Go Tell Peter
Peter's failure did not cancel God's purpose. Jesus still called him, restored him, and used him to strengthen others.
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.” Luke 22:31-34
Ngayong gabi, ang mensahe ng ating Panginoon ay may pamagat na Go Tell Peter.
Alam naman natin kung sino si Simon Peter. When he was called by Jesus Christ, sinabi ng Panginoon, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” That invitation from Jesus changed the life of Apostle Peter.
From a literal fisherman, he was called by Jesus Christ Himself to become a fisher of men. Something leaped within Peter when he heard those words from the Lord. He immediately left all and followed the Man from Galilee.
He was willing to leave everything behind and follow this man, Jesus Christ. There was something about Jesus that captivated the heart of Peter.
Peter Was Zealous And Real
Makikita natin sa Scripture kung gaano kakulay ang personality ni Apostle Peter. From the moment he encountered Jesus, sobrang excited niya, sobrang positive niya. But there were also times na nauuna ang action bago ang pag-iisip.
That is why his personality is often described as sanguine. Minsan sumusunod siya agad without thinking deeply. Napakakulay ng personality ni Apostle Peter.
But more than that personality, Peter became a leader in the church. He became a leader in Jerusalem. Yet Peter had no clue what Jesus had prepared for him.
Basta alam niya, he found his purpose when Jesus called him.
Maybe at first, hindi pa ganoon kalalim ang personal na pagkakakilala ni Peter kay Jesus Christ. But because of the fame of the Lord and the things He was doing in Galilee, Peter may have heard His name and became curious.
He saw Jesus teaching the Word of God. He saw Him doing wonderful things. And Jesus also saw something in Peter.
Jesus saw authenticity. Sobrang totoo ni Apostle Peter. He was zealous. Jesus saw the faith building inside Peter, and that was something the Lord would use in the latter-day revival.
Peter’s Role In The Church
We know the role of Apostle Peter in the church age. It was Peter who preached Acts 2:38 on the day of Pentecost. Through that preaching, thousands were baptized and converted.
Malaki ang naging role ni Apostle Peter sa church.
But we also know that there were moments in his life when he doubted. May time na nasa bangka sila, and Peter walked toward Jesus, but because of fear and lack of focus, he began to sink.
Even with all his zeal, Peter still had moments of weakness. May mga pagkakataon na nagduda siya sa Master na sinusundan niya. May mga pagkakataon na parang hindi pa niya lubos na nauunawaan kung sino talaga si Jesus.
When the storm came and Jesus calmed the wind and the sea, they were amazed and said:
“What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”
This tells us that maybe in the early part of Peter’s walk, nakikilala niya si Jesus, but not yet in a deeper level.
Peter Was Still In Process
Sa sobrang bilis kumilos ni Peter, minsan hindi na siya nag-iisip. He cut off the ear of one of the soldiers, but Jesus restored it.
He also promised the Lord, “Hindi kita iiwan. I will go with You, even to prison and death.”
But we know what happened.
Peter denied the Lord three times.
We see how Peter sometimes acted like a child. Minsan walang isang salita. Minsan may pagdududa. Minsan may pagdadalawang-isip. But through it all, Jesus kept working on Peter.
The Lord understood that Peter was still in process.
Nasa proseso pa rin siya.
But one thing was sure: Jesus knew the end of Peter’s life. Out of this childish man would come a powerful preacher of the gospel.
What Peter did not fully understand was this: before he could become what God intended him to be, he would go through fiery trials.
Jesus Prayed For Peter
Jesus knew what Peter would become. Alam ng Panginoon na si Peter ay magkakaroon ng malaking gampanin sa church.
That is why Jesus said:
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not…” Luke 22:31-32
Imagine that. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself prayed for Peter.
Ganun ka-importante ang magiging role ni Peter. Jesus personally prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.
Satan wanted to sift him as wheat. Satan wanted to shake him. Satan wanted to destroy him. But thank God, Jesus was praying for Peter.
And we can say that we are also beneficiaries of Peter’s ministry. It was Peter who preached on the day of Pentecost. Thousands were saved. The message reached many places and many generations.
Kung wala ang ministry ni Apostle Peter, kung wala ang panalangin ng Panginoon para sa kanya, iba ang naging takbo ng church history.
