Peter's Confession

Acts 10:34-43

1

How did you experience this year’s Lent? For this year’s gatherings, I designed a series of sessions centered around three Korean movies, each reflecting a distinct theme – forgiveness, suffering, and living together. I knew that some of you questioned, “Why movies during Lent?” The main reason was that I wanted to find a way to encourage you to join our gatherings. Last year, I tried running a book club focused on the Holocaust. Two and three years ago, I led a Bible study on the Lord’s Prayer and the life of Moses. Each year, I have attempted something different from the previous year because I believe that if I feel bored, others will too. When we see a glass that is only half full of water, we tend to have two different reactions. Some people fall into pessimism, worrying that there is only half left and wondering how things ended up this way. Others take the opposite stance – they see that half of the glass remains and think about what more can be done with it, stepping forward toward the future with optimism and anticipation. This perspective always reminds me of the importance of maintaining a good attitude. “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear – anytime and anywhere.” What truly matters, I believe, is our mindset. When we can make ourselves ready to learn, we will realize that everyone we meet knows something we don’t.

2

For me, Lent is an annual period of deliberate reflection on my life in comparison to that of Jesus. I chose the adjective deliberate intentionally. In a society where we are constantly conditioned to believe that a good life is one of possessing whatever we desire, indulging in whatever we crave, and avoiding anything that reminds us of death or pain, self-reflection is often the last thing we seek. As I mentioned before, when we have nothing to do physically or mentally, our minds naturally revert to a default state where we begin to reflect on our past thoughts, words, and actions. Usually, our most unforgettable wrongdoings – the things we regret the most – resurface, appearing before us like a panoramic movie. When we witness our own malicious thoughts, toxic words, and harmful actions, we feel an overwhelming discomfort. In response, we either desperately seek distractions to escape from this reflection or attempt to place the blame on someone else, convincing ourselves that if only that person were removed, our lives would return to normal. I believe that Jesus' entry into the wilderness, guided by the Spirit, should be understood as his willingness to reflect on himself and his life in the complete solitude of the wilderness. Without that experience, I don’t think he could have endured the journey of his Kingdom-of-Heaven movement, which ultimately led to his crucifixion. Even knowing his tragic fate, he walked toward it.

3

Klaas Schilder, a Dutch Reformed theologian and pastor, wrote a trilogy of classic books about Jesus’ last days: Christ in His Suffering, Christ on Trial, and Christ Crucified. Schilder emphasizes that Jesus’ suffering unto death was not accidental or merely imposed upon Him from the outside. Rather, Jesus chose this path as an act of obedience – both to the Father and to humanity. In order to deliver us from our indelible sinful nature, He first had to accept and fully experience it Himself. In this sense, His suffering was not merely physical, but deeply psychological and spiritual. For example, though He knew that His disciples would one day abandon Him like a discarded object, He never wasted time. Instead, He deliberately prepared a way for them to find redemption and a second chance. He consciously submitted to God’s will – fully aware of the betrayal, injustice, humiliation, and isolation that awaited Him. When we struggle internally and cannot see a way out, our suffering remains at the level of psychology. However, when we finally perceive a way forward – choosing to rely on God and, in doing so, releasing our fixation on escape – we elevate that struggle to the realm of spirituality. In this sense, one could argue that the crucifixion is the intersection where the most humane and the most divine meet. On the cross, we hear two distinct cries from Jesus: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (humane)” and “It is finished (spiritual).”

4

Despite the fact that we all despise suffering and try to avoid it as much as possible, Christianity is unimaginable without Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The same is true for Peter. When he first encountered Jesus, he exclaimed, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). Though he recognized Jesus as holy, he feared Him and withdrew. As a disciple, Peter walked alongside Jesus, witnessing miracles, teachings, and even the transfiguration. He became one of Jesus’ closest companions and boldly declared, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” (Mark 14:31). However, when he saw Jesus being arrested by soldiers without a single act of resistance, Peter struggled to reconcile the image of a suffering Messiah with his own expectations of power and glory. Later, in the courtyard, he denied Jesus three times. When the rooster crowed, “[Peter] went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62), realizing that his human confidence and illusions had crumbled. After the resurrection, Jesus met Peter on the shore and asked him three times, “Do you love me?” This threefold question mirrored Peter’s threefold denial, offering him both forgiveness and restoration. In that moment, Peter understood that following Jesus is not about self-confidence but about grace-driven faithfulness. That realization led him to proclaim that Jesus is not merely the Messiah for the Jews, but the Lord of all and the Judge of the living and the dead. He now sees Jesus' life as the ultimate standard for both how to live and how to die. I pray that Peter’s confession about Jesus becomes ours as well.

Prayer

Gracious and Loving God, we give You thanks for the Word that has stirred our hearts today, reminding us of Peter’s transformation and the boundless reach of Your grace. You do not show favoritism but welcome all who seek You in truth and humility. As we reflect on the life, suffering, and obedience of Jesus, help us to see not only the cost of discipleship but also the hope of resurrection and new beginnings. Shape our hearts, O Lord, so that we may not lean on our own strength or self-confidence, but on the unfailing grace You offer us through Christ. Prepare us to be vessels of forgiveness, bearers of hope, and living witnesses to Your love. In the name of the Risen Christ, we pray. Amen.