It was in the darkness of night. No one really knew the how or why of it all. A mockery of a trial that broke every rule of justice. Little to no sleep. Yet, Jesus had told them, this was coming. He had rebuked Peter when he said, “it cannot be.” And had even called him, Satan to suggest it. Still, who would have thought, the Jewish priests would carry on such a injustice, breaking every rule of their own court. Peter had been even told of his impending failure, yet he did not believe. In fact, he believed he would fight to the death to protect His Lord. Now as the scene played out and Jesus was facing the trials of the Jewish leaders, Peter denied his Lord three times. Broken, He fled the scene. But He would soon know the humbling effects of forgiveness, grace, and love.
How dark must have been those hours for Peter. He could not forgive himself. Not after all this. It was cold and dark. The world seemed to be completely upside down. He had followed Jesus to the courtyard; but seemed hours there alone in the cold. Surrounded only by the riffraff. He wanted to warm his heart and soul by the fires. Jesus inside before the elder priest and then taken through the courtyards to the house of Caiaphas. What was happening? He waited, wondering, remembering. He had tried to save Jesus with his sword in the Garden and Jesus told him, no? In fact, Jesus restored the ear of the guard. So, what was happening? Was it all over? Could this be the end? Then, Peter did the one thing he thought himself was the unforgiveable offense. He denied His Lord.
An Unforgiveable Offense
Have you ever felt like you failed God? Failed to follow His commands or found yourself falling into the same pit of temptation, repeatedly? I have. Peter did. David did. Then it is with a broken and contrite heart, one looks upon Him again. Peter did not come to the foot of the cross as Jesus died. Did he feel himself unworthy? Perhaps.
When Jesus had turned to look at him, Peter felt the eyes of Jesus penetrate his heart and soul. All too often through my life I have also felt the sting—Jesus eyes penetrating my heart, condemning. Yet, because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross,
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 1:1-2
How do we know that? Can we truly know the Humbling Effects of Forgiveness, Grace, and Love? What is it to know that we are forgiven? Then, with that same humility we forgive others because of the gracious love of Jesus in us.
Romans 7
13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Our Dilemma, as was Peter’s
Deep within us, we want to believe that we are different. We desire to believe that we would make the right choices. Be strong for Jesus. Today and forever. Yet, truth is:
Romans 3: 9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their throat is an open [d]tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become [e]guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
What a humbling effect to know the depth of our own sin and then to realize the forgiveness, grace and love that Jesus bought for us on the cross.
Oh, what humbling effect of Forgiveness, grace and Love abounds
It must have been with a broken heart Peter gathered with the apostles after Jesus’ crucifixion. How heavy a heart, he must have had! Yet, note that when Jesus was seen by the women, He told them to run and tell the apostles and tell Peter. Oh, what grace and love abounded for Peter, regardless of his failure! What precious love that Jesus has for each of His sheep, even when we wander astray.
Peter so excited that Jesus was resurrected, still did not understand his role going forward. After all, he had failed God, so how could he be useful for anything. He returned to fishing. It was all he knew and what he was good at. He could not continue to fail his Savior there. But Jesus had a different plan.
Back at the beginning, Jesus had met Peter at the shores of the lake. Again, this night, there were no fish. So perhaps even as a fisherman, he felt his ineptitude. He was naked in that boat when he looked across the sea to see Jesus on the shore. Quickly, he wrapped his naked body with a robe and began to swim across the sea. Must like us, we want to cover up the nakedness of our sinful hearts when we come to the Savior. But He see us and knows who we are.
Jesus walked with Peter that day and with a simple question revealed the depths of His heart and that of Peter.
A Burning Question:
Peter, do you love me with an agape “God-like love?” Oh, Lord, I love you with a phileo (friendship love). Then again, the same question. Third time, Jesus asked, Do you love me Simon Peter; yet this time he says it using phileo as the word for love. Peter, said Lord you know my heart. Now Peter understood the Humbling Effects of Forgiveness, Grace, and Love. Now He was ready for the ministry to which he was called.
Peter then was ready to begin the ministry as God had called Him to. He was later willing to die for Christ. Although, he insisted on being crucified upside down due to his being unworthy to die in the manner that Jesus died.
I Peter
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance [b]incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [c]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not [d]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
In Him we Have Hope and Victory
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and [b]prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, [c]both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1
Concluding Thoughts-The humbling effects
God is all that we need. When we come to end of ourselves, He IS. So, out of our brokenness, He reigns. The humbling effects of truly seeing the depth of His forgiveness, grace and love toward one who has fallen so short of His Glory transforms my heart. One day I shall look like Him, One day when I stand before His throne of grace. Until then let me surrender to Him, every moment of every day that the humbling effects of His love might reach a world around me.
WHEN I CAME TO THE END OF ME
So many times I strayed so far from you
And wondered what was I to do
I tried so hard, my might, to do your will
I could not see I should stand still
What could I do? Bring you a gift?
The harder I tried, the farther I’d drift
I reached that point, reality
I’d broke your heart! You still loved me!
CHORUS:
When I didn’t have the strength
You still stood strong
When my heart was filled with tears
God is my joy song
You are the love,
My Everlasting peace,
You are the life that flows in me
When I didn’t have a hope
At the end of my life’s rope
And I couldn’t find my way
You came to save this wandering stray
And now I know a different me
It is your love that set me free
That in this world I now might see
All that you are, your majesty
When I came to the end of me
My love for You, Your love for me
CHORUS:
When I didn’t have the strength
You still stood strong
When my heart was filled with tears
God is my joy song
You are the love,
My everlasting peace,
You are the life that flows in me
When I didn’t have a hope
At the end of my life’s rope
And I couldn’t find my way
You came to save this wandering stray
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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Disclosures
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)