Peter Denies Knowing Jesus Three Times

Scripture: Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54b-62, John 18:15-18, 25-27(NIV)

Matthew 26:69-75
Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Mark 14:66-72
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Luke 22:54b-62
Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

John 18:15-18, 25-27
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.” One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Devotional

Somehow, Annas and Caiaphas knew John, and he was allowed to come into the courtyard. With John’s influence, he brought Peter into the courtyard, where he joined the servants and officials in warming themselves at a fire. Peter and John would be the first leaders of the Christian Church. This moment gave them opportunity to personally witness what Jesus went through.

It is always darkest just before dawn. As the night bore deeper into darkness, people began to see something familiar in Peter’s face, illuminated and shadowed by the flickering firelight. Three times he was given the opportunity to stand strong for Jesus; three times his faith gave way to fear. Who knows what any of us would do.

As dawn’s twilight began to silhouette the horizon, a rooster crowed at Peter’s third denial. Remembering that Jesus had predicted this, Peter left there and cried like a baby. He had failed the test miserably.

The responses of Peter have rung though history. How could the one designated to be the leader of the Church for Jesus be the one to deny even knowing Jesus at all? Yet when it comes to asking modern-day Christians to stand up for their faith, share the Gospel and make disciples, most shrink back Peter-like:

I cannot.
I don’t know enough about the Bible.
I might get made fun of, in trouble, fired…

Today, as always, believers need a strong dose of courage. When human fear trumps holy boldness, the faith stays personalized and impotent to change the world. Praise God that only two months after his denials, Peter stood tall in this same city and proclaimed Jesus the Messiah. The Church was born!

Poem

How Often?

How often, Lord, should I forgive
When those around me stumble?
When with their words friendship forsake
When in their silence, my heart breaks
I ask you, Lord, full seven?

How often, Lord, should I forgive
When those around forget me?
When selfishly they leave me out
When in their pride their ego tout
I ask you, Lord, full seven?

How often, Lord, should I forgive
When enemies are striking?
When bullies mock me, kick my gut
When scorners throw my name in muck
I ask you, Lord, full seven?

How often, child, should I forgive
When you do constant stumble?
When down wrong paths you tend to stray
When you forsake my name, my way
I ask you, child, full mercy?

Podcast: Week 46

Sermon: Week 46

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