Have you ever failed so spectacularly that you thought God was done with you? Maybe you said something you regret, made a choice that hurt someone you love, or even denied your faith in a moment of fear. If so, you’re not alone. In my recent sermon, “Failing Forward”, we looked at the life of Peter, the apostle who seemed to have a knack for failure—yet God transformed him into a pillar of the early church. Today, I want to share three key lessons from Peter’s story in Mark 14:26-31, along with some powerful examples, to show how God can use our failures to shape us for His purpose. Let’s learn how to fail forward into God’s grace.
Peter: The Apostle with a Foot-Shaped Mouth
Peter is one of the most relatable figures in Scripture. Proverbs 24:16 says, “A just man falleth seven times and riseth again,” and Peter lived this out. He took his eyes off Christ and sank in the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:28-31), spoke out of turn at the Transfiguration (Mark 9:5-6), resisted Jesus during the foot-washing (John 13:6-8), and even rebuked Jesus, earning the harsher rebuke, “Get behind me, Satan” (Mark 8:32-33). In Mark 14, we see Peter sleeping in Gethsemane instead of praying (v. 37), swinging his sword at a servant’s ear (John 18:10), and denying Christ three times (Mark 14:66-72). If anyone seemed disqualified, it was Peter.
Yet, Peter’s story doesn’t end in failure. After his denial, Jesus restored him in John 21, recommissioning him to “feed my sheep.” Peter went on to lead the church in Jerusalem, preach at Pentecost (Acts 2), open the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10), and write 1 & 2 Peter to encourage the persecuted church. How did Peter go from failure to leading? Let’s dive into three truths from his journey.
1. Trust in the Saviour Who Warns and Restores
In Mark 14:27-31, Jesus warns Peter of his coming failure: “All ye shall be offended because of me this night… thou shalt deny me thrice.” Jesus knew Peter’s weakness, but also the enemy’s schemes. In Luke 22:31, Jesus says, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Satan wants to use our failures to destroy us, but God uses them to refine us. 1 Peter 4:12-13 reminds us, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you… but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings.”
Consider the story of G. Campbell Morgan, a young man in London in the 1880s who was preparing for ministry. Morgan was a brilliant student, but during his trial sermon for ordination, he became so nervous—especially with his fiancée watching—that he lost his train of thought and failed. The examiners rejected him, and his fiancée broke off their engagement, plunging Morgan into depression. Yet, in his brokenness, Morgan turned to God, clinging to Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God.” He retook the test, was ordained, and became one of the greatest expositors of the 20th century, authoring over 60 books and leaving a legacy of sermons that still inspire us today. Like Peter, Morgan failed forward into God’s purpose.
Jesus also promised restoration. In Mark 14:28, He says, “After that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.” Even before Peter failed, Jesus was waiting on the other side of failure to restore him. Jesus told Peter and the other disciples they would fail Him, and He would be waiting for them in Galilee after they failed. Jesus waits for us on the other side of failure to restore and recommission.
Mark 16:7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
God doesn’t abandon us in our failures: Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. —He’s already on the other side, ready to repurpose (“convert”) our brokenness for His glory. Just like a gardener turns a rusty wheelbarrow into a flowerpot or an architect transforms an abandoned silo into a stunning home. Jesus wants to “convert” us from a broken vessel to a vessel of blessing.
2. Avoid the Sins That Lead to Failure
Peter’s failure in Mark 14 stemmed from two sins we must guard against: self-confidence and the fear of man. First, Peter’s self-confidence led him to declare, “Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” (v. 29). Luke 22:33 records him saying, “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.” But Proverbs 28:26 warns, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” Peter’s prayerlessness in Gethsemane (v. 38) revealed his reliance on himself rather than God. Jesus said in John 15:5, “Without me ye can do nothing.”
Second, Peter’s fear of man led him to follow Jesus “afar off” (v. 54) and deny Him when questioned (v. 66-71). Peter sat “in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1), warming himself at the enemy’s fire, and his behavior and speech betrayed his Lord. When we care more about man’s opinion than God’s, we set ourselves up for failure.
3. Embrace Repentance and Restoration
Peter’s solution came through repentance and restoration. After denying Christ, Peter “went out, and wept bitterly” (Mark 14:72). Repentance means agreeing with God about our sin. Psalm 38:18 says, “I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin,” and 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” True repentance leads to comfort (Matthew 5:4), restoring our joy and peace.
In John 21:15-17, Jesus restores Peter by the Sea of Galilee, asking three times, “Lovest thou me?”—mirroring Peter’s three denials. Jesus invites him to “come and dine” and commissions him to “feed my sheep.” Peter’s failure didn’t define him; it reshaped him. He became the leader of the Jerusalem church, preached at Pentecost, and wrote Scripture. God used his brokenness to make him a vessel of grace.
Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” experienced a similar refining through failure. In 1856, at just 22 years old, Spurgeon preached to over 10,000 people at the Surrey Gardens Music Hall in London. During the service, troublemakers shouted, “Fire!” causing a deadly stampede that killed seven people and injured dozens. Spurgeon was devastated, spiraling into depression and guilt. Yet, he returned to the pulpit two weeks later, and his ministry grew, eventually leading to the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Spurgeon later said, “Glory be to God for the furnace, the hammer, and the file.” His failure became a stepping stone to greater dependence on God.
Conclusion: Fail Forward into God’s Purpose
Peter, G. Campbell Morgan, and Charles Spurgeon all show us that failure isn’t the end with God—it’s only a beginning. God warns us of our weaknesses, calls us to repentance, and restores us for His purpose. Where have you failed? Maybe you’ve denied Christ by your actions, trusted in yourself, or feared man’s opinion. Bring your failures to Jesus. Confess them, trust Him to restore you, and watch Him repurpose your brokenness for His glory.