2 Ways Jesus Motivates Peter During Failure
In this current series we are looking at these 2 passages:
John 15:12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Here is my simple question: “How did Jesus love the disciples?”
Last week we looked at Jesus’ response to Thomas’ lack of faith in Him. This week we are going to look at how He interacts with Peter when Jesus predicts that all the disciples will abandon Him to the Roman guards.
In Mark 14:27 Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7 predicting that all the disciples will fall away from Him this very night. ’Peter declared, “Even if all fall away I will not.”’ It is painful to read. Peter is fully convinced of the other disciples’ weakness and sin. However, Peter has little insight into his own propensity to fail Jesus and deny Him. In Mark 14:30 Jesus tells Peter he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows in the morning. Then the text says, ‘But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.’
How does Jesus love Peter … especially knowing that Peter will shortly abandon Jesus?
Does Jesus use the world’s methods to motivate Peter? Specifically, does Jesus use Satan’s methods to motivate Peter relative to the coming failure? No. The devil would threaten Peter, “If you fail me when I need you most I will never forget it!” The devil would also use rejection, “If you fail to stand by me you will never serve me in my kingdom and I will deny that I ever knew you!” Then devil would also employ shame, “I should have known from the beginning that you were worthless!”
It is important to name the world’s and the devil’s motivation methods so that we can fully avoid them!
Then we need to see Jesus’ motivational methods of love so we can grow in them.
Note: We all fail to motivate others like Jesus would. Don’t get caught in condemnation or regret …. Just give yourself to the desire to change and be more like Jesus. He does NOT want us to feel bad; He wants us to grow in goodness.
So, how does Jesus interact with Peter about his coming failure and sin?
Look at Luke 22:31 where Jesus says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
What does Jesus do?
- Jesus prays for Peter
- Jesus tells Peter, “You are going to make it. When you do, help your brothers.”
Jesus loves Peter by motivating him with love, “I have prayed for you Peter!”
Jesus loves Peter by casting a vision for his success after his failure… and his ability to help his brothers.
Don’t you love it? Jesus doesn’t descend into the wickedness of the devil’s unclean motivation but is gloriously “healthy!”
As far as I can tell, Jesus never rejects His disciples, never shames them nor fault finds them, but Jesus always motivates them with 1) clean instruction, 2) clean challenge, 3) clean correction and even 4) clean discipline.
And remember John 14:9 “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”
Jesus’ healthy motivation reveals the Father’s healthy motivation as well! Visible Jesus reveals invisible God!