John 21:17 - “Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”  (NKJV)

Dear friend, I beseech you, look at Peter utterly changed - the self-pleasing, the self-trusting, the self-seeking Peter, full of sin, continually getting into trouble, foolish and impetuous, but now filled with the Spirit and the life of Jesus.  Christ had done it for him by the Holy Ghost.

That story must be the history of every believer who is really to be made a blessing by God.  That story is a prophecy of what everyone can receive from God in Heaven.

How was it that Peter, the carnal Peter, self-willed Peter, Peter with the strong self-love, ever became a man of Pentecost and the writer of his epistle?  It was because Christ had him in charge, and Christ watched over him, and Christ taught and blessed him.  The warnings that Christ had given him were part of the training; and last of all there came that look of love.  In His suffering Christ did not forget him, but turned round and looked upon him, and “Peter went out and wept bitterly.”  And Christ who led Peter to Pentecost is waiting today to take charge of every heart that is willing to surrender itself to Him.

- Andrew Murray

John 20:15 - “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”  (NIV)

“Why are you crying?  Who is it you are looking for?”

That was the question asked of Mary when she went it the garden where the body of Jesus had been laid in a tomb.  During the few short years that the disciples had with Jesus, their conversations had abounded with questions.  There is, therefore, a tender note of indictment when this question is asked of them.  This actually has overtones of a question He had asked them on more than one occasion.  To His earliest followers, He asked them, “What do you want?”  He had asked the same of the disciples of John the Baptizer - “What did you go out to see?”  One has to presume that He repeatedly stopped them to ask of themselves what it was that they wanted God to be in order to merit their approval.

During their years with Him, their inability to grasp so much of what He said wins both our sympathy and our bewilderment.  Indeed, they were with One who was like no other, and therefore, their tentative posture every step of the way is understandable.  But how much more specific did He have to be before they were clear as to who He was?

- Ravi Zacharias

Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgiven them; for they do not know what they are doing.”  (NASB)

If all the scenes around the cross, this one angers me the most.  What kind of people, I ask myself, would mock a dying man?

The words thrown that day were meant to wound.  And there is nothing more painful than words meant to hurt.

But I’m not telling you anything new.  No doubt you’ve had your share of words that wound.  You’ve felt the sting of a well-aimed gibe.  Maybe you’re still feeling it.  Someone you love or respect slams you to the floor with a slur or slip of the tongue.  And there you lie, wounded and bleeding.  Perhaps the words were intended to hurt you, perhaps not; but that doesn’t matter.  The wound is deep.

Did you see what Jesus did not do?  He did not retaliate.

Did you see what Jesus did do?  He…spoke on their defense.  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Never, never have I seen such love.

- Max Lucado