The Denial
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The world seeks to accuse you of being a Christ follower.
The world seeks to accuse you of being a Christ follower.
Are you guilty? Is there recognizable evidence to convict you of your allegiance?
This is one of the stories recorded in the Gospels that actually supports the validity and truthfulness of these accounts. Scholars and those who study these things very closely believe that because one of the main characters, one of the leaders of the group of disciples is portrayed having such a fall in integrity and reputation, this supports the authenticity of the scripture. It’s real, it’s raw— its the truth. The bible is not written to exalt the disciples or make heroes of the Apostles— no, it is written to record and glorify Jesus Christ.
It’s the apostles failures (and subsequently our failures) that prove God’s love, Jesus’ forbearance, and the Spirit’s faithfulness to us all.
We want to review today the fall of Peter— How could this happen? Let’s do some investigative detective work to unpack how we go from a devoted disciple, one of the three closest to Jesus, — all the way to a man standing denying that he even knows Jesus.
Audacity
At it’s best its a reckless courage— at it’s worse it’s arrogant self-confidence.
Go for it! or “stuck on myself”.
Peter is a person of audacity.
Peter is a person of audacity.
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
Peter sets himself apart from the others with some “spiritual bravado”-
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
He’s doubting all the others, but he’s not willing to listen to what Jesus is saying with humility: He’s contradicting Jesus.
Peter claims that he would never abandon Jesus. (Mt 26:33)
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
It’s spiritual pride. He isn’t even willing to listen to Jesus at this minute. He’s been blinded with himself. This is the little seed of sin that can take root in our minds.
Jesus corrects Peter and predicts that he will indeed deny him. (v.34)
He exalted himself, and disbelieved what Jesus said. Christ warns him— and Peter’s dark heart won’t even hear it.
Later on that night— Peter is told by Jesus to wait, watch and pray in the Garden--
41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The audacious one is falling asleep.
Audacity— then vulnerability.
All this weakens him. He is watching the arrest, and even follows at a distance:
Peter’s pride made him vulnerable. (v. 58)
Peter’s pride made him vulnerable. (v. 58)
58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
Are you following Jesus at a distance? At least he is following— Not quite willing to be fully associated with him? Peter was on a fence— and maybe we are too at times.
He’s actually sitting with the Roman guards— these are easier for him at this point. Easier to be with the bad guys, than to stand and have it cost you something to be with the Lord.
A slow transition has occurred and Peter is swayed into the world. He then denies even knowing Jesus in a series of three interactions:
Peter denies knowing Jesus three times.
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
Her statement infers that she has seen him with Jesus- she recognizes him. She’s described as a “servant girl” or in some translations a “slave girl”. This would indicate that she is not a particularly powerful or influential person. We will see next week that Jesus is being accused during his trial— and never flinches— never falters. Yet Peter is caving in here with a little girl.
He attempts to dismiss the whole subject. Fakes that he doesn’t understand what she’s talking about. It’s a shuffling answer.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
It’s as if he said— “I swear to you, I don’t know the man.” This phrase is actually the same phrase Jesus used to describe those who call him Lord, but he never knew:
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Peter is hiding. He’s ashamed to be associated with Jesus. He is so beat down by sin, he is weakened in his spirit.
Do we do this?
It’s one servant girl, another servant girl with a crowd, and he’s just moving further and further away from Jesus.
He’s not associating with Jesus because the world has accused Jesus— and Peter doesn’t want to get caught up in that.
He retreats even further, but he is confronted a third time— (The same number of times Jesus prayed in the Garden— not my will…)
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
He had a Galilean accent— his speech gave him away.
He is kind of like being a person from the south somewhere— Yall can understand that right?
Peter denials are increasingly passionate. (v. 74)
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
He’s emphatically swearing that it isn’t true. Unaware of his own vulnerability— that his spirit might be strong, but his flesh was weak. This is a complete collapse from his prior audacious claims.
Sometimes we want to pick and choose our association with Jesus—
We want that job, but we hear that the boss thinks Christians are stupid? Deny Jesus
We want to be a part of that group at school, but they speak and do things that are not healthy or what Jesus would want you to do? Deny Jesus
Come to church on Sunday, worship with your family— ok, I’m with Jesus.
Go to the athletic field, and your team mates think Christians are weird, deny Jesus...
