"And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.' So Peter went out and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:61, 62)
Mark's testimony is a little different from Matthew's and Luke's. Allow me to digress here for a moment. Bertrand Russell once used differing accounts of the same events in the Gospels to justify his atheism. Others too have noticed what they perceived to be "irregularities" in the Bible and have, "denied the faith." They too are like Russell who once said, "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong." Both perceptions of Russell seem to be very liberal, very open-minded, admirable, to most. To me they reveal a person who never met Jesus.
Varying accounts of the same event is like asking several people what they saw of that event. They will have consistencies, but not exact verbatim accounts; in most cases we would call that "scripted." As for Russell's "....never die for my beliefs..," again, open minded, admirable, but very akin to John Lennon, who once said, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first- rock and roll or Christianity"; hence, "Imagine."
Back to our text--- No one wants to consider the possibility of what Peter did. It may take subtle forms in us, but it has happened to the very vast majority of us. Peter's denial was based on one reality which all of us have to battle, self preservation. He probably knew that Jesus would be condemned to death; Peter would have none of that for himself. Now most, dare I say all, Americans have never faced a possible death sentence because of our relationship with Jesus as Peter did. I have, however, met those who have, and I can say that one feels very humbled in their presence. Yet I also realize that they are no different from you and me. The same power of God which enabled them to fight through to victory dwells in all who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ.
Today, most Followers of Jesus will have ample opportunities and in so many different ways to deny or affirm their obedience, love, and loyalty to Jesus. Which path will you choose?
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess I have denied You by silence. May it never happen again. Amen.
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Read of One Demagogue and One Survivor: www.jerberwash.blogspot.com
Today, most Followers of Jesus will have ample opportunities and in so many different ways to deny or affirm their obedience, love, and loyalty to Jesus. Which path will you choose?
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess I have denied You by silence. May it never happen again. Amen.
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Read of One Demagogue and One Survivor: www.jerberwash.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
