Church of Stumblers.

Tuesday 18th March 2008

SCRIPTURE
‘Lay down your life for me?’ answered Jesus. ‘I tell you most solemnly, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times.’
Jn.13:38

OBSERVATION
Judas has just left the last supper to betray Jesus. Jesus is warning the remaining apostles of His approaching Passion and death. In a burst of zeal, Peter declares his fidelity to Jesus, to which Jesus lays bare the truth. Even Peter will deny Him.

APPLICATION
There's so much of me in Peter. I squirm each time he opens his mouth as I hear myself speaking. I'm full of zeal for Jesus but when the crunch comes I still stumble, fall and deny Him.
But the story of Peter doesn't stop with his bitter tears after the cock crows. In marked contrast to Judas who couldn't move past his self incrimination and so killed himself, Peter picks himself up and stumbles on; eventually receiving the Holy Spirit who transforms him. The crucial time for Peter was between Christ's death and Pentecost. During that time he could have moved either way, back to the boats as a sad, disillusioned fisherman or stick with the others and hope and pray. Thank God he chose the latter. From that tiny embryonic group of confused stumbling followers our church was founded.
I think I'll stick with the others and hope and pray.

PRAYER
Saint Peter, please pray for me, a fellow stumbling follower.