It all depends for some of you— Is He going to be an asset or a liability to me? If Jesus will be to our benefit, we’ll drop his name, if He’s not— we’ll deny we even are associated with Him.
I got some news for you though--
When Jesus was being nailed to the cross— he had no problem being associated with you and me.
There was certainly no benefit in it for him. Like we could somehow be of value to him… We didn’t add a cool factor to Jesus! We aren’t bringing anything to the table--
This is absolutely about God’s love for us, demonstrated through Jesus’ dying for us, when we were totally helpless and lost.
75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Peter remembers Jesus’ words, and weeps bitterly. (v.75)
Luke’s gospel collected even a deeper fact—
Luke 22:61 (NIV)
61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”
What do you think he saw in Jesus’ eyes? Condemnation? No. I guarantee you he saw compassion. Jesus doesn’t love Peter because of his usefulness- or his knowledge or skills, or righteousness—He doesn’t love you and I because of those things either-- He loves his disciples— to the very end, no matter what. He loves unconditionally. He loves you — not because of what we can do for him… Remember, if that’s true— than it would be reasonable to believe that he doesn’t love us any less when we mess up either.
But the scripture says he goes away and Sobs violently. A grown man weeping. He felt such shame. He was broken over his own denial.
He followed at a distance— he denied knowing Jesus three times— he remembered what Jesus said, and he wept. Completely broken.
— But aren’t we thankful that Jesus restores broken people?
Peter’s story continues in restoration.
Peter’s story continues in restoration.
Paul Harvey, a famous radio commentator coined a wonderfully memorable phrase— “AND Now you know … the rest of the story”.
We cannot leave the story like this—
Fast forward to the empty tomb on Easter Morning:
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”
There is a whole chapter in John’s Gospel about this restoration. Sometimes we get stuck— we can get stuck in our own failures— we know He forgives us in our heads, but somehow it isn’t getting to our hearts.
But if we turn toward Jesus— don’t turn away from him— and certainly don’t turn against him--- he lovingly restores us.
John 21:15 (NIV)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Four different ways that the Greek language can speak about Love—
Agape- Selfless love, godly complete love.
Philia- Brotherly love— friendship, between equals
Eros- sexual attraction
Storge- Affection and love- usually between parents and children
Jesus opens this conversation with “Agape”
Agape is that selfless, godly love that God show us. Peter responds with “Philios”--
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
But the third time— Jesus asks him “Philias”? Peter then answers
John 21:17 (NIV)
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Jesus will always come down to our level— even in descending from heaven to become a baby in a manger he was coming down to our level.
25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
Peter’s three denials are matched with three affirmations. (Jn 21)
His great denials— three times, are met with the opportunity for three matching affirmations.
Here on the beach— the canvas of his life is not defined by these failures— His life is indeed “marked” by these failures— but not defined.
The reason Jesus does this for him— is not to make Peter relive the agony and bitter weeping—to bury himself in how awful he was—Jesus wasn’t trying to somehow punish Peter for failing. NO— this is so that Peter— of all the disciples, would have the testimony that “when I was in the mire and darkest place, Jesus lifted me and placed my feet back on the rock”… I deserve to bear those wounds, but you bore them for me.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Jesus restored Peter because he loved him.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
How about you?
Do you feel you have denied Jesus?
Do you feel Godly sorrow over that?
Have you turned back toward him and received forgiveness and restoration. He’s got a wonderful plan for your life— the breaks and cracks, the scars can be a part of the story you use to share His great love with everyone who will listen. Don’t deny yourself or someone else who needs to hear from you---that part of God’s work on earth.
God is into using broken things— Paul wrote that we hold this treasure in a vessel made of clay— it’s going to get chipped, and broken. We are going to make mistakes, fall victim to the world’s logic sometimes. But it’s in the falling, the getting back up, and the dusting ourselves (and each other) off that we can be made into something even more precious.
A composer was able to listen to a new young professional sing his newest reflective composition. It was a song describing the mourning he experienced after losing his wife to cancer. After she sang it with excellent tone, tempo, and skillfulness— he was asked what he thought of the performance. He stated “She sang the song exactly as I wrote it— but once she too has experienced great sorrow, she will never be able to truly sing my heart in the song.
Peter’s failing only makes Jesus look more impressive and at the same time provides a lesson for all Christians, many of whom have denied or will deny their Lord.
Craig A. Evans