He Included You

On the first Easter morning, some of the women went out to visit the tomb of Jesus to annoint the body with aromatic spices. When they arrived the stone in front of the tomb had already been rolled away and someone was sitting inside (an angel), who told them Jesus had been raised. Then he said, "Jesus wants you to go tell the disciples, AND PETER, that He will meet them in Galilee." (Mark 16:7). Have you ever wondered why He said "and Peter?"

Consider that on Friday night when Jesus was arrested our attention was pointed at two men who sinned greatly against Jesus. Of course, we all remember that Judas was the one who had betrayed his friend for 30 pieces of silver. At the end of the evening, he was filled with remorse and went and hanged himself.

Peter, on the other hand, denied Jesus publicly three different times. He had been warned by Jesus in the upper room during the Passover Meal, he had slept during an agonizing prayer meeting in Gethsemane, and then he had followed at a distance as Jesus was led away. When he was presented the opportunity to witness for Jesus, instead he had denied him, not once, but three times. The evening for him had ended with him weeping bitterly and running out into the night.

I cannot help but suspect that Peter was like many of us. He felt such intense shame and guilt that he thought Jesus was finished with Him. He must have thought, "God will never forgive me."Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever wondered if the promises of the Bible are for everyone else but you? I have felt that way.

So on the morning of the Resurrection Jesus wanted Peter to know that he was included in the invitation. And if you read the story in John 21, you know that Jesus later fully restored Peter to a wonderful ministry for God's Kingdom. I cannot help but believe that Jesus would be absolutely delighted for us to take Peter's name out of that verse and slide ours in its place.

The psalmist said, "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."(Ps. 32:1). Someone will surely say, "But that does not include me. My sin is too great, or it is too much." The promise of God's Word is this, "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7). God has made perfect provision to deal with all sin. What Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross satisfies God completely, and it included all sin.

The key, however, is found in the first part of I John 1:7. There God's Word says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." In order to receive cleansing from our sin so that we can live in God's forgiveness, we must walk in the light. So what does that mean?

It means for a person who has never placed their faith and trust in Christ, they must personally receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. (John 1:12). It means for the person that is already a follower of Jesus Christ, they must be honest and sincere in the acknowledgement of their sins to God. (I John 1:9). We must turn from sin, and turn with full hope and faith to the Lord Jesus. Like the song I grew up singing in church, "Jesus paid it all."