Identity Shift (Redeemed) - #016

Peter's story is a powerful reminder that failure is never the end of our identity in Christ. In this episode, we follow Peter's journey from his calling to his denial, and ultimately to his redemption and restoration by Jesus. Discover how God's grace meets us in our weakest moments and how redemption becomes a defining part of who we are. Your mistakes may be a part of your story, but they don't get the final word—Jesus does. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

All right, welcome back to Fuckets of Paradise Podcast. I'm Larson Griffith with Nuggets Header. And we're excited to jump into a great story today.

SPEAKER_00 0:16

Larson, you're back. You're never allowed to leave me again.

SPEAKER_01 0:20

I am sure it was good. I'm looking forward to listening to it myself. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Yeah. I every time I do a podcast by myself, I'm like, absolutely not. This is I am much better with Larson, and the world is much part of the better with Larson and it. So she is back today. And we're continuing our conversation on identity. Yes. Just to recap a little bit, the first was an intro, and it's really jam-packed with all kinds of things, but it's an intro to identity and what God says you are, who God says you are, and core beliefs, and um how to begin stripping those off so you can really live in the truth of who you are and who God says you are. And the power in what God says. Like just because you don't feel like it's true doesn't mean it's not true. Yeah. Accepting it. Yeah. And if he said it so, it is so. Um, and then the second one was the short one from me last week. And it was just a little bit about um calling. And when you we all have the same calling, but when we step into our calling, that's where we find our purpose and what God made us for. Um and purpose can change, but calling never does, right? And so that was last week. And this week is gonna be um about our identity in the sense of we are redeemed. We are um we are redeemed. That is something that we are and that is not taken away from us. And so we were trying to think of a Bible story that kind of is an example of this, and one of my favorite, I say that for every Bible story, I feel like. But one of the sisters they're all my favorites. But one of my favorite stories of redemption and like how intimate and wonderful God is in that is the story of Peter. Um, and we could do a whole series on Peter. So we're gonna give you this the highlights of his life and then go really zone into the parts where um God redeemed his heart and restored his heart. So you want to just jump in? Sure. Okay. So when Jesus met his name was Simon before it was Peter. This is also a name change. Names were a big deal back then, and you were known by them. And it was really interesting too. Like, there's some really awful names in the Bible. Like some people name their kids things, and I'm like, wow, that is terrible. Yeah, or like Hackoc. Yeah, Habkick? What? Or like some of the meanings of them are like harsh, like God bless you. Like, yeah. Yeah, excuse you. Um, but yeah, so names had a powerful meaning, and God is the only one who really has the power to change them. And so I love every time he changes a name in the in the Bible, there's just such a deep meaning, and it's a little reflection on what God says about us too, like as his children. So it's so cool. But when Jesus met Simon, uh Andrew was Simon's brother, and Andrew's like, Hey Jesus, this is my brother. I wanted you to meet him.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Right, because Andrew had already heard of him from John the Baptist, right? Yes. Because he was kind of one of his people.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

I think so, yeah. Yeah. So what's so funny though is like, do it's like, imagine this interaction, first of all. You've never met this dude. You're probably a little bit skeptical of the guy. And then you come up and you're like, hey, this is Simon. And then Jesus looks at Simon and he says, You are Simon, son of John, but you will be called Cephas, which means Peter. Yeah. Like, what he's like, Who are you and why are you changing my name? Yeah. Who gave you the right? Yes. But what I love about that is Peter means rock. And later on, God reveals what that means.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Um, in Peter's walk and in his life, but at the right time. And so again, I'm like, why are you calling me a rock? Like, yeah, what does that mean? We're gonna skip rocks. Yeah. It's like we're gonna, what do you do in the rock? Uh yeah. And who are you to call me that? Um, but it's just amazing that Jesus sees Peter's future before Peter sees it himself. And his identity is spoken over him before he has even earned it or even knows what's going on. And um, I remember I have a very distinct memory of reading through the story of Peter. And I just I was living in Lakeland, this is a few years ago, and I was like, I want to read through his story through scripture. And I got that's as far as I got, and I started crying. Because you know, when you have like a revelation moment and you're like, oh my gosh, like he knew all the ups and downs that that man was gonna bring, and there's a lot of them. And he still called him who he created him to be. And it was just it's just powerful that he does that for us too.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Yeah, you also said, and you were talking about um how he like God sees that whole picture of who you are, not just like that snippet of a moment that we sometimes even define ourselves by. Right. Like he sees the whole picture. I think those two things that you just said, I was like, dang, like those are good.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Yeah. And I love this is kind of a deep thing to say, but what's new? So welcome back, welcome back. But I'm always like, I go to say something, I'm like, oh, people are gonna be like, what the heck? And then I'm like, okay, anyways. Um, but God is outside of time, right? Right. So when he looks at you, he sees all of it. Yeah. Like that is just crazy. Like it is mind-blowing.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

