Thought for Today – Peter’s Blunders and Ours Too – Part 8 John 20: 21-23 states, Again Jesus said, “’Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’ Afterwards, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times. The Lord was using the highest form of love, agape, which is the Greek word for the highest kind of sacrificial, divine love. However, Peter used a lesser form of love “phileo” which is the love of a friend. Therefore, when Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, He meant “’agape” - the highest kind of sacrificial, divine love. Since Peter couldnt honestly say this, he was hurt. Therefore, he used the love of a friend. This occurred two times. The third time of Jesus’ questioning, He lowered the form of love to “phileo” - a love of a friend, that Peter could answer in the affirmative. Although Jesus tested Peters love for Him, and asked His disciple to follow Him, there was no wagging of the fingers at the horrible day of the denial. No, Jesus accepted Peter, and Peter accepted the Lords call to follow Him. If Jesus could have gone in the past, it was only to remind Peter of the prophesy that we find in Matthew 16:18-19, where Jesus says, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven. Jesus accepts all of us just the way we are, and expects tremendous things from all of us in the power of His Holy Spirit, once we quit fighting Him. We have to accept His game plan for our lives. Father, thank You so very much that we are made the righteousness of God through the blood of your Son, Jesus. Thank You for accepting us when we make blunders. By Your Holy Spirit, we want to grow in your righteousness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 01:27:34 +0000