Peter Followed At A Distance
After Jesus was arrested, Luke 22:54 says that Peter followed at a distance.
Peter found himself facing one of the biggest decisions of his life. Three times he was asked if he was a follower of Christ. Three times, he denied Him.
What can we learn from Peter?
Take note: tagasunod na siya ng Panginoon. Apostle na siya. He had walked with Jesus. He had heard His Word. He had seen His miracles.
Yet under pressure, Peter denied Him.
Minsan para rin tayong si Apostle Peter. We may have served Christ for many years. We may even be leaders. But there are moments when the world asks us, directly or indirectly, if we are followers of Christ.
Maybe we do not deny Him with our mouth, but through our actions, minsan nade-deny natin ang association natin with Christ.
Minsan ayaw nating ma-identify as Christian, lalo na kapag kailangan nating dalhin ang gospel sa trabaho, sa school, sa kaibigan, o sa pamilya.
Why?
Because like Peter, we are pressured. We are afraid. We wonder what people will say. We fear rejection. We fear judgment.
The Bitter Cry Of Regret
Matthew 26:74-75 tells us that Peter began to curse and swear. Then the rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the words of Jesus.
He went out and wept bitterly.
Umiyak siya nang may pait.
Why? Because he knew the truth. Alam niya kung sino si Jesus Christ. He had a personal relationship with Him. He saw the miracles with his own eyes.
But because of worldly pressure, because of fear, because of the questions around him, he denied the Lord.
Imagine how painful that was for Peter.
Maybe if the word depression had been used at that time, we could say Peter entered a place of deep remorse. Sobrang bigat ng pagsisisi niya.
He denied the Son of God. He denied the Messiah. He denied God manifested in the flesh.
Siguro pakiramdam ni Peter, sobrang makasalanan niya na. May mga iyak talaga sa paglilingkod sa Panginoon na mapait. May halong regret. May halong pagsisisi. May halong remorse.
Alam mo naman kung sino ka. Alam mo kung sino ang Diyos na pinaglilingkuran mo. Alam mo ang katotohanan. Alam mo ang gospel.
Pero dahil sa pressure ng mundo, pressure ng kaibigan, pressure ng pamilya, takot, at pagdadalawang-isip, nagawa mong i-deny ang pananampalataya mo.
When Promises Feel Lost
Peter once declared:
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus said that flesh and blood did not reveal that to him, but the Father in heaven. Peter received revelation from God. Sa kanya ibinigay ang keys of the kingdom.
Imagine the weight of denying the same Lord whom he once declared to be the Christ.
Pakiramdam siguro ni Peter, lahat ng promise ng Panginoon sa kanya nawala na. Parang lahat ng calling niya, lahat ng ministry niya, washout na.
Ganun din tayo minsan.
Kahit gaano tayo ka-revived sa church, kahit gaano tayo ka-faithful sa gawain, once we commit sin or make a mistake and drift from the presence of God, parang feeling natin ang dumi-dumi na ulit natin.
Parang ang sama-sama na natin. Parang lahat ng promises ng Panginoon na narinig natin sa preaching, Bible study, conference, and prayer ay nawala sa isang pagkakamali.
Minsan ayaw na nating magsimba. Minsan iniisip natin, “Wala namang nagbabago sa akin. Paulit-ulit na lang. Ayoko na.”
If that feels heavy for us, how much heavier must it have been for Apostle Peter?
The Voices Around Peter
Maybe Peter wondered if life was still worth living. “May pag-asa pa ba ako? May dahilan pa ba akong mabuhay kung ang Author of life mismo ang dineny ko?”
Perhaps he heard many voices in his head. Maybe he overthought everything. Maybe he felt like Judas. Judas also felt deep guilt, and we know what happened to him.
Peter may have thought, “Wala akong kwenta. Napakasama ko. Napakadumi ko.”
Maybe he also imagined what the other apostles would say. “Pedro, ikaw pa naman. Ikaw pa ang binigyan ng keys. Ikaw pa ang nangaral. Ikaw pa ang malapit sa Panginoon. Tapos dineny mo Siya?”
