Note: This article is a condensed version of one of Pastor Peter’s sermons

Sermon Text: John 21:15-19 (Jesus restores Peter)

“What do we do when we’ve betrayed Jesus?”

I’ll admit, that’s not a fun question to ponder. It’s the Easter season which is the most joy-filled season of the year! I’m supposed to be energized in my faith and walking in new life!

So why do I ask such a doom-and-gloom question?

I must confess it is because I struggle to believe the gospel. You see, my heart doesn’t so easily follow the church calendar and make the transition to the peace and joy of Easter. I’ve got a persistent voice that whispers in the back of my mind, “But what about ______? Has God really forgiven me for that betrayal?”

I have a lot of practice repeating the negative soundtracks about myself and what I’ve done. I can “know” that Jesus is risen and I’m forgiven, but don’t feel forgiven, I feel guilty and ashamed. The glorious song of Easter morning is drowned out by the soundtracks of shame that play on repeat in my mind.

“Peter, you’ve failed so many times.”

“How can you call yourself a follower of Jesus when you betray him yet again?”

“Stop pretending and just give up.”

It’s really hard to feel freed and energized in my relationship with Jesus after I’ve betrayed him.  An honest assessment of my heart shows me my spiritual fervor can be quite fickle. How can I deal with these repeated soundtracks of condemnation and get back to singing easter praises with any level of confidence and passion?

This is why I ask, “what do we do when we’ve betrayed Jesus?” It’s a real question! I want to know how to move forward! Unfortunately, the answer is that most often that I don’t do anything. I’m stuck.

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Thank God that we have a better question to ask! “What does Jesus do when we’ve betrayed him?” And that’s what our gospel story today is all about.

Jesus seeks us out, repeating his promises and his call on our lives.

We can see that Jesus in action as he asks Peter this weighty inquiry, “Do you love me?” Man, what a question! Can you imagine Jesus asking you this question? Sometimes in my relationships with my loved ones, I ask this question out of a sense of insecurity, knowing the answer, but needing to hear it again. But in this case it’s Peter, the one answering the question who is insecure and needs reassurance.

With this question, repeated three times, there is no denying that Jesus is dealing very specifically with Peter’s denial. Jesus moves past the general “peace be with you” that he gave to his disciples in the last two appearances because he knows that Peter needs the very specific wounds of his betrayal to be touched, reopened, and healed.

We see how Jesus’ question affected Peter when we read verse 17, “Peter was grieved because he said to him a third time, ‘Do you love me.’ And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.” The touch of Jesus, the great physician, brings out this confession from Peter, “you know everything.” Each time Peter responds, Jesus repeats his call on Peter’s life, telling him to, “feed my sheep.”

In essence, Jesus is saying, “Yes Peter, I do know everything. My love and forgiveness are not naive, not conditioned upon your deservedness. I know you betrayed me and I know you love me. I repeat my call to you, knowing exactly who I’m calling.”

This is the type of person Jesus is. He delights in repeating himself to us, addressing our wounds and restoring us to faith. He knows what we are like. He knows we are forgetful, hounded by our sin and stuck in our shame-filled soundtracks. He doesn’t stay away from us until we figure it out on our own. He knows that apart from relationship with him, we can find no rest, no peace, no hope. And so he comes to restore us and draw us back to himself again and again.

Friend, Jesus loves you and will always seek you out to forgive you and restore you. Rest in his faithfulness today.