I do feel like we're like, you know, trying to become more Christ-like, we're trying to become a better follower of him and an example of him. And he sees that entire process and where it feels grueling for us sometimes in certain situations. Like he's like, Oh, but don't worry, because like I'm already in your future. Yeah, I've got it. Yeah, it's right here.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

And also, I'm the one transforming you, not you. Yes. Like, yeah, you know, I think we get so caught up in, am I doing enough? Yeah. And God's like, no, just come with me and I'll I'll do the work. I'll walk with you. Yeah. So yeah, he's not, he's never as stressed as we are. Yeah. You know, I feel like we stress about a lot and he knows everything and he doesn't.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

So Megan, I had a moment like that last night. I'm like, you know, balling my eyes out and trying to figure out, like, you know, because my my life was turned 180. So I was like in the ditch, you know, digging and working and serving him in a different way that like now I'm like, I don't feel I feel that. Like I don't feel like I'm doing enough. Yeah. Or, or am I even doing what I am doing right? I feel that on a deep level. Yes. So like I feel like it's so cool to just be reminded of his goodness and his faithfulness in that. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yes. Um, so I love to in Luke 5, 1 through 11, um Simon Peter and his brother and Drew and a few other people were fishing and they've been fishing all night. They're exhausted. And this is just goes to show like the like how funny Jesus is. Like he's funny. Yeah. But he's like on the beach walking up, and he already knows the answer to this question, but they're tired. They've been out all night fishing. That's what they do for a living. They're not doing great. They haven't caught anything, and they're frustrated. Whatever, the sun's coming up, and Jesus is standing on the beach, and he's like, Hey, have you caught anything? And they're like, No. And he's like, you know, throw the nets on the other side and see if see what you catch. And then they pull in a ton of miraculous, like this insane catch of fish. And they're like, What who is this guy? Like, what is going on? And and they immediately knew that he was someone special. And Jesus said, Don't be afraid. From now now on, you will catch men. You will be, which sounds weird, but you'll be a fisher of men, right? Like, catch men is probably not what he said. Lasso 'em. Real men. Donnie hunters. Yeah, no, but it's like you will be fisher of men, and and like you will be. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

This picture has drawn to lasso, sorry. I'd like to learn. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

But what I love is that Peter left everything. He left his livelihood, he left his family, he left everything to follow Jesus. And that was the call, right? Like the calling of like, hey, I want you to come follow me, and that we'll figure the rest out on the way.

SPEAKER_01 9:15

Um, yeah, I always wonder, like, because it says that on many accounts of like they left everything and followed him. It's like, okay, like, did they say bye to anybody? Like, they're like, peace out, homie, like on the way through town, like yeah, wave. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

And it's like, and how did they like support their families? And they had to completely rely on God. Yeah. It's amazing to think about actually. Um, and then another highlight moment of Peter's like relationship with Jesus was when he um walked on water, which we talked about that a few episodes ago, but he walked on water with Jesus and he got out of the boat and then started sinking. But he had that moment with Jesus, which was so profound in so many ways. And you can go back a few episodes and we talked more about that. I think that was what I don't even remember what episode it was, but I know it was counterfeit piece, I think is what your guess is good. Yeah, I'm like, what? I know it's in there somewhere. Um, counterfeit piece is that one. And then um in Matthew 16, 13 through 20 is when Jesus has that conversation with a few of his close disciples, including Peter, and was like, Who do who do other people say that I am? And they start listing off all the things people are saying he is, and then he said, Who do you say that I am? And Peter says, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus says, You Peter. He said, You are Peter. And on this rock I will build my church. And not meaning Peter is the rock, but what Peter said is the foundation of the church, yeah, is that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. But that is the moment that his name was revealed. And this has been a few years. This is before, this is probably about three years since he gave him his nickname Rock. Yeah. And then that moment of a Godwink of like, yep, that's the right answer, Peter. And what you just said is gonna be the rock of my church, and that's why I gave you the name I gave you. Which is that's when his identity was confirmed, right? So then um Peter's also known, like when you think of Peter, what do you think of like personality-wise? What comes to your head?

