Luke 22:31–34, 54–62

{Prayer}

“The Look”. We all know that look. It’s the look that says you crossed the line. Children know that when mom or dad give “the look” that something bad is about to go down if they don’t change their ways. It doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be angry. It’s just a look … and you know.

            As we continue our Forgiving Challenge, we’ve looked at our sin. We’ve looked at how we miss the mark that God has set for us, as well as how we have missed our own mark.

Last week we looked at confession. We looked at how Jesus wants us to simply bring our sins to Him. Jesus doesn’t want us to try to deny that we’re sinful. He doesn’t want us to blame others. He doesn’t want us to stuff them or hide them. Jesus simply wants us to bring our sins to Him.

He doesn’t care what we look like, He doesn’t care about how formal we are in bringing Him our sins. He simply wants us to come to Him.

He wants us to come to Him because He knows that if we don’t, we’re going to get stuck. We’re going to beat ourselves up over them. If our unconfessed sins fester long enough, the guilt we feel from them will eventually turn into shame. That shame will haunt us. Some of you have been living under that shame for years. You’re convinced that God is disappointed in you. Shame will make us believe we’re unforgiveable and drive us farther and farther away from God’s love and mercy.

Our Gospel reading takes us back to Peter when he is in the courtyard of the high priest the night Jesus is betrayed. Jesus has been arrested. Peter is by a charcoal fire warming himself when he’s asked if he knows Jesus, if he was one of his followers. Three times he’s asked. Three times he denies it. Upon the third denial, the rooster crows. Peter is silent. “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter” (Luke 22:61).

Jesus looked at Peter. Artwork and our own minds take this as Jesus gave Peter “the look.” Jesus looked at Peter with disappointment, with judgment. We take it as a look of “I told you so.”

But what’s eye opening here is that when you look at the original Greek word that we translate as looked … it simply means to look in the face or to look at. Jesus isn’t giving Peter “the look.” Hedidn’t scowl at Peter, condemn Peter, or even rebuke Peter. Jesus simply looked at him. The judgmental tone … that is something as interpreters we add to the text.

While the look isn’t judgmental or condemning, it does do something. Jesus looking at Peter devastates him. With the simple look, by making eye contact, Peter remembers what it was Jesus said. “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times” (Luke 22:61). Upon this remembering, Peter feels horrible, runs out and wept bitterly.

The law of God’s Word is meant to cut to the heart. Paul says in Romans 3, “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin” (3:20). The law of God is meant to kill us so that we recognize our sin, how we have missed the mark, and come back to Jesus confessing our sin. At times, that law doesn’t need volume. It doesn’t need to be loud and in your face. There is no need to call down fire and brimstone. No need to be angry. The law does not need to shout. A simple word, or even a look of truth, is enough.

The look from Jesus for Peter is enough. The non-judgmental look exposes Peter’s self-confidence. It shatters his self-image. It kills any illusion of strength. Peter thought he was all that. He was the bold, loud disciple who wouldn’t back down, who would never deny Jesus. He wasn’t going to be like all the other ones. Peter would die before deny. He is Peter! He is the rock! Nothing can make him crumble.

Except for a look. One little look fell him. One look caused Peter’s heart to sink like a rock.

One look is all that it takes for you and me to realize, I’ve messed up. When convicted, when our sin is put there before us, the law causes our hearts to sink. We have the guilty feeling. We remember what God’s Word says.

I shouldn’t act like this. I shouldn’t look at that. I shouldn’t say hurtful words.

Recognizing our sin, we try to deny it, sweep it under the rug, blame others. Doing this only causes the guilt to grow worse. As David says in Psalm 32, our bones begin to waste way, my body groans, my energy is sucked out of me.

Micah in our Old Testament reading says that God is willing to pardon sin, to forgive transgressions. The thing is … we need to name those. We need to bring them to Jesus. The Law kills. Peter is totally undone and beside himself.

In the midst of all that happens in that courtyard, notice what Jesus doesn’t do. After Peter denies Jesus and the rooster crows, Jesus doesn’t stop Peter from running away. Jesus could very well have yelled at Peter causing him even more guilt and shame.

On the beach, when Jesus is having breakfast with the disciples in John 21, Jesus could have given him “the look”. He could have called Peter out. Removed him the group of discipes.

In the midst of this, we need to remember what it was Jesus said to Peter before they went out to the garden where Jesus would be arrested. Jesus said, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Peter’s faith survives not because Peter is strong, but because Jesus prays. Before the denial in the courtyard, Jesus is already interceding. Before Peter collapses, Jesus has already secured his restoration.

This changes everything. This shows us that the look from Jesus is not the end of Peter’s story. Instead, the look from Jesus is opening up Peter’s heart so that Peter would be brought to the end of himself and ready to receive the restoration Jesus had already secured.

You see, God’s plan for the expansion of the kingdom included Peter. Did Peter feel guilty for denying Jesus? Of course he did. Did he weep? Yup. Did he beat himself up over what he did? More than likely. But here’s what Peter didn’t do. He didn’t go out like Judas and hang himself.

Peter stays close by with the other disciples. Peter runs to the tomb to see that Jesus is not there. Peter jumps out of a boat and comes to Jesus all wet and stinky. Peter is then restored in John 21. Why?

Because the look from Jesus in that courtyard was not a look of judgment. It was not a look of abandonment. It was a look of recognition. It was a look of acknowledging that Jesus knew what Peter had done, and He was already carrying it to the cross.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, “that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (5:19). Not counting. This is absolution language.

There is no doubt that Peter’s sin was real. But it is forgiven. It is washed away by the blood shed by Jesus on the cross. In the end, Peter’s sins were not counted against him.

And the good news for Peter is the same good news that God brings to you and me.

The same Jesus, the one who looked at Peter, who suffered, died, rose, and forgave Peter is the same Jesus who comes to you. There is no denying our sins before Jesus. He knows your heart. But that doesn’t stop Jesus from going to the cross for you. Jesus goes to the cross knowing exactly who you are and exactly what you have done … and He goes anyway.

From the cross Jesus said, “Tetelestai”, “it is finished.” Jesus has taken the bill of your sin and has personally stamped it saying you are forgiven. Your sins are no more. They have been removed from you as far the east is from the west.

Micah 7 says that God “will have compassion on us; He will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (7:19). Peter’s sin … hurled into the depths. Your sin … hurled into the depths. My sin … hurled into the depths to be drowned forever.

The look that breaks us is followed up by the Word that buries our sin.

The look that exposes our sin is the look that restores us.

In Christ, they are the same look. He looks at you not to destroy you, but to bring you to the place where forgiveness can actually be received.

And today, Jesus does more than look … He speaks. He speaks absolution, forgiveness.

Through His Church, through His called servants, He speaks. “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you.”

Jesus says, “It is finished. I forgive you. Go in peace.” Amen.

The peace of God, that surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, now and forever. Amen.