St. Pete and Sand Storms
Last week (in the sermon), I began by sharing a perilous story - a time when my grandfather and I almost died on the side of a mountain in a state I cannot remember because we were tempted to go off the beaten path. Well, today, as we continue along in John's Gospel, I was reminded of another peril on this same road trip, one that draws a striking parallel to Peter's denial of Christ.
It was about noon time in Death Valley. I had just run out of pistachios, so I should have known things would turn grim. But, for all intents and purposes, I was really impressed with Death Valley. Even though the name is pretty terrifying, the cacti and the rolling mountains in the desert were oddly beautiful to me. Boy, was I wrong.
As we returned to the car and drove toward Nevada, I noticed sand blowing briskly across the asphalt. This was interesting, reminiscent of Iraq convoys during Operation Iraqi Freedom. But soon, the dust was whipping up in a typhoon, enveloping us in an actual dust storm! The wind howled around me at about 60-70 mph. I lost all visibility on the highway. My grandpa thought I was going to crash. I was trying in a panic to drive out of the storm blindly, and it soon got to the point where I could not even see the white lines, so we had to stop and wait right there until this whole thing was finished.
In many ways, this is precisely what happened to Peter. Just moments before, everything looked clear to him. Jesus had led them through the Passover, washed their feet, and served them, which was one of the most beautiful things Peter had ever seen. They had shared hymns together in the upper room, shouting for joy to the God who makes all things new. And then, all of a sudden, darkness descended. Opposition came down upon them like a desert squall. Judas abandoned them into the night. Jesus hurriedly took the disciples out of the city, and in no time, the temple guards descended, throwing Peter into a panic and disorienting Him. In a moment of blind fury, he hacked off the ear of one of the High Priest's servants, demonstrating the impenetrable fog that had overtaken His mind and body.
Like that sandstorm descending in an instant, causing me disorientation and panic, so too did the events of that fateful night whip up a blinding haze around Peter, rendering him powerless to act as he would have moments before. Peter, a devoted disciple willing to die for his Lord, became subdued instead by the raging tempest howling around him. And like me losing sight of the road's safe path, Peter veered tragically off the course of faithfulness, denying Christ three times before the rooster crowed.
Just as the passing storm eventually restored my vision, the risen Christ would soon restore Peter's faith, as we will see in the weeks ahead. But human frailty triumphed over spiritual conviction in that impossible moment of swirling chaos. This is a poignant reminder that even the most ardent believer can be gripped by overwhelming confusion and panic, causing us to falter in unanticipated ways until the brilliant light of grace restores our sight. We are all prone to confusion; any of us in Peter's condition would have likewise denied our Lord. But today, I want us to be strengthened. I want us to be emboldened by examining Peter's failures because Christ, on the other side of Peter's foibles and failings, is the one who makes all things new!
Can’t wait to see everyone at the Lord’s Table!
-Kendall