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Uh not a person, like I think of people that I know. No, I mean like traits.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Like traits, don't say names, please, God.

SPEAKER_01 11:37

Like outspoken, um, could be a little abrupt, hothead.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Yeah, super passionate, passionate's a good word, intense, dude. Intense, yeah. Um ask for forgiveness, not for permission, kind of a guy.

SPEAKER_01 11:52

Yeah, my grandma taught me that.

unknown 11:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:55

Same. So Matthew 16, 21 through 23. It was moments after he had just had this moment confessing who Jesus was. And um he Peter tries to stop Jesus from going to the cross. Remember, and he's like, no, like he didn't understand the full picture. And in moments after Jesus had just confirmed his identity, he looked at Peter and he says, Get behind me, Satan. What do you think is so funny? Wow. Get behind me, Satan. Which means that the thought that Peter had was not aligned with God's will. So he was rebuking it. He wasn't calling Peter Satan, but he was saying, like, no. Like I must fulfill this purpose and plan. Yes, you need to understand there's a bigger plan than what you understand.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

I appreciate you willing to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

I appreciate you trying to be my homie. My ride or die. My ride or die. Peter's probably like, what the heck? You just said I was, I just got the answer right. No, this is what I was supposed to do. Like I was on a high of my life, and then bam. Um, it was like literally moments. It's so funny. Like, yeah. Um, but then I love that even called people can misunderstand God's plan. And that's a perfect example of that. And I think when you're young Christians too, like we are intense and like, yeah, let's go get them. And then the longer you walk with the Lord, the more humble you become, and the more quiet you become, and but you're bold in a different way because you're bold with wisdom. Does that make sense? Yeah, that definitely happens in Peter's story too.

SPEAKER_01 13:25

It's like your passion is placed in like the right way, yes. And and in kindness, yeah. That's what something I love about um going back to the part where he reveals like his his name's confirmed. Like I love how it says, Um, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven. And like that didn't happen a whole lot, like to everyone. I mean, like we think of it now, we have the Holy Spirit in us now. You know, once you accept it. Oh, we're so lucky. We have so much more than they did. Right. But I just I love that part of it for some reason because it wasn't in himself that that came out. Like the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

The Lord that was the Holy Spirit giving him that wisdom.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Yeah, like before we even all had that. Yes, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00 14:12

That's kind of cool. Yes, he was the first. Yeah. Um, so then we get to Peter promises loyalty. So in Luke 22, 31 through 34, um, Jesus warns Peter, this is when things are starting to get heated. Holy week is coming up, Jesus is about to go to the cross soon, and he's trying to tell these boys that he's been walking with for three years what's happening, and they still have no idea what's happening until hindsight, right? Yeah. And so, but he looks at Peter and he says, Simon Simon. He uses his first name, which feels like an insult. Right. But I think there's significance in that because that's the identity, because Satan attacks your identity. So he says, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you, sift all of you as wheat, which means Satan has asked to destroy you. Another thing you need to know is the enemy cannot do anything without God's permission or your permission.

