As Peter walked on the seashore toward Jesus, the smell of burning charcoal reminded him of another charcoal fire. He was warming himself at that fire when a girl asked if he was not a follower of Jesus. Oh, no, Peter had lied; “I don’t know the man!” The pain of his cowardice made him flush with shame as he responded to the invitation of Jesus to “come and have breakfast.”
This scene described in John’s gospel is one of the most beautiful pictures of forgiveness and restoration in all literature. Peter was a wounded man; he had lost his way during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. He was an angry man, angry with himself. Yet Jesus had prepared his breakfast.
Then three questions – corresponding to the three times Peter had denied knowing Jesus. A disturbing, penetrating question: Do you love me? Peter kept saying yes. And Jesus, refusing to bring up Peter’s cowardly denials, kept telling Peter to “feed my sheep.”
Forgiveness is so beautiful! Instead of bashing Peter, Jesus was drawing out Peter’s love and inviting him to move on in serving him. In describing this scene, Tom Wright says: “Here is the secret of all Christian ministry…..for lay or clergy….If you are going to do any single solitary thing as a follower and servant of Jesus, this is what it’s built on. Somewhere, deep down inside, there is a love for Jesus, and though you’ve let him down enough times, he wants to find that love, to give you a chance to express it, to heal the hurts and failures of the past, and give you new work to do.” (John for Everyone)
On the beach that morning, cooking fish for the disciples, Jesus was demonstrating how forgiveness works – leaping over past hurts and failures and inviting broken people to move on by loving others. That morning we see Jesus fulfilling his role as the Good Shepherd, taking care of his sheep, and offering them new life. Peter accepted the forgiveness of Jesus and became a shepherd himself.
Each one of us needs to walk on that seashore and embrace the love Jesus offers us. If I know anything about Jesus, it is this: he has the power to break the chains of our past sins and give us a chance to love him and serve him.
To deepen your love for Jesus, so can share it with others, find a quiet place where you can pray; close your eyes and look in your mind at the cross upon which Jesus died. Let it sink in; there he died for you. For you. He nailed your sins to that cross because he loves you. And he is inviting you to offer your love for him with others, beginning with your family.
Consider a few ideas about how you can share your love for Jesus:
Do simple things daily to honor the Lord in the presence of others. Not for “show,” but as a witness. Bow your head and pray at a meal in a restaurant. One man did that and a man said to him, “You must be a Christian.” Live so that people will want what you have, a faith that makes you different. Offer kindness to people who have been rude to you. Encourage rather than ridicule others.
Forgive those who hurt you. Christiana Tsai was born to a ruling Chinese family. They sent her to a school run by Christian missionaries. There she heard the gospel and gave her heart to Jesus. Her family, enraged, tore her Bible and hymnbook into pieces and threw it in her face and treated her like a prisoner. Her brother finally asked her why she became a Christian. She told him. He said, “I have noticed that no matter how badly we treat you, you seem happier than you used to be. I think I would like to believe too.” In time, 55 of her relatives trusted Christ. Her forgiving spirit drew her family to Jesus.
Offer grace to difficult people. Many difficult people are struggling with overwhelming hardships. They could use a friend who looked past their faults and loved them anyway. Ask Jesus to help you do that with someone whose attitude you dislike. Love can break down barriers. Ask the Lord to help you deal gently and lovingly with a difficult person. And remember: to someone, you too are a difficult person!
Look for opportunities to share your love for Jesus with your family. David Jeremiah tells the story of Dr. Steve White, a dentist in New Mexico. When he was 21 and in college, his ailing mother called him to her bedside and said, “Steve, I just want you to know that I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.” Steve did not know what she was talking about. He thought Christians were crazy.
Twenty-four years later, while looking at a picture of his mom, he remembered what she had said. He said, “Those two words kept going over and over in my mind … Jesus Christ… and for the first time in my life I realized Jesus Christ was real.” He became a follower of Jesus!
Never underestimate what God can do when you are willing to your love for Jesus with someone!