Matthew 26
Over the years I have had many sad pastoral conversations. One of the saddest was with an elderly man who had started to attend our church. I engaged him in a conversation at coffee hour about his relationship with Jesus. I explained to him the amazing gospel message and then asked if he wanted to believe it. With a trembling voice, this elderly man confessed that he had done some terrible things in his life and he didn't believe he could ever be forgiven.
I explained to him that Jesus' death on the cross had the power to take away the guilt and shame of those terrible things. He didn't need to carry this guilt any longer, he could be free. Sadly, he said he couldn't receive forgiveness and he left the church carrying his burden.
Let me ask you. If you could pick one event in your life you could go back and do it over, which would it be? If you're like me, it would be tough to choose just one. We've all done things that have left us in deep regret. We mourn them like a death. And while we can't change the past, we also can't ignore it.
Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times. Peter's reaction? He vehemently swore his allegiance to Jesus, even to death. Yet, we all know how miserably Peter failed just a few hours later.
But here is our hope in failure. While Jesus knew that Peter and all the disciples would fail, he also knew that they could be restored. He said these words, "But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." Jesus wasn't going to ditch this miserable band of losers. No, he was going to transform them through this failure. The truth is that Jesus knows all our failures past, present and future. While our failure is great, God's grace is much greater.
You may be reeling from a failure so bad it has consumed your life. Yes, you failed but here is the good news; God is not done with you. Shame over past failures and sins can haunt and inhibit us in many ways. And Satan just loves to keep reminding us of this failure. But Jesus intends to redeem us completely.
If you have the courage to ask for forgiveness, Jesus has the power to free you from all guilt and shame.
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