November
21, 2003
WHEN
PETER DENIED JESUS
"Simon
Peter said to Him, 'Lord, where are You going?' Jesus answered
him, 'Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall
follow Me afterward.' Peter said to Him, 'Lord, why can I
not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.'
Jesus answered him, 'Will you lay down your life for My sake?
Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till
you have denied Me three times" (John 13:36-38, NKJV).
In his
early discipleship Peter thought himself strong. Like in the
parable of the Pharisee and the publican, in his own estimation
he was "not as other men are." When Christ on the
eve of His betrayal forewarned His disciples, "All
of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night"
(Mark 14:27), Peter confidently declared, "I will lay
down my life for Your sake" (John 13:37). Self-confidence
misled him. He thought himself able to withstand temptation,
but in a few short hours with cursing and swearing he denied
his Lord.
When
the cock crowed, reminding him of the words of Jesus, surprised
and shocked at what he had done, he turned and looked at Jesus
and Jesus turned and looked at him. Peter went out and wept
bitterly. (See Luke 22:55-62). The look of Jesus broke his
heart and assured him of pardon. Peter had come to the turning
point of his life and bitterly he repented of his sin. Never
again were the old boastful assertions repeated.
There
is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human
soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the
most hopeless, the most incurable. Peter's fall was not instantaneous,
but gradual. Self confidence led him to believe that he was
saved, and step after step was taken down the path till he
could deny his Lord. Never can we safely put confidence in
self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against
temptation. Even when we give ourselves to Christ and know
that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation.
Those
who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, "I
am saved", are in danger of trusting to themselves. They
lose sight of their own weakness and their constant need of
divine strength. We are admonished, "Let him who thinks
he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).
It was necessary for Peter to learn his own weakness of character,
and his need of the power and grace of Jesus. The Lord could
not save him from trial, but He could have saved him from
defeat. Had Peter been willing to receive Christ's warning,
he would have been conscious of the danger and constant in
prayer. And he would have received divine help so that He
would not have fallen.
It was
through self-sufficiency that Peter fell, and it was through
repentance and humiliation that he was again established.
In the record of his experience every repenting sinner may
find encouragement. Though he had grievously sinned, he was
not forsaken. The words of Jesus were written upon his soul,
"I have prayed for you, that your
faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen
your brothers" (Luke 22:32).
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