From Test to Testimony

After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than all else”? ’Yes, Lord, he answered, ‘You know that I love you.’  “Then feed my lambs,” He said.  A second time He asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me”? ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ “Then tend my sheep.”  A third time He said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me”?  Peter was hurt that He asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘you know everything; you know I love you.’  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17 NEB

Here at Eastridge, we have been learning a lot about the Apostle Peter during the Lenten and Easter seasons through weekly sermons preached by both our pastors.

We’ve learned that Peter let all his weaknesses show. He argued, he let his temper rage, he bragged, he cursed, and he slashed out with his sword. Worst of all he denied Jesus not once but three times. Was he imperfect? Yes! Perhaps that is the very reason we love him. We see ourselves in him. But through the grace of God, Peter was able to take the story of Christ Jesus beyond Judaism into the Gentile world. Maybe that means that we can have hope that God’s grace will be extended to us in the face of all our blundered tests and we, too, will be able to serve God well.

As I listened to these stories about how Simon Peter acted and reacted to various situations while he was with Jesus, I wondered just how many times he would be tested, and after all these situations that Simon Peter bungled heartily, would Jesus still choose him to lead the way in building the first Christian church all those years ago in the First Century. How would Peter reign in his temper, his bragging and his blundering. Could he manage after Jesus was gone? 

In the late afternoon on Easter Sunday, I watched an Easter service on tv. One of my favorite pastors was preaching from Tennessee. He, too, was preaching about Peter’s failures and subsequent successes in spreading the Gospel. He then praised Peter and ended saying, “WITHOUT A TEST, THERE IS NO TESTIMONY.

Peter had been truly tested, and he often failed. Then he gave wonderful testimony to the Gospel. He is recognized as the leader of the 12 Apostles, he performed many miracles, he was one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church. He is credited with starting the first churches at both Rome and Antioch.  He appears repeatedly and prominently in all Four Gospels as well as in The Book of the Acts of the Apostles. He referred to himself as a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ. Simon Peter passed his TEST.

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, as we come to the end of the Easter season, we thank you for sending Jesus to us. We thank Jesus as well for his love and especially for his sacrifice that we might be saved from our sins. Help us we pray to pass our tests and give beautiful testimony. It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen. 

Judy Welch