Bible Text: John 18:24-19:3 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: Deny Him?, John

Recap of 3/17/13 (John 18:24-19:3):
1.  John (as the synoptic gospels do) records Peter’s failure.  Peter’s denial of Jesus engenders a wide array of reaction as the following quotes show:
-“I feel inclined to spend some time on Peter, because he has such a great place in my heart.  He is so much like the rest of us, and we’re so much like him.” (Mitchell)
-“The Lord never said to Peter, ‘I’m sorry, but because you failed Me, I just can’t use you anymore.’ No, He appeared personally to Peter after His resurrection, and He elected Peter to preach the first sermon on the Day of Pentecost.  There has never been a sermon like it!  Thank God for a Savior and a Lord like that.  He will always take you back!” (McGee)
-“The essence of the matter was that it was the real Peter who protested his loyalty in the upper room; it was the real Peter who drew his lonely sword in the moonlight of the garden; it was the real Peter who followed Jesus, because he could not allow his Lord to go alone; it was not the real Peter, who cracked beneath the tension and denied his Lord.  And that is just what Jesus could see.  A tremendous thing about Jesus is that beneath all our failures He sees the real man.  He understands.  He loves us in spite of what we do because He loves us, not for what we are, but what we have it in us to be.” (Barclay)
-“Since all men fail and even many noted Christians stumble greatly, the record of Peter’s denials (and his subsequent restoration; cf. Ch. 21) is of great pastoral comfort.” (Blum)
2.  Jesus had predicted Peter’s recovery at the “Last Supper” according to Luke 22:32 when he told Peter that when he returned he should strengthen his brothers.
3.  Peter had to fail so that he could succeed.  For his future usefulness to God he had to: now his limitations, to know God’s forgiveness, and to know the wideness of God’s mercy and grace.