Fall forward

John 18:1–11 NASB95

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples. 2 Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. 3 Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” 10 Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Peter was swinging for the fences......

Jesus corrected Peter.

John 18:12–17 NASB95

12 So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, 13 and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people. 15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, 16 but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. 17 Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

Slave Girl - not a threat to him. But better safe than sorry.

It is not her business.

It is insignificant.

If it was important, I would do the right thing.

John 13:37–38 NASB95

37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

John 18:18 NASB95

18 Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

Jesus and Annas

John 18:25 NASB95

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

Group of indiscriminate people.

(Slaves and officers)

They were no threat to Peter.

The Jewish way to deal with this was to “cut the head off the snake”

John the Baptist- we don’t see anything about John’s followers being persecuted.

The disciples were most likely seen as “victims”

They would probably ridiculed him. (May have even asked questions.)

John 18:26 NASB95

26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

This guy was a witness. His relative got his ear cut off, and then put back on.......He witnessed a miracle.

“Didn’t I see you?”

John 18:27 NASB95

27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

It is not justification for your sin

Well even Peter denied Christ.......

Major and minor heart surgery.

Log and a speck is whose sin is it.

God’s Word is true

Jesus said it would happen, so it was always going to happen. That doesn’t mean God caused it. That doesn’t mean Peter is not responsible for it.

But, because we know that Jesus was telling the truth here, we also can rely on the fact that He was telling the truth when He said:

John 14:3 NASB95

3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

People don’t belong on pedestals.

Exodus 20:3 NASB95

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

1 Timothy 2:3–6 NASB95

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

Those who teach are held to a higher standard.

But bad teaching is never a justification for the sin of those that follow.

“Just following orders” defense.

Paul did say,

1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB95

1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

In humility.

Peters failure was his focus.

Matthew 16:24 NASB95

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

Peter’s focus was on himself. He was focused on how Jesus’ capture affected him.

Sin destroys our witness

Sin makes a believer want to hide.

Genesis 3:8 NASB95

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Matthew 5:14–16 NASB95

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Listen for the Rooster

Matthew 26:75 NASB95

75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

It’s not really our sins that make us weep; they have a part in it… It is when we see the kind of Savior we have sinned against that really makes us weep.

John McCarthy

The Rooster did the work of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:8 NASB95

8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

Conviction is uncomfortable. Makes us move.

If the Word of God has never caused you conviction, you have likely never heard from God.