My message yesterday at Trinity CRC was about Peter denying Jesus while Jesus was standing trial for His claims to be the Messiah. While Jesus affirms His identity as God’s Son, Peter denies His identity as one of Jesus’ followers. When a servant girl confronts Peter, she at least says the name of Jesus, but Peter won’t even utter His best friend’s name, distancing himself from Jesus as much as he can. It’s a sad story of Peter, nicknamed The Rock, disintegrating into a pile of sand (to quote David E. Garland).
Yes, it’s indeed sad, but it’s not without hope. Read ahead in the story and you’ll find that Jesus rescues and forgives Peter completely. Even when Peter is at his worst, Jesus remains faithful. That assures me that even when I am at my worst, Jesus remains faithful.
I love how Alastair Sterne puts it:
“God’s presence isn’t contingent on my performance.”
When I, like Peter, have denied and distanced myself from Jesus, Jesus suffered, died, rose again, and now reigns so I can receive the loving Father’s grace and be forgiven. That indeed makes Good Friday good and Resurrection Sunday worth celebrating.
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4th Point 