, I wouldn't say he's a liar, I wouldn't say he's a deceiver, I wouldn't say he's a he's a heretic, calling down these curses on Jesus, insulting him, saying, If I was his disciple, I wouldn't speak like this. And he's doing this, and at this moment it says in Luke, it says, as he was speaking, the rooster crowed, and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. As we put this all these gospel accounts together, we start to feel the acid in the stomach, the weight of it, the the moment where Jesus' gaze is fixed on Peter after he's insulting him. Everyone else in the trials they're insulting him, but to look and see your disciple, your chief disciple, the rock on whom you will build the church, to see him doing this. And then Peter remembering the words before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times, and he went outside and wept bitterly. Church history will say that from that moment on, whenever Peter heard a rooster crow, tears would fill his eyes. As he remembers this moment and what took place. The betrayal. On a Sunday I walk around with it with a pack on, and I'm always very careful to mute it when I'm not stood on the stage. Not because I'm going to bad mouth anyone, because I don't want you to hear my bad singing. But but I've heard instances where people have gone and have bad-mouthed people, and then it's gone straight to I remember one, it was a pastor, and he was being very unpolite about a group who was visiting them, and it was an in-earpiece, all this group had an in-earpiece so they could communicate with each other. And it was going not even broadcast to everyone, but straight to the people he was talking about. Maybe you had moments where suddenly you realize someone you've sent me an email to the wrong person talking bad about that person, or the text message, or the and then the the feeling. But imagine Peter, the saviour, the king of kings, the one who I love, and then speaking in this way, and then seeing him look at him, and just that feeling of there is no way back. His whole life in this moment is undone, gone up in smoke. There is no way that I'm a rock on which the church can be built. There is no way in which I can stand and preach this name again. There is no way I can minister for him. There's no way I can lead these disciples. There is no way for me to come to God in any way, in any form of worship, because of what I've done. And so it goes away. And if that's where the story ended, then then we'd be in trouble. Although we will just pause for a moment and say, here is the warning. That Peter could be any of us. Take care for where you when you stand lest you fall. When you're on your knees, it's very hard to fall down. It's when we're standing that we're in danger of falling. It's when we think that we know it, when we think, I will ever deny you. It would never happen to me. And as a church and as people, it's easy to do this. We see other ministries, we see other people, we see betrayal, we see heartbreak, we see people fall and be exposed, and we go, I would never do that. How could they? I would not they not me. All these others may, but not me, and that is an ugly, ugly attitude to have because it's the attitude Peter had when Jesus says, Be careful, because even you could fall this night. The mindset instead is a heartbreak that says, Lord, would you help me to lean into you? Would you help me to seek you for your protection and your guidance? Would you help me if this is going to be something that's tempting or is going to cause me to fall, Lord? I need your grace to hold me. Otherwise, when the exposure does come, when someone does point out an error, we excuse it and we blame it rather than saying, Yes, I am weak too. May God strengthen me and give me grace. Otherwise, we hide it. Our response should be a broken heart, a grief within us, and a desire for them to be restored, but also for me to keep up my guard. To say, Jesus, you're right. You told us, watch out. You told us in this world you will have trouble. You warned us that there would be persecution. You told us this would take place. So let us take heed, Jesus. We are not cleverer than you. That's Peter's mistake. I know you're worried, Jesus, but don't worry about me. I'm good. When you're telling Jesus that he's got something wrong, I would rather defer. Jesus, you know me better than me. You know my heart better than I do. And so would you protect me? And in the middle of the story, and we are only in the middle, if Peter had any reason to feel like life was over, if anyone did, it was Peter. He would have felt there was no way to get through this now. There's no way I can preach the message, share the ministry. How do you recover from something like that? In one sense, we don't. But do not fear because the story goes on. And John gives us another story account after Jesus has died and resurrected, after his disciples have scattered, just as he said. It says afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way. Simon Peter, Thomas, also known as Didymus, Nathaniel from Canaan in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. I'm going out to fish, Simon Peter told them. And they said, We'll go with you. Now this wasn't they had a spare time and fishing was a luxury. This was something they were doing just to spend to use up some spare time. This was them going, Whenever we know he's alive, we don't even know what that means, but let's go back to what we know. Let's go back to our jobs, let's return to where we were. Fishing wasn't a hobby, but they go out and they fish, but they catch nothing. I think there's a reason fishing is called fishing and not catching. I mean, whenever I've done fishing, I've done a lot more fishing than catching. Um it seems to be the