Lessons on Getting a Second Chance

There are things in life at which we just don’t get a second chance. I remember running around my 7th grade woodworking classroom asking everyone in sight, “Where’s the board stretcher tool?” and not understanding why everyone laughed at me. Finally someone had mercy and told me no such tool existed. In an attempt to teach me the important lesson of measuring accurately before cutting, my shop teacher had shook his head when he saw the board I had cut too short and said, “Well, better go find the board stretcher and we’ll see what we can do.” I’ve still cut boards too short since then, but not near as many if he hadn’t taught me the important lesson that you don’t get a second chance if you cut a piece of wood too short.

There are a lot of areas of life which can be pretty unforgiving after we have made a serious mistake. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives all of humanity the assurance that when it comes to our relationship with God, there is always a second (third, fourth, etc) chance available to us. You remember Peter’s mess up, don’t you? He was Jesus’ follower who declared that his loyalty had no limits. He said, “Jesus, I will die for you.” A few hours later he denied three times even knowing Jesus! Is there a second chance for a person like that? The twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of John gives us the answer in the account of a conversation Jesus had with Peter on the beach. It’s a conversation which still speaks of hope and comfort to those of us who need second chances 2000 years later.

Join us this Sunday, May 15th at 10:00 am and let’s journey back in time to have breakfast with Jesus and Peter. Together, let’s learn what it means to live a “second chance life” through Christ.