Good morning and welcome to our daily walk!
This week's devotionals are by Justin Morton.
Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2ljc4o
He was the leader and spokesman for the entire group. He is perhaps, more well-known than any other apostle. He accomplished many great things for the Lord and His kingdom. Yet, one event is what he is most known for. His name is Peter.
Although he is one of the biggest names among the apostles, there is one incident that all people seem to remember when it comes to Peter, his denial. In Matthew 26 Jesus tells his disciples, “You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (Matt. 26:31-32). Peter being outspoken like he was, responded to Jesus by saying, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away” (Mt. 26:34).
Peter was confident that he would remain faithful to the Lord. He could never imagine falling away from Jesus. Jesus told him, “Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Upon hearing Jesus declare that he would deny him, Peter responded, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you" (Matt. 26:35). Matthew records, “so said all the disciples.” Peter vowed that he would even die before he denied Jesus.
Unfortunately, the rest of the story unfolds in the latter part of Matthew 26. There we read how Peter did in fact deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. He even went as far as to curse and swear that he did not know who Jesus was (v.74).
Imagine having one of your closest friends deny knowing you even to the point of cursing and swearing. How heart breaking that must have been for Jesus even though He knew it was going to happen. Imagine being Peter, you just left the man who has spent the last three years of his life teaching and training you out by himself, alone, even though you promised you would never fall away even if it meant death. How could someone who denied the Lord like Peter did ever be considered a great servant.
The answer is found in the very next verse after he cursed and swore he did not know Jesus. There Matthew records, “And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly” (v. 75). It was after making the greatest mistake of his life that he realized what he had done. He went out and wept bitterly. Peter knew he was wrong. He knew he chose his own life over the life of his friend.
Interestingly enough, Peter went on to realize that the person he was unwilling to give his life for was the one person who was willing to give His life for Peter. Paul said, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Peter went on to lead the apostles in carrying out the great commission. In fact, in Acts 2 we read how he stood up and preached the first gospel sermon. How is that for a man that only days earlier denied the one he was now preaching about? Peter went on to become a martyr, dying for the man who he at one time denied.
There may have been a time in your life when you were like Peter. Perhaps, you have even denied Jesus in front of friends and family. If that’s the case, you still have an opportunity to repent for your sins and live a life pleasing to God. Peter went from a man who denied Jesus to a man who stood up and preached Jesus even to the point of his death.
Thought for the Day: “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” - Napoleon Hill
May God bless you in your daily walk!
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