way of it, that they go out and they're fishing and they catch nothing. And then one of my favourite stories in all the gospels, perhaps even all the Bible, says early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. He called out to them, Friends, haven't you any fish? No, they answered, and thanks for mentioning it. He said, Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you'll find some. And when they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. If you go through the gospels, you'll go, This sounds familiar. This is Jesus repeating the very first thing he said when he met Peter. When he's out in the boat, and Jesus talks to him and he hasn't caught anything, and he says, Well, throw your net on the other side. And Peter goes, Alright, I'm a fisherman, you're a preacher, but apparently you're the son of God, so I'll human you this one time. Throws his net in and haws in a huge, like a huge catch of fish. And again, it's going through the same thing. And they they register this because the very next thing they go is the disciple whom Jesus loves said to Peter, It is the Lord. Alarm bells are ringing. I've heard this before. I've seen this before. This has happened. He's doing it again. This is the Lord. Simon Peter heard him. He says, It is the Lord! And he puts on his outer garment, this big heavy cloak, for you're taking it off like you would in the in the sun's fishing. Um, and he jumps into the water. So he's swimming in with a big heavy coat on, and the other disciples follow with a net full of fish. They're not far, they're only a hundred metres. Peter decides it's quicker if I jump in, but he's touching a fluster, he puts on his coat, jumps in. So I've got this picture of Peter trying to swim with a big heavy coat on, and the disciples are overtaking him, going, You mupp it. And and and John goes, I'm gonna record this because what I did. Look at my brother again, Peter. Jumped in, put his coat on, didn't know what was going on, and they get in, they're just this chaotic scene. Why do they write it like this? Because this is how it happened. Peter's in such a such confusion, such a state. He runs in and they're fishing, they're coming in, they're only next to him. It's probably shallow water, but Peter's, I want to get to him. They come in, and when they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it and some bread. Didn't even need to catch the fish, Jesus already had fish prepared, and they come round this table this table. So there's this repeat. Jesus has done something already. He's taken Peter back right to the start. Okay, you've fallen, you've stumbled, you're hurting, you're confused, you don't know where you are. Let's start afresh, shall we? Let's go back to the beginning. Let's wipe the slate clean. Let's pretend as if none of that ever happened. Not pretend. Let's treat each other as if that isn't even a factor anymore. Your betrayals, I heard your words, I heard your comments, but I'm gonna come to you in the same way I did at the very beginning. Because despite what you have said and what you've done, my love for you, my calling on you, my purpose for you has not wavered. I know you have, and I know you feel like you failed, but my heart towards you has not changed. And the first thing Jesus does to Peter is go right back to the very beginning. Nothing has changed. The same is true for us. You cannot sin in such a way that God's love stops, you cannot fail in such a way that God's love shrinks a little bit, you cannot say or do anything that makes him love you any less. The inverse is true, you cannot do anything to make him love you even more. It is constant that he loves you because he loves you, and that does not change. And when you need to know it, Peter's experiences, God will take you back to the very beginning and say, just as when I first met you, just as when you first saw me, just as when you had that first love burning in you and that desire. Although it may feel like your fire is extinguished, mine hasn't. Although it may feel like your faith is weakened, my my calling on you and my purpose in you has not weakened, is the same because I am the same. Peter has this first glimpse into a God whose grace is so wonderful, so constant, so unchanging, a rock solid foundation, no matter what we may do or what we may say or what we may experience. It takes him back to the beginning. There's more story so good. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish you have just caught. So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153. But even with so many, the net was not torn. And Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. What's your favourite breakfast? There we go. So he got it in there somewhere. I wonder if Peter's for the rest of his life was fish with a bit of toast perhaps on the side, cooked over a coal fire as a reminder, come and have breakfast. The most important meal of the day. We're gonna see what that is in a moment. None of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. And Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. The third time he's appeared. Hold it in your head. He then has a conversation with Peter. Again, Jesus said, Simon, oh sorry, the one before that, I think. He says, Simon, son of John, do you love me? And he says, Yes, Lord, I love you. You feed my sheep. So he asked again, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of my sheep. And then a third time he says to him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? And 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. And Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Jesus has dealt with, he's gone back to the start. You're forgiven. Nothing's changed. My love for you is the same. You're forgiven. The