Message summary: Today’s account is encouraging and instructive for us. The spiritual battles we face are an ongoing reality in every stage of life. May the Lord give us grace to stand and, if or when we do fail, we must look to His forgiving grace in seeking restoration.

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"And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, 'Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times' and he went out and wept bitterly" (Matthew 26:75).  "But go, tell His disciples and Peter" (Mark 16:7).

You never know what you might find at "Tractor Supply". They are presently selling chicken coops and live chicks. They also sell this really, really large (6 foot tall) decorative rooster for $169.99. Assuming the laying hens are this big I reckon they would lay very, very large eggs!

We enjoy living out in the country and among the many pleasantries we enjoy are the sounds of country life. Marvin, our neighbor across the road, has a real rooster. We often get up early and how invigorating to step out as the sun rises and hear the crowing of a rooster.

However there is one man in history who will forever be remembered for his association with the crowing of a rooster; that is Peter, of course! But it was not a pleasant sound to his ears.

Peter’s denial of Christ is one of the most well-known failures of all time. From his bold declaration that he would “never deny Christ” ... to his bitter denunciation, “I don’t know the man!” The good news is that Peter was forgiven and restored by Jesus.

Pastor Rod Thelander from Sand Springs, Oklahoma makes these observations and lessons about failure from Peter's experience:

Peter failed ... but he did not allow his failure to destroy his future or define his life. How did he do that? We can learn a lesson from Peter that will help us in our own times of failure. Failure is a reality of life.

Peter's failure is followed by his restoration which began on Resurrection Day when Jesus instructed the women who appeared at the tomb, "But go, tell His disciples and Peter".

Peter, following his denial of Christ, felt like a dismal, shame-filled failure. But suddenly his joy was restored as he realized that his name was specifically mentioned in Jesus' message to the women. In an Easter musical many years ago I remember when Peter began to brighten after hearing about Jesus saying his name. He responded to the messenger, "He said my name!" "Jesus said my name!"

Peter's failure and restoration can be encouraging and instructive for all of us in one way or another. We've all failed in some way.  But don't wallow in your failure. Restoration is available as part of Christ's redemptive work. The spiritual battles we face are an ongoing reality in every stage of life. May the Lord give us grace to stand and, if or when we do fail, let us look to His forgiving grace in seeking restoration. Next time you hear a rooster crow remember that!

Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber