Every Sunday around here is for His Words, instead of mine. But today, you’re getting a few words of mine and from a friend of mine, mixed in. Lisa McKay (also known as The Preacher’s Wife) is an author, speaker, and one of the sweetest and funniest Bible scholars I know. Girlfriend knows her stuff. Yesterday, she posted this on Facebook, and I haven’t been able to quit thinking about it (truthfully, I’d never even noticed it before):

My favorite resurrection passage? Mark 16:7 “but go your way and tell his disciples AND Peter that he goes before you into Galilee and there you will see him just as he told you.” Why the special invitation to Peter? Because he wouldn’t have come otherwise. He had done the thing he said he would never do and surely that disqualified him from ever participating in the family of God again.

Yep. Peter was likely teetering on the edge of a cliff somewhere, after He’d denied knowing his beloved Christ not once, but THREE times. He likely felt He’d just gone too far to ever have any hope at all of being forgiven.

But then there is this:

But now God has shown us a different way to heaven—not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us “not guilty”—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. (Romans 3:21-24 LB)

Did you see it? ALL have sinned…ALL WILL sin. But in His kindness, ALL are forgiven, because He conquered every single offense in the past and to come when He conquered death. He is RISEN, friends. It’s what today is all about.

Peter, the one upon whom Christ said He would build His church and the one who later denied he even knew Christ, was forgiven that day, right along with everyone else. And it was he who spoke to the crowds at Pentecost, after Christ’s ascension, with these words:

“Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.” (Acts 2:38-39 MSG)

Whomever God invites…all who are far away. Just like Peter. Just like me and you.

You can never, ever go too far. Easter is the perfect day to realize that.