Saints were sinners: Why Peter's story of failure and restoration is our story, too

Palm Sunday conscionable passed and Easter is upon us. We cognize the scriptural accounts. We've heard them galore times. But this year, we mightiness look for thing much — the remainder of the story.

When Jesus archetypal called Peter, Peter didn't privation the job.

He was a moving fisherman. He ran his ain boat, managed a crew, negotiated prices astatine the docks. He was comfy successful his ain sun-hardened skin. When Jesus approached him, Peter's archetypal effect wasn't confidence. It was humility: "Lord, depart from me, for I americium a sinful man."

He apt understood what Jesus was asking—not conscionable to follow, but to assistance transportation a ngo whose afloat outgo wasn't yet visible. Peter said yes. And past helium stumbled.

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"Oracles of God: The Story of the New Testament" features Jesus speaking with the apostle Peter. (CBN Films/Fathom Entertainment)

He misunderstood Jesus. He argued with Him. At 1 point, Jesus rebuked him sharply: "Get down me, Satan." On the nighttime of Jesus' trial, Peter denied adjacent knowing Him — 3 times. At the crucifixion, helium was obscurity to beryllium found. Afterward, helium returned to what helium knew: sportfishing successful Galilee.

The resurrected Jesus recovered him there.

That's the portion we shouldn't miss.

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Jesus did not take Peter due to the fact that helium was flawless. He chose him knowing precisely who helium was — impulsive, brave, fearful, devoted, weak. In different words, human. Peter was the sinner making close and incorrect decisions. Lest this constituent beryllium missed, that means you and me. Saints were archetypal sinners.

Peter's concern arsenic a fisherman was a astir cleanable exemplary for the ministry Jesus was designing. Fishermen had to beryllium extraordinarily patient, knowing momentary successes were interspersed among distressing failures. It was an concern of inescapable frustrations. Jesus knew his ministry would travel the aforesaid pattern.

Then came the turning point.

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When Jesus asked, "Who bash you accidental I am?" Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the surviving God." Jesus responded with afloat voice: "Blessed are you, Simon lad of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by soma and blood, but by my Father successful heaven."

One cannot miss its significance. Jesus was declaring that it was not him, the Son, but God the Father who disclosed this to Peter. To fastener successful the magnitude of that, Jesus added: "And I archer you that you are Peter, and connected this stone I volition physique my church, and the gates of hellhole volition not flooded it."

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Jesus did not take Peter due to the fact that helium was flawless. He chose him knowing precisely who helium was — impulsive, brave, fearful, devoted, weak.

It was a staggering committedness — made to a antheral who would neglect publically wrong months.

Yet 2 1000 years later, Christianity remains the world's largest faith. Peter — joined aboriginal by Paul — helped transportation it beyond Jerusalem and into history. Both would beryllium executed for that mission.

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This is the remainder of the story: not conscionable resurrection, but restoration. Not conscionable divine power, but quality frailty redeemed and commissioned.

And that matters, due to the fact that Peter's communicative is ours. The religion was not built connected perfection. It was built connected forgiven men and women who said yes — and kept going.