Peter's Denials (18:15–18, 25–27)
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
AG:
TS: Jesus had predicted Peter would deny Him and Peter boldly replied it would never happen and declared he was ready to die for Jesus!
Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
Well..... IT HAPPENED
Sadly, this morning we are looking at Peter’s failure when he denies Jesus 3 times.
RS: It is easy for us to make bold claims like Peter did while here among our brothers and sisters. However, when we leave here is when our faith will be put to the test.
On three separate occasions, Peter denies his Lord.
1. Peter’s Unnecessary Denial (18:15–18)
1. Peter’s Unnecessary Denial (18:15–18)
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.
Then the servant 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.”
Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
Here we have Peter’s unnecessary denial of even being associated with Jesus.
Peter and some other disciple followed Jesus up to the gate of the High Priest.
It’s not known for sure but the other disciple was probably John because this account reads like an eyewitness account. Whoever it was, it was this disciple who knew the High Priest personally because he was able to get Peter in.
The word “known” used here can mean a friend or one who has spent a lot of time together. This isn’t a mere acquaintance.
Notice that he was allowed entrance into the palace and arranged for Peter to enter the palace.
I said that Peter’s denial was unnecessary. Let’s note three points about this:
1. Peter was innocently questioned by the door-keeper.
She knew that John was one of Jesus’ disciples. Since Peter was associated with John, she assumed that he was also a disciple of Jesus.
She was either just carrying on conversation or else asking Peter for some identification.
There seems to be no threat or danger to Peter whatsoever.
It was an innocent question.
Remember from earlier in the chapter, Jesus was the sole target for arrest and trial. They weren’t after the disciples at this point.
2. Peter denied any association with Jesus and gave a blunt denial, “I am not.”
The point is that Peter was a close friend of John because John had made a request for Peter to be admitted into the palace.
The gate-keeper was bound to think such a close associate of John’s was also associated with Jesus.0 P
ter very simply failed his Lord by denying any association with him and pretending not to know Him.
3. Peter made an attempt to be known as one of the crowd.
He joined the crowd, standing around with them and joining in their conversation.
He went incognito when there was no visible threat!
Fear led him to this unnecessary denial
AP: We too can be guilty of unnecessary denials.
Too many deny being associated with Christ because of societal pressures.
Have you ever heard that you shouldn’t talk about religion?
That is a pressure to deny knowing Christ.
People see us in church or associating with other believers—innocently see us—thinking nothing about it. But when and if asked, we deny any association with Christ.
Fear of ill feelings or it causing separation from our coworkers or friends or even family.
Too many pretend not to know Christ when out in the world at their job, school, social functions, among their neighbors, friends or even strangers. Why is that?
FEAR
Like Peter, we go into “stealth mode”
Wheat we are really doing is denying Christ!
Too many try to fade into the crowd, trying to hide their faith by joining in with the crowd.
Standing with and trying to blend in with the crowd will always cause a believer to deny his Lord.
2. Peter’s Denial of Separation (18:25)
2. Peter’s Denial of Separation (18:25)
Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!”
Here we have the 2nd of Peter’s cowardly denial, the denial of separation.
But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
Matthew adds “with an oath”
I swear I don’t know Him!
Peter had joined the crowd, attempting to become one of them. When asked about Jesus, he denied his separation from the world saying, “I am not” a disciple of His.
I am one of you, just another man standing around and taking part in the significant events of the world.
He at the very least could have been with John instead of blending in.
He failed to separate and that led to temptation and ultimately his 2nd denial.
AP: We often deny our Separation
That’s the problem with many Christians today. Too many believers fear, and because they fear, they lose their testimony for Christ and the opportunity to witness and win others to Christ.
We fear being embarrassed, ridiculed, losing our position, losing our worldly friends, worldly neighbors.
We are called to be separate from the world in how we think, speak, and live.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
our love is not this world
Our affections are to be on Higher things.
If we can’t seem to leave the world and its sin behind, it reveals a spiritual problem!
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
We are directly told to turn away
We cannot participate in their sin
We remain in the world… In it, but not of it
There is to be difference between our values and their values.
It should show in how live life
3. Peter’s Denial of Discipleship (18:26–27)
3. Peter’s Denial of Discipleship (18:26–27)
One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”
Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.
And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”
Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Next we about to see Peter’s denial of discipleship. This was the most serious denial of all. “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Here, Peter denied Jesus for 2 very basic reasons.
1. Peter feared man.
When a quick response was called for, he was not strong and mature enough to stand for Jesus.
He feared what the crowd might do to him.
He feared that the crowd would do to him just what they were doing to Jesus.
2. Peter failed to die to self.
He lacked love enough to deny himself for the sake of others.
Jesus dies on the cross for the sake of the men who stood at the foot of the cross cursing him. He willingly died for men that they might live. That’s how much He loved.
Peter didn’t know that self-denying love.
He didn’t want to risk His own hide!
Here’s our warning in this:
It’s a strong warning to every believer.
- Peter was a strong disciple.
- Peter knew and had trusted Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.
- Peter had a strong profession of loyalty to Jesus.
- Peter had just partaken of the Lord’s Supper; in fact, he had just been privileged to partake of the very first Supper.
- Peter had left all to follow Jesus.
- Peter had been taught about God, by Jesus Himself.
- Peter had even been forewarned that the flesh was weak and the he would fail.
Yet he still denied Jesus.
John (Annas Questions Jesus / 18:12–24 / 225)
HAVE YOU DENIED HIM?
We can easily get angry at the Jewish council for their injustice in condemning Jesus, but we must remember that Peter and the rest of the disciples also contributed to Jesus’ pain by deserting and disowning him (Matthew 26:56, 75).
While most people are not like the religious leaders, we are all like the disciples, for all of us have been guilty of denying that Christ is Lord in vital areas of our lives or of keeping secret our identity as believers in times of pressure. Don’t excuse yourself by pointing at others whose sins seem worse than yours. Instead, come to Jesus for forgiveness and healing.
None of us are immune to failing as Peter did.
Denying ourselves is the call given by our master.
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Self-denial is a summons to submit to the authority of God as Father and of Jesus as Lord and to declare lifelong war on one’s instinctive egoism.
J. I. Packer
Christ calls us to throw out EVERYTHING and take up His cross
He must be our top priority
He isn’t interested in partial denial
He wants it all.
That is why He inspired Paul to write:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Concl
Concl
Don’t make unnecessary denials
there is no need to hide your faith!
Don’t deny Him by failing to separate from the world
Don’t forget to deny yourself instead of the Lord