This past season of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the power of 3 unveiled itself to me. Most Christians know the number 7 means perfection or completeness. The number 3 also means completeness as well. It means that the deal is sealed. It’s a done deed. There is no retraction, it is complete in its intentions.

Now let me give you some examples of the number 3 and how it is used in the holy scriptures.

The 3s

• Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT).

 ¹²A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

• There were 3 Old Testament patriarchs who were the chief progenitors of Israel; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• The repetition of 3 is seen in Revelation 4:8.

⁸The four beasts cry out Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!

The essence of God’s character is reiterated 3 times here leaving no question of his subsistence.

• Three in Heaven: The Godhead consists of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one.
• Three on Earth: 1 John 5:7-8.

⁷ So we have these three witnesses 

⁸ the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree.

• Prior to capture, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane, meaning “oil press”, was a grove of olive trees. Jesus agonized through 3 separate instances of prayer in anticipation of the suffering to come (Matthew 26:36-45).
• There were 3 men crucified that day. Jesus and two thieves. Both thieves represented the sinful world while Jesus hung as the redemption sacrifice for all the world. One would reject Jesus while the other would accept Jesus as Savior. With their own words their fates were sealed that day.

• During the crucifixion darkness covered the land for 3 hours, Matthew 27:45-46 KJV.

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Man was created on the sixth day; 6 is the number of man. Darkness began on the sixth hour of the day and covered the land for 3 hours.

Could it be that these 3 hours of darkness was the time our Father was “sprinkling” the blood of his Son over the sins of mankind blotting them out forever? During that time could it be the transaction of redemption was completed?  Whether that was the timing or not Christians can say they have been cleansed from sin by the blood of the Lamb.

• Redemption came through a three-fold transaction: Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. This is the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.
• There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (Ephesians 4:5). There is no other path than through Jesus Christ.

Finally, we know Jesus spent 3 days in the grave but that’s not my focus. There’s another 3 I want to focus on…Peter’s 3.

Peter’s 3

In his worse hour Peter denied knowing the Lord Jesus not once, not twice but three times. Three still means complete, a done deal, no retraction, no reversal.  Have you ever said something horrible to someone you love that you yourself are so shocked you dare not repeat it? Well Peter did, two more times (Luke 22:60-62).

For the same sentiments Judas sought a place for repentance when he betrayed Jesus and found it not (Matthew 27: 3-5) so Peter left that fireside and cried bitterly not finding any reason that would excuse his denials. It was complete, a done deal. It was as if he had permanently severed the connection he had with Jesus. And the rooster crowing announced his fall. As that rooster cried out Peter remembered what Jesus said. At that moment Peter turned and his eyes met Jesus’ eyes.  

I can imagine it was like all his breath was sucked out of him at that moment. There were enough witnesses around that heard him who would have sworn to his denial so there was no backing away from it (Matthew 26: 68-75).

After the Resurrection

When Jesus rose from the dead, two angels told Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Salone “Go tell Peter and the disciples that he goes into Galilee and will see them there…” (Mark 16:7).

You see, Jesus knew Peter’s state of mind. He could not be consoled. So, when Jesus instructed the angels what to say to the women, he made a point to tell them to call out Peter’s name, to make sure Peter would go to Galilee.

Peter Faces Jesus

Later in Galilee Jesus met Peter and pulled him aside. The conversation went something like this.

Jesus: “Peter do you love [Greek: agape- sacrificial love] me? “ [Would you die for me Peter?]

Peter: “Yes Lord I love [Greek: phileo- brotherly love] you.” [Yes Jesus, I love you like a brother.]

Jesus: “Feed my sheep.”

Again, a second time.

Jesus: “Peter do you love [agape] me?” [Will you live for me carrying the gospel to the world no matter what the cost?]

Probably ashamed with his eyes not meeting the Lord’s,

Peter: “Yes I love [phileo] you Jesus.”  [Yes, I’ll still hang out with the disciples.]

Jesus: “Feed my sheep.”

 For the third and final query,

Jesus: “Peter, do you love [phileo] me?”

Totally in a weakened state of guilt Peter says only, “You know Lord.”

Peter was saying,

Lord, you know what I am capable of. You know I failed you.

I don’t know if I’m the man you need me to be.

Do I really belong here as your disciple?

Seemingly ignoring his distress, Jesus simply said for the third time.

“Feed my sheep.”

Undoing Peter’s 3

Jesus was saying I understand where you are Peter and I know it’s difficult for you to reach and match my agape love so I will come down to you and accept your phileo love. When you are converted the time will come that your phileo love will meet my agape love. 

Satan desires to shift you as wheat but I have prayed for you and in spite of what you did I have reversed the effects of those denials. I have made you the rock on which the gospel of the kingdom and the Church will propagate throughout the world. You don’t feel that right now Peter but you have been chosen and will work the work of the kingdom.

In the worse moments of your life, the times you can barely forgive yourself. The times you can’t utter a prayer even in silence. The times where the tears flow uncontrollably. I want to let you know with Peter as my witness, that Jesus will come to where you are.

He’ll Come to Where You Are

Psalm 139 (in part) Amplified Bible

You Know Me

¹ O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
² You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do];
You understand my thought from afar.
³ You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And You are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ Even before there is a word on my tongue [still unspoken],
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
⁵ You have enclosed me behind and before,
And [You have] placed Your hand upon me.

I Cannot Hide from You

⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
¹⁰ Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.

You Love Me Still

¹³ For You formed my innermost parts;
You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

Make Me More Like You

²³ Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
²⁴ And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

Your 3

Now what about your three? Do you worship him with all of your three?

Your 3 is your spirit, your soul and your body. If you are a born-again believer the Holy Spirit communicates with your spirit. Your spirit then communicates with your soul (your will, intellect and emotions) and your soul instructs your body what to do or say.

If you have a Judas-like spirit then you will choose to override the impressions of the Holy Spirit choosing the world’s trinkets and lures instead. If you have a Peter-like spirit you may mess up at times but your heart is with Jesus and all He represents.

Whoever has your 3 powers your 3.

Is it Jesus or this world (1 John 2:16)?

 

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Featured Image: ©IELawrence (grandson)

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