Scripture: “Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.” – John 18:27
Examination: This chapter records the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane and His confrontation with Caiaphas, the high priest. Meanwhile, Peter is outside the priest’s palace warming himself by a fire with a group of strangers. When one claims to recognize Peter as a follower of Christ, Peter vehemently denies it. This happens two more times, and then he realizes that he has rejected the Lord three times, just as Jesus foretold. He weeps in despair.
Application: Imagine being with Jesus every day for three years during His earthly ministry. Think of what you would have seen! The blind had their sight restored! The lame could walk again! Storms of nature were stilled with a simple command! Thousands fed with one small lunch! What an incredible time that must have been… and then it comes to an abrupt halt when Jesus is arrested. At first, you are outraged, but then the reality that you could be next brings you to a place where three times you deny even knowing Jesus. That was Peter.
The Bible gives us a vivid picture of Peter as the “rejector” and the anguish he went through with the realization of what he had done. Matthew 26:75 tells us this dearly beloved disciple was heartbroken over his actions. “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”
Perhaps Peter felt all was lost. After all he had experienced in the past three years, his faith had failed, and now he had rejected Jesus on three separate occasions. Surely, there was no hope for him. He couldn’t even talk to Jesus to beg for forgiveness. He couldn’t turn back the hands of time; he couldn’t undo what had happened. He had done the unforgivable… or had he?
After the resurrection, Peter had gone to the tomb after Mary had proclaimed that Jesus had risen. He saw it empty. Was he convinced that Jesus was alive? Matthew 28:16-17 states, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.” Was Peter one of the doubters? We don’t have an answer to that, but we do know that after all these events, Peter returned to his previous occupation of fishing (John 21:3). Did he believe that there was nothing he could do for Jesus anymore since he had rejected Him? Did he believe Jesus would never forgive him? These are answers that aren’t written in the Bible. However, we do know the end of this story.
After the resurrection, Jesus speaks to Peter and issues a command. In John 21:15-17, Jesus tells Peter three times, “Feed my sheep.” Despite the thrice-rejected declaration of Peter, Jesus loved him, forgave him, and gave him a job to do. Peter had value to God even though he had moments of weakness and failure in his time with Jesus.
Like Peter, we go through times when our faith weakens, and we fail miserably in our Christian walk. When we experience conviction by the Holy Spirit, we may have feelings of great sorrow and even fear that God no longer loves us or will forgive us. After all, as Christians, we should know better, but we must remember that, while we are saved by God’s grace, we are still sinners. As sinners, we still make wrong choices, but the Spirit of God will always convict us to bring us to a place of repentance and restoration. 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God is not limited in His forgiveness. It is always available to anyone who seeks it… saved or unsaved. This week is a time to remember what Jesus did for us to provide the forgiveness of sins. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ gave the world its Saviour. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, He continues to work in us, making us more like Him. When we sin, and we will, He is always ready to forgive us and continue His good work in us. Philippians 1:6 states, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” That good work started when we accepted Christ as Saviour and continues in us until He takes us to our home in heaven.
Memory Verse: “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” – Mark 9:24
Stretching your thoughts:
1. When someone believes they cannot be forgiven for a particular sin, what would you say to them?
I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all."
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
(from “Jesus Paid It All” by Elvina M. Hall)