Denying Jesus

Opening illustration:

Do you remember a time in your Christian life when you denied Jesus? A time when you blew your testimony?

I remember very vividly a time when I was a young Christian. I had moved to Florida to go to college. I was working at a grocery store and was doing my best to talk to my coworkers about Christ:

A Mormon coworker

A Redneck coworker

A homosexual coworker

We had an assistant manager very few people liked. He did very little and was hard on most everyone. He never called me by name. he always called me Georgia Boy.

One day some cashiers needed some help so I went up to help them. He saw me helping them and in front of everyone said “Come back here with me. If you stay up here they’ll make you do all their work for them.”

It was rude and probably embarrassing for the cashiers. My sarcasm kicked in. very loudly I shouted toward him “Well, if I go back there I’ll just be doing all your work.” You could here a pin drop. Most of my coworkers were trying their best not to laugh. He wasn’t happy. Immediately I was convicted. I knew I messed up. I acted in the flesh. My lost coworkers thought it was hilarious, but I had acted sinfully, embarrassing this man. I felt that I lost a lot of Christian influence with people. That was 25 years ago and I haven’t forgotten it.

One of the reasons we know the Bible is true is the only real hero in it is Jesus. Every other person in it has character flaws. The Bible doesn’t try to protect the leaders of the Christian church. We see that with Peter. Peter is the leader of the 12. Even in Acts he stands out as the leader. But he’s flawed and, in our text, we see how flawed he is.

This story is really a story of hope. It reminds us that forgiveness and restoration is offered even when we sin in a major way.

1. Peter’s denial is documented in Scripture.

A. He denied Christ before a servant of the High Priest (69-70).

Peter had made his way into the courtyard of the palace. Jesus was in the High priest’s residence on the second floor. He was being abused and interrogated.

Peter had blended in with the many people who worked and lived there.

It was late at night by this time, maybe early morning.

It was a crazy night. Many were awake talking about the army dispatched to arrest Jesus.

It was a cold night (John 18:18).

People were gathered around a fire in the courtyard. There was a young girl who was a servant of the High Priest (Mark 14:66) who recognized who Peter was.

The fact that she was a servant of the High Priest is important because:

1) One of the High Priests servants was just almost killed by a follower of Jesus.

2) Jesus was on trial before the High Priest at that very moment.

She said to Peter out loud in front of the group “You were with Jesus of Galilee”. People from Jerusalem could be snooty. They looked down on people who were from areas like Galilee. The girl is saying “You’re not from here. You’re from the region of Galilee.” Galilee was the area Jesus spent most of His time in ministry.

Immediately Peter denied it. In fact, it says he denied it before them all implying everyone around the fire heard what she said.

John MacArthur gives us a good insight into this. He says that Peter was much like Elijah. Elijah was willing to stand before 850 prophets of Baal and then moments later he was afraid of a woman. Peter was just recently willing to fight an army of 800 people for Jesus but now he’s afraid.

In that culture it was silly for him to fear this person:

She was a woman.

She was a servant.

She was young.

Mark tells us as soon as he denied Jesus the first time a rooster crowed (Mark 14:68).

B. He denied Jesus before another servant girl (71-72).

Peter left the area. He went to a porch. He was probably positioning himself closer to an exit in case he had to run. She doesn’t speak directly to Peter. She speaks to a group of people in such a way that Peter overhears what she says. She says, “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Again, we have a slur of sorts. “Of Nazareth” was not a compliment. There was a saying among the Jews that nothing good could come from Nazareth (John 1:46).

Peter denies it again. This time he swears with an oath that he doesn’t know who Jesus is. He had to qualify his speech. It seems people did not believe him. He doubles down to convince people of the lie.

C. He denied Jesus before a group of people (73-74).

People had heard what these servant girls said. They had probably been talking amongst themselves. Luke says about an hour passed between Peter’s second and third denial (Luke 22:59).