Minsan mas masakit kapag ang salita ay galing sa kapatiran. Mas doble ang bigat because they know you. They know you serve. They know you preach. They know you encourage others.
But this is where Jesus stepped in.
One Voice Still Believes
Regardless of what Peter may have heard, there was still one voice that believed in him.
The moment you sin, the moment you drift a little, many voices will speak. First, your own voice: “Bakit ginagawa ko na naman ito? Nag-promise na akong magbabago.”
Then the voices around you. The voices of people. The voices of accusation. The voices of discouragement.
Pero ang mahalaga, may isa pa ring tinig na naniniwala sa atin. May isa pa ring tinig na nagsasabing mahal pa rin tayo ng Panginoon.
Despite Peter’s failure, Jesus did not give up on him.
And after Jesus rose from the dead, the message was loud and clear.
Go Tell Peter
Mark 16:7 says:
“But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee…” Mark 16:7
Go tell His disciples, and Peter.
Peter was singled out because Jesus knew he was living in guilt and self-condemnation.
Peter was singled out because Jesus still had a plan that very much involved him.
Nung nagkasala si Peter, hindi binawi ng Panginoon ang keys of the kingdom. The keys were still his. The calling was still there. The plan of God was not forfeited just because Peter failed.
The one who thought things could never be the same was about to fulfill his ministry with Jesus, with more power.
The man who thought his ministry was over would soon become a powerful preacher in the church.
Jesus Goes Before You
The angel said that Jesus was going before them into Galilee.
Galilee was familiar ground. It was connected to the life of Jesus and the life of Peter. Galilean din si Peter. Lugar nila iyon.
But sometimes, the familiar place is also where judgment is strong. Minsan sa sariling lugar pa natin maraming hindi naniniwala sa atin. Minsan doon pa maraming voices, temptations, and reminders of failure.
Yet the promise of Jesus was this:
I will go before you.
I am with you.
I will be with you.
I will rescue you.
I will save you.
With all the judgment, with all the voices you have heard, the promise of Jesus is still: I am going before you into your Galilee.
God Has The Final Say
No one has the authority to tell you that you are too far gone to be saved.
Walang may karapatang magsabi sa iyo na sobrang layo mo na. Kahit ang kasalanan natin ay kasing pula ng scarlet, kayang-kaya pa rin itong linisin ng Panginoon at gawing puti na parang niyebe.
No one has the right to tell you that you cannot make it.
No one can throw the law at you as if they have never failed, because we are all guilty. Lahat tayo naging Pedro at some point in our lives. And maybe, in the future, may mga moments pa rin na magiging Pedro tayo.
But that does not mean you cannot be free from the chains that bind you.
Your sin is not bigger than your God. Your sin is not bigger than the cross.
The mere fact that you are here right now, and you know the life you had before, is proof that God can change everything in us.
No matter how big your sin or mistake is, God is still bigger.
Mas malaki pa rin ang Diyos. Mas makapangyarihan pa rin ang Panginoon. Kayang-kaya pa rin Niya tayong baguhin, linisin, at isalba.
God has the final say.
Not sin. Not people. Not even you.
Ang huling salita ay nasa Panginoon.
Where Sin Abounded, Grace Did Much More Abound
Romans 5:20 says:
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20
The law revealed sin. Mas nakita kung gaano karami ang nagkasala. But the good news is this: where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Dahil dumami ang makasalanan, mas lalo ring nahayag ang lawak ng grasya ng Diyos.
Ibig sabihin, mas marami ring pwedeng maligtas. Mas marami ring pwedeng mabago. Mas marami ring pwedeng malinis. Mas marami ring pwedeng i-rescue ng Panginoon.
That is the message of Peter’s story.
Strengthen Your Brethren
Jesus said to Peter:
“And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32
Alam ng Panginoon ang mangyayari kay Peter. Alam Niya na babagsak siya. Alam Niya na idedeny siya ni Peter. But He also knew that Peter would return.
And when Peter returned, Jesus gave him a purpose:
Strengthen thy brethren.
Maybe you are Peter right now. Maybe you feel like you have failed too much. Maybe you feel like you are the worst Christian. Maybe you feel like you cannot come back.
But Jesus says, when you return, strengthen your brother.
