Easter Message...

We all know that this time of year is the celebration of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for us and then rose again from the dead after 3 days.

This is an Easter message on the story of two sinners.  Simon called Peter and Judas.  Both were a disciples and close friends of Jesus.  Both of them betrayed Jesus.


You remember Judas, right?  He was the one that betrayed Jesus into the hands of the chief priests and then committed suicide.  Now your saying that Peter also betrayed Jesus?  Follow me...

Let’s meet Simon Peter. 

Matthew 4:18-20 Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew.  They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake.  It was their regular work.  Jesus said to them, "Come with me.  I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you.  I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.”  They didn't ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed. 

It would also be reasonable to assume both Simon Peter and his brother Andrew had religious instruction since they were aware of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.  It was Andrew who told his brother Simon they had found the Messiah, which is interpreted, the Christ.

Simon Peter was married as Jesus healed his mother in law who was sick of a fever.  We find out later. 

So Simon Peter was married and worked as a fisherman in the family business.  Sounds like a normal guy, kind of like you and I, right? 

Peter was one of the first called to serve Jesus in His ministry.  Peter never even questioned the calling and never even thought twice about leaving everything to follow Jesus. 

Let’s get back to the statement that I made about Peter betraying Jesus.  Peter’s betrayal was denying that he would know Jesus 3 times.

Mark 14:27-31 ^27-28Jesus told them, "You're all going to feel that your world is falling apart and that it's my fault.  There's a Scripture that says,
   I will strike the shepherd;
   The sheep will go helter-skelter. 
“But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee.”

 ²⁹Peter blurted out, “Even if everyone else is ashamed of you when things fall to pieces, I won't be.”

 ³⁰Jesus said, “Don't be so sure.  Today, this very night in fact, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

 ³¹He blustered in protest, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.”  All the others said the same thing. 

So Judas denied Jesus even after being with Him for over 3 years and turned Him in for 30 pieces of silver.  Peter denied Jesus 3 times while Jesus was within earshot. 

Luke 22: 54-62 ^54-56Arresting Jesus, they marched him off and took him into the house of the Chief Priest.  Peter followed, but at a safe distance.  In the middle of the courtyard some people had started a fire and were sitting around it, trying to keep warm.  One of the serving maids sitting at the fire noticed him, then took a second look and said, "This man was with him!"

 ⁵⁷He denied it, "Woman, I don't even know him."

 ⁵⁸A short time later, someone else noticed him and said, "You're one of them."  But Peter denied it: "Man, I am not."

 ⁵⁹About an hour later, someone else spoke up, really adamant: "He's got to have been with him!  He's got 'Galilean' written all over him."

 ^60-62Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about."  At that very moment, the last word hardly off his lips, a rooster crowed.  Just then, the Master turned and looked at Peter.  Peter remembered what the Master had said to him: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."  He went out and cried and cried and cried. 

So what’s the difference?  Both are guilty of disowning Jesus.  The only difference is that Peter did not go out and kill himself, but I can almost guarantee you that he was feeling like he probably could.  He probably cried himself to sleep, if he even slept at all.

But Jesus forgave Peter and Judas.  Jesus wanted Peter specifically to know that when he returned. So when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome entered the tomb and met with the angel of the Lord, they heard this:

Mark 16:6-7 He said, "Don't be afraid.  I know you're looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross.  He's been raised up; he's here no longer.  You can see for yourselves that the place is empty.  Now—on your way.  Tell his disciples and Peter that he is going on ahead of you to Galilee.  You'll see him there, exactly as he said." 

So Jesus specifically called for Peter to let him know that all is forgiven and that He still loves him.  Let's think about that for a moment.  Here's Peter who is very distraught because he had disowned Jesus just 3 days earlier and you know this is all he is thinking about.  He's probably not sleeping very well either.  But yet Jesus is still asking for the Disciples to be brought to Him, especially Peter.


So, I ask you, how many times have you disowned Jesus in your life?  Don't lie, we all have, whether it is by our words or by our life style, but we all have disowned Jesus in one way or another.  So this calling for Peter also applies to you and me.  You see we have all sinned by disowning Jesus in one way or another and Jesus is calling you back to Him.  So the real Easter message here is Jesus died for you, rose from the dead in order to live for you, and He is calling you by name.  Just replace the name Peter with your own.