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Right. And so Which is hard to wrap your head around.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

Which is hard to wrap your head around, and I'm gonna do a whole podcast on that. But it's like you that is why it is so important to be aware of the agreements you make with the words you say. And and yeah. So so, but what I love is that that Jesus says, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. And he said, and then Jesus said, I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. So Jesus is interceding for Simon, but he intercedes for all of us. Um we just have to continue to do our part in obeying and showing up and coming back even when we screw up, right? Like we just keep stumbling towards Jesus and keep stumbling in the right direction. But I think um it's just super interesting that he used his old name that Satan asked for his old identity, but he is a new creation in Christ, and that's Jesus is interceding for him.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

And he's also like here foretelling, it says, and when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Yeah. So it's like foretelling of what he's prophesied over him.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Right. He Satan's gonna try to take you out.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Through your old, through who you were. Right. But I have interceded for you. And not only are you gonna overcome what he throws at you, but you're gonna turn around and strengthen your brothers with it. Exactly right. And that's like prophesizing, speaking life and truth, and what God says is so because he said it. Right. It goes back to his power of his word. But it also had played a role with Peter not quitting. Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

So, um, and then it's almost like he didn't get it in the next verse. You know, I mean, how often like I can relate, yeah, because he's like, but Lord, I'm ready to go with you both to prison and death. He's like, I'm ready to rise. He's like, I tell you, Peter.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

Yes. And is that the same passage where Peter's like, I'll never deny you. Yeah. Yeah. So that's yeah. So Jesus is like, Peter, you're gonna deny me three times. No. Yeah. And Peter's like, there's no way I'm gonna go to the grave with you. Like, there's I love you, Lord. And I, oh man, that like hits me on a deep level because you're like, Lord, I'm all in, I'm never gonna let you down. And then bam, like life, life, and you you do. Yeah. And it's like, and and so Jesus says, you know, you're gonna deny me three times before you hear the rooster crow. And he's like, What rooster? I would never deny you. That's stupid. Like, where's it at? What is going on? Take it out now. Let me wring its neck now. Yeah. So, like, yeah. Um, so then, and Jesus is just like, okay, you know, time to move on. But yeah, time to move on. We had things to do. And and um what I love though is that Jesus planted that because when God redeemed when the moment happened, he knew it, and when he redeemed it, he knew it. Yeah, you know what I mean? So I'm trying to get to that part. I feel like I'm talking a lot. So um, but then there's Peter and Gethsemane. I always say it with a lisp, which is in Matthew 26, 36 through 46. Um, where this is where Jesus goes to pray and be with the Lord, and he is so stressed out that he's sweating bullets. This is where he's about to get arrested, and he's about to the whole process of being crucified is about to begin, and he knows it. And so he all he asks is for Peter and the disciples to stay up and pray. Like, just pray with me. I'm gonna go off and be alone with the Lord, you stay right here and pray. And every time he comes back, they keep falling asleep. Um, which had to be so discouraging. Like, I think about that, and it just makes me so sad. But um, it just highlights his human weakness. Yeah, I was gonna say, I feel like it's our flesh. Yeah, like there are things that we can't be everything, yeah. It's a good thing God doesn't need us because we couldn't be what he needed anyway. Um, but it just highlights Peter's human weakness. And then they come to arrest Jesus in the garden, and Peter cuts a guy's ear off. Because why not? With the sword, because he's ticked. He's like, You're not taking Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 19:34

I said I'm going to death. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

And it's like zeal without understanding. And Jesus is like, Oh, good gracious. So he sits, he he bends down, he picks up this dude's ear and he miraculously puts it back on the guy's head. Which, if you think about that, that's erasing all the evidence that would have sent Peter to prison or worse, because he had a purpose for Peter. And he's like, No, I'm not gonna let your zeal and your overreaction thwart the will and plan of God in this time. Yeah. But he also was able to witness to all of those guards that still arrested him, which is wild to me. If I saw someone put a guy's ear back on his head, I would think twice about who I was arresting.

SPEAKER_01 20:16

But, anyways, so he says, put it back into place, bear.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Yes. And so, um, and then that night things get heated, Jesus is being questioned, everyone's getting very, everyone's pointing fingers, it's everyone's whispering whispers, and people are fearful.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

People are fearful.

SPEAKER_00 20:39

All of the disciples have scattered except Peter, he's following Jesus at a distance. He's not close, but he's at a distance following because he's trying to see what's going on. Is he gonna get killed too? There's all kinds of stuff going on. And three times during this in the crowd, people are like, Oh, you were with Jesus. Is that you're you're Jesus' friend, you know Jesus. And three times Jesus said, No, no, I don't. And then he cusses and says, No, leave me alone. I don't know him. And the last time he says it, a rooster crowed, and Peter heard it. And then he looks across the room and Jesus is looking right at him. And I don't think Jesus was condemning him because that's not who Jesus is. But in the moment Peter failed, Jesus looked at him, he saw him, and he loved him.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:37

And when that moment happened, the Bible says Peter went outside and wept bitterly because he knew he had failed miserably. He was humble, he was Mr. Mr. Man, Mr. Mr. Can Do It All, Mr. Zeal, Mr. Passion, and he was crushed to a pulp in the second. And he felt Like he absolutely failed his best friend and his savior.

