March 23, 2022 – Lent Text: John 18:12-27
Dear Friends in Christ,
He was a professional thief who evoked fear throughout the Wild West. He terrorized the Wells Fargo stagecoach line from 1875 to 1883 and stole thousands of dollars. No victim ever saw him. No artist ever sketched him. No sheriff could ever track his trail. His name? Black Bart.
John introduces another Black Bart. If you’ve ever felt shame and disgrace, it was his whisper that crushed your heart. If you’ve ever felt useless and no good, it was his accusing finger in your face. He doesn’t just want your money. This Black Bart comes to destroy everything.
What’s his name? Guilt. What sucked you under? A one-night stand? A fight you shouldn’t have had? Did you steal something? Language you used on another? Maybe it wasn’t a moment but a season. You failed as a parent or spouse. Your career was not what you thought it could be. You squandered time and talent. The result? Guilt.
We’re in a series called Witnesses to Christ. Today we meet Peter. In the courtyard we see guilt. Beyond the courtyard – we see grace.
“GRACE FOR PETER AND GRACE FOR US”
To get some context, let’s rewind the tape. In John 13 Peter told Jesus he would lay down His life for the Savior. Peter and Jesus had been through many life events together. Calling this fisherman. Peter walking on water. Peter with Jesus on the mountain. The disciple with the Lord in the Garden. No wonder Peter makes the claim, “I will lay down my life for you.”
We’ve all made that claim. When we got confirmed, “Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed remain true to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to the point of death?” We said, “I do!” “Will you take this man to be your wedded husband?” And you women said, “I do!” “Will you take this woman to be your wedded wife?” And we men said, “I do!” The claim. The claim? That’s easy.
As we read the events in the courtyard it is like watching a tall building slowly imploding. A denial. The building starts to shake. Another denial. The building is collapsing. A third denial. There it goes…dust and ashes and building on the ground. Guilt.
Our collapse may happen with, “Just one more drink.” “Just one more fling.” “Just one more lie.” One more just cracks the building and then boom…guilt enters.
After the rooster crowed Peter felt left out and rejected. That is what guilt does. It turns us into miserable, weary, angry, stressed-out people. Who loves rejected people? God does. God gives grace.
How does that happen? In the case of Peter we fast forward the tape to John 21, where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Jesus asks the questions three times – once for every time Peter had denied his Lord. Each time Peter confesses, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” Peter confessed his guilt. How could this be? Because while Peter was denying Jesus, Jesus was suffering for Peter.
Jesus doesn’t wait until we get it all together. Jesus doesn’t wait until we overcome temptation and conquer our sin. “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8). In our courtyard, we see guilt. Beyond the courtyard – at the cross – we see grace. And grace means what?
The comeback. Who preaches the sermon on Pentecost? Peter. Whose sermon converts 3,000 souls? Peter’s. Who writes two New Testament books? Peter. Listen closely. Comebacks don’t depend on how much we love Jesus. Comebacks depend on how much Jesus loves us. Comebacks don’t depend on what we do for Jesus. Comebacks depend on what Jesus does for us. Comebacks don’t depend on us giving our life for Jesus. Comebacks depend on Jesus giving His life for us.
Remember Black Bart? He was eventually found and nothing to be afraid of. He was a mild-tempered businessman from Decatur, IL. The man storming the Wild West was so afraid of horses he rode around in a horse-drawn buggy. Black Bart was Charles Boles – the bandit who never once fired a bullet, because he never once loaded his gun.
See guilt for who he really is. A deadly monster? Yes. A painful feeling that can do great harm? No doubt. The tormentor of our souls? Bet on it. But know this – guilt is a defeated enemy who has no bullets left in his gun.
What’s that mean for us? Our story isn’t over when Jesus is in it. We can all come back from guilt. How? The best G-word of all. Grace. Grace for Peter and Grace for us.
Amen.