It’s almost Easter.  Let me ask you a question.  Have you ever had to be slapped between the eyes with something before you understood what you should have seen all along?  The Apostle Peter had an experience just like that, and his life was never the same.  We read right by it, if we are not careful.

 

In the twenty second chapter of Luke’s Gospel, Peter has denied Jesus three times, just like The Lord told him he would.  The rooster crows and Peter remembers the words Jesus had told him.  Then, it simply says, Peter went out and wept bitterly. 

 

Was it just the memory of Jesus’ words?  I don’t think so.  You see, I believe as much as I believe anything, Peter saw three things in this glance from The Lord, three things that penetrated to the marrow of Peter’s soul, three things that are the very nature of Christ Himself.

 

“Peter, I love you.”

 

“Peter, I forgive you.”

 

“Peter, I’m doing this for you.”

 

Oh, how The Adversary tries to get us to complicate the message.  But, when we lock eyes with Jesus, the message we need to share is clear.  Jesus loves you, Jesus will forgive you, and Jesus did this for you.