Friday: Further Thought – Jesus’ Last Days
In 1959, two hoodlums entered a home in Kansas and murdered two teenage children and their parents. Before the killers were found, the brother of the murdered father wrote this letter to the local paper. “‘There is much resentment in this community. I have even heard on more than one occasion that the man, when found, should be hanged from the nearest tree.
Image © Kevin Carden from GoodSalt.com
Let us not feel this way. The deed is done and taking another life cannot change it. Instead, let us forgive as God would have us do. It is not right that we should hold a grudge in our hearts. The doer of this act is going to find it very difficult indeed to live with himself. His only peace of mind will be when he goes to God for forgiveness. Let us not stand in the way but instead give prayers that he may find his peace.’”—Truman Capote, In Cold Blood (New York: Modern Library, 2013) p. 124.
Putting aside questions about capital punishment, we can see here a powerful expression of the kind of grace that Christ offers to us all. Even after Peter’s inexcusable denial, Christ forgave him and entrusted him with the work of winning souls. “Peter had just declared that he knew not Jesus, but he now realized with bitter grief how well his Lord knew him, and how accurately He had read his heart, the falseness of which was unknown even to himself.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 713. He knew what was in Peter even before Peter knew; and He knew what Peter would do even before Peter knew. And yet, His love and grace remained constant, despite Peter’s having no one to blame but himself for his actions. As we deal with people who make similar mistakes, how crucial that we learn to extend grace to them just as we would wish it for ourselves.
Discussion Questions:
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Jesus could not imagine what was to be separated from his father; however, he knew that the wages of sin is eternal death and in order to give us the opportunity to be saved from such terrible punishment he himself needed to pass the cup. He asked if it was possible to pass the cup without having to go thru it, no because he changed his mind about the love he has for us, but because the burden was too great. There was no any other way for Jesus to obtain the victory because if there would have been any other way, it would have shown that the law of God was not perfect, and the law of God it is as perfect as his character. Bless be our Lord for giving his life for us! Amen
Esther
Not only was Peter's flight an example of our unfaithfulness, but also the other disciples forsook Jesus as well. Their abandonment is an example of the decisions we make daily when we decide to be selfish and not extend love to our brethren. What a wonderful God we serve!
The lesson omitted the fact that once Peter was convicted by the pity of Jesus for him he repented and cried bitterly. He also was worked by the Holy Spirit to have a change of heart and attitude in his on life from this experience. There is no mention of Peters repentance.
Peter wept and that was his repentance:. Luke 22:61And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62And he went outside and wept bitterly. 63The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him