“彼得因为耶稣第三次 … 说：‘你爱我吗’，就忧愁，对耶稣说：‘主啊，你是无所不知的 … 。’” - 约 21:17

在今天的经文中，耶稣再次呼召彼得回来事奉，可见衪已宽恕了彼得在祂受审时轻率地否认衪的罪。在那个晚上，尽管彼得是与耶稣最亲近的门徒之一（路加福音 22:54-62），他却曾经三次否认他认识耶稣。

或许我们认为彼得的罪是不可赦免的，然而耶稣却不计前嫌，衪不但赦免了彼得，衪更恢复他的领导地位。我们看见耶稣不只一次、两次，而是三次叫彼得重申他的爱和忠诚。耶稣随后给彼得一个使命，就是要忠心跟从衪，有必要时甚至至死忠心。历史告诉我们，彼得果真是这样做的。

在这个鼓吹“裁员文化”的时代，彼得的职份大有可能被罢免，而他的名字或许也会从圣经中消失了。然而我们看到彼得以基督使徒身份所作的很多事，其中有好也有坏的，我们也看到他负起领导教会的责任（参看马太福音到使徒行传和彼得前后书）。他的错失和罪过不能定义他的为人，神反而使用那些经历来塑造彼得成为一个领袖。

我们的基督徒领袖和朋友们也可能会辜负我们和令我们失望，他们似乎不值得原谅。然而，我们中间没有任何人是神的恩典所不能及的，祂必施恩给像我和你那样的罪人。

（BMB）

祷告

“主啊，你是无所不知的，你知道〔我们〕爱你，”可是我们却天天都背叛你和令你失望。求你赦免我们的罪，又帮助我们施恩给那些跌倒的人。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。

约翰福音 21:15-19

15他们吃完了早饭，耶稣对西门彼得说：“约翰的儿子西门，你爱我比这些更深吗？”彼得说：“主啊，是的，你知道我爱你。”耶稣对他说：“你喂养我的小羊。”
16耶稣第二次又对他说：“约翰的儿子西门，你爱我吗？”彼得说：“主啊，是的，你知道我爱你。”耶稣说：“你牧养我的羊。”
17第三次对他说：“约翰的儿子西门，你爱我吗？”彼得因为耶稣第三次对他说“你爱我吗”，就忧愁，对耶稣说：“主啊，你是无所不知的，你知道我爱你。”耶稣说：“你喂养我的羊。
18我实实在在地告诉你：你年少的时候，自己束上带子，随意往来；但年老的时候，你要伸出手来，别人要把你束上，带你到不愿意的地方。”
19耶稣说这话，是指着彼得要怎样死荣耀神。说了这话，就对他说：“你跟从我吧！”

Forgiving The Unforgivable

“Peter was hurt because Jesus asked . . . [a] third time, ‘’Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things. . . . ’” - John 21:17

In our reading today, Jesus is calling Peter back into service, showing that he has forgiven Peter for his hasty denials when Jesus was arrested. That night, Peter had denied three times that he even knew Jesus, even though he was one of Jesus’ closest disciples (Luke 22:54-62).

We might think that Peter’s sin was unforgivable, but Jesus turned the other cheek and not only forgave Peter but also restored him as a leader. We witness Jesus inviting Peter not once, not twice, but three times to reaffirm his love and allegiance. Then Jesus commissions Peter to follow him faithfully, all the way to death if necessary. And history shows that is what Peter did.

In a time of “cancel culture,” Peter’s role would likely have ended and his name might have been erased from Scripture. But we read of his many actions as a disciple of Christ, both good and bad, and of his leadership in the church (see Matthew–Acts and 1-2 Peter). His mistakes and sins did not define him, but instead God used those experiences to shape Peter as a leader.

Our Christian leaders and friends can let us down and disappoint us too. Forgiveness may seem undeserved. Yet none of us is beyond the reach of God’s grace for wretches like me or you.

(BMB)

Prayer

“Lord, you know all things, you know that [we] love you,” and yet we disobey and disappoint you daily. Forgive us our sins, and help us to extend grace to others who have fallen. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.