In this group of people is a servant of the High Priests who was also kin to Malchus. This man was in the garden when Jesus was arrested. He said “I know you were there. I saw you” (John 18:26). He knows it isn’t a mistake because Peter spoke with a Galilean accent. There was too much evidence pointing to Peter’s guilt for these people to be lying.

But Peter is married to this lie. Look what he does next.

He began to curse. He was calling a curse down on himself. It would be like us saying “If I am lying may God kill me and send me to hell!”

He began to swear. He was binding himself under and oath before God. Look at what he was saying “I don’t know the man!” He won’t even say Jesus’ name. He calls Him “the man.”

I feel like I don’t know Peter. What has happened to him?

As soon as the words “I know not the man!” were screamed by Peter I’m sure silence fell on the crowd. Then off in the distance was the very distinct sound of a rooster crowing.

This was God’s rooster. He preached a sermon Peter heard cloud and clear. Peter remembered what Jesus told him. Peter left immediately. He probably ran. As he left, he was weeping bitterly. He was crying violently. He realized what he had done, and he was broken hearted.

That is the story of Peter’s denial as it is documented in Scripture.

2. Peter’s denial was a disappointment to Jesus.

A. Peter knew he had disappointed Jesus.

When Peter denied the Lord for the third time something else happened. The Bible says that in that moment as Jesus was on trial, He was positioned in such a way that He could see Peter and Peter could see Him. Their eyes locked (Luke 22:61). That look broke the heart of Peter.

When we deny the Lord, we ought to look to Jesus.

I know we want to look around at other people who deny the Lord and justify ourselves.

I know we want to look down and pretend nothing happened.

Healing will only come when we look up.

B. It was a disappointment because of what Jesus was doing for Peter while Peter was denying Him. Jesus was on trial. He was confessing the truth about who He was. He was going to the cross for Peter.

What is the Lord doing for us while we are denying Him?

Sustaining us

Providing for us!

Interceding for us!

Protecting us!

C. It was a disappointment because it revealed a major character flaw.

Peter had issues he didn’t know about.

He could talk the talk. He could tell you all he was going to do for Jesus. But he wasn’t half the Christian he thought he was. He was a weak, immature, clumsy follower of Christ.

He was weakened by sorrow. His heart was broken so his guard came down.

He was weakened by prayerlessness. Jesus told him to pray but he didn’t.

He was weakened by pride.

He was weakened by fear. He feared what people might do to him. When he didn’t have the crowd and Christ beside him he wasn’t willing to stand.

He was weakened by disobedience. He had time after the first and second denial to repent and get right. But instead, his disobedience only made him weaker.

There are many small steps that can lead to a major disappointment. It’s important to recognize the small steps before we find ourselves flat on our back.

D. It was a disappointment because it revealed a lack of faith.

What if Peter had said “Yes, I know Him. He is everything to me!”

If he had had the faith to do that I am sure God would have protected him.

Think back with me to Matthew 16. Jesus said “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter spoke up and said without hesitation “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”

Jesus honored Peter for saying that.

Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but My Father in heaven!”

If Peter had told that group who Jesus was I’m sure God would have protected him.

E. It was a disappointment because he squandered an opportunity to witness for Christ.

He could have preached to those people.

He could have told them who Jesus was.

He could have told them this was a travesty of justice.

He could have compelled them to have given their lives to Christ.

Instead, those people walked away thinking “This Jesus guy must not be much. His own followers don’t even want anything to do with Him.” They probably had a laugh at the expense of Peter and Jesus as well.

3. Peter’s denial can be a deterrent to others.

Jesus told Peter after he was restored, he should strengthen the brethren (Luke 22:32).

There is much in this story that can strengthen us. Let’s consider some truths w e can get from this moment in Peter’s life that can strengthen us.

A. We must know our limitations.

Peter put himself in a position he was not strong enough to handle. It became evident very quickly.

He stayed when he should have left.

He stuck it out when he should have hung it up.

He didn’t need to be alone with a bunch of lost people. He needed to be with believers. He needed to be surrounded by people of faith.

