When Jesus was arrested, Peter was afraid. So much so, that he denied that he even knew Him.When Peter realised what he had done, he wept bitterly (Matt 26:75). He had meant to do so much for Jesus. Now he'd made a mess of it all. He wouldn't be able to do much for Jesus now.
When the women went to the tomb on the first day of the week after the Crucifixion, they saw an angel. "He is risen!" the angel said. "He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples - and Peter - that he is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him, as he said to you" (Mark 16:6, 7).
And Peter. So Peter wasn't discounted, cast away, forgotten. (Soon, at Pentecost, after his restoration, Peter would preach and see 3,000 converted. But Peter didn't know that yet.)
When the risen Jesus appeared to a group of the disciples on the shore of Lake Galilee, they ate with Him. When they had eaten, Jesus said to Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."
"Feed my lambs.
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?"
"Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."
"Tend my sheep.
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?"
"Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
"Feed my sheep" (John 21:15 - 17).
Why did Jesus ask him three times? Peter understood. He was asking him three times because he had denied Him three times. Peter had failed, and that failure had to be dealt with. But not a word of condemnation. Not a word of reproof.
Our failures have to be dealt with too. Sometimes it hurts. But not a word of condemnation. What grace.
