Breaking the cycle of condemnation
Matthew 26:30-35
By Ysrael De la Cruz
When you read the Bible, one of the things you soon discover is the faithfulness of God. God is true to his word in keeping his promises all the way from the Old Testament to the New Testament. God made a promise to the Jewish people, and we read in the Old Testament how God fulfilled those promises. God is always faithful, true to his word. There were also people who made promises to God. Jacob promised to give a 10th of all God gave him. Gen.28:22
Peter and the rest of the apostles promised Jesus that they would never leave him. This was their promise to a statement Jesus said to them right after they ate the last supper together.
Matthew 26:30-35
This was right after they ate the last supper together, they went to the mount of Olives and he told them another prophecy that was about to be fulfilled.
“You will all fall away because of me tonight.” (v.31) All of you will abandon me tonight.
For it is written “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” (This is a prophecy from Zechariah 13:7)

(V.32) Jesus also told them that he would rise from the dead and meet with them in Galilee. However, the disciples did not listen to this part. All they heard was the Jesus said they will fall away.
Peter made Jesus a promise right here. (v.33)
“Even if they all fall away, I will never fall away.”

Jesus told him “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” (v.34)
Peter was certain that he would never leave Jesus. He promised that he would die for Jesus and that he would not deny him. The disciples said the same.
Later Jesus went into the garden of Gethsemane where he is arrested, and the disciples fled (v.56)
Peter followed from a distance to see where they would take Jesus. Minutes later, Peter was confronted with reality. As he is warming himself in the courtyard of the house of the high priest.
Peter was recognized as one of Jesus’ disciples. You are one of his disciples, did we not see you with him? You are also from Galilee as he was.
Peter denied Jesus three times; he swore to have never known him. Then the rooster crowed; and Peter remembered Jesus’s words. Scriptures tell us that he wept bitterly after he realized what he did.
Matt.26:69-75
Mark 14:66-72
Luke 22:59-62
John 18:14-27
Peter felt devastated because he failed Jesus; he did not keep his promise. He felt threatened and denied his teacher, his friend. He felt shame, guilt. He felt Jesus would never forgive him for what he did. Peter could not be true to his word as he denied Jesus , not one or twice, but three times.
Matthew does not tell us what happened to Peter after this. John gives us an idea regarding what was going on in the mind of Peter.

After the resurrection, Jesus began to appear to his disciples and ate with them. He showed himself to them alive. But Peter never had the chance to apology to Jesus. He was dealing with shame and guilt. God will never forgive me for what I have done. God could not use someone like me.

John 21:1-19
They already knew that Jesus was alive; they had seen him. Here Peter and some of his companions decided to go fishing.
Peter said: “I am going fishing” and they said “we are going with you.”
That night they did not fish anything. Then at dawn, Jesus appeared to them on the shore, but they could not recognize him.
Have you caught any fish?v.5
Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. (Déjà vu) This scene looked very familiar. This was how Jesus called Peter while he was fishing.

They did and caught so many fish that the net was about to break.
By the time they made it to shore, Jesus had prepared breakfast for them. When they all had eaten, Jesus asked a piercing question to Peter.
Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? Three times Jesus asked him followed by the statements Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.
Jesus was reinstating Peter to what he had called him. Jesus did not take into account what he had done; he called him to be the shepherd of his sheep. Peter saw himself as someone not worthy of following Jesus or even be a leader among his people since he was dealing with shame and guilt. But Jesus came to break the cycle of condemnation in his mind. Get back on track Peter.
In order for you and I to break the cycle of condemnation that leads to shame and guilt, we must listen to Jesus’ voice. You may feel worthless, he says, you are wonderful. You may feel too far, too dirty or sinful for him to use you. He is calling you regardless of what you have done. You break the cycle of condemnation by seeing yourself as God sees you.