The Gospel of the Second Chance

Neville Turley

“Simon, Simon!  Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff.  But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith will not fail.  And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers.”  Luke 22:31-32 (GNB)

How happy Satan must have been when Simon Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before rushing out into the night, crying bitterly. (Luke 22:56-62).  First Judas Iscariot, now Simon Peter had failed Jesus.

However, no matter how bad we are, Jesus always offers a second chance to those who are truly contrite and come to him for forgiveness.

It happened to Peter when he was at Lake Tiberius in Galilee with Thomas, Nathaneal, James, John and two unnamed disciples.  The angel had told the women at the graveside that the resurrected Jesus would meet the disciples there.  Peter was stressed and decided to go fishing. The other disciples went with him. 

They fished the whole night, at sunrise they saw a man at the water edge.  It was Jesus but they did not recognise him.  He called out to them, “Have you caught anything!”  They replied, “Not a thing”.  “Throw your net over the right side!”  They did so and the net bulged with so much fish they could not pull it back in.

John said to Peter, “It is the Lord”.  Peter overjoyed, jumped into the sea and swam to Jesus.  The others followed in the boat, dragging the bulging net behind them.  When they reached shore, they all recognised Jesus but were too shy to acknowledge him.  He invited them to eat and after they had done so, Jesus spoke to Peter.

Three times Peter had denied Jesus.  Now Jesus gave him a second chance.  Three times Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?”  Each time Peter replied that he did. 

We should be very clear what Jesus meant when he asked Peter if he loved him.  The Bible puts it so well, “Whoever accepts my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me.  My Father will love whoever loves me.  I, too will love him and reveal myself to him.  (John 14:21)

Do you love me?  It is the ultimate question that Jesus asks everyone who talks to him.  When he talks to you, what will your answer be?  If it is, “Yes I love and will obey you Lord”, then no matter what sins we may be guilty of we will get a second chance and a new beginning.  Satan will never wrest us from Jesus grasp.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we love you. Thank you for the gospel of the second chance through Jesus our Lord. Amen.