SPEAKER_01 22:04

So it's an ache in a heart, like, or it feels like I'm sure hit he felt like your stomach drops, you're like speechless, you don't know what to do. And so all you can like do is just come. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

And I think about moments of that in my life where I'm like, I just let him down again. Yeah. And he never looked at me like, really? Yeah. Like, here we go again. No, he looked eyes on me and he said, I'm looking at you and I love you anyway. Yeah. And that is enough to crush your heart in the best way. Like, that is where humility comes. That is where conviction comes. That is where freedom comes. That's where you're chiseled. If you oh yes, it's where you're chiseled. And that is where the enemy also likes to pray. Because that's where you're the most vulnerable. And that's where you need to be aware that, like, okay, you need to know who God is. And you need to know who he says you are.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

Simon needed to remember that he was still Peter.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

And that what Jesus said to him earlier wasn't done yet.

SPEAKER_00 23:08

Yeah. Like it only the first part was done. Yeah. But Jesus had interceded and he said that you're gonna overcome it.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

Like Yeah. It's so important to have to like remind yourself of that. Of like it's not, it's not the end if you mess up.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

No. And Jesus said, I redeem all things, which is the whole point of why we're sharing this story. Yeah. Um, but he does it for each one of his children in the most intensely intimate way.

SPEAKER_01 23:38

Yeah. Keep holding on because there's an a flip sign to this. Yes. Yes. Not even flip, because it's not like a 180, but it's like a I don't know how to like going through it. I think of like someone swimming through water. You know, like you're going through it. You're not, I don't really feel like it's a turn the page and act like it never affected you. You know what I mean? Like it's a walking through it. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:07

Um I love too, so like my notes are all over the place. I'm trying to keep clear. If I'm not making sense, tell me and I'll I'll repeat myself. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:18

You're fine.

SPEAKER_00 24:19

So the um so then Peter watches Jesus get murdered brutally. Right. And then he's in the in the tomb for three days, and then he runs to the tomb after he hearing Jesus has risen, and hope begins to rise again in his heart. But what I love is that in Mark 16, 7, the angel tells the women, go tell his disciples and Peter. Right, because he knew Peter was the one that was in agony. He was the one who was beating himself up pretty bad. But I love that he made it a point to point it out.

SPEAKER_01 25:05

What reference was that? Oh, n 16 7.

SPEAKER_00 25:08

You want to read it?

SPEAKER_01 25:10

Sure. But go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. I've never realized that. That he said Peter. I never realized that he said Peter and that all connected because I'm sure he was, especially with how passionate he was. I'm sure he was just as passionate about knocking himself down. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

And I think Jesus wanted to make sure that Peter was still invited.

SPEAKER_01 25:31

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:33

Peter was still invited.

SPEAKER_01 25:34

And I feel like this shows that he was with them. He went, he went back to his community.

SPEAKER_00 25:45

Yes. And it's just a picture of grace. Like Jesus singles out the one who failed. Yeah. Like, and he and he says, Go tell his disciple disciples and Peter. Because Peter Peter is still a part of this, and Peter, Peter needs to be there. So then John 21, 15 through 19 is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture, I think. Um, and you have to remember that the day, this is how intimate Jesus is. Okay. The day that Peter decided to follow Jesus, they were fishing. Right? You remember he was on the beach. He said, Hey, throw it on the other side, see what happens. And they have this insane catch and it's this insane day, and they drop everything and follow him. This is after Jesus has risen. They're out fishing again because they probably don't know what else to do. They just go back to life as normal. And they're out fishing again, and um someone's on the beach. Do you have John 21, 15 through 19? Will you read it for me? 15 through 19.

