Abiding in Easterనమూనా

ABIDING IN EASTER - LENT DEVOTIONAL by BRYAN CRAIG

DAY 40

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.”But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.”But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”And he went out and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:54-62 ESV

This is yet another very troubling scene. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers, the one Jesus took aside on multiple occasions for extra mentoring, would deny knowing Jesus in the heat of the battle. Peter was always so zealous and boastful in his passion for Jesus. He had said he would go to prison and death for Jesus. However, the Lord told Peter that Satan had asked permission to sift him like wheat and that Peter would deny Jesus three times. (Luke 22:31-34) Courage was high when Jesus was nearby, but now, when facing danger alone, Peter crumbled. Worse yet, Jesus heard Peter deny Him and looked right at him. Peter was horrified, and it says he remembered Jesus’ foretelling of this, and he wept bitterly.

Judas betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, and the rest abandoned Him. Jesus knows of our weaknesses, even among His followers. He knew how much we needed a Savior and how much we needed His Spirit to guide us. Jesus is the only man who ever lived or would live who could bear the cross He carried. Thankfully, Jesus redeemed our sin on the Cross, but He also turned Peter’s sifting into a purification and refinement which made him the leader he needed to be in the early days of the church.

APPLICATION:

Have you ever denied knowing Jesus? Have you ever been silent while others around you maligned Him? Have you ever wanted to blend into the crowd rather than stand out as a Jesus-follower? If you have, know that it could have been Satan tempting you and sifting you to see to whom you belong. If you have failed Jesus, grieve, weep, confess, repent, turn to Him, and He will restore you. You may find He will use it as a part of your future ministry for Him.