"Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself." (John 18:25)
My Great Grandfather, Thomas Sherwood, was wounded in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek during America's Civil War. He was a Quaker who signed up (volunteered) for service in the Union Army. He was in the Ohio 79th Division, and fought under General William Tecumseh Sherman. I once spoke with a black man who was speaking in a seminar about the abolitionist movement during the Civil War; I told him about my Great Grandfather. He told me that my Great Grandfather was what they call a "White Abolitionist." Thomas Sherwood's church was against war, i.e., pacifistic. But Thomas Sherwood saw the evil of slavery and "got involved." He too could have stayed home and, "warmed himself." He chose, however, to sacrifice warmth and comfort for principle. This same sacrifice would decades later be manifest in a young German pastor and theologian.
We are too often hard on Peter. I think the reason is that we too soon forget our own frailty. I have heard preachers say that this is Peter before Pentecost, as though the Baptism in the Holy Spirit cures everything about human weakness, temptation and the like. It was only Peter and John who had gone this far with Jesus; the others, "forsook Him and fled." Peter was certainly confused, distraught, afraid. We know that he later finally denied even knowing Jesus. Just a few hours before, Peter was ready to take the head off anyone who would harm Jesus. Now, "Then he began to curse and swear, 'I do not know this Man of whom you speak.'" What contradictions, what inconsistency. Yet it was not over for Peter.
We know that Jesus' compassion and forgiveness is Who He Is. We read that after the Resurrection, Jesus sent a, "young man," Heaven's Throne room messenger, to the startled women at the tomb, "But go, tell His disciples-- and Peter-- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." Peter was included. Peter was forgiven. Peter, the one who once preferred self preservation and comfort to principle, was now brought back. He had gone out and, "wept bitterly." Now he knew he was, indeed, he had never lost, "accepted in the Beloved." Peter recovered, and instead of the Simon Peter who, "stood and warmed himself," he became the Simon Peter who laid down his life for Jesus.
Thomas Sherwood could have been killed at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek; I am thankful he wasn't, and thankful for the thousands of men and women in American history who chose principle over "warmth." Even though I too have, "warmed [my]self" at seasons in my life, I have repented and been restored, embarrassingly more times than I would like to consider. Yet I continue to, "press on," that warming myself will not rule, but rather, "take up the cross, and follow Me."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for the heritage of Thomas Sherwood, who refused to, "warm[] himself," but chose to give himself for others. May I be the same. Amen.
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Fa ll Mission: October 27-November 23
My Great Grandfather, Thomas Sherwood, was wounded in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek during America's Civil War. He was a Quaker who signed up (volunteered) for service in the Union Army. He was in the Ohio 79th Division, and fought under General William Tecumseh Sherman. I once spoke with a black man who was speaking in a seminar about the abolitionist movement during the Civil War; I told him about my Great Grandfather. He told me that my Great Grandfather was what they call a "White Abolitionist." Thomas Sherwood's church was against war, i.e., pacifistic. But Thomas Sherwood saw the evil of slavery and "got involved." He too could have stayed home and, "warmed himself." He chose, however, to sacrifice warmth and comfort for principle. This same sacrifice would decades later be manifest in a young German pastor and theologian.
We are too often hard on Peter. I think the reason is that we too soon forget our own frailty. I have heard preachers say that this is Peter before Pentecost, as though the Baptism in the Holy Spirit cures everything about human weakness, temptation and the like. It was only Peter and John who had gone this far with Jesus; the others, "forsook Him and fled." Peter was certainly confused, distraught, afraid. We know that he later finally denied even knowing Jesus. Just a few hours before, Peter was ready to take the head off anyone who would harm Jesus. Now, "Then he began to curse and swear, 'I do not know this Man of whom you speak.'" What contradictions, what inconsistency. Yet it was not over for Peter.
We know that Jesus' compassion and forgiveness is Who He Is. We read that after the Resurrection, Jesus sent a, "young man," Heaven's Throne room messenger, to the startled women at the tomb, "But go, tell His disciples-- and Peter-- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." Peter was included. Peter was forgiven. Peter, the one who once preferred self preservation and comfort to principle, was now brought back. He had gone out and, "wept bitterly." Now he knew he was, indeed, he had never lost, "accepted in the Beloved." Peter recovered, and instead of the Simon Peter who, "stood and warmed himself," he became the Simon Peter who laid down his life for Jesus.
Thomas Sherwood could have been killed at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek; I am thankful he wasn't, and thankful for the thousands of men and women in American history who chose principle over "warmth." Even though I too have, "warmed [my]self" at seasons in my life, I have repented and been restored, embarrassingly more times than I would like to consider. Yet I continue to, "press on," that warming myself will not rule, but rather, "take up the cross, and follow Me."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for the heritage of Thomas Sherwood, who refused to, "warm[] himself," but chose to give himself for others. May I be the same. Amen.
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Fa ll Mission: October 27-November 23
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
