Peter’s Principle: Failing Forward

By Neil Earle

The Ash Wednesday-Good Friday-Easter Sunday period is a time when many Christians reevaluate their commitments in the light of Jesus’ sufferings on the cross and all that that entailed.

One model that stands out for me this time of year is the example of the Apostle Peter. Almost everyone has heard of Peter – impulsive, outspoken, brave and foolhardy, cowardly and inconsistent, bombastic and striding and guilt-plagued. He is a walking contradiction and in that sense is an easy disciple for us to identify with, especially in this aspect of being at the same time the obvious leader of the twelve disciples and the most conspicuous failure among the bunch.

But, in the end, Peter’s experiences can be of great spiritual encouragement for us today. We all fail to measure up in the Christian life but in the end its how we fail that matters – failing forward, as we shall see. There is a sign outside our church building today that reads: “Rather than call the qualified, God qualifies the Called.”

It’s How You Fail

That is not a bad precept at all. Let’s take a quick overview of Peter’s spiritual autobiography to get a feel for where he was coming from and how the Lord was able to use him mightily in spite of embarrassing setbacks. In short Peter’s resume goes like this:

– His brother a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:40)

– Interviewed by Jesus (John 1:42)

– Seeing Jesus heal his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39)

– Gently chiding Jesus about his instructions (Luke 5:5)

– falling at Jesus’ knees in fear after a miracle (Luke 5:8)

– receiving a fresh commission as fishers of men (Luke 5:10)

– walking on water for a few seconds (Matthew 14:22-23)

– praised highly for receiving revelations from God (Matthew 16:18)

– rebuked sharply as “Satan” (Matthew 16:23)

– questioning Jesus (again) at the foot-washing (John 13:8)

– enthusiastically proclaiming his loyalty to Jesus (John 13:9)

– denying his Master three times (Luke 22:61)

– distraught and weeping bitterly (Luke 22:62)

– receiving a personal message from the resurrected Lord (Mark 16:7)

– needing to be recommissioned after a piercing interview with the risen Lord (John 21:17)

– preaching boldly and affecting 3000 people (Acts 2:38-41)

– his shadow healing the sick (Acts 5:15)

– backing down in face of pressure in Antioch (Galatians 2:11)

– dying a martyr to the besieged Christians in Rome

Profiles in Restoration

It makes quite a story doesn’t it? Its an unbelievable but wonderfully human story of ups and downs, of highs and lows and ultimately the supreme realization hitting him that Peter wasn’t as great as he thought, didn’t love Jesus as much as he imagined, and admitting his complete unfittedness for command among the group. More than once Jesus had to reaffirm his belief in Peter as a true disciple. More than once Peter had to echo the words of the Prodigal Son in the parable – “Father I have sinned against heaven and before you and am no more worthy to be called your son.” In Luke 5 Peter scoffed a little at Jesus’ ability to catch fish but after his remorseful expression the Lord was quick with a word of forgiveness and reassurance: “Fear not Peter. After this you will catch men” (Luke 5:11).

“Feed my sheep” was Jesus’ warm reaffirmation to Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee when the whole apostolic band was recommissioned for service that they would carry out splendidly by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 21). The church today is in large measure a result of their preaching.

The good news for us is that Peter failed – spectacularly and often – but with Jesus on his side Peter failed forward. Jesus said: “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” (Luke 22:31).

Simon couldn’t take that. He shot back with “I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

Jesus, who knew all things about these men and his own future, calmly replied – “Before the rooster crows today you will deny me three times.”

Which is precisely what happened. Simon followed the arrested Jesus from a distance. Then he three times denied with great oaths at the end that he even knew Jesus. Simon’s failure was complete but…the Lord looked straight at him just as the rooster crowed and that look was the beginning of the end of the old Peter and the rise of the New Disciple. In our end is often our beginning as the wise poet said and Jesus knew this. What Simon had done fell on him like a cartload of bricks. “He went out and wept bitterly.”

What Next?

A writer named David Egner covered this. He said the real question in life is what you do next:

“Judas betrayed Jesus. Peter denied him three times. But the difference is in what they did next.

“Peter repented. Judas hung himself.

“When we commit sin the important thing is what we do next. If we lose our temper and say something cruel to a family member – what do we do next?

If we mistreat a coworker – what do we do next?

If we catch ourselves dwelling on evil thoughts – what do we do next?

Do we make excuses, seek to justify our bad behavior, blame the other person, or deny it and try to suppress it so that it will come roaring back with more force later? The big question in life really is – “What do we do next?”

Peter reached out for the mercy and grace that the dear Lord extended to him. Jesus knew that in his heart of hearts, Peter really did love his Lord and Master. Jesus understood that even more than Peter himself did. Jesus knew the spirit is often willing but the flesh indeed is very very weak – he said that when Peter and the disciples slept on their watch (Matthew 26:41).

Yes, there was lots of work to be done with those eager but still somewhat spiritually dense disciples. There is lots of work to do with us. But like Peter at this time of year we need to reflect on the rugged disciple’s example of failing forward. Jesus had a special word for his friend Peter and he has one for each of us. Its what will we do next. For a big question in life is not whether we fail – that is obvious – it is if we fail forward. God help us all to understand this season and every season of our lives.