AfterWords | The Act of Three: A Reflection on the Life of Peter and Reconciliation

A short read by Joshua Benton; followed by a poem by Bill Stark

My prayer is that through these words and a few minutes of your time, you would be drawn into thoughtful reflection on the life of the apostle Peter and the unrelenting truth of reconciliation seen in the new life that Christ brings to us all.

Take a moment to pause, to ponder, and wonder.

-<:>-

Reconciliation. It is the act of reuniting things that have been separated.

Peter: The one who publicly named Jesus the Messiah. The one renamed by Jesus to be the rock of the coming Church. The one who stepped out on the raging waters, following the words of Christ when others would not.

Peter: A giant of the faith, and founder of the Church.
Peter the devoted.
Peter the brave.
Peter the bold.

And yet, he is also Peter, the one who began to sink beneath the waves as his faith began to waiver.

Peter: The doubting.

Peter was there when Jesus was arrested, one of the select few to even be called to Jesus’ side as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. He took out a blade, ready to assail the foes of Jesus, willing to wield violence on the violent to save the one he loved. And yet he was rebuked by his beloved teacher.

Peter: The rebuked.

Peter went to see where Jesus was taken and to wait upon the word of what would happen to his Lord. When confronted by others if he was one of Jesus’ followers, Peter denied the connection not once, not twice, but three times.

In the distance, a rooster crowed. Like lightning striking from heaven to earth, Peter was smitten by the weight of his cowardice. Unable to shoulder the shame, he went away.

Peter the faithless.
Peter the coward.
Peter the failure.

There is, within the Hebraic and Semitic traditions, the rule of three. When a word, or phrase, or event occurs three times in ancient Hebraic writing, it is to emphasize a point and prove its certainty, completeness, or finality. In John’s Revelation the mighty angelic beings sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty! The One who was, is, and is to come.” The rule of three is used to show how something is final.

Three times Peter was tried, tested by those around him to prove the value of his word and character. And three times he did not measure up.

Think on that moment and how it must have been for Peter. The sudden pain of realization. The unrelenting waves of guilt and shame rushing through his body. The crushing sense of failing someone you dearly love. The tears, the swelling pain in your throat and gut, wild thoughts racing, repeating that dreadful moment of what you have done over and over and over again.

Peter ran away in shame. He no doubt missed the final moments of Jesus. And when news came that Jesus’ body was not found in the tomb? Peter ran to see. And what did he see? Nothing but rags on the floor. He didn’t even have the opportunity to properly grieve over the teacher that gave him so much hope.

Peter: The confused, the tormented, the hopeless.

According to the Gospels of John and Luke, Jesus did appear to his disciples again, but I doubt it was in a way that left Peter’s heart whole and at peace. The wound that was there was deep. How could he be made whole?

On a dreary morning, reflecting on the events that just transpired, Peter stood in a small boat, going right back to the life he had before Jesus.

Peter: Now Simon once again, back to his old life.

And yet there He was again! Jesus, on the shore! Jumping in the water, Simon swam to meet Him.

And what did Jesus do?

John 21:15–19

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep…”

What did Jesus do?

Jesus called to Peter by his old name, the name of his old life, the name of his old self.

Jesus, three times, asked Peter to reveal the intimate truth of his own heart, confronting the deep shame he was holding.
Jesus, three times, allowed Peter to confess his love for Him.
Jesus, three times, invited Peter to partake in the work that He was doing.

Jesus declared a new final end for Peter by drawing that wounded part of Peter into the light to bring healing. True reconciliation was found.

Peter: The reconciled.

Selah.

-<:>-

That is the vision that God has for the world and everyone in it. Peter’s failure and faithlessness were not the final word. Love, forgiveness, and reconciliation are the true definitive end of God’s story for Peter, for you, and for I. And it is an ending that persists, somehow, without end.

Peter is me. Peter is you. Peter is all of us. The tired and old performance that has kept on playing since its unveiling in the tragedy of Eden has now come to a close. The curtains were brought down on the old story. The stage has been reset. The curtains once more draw back to reveal something new: a performance of divine inspiration that rings out to be more true, more bright, and more beautiful than one could hope to imagine.

The Garden Hose
By Bill Stark

We are but like a garden hose
Where inside Holy water flows
The hose alone can do no thing
Its value lies in what it brings

At times my hose is tough and thick
And water flows just like a drip
At other times my hose is thin
And waters all where ‘er it’s been

The water is my God in me
The hose is there to help decree
Water is what brings new life
Redeeming all from earthly strife

Oh Lord please make my hose much less
So Your water will more bless
Those around my world today
That need a drink along the way.

Our role is not to water things
But to spread all that He brings
We are but channels of His grace
Pouring love in every place.