Fire, Faith, and Failure
A charcoal fire is referenced on only two occasions in the New Testament.
The first was a charcoal fire in the courtyard of the high priest who condemned Jesus to death on a cross (John 18:18 ESV). Peter was standing by it, warming his hands, when those in the courtyard began to repeatedly question him about being a disciple of Jesus.
“I don’t know him,” he said.
“I am not his follower,” he said.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” he said.
How things had changed! Peter had earlier boasted to Jesus that he would never deny Him—even if it meant dying with Him.
“Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will,” he had said.
Peter, the only disciple with enough faith to step out of the boat and try to walk on water toward Jesus, was described at Jesus’ arrest as one who “followed from afar.”
At the first charcoal fire, Peter must have seen his faith as an epic failure. He wasn’t even at the cross when Jesus died.
The Second Fire
But then came the second charcoal fire (John 21:9 ESV).
As dawn was breaking one morning after His resurrection, Jesus had built a charcoal fire and was watching Peter and six other disciples fishing some distance from the shore.
“Friends, haven’t you any fish?” Jesus called out.
They didn’t recognize Jesus’ voice. They were exhausted and discouraged from fishing all night without catching anything. But when Jesus suggested they throw their net one more time, they did—and their net was so filled with fish that they could not haul it in.
“It is the Lord!” John exclaimed as the disciples finally recognized Jesus.
Once again Peter jumped into the sea, this time swimming the length of a football field to shore while the others came in with the boat. After their breakfast of grilled fish, Jesus pulled Peter aside and asked him if he loved him—three times.
Do You Love Me?
Imagine the scene as Peter’s thoughts slowly turned to another charcoal fire and the three questions about his relationship with Jesus that had revealed his lack of faith. This time the questions were from Jesus—about Peter’s love for Him. Jesus asked him to reaffirm his love—three times.
Through his penetrating questioning, Jesus brought Peter to a painful understanding of faith and failure. By that second charcoal fire, Jesus restored and reestablished Peter.
Peter later wrote about faith being tested by fire:
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:7).
Peter had learned that fires don’t just expose our faith failures—they reveal Jesus’ love for us and His desire to remind us of our love for Him. There are no epic fails in our relationship with Jesus. He is always there, ready to restore us.
