MEDITATIONS FROM THE GOSPELS

 

January 23 , 2008

Reading:  Luke 24:9-12

 

"But Peter … departed, marveling to himself at what had happened” Luke 24:12

 

Dear Peter, the disciple with whom most of us identify the most. Zealous, blunt, devoted, speaks without thinking, boasts he will be willing to die for Jesus,  denies his Master, weeps bitterly, forgiven—like most of us Peter experienced the highs and lows of his relationship with Jesus; but how Jesus loved this boisterous, unpredictable man.

When the women brought spices to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, they found it empty. An angel greeted them and said,

 

“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you” Mark 16:6-7.

 

I like to believe the angel was instructed by the Savior Himself to mention Peter by name. Jesus knew the heartache and remorse Peter had in his heart. ‘Be sure to tell Peter I understand—I love him. He has to know this.’ Can you feel the heartstrings of the Savior in these words?

Upon hearing the message of the women Peter took off running toward the tomb. This message was personal to him. After seeing the empty tomb for himself,

 

“Peter … departed, marveling to himself at what had happened” Luke 24:12.

 

Then something happened that is not recorded by any of the gospel writers, Jesus met Peter and spent time alone with him. Between Peter leaving the tomb and the two men from the Emmaus Road reporting to the disciples of their meeting with Jesus, this wonderful interview took place.

 

 “So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’” Luke 24:33-34.

 

Wouldn’t you have loved to have eavesdropped on that conversation? We can only imagine what was said. Would it have been anything less than the Fathers’ greeting of his prodigal son?

 

“But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” Luke 15:20.

 

Those who have ever denied their Savior and experienced His response when they return to Him in repentance, truly know the depth of love in His hugs and kisses. Peter knew and never forgot. Even Paul, when writing to the Believers at Corinth concerning the resurrection of Jesus, made mention of this special meeting,

 

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas (Peter), then by the twelve” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5.

 

This meeting was revealed to Paul along with the facts of Christ’s resurrection. Apparently it was not only important to Peter, but to Jesus Himself.

Ask yourself, my soul, is the heart of Jesus affected by your sins? Repentance is a must. A warm welcome is a guarantee.