But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. (Mark 16:7)
Many considered Benedict Arnold the best general in the Continental Army. Without his earlier contributions, the American Revolution might have been lost, but personal problems dogged him throughout the war. Political adversaries brought charges of corruption, and Congress investigated him. Discouraged by the assaults on his honor and opposed to the new American alliance with France, Arnold changed sides. In July 1780, he had planned to surrender West Point to the British. The Americans discovered the agreement when they captured a British major who had papers revealing the plan. After he switched sides, his name became a byword for treason in the United States.
Everyone knows of Judas betrayal of Christ, but Peter’s persistence denial of Christ is another example of dismal failure. The Bible records Peter’s struggles to understand it all about Christ. We can learn from Peter what it means to follow Christ. When Peter heard the rooster crow for the third time, he must have felt worse than anyone ever had. To spend three years with the Son of God, and then deny him at his moment of arrest was soul-wrenching moment. If Christ had not prayed for him earlier, we can imagine Peter living the rest of his life as a raging wild man in the wilderness. While the other disciples ran away, Peter ran toward disaster. The three days Christ was in the tomb must have been unbearable for Peter. Thankfully, Christ understood Peter, and was ready to forgive him. After the resurrection, Christ extended a special invitation to Peter
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter’s first reaction was to do something. It was a normal reaction to want to build the tents for Christ as well as Elijah and Moses; it was not the time for action, but a time to worship the Son of God. We can make the same mistake as Peter; when the trappings of Christianity distract us, we forget to put Christ in his proper place. When Christ started to wash the disciple’s feet, Peter protested. Christ was the Messiah, not a lowly servant. However, it was what Christ wanted to do. Peter struggled to allow Christ to work in his life when and where he wanted. To follow Christ means we go where he wants, when he wants, it is the cost of discipleship.
When Peter walked on the water, it is his and our life in a nutshell. No matter what comes our way in life we can survive if we keep our eyes on Christ. Away from the boat, the wind and waves distracted Peter from staying focused on Christ. We allow the cares of this world to take our mind off Christ. Like Peter, we sink amidst our problems. Christ will pull us up if we reach out to him. Satan loves to try to torment us by telling us we are not worthy of Christ’s love. If he can drag us down, we will not be able to reach out and help others. Christ did not die for perfect people. He went to the cross out of love. He knew our faults and our failures before he went to the cross. Peter went from the lowest depths of betrayal, to preaching the sermon on the Day of Pentecost. In God’s eye’s failure is not the end, it is the beginning of another miracle of grace.
