Peter's Denial of Jesus

Peter Denies Christ Three Times

John and Peter followed Jesus after His arrest. Peter was not allowed into the trial room because he did not know the High Priest. John did know the High Priest so he petitioned for Peter to be allowed in the trial room. Peter was brought in and asked by the door-keeper if he was a disciple of Jesus. He said “I am not.” Why did Peter tell the slave-girl that He was not a disciple of Jesus?

I find it interesting that the girl knew that John was and still let him in. Could it be that he felt that if he identified with Jesus, he would also be arrested? Perhaps he began to lose faith in Jesus because Jesus was arrested and it did not look like Peter was going to rule with Jesus. Maybe he didn’t think he could get in if he claimed to be a disciple? He told a lie to see what was going to happen to Jesus.

We don’t know the reason Peter lied to the door-keeper, but we do see 3 attributes that led to his denial of Jesus. Matthew 26:31-35

Matthew 26:31–35 NASB95

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.

First, Peter was over-confident in himself. He truly believed that he would never deny Jesus. This was a promise that he could not keep. Jesus told Peter that he would deny him 3 times before the rooster crowed.

We should not be over-confident in ourselves, but be confident in the Lord. We should be careful to say “I would never…” We do not know what we would do until we are put into a position to make a decision. We can say “If the Lord gives me strength then I would never...”.

We never know how we will respond in our own strength. This is why walking with the Lord daily is important. He is with us to help us make the decisions that are righteous and pure.

The next attribute that led to the second denial was his separation from Christ. Instead of going into the room where Jesus was being tried, he joined the slaves and the soldiers around the fire. He didn’t want to be identified with Jesus so he blended in with the others that were not disciples of Jesus.

When we choose to blend in with the world so we will be accepted by the world, we distance ourselves from Christ. James 4:4

James 4:4 NASB95

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Christians are to be different than the world. We are to stick out and be strange to the world. We will be persecuted and not liked by the world. We must stand up Christ and the Word of God. This is not a popular thing to do. Most of the time it is the unpopular thing to do.

Thirdly and finally we see that Peter’s pride caused him to deny Christ. While Peter was warming himself, one of the slaves of the high priest recognized him for cutting the ear off one of his relatives and called him out. Peter lied to maintain his character. He was not willing to admit that he had done something wrong.

Pride will keep us from identifying with Jesus. When we say that we do not have need for Jesus forgiveness, then we separate ourselves from Jesus. 1 John1:8

1 John 1:8 NASB95

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Many people trivialize their sin before God. They live under a false perception that they are in good graces with God. They are too prideful to identify and deal with their sin. They believe that it is a sign of weakness. This is what pride does.

We must always be cognizant of our need for Christ daily and surrender our weaknesses to him. 2 Corinthians 12:10

2 Corinthians 12:10 NASB95

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

We all need Jesus every day. Jesus Protects us!

Jesus Protects Peter

While Peter was out warming himself, Jesus was inside being illegally tried by Annas the father-in-law of the high priest. The Bible says that Annas questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teachings. Annas wanted to know the size of Jesus following to determine the magnitude of the judgement. If he had a sizeable following they may have been more lenient on his sentencing to avoid an uprising of the people. This was a political move. If he had a small following then they could gain more power and favor by executing Him. They were not basing the decision on truth but instead on what affect it would have on them.

Unfortunately many do this today when it comes to following Jesus. When I tell people I am a pastor, guess what the first question I often get? That’s right, “how many people do you have in your church?” So why do they ask the question? Perhaps it is to determine the success of the church. Because they perceive that the larger the church the more successful it is. This is a wrong way of judging success. I think the more appropriate question would be what is Christ doing in your church?

Jesus avoids the question about his disciples to protect them and goes to his teachings. He tells the high priest that he always taught in public and did nothing in secret. He strategically reminded them of the proper way of handling the legal trial. In Jewish law the court could not questioned the accused but instead had to have two credible witnesses to testify against the accused. Jesus reminded him of that and was slapped in the face. Jesus knew that they could not legally charge him so he questioned the one who slapped him. The high priest seeing that he could not charge Jesus with any crime sent him to the positional high priest Caiaphas. Jesus was going to protect his disciples at all costs. He even told Peter. Luke 22:31-32

Luke 22:31–32 NASB95

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus Restores Peter

John 21:15–17 NASB95

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

After Jesus resurrection Jesus came to Peter and asked him if he loved him Peter said he did. What we don’t see in the English that is in the Greek is the question and answer are not the same. Jesus asked Peter if he agaped him. Jesus asked Peter if he loved him unconditionally. Peter answered I Phileo you. Peter said I love you as a friend. Peter was not willing to admit that he loved him unconditionally because of his denial of him.

Jesus restored him by allowing him to shepherd Jesus flock. Jesus used Peter to begin the First century church. Regardless of Peter’s past, the Lord forgave him and used him in a mighty way.

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Only The Original Builder Can Restore It Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2010 (message contributor) based on 1 rating (rate this sermon illustration)| 5,492 views Scripture:  John 1:1-5 Tags:  Atonement

ONLY THE ORIGINAL BUILDER CAN RESTORE IT In a remote Swiss village stands a beautiful church - Mountain Valley Cathedral. It has high pillars and magnificent stained glass windows, but what makes it special is the most beautiful pipe organ in the whole region. People would come from far off lands just to hear the lovely tunes of this organ. One something went wrong with the pipe organ. It releases the wrong tones and sounds of disharmony. Musicians and experts from around the world had tried to repair it. No one could find the fault. It was made unique, customised and no one really knows how to fit it. They gave up. After some time, one old man came. "Why wasn’t the pipe organ used?" "It’s not playing right," says the church staff. "Let me try." Since it has been lying there, the staff reluctantly agreed to let the old man try his hand at it. For two days the old man worked in almost total silence. The church worker was, in fact, getting a bit nervous. Then on the third day - at noon – suddenly the music came. The pipe organ gives off the best music after so many years. The people in the village heard the beautiful music. They came to the church to see. This old man was playing at the organ. After he finished, one man asked, "How did you fix it? How did you manage to restore this magnificent instrument when even the world’s experts could not?" The old man said, "It was I who built this organ fifty years ago. I created it, and now I have restored it." ...James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 244-245. That is what God did. It is He who created the universe, and that includes you and me. • Sin destroyed this life. It is no longer good and perfect, cannot give out beautiful music. • God sent Jesus into this world to restore it – to give us an abundant and eternal life. (From a sermon by Christian Cheong, The Lord of Life, 6/28/2010)

Friend, I want to remind you that your past doesn’t have to define you. You can be restored today.