Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1533-1630), once said to the Countess of Nottingham, “God may forgive you, but I never can.” This sixteenth century queen was not the first person, nor has she been the last, to refuse to extend forgiveness to another person when it was needed.
For example, several years ago there appeared on a company bulletin board in Grand Rapids, Michigan these words: “To err is human; to forgive is not company policy.” I am glad God does not operate by this policy, or Jesus would never have entered the world with the mission to redeem mankind.
There is an enthralling scene in Luke’s gospel that illustrates the importance of Christ’s mission. The disciples of Jesus had been fishing all night and caught nothing, so Jesus asked Peter to launch out into the deep and let down his nets. Peter probably did not expect to catch any fish, but so many fish were caught in his nets that he had to get help from others in order to bring the huge catch to the shore.
At this point Peter fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Peter learned two things that day: (1) he discovered the spiritual poverty of his own soul, and (2) that the forgiveness he desperately needed could only be provided by God. Luke does not conceal Peter’s stumbling footsteps. He was impatient, crude, often egotistical, and made blunders. Even so, he would later come to the end of his life with the flags of victory flying and the bugles of triumph blowing.
What made this dramatic change in Peter’s life even more dramatic was what happened on the Sunday morning following Christ’s crucifixion when the mourning women came to Christ’s tomb. The angel guarding the tomb said to them, “Do not be amazed . . . He has risen from the grave . . . go and tell His disciples and Peter . . . He is going ahead of them into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you” (Mark 16:6, 7).
Why did the angel ask the women to go tell “the disciples . . . and Peter”, for Peter was also a disciple? I believe it was because the angel knew how deeply Peter was hurting because he had denied Christ three times. Also, Jesus still had plans to use him in spreading the good news of God’s love to the world.
When the news reached Peter’s ears of His Lord’s personal word to him, they must have been like a drink of fresh water to a man crossing a desert whose throat was parched and whose lips were cracked. “Did He really call my name? That means He has forgiven me – even after I denied three times that I did not even know Him. It means He still believes in me and wants to use me. O happy day!”
Can’t you just see Peter moving swiftly in the direction of Galilee with his head held high and his arms swinging? He probably was out in front of the other disciples, his heart beating rapidly with exultant joy. His past was stained with ugly deeds, but his future was full of promise and hope! He was on his way to see Jesus. The smile on his face advertised to everyone he met that his heart was filled with joy.
It is only when we come face to face with ourselves, see the ugly deeds of our lives, and feel the hopelessness that Peter felt that we can begin to appreciate the power and joy of being forgiven by the Son of God. No matter how dark our deeds, or how hopeless our outlook for the future, He gives a second chance to all who will accept it. He is in the cleansing business, not the whitewashing business.
We not only need God’s forgiveness, but we need to forgive one another. It is how the world recognizes us as Christians.
The Paper Pulpit 
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