RESET

The only video game I've ever beaten all the way through is Super Mario Brothers 2. I'm not talking about the new one, I'm talking about the one that came out in 1988 with the Nintendo.

Whenever I would play the other Super Mario Brothers games, I would always lose and have to restart the game all over again. But luckily with Jesus, if I mess up or fall off, when I reset the console of my heart, I don't have to start all over again. I can start right where I fell off, beginning with a humble heart.

This week, we will talk about the restoration of Peter and how his story of restoration encourages us all.

The Night Jesus Was Arrested 

Peter was hardcore. He was the disciple of the year, three years in a row. Peter was one of Jesus' top three disciples, what we would call one of Jesus' day ones. Peter knew Jesus was the Messiah before anyone could reveal it to him (Matthew 16:13-16). Peter was the rock in which Jesus was going to build His church (Matthew 16:17-19).

Although, even with an amazing track record, Jesus knew Peter would slip one day, denying Him three times before a rooster would crow. Peter, always confident, knew that day would never come. For he loved Jesus with all his heart and would never betray Him (Matthew 26:31-35). 

Unfortunately, that day came when Jesus was presented to the High Priest in chains. Peter denied Jesus three times, but not until the rooster crowd did Peter realize what he had done. Peter was so heartbroken by his denial of the Messiah that he wept bitterly (Luke 22:62). I can imagine, Peter felt ashamed and broken by what he had done.

The Peter Syndrome

Have you ever been in Peter's position? A place of denial or doubt of who Jesus is. A place of compromising your faith for your convenience or projection. A place in which you know what is right, but you chose to do wrong. A place where you have backslidden and fallen away from the faith.

Yes? Me too. We may feel ashamed as if there is no hope for return. We may feel as if our addictions, life choices, past, or even a heart turned completely away from God to atheism, is too much for God to accept us. To love us, deem us righteous, and call us His sons or daughters.

Well I’ve got news for you! Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8: 38-39).

The Restoration of Peter

Just days after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, He appeared to seven of the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. Jesus asked the seven disciples to come join Him on the shore for breakfast. After breakfast, Jesus turned to Peter and asked him, did he love Him three times. Each time Peter responded with yes, Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep (John 21:1-17).

At that moment it was almost like a supernatural reversal of denial to a heart rededicated to Jesus and the purpose for which Peter was born. Jesus restored Peter’s heart of shame, guilt, denial, self-rejection, and the memory of Peter’s past by restoring Peter’s heart of faithfulness back to Jesus. Reassuring Peter of His unconditional love for him.

The Restoration of You

Just like Peter, Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart. Ready to welcome you back home (Revelations 3:20-21). Ready to restore you back to the body of Christ.

For “He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4-7) all for our sake.

The one thing that brings me absolute joy is the purpose, plan, and promise Jesus had for Peter was never taken away. The very thing Jesus called Peter to do was still available for Him to carry out. For Peter, was the rock, by which the Church, the Body of Christ, would be built.

We like to count ourselves out when we feel as though we have disappointed God, but God is saying not so. He will complete what He has started in us until the day Jesus Christ returns (Philippians 1:6). We must decide whether or not we are going to humble ourselves, repent, and turn from our wicked ways.

We must realize, no sin is too hard or heavy for Christ to bear. Christ died to take on the sins of the world (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). To set the captives (you and me) free. You should no longer feel ashamed of where you have been, but accept the love God has for you. Return home so you can be restored. So you may live the life God has always purposed for you.

My Prayer for You

As I come to a close, my prayer for you is this:

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:17-20).

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

In Jesus’ Name Amen!

Be Encouraged!