Before His crucifixion Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him 3 times (Luke 22:31-34). Although Peter adamantly denied that this would happen, he did deny Jesus (Luke 22:54-62). We are often hard on Peter for his denial of Christ but how often do we deny Jesus? How often do we fail or hold back when we have an opportunity to represent Jesus and the Gospel before people?

But the main point I want us to see in this story is Christ’s love, forgiveness and restoration of Peter. After Jesus was raised from the dead, he spent some precious but short moments with his disciples: in that time a priority for him was to restore Peter. He asked Peter 3 times: “lovest thou me more than these?” (John 21:15-17; KJV). The first 2 times he asked he used the Greek word agapao, which is the unconditional God kind of love. Peter could only reply with the Greek word phileo or affection, he did not have a revelation of the God kind of love at that time; that would come later (see Peter’s Epistles). Jesus met Peter where he was at with his third time of asking, “lovest thou me” and also used the word phileo; accepting that Peter loved him to his (Peter’s) fullest understanding of love.

Wow, what love, understanding and forgiveness! Be encouraged to represent Jesus today and seek to love, forgive and restore as he did.

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