This blog is based on the chapter “Jesus Encourages Peter To Take Care of His Sheep” first published in 2004 in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 327-333.

When God’s people returned to the Promised Land from their exile in Babylon, they needed hope. Even though they had failed God many times in the past, they needed to be able to hope that God would restore them to the place of fruitful service in the Promised Land.

They found hope in these words from Isaiah:

   Even youths grow tired and weary,
       and [even youths] stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:30-31)

Peter needed such hope in the LORD.

After he repeatedly failed Jesus, Peter wanted to return from “exile” to the Promised Land. Despite Peter’s abysmal failures, he needed to be able to hope that he could be restored to the place of fruitful service to God.

Peter knew that he had started well in following Jesus. How could he ever forget that thrilling day when Jesus first called him to stop being a fisherman so that he could become a fisher of people?

Unfortunately, Peter followed a pattern familiar to poor golfers such as me. After making a good shot, he got so puffed up and excited that his next shot was terrible!

During three years following Jesus, Peter often followed this pattern of pride coming before a failure.

The only way left to cure Peter of his impulsive, irrepressible pride was the hard way. Peter was going to learn what happens when “Satan . . . sift[s] you as wheat” (Luke 22:31).

Peter was going to learn what happens when you hear the words of Jesus and do not put them into practice, becoming “like a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Matthew 7:26).

Peter was going to find out what it is like when “[t]he rain comes down, the streams [rise], and the winds [blow] and beat against that house, and it [falls] with a great crash” (Matthew 7:27).

Peter learned these bitter lessons in the courtyard of the high priest, as Jesus was being condemned. When Jesus most needed Peter’s friendship, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. As Peter shouted his denial,

[t]he Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.  (Luke 22:60-62).

This picture of Peter weeping bitterly was the last time we saw him until Mary Magdalene ran to tell him that the tomb was empty on that first Easter morning.

“Peter . . . got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened” (Luke 24:12).

By the evening of that first Easter, however, Peter knew the truth. Jesus was alive! The two men who came back from their “exile” in Emmaus were told, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter]” (Luke 24:34).

We do not know any details of the first time Peter met his resurrected Lord. But the Gospel of John provides a detailed account of a later meeting between Peter and the resurrected Jesus.

This meeting took place near the Sea of Galilee while Peter was fishing. The circumstances must have reminded Peter of that first time when Jesus called him to be a fisher of people.

Once again, Peter fished all night without success. Once again, Jesus urged him to try again. And once again, Peter caught a huge number of fish. (John 21:1-6).

Peter was overjoyed when he realized that Jesus had come again. In his enthusiasm to join Jesus, Peter was as impulsive and irrepressible as ever. He “wrapped his outer  garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water” (John 21:7).

The other disciples brought the boat into shore (John 21:8). Jesus prepared “a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread”. (John 21:9; Isaiah 6:5-9). Peter and the other disciples accepted the invitation by Jesus: “Come and have breakfast” (John 21:12).

Then a shadow fell across the fellowship between Peter and Jesus. Peter had failed to listen to Jesus so often. Most of all, Peter had failed Jesus in that critical moment-of-testing when Peter denied Jesus three times.

Now, with other disciples there, Jesus knew that the time was right to clear the air between Peter and him.

To let the other disciples know that Peter was fully forgiven.

To let Peter and the rest of the disciples know that Jesus still had a purpose for Peter’s life—despite all of Peter’s failures and failings.

To let Peter and the rest of the disciples know that Jesus would carry Peter over oceans of failures until he reached the Promised Land!

Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times. Now Peter told Jesus three times that he loved him. (John 21:15-17).

Peter had often acted as if he knew more than Jesus. Now Peter admitted: “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you” (John 21:17).

Jesus put hope back into Peter’s heart.

Yes, Peter had failed. He had fallen away from Jesus at a dark moment when Satan sifted him like wheat.

But now Jesus gave Peter hope that he would never deny Jesus again. Jesus predicted (correctly, according to tradition) that Peter would be crucified for following Jesus (John 21:18-19).

In the end, Peter would indeed keep the promise he made to Jesus at the Last Supper: “I will lay down my life for you” (John 13:37).

Furthermore, Jesus put purpose back into Peter’s life. Despite the fact that Peter had  failed Jesus in the past, Jesus still wanted Peter to be a fisher of people instead of a fisherman. Jesus still wanted Peter “to [f]eed my lambs,” “t]ake care of my sheep,” and “[f]eed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).

No matter how badly you’ve failed Jesus, never lose hope.

It doesn’t matter exactly why and how you’ve failed Jesus. Perhaps you fell away because of troubles or persecutions. Or perhaps your fruitfulness was choked by worries, the deceitfulness of wealth, or the desire for other things.

Jesus still knows all things. Jesus still knows that you love him.

Furthermore, Jesus still has a purpose for your life. There are many ways to care for his sheep—to bless all peoples in the Promised Land by becoming their “best friend.”

You may be best at weeping with those who weep. You may be best at washing people’s feet. You may be best at welcoming sinners. Or, you may be best at taking children in your arms and blessing them.

Jesus still calls you—as he called Peter—with this command and with this challenge: “Follow me!” (John 21:19).

And, if you follow Jesus, he will carry you across oceans of denials and failures until you reach the Promised Land.

Therefore, follow Jesus as he calls you back home from the “exile” of your failures—as he heals your Promised Land.

Follow Jesus as he brings hope to your heart—as he gives you the strength to establish the Work of your hands in the Promised Land.

Follow Jesus as he gives purpose to your life—as he gives you the joy and peace that come from lighting the world by blessing all peoples in the Promised Land.

Follow Jesus Christ because he rose from the dead, proving that in the Promised Land:

   [T]hose who hope in the LORD
       will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:31)

READ MORE

To learn about a number of times Peter followed a pattern of pride coming before a failure, please read the chapter “Jesus Tells Peter To Take Care of His Sheep” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 328-331.

When I talk about the Promised Land, I am not talking about a geographic concept. I am talking about a spiritual concept—a “Promised Land” where “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). I used this spiritual concept in all my books, most notably The Promised Land and Healing the Promised Land.

To read why I believe Jesus rose from the dead, please read the chapters “Caiaphas and Pilate Ensure No One Can Steal Jesus’ Body” and “God the Father Resurrects His Son, Jesus Christ” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 297-308.

To read about the effect of the Resurrection of Jesus on his followers, please read my blogs “Overcoming Oceans of Despair”,  “Overcoming Oceans of Hopeless Confusion”, “Overcoming Oceans of Fears”, and “Overcoming Oceans of Doubts”; and the chapters “As Mary Cries, Jesus Comes and Calls Her by Name”, “A Healthy Jesus Walks to Emmaus”, “Jesus Tells the Disciples, ‘Peace Be with You!’”, “Jesus Overcomes the Doubts of Doubting Thomas”, and “Jesus Encourages Peter to Take Care of His Sheep” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 309-333.

Since this blog is taken from the ending of my book Hoping in the Lord, I incorporate a number of phrases that I develop at great length elsewhere in my writings.  For example, Hoping in the LORD develops the idea of being “best friends” with others who bless children, welcome sinners, weep together, and wash each other’s feet, as Jesus did. In Lighting the World, I add the idea of being best friends who laugh together. In The Promised Land, I describe how Moses established the Work of his hands.