Easter 2012. "Peter"

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
Our text this morning is the Gospel from Mark 16. "But go, tell his disciples and Peter that (Jesus) is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him just as he told you. "

In our Easter Gospel this morning we see the women, (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome) at the tomb of Jesus. They had come to anoint his body for burial; thinking they would find only a corpse. But what they found when they got there was a wonderful surprise! They found no Jesus. No body. In his place they found an angel who was waiting for them with a message. "Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified is not here. He is risen!"Jesus left that angel there in his place with a ver specific purpose. Jesus knew these women would come looking for him. He knew that they would come to anoint his body, so before leaving the tomb he left one of his angels behind. The angel's job was to greet the women when they arrived and share with them a message. “When the women come looking for my dead body, tell them I am not here. Tell them I am alive, that I have risen from the dead. And give them a message for my disciples and especially give them a message for Peter.” The Risen Christ left behind a messenger. He left a very specific message for the women, for the disciples, but especially for Peter. In the message left by Jesus, Peter is specifically mention by name. Dear friends in Christ, certainly Peter was important in the ranks of the disciples. But the message I want to leave you with this morning is that Jesus who has risen from the dead, has come to call sinners. He called Peter specifically by name here in our text, and he calls you by name also. The text mentions Peter. The Gospel tells the story of Peter. But know this, Peter's story is your story. He was a disciple of Jesus. And the resurrection of Jesus changed things for Peter.Scholars who have studied the Gospel of Mark have noted that Mark tells us a great deal Peter, more so than any of the other disciples. The Gospel often seems to favor the perspective of Peter over against the other disciples. Peter shows up early in the Gospel as one of the first disciples to be called. Peter finds his way into Jesus’ inner circle of disciples and is granted access to events and places where other disciples are not invited to go; for example Peter gets to witness the raising of Jairus’ daughter from death. Peter is also quick to fail. When Jesus was transfigured and his glory was revealed, Peter wanted to set up tents and stay a while. The voice of God the Father told him to shut his mouth and listen to Jesus. Also, It was Peter who rightly confessed Jesus to be the Christ but then right away was rebuked as the mouthpiece of Satan when he attempted to correct Jesus for foretelling his death. In the upper room, Peter impetuously vowed to die before falling away from Jesus but the first chance he got, after Jesus was arrested and stood trial, Peter denied he even knew Jesus 3 times to save his own skin. Peter had a lot to learn. These days we would say “his heart was in the right place” but he just didn't quite get it. Peter was ready to serve, ready to work, ready to join the movement, ready even to die for the movement. But he didn’t understand what the movement was all about. The incident in the courtyard while Jesus stood trial was a perfect indicator of Peter's exact failure. When Peter saw his failure, when he heard the rooster crow, he went out and he wept bitterly. But Peter’s story is our story. Peter was a disciple of Jesus. One who believed and trusted and gave himself fully to the cause. He wanted to do what was right. He wanted to help and he wanted to serve. But he had much to learn. He struggled with his own feelings and with his own failings. Peter's story is our story. But it is also and it is primarily Jesus' story. Because Jesus loved Peter. And Jesus came to save Peter. And yes, Peter failed. And yes, so do we. But through Peter’s failures Jesus taught Peter that he could not die for Jesus, until he knew that Jesus had died for him.Remember Peter on the mount of Transfiguration. Jesus showed Peter his glory. Peter saw the face of Jesus shining like the sun. Peter saw Jesus as God. Peter wanted to set up tents, to build booths for Jesus and for Moses and for Elijah. Peter saw Jesus in his glory. He saw Jesus rubbing elbows with the prophets. This was something that people needed to see. If they could only see Jesus interacting with these men, then the Jews would know, they would understand, they would follow Jesus too. And if they could see his glory! Wouldn’t that be better?And don’t we want the same? Don’t we want the world to see and know and understand the glory and the power and the majesty and the might of Jesus? Don’t we want them to see that Jesus has the power to save and to heal and transform and to restore? Don’t we want the world to bow down at the feet of Jesus in honor and respect? Isn’t that what the world needs?Yes. But before you can do anything for Jesus, you must know what Jesus has done for you. The