slate has worked just as it was at the beginning. But if you've ever experienced that, then you will know that despite the fact we have forgiveness, what lingers is the shame. What lingers is still, but I still, it doesn't change the fact that I said those things. It doesn't change the fact that I did those things, Lord. It doesn't change the fact that I acted in this way. I've attended like I wasn't your disciple. And while we might not relate directly to Peter, you might be able to say, yeah, I've done that. I've acted in such a way that I've shown myself that I'm not a disciple. Maybe I didn't curse and swear, but I've spoken, I've treated others, I've thought about others in a way that wouldn't be able to, you wouldn't be able to convict me of being a disciple by those actions. They prove the opposite. Jesus comes to him on the third time that he meets him with three questions to counter Peter's three denials. Three times. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Because on three occasions you said, I don't know you, I don't want to know you, I hate you. And so Jesus brings him back and brings him back to the heart of it all. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? You see, I wonder if Peter had a bit of the that prodigal son story in him. If you know the story, this man goes off and wastes and squanders all his wealth, then he comes back, but he comes back with an idea. I can't be a child, but perhaps I could work for my father. Perhaps I could work for him. That's how we feel. I know I'm forgiven, I know there's grace, I know he died for my sins, I know he rose for me. But I also know what I've done. So if God's ever going to use me, then I'll have to just work for him. I'll just have to be a slave. He'll be Lord and I'll be slave, and that'll be it. It's not that those are bad things, but that's the limit of it. He's Lord, I'm his servant, and that's that'll be the dynamic. And what Jesus says is, no, Peter. Working for me isn't what I wanted. People who work for me, that isn't what I ever needed. The father's heart is not for workers, the father's heart is for children. The only way to become a child is to know his love and to be able to love him. I wonder if you are stuck in a working relationship with God. You serve him, you do lots for him, you give your time, your energy. You have done for years, and you are faithful and you are consistent in it. You are you are so good and you show up and you do all the things you're meant to do, but the relationship is one of worker, employer, and employee. Of he is Lord and I am servant. And God comes to you and says, Okay, that's lovely. I know your I know your intention, but what I really want to know is do you love me? Do you know that you're my child? Because you can work for me as much as I can, lots of people work for me, but I have not come to restore workers, I've come to restore my family, to bring sons and daughters back into the love that I have for them, to bring you in, to heal you in that love, to restore you in that love. And the most important thing about worship is that we are loved and we love in return. Because God wants worshippers, not workers. And a worshipper is one who says, I do this out of love, I do this for love, I do this because I'm loved, I don't do this because it's my job to do. I don't do this because it's a good thing to do, I do this because of the love that I have. And it's only when Jesus has established Peter's love that he then gives him his job. Feed my sheep, care for my sheep. I wonder just if you can ask yourself and or spend some time this week asking yourself, have I lost that love? Am I working for God but no longer worshiping? Is my heart no longer captured and Jesus would come to you three times even. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Peter, this this speaks to him. Later on, Peter's gonna have to be told that the Gentiles are included in the church, and again, God's gonna do it three times. It seems to be like a Peter and God thing, kind of secret language. That Peter needs three times each time to go, it's me speaking, he goes, Oh my god, it's sorry, I bet I missed it. But each time he tells them, I love you, to counter his denials, and also if you notice where this takes place, it takes place in a very particular area. Now, I want to ask you, can you smell that picture? Some of those you perhaps teachers or parents, you might be able to that there's a lot of the wax crayon. You get a lot of there's a lot of a smell to it. Maybe maybe that one's a bit can you smell that you know that it is without even without you can smell it. Farmers, can you smell the picture? It's because the nasal cavity goes up past the part of our brain that deals with memories, they're sort of connected, there's nerves there, and so you smell more than sound or side, it is connected to memory. And sometimes you'll you'll experience this, you'll smell something, you'll be like, that's that's that's nanny's house, that's that's grandma, that's granddad, that's that's I don't know what it is, it's a certain place that just there's a smell about it that reminds you. Peter, when he's having this conversation, it says there's a fire of burning coals there with fish on it. There's one other place in the Gospels where a coal fire is mentioned. We read it a bit earlier, where Peter is warming himself and denying Jesus. It seems that Jesus is coming and in this setting is creating a new association in Peter's mind. I don't want you to know, remember the coal fire because you're going to smell that a lot in your lifetime. But when you smell it, I no longer want it to remind you of your betrayal. I want it to remind you of the grace that is yours through me. I want you to be reminded that you love