The beach was quiet and vacant as the tired fisherman came
in from the sea with empty nets. To no
avail they had fished all night until a call came from the shore suggesting that
they lower their nets once more. John
realized that it was the voice of their beloved resurrected Teacher. The yield was too great for any one of them to
pull in alone. After sitting around the
fire with full bellies, Jesus turns to Peter meeting him eye to eye. We cannot know if this was a private
conversation, but we certainly can imagine the anxious and humbling emotions
Peter must have been experiencing. Did the
warmth of the fire remind Peter that the last fire he stood before was full of
denials? As Jesus passed him the pan of
fish, did Peter’s eyes settle on the scars on the hands of Jesus, creating
anguish in his sole and sadness in his heart?
Jesus knew that He had a purpose for Peter – to be the rock which His
church would be built upon. Jesus also
knew that before Peter could be effective in his service, he would need the
forgiving scarred hands of Jesus. While
we cannot know for sure their exchange, we can know with certainty that
repentance and forgiveness took place.
That cool and crisp morning as the sun rose up into the sky, so did the
call upon Peter’s life. Jesus spoke the
chilling words to him, ‘Follow me.’
Peter knew that to follow Jesus would mean to follow in the
suffering for the Name of God. He was
prepared to fish for men regardless of the darkness of the waters ahead of
him. He spoke the message throughout the
regions regardless of the consequences.
On one occasion, he was brought before the Sanhedrin and flogged, being
commanded to go and never speak in the name of Jesus again. Bleeding and battered we would expect the
Peter who denied Christ three times to be frightened into spiritual amnesia again
- but not the new Peter, the rock … the forgiven …the redeemed. ‘The
apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of
suffering disgrace for the Name. Day
after day…they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus
is the Christ’ Acts 5:41.
If we are to truly follow Jesus we must be prepared to
suffer for Him. This life provides the
backdrop for intense suffering in all kinds of ways. During painful times we share in the
fellowship of Christ’s suffering allowing God to rest upon our circumstances. Witnessing that our faith is sufficient
through the power of God brings glory to both God and validation to the message
of God. It doesn’t matter what sinful fire
we stood before in the past, God will use us for mighty things in His kingdom
once we become reconciled with Him. ‘Peter had repented, and here Jesus was
asking him to commit his life. Peter’s
life changed when he finally realized who Jesus was. His occupation changed from fisherman to
evangelist; his identity changed from impetuous to “rock;” and his relationship
to Jesus changed- he was forgiven, and he finally understood the significance
of Jesus’ words about death and resurrection.’ Life Application Study
Bible, p. 2286.
We all have the same invitation to follow Him all the way
through death to resurrection, sharing in His suffering, His death, His
resurrection and His eternity!
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