Denied

Last week we took a look at Judas and his betrayal of Jesus (click here to read it). This week we're going to look at another one of Jesus' disciples, Peter.

I got to say, I like Peter. I love reading passages that he's in. He's far from perfect, but that makes him so relatable.

So after the Passover meal (and the first Lord's supper) Jesus and His disciples (all except for Judas) were gathered around. After hearing that Judas was going to betray Jesus, I'm sure the disciples were still a bit shaken up. Then Jesus says this...

"Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered." (Matthew 26:31-32)

Peter, always quick to speak, answers, "Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away." (Matt. 26:33).

But Jesus says, ""Truly I tell you," Jesus said to him, "tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."(verse 34)

""Even if I have to die with you," Peter told him, "I will never deny you," and all the disciples said the same thing." (verse 35)

After this, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a place called Gethsemane. He told the three of them to sit and wait while He went to pray. He went a little ways away from them and prayed. When He returned He found them asleep.

"He asked Peter, "So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:40-41)

But they didn't stay awake and pray. They fell asleep, again.

I wonder sometimes what would've happened if Peter had prayed. Jesus knew what was about to come, I mean He straight out told Peter that he would deny Him three times! He knew that the strength they need wasn't in themselves, but in Him. He knew that while their spirits were willing, He knew their flesh would win out. That's why He encouraged them to pray.

Alright, now let's fast forward some to after Jesus was betrayed and led away.

Matthew 26:69-75,
 "Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl approached him and said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean too."
But he denied it in front of everyone: "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!"
And again he denied it with an oath: "I don’t know the man!"
After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, "You really are one of them, since even your accent gives you away."
Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, "I don’t know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly."

Just as Jesus had said, Peter denied Him three times before dawn. Peter, who had just hours before promised to be willing to die for Jesus, denied Him three times.

I believe that Peter truly regretted what he did. I mean he wept bitterly. I believe that he didn't have any intention to deny Jesus. But when the pressure was on, he caved.

We may be quick to judge Peter, but don't we do the same thing? We promise to love Jesus and to never deny Him, but how often do we do the opposite? We deny Him when we lie about going to church, or when we do something that directly contradicts His Word.

Just like Jesus told Peter to do, we need to pray so that we won't fall into temptation.

All the good intentions we have mean nothing without prayer.

Without prayer, we will deny Jesus every time. Because our flesh is weak! We can't do this on our own! We need Him.

Thankfully Peter was redeemed. John 21:15-19 talks about Peter and Jesus (after He was risen) walking along together on the beach, talking. Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him. Three times Peter said he did.

Peter grew a lot. I mean the book of Acts talks about him a lot and he was persecuted and he didn't deny Jesus again. While not recorded in scripture, historians write that he was later crucified upside down for Jesus' name.

He learned the power of prayer.


~~

What're your thoughts? What stands out to you about those passages?