The Breaking of Trust

John 21:15-19

When a person breaks trust in a relationship, it can be the death nail to any kind of intimacy in the future.  Could we say that trust is the corner stone of intimacy in any relationship between a husband and wife, a family, or even a business relationship?  So what is trust, in that we seem to be in such great need of it today?  Trust: confidence in and reliance on good qualities, especially fairness, truth, honor, or ability.  It is also defined as responsibility for taking good care of somebody or something.  It is placing confidence or faith in a person to do what they have said they would do.  It is also defined as something entrusted to somebody to be responsible for a certain act or action. 

We live in a culture that has many issues with trust, our political system at all levels is void of trust, marriages and families have many trust issues, and the business world needs help in the trust department.  As I write this, our nation is in an election year and the question you hear most often is “whom can you trust”?  The sad news is that Christians send out misinformation and out and out lies, and a few when confronted will tell you, it’s no worse than the other side.  Folks, the other side is living in darkness, and being a spreader of lies does not make you any different than them.   In fact, Jesus has very strong words; “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44 ESV)  Jesus was talking to religious people, so you and I should be very careful of our facts.

Could it be that the risen Lord has kept this letter just to remind you that no matter how far you have gone from being a person of “trust,” it is His desire to reestablish or establish that character in you.  Have you denied Jesus?  Peter did three times, and Jesus warned him that it was going to happen and still Peter caved to fear of what men could do to him and broke trust with the Son of God. 

So how can you get redeemed after doing something like Peter did?  The answer is not swimming the hundred yard dash with a robe on, or running to the boat and pulling in 153 large fish in a net; no, what is needed is to own up to the fact that you have wronged the other person and do whatever is needed to restore trust.  But that takes a broken and contrite person before God, confessing that they have sinned against both God and man.

One of the things I love about Jesus is He confronts us with our sin, and in Peter’s case his denial.  Picking up the story in John 21:15-17, “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” 

Jesus asked some hard questions of a man who had denied him three times, but it was not about his past failure, it was will you love me, will you be faithful to the object of my love?  Jesus never asked a question that He did not already know the answer, but Peter needed to know that he was forgiven, and that Jesus was trusting him with the truth, and that “Truth” is, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  (John 3:16-17 ESV)  We, you and I are the sheep, and Peter was trustworthy in keeping his word with the Lord. 

If we hope to be light in this present darkness, we must be “Truth seekers” and as a seeker of truth we will encounter darkness, we will encounter the schemes of the devil, but we are strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.  Never forget our Lord’s words before Pilate; “Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  (John 18:37 ESV)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice