3 Strikes, You're Out!

In the game of baseball, the batter has one objective: hit the ball in play, and don’t strike out. The batter has 3 strikes, and if they get to the third strike, they’re out and on to the next batter. Today we are continuing our sermon series on “Peter’s Journey to Deep-Rooted Faith.” Last week Pastor Charles talked about the day Jesus called Peter to drop everything, to come and follow him, and to be a fisher of men. Today, we’re continuing Peter’s Journey by looking at the time that he spent with Jesus during Jesus’ earthly life. For Peter, this was a time of learning, growth, and failure. In the Scripture passages that were read, you heard of 3 instances in which Peter swung, missed, and struck out.

As a person, we know that Peter was someone who had a lot of bravado. He was a natural leader, and because of that, he became the “spokesman” of the 12 disciples. We also know that he was someone who wasn’t afraid to speak their mind. He was impulsive, ambitious, self-assertive, and quick to commit without fully understanding the meaning of Jesus' words or actions. As a leader—as a disciple—Peter had much to learn from the moment Jesus called him on the shores of the sea of Galilee. And during their time together, Peter was presented with opportunities that he could slam out of the park. But as we’ll see, when he comes up to the plate, he swings hard and misses.

The first passage that we heard today is the miracle of Jesus walking on water. This follows immediately after he fed over 5,000 people. After that incredible miracle, Jesus commanded his disciples to get into a boat and sail across to the other side of the sea of Galilee where he would eventually meet them. So, they set off and as they sailed across a storm came. They were scared! The wind was against them and waves to beat against their boat and crashed over them. Exhausted, wet, and windblown, these disciples look out at the sea, and see something that terrifies them to the core—a ghost! And when they see the ghost, they all cry out in fear! We know from this story that the “ghost” is really Jesus walking out to them. And when Jesus hears their fear, he calls out to them, “Take heart; It is I. Do not be afraid.” Hearing the voice of his Lord, Peter responds, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” So, Jesus called Peter to walk out to him, and Peter took that step of faith out of the boat and began making his way to Jesus. But as he got closer, Peter saw the storm and the waves around him and began to fear. He turned his concentration away from the one whom he should put all his faith and trust in, and as a result began to sink into the water, calling out to Jesus to come and save him. After Jesus saves Peter and brings him back to the boat, he pulls him aside and rebukes him. He doesn’t say, “I’m so proud of you for being bold enough to step out onto the water” or, “You did well for a little while; you only need to trust me more.” Jesus doesn’t say any of these things. There are no words of praise for Peter, and his faith is not being presented to us as an example to emulate. Instead, Jesus rebukes him for his “little faith.” And asks, “why do you doubt me?” Swing. Miss. Strike one.

As disciples, as believers in Christ, this text should call us to reflect on our own faith. What if I, like Peter am only a “little faith?” Jesus answered Peter when he called upon him for help, but will he do the same for me? What if I find in myself only doubt when I should have faith that grows and becomes great like a mustard seed does? If that’s the case, will Jesus save me, or will he let me sink and give me over to what I deserve? This account answers those questions. Jesus will save even those who even have “little faith.” He did it for Peter, and he does it for you.

In the first story of Peter walking on the water, he was rebuked for having little faith. Swing. Miss. Strike one. Good thing he’s got two more opportunities! The second reading for today takes place right after Peter makes a confession of who Jesus is—that he is the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus praises Peter for making this confession because it is only something that God himself could have revealed to Peter. But despite confessing the right words, Peter didn’t truly understand what he was saying. Because immediately following this, Jesus foretells what must happen to him. That he must, “suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Well, this was the last thing that Peter was expecting to hear. His expectation for the Messiah was that Jesus would be “victorious” over his enemies—not killed by them! This went contrary to all of Peter’s ideas of who the Messiah was. So, Peter pulls Jesus aside and rebukes him for saying that he will die. “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” After saying that, Peter gets his harshest rebuke from Jesus, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Jesus’ reality didn’t match Peter’s expectations, or the common Jewish understanding for what the Messiah will do. In our understanding, in the way of the world, it would make sense for Jesus to be a war hero and take back Jerusalem against all odds with an army. If this was a Hollywood movie script that would surely be the ending. That’s the ending Peter thought of. And so, by rebuking Jesus, he was following the way of men—the way of Satan. And just as Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness so that Jesus would fail, Peter tried to stop Jesus from fulfilling his mission. So, Jesus rightly calls Peter “Satan.” Because he was hindering the true purpose of Jesus’ mission. Swing. Miss. Strike two.

In our lives and in our world, God still works in ways that are contrary to the world. In a world that is full of hate and mistrust, God calls us to love our enemies, and pray for them. You won’t hear that anywhere else. And in a world that has no concept for “truth” except your truth which is naturally going to be different from person to person, Jesus calls us to come follow him. Because he is the way, the truth, and the life. And in a world that calls us to love ourselves more than anything else, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him. Following God is often contrary to worldly expectations.

From our readings today, Peter is already at two strikes. He doesn’t have a favorable count. He’s rebuked for his “little faith” (strike one) and rebuked as Satan (strike two). One more chance. In the third reading, Jesus tells the disciples that when he is taken, they will all scatter and run away. Hearing this, Peter tries to set himself apart from all the other disciples and says, “they might fall away from you, but I won’t. I will never fall away.” But Jesus responds telling him that “this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter responds, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” But we all know how this goes. When Jesus is taken away, Peter follows, and some in the crowd around Peter see him and accuse him of being a follower of Jesus. But he denies it three times, each more severe than the last. “I don’t know the man.” Then in response to another accusation, he takes an oath saying, “I don’t know the man.” And finally, a third accusation Peter curses himself and declares, “I don’t know the man!” After that third denial, the rooster crowed, and Peter remembered what Jesus had said. And he went out and wept bitterly. This was a chance for Peter to put his money where his mouth is. But his bravado couldn’t keep himself from sinning. Swing. Miss. Strike three. He’s out.

The thing is, this situation for him really was the bottom of the 9thinning, with two outs and Peter was up on the plate with two strikes. He’s given a pitch, but he swung, missed, strike three. Game over. It was game over because for Peter and all the other disciples Jesus failed, and their messiah was being led to the cross to be killed. And his tears were not tears of repentance, but tears of failure. Peter and all the disciples did not believe that Jesus was going to rise from the dead. Peter has no more courage, or bravado left. By his own threefold denial, he no longer knows Jesus. He no longer believes in him.

The despair that these disciples must have felt following Jesus’ death must have been unbearable. Having spent years devoted to his ministry and, in their view, it all tragically come to an end at the cross. It’s something that makes me glad to be on this side of the cross knowing that Jesus did rise from the dead. But in the final reading from today, when Jesus reinstates Peter and all the other disciples, we see the true depth of forgiveness that Jesus has for them, and for us. Because when these 11 disciples encounter the resurrected Jesus, they have nothing to offer him. No strength of their own, no track record of courage or faithfulness, or wisdom to guide them. They were poor in spirit—Peter most of all. That’s why Jesus singles out Peter and asks him three times, “Peter do you love me?” To which Peter answered him all three times, “Yes Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus came to the disciples and restored and renewed their faith. He absolved them of their unfaithfulness. In his threefold exchange with Peter—who in pride and weakness failed his Lord—Jesus restores Peter for service to him and his flock. He sends Peter back out into the ball game because it’s a new inning—a new game! Because it is. Jesus would have had every right to have rebuked Peter once again for his unfaithfulness. And because of the way Peter denied him, there was no reason for Jesus to trust Peter. He could have said, “I can’t trust you to work for me again after the way you denied me.” But Jesus in his infinite mercy didn’t say that. Because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only religion that gives every sinner another chance—no matter how many times they have messed up. So, in forgiveness and love, Jesus redirected Peter the abject, but repentant sinner to become a leader of his people. So, Jesus uses us today.

Think about that. Just as Jesus forgave and renewed Peter and the disciples, he does the same for you. Like the 11 you have nothing to offer him. And because of that, you might feel like your own past sins and failures make you unworthy to serve God. But if there’s one thing that you take away and remember from this sermon, I hope it’s this: that in Jesus’ infinite mercy he forgives, restores, and renews you. No matter how many times you strike out, Jesus is always willing to offer you—a sinner—another chance. And in the same way he has made you a disciple and calls you to help feed his sheep. To be a part of his ministry—to care for each other and share the good news to others so that they may also become rooted in Christ. And the idea of being a disciple for Christ might sound scary. When the disciples were commissioned, I’m sure they were terrified. But before Jesus ascended back into heaven, he promised that he would always be with them. Forgiving them, strengthening them, and comforting them to the very end of the age. And he promises the same for you. Amen.