Peter was grieved, because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? – John 21:17
Peter had grieved his Lord by three denials of him: now his Lord grieves Peter with three questions of his love to him. We may often read our sins in our punishment; Peter's Lord suffered him to fall, to lower his pride and self-confidence; and having been brought by his sins into the valley of humiliation, our Lord lets the burden of them rest upon him for a season. A little while ago he boasted of his superlative love to Christ, above all the rest of his disciples: "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended –I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death –though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee." Brave words! Who can doubt of the sincerity of Peter's heart in all this?
Hence learn that the warm frames of young converts are often attended with great self-confidence; there is much of nature's fire in them. My heart has often rejoiced and been warmed with love to hear the ardor and energy with which some in their first love have spoken of "a precious Saviour: but I have thought, their sifting time will come; the Lord keep your poor hearts humble before him."
See the unchangeable love and sovereign grace of Christ to his dear disciples. He told Peter of his fall, and warned him against it; yea, set before him every particular aggravation of it. How blind are those who see not here the divinity of our Lord! Notwithstanding this, Peter abates nothing of his self-confidence. Must his fall cure him? Not that, but Christ's grace raised and restored him. Falls into sin naturally harden through the deceitfulness of sin: take heed of looking to saints' falls to make you think little of your own. Peter's fall was a damnable sin; he deserved hell for it: Christ snatched him as a brand out of the fire. His grace brings good out of the evil of sin. Let us glory in grace, but beware of sin.
Souls raised by the grace of Christ are grieved for their base sins and falls; though the subject between Christ and Peter was LOVE, yet it grieves: no threats of damnation wound new born souls like love: "Lovest thou me?" saith the Lord. Look back, soul, to thy past conduct; say, was there warm and generous love to thy Lord in it? O, the thought of past unkindness to Christ grieves the soul before him. As Christ repeats the question, grief is enlarged. Never think you are truly raised from your falls and restored to the love of Christ, if you have not grief of heart for them: Christ's grace melts into love; love sinks into humility, while it kindles the fire of joy and excites a godly jealousy.