me, and that's all I've ever asked. I want to create that association in your head so that you know that I am with you, that I have blessed you, that you are mine. And he creates this association. So I wonder that the documents that say that Peter cried every time he heard the crow. Maybe it was because he remembered the betrayal, but maybe they were tears of grace and relief. Maybe the fact he cried through his life wasn't because he remembered what he did, but because he remembered that even though the crow has cried, Jesus has saved me. He has delivered me, he has restored me and brought me back. God wants to forgive you, but he also wants to remove your shame. You are his child. It doesn't define you. I know you hold on to it, but he doesn't. And you, because of that, are able to let go, to stand in his love, and because you love him, and if you can truly answer that question, yes, I love you, then it's all gone. You're his child. The spirit within you will testify you are his child of God. You cry out, Abba, Father, it is confirmation, you are his, and no one can take you out of his hand. And for Peter, the smell of smoke from that day forward is a reminder of this grace that is his. One last point. Peter turns, and Jesus ends saying, Follow me. That's his last word, which is again goes back to his first words to Jesus, Peter, follow me. And so he goes, and then Peter turns and sees, and Jesus sort of outlines to him, This is how you're going to die. It sort of takes a turn, and Jesus says, one day you're going to, it's not here, sorry, but he says, one day you're you're going to be bound and you're going to be handed over and you're going to lose your life to glorify God. And Peter is told this to prepare him. Again, before Peter couldn't listen, now Peter does listen. Now he can hear. This isn't going to be easy, but you're going to be with me. And one day your life will even be taken, but it will be to glorify me. And Peter hears this, and what again we know from history is that Peter one day is crucified. He is killed for following Jesus and proclaiming his gospel. But at that moment, what we know is that Peter asked to be to be nailed to the cross upside down because he didn't believe he was worthy of the dignity of dying in the same way as Jesus. The arrogance now gone. The pride now disappeared. And in his last moments, Peter is able to lean into that same grace, that same strength that once he denied because he thought he could do it by himself. At his end, he's able to say, Okay, I give my life because of the Savior that I love. And there is grace and strength for him in the future. There is a grace that exceeds today. There is a grace fresh every morning. And that's true again for us. There is grace for whatever you may face. And the one thing that will rob you of that is what Peter tries to do, where he turns to see the disciple who Jesus loved following them. And he says, Lord, Peter says, What about him? The thing that will make you miss the grace God has for you is because you're too focused on the grace God has for others. You're so busy looking at God, why are you blessing them like that? And why do you bless them? Why won't you bless me? And why what why do they have so much? Or the opposite, why don't you bless them more? I've got enough, why don't you? But as soon as you're focused on others, you're missing the grace that is there for you. Which essentially is what Jesus says. Don't worry about him. To the point that the other disciples think that John's going to live forever, which he didn't. But this rumour starts. But Jesus says, no, no, Peter, I've just told you what's going to happen to you because my grace for you is for you. And don't get consumed with others, looking down on others or looking up to others today. Come and receive his grace. And so in all this, Peter experiences the most important meal of the day, which isn't breakfast. It's grace. The most important meal, the place where we start each day is the grace of God that saves me, that heals me, that calls me his child, and that strengthens me for tomorrow. If we don't eat that meal each day, then we are in trouble. And so I want to ask you today, are you eating your most important meal? Is it your favorite meal? I know the beans and toast and eggs and bacon and all that. American bacon, what are they on about? I'm going to have words, but sorry. But still. But grace. Above all a grace to be able to eat, dine on grace, to sit at the tables and have breakfast and share this is the meal he prepares for us. A meal of grace. We're going to do it in a moment. We're going to gather around this table, we're going to eat the meal of grace. We're going to share around the bread and the wine, the symbols that tell us because of his death and resurrection. Like Peter, I'm no longer forgiven. I'm not just forgiven even. The slate wiped clean, the slate started again, fresh, new, washed, made holy and righteous. Not just that, but also grace that says, You are my child who I love. With you I am well pleased. Because of what I have done in you and because of the work I am doing in you. That you are blessed, that you are mine, and your heart cries out a Father. And the grace for tomorrow, the strength that you need to live as Christ lived, to perhaps one day die as Christ died, but to do so with his strength and his enabling. And so I invite you now to breakfast, to the meal that Jesus prepares for us. It isn't my table, it's the Lord's table. It isn't me at the head, it is him at the head. And while we serve it to one another, we are sharing and remembering. He died and rose. So like Peter, we could know his grace, that our associations, our memories could be transformed. Those things that once defined us and would call down