Remember Peter’s words to Jesus in the Upper Room just hours before,

"Lord, I am ready to go with you
to prison and to death!"

Since he spoke those words:

Peter fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane, at the time when Jesus needed his prayer support the most;

Peter, like the other disciples scattered when Jesus was arrested;

And now, not once, but three times Peter denied even knowing Jesus.

Peter went against everything he boldly promised.  He failed Jesus, as a disciple and as a friend

"And he went out and wept bitterly."

Who here hasn’t shed tears of failure?  Tears because like Peter you were not able to keep your word.  Tears because you broke a promise, a vow you never thought you would break.  Tears because you failed in your effort to achieve some goal.

If you watched the NCAA basketball tournament last night, particularly the St. John’s game and the Arizona game, you saw tears of failure.  As players from each team cried because they failed in their quest to win the championship.

Their failed efforts and others like it cause me to wrestle with the question, are they failures? Society, who tends to determine failure and success by the scoreboard, is more apt to say, "Yes!"

When Gregory was ten years old I was asked to coach his little league team. I t was a new team in a very strong established league.  We practiced very hard knowing we were going to face some very good teams.  We took the field believing in ourselves, believing we could beat our opponent.  We played up to the best of our abilities and at times even beyond.  Yet when each of the sixteen games were over, we found ourselves in the losing column.

Were we failures?

One parent came up to me after the season, and told me we were.  He said he was sorry his son wasted his time playing for our team. The parent looked at the scoreboard and basically questioned our commitment and devotion to the game.

Well I suppose we could do the same with Peter.  The scoreboard on his life certainly gives us reason to question his commitment and devotion to Jesus.

Peter had his moments of success.  Such was the time he first met Jesus.  After a night of fishing which resulted in no catch. Jesus told him to go back out and cast his nets.  At first Peter, balked at the idea because they had been fishing all night.  Finally he consented and catching many fish he fell down at Jesus knees.

Then there was the time Jesus asked,

"Who do you say that I am."

Peter boldly answered,

"You are the Christ."

Peter’s moment to shine was quickly dashed as moments later Jesus had to rebuke Peter saying,

"Get behind me satan."

After that the scoreboard on Peter’s life showed he failed.   When:

He tried to walk on water at Jesus’ invitation and sank to the bottom;

He tried to cast out an evil spirit as commissioned by Jesus to and couldn’t;

He refused to let Jesus wash his feet and then asked for Jesus to bath him;

He was asked to stay awake and pray and he fell asleep;

He drew a sword in the garden at the time of Jesus’ arrest;

He denied Jesus, even after he had been warned by Jesus that terrible failure loomed. Such warning did not stop Peter from saying,

"I do not know Him!"

The rooster’s crow signaled the end of the game. Peter knew he had failed.

"And he went out and wept bitterly."

Peter failed, BUT is he a failure?

Before you answer that question you should read Peter’s letter to the Christian church. In that first letter you will read the following counsel.

"Therefore be serious and watchful in prayer." 1 Peter 4:7

"Be tender hearted, be courteous not returning evil for evil." 1 Peter 3:8,9

What kind of failure gives such wise counsel?

Is it possible that Peter said,

because he failed to in the garden of Gethsemane?

Is it possible that Peter said,

because he drew a sword to attack those who were arresting Jesus?

Is it possible that Peter said,

because he denied Jesus?

Is it possible that Peter said,

because he started to sink to the bottom of the sea?

Is it possible?

No it is not possible, it is an absolute certainty.  Peter failed, but he was not a failure because from his failures he learned the absolute necessity of dependence upon Jesus.  Peter is a perfect example of Paul’s words,

Peter should be an encouragement to us, that failures don’t have to end up in defeat, but can result in victory.

This does not mean that your life or my life will be exempt from times weeping bitterly. There will be times when people will question our commitment and loyalty to Jesus because we failed to be Christ like.

Do not let anyone call you a failure.  Instead let those failures become avenues for your greatest successes.  Allow those failures to be guidepost to a deeper dependence on Jesus. With each failure do not ask, WHY?, but rather ask How?  How will God use this failure to shape me and mold me into successful dependence upon Him?

To me one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible, is when Jesus confronts Peter after His resurrection.  Jesus doesn’t say, "I told you so."  Jesus isn’t interested in apologies.  Jesus isn’t interested in revisiting the past.  All Jesus is interested to know from Peter is,

When Peter says,

Jesus says,

It is on Peter that Jesus has built His church.

With each failure, may your pray be:

Have Thine own way Lord,
Have Thine own way.

You are the potter,
I am the clay.

Make me and mold me
after Thy way.

amen