Have you ever wished that you had a second chance at something? I know I have. Maybe it was a bad purchase that involved a lot of money or something on the job that could have been done better. Maybe it was how we treated a friend or what we should have done for somebody but didn’t. Regret and wishing we had second chances may be a part of our normal life but with the Lord Jesus, it doesn’t have to be.

Peter is probably one of my favorite disciples because he is so real and genuine. He was very outspoken and always eager to do whatever the Lord told him to do, even when he misunderstood and messed up along the way. In John 21 we get to hear a conversation between Peter and Jesus which I believe really sheds some light on the subject of multiple second chances.

John 21:15-17 says:
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Just for one moment let’s take a look at this passage in the Greek language. What we’ll quickly see is that Jesus and Peter are using two different words for “love.” Jesus uses the word agapao {ag-ap-ah’-o} in verses 15 and 16 where Peter uses phileo {fil-eh’-o} through the entire passage. So what’s the difference between them?

Phileo love is like the fondness between two friends. It is best expressed through acts of kindness and hospitality. Although this form of love is great and needed it is not perfect. In fact, it is often very bias and conditional.

Agapao love has sometimes been called the “God kind of love” or “perfect love” and both of those descriptions would be accurate. Agapao is the type of love that is unconditional and deeply loves no matter who the individual is, what status or wealth they have, or where they’re current circumstances have brought them. It is rooted in a decision to love instead of a feeling. It is the love that God has for us.

So now that we have a better understanding of some of the words, let’s have a closer look at what God is telling us in this passage.

Only a few days before Jesus’ conversation with Peter we know that Peter denied Jesus three times and then witnessed Jesus’ death on the cross. Then three days later Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. In John’s Gospel this conversation happened after Jesus had appeared to his disciples for a second time. Peter was a broken and bruised man at this point, and although the Bible does not explicitly say so, I’m sure that he would have welcomed a second chance — a chance to make it right. And that’s exactly what the Lord Jesus was doing.

Knowing Peter’s spiritual and emotional condition, Jesus first tried to encourage Peter to come up out of his current state, to move forward and press onward in his walk with the Lord. Jesus tried this twice by asking Peter if he loved him with the agapoa kind of love. But when Jesus saw that Peter would only respond with the phileo kind of love, Jesus met him at his level. In verse 17 Jesus asked Peter if he loved him with the phileo kind of love and then Peter saw what Jesus was doing. Peter recognized that Jesus came down to his level to encourge him.

But something important to notice is that even though Jesus met Peter at his level, Jesus never lowered his expectation for Peter. Jesus consistantly told Peter to feed his lambs and to take care of his sheep.

How many times has the Lord done the same for us? How many times has he been faithful: providing for our needs, helping to pay the bills, buying our groceries, and not turning his back on us when we choose to do things our way instead of his? What would cause God to do such things for Peter and the rest of us when all we are in return are rebelious creations? Love! His agapao love for his children.

Romans 5:8 says:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Nothing we can do (or keep ourselves from doing) will earn us God’s love or faithfullness. He is a God of love according to
1 John 4:8. He loves us conconditionall, with no strings attached, and this will never change.

So if you have taken a couple of steps backward (or maybe so many you that you’ve lost count) in your relationship with Jesus, know that his love for you remains the same. His expectation for you also remains the same and he’ll do all he can to encourage you to get there, but when you are not able, he will be there to lift you up to where you need to be. Turn to him and ask him point blank for help. Tell him what happened that got you to where you’re at and that you need his help to make it right. Although he already knows all the details he’ll jump at the opportunity to be there for you and to do for you what he did for Peter.