The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-01-31
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
CUNDAyI
CCHOOL Lesson
CBy REV. P. B. FITZWATER, D. D..
Member of Faculty. Moody Bible
Institute OF Chicago)
g. Western Newspaper Union
Lesson for February 3
PETERS RESTORATION

LESSON TEXT-Mark 1917; Luke
24:S4; John 2O:1-1O; John 21:11-19.
GOLDEN TEXT-He saith unto him
the third time, Simon, son Of Jonas,
lowest thou me? Peter was grieved be-
cause he said unto him the third time,
Lowest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things;
thou knowest that 1 love thee Jesus
saith unto him, Feed my sheep. John
21:17.
PRIMARY TOPIC-When Jesus Helped
Peter Try Again.
, JUNIOR TOPIC-What Peter Learned
When He Failed.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-How to Prove Our Love for Christ.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
1C-The Test of Loyalty.
As there were seven definite steps in
Peters downfall, so there are seven
definite steps in his restoration. These
steps in both his downfall and his res
toration were most strikingly present
ed by G. Campbell Morgan at the Bible
conference In Mortified in 1898.
|. christs Prayer for Peter duke
q 81, 32).
Little did Peter realize the testings
through which he would be forced to
pass. Christ revealed to him that Sa-
tan desired to have him to sift as
wheat and Informed him that he had
already prayed for his abiding faith.
We see thus that before Peter fell the
Lord began the preparation for his
reclamation. The Lord knew that soon
he would have to announce to him that
before the cock crew he would deny
him thrice.
II. The Look Of Jesus duke % 81,
,62).
This look was not one Of contempt,
but one, doubtless, filled with pity and
pain. 1t revealed the heart Of God 1t
brought to Peter the full conscious.
ness of his cowardice and disloyalty
and his blasphemOus words Of denial,
while at the same time displaying
Christ's love and pity.
III. Christ Message Through the
Women mark 1870.
The Lords message was go tell my
disciples and Peter" Had the mes
sage merely been, Go tell my dis
ciples," Peter would have believed him.
self not included. The message indi-
Gated that Christ had particular con-
sideration for him and loved him still.
What new hope filed Peters heart as
he heard this message from the risen
Lord Is seen In his words: BLESSED
be the God and Father Of our Lord
Jesus Christ, which, according to his
abundant mercy, hath begotten US
again unto a lively hope by the resur-
rection of Jesus Christ from the dead"
Il Pet. 1-3).
~. A Personal Interview With the
Risen Lord duke "a 80.
The declaration is here made that
the risen Lord had appeared to Simon.
The nature of the conversation Is hid
den in mystery. 1t may be that the
Lord reminded him of his Boosting
.self-cOnfidence, his warming himself at
the enemies fire and his blasphemy,
but only to assure him of his unchang-
ing love and that the Cross which he
Stunned was the very means of cover
ing up his grievOus sins duke 24:34;
'cf. John 20:1-10).
Peters Open Confession Of Love
John 81 HID.
The disciples had gone back to their
fishing. AS they returned weary and
hungry Christ invited them to break
fast. In connection with this minis
try of providing food and warmth,
Jesus, by skillful questions, induced
Peter to confess him three times. A
vital step in Peters restoration was
his processing anew his love for his
Lord. What marvellous grace, that the
one who had across the fire Of the
enemy denied his Lord should now
across the fire prepared by the Lord
thrice confess his love for his Lord.
VI. His Word Given Back John
II, 49,.
Instead Of putting poor Peter on pro-
batlon before giving him anything to
DO, he Immediately brought him back
into fellowship with his Lord in serv-
ice. 1t was because Peter passed sat
1sfactorily the examination and the
Lord saw his real love for him that
he permitted Peter to begin his work.
VII. Willingness to Suffer for Christ
John 81 Is, 19).
While Peter had now openly con-
fessed Christ and had received at the
Lords hands his work, he needed to
be made willing to drink the bitter
cup of suffering for his Lord. Jesus
made it clear to him that he was to
follow his Lord in crucifxion. He was
now willing to suffer the shame of the
cross for the glory of God. Peter, with
the other disciples, later counted it joy
that they were counted worthy to suf-
fer (Acts 5:41). 1t was the Cross of
Christ over which Peter Numbered.
After his restoration his greatest hap
piness was to suffer for Christ's sake.