##DailyDevotion Peter’s Denial Of Jesus & His Acceptance Back Is Good News For Us
Luke 22: 31“Simon, Simon,” said the Lord, “you know Satan has begged to have all of you to sift you like wheat. 32But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you come back, strengthen your fellow disciples.” 33“Lord,” he told Him, “I’m ready to go to prison and to die with You.” 34“I tell you, Peter,” He said, “the rooster will not crow tonight until you deny three times that you know Me…”55The men had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and as they sat together, Peter sat among them. 56A maid saw him sitting in the light of the fire, and looking straight at him, she said, “He, too, was with him.” 57But he denied and said, “I don’t know Him, woman.” 58A little later someone else looked at him and said, “You’re one of them.” “Man, I’m not!” Peter said. 59About an hour later another insisted: “Certainly he was with him. Why, he’s a Galilean!” 60“Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Peter said. Just then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the Lord telling him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62So he went outside and cried bitterly.
Preachers often place their listeners in the place of the different characters of Jesus’ passion. Will you be Judas who betrays Jesus? Are you the crowd crying out, “Crucify him!” Are you the women crying for Jesus? Are you the Pharisees and the priests or even Pilate who condemns him to death? Are you Peter who denies our LORD Jesus Christ three times?
Luke gives us some interesting stuff on Peter’s denial the other three Gospels do not. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus tells Peter how Satan has begged to sift all the disciples like wheat. He tells him how he prayed for Simon Peter that his faith would not fail and when he, Simon, comes back, to strengthen the other disciples, who also will be scattered like sheep when Jesus is arrested. We know when Jesus tells the disciples they will all be scattered, they all deny it, with good intentions. We know what happens.
Peter of course is more vocal than the rest. He tells Jesus, “I’m ready to go to prison and to die with You.” I’m certain he means it. What’s the saying, “Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the face.” Jesus lets Peter know that before the rooster crows Peter will deny he even knows Jesus three times. We don’t know what the other disciples did other than run when Jesus was arrested. We know Peter and another disciple who was known by the High Priest followed Jesus into the palace of the High Priest. I guess the other disciple made it into where Jesus was being tried but Peter stood out in the courtyard. It is apparent he could watch the trial of Jesus from there. Of course what Jesus said had to come true. Peter was questioned three times about knowing Jesus. As he denied Jesus for the third time a rooster crowed, Luke writes, “Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered…” My heart sinks and wells up in me every time I read this to the congregation. It’s like I can see Jesus looking at me and my faithlessness. Peter would be restored. He would strengthen his fellow disciples. Jesus would question Peter three times if he love him.
This is recorded for us to let us know, in the moment of trial if we deny knowing our Savior, there is a way back. Jesus knows what is in us. He knows our weakness. He loves us like Peter. We too need to repent of our sins and turn to Jesus and be received by him.
Heavenly Father, grant us the strength of faith not to deny Jesus but should we fall away in weakness restore us again as your restored Peter. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.