The Great Come Back King

**fennywest** Thu 16 Jun 2011, 6:44 pm

Impetuous pebble
Flaky, hot air
Of little or no substance
Shaky, unreliable
Always speaking wrong
Putting his foot in his mouth
He was so wrong, one day
Jesus called him ‘Satan’
When he got it right
He had an unfair advantage
the Holy Ghost. Let him have a look in
when the other student were not looking

He was dressed and drenched
Adorned with failure-all over
When he ventured out of the safety of boat
To walk on water, obeying the Master
We saw him drowning, crying out like a baby
Then he boasted,‘ I will never deny you, other may’
And we saw him deny Jesus,
Not just once but THREE times
And even cursing while he did.

What is the hope for such a man?
A man well known, notorious for his failures.

But when Jesus rose from the dead
Angel told Mary 'Go and tel His disciples, and Peter'
The one who now counted out of the race,
the one who denied Him thrice, the failure
that it is not over because He is alive
Jesus also met him fishing
and reassured him thrice
'you ‘re still on my team
'you’re not finished
'it’s not over for you
'I still have confidence in you
'You’re still a champion with me
Do you love me?
Feed my sheep
Do you still love me?
Feed my lamb
Do you still love me in spite of your failure?'

Then the day of Pentecost came
And he was one of the 120 in the upper room
endued with power from on high.

Suddenly the timid became bold
the flaky became strong
rising like a colossus
and spoke like a demagogue
quoting scriptures right, left and centre
with reckless abandon
with the finesse of a professor
and applying it with the skill
and proficiency of a theologian
this was power preaching with
and unction that functioned.

People were spellbound
Mesmerised, awe-inspired
They could not believe what
they were seeing or hearing
or they channel it was coming from
and were so convicted that about 3000
believed, were saved.
Hell was plundered
Heaven populated
The tide of the failure had turned.

What a come back story!

Later we see him at the Beautiful Gate:
‘’silver and gold I don’t have,
but what I have I give to you
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
Rise up and walk!'
And the lame man walked.
This man was used to work signs and wonders,
Miracles, so much so that
even his shadow was enough to heal people

What a come back!

He went on to write books that were accepted
as part of the cannon of scriptures
Built, became a leading Apostle, raised disciples left
a testament and legacy for all time
Dead yet he speaks to all who have failed:
It’s not over until Jesus says so.

So have you failed so woefully
That you want to call it quits?
Have you messed up so Big Time
That you not only think people have written you off
But you have also written yourself off or about to do so?

Have you got it wrong many times that you don’t want to try again
For fear of adding to your catalogue of failings?

Know that it is not over until Jesus says so.
Jesus has not finished with you.
You are still work-in-progress.
and the good work He had begun in you ,
He will continue to work at until
He brings it to a glorious finale
His grace is sufficient for you
His Spirit is at work in you
His word is washing you
His blood is speaking for you
The Holy Spirit is advocating
Testifying, pleading your case
Interceding for you.

Jesus is saying:
It’s not over, the game is still young
And this in spite of your age
You’re like a vintage wine
That get better with age
You will still bring forth fruit in your old age
You will remain fresh and green
Proclaiming: the Lord is upright
And there is no unrighteousness in Him

Jesus is saying you are still in my ‘A’ Team
You have not just a role to play but a vital role
You are not finished, even amidst
these catalogue of woes and failure
I can turn this hopeless situation around
Only believe, trust and obey
That is the only way out.

As He assured him many times
He now reassures you
Take His comfort to heart
Meditate on it, believe He is speaking to you
pray it back to Him in times of storm, wind
Hail, fire, hurricane, tsunami
Replay it to yourself
Encourage yourself with it
Just like David encouraged himself.
Feed His sheep that He brings to you
Those who have been failures like you have been
Those that think it’s all over for them
Those that have been written off by society
Those who are broken, battered, bleeding
In the prison of their past failures
In their finances, family, friendships
Other relations, in ministry etc

‘Feed My sheep who see themselves as useless,
‘No good’ Hopeless, comfortless, spent, helpless,
dry, licked, in the wilderness of life, finished!

‘I will turn your wilderness into an evergreen forest.
‘I will furnish you, adorn you,
beautify you; make you palatial, a rendezvous
a well-watered garden, a resort that is sort after.
‘I will make you a pillar of reference
of the goodness, grace and greatness of the Lord
when I have finished with you
no one will recognise you.

‘You will be a fountain of living water
A source of delight and great blessing
And you will be a blessing to your generation
and that which is to come after you
like Spurgeon- long dead, yet still blessing
many with his writings.

‘You will be a restorer
An instrument of peace and
reconciliation, a bastion of hope
A green pasture
An oasis in a desert
A door of faith and hope
A place of speedy recovery
A bountiful bread basket,
a symphony of worship,
A garden of delight, bringing light
and illumination in the midst of darkness;
a school of enlightenment.’

30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And they all said likewise.Mark14:30-31
Luke 22:56-58
New King James Version (NKJV)
56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him,[a] saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
Matthew 26:74-75
New King James Version (NKJV)
74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matt16:22-23
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Mark8:32

Restoration of Peter
Mark 16:6-7
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 But he said to them, “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. 7 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.”
John 21:15-17
King James Version (KJV)
15So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Exploits of Peter

10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
Peter’s Sermon

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.’[a]

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken[b] by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him:

‘ I foresaw the LORD always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’[c]

29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,[d] 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

‘ The LORD said to my Lord,

“ Sit at My right hand,
35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’[e]

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
A Vital Church Grows

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly[f] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 3
A Lame Man Healed
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Acts 5:14-16
New King James Version (NKJV)
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.