We all know Peter…. He’s one of the more fully drawn characters in the NT…. A major figure in all four gospels. Definitely a leader both theologically and practically, with a well defined relationship with Jesus…. sometimes getting it absolutely right…. Sometimes so wrong he makes us cringe with embarrassment, receiving devastating rebukes from Jesus. But always there, always close to his master.
Except, of course, at the climax…. Suddenly he’s out of the picture. As far as we know, Peter wasn’t at Golgotha
, wasn’t present when Jesus was crucified. So it may seem odd to start our HW meditations with him, with someone who wasn’t there. That in itself gives us a point of connection with Peter…. we weren’t there either! And, painful though it may be, we can use his failure, his betrayal of Jesus, whom he so clearly and shiningly loved, to explore our failures as individuals and as church to follow the example Jesus left us. How does that feel? How did it feel to be Peter, in the story we’ve just heard? Did he go off to hide as far away as possible from that greatest of all events, too ashamed to be seen at all, but longing to be forgiven? Or perhaps despite his shame he was there, creeping around the edge of the crowd, shocked beyond measure at what was going on…. but still too ashamed to join the disciples and the women at the cross, leaving it to John “the disciple whom Jesus loved” to be there, to receive the charge to be a son to Mary.
Surely his heart must have been full of pain…. the pure grief and bewilderment at what was happening to Jesus – how could the adulation of the crowd have turned to this? And the personal pain and doubt about his own role in what was happening, his shock at Judas’ betrayal – Judas was one of their own after all, did Peter reproach himself that he had not seen what was going on: him, Peter, the disciples’ acknowledged leader, surely he could have found a way of stopping it. surely all Jesus’ dark sayings couldn’t have meant this? And now, of course, the recognition of his own lack of courage – denying Jesus in the courtyard and now so frightened of the consequences of going to the cross…. of being identified with Jesus, the physical fear, and the fear of what those who were already there might say to him, of his own reaction to the well-known horror of death by crucifixion. In those dark hours Peter must have looked at himself in a completely new light, have seen deep into his soul…. And hated what he found there
Let’s travel the road Peter took from his family fishing business by the Sea of Galilee, to become “top disciple”, and then to that courtyard where he heard the cock crow three times and knew he had betrayed the man he had recognised as the Messiah, the son of the living God. For us this is an exercise, inevitably shaped in our minds by what we know happened next – that Peter was indeed the rock on which Jesus built his church. But Peter didn’t know that. Such an obvious thing to say, but so hard to realise.
Let’s go back a bit…think about how the strength and character of Peter’s faith combined with his particular personality and led to amazing highs and lows in his life with Jesus, then ask ourselves whether we can see any similar effects in our own more prosaic lives.
This passage seems to embody many of Peter’s characteristics…
And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ 28 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29 He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind,* he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’
‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ I love that. Slightly uncertain he may have been about exactly who it was out there, but Peter knew that if it was indeed Jesus then something extraordinary was happening, and that if that was so then he wanted to be a part of it - and above all that he couldn’t do it, this walking on the water thing, alone… he needed Jesus to take initiative and give him strength and power… it was no good just getting out of the boat, however much he wanted to. And he nearly makes it, but sudden awareness of the danger intervenes and he panics…. So then we have one of several instances where Jesus reprimands him – this time perhaps quite affectionately: “You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ “Well”, Peter might have felt, at least he had tried, had been prepared to put himself on the line… his failure, if that was what it was, was the result of taking the lead. Just so, it is his full hearted recognition that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the one with “the words of eternal life”, in response to Jesus’ question “Who do you say that I am” that precedes the devastating reproof “Get behind me Satan”.
It almost seems that it’s Peter’s good qualities that undermine him. He’s definitely a leader, he’s brave, he’s confident…. He goes too far with his enthusiasm….. he embarrasses himself (he certainly embarrasses us in the transfiguration story when he feels the need to fill a sacred silence with puppy like efforts to please) he can be officious with the crowds. But through it all Jesus sees something amazing in him….. something that leads him to say , ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! I tell you, you are Peter,* and on this rock* I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”
I went to a Lent group recently where we were asked to think of wonderful things in creation – no problem there: sky, sea, mountains, stars, babies growing in the womb….. but then we were asked to say what was wonderful about ourselves (the answer God loves us was not the right one!). No-one could do it though, this being church, everyone could say something that was wonderful about the others in our small groups. And yet we all have gifts and like Peter could learn to use them better in the service of God.
31"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
33But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
34Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."
In the OT, we hear about God accepting a challenge from Satan and allowing him to test a good and prosperous man called Job. Job is subjected to every sorrow and hardship – his children die, he loses his land, his home, his possessions, he has loathsome skin diseases…. but though he argues with God and questions him he remains faithful… and the story has a happy ending. And so does the story of Peter, but the route and means of redemption are very different. Job’s troubles are heaped on him from outside, but Peter’s downfall comes from within himself, as the strength and certainty he had relied on are removed and he finds nothing within himself that can save him from fear. Looked at from one perspective, the story of that long long night of the last supper, the vigil in Gethsemane, the arrest of Jesus, is a litany of failure by the disciples, and Peter seems to lead them in this as he has led them before and will again. As always, he has been the one to speak out what others may have felt – “others may leave you Lord, but I never will” – does a chill go down your spine, a chill of recognition that such overconfidence is doomed?
36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane
, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Twice more he comes back, and twice they are sleeping again…. So that when the soldiers and priests come, led by Judas, they are startled and bewildered, leaping to their feet and struggling for the right way to act. Once again Peter’s instincts lead him astray
10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)
11Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
And so the last recorded words Jesus speaks to Peter before he goes to his death are a rebuke, and an injunction to let God’s will be done in just the way Peter has always found hardest to contemplate…. Letting God’s will be done even though he doesn’t understand it and can’t see how it could possibly make sense.
We began our meditation by looking at what came next, getting as close as we could to Peter’s sense of failure, his guilt and shame and the sudden clarity as he saw how he had been led to betray his master as surely as Judas had.
But now let’s look ahead, and let’s focus on the forgiveness, the redemption, that Peter found. Remember the words of Jesus:
32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
And Peter’s own words in the boat:
‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’
As I’ve looked at Peter to prepare this, it’s become clear that when his strength is linked by his faith in Jesus, his love for Jesus, to the will of Jesus, the will of God, he can do what he sets out to do – can walk on water, heal, preach and lead. When he relies on himself, listens to his own voices, he fails as he did in the courtyard that night.
Jesus knows all this, but still chooses him, takes the risk of relying on him, loves him…. can we imagine the look that passed between them after the denial? And Jesus keeps on giving him another chance. Can we come again to the foot of the cross and think about the chances, the life, the assurance of love, that Jesus bought for us there? And ask him again to take our strength, our weakness and use all we are, as he was able to use Peter. Whatever we’ve done, however we see ourselves, there is always another chance with God. And so it was for Peter.
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17The 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."
18Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, 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." 19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.
Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
D and W have been friends since they were three, and yesterday was W's 14th birthday. It was also St George's Day, and W's mother had made this magnificent cake as pudding for his birthday lunch. The red and white flag of St George had a heap of raspberries at its centre and we lit the whole thing with sparkler candles. Although it seemed a crime to eat it, I'm pleased to say it was delicious! Sadly, St G and the dragon themselves were plastic and so lived to fight another day..... although attempts to set light to the former's lance left it a bit droopy so next time the dragon may well win. Which just goes to show that the Starfleet Prime Directive is well founded in the need not to do things that might change the course of history. 
Recent Comments