Lesson 23: Examples of Forgiving – Jesus (part 3)

John 21:15-19 
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”
19 (This He said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this He said to him, “Follow me.”

 One of the hardest things for most of us to forgive is the betrayal of someone we love and have considered a close friend. Jesus shows us this kind of forgiveness too, and He forgave Peter for denying Him before Jesus was killed. Even after Jesus had warned Peter that he would desert and deny Jesus, Peter did exactly that – though he had strongly proclaimed such could never happen!


Can you imagine Peter’s despair when he realized he had done exactly what Jesus had prophesied he would do? Can you imagine the defeat when Peter watched Him die? How could anything in his whole life ever be the same again?

But Jesus came to Peter after His resurrection to personally forgive him for what he had done. Why did Jesus ask Peter three times if he loved Him? Would once not be enough? But Jesus asked three times, once for each denial Peter had declared. With deep care and persistence, Jesus reminded Peter of each denial, and accepted Peters renewed commitment to Himself.

But Jesus went a further step in the reconciliation of Peter to both his faith and fellowship with Jesus – He gave Peter a task to do. If it had been you standing in Peter’s shoes that day, would you have turned your back on anything Jesus asked of you? Probably not. Peter certainly did not, though he did not fulfill his task until after Jesus had ascended to Heaven.

Jesus’ action with Peter is a pattern for us to follow in reconciliation with someone who has deeply hurt us. First, Jesus confronted Peter with the unexpected. Peter would have expected Jesus to say, “I told you so.” Peter would have expected Jesus to heap shame onto him for what he did. Rather, Jesus confronted him with His forgiveness simply on Peter’s declaration of his love for Him.

We too can offer reconciliation through forgiveness to someone who has hurt us.

Pay today: Lord Jesus, help me to follow Your example in restoring relationships with love rather than with guilt.