Remember Peter--the guy who walked with Jesus on the water; one of the three who witnessed Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah; one of the twelve who served the food as Jesus increased five loaves and two fish to feed a multitude? Remember Peter who announced to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God"? Remember his alter-ego--the one who did not want Jesus to wash his feet; the one to whom Jesus addressed the words, "Get behind me, satan! You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men"; the one who denied Jesus three times as he watched Him taken to be tried and crucified only hours after he had promised he would never deny Him? Peter, the disciple; Peter, the failure; would you have retained him as a friend? Who but Jesus could look beyond the moment . . .
21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt [his] fisher's coat [unto him], (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
21:8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
21:9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
21:12 Jesus saith unto them, Come [and] dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
21:13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry [thee] whither thou wouldest not.
21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21:21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what [shall] this man [do]?
21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? follow thou me.
Jesus saw Peter's potential beyond his weaknesses, and knew that he would become "the rock" on which the church would be built. Less than two months after his great failure, Peter, newly filled with the Holy Ghost and power, preached a mighty sermon:
2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
2:21 And it shallcome to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved .
2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
2:29 Men [and] brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
2:37 Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?
2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.
In response to his message, about three thousand people were added to the church that day! What modern evangelist wouldn't boast at that? All came as they were and were accepted into the fellowship of the church. Nobody was required to be circumcised first, or change their clothes, or wash their hands. Peter understood their potential. It was the example Jesus set.
It wasn't the first time God took a person unprepared to speak and made him a great orator--remember Moses? Remember Isaiah? Remember you and me? "Here am I, send me," and use me according to the potential You have placed within me. Just like Peter, help me to become what You see in me, my Lord and my Christ, and thank You for Your patience as the process takes place. Amen
2:21 And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'