Mark 16:1 (NIV) When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Jesus, it is so wonderful that instead of finding Your body, they discovered that You were no longer in the tomb. Help me understand that the angel in the tomb was giving them a message for the disciples: Mark 16:6 (NIV) “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”

Mark 16:7 (NIV) “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.’” Jesus, since this was Peter’s first step toward healing, help me see it apply to me too. You had the angel give Peter a special invitation into Your discipleship meeting. Show me that without that special invition, Peter would have probably taken his first steps into alienation. Help me hear about Your meetings; and, help me start attending them.

Mark 16:14-15 (NIV) Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Jesus, help me allow You to include me in this Great Commission. As I read and study my Bible, let me see myself being included with Your disciples. Let that be me attending the meetings.

John 21:14 (NIV) This was now the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. Jesus, as I join You and Peter in being back in the meetings with the disciples, and as I, like Peter, am no longer my old self but I am not totally my new self either, let me join him in being healed. Like Peter, I need to be humble but not depressed. Like Peter, sometimes I hate myself, doubt myself, and reject myself. Just like You weren’t going to restore him, repair him, or remodel him, transform me. Like You transformed him into a new Peter; do that in me.

Jesus, You illustrated the difference between repair and rebirth, restoration and transformation in Matthew 9:16 (NIV): “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Jesus, I thank You for my new birth.

John 3:3 (NIV) In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Jesus, help me not just try to simply use my old self, my old training, my old skills, and my old abilities. Help me see that I am trying to pour the great things of God into my old self. Show me that if I try to use salvation to improve my old way of life, I will be putting a new unshrunken patch on an old garment. Instead, let it be new wine into new wineskins.

Jesus, teach me that in Greek, as in English, there are three levels or types of emotional and relational attachment of two people. Help me understand that in Greek there is agape, which is a similar word to our word “love” when used properly. There is phileo, which is similar to our word “like.” And there is eros, which is similar to our word “lust.” Help me realize that in Your dialogue with Peter, the first two levels of emotional, relational involvement with two people are being used--love (agape) and like (phileo).

John 21:15 (NIV) When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love Me (agape: love Me as your God) more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love You (phileo: LIKE You as a friend) .” Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.” Jesus, just like You asked Peter if he loved You and Peter responded with the fact that he liked You, help me truly love (agape) You. Just like You weren’t asking Peter if he liked (phileo) You, show me that You aren’t asking me either. You were looking for Peter AND You are looking for me to love You. Show me that Peter and I won’t learn how to resist temptations with love if all we have is “like.”

Rom 5:5 (NIV) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out HIS LOVE (agape) into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us. Jesus, Peter didn’t have what it took to love (agape) You; all he had was human love (phileo). Peter was giving it his best, which was “like;” but, You wanted more--“love.” Also You were calling Peter back into following You in being a shepherd for Your sheep and loving them (agape: God’s love). Show that this was the same call Peter got years ago; it was just a reestablishing and an identifying call.

John 21:16 (NIV) Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love Me (agape: with a love from God)?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You (phileo: a like from being human).” Jesus said, “Take care of My sheep.” Help me to accept this challenge from You, Jesus, where You were asking Peter to open his heart to the fulfillment of God’s commandment concerning love:

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) Love (agape) the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind and with ALL your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love (agape) your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Jesus, You were asking Peter to love (agape) You and to love (agape) You sheep. Show me that this was an appeal for Peter to open his heart to a love from God so he could resist all those things that would hinder him from loving God and loving the people around him. Help me open my heart to God’s love and let it flow out from me.

John 21:17 (NIV) The third time He said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me (phileo: a “like” from being human)?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love Me (phileo: a “like” from being human)?” He said, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You (phileo: a “like” from being human).” Jesus said, “Feed My sheep. Jesus, teach me that the first two questions from You were challenges for Peter to yield to spiritual growth. Show me that the last question was starting Peter from where he was so he could be taken to a new level of emotional and relational involvement with Him and others. Help me respond to this kind of work in my life.