Luke 22:30-34

31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 “Lord,” he told him, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 “I tell you, Peter,” he said, “the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.”

Jesus knows our future. He desires for us to live our lives in faith. But, just as we saw with Peter here, God leaves us to our own free will. But, also like Peter, He is there to welcome us back when we fail. Peter and Judas both betrayed Jesus on the same day. The difference was in their response. Judas hung himself, while Peter went on to support the other apostles and bring many to know the Lord. When we fall, our response should be to turn back to Jesus in repentance, not wallow in self pity.

Distance

Luke 22:54-55

54They seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. 55They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56When a servant saw him sitting in the light, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with him too.”

Jesus has just been captured and will stand trial before the Sanhedrin in the morning. The men that seized Jesus were leading Him away. The rest of the disciples had fled, except for Peter. Peter was following at a distance. I think this last phrase describes a lot of Christians today. We are willing to follow Jesus, but not close enough that we are in any real danger.

The people who took Jesus, then lit a fire and sat around it in the courtyard of the high priest’s complex. Peter then joins them. These were the people who took Jesus, and Peter joins them, initially unnoticed.

Do we sometimes distance ourselves to blend in with the crowd? What would we be risking if we followed Jesus unreservedly?

Denial

Luke 22:56-60a

56When a servant saw him sitting in the light, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with him too.” 57 But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know him.” 58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too.” “Man, I am not!” Peter said. 59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with him, since he’s also a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Verse 56 says that a servant noticed Peter when he was sitting in the light. As long as Peter remained in darkness, he was hidden. This is a truth for all of us. Living in the light will open us up to scrutiny.

The servant accuses Peter of being a follower of Jesus. Here, Peter denies Jesus for the first time.

His deception apparently worked for a little while, but eventually the accusations returned. He feared for his safety, so he denied Jesus a second time.

An hour later, he is emphatically accused. John 18:26 says

26One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.

This accusation would have really held some weight. This person could really get Peter in trouble, so he denies Jesus a third time.

Defeat

Luke 22:60b-62

Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

God brings discipline and blessing into our lives at precisely the correct moment.

What do you think was on Jesus’ mind when He looked at Peter?

Peter had gone into the garden with good intentions. He had boldly proclaimed to Jesus that he was ready to go to prison or die for Him. We see here that his actions didn’t back up that claim.

In Matthew 26:41 it says

41Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Perhaps if Peter had heeded Jesus advice, he would have been strong enough to overcome temptation. We should all do the same.

Conclusion

Believers must be careful to not distance themselves from Jesus

Believers can expect people to identify them as followers of Jesus

Believers are held accountable when they deny knowing Jesus