Another Man

I've got a confession to make.
I've been thinking about another man.
For some reason, I've been obsessing over Peter.
Simon Peter. He's dead, so don't worry, Phil.
Well, actually, he's probably not that dead.

But anyway,
I've been trying to understand this man.
He was a fisherman who left everything to follow Jesus.

He was willing to walk on water to come to Jesus-
("If it's really you Jesus, tell me to come.")
and we berate him for being afraid and taking his eyes
off Jesus. He began to sink and cried out to Jesus and Jesus
saved Him and said, "Oh you of little faith. Why did you doubt?"

Maybe next to Jesus, he had little faith,
but I don't see any other disciples making the trip,
do you?
Also, didn't those waves reach up to 20 feet during storms?
Try keeping your eyes on Jesus under the shadow of
one of those waves and then judge my man.
(I'm not saying Jesus was wrong to rebuke Him.
I'm saying too often we think we would have stayed
on top of the water
longer than Peter did.)

Oh, and it was Peter who wanted to build a tent tabernacle for
Jesus and Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.
The gospel writer say that he didn't know what he was talking about.
I doubt if I would make much sense either if I tried talking
after seeing
an Old Testament Law Giver
and an Old Testament Prophet talking
with my present day friend, Jesus,
all aglow on the top of a mountain.

Another time, when Jesus asked Peter who he thought He was,
Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
And Jesus said, "Blessed are you, Simon. For flesh and blood
has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in heaven.
And you are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my church, and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it..."

Upon the rock of your life...
Upon the rock of this confession...
I will build my church.

But I think what I like best about Peter,
is the fact that he so badly failed.

He denied that he knew Jesus.
He even swore to make sure his accusers knew he meant business.

He had earlier refused to believe that he was capable of such a thing
so the devastation was more than he could bear.
Jesus had warned him about it.
Told him it would happen.
And then He said, "And when you have returned,
strengthen the brethren..."
Be that rock.

And that's what happened.
Peter returned.

He returned to fishing as well,
and when he recognized the Man on the beach
cooking their supper over a fire, he cried,
"It is the LORD!"
and jumped out of his boat and swam to Him.

Jesus said,
"Simon, do you love me with a holy love?"(agape)
"You know that I love you like a brother." (phileo)
"Then, feed my sheep."
"Simon, do you agape me?"
"Lord you know that I phileo you."
"Then feed my sheep."
"Simon, do you phileo me?"
"Lord, you know that I phileo you!"
"Then feed my sheep."

Three times Peter had denied Him.
Three times He asked if he loved Him.
I thought that was the point.
I thought Jesus was erasing a denial
with each affirmation.

But I am thinking that there's more to the story.

He didn't ask him if he had faith to walk on water.
He didn't ask if he had never betrayed Him.
He was talking about what was ahead.
Feeding sheep was what was ahead for Peter.
And what was the requirement for doing this?

He who has been forgiven much, loves much.
He who has known the deep sorrow of failure,
loves much the one who has redeemed that failure.

The requirement for feeding sheep was not
whether or not Peter had ever cursed or betrayed Jesus.
Peter's administrative skills were not brought to the light.
His educational background was not questioned.

It was simply this.
Do you love me?

Peter's answer did not meet the depth of the question.
What is phileo love in the light of agape love?
But he was honest, anyway.

Honesty and imperfect love.
I'll take that, says Jesus.
I'll take that and make it good enough to feed my sheep.

Jesus gave him the mandate and then told Peter to wait
with many others in the upper room,
until he received power from on high.

And that he did,
and thus he did,
and thousands were added to the church daily.

I love this man.

Imperfect,
Impetuous,
Emphatic,
Sinking,
Swearing,
Failing,
Weeping,
Fishing,
Swimming,
Loving,
Waiting,
Receiving,
Feeding.

I love this man.