Peter’s Denial – Our Denial
Mathew 26:69-75
Perhaps the title would be better suited to read, ” How Not To Deny Jesus.” So, we can begin by saying there are many convenient, but aimless ways to deny Jesus. ” But how,” one may ask, ” can this be?” I love Jesus. I live a ” pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father… visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep self unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) ” Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.” (Matt 7:21)
With this, we can search our hearts and ask, again, how do we deny Jesus, and if so, what are ” these ways” so that I can walk without denying Him? Denial and to deny has often been mentioned in the Bible, however, and is not only reserved for the Apostle Peter. But, it’s Peter’s thrice denial of Jesus that we are most familiar with, and is most striking.
Simply, the word denial means, ” to declare untrue, contradict, reject.” Moreover, it means ” to disown, refuse, or abstain from.” No one likes to be rejected, or disowned, or contradicted. Yet, we are living in such a time and surrounded by this foul atmosphere. It’s a daily occurrence for many today; in the family, work, school, marriage, the church.
In another respect, however, we see that all the world is troubled and anxious. All of the forces of the world want to unite, and churches are striving for revivals. Freedoms, however, are being denied, yet many speak of freedom as an attainable virtue, to be cherished, treasured!
If we were to look all around us, we must admit we’re really all like lost sheep. No one knows which road to take. We’re walking on the streets of this life without noticing that we are walking on the streets of the ” last drama.” For many, it’s a Greek Tragedy! History has a way of repeating itself, for those who understand, and have lived through its trials.
In the book of Zechariah 13:7, we read that in the entire world there is violence, and that the ” sheep are scattered.” Furthermore, there are catastrophes, hatred, differences, corruption, enmity, envy, and more…! Yet, in this heartless world, we’re still ” walking home,” but our walk is slow. Each with his own thoughts, and aims.
In but a little while, we will be walking in the center of the Great Controversy. The road is already winding and rising, tortuously. What do we hear all around us? Tougher times lie ahead for us! That’s why Zechariah, whose name means ” the Lord remembers,” wrote ” smite the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” (7:1). All those with the Shepherd, too! All those named, the sheep!
Man usually likes to follow fables, the Greeks, myths, but in all, man follows his own desires of the heart, in any era. Each of us following and choosing which leader he wants to follow.
Each of us, however, believe that we are strong enough. But, Zechariah, again, painfully tells us of a sword, ” against my Shepherd.” (v 1). When the sword falls, when the test comes to each of us, what then? In Mathew 26:31, we read, ” Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” Jesus is telling us here, that ” you will be made to stumble.” He says, also, ” This night you will all leave me.”
These words may bring pain to the heart, as it did some 2000 years ago. The disciples were astonished at these words. They recalled the words that Jesus spoke at Capernum, when He presented Himself as the ” Bread of Life.” He encouraged those to eat the ” Bread of Life.” Many were scandalized when they heard these words. Is it possible for Jesus to scandalize people? But, they were scandalized!
So, the same story will be repeated. Here the words are addressed by the Lord to Peter. We can put in our own name, William, Jane, Mary, Alex, etc. Peter, with the other Apostles, had confidence in themselves. Peter confessed his faith. We, too, need to confess our faith, ” Lord, I’m willing to die for you. Lord, even if others scandalize me.”
But, no! The Apostles wanted to contradict Jesus. Are we ready when He wants us to ” go” ? Even to die for Jesus? Say, in your heart now, yes or no.
Peter was ready to follow Jesus, even to death! Have we confessed the same faith? When baptized, didn’t we confess a promise to do whatever Jesus wanted us to do? That promise we gave then is still valid today. Peter made a promise in a special moment. He thought he knew himself. But in his heart he was still weak. Why? What happened? Well, it is called EGOISM. He had a lot of trust in SELF. He was essentially, an egoist and confident in himself. With these two traits of character, he showed to Jesus that he was still weak, yet.
The Lord asked him to examine his heart. Peter needed less of self and more of Jesus. We speak now of Peter. How’s Peter? Each of us? We give lots of promises by lips (Matt 26:69-74). What was the report of Peter then? DENIAL! Great pain entered the heart of Jesus. Not for the enemy but one of his own disciples, who denied Him! Rejected Him!