SPEAKER_01 26:53

Yes. It says when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

SPEAKER_00 27:01

He said, sorry. No, but ahead. Right before that, like when he was on the beach.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

Um, just as the day was breaking, yes. Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? They answered him, Nope. He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish. So it's an inside joke.

SPEAKER_02 27:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:30

So the so he reenacted the day they met and he hid his identity from them because they know what he looks like. And he hid himself. He was far enough away, and they were probably so emotional and heartbroken that they didn't even think about it. They were glazed over, I'm sure, in grief. But like, what's so sweet and intimate about God is he's like, hey, this is our inside joke. This is how we met, and this is how I'm gonna redeem you too. So then they have this insane, like crazy, funny moment of like catching these fish, and then keep reading. What is Peter? What does Peter do?

SPEAKER_01 28:03

That disciple whom Jesus loved, therefore, said to Peter, it is the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 28:08

Yes. And then Peter jumps in naked, doesn't he?

SPEAKER_01 28:11

Oh, when Simon Peter heard it that it was the Lord, he put on it, he put on his outer garment for he was stripped for work and threw himself into the sea.

SPEAKER_00 28:21

He he cannonballed to get to him. But how precious. Like he Jesus came back for him and he cannonballed to to get to him. And then they go on the beach and Jesus makes them breakfast and he makes them fish because they had a lot of it. And fish and bread. Yes. And what I love is in the original text, in the English Bible, Jesus asks them, Do you love me three times? But in the original language, there there were different words for love.

SPEAKER_01 28:53

And so I love how whenever it he does this part of like the redeeming the story, it's three times, just like the denying three times. Like he didn't leave any room for it to not be confirmed that he was redeeming it.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

He uh he unwound what the enemy tried to do. And that's when the enemy tried to sift him out. Was that moment, and that was the moment he overcame because Jesus said so. Yeah. So it says um, you know, after Peter's three denials, Jesus asked him three questions. In the original language, two different Greek words for love appear. So one is, I might butcher this, but agape, which is a sacrificial, unconditional, self-giving love. That's a God kind of love. Right. And then one is phileo, which is a brotherly affection, friendship, and deep personal fondness. So they're sitting on the beach, they're eating fish, and Jesus is, you know, talking to Peter, and he says, Simon, son of John, do you agape me more than these? So Jesus is asking, Do you love me wholehearted, sacrif with sacrif sacrificial devotion? And then Peter said, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, but he said, I phileo you. So he didn't say, I love I agape you. I can't love you like you love, but I love you with a brotherly love. So um after his failure, he's definitely more humble, right? Because beforehand he was like, Oh, I agape you, I will go with you to the grave. And then he failed, and now he's having this moment with the Lord. And then um Jesus says, Feed my lambs.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

So there's that that redemption of that last part of the initial passage. So there's the first one.

SPEAKER_00 30:48

So then the second time Jesus asks, he said, Simon, son of John, do you agape me? And again, Jesus uses the higher form of love, and Peter answers, Yes, Lord, you know that I phileo you, which Peter still won't claim that he what he once boasted he could do. And Jesus says, Okay, take care of my sheep. And then Jesus a third time says, Simon, son of John, do you phileo me? So Jesus comes down to Peter's word. And it's almost as if Jesus says, Peter, do you love me as a friend? And John tells us that Peter was grieved because Jesus asked him a third time. And then Peter responds, Lord, you know all things, and you know that I phileo you. And Jesus says, Feed my sheep. And why this matters is that um the beauty of this passage is that Jesus restores Peter without demanding perfection first. Jesus doesn't say, Come back to me when you can honestly agapo me. Like instead, he commissions Peter right where he is. So Peter's identity is not restored because he finally reaches a higher level of love. His identity is restored because Jesus calls him, commissions him, and entrusts him with responsibility despite his failure. Jesus meets Peter in his honest confession of Phileo love and then grows him into the kind of man capable of agape love. And years later, Peter would demonstrate that sacrificial love by faithfully serving Christ and ultimately giving his life for him. Peter ended up getting crucified as well. And he got crucified upside down because he didn't feel worthy of being crucified the same way Jesus was. But how amazing of God to sit there and say, Do you agapha me? And Peter's so beaten down, he's like, No, I can't do that. I phileo you, I know I failed. And he asks again. And then the last one, Jesus says, Well, can you phileo me? Can you love me like a brother? And then Peter said, You know my heart, you know I do. And then Jesus basically says, Well, that's enough for me.

