I would like to thank Chaplain for inviting me to speak at this service.

During this week, we celebrate St Peter's Day, a day set aside in the church to think about the life and ministry of St Peter. Peter was one of the chosen disciples who chose to follow Jesus and from their first meeting Jesus named him Peter (for his real name was Simon) because he was to be the Rock on which the church would be built.

Peter features quite often in the Gospel stories and although Jesus said he would be the leader, often as not, he would doing something foolish. The picture I have of him was that he was man who spoke before he engaged his brain. I guess there is someone like that in every class.

It was in the upper room, at the Last Supper, that Peter failed big time. He opened his mouth and stuck in both feet.

It was as Jesus was explaining to those gathered with him, that in the next day he would be betrayed by a friend, arrested tried convicted and sentenced to death and executed that Peter spoke up. No worries Lord, nothing will happen to you for I will be there to protect you. Jesus turned to him and said - Peter, before the Cock crows twice, you will have denied me three times. And you all know the story - that is what he did.

Our story from John's Gospel, shows Jesus restoring Peter to fellowship, by asking him for each denial, to affirm his Love. And indeed Jesus responded three times with the commission to Feed my Lambs or Sheep (to take charge like a shepherd).

The History of the Church shows that Peter did become that great leader and fulfilled what Jesus had seen in him.

Now Peter can teach us something today. Peter was in every sense a failed disciple. Although he did not run away, when put to the test he could not say that he even knew Jesus, let alone that he was one of his disciples. And perhaps it would have been easy to find someone else to lead and to throw him onto the scrap heap. To consign him to the file - Failed Leaders!

But this is not what God is about. This is not the message of Christianity. I know that often we talk about doing the right thing, being well behaved, pleasing your parents and teachers and these things are important. But the message of Christianity, the whole Jesus for coming to live among us and to die for us was basically, not that there were some pretty good people who deserved to go to heaven, but rather that no one was good enough for that.

It is the message, that although we may fail, and fall short of the mark, that we nevertheless be welcomed into heaven through the advocacy of Jesus. The church is not a museum for saints, it is a hospital for sinners.

The story of Peter shows us, that failure is not necessarily the end, but part of the path that we must tread to find our true relationship with God.

Anyone of us may fail. We may not live up to the expectations of our Parents and families, our teachers our friends. You may think your parents ask a lot of you. You may never meet my mother - But when I went to work for BHP, she was convinced that I would become the Managing Director; when I went to work at the University, I would become the Vice Chancellor and now of course she thinks that I will become the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Peter wanted to do great things for Jesus. Indeed he was his own worst enemy for he placed on himself unreal and unfulfillable expectations. Jesus did not ask this of him, but he took it upon himself and so failed.

This was not what was important for him. Jesus asked him to lead through ministering to the needs of others. To feed the sheep and lambs.

There are many of you here who will do great things in their lifetimes. Who will succeed at there chosen careers, who will be leaders in their communities and there will be some who will fall short of the mark.

When Jesus restored Peter, he also promised us that no matter where we fail, he still wants to be our friend. Failure does not mean the end, but it may be the point at which you can start again, this time according to God's plan.

Jesus has placed the offer to you that no matter what happens, you will always be acceptable to him. It is our choice whether we take him up on it or not. This is the message of Christianity it is not a religion of the Good, only of those who have responded.