Life of Peter 5
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*remain seated please open your Bible to Matthew 26*
On the night our Savior was Crucified
On the night our Savior was Crucified
Peter was warned that in that very night he would deny Jesus three times. This would have been hard to see. Peter was incredulous. But you can understand his doubt and His declaration.
Matthew 26:33 (KJV 1900)
”…Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.“
Matthew 26:35 (KJV 1900)
“…Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.”
Fast forward and we find Peter standing near a fire warming himself from a safe distance from the trial of Jesus as well as the guards that have him. It is here that Peter will prove that Jesus knows what we are going to do before we know it.
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
I call this denial the being caught off guard denial. There is no way he saw it coming. There is no excuse for it but Peter didn’t imagine that his well thought through plan of stay far enough away that trouble can’t get you, would ever fall through.
Jesus hadn’t commanded them to get close to someone whose carrying a cross. He said “Carry the cross”.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Denial #2
And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
This is the Double down Denial. Mom always said if you like once he will have to lie many more times to conceal that lie. Peter doubles down on his foolish endeavor to conceal his devotion to the Savior he once worshipped as the son of God.
And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
This is the “oh come on you didn’t see this coming“ denial. Sin grows it never sits idly by. It draws you into backing up one lie with another. Eventually blending in with the ungodly will force you too keep the camouflage. It requires an orderly arrangements of deceptions for us to keep our concealment in tact.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Sin always leads to regret and shame. Anything less that standing side by side with Jesus in his shame and suffering will lead to this shame. Christ doesn’t want disciples that modulate their commitment. He wants the disciple to put his hand to the plow and never look back.
Do we know what drove Peter to deny Christ? I don’t like trying to physiologically analyze the personalities in Scripture. But we do know how we deny Christ.
A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ
Speaking evil
by foolish talking
by words that are untruthful or unkind
shunning life’s burdens
pursuit of sinful pleasure.
conforming to the world
by uncourteous behavior,
by the love of their own opinions,
by justifying self,
by cherishing doubt,
borrowing trouble,
dwelling in darkness.
Whoa hold on preacher are you just trying to make us feel bad. There can’t be any connection to my attitude and denying Jesus.
It is the same denial as someone who would try to deny their own ethnicity. You could deny where you were born of whose lineage you’re from. Or even affect your luck. So it was Peter that day denying his spiritual birthright as a disciple of Christ.
Peter wouldn’t have thought there was any connection either. In fact he was in full throated denial. Until he did. The importance here is to remember that following Christ is not about your commitment to being at church, or what songs you sing or don’t. It isn’t even about what church you attend it is about living this life for the glory of one. And that one can’t be you.
Peter’s issue is that he wanted to spare as much of this life as possible. He would give to Jesus a certain amount and keep to himself a certain amount. This was his denial.
I can tell you I am grateful that Peter’s story doesn’t end at his failure. Let me remind you Judas’ story does end at his shame.
John 21 records for us that after the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Peter announced that he was going back to the fisherman’s boats. Those fisherman caught nothing until a passerby called to them to put the net on the other side of the ship. "Children have ye any meat”. John 21:5
Three years earlier those same fishermen were fishing when Jesus called out to them and the catch was so great that filling two ships the catch almost sank two vessels.
So as the disciples struggled to draw in this second catch it hit John. “It is Jesus”. (7). Peter jumps into the water. There was a joy when Jesus was reunited to his disciples. As they enjoyed their breakfast…
Jesus began to question Peter.
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Peter do you love me more than all of this.
He will ask a second time Peter do you love me.
Yea Lord you know that I love you.
And with persevering indignity Jesus asks a third time Peter do you love me.
Do you love me more than all of these things that make up your life?
Do you love me more than that which you a try to protect by denying me?
Peter can you put your hand to the plow even if it means you get to keep none of this?
Peter can my Gospel replace your commitment to your own safety?
Peter can a relationship with me and the father be of more value to you in the meager life you were attempting to preserve?
And Peter maybe considering another time where he was asked the same question in a different form responds in the opposite ye lord you know that I love you.
The scene must’ve been offputting.
Because they were not in Jerusalem
caring for a sick
healing so lame
reading scripture
praying
they were back at the beginning.
You can hear Jesus calling Peter a second time reminding him that all he wants is a disciple that will not quit, that will not go back. He wants a disciple that cares more about following the Savior than preserving even one more day of this life.
So Jesus calls Peter one more time feed my sheep. As you’ve seen me to Peter love your neighbor, care for their needs, love their soul,.
One day when we stand before the Lord. I can only speculate that our Savior would ask if I’m our childishness if we learned at least to accept His first commandment.
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
I want to say on that day, yes Lord I love thee. Make no mistake about it, we will find our answer dependent on whether we ever lived our faith through a devotion to him and a love for our neighbors.
There is a gospel to give
Hurting to encourage
Needs to be met
Wounds to bind
Fatherless to care for
Sheep scattered without a shepherd.
