Count In The One You Counted Out!

Mark 16:7
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Peter was a very close disciple of Jesus. Whenever Jesus wanted a smaller team, Peter would never miss in the circle. It was always Peter, James, and John. Peter was considered very close to Jesus compared to other disciples. Peter also acted as spokesperson of the disciples to Jesus. Peter easily and quickly spoke his mind. Peter refused to get his feet washed by Jesus until Jesus explained the significance of foot washing during Holy Communion. Peter in a show of love and passion for Jesus tried to defend Jesus when He was being arrested in Gethsemane. Peter pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of one of those who came to attack Jesus.

Peter was considered the de facto leader of the disciples. Peter seemed to have more faith than others. Peter seemed much closer to Jesus than others. Peter even promised Jesus that he will ensure that Jesus is not arrested or killed. When Jesus predicted that during His arrest disciples will desert Him, Peter promised to never ever deny Jesus. Even when Jesus told Peter that he will deny Him three times, it seemed impossible from Peter’s stance. Unfortunately, Jesus was right because Peter denied Jesus three times and the cock crowed as Jesus promised and it confirmed the denial. Peter fell from a very high point. He held himself very high. Other disciples held him very high. Peter’s fall seemed harder and unbelievable even compared to Judas the betrayer.

It was almost always expected that Judas will betray Jesus. It was not so shocking that Judas betrayed Jesus. But the fall of Peter was never expected by others nor by Peter except by Jesus. Therefore Peter’s fall became greater news than Judas’ betrayal. Peter’s fall was ashaming, embarrassing, and unforgettable. Peter was deeply hurt and ashamed. Other disciples counted Judas out of their team because he betrayed Jesus and had committed suicide. Other disciples counted Peter out for denying Jesus in such an embarrassing manner. Peter counted himself out of the disciples’ team and even leadership because he had denied Jesus in an open embarrassing way.

The news of the resurrection of Jesus was broken by an angel at the empty tomb. Our text today tells us that, the angel told the women who visited the tomb, to go and inform all disciples that Jesus had resurrected and He would meet them as they had agreed before His death. Obviously Judas would not be present because he betrayed Jesus and he was dead. No one was going to call Peter. In fact, no one was sure if Peter who denied Jesus should still be considered a disciple. Left to human decisions, no one would have bothered to look for Peter and inform him that Jesus had resurrected. Even if Peter had been informed, personal shame would not have allowed him to join the team. Peter probably doubted if Jesus still needed him in the team, therefore he wouldn’t show up.

The words of our text today are very powerful and reveals the goodness of God in a manner that leaves everyone speechless. The angel tells the women to inform all disciples that Jesus has resurrected. The angel does not stop there, he singles out Peter as among those who should be particularly informed of the resurrection and invited to the meeting. Tell his disciples AND PETER. The angel was delivering a message from Jesus. The message was particular that Peter too must be counted in even if he and others count him out, he should be counted in. Peter counts himself out but count him in. Others have counted Peter out but please, Jesus says through the angel that, count Peter in. Count in the one you counted out!

Public sin hurts the individual and the church, but Jesus was quick to forgive and restore. We have leaders and members who will deliberately and inadvertently sin publicly and hurt themselves and the church, we should not be too hard on them more than Jesus as if we are better than Jesus. We should be quick to forgive and restore. When an individual is guilty and hurting. When an individual and the family are suffering guilt and shame and untold embarrassment, we should not add pain to the injury by media exposure, gossip, and making them sermon subjects. They are already hurting and we are all hurt. Be like Jesus, after all, it is His church, not yours, be quick to forgive and restore. Count in the one you counted out!

When leaders and people we considered high spiritually fall, some celebrate. Some celebrate in order to look holier than leaders. Others celebrate because the leader had hurt them during his/her good days. Others celebrate because it gives them a pleasure to hurt the whole church and family because they have personal issues with the family or the church. Others celebrate because they feel they have a chance to replace the fallen leader. Others celebrate because though they are in the church, they run a parallel outfit that competes with the church. Others celebrate because they hate the whole church. They all celebrate by pretending that exposing the already known sin is a way of helping. But Jesus the owner of the church forgave and restored Peter immediately. Jesus instructed all disciples to count Peter in. Count in the one you counted out!

In all levels of society and the church, we have people who are dying of guilt and shame because of betraying and denying Jesus. We have unmarried people carrying pregnancies. We have trusted adults and faith leaders caught in the act of adultery. We have others who have been caught stealing or having stolen from the church and benefitted themselves from church money against the law. We have others who have backslid to our abuse, use of alcohol, etc. We have others who are going through the pain and shame of divorce. Others challenged the leadership and were disfellowshipped in an open embarrassing manner. How are we responding and how would Jesus respond? Have we counted them out of leadership and fellowship? Have we decided they will never get rebaptized again or until after some time? Would Jesus do that? Count in the one you counted out!

What have you done against Jesus? Are you ashamed and embarrassed? Is it too much you are unable to return to family and community? The good news today is that God counts you in. Even when you count yourself out, God counts you in. Even when others count you out, God counts you in. Even when you are part of the cartel we discussed yesterday in our blog reikesis.com, God counts you in. God counts you in because He is willing to forgive and restore you when you confess and repent as Peter did. God counts you in so that you too will count others in who are in a similar mess. Count in the one you counted out!

Thank you, God, for counting us in. Save us from the habit of celebrating the fall of others through gossip, media posting, and discussions that do not contribute to restoration and forgiveness. Help us to count others in as we too are counted in, in Jesus’ name, Amen!