accusations are now no longer that. They are reminders of the mercy and grace of God. So I don't know where this lands for each one of you, but I would like to just make two invitations. For those of you for whom life is difficult, where you feel like there is a failure, where you feel like you have fallen short or not lived up to God's calling, whatever it is, I would just say there is grace for you. I would ask you to invite God to come and eat the meal, to receive the grace that says, that is no longer how I see you, that is no longer what defines you. If you see yourself as a worker, realize that that is not what God has called you to. It's not a bad thing, but it is only the shadows. There are depths of grace that call you his child, his beloved, that he wants to invite you to. And if you're living in a way that you feel like I'm a worker, but I don't feel like I'm a worshiper, if I do things for God, but I don't feel like I'm his child, then I invite you to receive the grace of his adoption, the grace of him calling you by name, of the spirit within you that cries out, Abba Father, to confirm that you are his. But I also want to give another invitation for anyone who has heard of Jesus or sung about Jesus, or even perhaps has learned something of Jesus, but have never been able to come to him yourself. The Bible says that all of us are separated from God by our sins that we cannot fix, and by our desire to try and hold things together like Peter did. I can manage it by myself, I don't need help. But there is a deadness that comes with this, and there's a difficulty that comes with it. And Jesus died and rose again so that you wouldn't have to live in your own strength and by your own righteousness anymore. And he invites you too to come and receive grace. Invites you to come and to receive mercy and kindness. In a moment, I'm going to pray, and then we'll take communion together. I'm just going to pray for those two groups of people. Those who need grace because they feel like they tasted it but then have fallen away like Peter. And those who have never tasted it, the grace is the same. But God will deal with each of you as you are, individually, because he knows you better than I do. He knows what you need. We're going to ask him to speak to your heart and to hear this not as my invitation, but my invitation on behalf of God who issues the invite. Come, come to me. And so, Father, because you've made that invitation, you've invited all those who are weary and heavy burdened, all those who have sensed your grace but perhaps feel like they have fallen short, all those who have known something of your calling and your enabling, but have stumbled, or have acted or spoken in a way that would not be fitting for a disciple, for those who constantly feel under condemnation, or the enemy accusing, or feeling like they aren't doing enough, or doing too much in the wrong way, whatever it may be, Lord, we ask that you would issue your invitation by your spirit to come and receive the grace of adoption. To come and realize that all you asked for was our heart, the ability to say we love you, Lord. That the reason you came and lived and died and rose was that your family might be restored. Sons and daughters, being able to call you our Father, our Father. So I pray, Father, that you would bring back your sons and daughters who have relegated themselves to workers, who have reduced themselves because of what they've done, perhaps mistakes they have made or sins that they've done, they feel like they can never come back, that they are undeserving. Would you, Holy Spirit, show that your grace is greater, that your mercy triumphs over whatever it may be, and that your longing is to restore your children to yourself. Father, we pray for those who perhaps have never come, who have stood at a distance and watched on, but today perhaps feel your spirit calling them to take a next step. So we just pray, Father, a prayer that that echoes that first step. That Lord, we know that we are sinners, that we cannot fix ourselves, that we are broken and lost. But we ask you, Lord, would you come into their hearts? Would you make them new? Would you give them your life? We just thank you, Jesus. We thank you for the change that you bring. We thank you for the life that you give. We thank you for your grace and your mercy. And we ask now you would just fill us with that same joy that we saw in Peter in that story. That excitement. We are alive. We are forgiven. We can make complete fools of ourselves because it doesn't matter, we belong to you. Would you fill us, Lord, with that delight? That we're your children. What boldness that gives us, what delight that brings. That then that never changes. We can't cut ourselves off from the family, we can't we can't disown we're yours. Nothing changes by the way we act, what we do, your grace triumphs over it all, and again and again you pour it out. Help us to live in that, Lord. Help us to live in the sheer delight and excitement of that. Help us live in the joy. Because it was joy, Lord. You said it was the joy set before you that you went to the cross, the joy of your family being restored, the joy of sinners being saved, of children being redeemed. May we share in that joy now as we come to this meal, the most important meal of the day, the one that symbolizes your death and resurrection and all that you've done to bring us home. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your grace and mercy. Thank you for Peter and the testimony of his story and what it teaches us. Help us to live as an Easter person in the light of your death and resurrection and all that it is done. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

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