by John Piper | December 31, 2011<\/p>\n
How eager Jesus was to restore broken fellowship with his apostles after the resurrection! Surely this is a sign of how eager he is to restore us when we have drifted (or bolted) away.<\/p>\n
All the apostles had forsaken him. In the garden, at his most sorrowful hour, “They all left him and fled\u201d (Mark 14:50).<\/p>\n
Now he was raised. What would he say to those who had abandoned him? Three healing things:<\/p>\n
To Mary at the tomb: \u201cGo to my brothers and say to them, \u2018I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.\u2019\u201d (John 20:17)<\/p>\n
\u201cBrothers!\u201d \u201cYour Father!\u201d \u201cYour God!\u201d I am going now. You will come later. We are, and we will be, together. I forgive you. Our Father forgives you. <\/p>\n
He finds the apostles, stands among them, and says, \u201cPeace be with you.\u201d He showed them his hands and his side \u2013 horrible reminders of what it cost him when they forsook him. And he says again. \u201cPeace be with you.\u201d (John 20:19\u201421)<\/p>\n
\u201cPeace!\u201d Not \u201cShame!\u201d I forgive you. I take you back. I entrust you with my mission: \u201cAs the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.\u201d (John 20:21)<\/p>\n
To Peter, three times: \u201cSimon, son of John, do you love me more than these?\u201d \u201cSimon, son of John, do you love me?\u201d \u201cSimon, son of John, do you love me?\u201d And to his three positive answers, Jesus said, \u201cFeed my lambs.\u201d \u201cTend my sheep.\u201d \u201cFeed my sheep.\u201d (John 21:15\u201417)<\/p>\n
I have not given up on you, Peter. You are a shepherd of my sheep. Do you recall that I prayed for you? I told you what was coming. I never let you go. My command was a promise: \u201cWhen you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.\u201d (Luke 22:32)<\/p>\n
Jesus was eager to repair the damage that had been done. Eager to forgive, restore, recommission. If you have forsaken him, let him down, offended him, take heart, he is not less eager to repair things with you. Seek his face. Ask him. Receive his grace.<\/p>\n
Topic: The Grace of God <\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a9 2011 Desiring God<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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