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Peter denied Jesus Christ 3 times.  Jesus even told Peter he was going to do it.

At the Last Supper, as Jesus was speaking of His suffering He was about to accomplish, Peter’s pride got the best of him.  Peter said he would never stumble, even if everyone else did.

Jesus said to Peter that very night he was going to deny Him 3 times before a rooster crowed.

Now how many times had Peter been with Jesus that His predictions came true?  How many miracles had Peter seen Jesus do in their time together?  Peter had even testified that Jesus was the Christ.  He knew Jesus was the Son of God.  There was no doubt in his mind or heart about the deity of Jesus.

But on this night, for some reason, Peter couldn’t hear what Jesus was telling him.  Peter was so blind to what Jesus was saying that he even swore he would die before denying Jesus!  It was not the last time he would swear an oath that night.

It was going to be a long night.  They went to the garden so Jesus could pray.  He wanted His disciples near while He prayed by Himself.  It was not like other times when Jesus sent His disciples away while He prayed.  On this night, Jesus needed the men who had been with Him the last several years to be near, particularly, Peter, James, and John.

Peter was one of 3 men who were nearest Jesus while He prayed this night.  Can we say that Peter was one of 3 men who knew Him best on this earth?  It wasn’t the first time these 3 men were with Jesus apart from the rest of the disciples.

Peter couldn’t stay awake and pray while Jesus was praying not far from him.  The other men fell asleep too, but then, Peter is the one who said he would die before denying Jesus.

It was a great multitude that came to arrest Jesus.  They had swords and clubs, as if Jesus had been anything other than gentle, merciful, humble, kind, willing to heal anyone.  Sure, He stood up to the Pharisees and Sadducees, but He was never violent and He never sinned.

To Peter’s credit, he did pull out his sword to fight back, but that’s not what Jesus wanted.  Jesus Christ came to save men’s lives and not destroy them.  So, Jesus healed the man who Peter struck.

While the other disciples fled, Peter followed the crowd as they took Jesus to the High Priest.

This was Peter’s time to fulfill the oath he swore to Jesus that he would never deny Him.

When a servant girl said to Peter that he was with Jesus, Peter denied it.  Here was this big, strong, fisherman telling a servant girl that she was wrong.  Wow.  Then Peter followed up his denial before everyone by saying he didn’t know what she was talking about.

This was not a flippant conversation.  Peter was making a statement and taking a stand.  He officially denied ever knowing Jesus Christ.  Everything Peter had been through with Jesus; he was now denying.  All the miracles, everything he had learned about Jesus and himself, and all the intimate moments of fellowship with the living God, Peter was now saying he had never been a part of.

Another girl saw Peter and said he had been with Jesus.  Again, Peter denied it openly.

Finally, a group of people approached Peter and said he was one of Jesus’ disciples, because his speech gave him away.

So, Peter swore that he did not know Jesus.  Here was his oath, in the face of what Jesus warned him about earlier that evening as they had dinner together.  He also started cursing, that is, he used the language of the world so many find comfortable in their daily lives.

When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken to him regarding his boastful oath.  I’m sure he found a very quiet and solitary place to shed his tears.  I don’t think Peter’s own death was as painful as denying his Lord and Savior 3 times.

How many times have each of us found ourselves carrying the pain of regret that Peter now felt?

After Jesus’ death, when there was nothing left but the grief of his own weakness, Peter went fishing with many of the other disciples.  They were his friends and I’m sure they did their best to console him.

That night they didn’t catch anything.  It wasn’t until morning, when a stranger on the shore yelled to them and told them to throw their net on the other side of the boat that they finally caught fish.

How many times had they thrown their net on that side of the boat?  If you have ever gone fishing, you cast your line in multiple places, but here they are, listening to what they think is a total stranger.  Patiently, they pulled the net up and cast it on the other side of the boat.  Maybe they felt they didn’t have anything to lose.

On this particular morning, Jesus Christ was a stranger to the disciples on the boat.  He called to them and told them the way in which they should go.  They listened to Him and were rewarded with a very large catch of fish.  Plus, they got to see their Lord in action and learn something new about Him; that maybe He doesn’t always look like they expect.

When they made a big catch, it was John who realized that the stranger on the shore was Jesus.

Peter threw himself into the sea and swam to Jesus.  We can only speculate what was said between them.  Those moments with Jesus were as private as the tears he had shed so many days before.

What we do hear is Jesus asking Peter repeatedly if he loves Him.  Each time Peter says that he loves Jesus.  Peter said that Jesus knows all things; that He knows Peter’s heart and knows how much he loves Him.

Peter had denied Jesus 3 times.  Now, Jesus was asking Peter 3 times if he loved Him.  Each time Peter confessed his love for Jesus, Jesus gave Peter a task.  After Peter’s denial when Jesus was arrested, Jesus was now restoring Peter and putting him in charge of His church.

I want to remind you that Jesus Christ rose on the third day.  He came to this earth to speak with mankind and teach them His ways so that every single person who will believe in Him, may have eternal life. Jesus Christ did this for you. 

Father, Son, and Holy Spirt; these 3 are one in Heaven.

The Spirit, the water, and the blood; these 3 agree as One on earth. 1 John 5:6-13

(Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–20)
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. Matthew 16:13-20

(Mark 14:27–31; Luke 22:31–34; John 13:36–38)
31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And so said all the disciples. Matthew 26:31-35

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” John 21:15-19

6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:6-13