Late one night a man named Peter loitered in the darkness just outside the priest’s gate. Others had gone ahead into the yard. Peter was afraid! His very best Friend was in serious trouble; He had been seized by a mob just a short time before this and had been brought to this priest’s house under cover of darkness. They seemed intent on trying to have Him condemned to death!
Frightened Peter knew his Friend was innocent of any crime, for He was “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16-18.)
The weird thing about all this was that Jesus Christ had earlier told His disciples about it. He had said He would be “betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law,” and that they would “condemn Him to death and .. hand Him over to the Gentiles,” who would “mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him.” And He had even told them that “Three days later He will rise”! (Mark 10:33-34.)
While Peter waited in the darkness, another disciple who was known to the high priest, came back and spoke to the girl on duty at the gate and brought Peter in. “‘You are not one of His disciples, are you?’ the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, ‘I am not.’” (verse 17.)
Before you say too much about Peter’s terrible failure I wonder are you doing any better? - or do you even love Jesus as much as Peter did that evening? Peter did love Jesus; but he was afraid of those around him finding out that he no longer needed their priests! You see, Peter really believed that Jesus was indeed the great Messiah and Saviour that He claimed to be.
Have you come to trust in Jesus as your one and only Priest and Saviour, or do you still think you need other priests? The faults of other priests may not always be very noticeable, but when any religion speaks or acts against those who claim that Jesus is the one and only Saviour, that is proof enough of its wickedness! Beware of those who don’t mind you knowing about Jesus, but who do not want you to trust Him as you ONLY Priest and Saviour!
That night, Peter was afraid of those priests and officials finding out about his faith in Jesus. As he stood warming himself at a fire in the courtyard someone asked him again, “Surely you are not another of His disciples?” He denied it saying, “I am not.” Later he denied Jesus for the third time! “At that moment a cock began to crow.” (verses 25-27.)
Earlier Peter had been told by Jesus that before the cock would crow he would have denied Jesus three times! (John 13:38.) How very disappointed Peter was with himself for having dishonoured Jesus his Priest by denying Him that night.
If you are trusting in Jesus, don’t treat Him as your dishonoured Priest by being ashamed to admit that He is the only Priest you need. (Romans 1:16.)
Read about Peter’s failure in John's gospel chapter 18, verses 15-27.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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