Or maybe you already passed through that moment. Maybe you are no longer the Peter who is weeping bitterly. Then look for a Peter. Go tell Peter that God is with him. God will never leave him.
Go tell Peter that Jesus is still calling him.
Your Failure Cannot Cancel God’s Calling
Do not be distracted by past sins. Of course, we must desire to live holy and avoid sin. But there are times when, just like Peter, we fail.
But sin cannot stop your calling when God is the One who called you.
GIFT Church, may malaking gampanin ang Panginoon para sa atin. Tama na ang pagmumukmok dahil sa kasalanang nagawa mo. Tama na ang pagsisi sa sarili. Tama na ang paghatol sa sarili. Tama na ang pakikinig sa sinasabi ng iba.
Jesus is alive, and He is alive forevermore.
Rise up. Stand up. Fulfill God’s purpose in your life.
Who knows? Just like Peter, through your ministry, hundreds or even thousands may be saved.
God Will Meet You In Your Lowest Place
Go tell Peter.
God will never leave you nor forsake you.
He will be with you in your Galilee, in your lowest moments, in your life, and in your ministry.
Salamat sa Panginoon sa Kanyang mensahe. We are glad and grateful that God called us. Hindi kailanman maaagaw ng kasalanan ang katotohanang kailangan ka ng Diyos, binago ka ng Panginoon, at gagamitin ka Niya.
We are the Peters of our time. Maybe we are the old Peters, or maybe we are the new ones. But sin does not change who God called us to be.
Nadadapa man tayo. Nawawala man tayo. Naliligaw man tayo. Bumalik lang tayo sa presensya ng Panginoon. Tanggapin natin muli ang Kanyang pag-ibig. Hayaan natin Siyang kumilos sa ating buhay.
Hindi mawawala ang pag-ibig at pagsinta ng Panginoon para sa atin.
Listen To The Voice Of Jesus
Huwag na tayong magmukmok. Huwag na tayong mag-overthink. Huwag nating pakinggan ang lahat ng tinig sa paligid na nagpapabigat sa atin.
Pakinggan natin ang tinig ng Panginoon.
God is choosing you. God has a purpose in your life. God will use you powerfully according to His perfect will.
God will use you if you allow Him to change you, transform you, and love you again.
Go tell Peter.
Jesus is alive.
And because He is alive, there is still restoration. There is still purpose. There is still calling. There is still a place for you in the work of God.
Closing Prayer
Panginoong Jesus, pinupuri Ka namin at pinasasalamatan sa gabing ito.
Salamat po sa muling pagpapaalala ng aming tunay na halaga at tunay na pagkatao. Kung kami man ay patuloy na nagdududa sa Iyong kakayahan, kung kami man ay nagdadalawang-isip sa aming pananampalataya, salamat po dahil ngayong gabi binigyan Mo kami ng kasiguraduhan at kapanatagan.
Alam namin na ang Diyos na aming pinaglilingkuran ay Diyos na buhay, Diyos na mahabagin, at Diyos na handang tumanggap sa amin sa bawat pagkakataon na kami ay nadadapa at naliligaw.
Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity to be beneficiaries of Your perfect love.
Pagpalain Mo ang bawat kapatid na nandito, ang bawat nagsusumikap na dumalo sa gawain. Nakikita Mo ang kanilang pagpapagal at ang kanilang puso sa paglilingkod.
Whatever they are praying for right now, whatever they are struggling with, samahan Mo po sila. Huwag Mo silang iwan, sapagkat alam namin na Ikaw ay kasama namin.
Pagpalain Mo rin ang aming mga kapatid na wala dito sa anumang kadahilanan. Pagpalain Mo ang aming pastor and the ministry You have given in this place.
Patuloy Mong ipaalala sa amin ang kahalagahan ng gawain na ito, ang pakikinig ng Iyong salita, at ang katotohanan na ang paglilingkod sa Iyo ay hindi lamang tuwing Linggo, kundi araw-araw ng aming buhay.
Sa aming pansamantalang paghiwalay ngayong gabi, ingatan Mo kami hanggang kami ay makarating sa aming mga tahanan nang ligtas at mapayapa.
Ito po ang aming samot dalangin sa makapangyarihang pangalan ng Panginoong Jesus.
In Jesus’ name, amen.