Jesus spent all His life in this life for the service of His disciples. But, when the time came when Jesus needed somebody, He was denied! Three times! And, in what way? The first time He was denied, Peter said, ” I don’t know what you’re saying” – angrily! The question arose, ” Peter, are you really denying your Lord, and so quickly?” Peter was working on the side of Satan, and not to be known as a disciple of Jesus. We, too, when we hide we become tools and slaves of Satan. We need to confess our faith openly. The second denial was clearer. What did Peter say? ” I don’t know this man.” This is what we are and think, often. After awhile, the third confession or denial came. The way we talk can reveal whether we are with Jesus or not. Peter, then, ” began to curse and to swear, I don’t know this man.” (v-75). Peter’s answer now was different. He was angry, nervous, full of passion. ” He denied the Lord!” ” Then the rooster crowed.” (v-74)
We too, can hear the rooster crowing, any minute in our lives. Where are we among those who deny Jesus Christ? Among the disciples of Jesus, or those who are hiding from fear of persecution? We can deny the Lord the same way Peter denied the Lord.
How can we deny our Lord? Are you interested in knowing how? So that we do not make the same mistake? Well, we can deny Jesus Christ with our words; gossiping, or in a light way against one another, in a joking way, or ironic way. Also, when we throw darts to the heart of one. Like when we speak without respect or in a proper way, rudely, lying with our words. By our words, thusly, we can show that Jesus Christ does not live in us. With our character, we can confess that the love of Jesus does not live in us. When we show that we like comforts, and the easy life, also. When we try to escape the possibilities, and the trials of life. We can deny Jesus if we show we love luxury. We can deny Jesus by living in conformity with the world. Also, when we have an ambiguous behavior or incorrect conduct. We deny Jesus when we try to justify our own opinion. We deny Jesus when we are trying to justify our ego. Finally, we deny Jesus by allowing our minds and by permitting our hearts to follow sentiments, for our sentiments are hard to control! Our sentiments can obstruct us and causes us to concentrate on our own self and condition. This way we give place in our heart to Satan in place of Jesus. Satan says, that ” then and there they are my ambassadors.”
Is this the way you want to be? We have need for conversion! To change our life. (John 21:15-17) ” Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” Jesus asked Peter this question three times; as three denials! Before this fall Peter spoke fast, and light and gave his opinions before thinking clearly, and not giving enough time to understand what he was to say. But, after his conversion, Peter became a new person. He was no longer – spontaneous! He didn’t have so much confidence in self, or pride. He was warm still, but could control himself, and thereby, be more obedient.
So, the question Jesus asked, ” Do you love Me,” –is important, as it is a necessary quality we need to have. If we don’t have this characteristic, then we cannot be faithful servants. Secret sins must first be confessed secretly. Open sin must be confessed openly in public. Disciples that are really converted must show, and really share what they experienced. Peter wanted to follow his own plan. This is for us, too. We think much the same way. Peter denied Jesus three times. That is why he needed to confess three times.
But, there is one difference here. The Lord does not call him Peter, but Simon; by his old name! His name before his conversion. Why? Because Peter had to be converted again. ” Simon, do you love me more than others?” Do we, too, love Jesus more than others? There’s one mistake here, however, with Peter, by saying that he loved Jesus as no one else does! Here’s the character, again, of Peter, elevating himself higher than others! Just a way of expressing himself, with authority, and pride, again.
But, when Jesus asked Simon, again, ” do you love Me more than others?” This time Peter answered, ” Lord you know I love you.” This time he didn’t answer, ” more than others.” But, he thought, ” Yes, Lord I love you.” The second time Simon answered, ” Yes Lord you know I love you.” We can wonder here, however, why did he need to say it again, three times? Simon may have wondered why, also. He may have thought, ” maybe I did not know myself enough.” He may have loved the Lord with his lips but not his heart.
Then he recalled what Jesus said, that he would deny Jesus three times. The last answer was very different. No more a proud elevated one with ego. That time Peter humbled himself, by answering, ” Lord you know everything.” ” You know I love you.” ” You know my heart.” Peter may have thought, ” I am not interested in knowing myself.” Furthermore, ” I don’t know if this love I express today will last.”
You know there is all the power of self-examination. We need to act this way, too, and pray this way. Lord I love you! But, have in mind that one may have selfishness, envy, and pride. This time, therefore, I have a reason to pray to you differently. The time comes to pray to You–to change my heart. Make me to be different! Make me so your love can fill my heart. Please elevate me higher – so I will be sanctified.
God wants this change for each of us. Amen
This Is The Way To – “How Not To Deny Jesus.”