Everybody loves Easter.

Today we are going to look at the life of one disciple, a disciple that thinks Jesus is the Messiah, and then comes to a place in his life where he knows Jesus Christ is the Messiah. This is the life of Simon Peter.

1. The Declaration

all of us have made a declaration to follow Jesus.

Matthew 26:31-33 (NKJV)

31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” (this is where Peter makes his Declaration) 33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so, said all the disciples.

How many of us have ever said in a time of weakness, Lord I would never do it again, but you did do it again. We say Lord, I will never stumble in this area again, and that’s exactly what you did stumble.

Can you relate now?

2.The Denial

Can you imagine how bad Peter felt, that he said to Jesus, I’ll never deny you, Jesus said you will deny me three times before the rooster crows. And it’s gets worse.

Luke 22:60-61 (NKJV)

60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

This was in a small courtyard, and when Peter denies him and the rooster crows, Jesus just a few feet away turns and looks at him.

How bad would you have felt?

It’s even worse than that, Jesus at this time was being physically beaten.

Mark 15:17-19 (NKJV)

17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.

Luke 22:64 (NKJV)

And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?”

Isaiah 50:6 (NKJV)

I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

Jesus turned to him with black eyes, and a bloody nose, they plucked his beard right off his face, blood running down his face from the thorns in His scalp.

If you were Peter, how bad would you have felt?

Some of us might say, I have never denied Jesus, but have denied Jesus with your works.

Titus 1:16 (NIV)

16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good.

Think about it, we’ve all done it. We made the declaration, and we had said you never do it again, but you did. What’s changed Peter, Peter became one of the greatest disciples in the New Testament.

 So, what change?

3.The Decision

The decision happens after the resurrection.

He knew Jesus is the Messiah because now Jesus has risen from the dead.

When Peter meets Jesus for the first time, he was fishing and caught nothing. Jesus said throw your net on the other side of the boat and he caught a whole bunch of fish.

Luke 5:4 (NIV)

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

John 21:3-6 (NKJV)

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. John said to Peter it’s Jesus, it’s Jesus. And when they got to about 100 yards from shore Peter jumps in the water and swims to shore.

Why did Jesus do the same miracle?

 The reason was to let Peter know it’s okay, you can start over. I know that you messed up, I know what you did, and heard what you said.

But listen, I died for your failures and I rose again, so you can start over every time you make a mistake.

In John 21: 15-17 Jesus said to Simon Peter, do you love Me, Jesus ask him a second time “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus knew he loved Him, but He wanted Peter to know it for himself.

Peter was the one that was having doubts.

Peter was the one that felt bad because he messed up.

Peter needed to know that the resurrection takes care of that, it takes care of all his failures.

Peter said I’m going fishing; what he was saying I’m going back to my old life.

I’m going back to the way it was before I started this journey. I can’t do it, I’m not strong enough. I can’t do it.

So, Jesus shows up and does the same exact miracle.

Then he says to him, “do you love me?

Yes, I know you love me, but do you really know you love me?

Do you know that you can mess up and still love Jesus?

 Have you ever done something and said, I don’t need to feel this guilt, I’m going back to where I came from or do whatever I use to do, I’m tired of being convicted of my sins over and over again.

John 21:18-19 (NIV)

18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Jesus said to Peter, you need to recommit your life to me.

Those words “Follow Me” Peter you need to follow Me all the way to the Cross.

See, Peter had heard Jesus say those words many times.

Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Jesus always told them, if you going to follow Me, Follow Me to the cross.

So, what’s the difference?

The difference is that Peter knew the Cross meant death, but he didn’t know until this time it meant life after death. Peter starts following Jesus. In Luke 5, but in John 21 he makes the commitment to follow Jesus again. This commitment makes the difference.

 We all know that Peter became a great leader in the Church.

So, what’s the difference?

That word “Follow Me”

Matthew 26:58 (NKJV)

But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Peter followed Jesus from a distance.

Let me ask you this, are you following Him (Jesus) and if so, are you following Him from a distance? How closely are you following Jesus are you following Him all the way to the cross? Jesus told Peter would you Follow Me? because this meant he would have to follow Jesus to the cross. And we know by history that Peter was crucified, but he felt unworthy to be crucified like Jesus Christ, so he asked them to crucify him upside down.

Here’s a man that totally changes from denying Jesus to becoming a powerful preacher.

Acts 2: 14-40 - Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and 3,000 were saved.

Acts 3: 1-10 - Peter heals a beggar, "Silver or gold do not have, but what I do have  give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

Acts 4: 1-4 - Peter and John were jailed for teaching the people, many who heard the message believed; so, the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

Acts 5: 15-16 - People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them in passing and get healed.

Acts 9: 40-43 - Peter raises a woman from the dead.

Acts 10: 27-48 - Peter teaches at a gathering of Gentiles for the first time. (At the time, it was against the Law for Jews to associate with any Gentiles)

What made the difference, the Resurrection made the difference? 

The Resurrection made the difference, Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave.

That’s what made the difference, The difference, In Luke chapter 5 Peter thought that Jesus was God, but in John 21 Peter knew Jesus was God. When Jesus said follow Me it meant to the cross, Peter knew that meant that there was life after the cross, that the cross wasn’t the end.

We all have done it, made a commitment, when I was a young man at a street meeting with Evangelist G.G. Aviles I made a commitment to follow Jesus, but I followed Him from a distance. But, when I was set free from all that pain and all the horror, I no longer thought He was the Lord, I knew He was GOD, the Lord of my life. I didn’t think He had the power to change my life, I knew He had the power to change my life. I made a commitment to follow Him and my life changed. That doesn’t mean that you going to be perfect in this walk. There have been many times in my Christian walk I denied Him with my works, and I had to go back to Him and say Lord You know all things, you know even though.

I just did this, but I really do love you, and He had to say to me then Follow Me, Since that time, I had to make the commitment to follow Jesus again and again.

And that’s what I’m asking everyone on Easter, would you re-commit your life to follow The Risen One, Jesus Christ?

You know the errors in your life, you know how many times you said I never do it again, and you did it again and you felt convicted. You’re probably saying to yourself, I can relate to Peter. I’ve denied Jesus in my works, in my actions and Jesus is saying to you, Follow Me, Follow Me to the Cross.

God Bless you, Israel