Three Times denied: Three times:Do you love me?

     "Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter."  A common and tested saying all too true.  In the  garden of Gethsemene as Jesus of Nazareth was taken captive Peter had defended him by cutting off the ear of one called Malchus, promptly in which Jesus healed the man and told Peter to sheath his sword.  A bold move by Peter.  Defending the one you love is easy. Or so it would seem. Jesus was still with him and very easy to defend because of the relative proximity to Peter and the other disciples. There was strength in numbers.   Upon seeing the reality of Jesus being taken captive and lead to authorities, doubt and fear began to settle in to Peter's understanding.  As Jesus was lead onward and away from Peter he became scared for his own life and therefore denied three times that he even knew Jesus.  The man had a serious battle with fear.  And he wept bitterly.  Confused, somewhat abandoned by the one he looked too Peter did what we all could do in that moment, deny Christ.  A fearful thing to do because of the consequences of that kind of testimony.  It is said that if a man deny Christ, then he will deny that man before the Father.  Not a position I would want to find myself in.
     Fast forward to a time after the ascension and Peter finds himself again next to Christ being probed by him asking "Peter do you love me more than these?"  Fish!  "Lord you know that I love you",Peter says. Three times this is asked and three times answered by Peter with sorrow in his heart because of his earlier denials.  It is clear to Jesus just what is needed to prod this disciple on  in order to accomplish what Jesus had intended from the beginning.  There was no mention of his denial, or failings, just a simple calling to fulfill what Jesus wanted him to fulfill. "Feed my sheep."  Mercy was already working and Peter must have known this about Jesus.  Imagine the relief he felt and inward joy of forgiveness.
     Read on in the  book of Acts what kind of man peter became after the giving of the Holy Spirit, it is inspiring..........