What Only Grace Could Call Good

Last night, with Peter and the rest of the disciples, we took our place in the upper room, at the dinner table with Jesus as host.  We discovered that we must not only follow and serve Jesus, but we must allow him to touch and serve us, ministering to us at the very place where we need the "full extent of his love." 

Tonight, we will accompany Peter as he goes with Jesus from the upper room to the Garden.   There he will be betrayed into his enemies hands, he will be tried, condemned, mocked, scourged, and finally nails will pierce his wrists and feet, the cross will be lifted up and dropped into a whole, his arms will become dislocated and he will spend three agonizing hours pushing up on the nails in his feet so that he might get a breath of air. 

Finally, he will declare that "It is finished."  He will surrender his spirit to his Father in heaven, and the Son of God will die at the hands of those whom he came to save. 

Peter will watch from a distance, growing more fearful as each moment passes. In this night, he will go from the brave defender, deftly cutting off a soldier's ear, ready to fight to the death for Jesus, to a cursing coward, denying Christ three times publicly, even shouting his profanity in the face of a little girl. 

When the cock's crow greets the morning, Peter will be a defeated denying disciple.  Sifted by Satan like wheat, poured out and utterly faithless. 

It is a terrible night, dear friends, which only the eyes of faith can see as "Good Friday" which only grace could call "good" at all. 

Back in the upper room, preparing for the events that he knows would consume him; Jesus tried to prepare his disciples.  Look at these words from Luke 22:31-34

“Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me."

This text from Luke was early on a source of great confusion for me.  Jesus not only predicts his own death, but also Peter's denials.  We know this from many different gospel passages.  But in this text, Jesus says that "Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you." 

But notice what he doesn’t say.: 
He doesn’t say, “I have prayed for you so that you won’t have to go through this ordeal.“
Or “I have prayed for you so that you will stand firm and die with me.”
Or, “I have prayed for you so that you won’t deny me.”

No, Jesus says none of this. Instead, he says, “I have prayed for you so that your faith will not fail”…when you deny me.  He then says, “once you have turned back” or as another version says, “once you recover”, “strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus prays that Peter would be of help to the others because of the failure that he is about to experience.  Jesus knows Peter better than Peter knows himself.  Jesus knows the future and predicts it accurately.  Jesus understands and prays for Peter even knowing that he will deny him. 

Of course, Peter wasn’t the only one to deny Jesus.  Judas Iscariot is the famous betrayer of Jesus; the one who received 30 pieces of silver to turn Jesus over to the Roman and Jewish authorities.  And most of us probably think that Judas’ betrayal was far worse.   Peter may have denied Jesus to avoid death, but he didn’t betray Jesus and cause his death.

But let’s think about that again.

Judas was one of the twelve, one of the followers of Christ that lived and ministered with him.  So, to betray Jesus for a profit is certainly a terrible thing.  But some scholars have conjectured that Judas was likely a zealot.  A member of a revolutionary party, who thought that Jesus was the one who was going to start the war with Rome.  It could be that Judas, like Peter, was getting annoyed by Jesus’ talk of dying and wanted to force his hand.  He may very well have betrayed Jesus with the intent of making Jesus start the overthrow, while he made a quick profit. 

Peter was also confused by Jesus’ actions, but Jesus had spent considerable extra time teaching and correcting him.  Peter was the one who knew that Jesus was the Messiah.  Peter was one of the ones who went to the Garden when Jesus prayed for help.  Peter was the one upon whom Christ had promised to build his church.  And Peter was one of the inner three; one of Jesus’ best friends.  In many ways, Peter’s denial is even more unthinkable than Judas’ betrayal.

So, what’s difference?  Why do we honor Peter today but Judas is still considered a traitor?  It is not the gravity of their failures.  It is what they did with their failures. 

Judas had not learned to trust Jesus.  Judas was used to taking things into his own hands.  Judas betrays Jesus and then in remorse, realizing that he's been a pawn for Jesus' enemies, takes even his failure into his own hand and take his life by his own hand.

Peter had learned to trust Jesus.  Peter trusted Jesus with even his failures. And from Peter we too learn that to fully follow Jesus, we must trust him with everything, even our failures of him.

In my book, Showtime, I described how as a young Christian I denied I was a Christian in the face of a direct question by a homeless man in front of a small crowd of strangers. Peter denied Jesus because he feared for his life. I denied Jesus because I feared being embarrassed in front of people I didn't even know. I thought I would never be able to be a pastor, but what I learned that night was that our failing Christ is never the final word. 

Can we trust Jesus with even our failures of him?  Can we believe that the death on the cross that Jesus suffered is meant to pay even for our sins that put him there? 

Let's make no mistake.  We all have betrayed Jesus.  We all have rejected the love he came to show.  It was our sins that put him on the cross.  It was for our love that he died. 

When Jesus dies, Peter is not around.  John is there; the thief on the cross is there.  Judas is dead at his own hand.  Peter is running in grief. 

My friends, let us stay near the cross.  Let us not think that somehow, this sacrifice is never enough for our sins.  Let's look to the cross and see that this Friday, in all of it's horror is the most "Good Friday" of all. 

Because nothing, not even our denial of Christ can thwart his love poured out on that cross. It is time to walk with Jesus into the darkness of Good Friday. 

Comments

[Derek Simmons]

Thanks, Tod. The Light of Easter appears so much brighter when seen in dark contrast to the days that led Him there, and to the even blacker nature of my sin that put Him there. It is so much easier for me to see Easter as the "big deal" it is when we have walked with Him through this preceding Holy Week, when we can sing "Were you there?" and answer YES!
Your Brother in Christ,
Derek

[Becky]

Thank you Tod. An awesome message of truth and hope. God bless you and your family this Easter, as you remember, as you draw closer, as you say, "Thank you Jesus!"

[Mark]

Another awesome message, Tod!

[Rev John Telfer Brown]

"Let's make no mistake. We all have betrayed Jesus. We all have rejected the love he came to show. It was our sins that put him on the cross. It was for our love that he died."

These are wonderful words... how can we ever forget the wonderful sacrifice He made for us?

Another great post! Thank you Ted.
GBYAY

[Rev John Telfer Brown]

Oooops, should have said Tod, please forgive me! :)
GBYAY

[Steve]

Tod:

Thanks. It may be Friday, all dark and sad, and Jesus is in that tomb, and all the disciples are a' hidin'. But, remember, Sunday is a' coming!

Amen, and Amen. Grace for the journey to Africa, good friend.