From Failure to Action
John 18:15-18, 25-27; 21:15-19; Acts 4:13, 18-20
Jesus had been arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. The arresting officers had bound Him and taken Him to Annas, the former high priest, and father-in-law to Caiaphas, the current high priest. The Jewish leaders knew they could not sentence anyone to death, so they tried Jesus and sent Him to the Romans.
Peter and John had followed Jesus to Annas’ house. John was allowed to go in with Jesus, but Peter was left standing on the outside.
John asked the girl at the gate to let Peter in. The girl asked Peter if he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter replied that he was not. A little later, as Peter was standing with others by the fire, another person asked him if he was one of the disciples. Again, Peter denied that he was a disciple. Then, one of the household servants asked if he was in the garden with Jesus. For the third time, Peter denied Jesus.
Immediately the rooster crowed! Peter, who had boasted just a few hours earlier that he would be willing to follow Jesus to the death, had denied Jesus not once but three times – just as Jesus had predicted he would.
Peter had good intentions. He thought he would be strong and faithful to the Lord no matter what happened, but he deserted Jesus at a time Jesus needed him the most and denied even knowing Him. Peter was still following Jesus, but at a distance. When the rooster crowed, Peter realized what he had done and he went out and wept bitterly. When we are brought face to face with our sins, we need to sincerely repent and seek forgiveness.
After Jesus’ ascension, Peter and John healed a crippled man at the Temple gate in the name of Jesus Christ. Peter began preaching about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Many people believed. The Jewish leaders arrested them and put them in jail overnight. The next morning, they decided that they could not deny that a miracle had occurred, but they could command Peter and John not to speak or teach anymore in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John told the leaders that they were compelled to keep on preaching what they had felt, seen, and heard. Peter was no longer afraid. He was a bold witness for His Lord. Peter had failed His Lord miserably when he denied Him, but when he repented, God forgave him and restored him to a right relationship with Him and used him in His service. If you are afraid to witness for Christ, ask Him to empower you with boldness to proclaim His message of salvation.
Johnston– Lessons in the BSL series for the fall quarter are being written by Virginia Johnston, a member of First Baptist Church, North Charleston, where her husband Dan is pastor.