As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. Mark 16:5-8 (Emphasis mine)
Most of us have read this passage several times. This is the passage my pastor spoke on yesterday at Easter service, along with most of the pastors around the world I assume. But Pastor Curt pulled out those two little words and centered his sermon around them. These are two of my very favorite words in all of the scriptures. ‘…and Peter’
Most of us have read this passage several times. This is the passage my pastor spoke on yesterday at Easter service, along with most of the pastors around the world I assume. But Pastor Curt pulled out those two little words and centered his sermon around them. These are two of my very favorite words in all of the scriptures. ‘…and Peter’
Peter is my favorite. I love Peter. I identify with Peter. Peter is what I like to call the Unlikely Disciple. He’s an ear-cutter, a questioner, a speak-first-think-later disciple, an I’ll-tell-Jesus-how-to-do-his-job disciple, and lastly, he was a denier disciple.
I imagine Peter felt like what he’d done, denying Jesus, (“Yeah, I’m not with him, that *expletive* *expletive* *expletive.*) was as bad as Judas handing Jesus over to be crucified. I would have felt that way. If that angel had not expressly said …”and Peter”, do you think Peter would have considered himself to still be a disciple of Jesus? Would he have gathered up to meet with them? To finish the work Jesus had given them? I doubt it. He felt a failure; worthless, out of the loop. He’d finally done it. That was the last straw. He was no good to Jesus now.
But the angel said, "…and Peter".
And that right there is the beauty of the gospel.
We can’t be too far gone for God to reach us. Too far gone for Jesus to love us. There is nothing we can do to earn his love, and there is nothing we can do that will make him stop loving us.
Whenever I feel that way, too far gone, I imagine God instructing His angel to say…
…"and Tricia. Make sure to say, and Tricia".
