Three Strikes and You’re Never Out

Enjoy this message from Pastor Tyler Schoenberger called "Three Strikes and You’re Never Out" on Sunday, June 8, 2026 at Reach Church in Bear, Delaware!

The story of Peter's denial reveals a profound truth about God's character and His response to our failures. When Peter, whose name means rock, publicly denied knowing Jesus three times, he followed the same pattern we all do when we fail: he felt shame and isolated himself. This cycle of shame and withdrawal goes back to Adam and Eve hiding from God in the garden after their disobedience.

What makes this story remarkable is Jesus' response. After His resurrection, the first disciple Jesus appeared to was Peter. This demonstrates that Jesus has a habit of running toward people who sin, not away from them. He leaves the 99 to find the one lost sheep, searches for the lost coin, and runs toward the prodigal son. Jesus doesn't favor sinners, but He recognizes that we are all in the same category of needing grace. Romans 3 reminds us that every mouth should be stopped because we are all failures who have hurt people we love and continue to struggle with sin.

The beautiful truth is that Jesus doesn't rename us according to our failures. Even after Peter's denial, he was still called the rock. Jesus knew every sin we would ever commit before He died for us 2,000 years ago, and nothing surprises Him or makes Him withdraw His love. In John 21, Jesus restored Peter by asking him three times if he loved Him, once for each denial, then commissioning him to feed His sheep. When we fail, we hear two competing voices: hell's accusations telling us we're hopeless, and heaven's gentle invitation to come home. God doesn't wait on the porch with crossed arms but runs to meet us with celebration, reminding us that His grace is always available and His feast is prepared for failures like us.