SPEAKER_01 33:15

Yeah. It goes back to like where you feel like, or anyone can feel like, you know, I've gone too far. I can't, this can't, I can't be used by the Lord. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 33:29

I'm disqualified.

SPEAKER_01 33:30

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I just hope anyone listening doesn't buy into that because it is an absolute lie. It is where the enemy attacks. Yes. For sure. Yes. It is. And he can redeem. He does redeem. He's still.

SPEAKER_00 33:47

He does. He's still in the business of redeeming. And I love that he meets us where we are. Yeah. Like he's like, you can't give me everything, but if you have two fish and a couple loaves, we can we can make this work. Yeah. Like we'll sit down and talk. Yeah. God makes up the difference. So if you're in a season where or in a moment in your life where you feel like you've screwed up or you're struggling, or you feel like you were once on fire for God and you've wandered, or you've sinned so big that you can't confess it. Or um if you're isolated in your sin, come back to come back to him.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Yeah, he's there.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

He's gonna lock eyes with you in the moment you fail and love you there.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

Yeah. I was talking to a um student this past weekend uh and she she was, you know, deciding on kind of where she's gonna go in her life. And she was like, I'm I was like, how how are you doing with like your walk with God? Are you reading your Bible? Things like that. And she was like, Well, I'm a little scared. And I was like, scared of what? And she said, you know, scared to to open it, and basically it convicted me. And I was like, I'd be more scared not to, if I'm gonna be honest with you. I was like, because and and be encouraged by that, that like not only yes, there is conviction when we're not walking like as we should, um, and not trying to follow him, but also there's so much hope and grace in that as well, that like he he loves you that much.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Yeah, like if he's convicting you, he's working on you. Right. That's a good thing. Right. If you don't hear anything, I'll be concerned. Right. It's kind of like my my coach. Like, I had a coach that gosh, she was hard. She was like six foot twelve, I guess that'd be seven foot from Brazil. She was like a uh volleyball coach, and she was just intense. And I was not great, I was uh good at a lot of things and not great at anything. I just played things to socialize. And so but she was intense. And um I remember she looked at me because she was on my butt for a practice, and I think I had a bloody nose. Like it was a rough practice. Sounds like it. It was rough. And so she she finally looked at me and she's like, Megan, if I stop talking to you, you should be scared because that means I've quit on you.

SPEAKER_01 36:08

Yeah. And I'm like, Yeah, people are like, You ride me so hard. It's like it's because I care about you.

SPEAKER_00 36:14

I care about you, and I also know what you're capable of. Right. And but God is does it in such a loving way, like he convicts you, but he doesn't condemn you. Right. There's a very big difference. Yeah. So yeah, condemn feeling condemned can be a very scary feeling, but you quickly realize it's not from God.

SPEAKER_01 36:31

Yeah. Well, also, like if you don't open that and if you don't learn more about him and his character and know who he is, like it's it's miserable living in that. Yeah. Like without that. Yeah. Yeah. You know how to live like that. Yeah. Yeah. You don't you ain't gotta do it all that. Yeah. Yeah, I love that. Is there anything you want to add before we go?

SPEAKER_00 36:54

No, I think that's it. Okay, all right. Well, we will see you or we will be here on Monday. We won't see you. I say that every time. I'm like, we want to see you. If you have any input or anything you want to add, uh please uh DM us or put the little thing in the box. What do you say for a podcast?

SPEAKER_01 37:14

I think we have the link now. Is it a link? Under the um like description. I believe we have the link, but you also have the Instagram Pockets of Paradise you can reach out to or Megan or me. We usually screenshot and send it to each other.

unknown 37:28

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:28

We love I do. I blow her phone up. Yeah, same. We love um having the feedback and it's been so fun to watch you guys follow along. And um it's just yeah, just like we are. Yeah, we're growing as we do it, and it's just fun to get to share. I don't ever want to gatekeep, Jesus. Yeah. And so I I don't know at all, but I love to share what I do know, and I love learning with you, and it's just it's cool. Yeah, it's lots of fun. Thank you. Bye. Bye. See you next time. Bye.