Friday – (Peter Denies Jesus)
We trust that you will find these devotions helpful on your spiritual walk with Christ. Please meditate on the Scripture passages, understand the story in context, then reflect on how this story relates to your life today. May God bless you this Easter season.
SCRIPTURE: Read Luke 22:54-62
SUMMARY: After Jesus is arrested, Peter follows him at a distance into the courtyard of the high priest’s house. As Peter warms himself by the fire, a servant girl recognizes him as one of Jesus’ followers. Perhaps in fear for his life, Peter denies it, saying he doesn’t know Jesus.
Later, another person sees Peter and accuses him of being with Jesus. Again, Peter denies it, saying he doesn’t know Jesus.
A little while later, someone else insists that Peter must be one of Jesus’ disciples because he is a Galilean. Peter denies it once more and even curses, strongly denying any association with Jesus.
As soon as Peter denies Jesus the third time, a rooster crows. Then, Peter remembers Jesus’ prediction that he would deny him three times before the rooster crows. Overcome with remorse, Peter weeps bitterly, realizing the extent of his denial and the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy.
This passage highlights Peter’s failure in the face of fear and serves as an emotional moment of personal struggle and regret for one of Jesus’ closest disciples.
STORY: Peter followed Jesus at a distance (Luke 22:54).
SELF-EXAMINATION: Peter had seen it all: the miracles; the feeding of the 5000; the raising of Lazarus from the dead. He even walked on the water after stepping out of the boat for goodness sake, so how do we explain this passage of Scripture? How can Peter deny the Lord after they had experienced so much together?
- Perhaps, in a moment of exhaustion and weakness, Peter let his guard down.
- Maybe Peter was afraid for his life, seeing what Jesus was currently experiencing.
- For me, this verse haunts me, after reading these words… “Peter was following at a distance.”
If we tend to follow Jesus at a distance, perhaps we too will fail in the critical moments of life. In the nature of relationships, rule number one is that we tend to become more like the people we pal around with. In computer terms, “garbage in, garbage out.” A spreadsheet is only as good as the formula, and proper entry of the data in every field. If you enter garbage (or inaccurate data) all your calculations will be wrong. Hang with the wrong crowd for your primary fellowship, you will soon slide into their behavior long before you will bring them closer to Christ.
On a side note: notice the term “primary fellowship.” When we become a part of the community of faith, our primary fellowship moves from the lost crowd of familiar friends to a new community of faith made up of followers of Christ. Hear what I’m NOT saying. We don’t leave those lost people and start spending all our time with church people. But our primary fellowship is altered. We grow in faith while being a part of a faith community. Then our relationship with the lost community has been transformed from a primary fellowship to a new relationship of evangelism. These lost friends need to hear about Jesus, and who besides me would be better for my lost friends to hear about Christ? But we all need to learn from Peter’s mistakes.
I believe two things attributed to Peter’s failure: 1) he was away from his primary fellowship and was around a hostile, unbelieving crowd, and 2) he was following Jesus at a distance. These are two things that will sabotage your witness and your walking in faith in front of a lost world. Peter wanted to be near Jesus (that’s why he was in that courtyard) but he feared being too close (and also get caught up in this unjust persecution that Jesus was experiencing).
SOUL-SEARCHING: Getting too close might seem like I’m becoming a religious fanatic. Have you ever allowed these thoughts into your mind?
- I’ve said yes to Jesus but I don’t need to get involved in a faith community. My salvation is between me and God.
- If I get involved in a small group, the others will see how little I know about the Bible, or theology, or the church, so I’ll just keep to myself.
- I’m not perfect, so maybe I don’t want to follow that closely (Besides, I always feel guilty when I get too close to Jesus or too close to fully devoted followers of Jesus).
- If I follow too close, perhaps Jesus will expect more out of me. I lead a busy life and don’t have time to “be on mission with Christ.”
- If I keep my distance, maybe he won’t see that I’m just “going through the motions” in my spiritual life or point out where I am failing in my personal or spiritual life.
- Maybe we want to avoid sonburn (by getting too close to the Son). Distance from Jesus can be our “sonscreen.”
Whatever the reason, Peter followed at a distance and he fell… shamefully, miserably, and publicly. Not only was he following at a distance, but he was also alone, the other disciples were not there to help him avoid this failing. And we’re still reading this story of Peter’s failure 2000 years later.
- Who do you have in your life who will keep you pressing on toward the high calling of God?
- Who is helping you to grow in Christ?
- Who are you helping to grow in Christ? Into whom are you investing your life?
- Are you ready to no longer follow Jesus at a distance?
- Who can you tell about your desire to grow in faith?
- What steps can you take right now to get onto the narrow path with Christ (Matthew 7:13-14)?
There is strength in numbers. There is safety in numbers. There is security in numbers. Don’t fall for the lie that you can make it through your Christian life alone, following Jesus at a distance.