story isn't primarily your story. It is Jesus story. It isn't about what your do for him. It is about what He has done for you!When the bright cloud of the Father’s glory had passed Jesus was there on the mountain the same as before. The radiance had faded, Moses and Elijah were gone and it was just plain Jesus. They walked down the mountain together. Jesus left the glory mountain behind because he had another hill to climb. A hill called Golgotha.Jesus told Peter about Golgotha. And do you remember his response? “No Lord, it will never be.” “Get thee behind me Satan.” Said Jesus. Peter’s heart was in the right place. He wanted the mission and ministry of Jesus to succeed. But he didn’t understand what that ministry was all about.Our failures are often the same. We have great plans for Jesus. Great things that we intend to do. Witness for Jesus when we go to work. Speak up for Jesus when we go to school. Carry the banner for Jesus when we go to church. Our hearts are in the right place. We want to do those things that are right, that disciples of Jesus do. But, like Peter, we fail. Peter’s rooster signals our failures just as much as it does his. And with Peter we go out and weep.We would give up our lives for Jesus, but that is no good until we know that Jesus has given up his life for us. While Peter was busy weeping, Jesus was busy suffering. While Peter was sinking in despair, Jesus was carrying his despair to the cross. While Peter was overwhelmed by his failure, Jesus was paying for it with his own blood. While Peter was overcome with grief, Jesus was overcome with death. Death for Peter. Death for all Peter’s failures. Death for all Peter’s sin. And Peter’s story is your story. Peter’s life is your life. Because Jesus died for Peter and Jesus has died for you too."Peter was sure that al was lost. The work of Jesus had failed, and worse yet, He had failed Jesus. But Remember, Peter's story is primarily Jesus' story. It is not about what Peter did and did not do. It is about jesus. About what Jesus did. Jesus died. Jesus died for Peter and Jesus died for you. And now Jesus is alive. He was raised for Peter and he was raised for you. And so Jesus gave a message to the angel. The angel gave that message to the women. "Go tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is not here. He is risen. He has gone before you to Galilee. There you will see him."Peter heard the message that the angel gave and just like you or I would have done, Peter ran. He got up and he ran to the tomb. And when he got to the tomb he brushed right by the more timid John and he went in to the tomb. He saw the burial cloths all folded up and laid aside. There was no Jesus. The women were right.Later on he was in the upper room with the doors locked tight because he was still afraid. And all of a sudden Jesus was there before him. The others saw him too. He asked for something to eat so he wasn’t just a spirit. Jesus was alive!Later still Peter was out fishing… all night with nothing to show for it. A man standing on the beach told him to throw his nets down the other side. He did. His nets came up and they were full of fish. Peter knew at once it was Jesus. He jumped out of the boat and into the water and swam to his Lord. When he got there Jesus said to him, “Peter do you love me?” “You know I love you.” “Feed my sheep.”“Peter do you love me?” “Lord, you know I love you.” “Feed my sheep.”“Peter do you love me?” “Yes Lord, I love you.” “Feed my sheep.”And Peter did. Fifty days after Jesus was raised Peter was again in that upper room when Jesus sent the Spirit like a rushing wind. There were tongues of fire, there were words not studied or learned coming from his mouth, and then there was a sermon, preached to 3000 men plus women and children. There were baptisms. There was a church. Jesus has sheep. Peter fed them. Peter taught in the temple. He healed in the streets. He preached in the synagogues. He fed Jesus’ sheep. And then, one day while in Rome Peter was arrested, the Romans didn’t like the sound of his preaching and so they intended to kill him, to crucify him. Suddenly it was just like in that court yard with the servant girl. "Do you know this Jesus of Nazareth?" This time no curses, no denial, just confession. Jesus died for Peter. Now Peter would die for Jesus. The church fathers tell us that this time Peter was not afraid. In fact, this time Peter was humbled. Suffering for Jesus was an honor, an honor to great for him to be even worthy of it. "Let me be crucified up-side down." So he was.You see, Peter's story is our story. Called by Jesus to be a disciple, good intentions but struggling with weakness. Struggling with failure. struggling with sin. But Jesus died for that sin. He has risen from his grave and he is alive. Jesus is alive. Alive for you. To overcome death and sin and failure in you. He did it in Peter. He does it in you. Jesus sent the women away from the tomb with a message for Peter. That message is your message. Jesus is not here. he is risen. And that message changes everything.Amen.And now may the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen