The Gracious Gift of… Sin?!?!
John 18:25: "Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
Peter. He's the "ready, shoot, aim" disciple, always providing us an entertaining story. From rebuking Jesus to attempting to walk on water to slicing off a soldier's ear, he's a constant source of both amusement and relatable human frailty.
In John 18, we witness Peter at his lowest point. Jesus is in Roman custody, and Peter does exactly what Jesus predicted: he denies knowing Jesus three times. The seemingly most courageous, certainly the most outspoken, disciple is found cowering in fear, denying any association with his Lord. And if the shame of his cowardice wasn't enough, the crowing rooster plunges him into an abyss of despair. The one who vowed to die for Jesus couldn't even muster the courage to acknowledge him.
Ironically, this devastating moment is one of the kindest things Christ could have ever done for Peter. "Say WHAT?!", you might respond. It sounds paradoxical, but for those who are honest about their own capacity for sin, you’re probably nodding in agreement.
I recall hearing Steve Brown say, "Your sin might be the greatest gift God ever gave you." At the time, I thought he'd lost his mind (or the nicotine had destroyed it). But later, those words would make a lot of sense to me. Likewise, Peter likely wouldn't have agreed with that statement in John 18, but by John 21, I think he likely would have.
Jesus will gently restore, even redeem, Peter. Just as in the scene of his denial, they're gathered around a fire. But this time, the story doesn't end with the bitter cold of shame and isolation. This scene is bathed in the warmth of Christ's grace. And in this second encounter, Peter learns a profound truth: no one can love him like Jesus.
Peter emerges a changed man. Not a perfect man, not stripped of his personality or tendencies (those very traits that produced so many great scenes in the bible), but a different man. He is a man intimately acquainted with his own sinfulness and the boundless love of Christ. The longer I live the more I see how those two are inescapably tethered together. Peter understands that he is capable of any sin, yet those sins are ultimately no match for Christ's overwhelming love.
Sadly, it often takes a painful experience like this (or, if you're like me, several painful experiences) to truly open our eyes to that boundless love. And while the pain may linger, while consequences and reminders of our sin remain, the familiarity with the grace and love of Christ becomes a treasure beyond compare. Indeed, the one who has been forgiven much, loves much. Hallelujah! Amen.
