9 Friday 1:30 AM - 24

One of Jesus disciples, Peter, had promised to stay with him. Promise to never leave him. Never abandon him. Even had promised to go to the death with him when he made that promise.
Jesus, said Peter, before the rooster crows before daylight. You will deny me not once, not twice, but three times. In this moment, Peter has now followed Jesus as he's been arrested. He is kind of standing within, probably eyesight of Jesus. And Jesus is being tried. Peter is warming himself around a fire and somebody comes up and says, Are you one of his?
His guys? Are you one of his disciples? No, I don't know him. Yeah. I think I saw you with him. Weren't you? Were you with him? No, I don't. I don't know him again. I'm sure that I remember seeing you. I telling you, I don't know that man about that time. The rooster crows in daybreak. Peter realizes how terrible of a situation that is.
He has promised that he would defend Jesus, and instead he's denied him. Not once, not twice, but three times. You know, in our lives, we can say that we're followers of Jesus. But sometimes times when it really comes down to it, we will push back. I want to live my life my way. I want to do things my way.
I really don't want to be bothered by following Jesus. What is that? It's a denial of him. Can I give you the rest of the story? After Jesus is resurrected, he gathers with his disciples on a beach and he spend some time with Peter. He calls him aside and he says to Peter, Peter, do you love me? He says, You know I love you.
Then feed my sheep. Peter, do you love me? You know I love you. Well, then feed my lambs. Peter, do you offer me again? Kind of asking, Peter. Do you really love me? Not once, not twice, but three times. Peter says, Absolutely. You know I love you. You know, all things. He says the feed mushy. Do the work that I've called you to do.
In that moment. Jesus took those three denials and he replaced them with three conditionings, three commandments in our lives when we push away from Jesus. He doesn't push away from us. Instead, he comes to us. He's the lover of our souls. He's the forgive her of our sins. He's the restorer of our life with him. We can walk with him regardless of when we push away.
He's always there waiting for us to walk hand in hand with him again.