Grace, Forgiveness and I’m Sorry.

Family, Friends…Good afternoon, This Sunday afternoon, I will be discussing Grace and Forgiveness…as a follow up to several posts I’ve made this week, let us get into it.

Let us open in Prayer….Father, give us the strength this afternoon to be opened in your spirit, to receive this word and apply it to our living. Amen.

Have you ever hurt someone, family, friend greatly and then turned your back on them? Ok, Imagine this person passing away/dying before you get to say I’m sorry and/or apologize. The devastation, regret and sorrow you would feel over this would be extremely hard to deal with. This is what Peter did. Peter denied Jesus and Jesus died…..ok, you still with me?…here we go..

Dear Peter loved Jesus and vowed to never never leave him, but when things got tough, as we know they did…he denied Jesus three times, 3 times! Just as Jesus told him he would. Broken over this, Peter then sees Jesus crucified and murdered!!! Imagine the tremendous pain Peter felt over his sin against Jesus and how broken he must have felt over this! Jesus was now dead/gone and Peter could not tell him how sorry he was for turning his back on him, for betraying him….

Peter denied Jesus and ran away like all the other disciples…RAN! Peter abandoned Jesus in his darkest hour, Darkest times, to protect himself from the same sufferings that Jesus would endure. That was a immense great burden that Peter thought he could do nothing about, because it was too late. Jesus was gone. Consider what Peter experienced emotionally after he sinned against and grieved the death of the One he dearly loved…the tears, the sobbing, how hard it would be to breathe…. Ok, here we go…

Then…Jesus rose from the grave, conquering the sting of death! Praise God!

Mark recorded in his gospel in chapter 16:6-7 that the angel spoke to the women and told them, “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been resurrected! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there just as He told you.

This is so significant, not only in that Jesus has risen, but also in that the angel shows how much Jesus loves Peter! Notice that he not only tells the women to go and tell the disciples, but specifically names Peter!
Jesus loves Peter and his sins were paid for on the cross! Jesus specifically wanted to see Peter after His resurrection and Jesus knew, exactly, the brokenness that Peter was feeling.

Grace, Grace Grace was given!!!!

Peter repented and was not only forgiven, but Jesus built his church on this man. Did you hear me, Grace was given and Jesus built a CHURCH on this man!! My God! The very man, who denied and turned his back on him, was now the leader of Jesus’ new church. This is grace, THIS IS GRACE!. A short time later, Peter preached the gospel and repentance at Pentecost and 3,000 people were saved that day!!! Hallelujah!!! Jesus planted the church!! Ok, hear me…God uses weak men and women to do amazing things in this world for His glory and for the advancement of His Kingdom!! He will, rebuild you, rejuvenate you, inspire you, empower you; just forgive, forgive self, stand up, stand tall and stand out and he will show you! HE WILL SHOW YOU GRACE!!!! it’s ok to say I’m Sorry! 🙂

If Jesus, who was betrayed by Peter, could forgive and do mighty things through Peter, he can use all of us who have done the same. WE have ALL turned our backs on Jesus. WE have ALL sinned against God. WE have ALL turned away to save ourselves, but Jesus in his love and grace pursues us, saves us, loves us unconditionally, and begins to use us in mighty ways when we repent and follow him. You are loved by Jesus and there is nothing that you have done, no matter how great, that cannot be forgiven by him. Trust and obey, cry out to him, and watch the Savior love you well. This grace that is offered to us was the same grace Peter, in his sin, was given. Jesus loves you.

Be inspired to forgive, forgive yourself and live.

Acts 13:38

Rev. Gerald F. Poe Jr.
Defender of the Faith.