Maybe Peter thought it was virtuous to hang outside and be near where they were holding Jesus. What he thought was virtuous led to defeat.

There are people like that. They think they are showing how much they committed to Jesus by surrounding themselves with lost people.

In a bar.

With friends that still do drugs.

With people who blaspheme God.

They say, “I’m like Jesus, I’m a friend of sinners!” Don’t forget Jesus never sinner with sinners and me and you aren’t Jesus.

After I was saved it was years before I would:

Go to a beach

Listen to a song that wasn’t about the Lord.

I knew my limitations.

B. It is foolish to want to distance ourselves from Christ.

What will we accomplish?

Who is Christ?

Our righteousness- do we want to distance ourselves from that?

Our Friend who sticks closer than a brother- the One who will never deny us.

Our hope- when there is nothing this world can offer, He offers us more than this world can give.

A common description of sinners in the Bible is “fool” or “foolish”.

Sin kills. It kills relationships. It kills joy. It kills hope. It kills people. When we distance ourselves from Christ we embrace sin.

What did Peter think the outcome of distancing himself from Christ would be?

Would his life be better? No!

When you are tempted to distance yourself from Christ remind yourself of the consequences.

If we are determined to sin, we are destined to fail.

C. It should be difficult to convince others we don’t follow Christ.

Look at how difficult it was for Peter. He had such a reputation for following Christ he couldn’t convince people he didn’t.

Is it obvious you are a follower of Christ?

Can people be around you for a very short time and know you are a follower of Jesus?

The sad things is for many in our day it’s difficult to prove to people we do follow Christ. There is so little fruit in many professing Christians life it is almost impossible for them to convince people they follow Jesus.

There will always be people who malign Christians. There will be people who spread gossip and rumors. There will be accusers of the brethren. It’s our responsibility to live I such a way that people are convinced we follow the Lord.

You may have never outright denied the Lord like Peter did in our text. But if people are not convinced you follow Christ then you have likely denied the Lord with your inaction rather than your actions.

D. Insignificant things can cause us to deny Christ.

I’m not suggesting these people in our text are insignificant. But the text is clearly highlighting the fact that these people were low on the social ladder. A grown man like Peter should not have been intimidated by a young servant girl.

The bible says it’s the little foxes that spoil the vines (SOS 2:15). Very small things can bring ruin.

A relationship that isn’t going to last anyway.

A small amount of money that will be spent in a moment.

A friendship that ultimately ends in the person betraying you.

An image that creates lust.

An insignificant detail that causes an argument.

For Peter it was a young girl at the bottom of the social ladder that led to him denying Christ. Oftentimes the devil comes at an angel we would never expect.

E. Jesus is always looking down.

Jesus knew exactly what Peter was doing. After the third denial he looked up and locked eyes with Jesus. Peter knew that Jesus was aware of his denial at that point. That was when everything changed for Peter.

But the reality is Jesus had known the entire time. He didn’t just know about the third denial. He knew about the first and second too.

Remember, after the first denial a rooster crowed. It was as if Jesus fired a warning shot for Peter. But Peter didn’t listen.

Listen to me now:

When the alarm clock of conviction goes off in our lives, we should not hit the snooze button.

Peter hit the snooze button and things got worse. He was transformed into a very ugly person over the course of an hour or two.

When he heard that rooster crow the first time, he should have been reminded the Lord was watching him. He should have dealt with his sin. He should have confessed Christ. He probably should have gone home.

Could you imagine looking into Jesus eyes after you denied Him? We would all weep bitterly.

The key to not denying Christ is to live with a continual awareness that the Lord is watching us.

I heard a story about two little boys going through a lunch line at school. They came to a plate of delicious apples and there was a sign on them that said “Take only one. God is watching!”

They moved down to the end of the line and there was a plate of cookies. One of the little boys said to the other “Take all you want; God is watching the apples.”

How silly for us to believe that God does not see all we do.

But friend if you do fail. If you do deny the Lord. Look up. Look to Christ. He forgave and restored Peter. He will do the same for us.