Holy Week Reflection
Wednesday
“Jesus asked the question a third time.”
Have you ever experienced God speaking to you in threes?
The first time a message passes through your heart, you may feel it is from God, but you’re uncertain. When it happens a second time, your eyebrows raise, and your ears perk up with curiosity. By the third time, you realize that this message is not a coincidence—it’s God communicating with you.
Biblically, the number three is like the circle, symbolizing completeness and wholeness. The number also represents resurrection and harmony. We see the significance of the number three throughout the Bible, for example:
- The Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- God called out to Samuel three times before Eli, the priest, realized it was God calling Samuel.
- Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights.
- Jesus raised three people from the dead: The widow’s son of Nain, Jairus’ daughter, and Lazarus.
- Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemene.
- Jesus was in the grave three days and nights.
The number three played out in Peter’s full circle story. He was a zealous disciple with a few extreme personal experiences with Jesus. Peter:
- Was called to leave his fishing business and become one of Jesus’s disciples.
- Witnessed Jesus healing his mother-in-law.
- Was the only one who stepped out of the boat and walked on water. When he began to sink, he felt God’s strong hand pull him out of the water.
- Was commissioned by Jesus as the founder of the Christian church.
- Responded with force in the Garden of Gethsemene, when the soldiers came to take Jesus away, by chopping off the ear of one of the soldiers.
Peter’s experience with the number three is both devastating and reinstating.
So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally, she said, “This man was one of Jesus’s followers!”
But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”
After a while, someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.
About an hour later, someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
At that moment, the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. (Luke 22: 54-62
We can only imagine how Peter must have felt at that moment—a moment when we suddenly come to our senses and realize what we just said or did. We often wish we could rewind time and have a second chance to change the outcome.
Second chances may be rare in real life, but with God, they become a beautiful reality. He specializes in granting us the gift of new beginnings, bringing us full circle.
Full Circle | Peter and Jesus
After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, he had a significant moment on the beach with Peter. The shore holds great importance as it is where Peter was initially called to follow Jesus, and the beach is where Jesus provided Peter’s full circle moment.
Overwhelming grief often leads us back to the familiar for a sense of grounding. Peter and some of the disciples were no different; uncertain about what to do next, they returned to fishing.
After breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17, NLT)
In retrospect, Peter may have grasped the significance of being asked three times, but at that moment, Jesus’ words felt hurtful. Jesus skillfully created a situation where each painful memory of Peter’s three denials was met with a reaffirmation of his calling to build the Christian church.
Sometimes, we don’t recognize that we are experiencing a full circle moment until later. Our circumstances may appear more hurtful than helpful. However, when our hearts are opened to what God is communicating to us, we begin to see how He has been working all along, fulfilling His purposes through us.
Holy Week Reflection
Meditate: God is kind.
Reflect: Where has God been speaking to you, but you have not been listening? What part of your story needs redeeming? Ask God to reveal where you need restoration and invite Him to restore you.
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(Bible References: NLT – New Living Translation)
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