4 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Leviticus 4-6
Matthew 26:47-75

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Matthew 26:73-75 (CSB): “After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, ‘You really are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.’ Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

It’s easy to look down our self-sufficient noses at Peter. We read the words of the story and watch as he denies his relationship with Jesus three separate times. And we assume that we would never (could never!) do such a thing.

This brings up an important principle: It’s easier to see sin and weaknesses in others than in ourselves. It’s easier to see the splinter in someone else’s eye while not being able to see the beam in our own eye, right (Matthew 7:3-5)?

That’s why I’m so glad that the Lord included the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of the people in the Bible. While we may not see our own faults, we can see theirs. And when we stand in righteous judgment, we then have an opportunity to reflect upon our own lives to see if we have the same problem.

So, while we look down on Peter for denying his Lord three times, are we capable of doing the same thing? Since we are speaking hypothetically, it is easier to agree with the remote possibility that we could do something similar without seriously believing we could actually do such a thing.

When we take it out of the hypothetical and ask ourselves some real-world probing questions, it begins to hit a nerve:

  • Have I denied my Lord by not bowing my head to pray over my meals in a restaurant for fear of what others might think of me?
  • Have I denied my Lord by refusing to talk about Him or His Word in my school or workplace for fear of what others might say?
  • Have I denied my Lord by not telling others about Him and how He can save them for fear of how they will respond to me?
  • Have I denied my Lord by speaking or behaving in a way that is clearly not approved by Him, because I seek the approval of others much more than I seek the approval of Heaven?

On and on we could go to dig deep into our hearts and experiences to see if we are currently denying affiliation with our Lord in a culture that might ridicule us for such a relationship. This was Peter’s motive. Is it ours?

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you see if you are currently keeping your distance from Jesus in a culture that frowns on Christianity.
  • Ask God to forgive you (maybe you need to “weep bitterly”) for denying the One who loves you so much and has paid your sin debt to a holy God, making you right in His eyes.
  • Ask God to help you love the Lord your God so much that you will never again deny Him, as the Spirit enables you.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into Peter’s denial of Jesus, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What was the reason behind Peter’s denial of Jesus?”

Sharing

If this post has been helpful to you or if you think it could help others, please consider tapping one of the social media buttons below to share it on your favorite platform.

____________________

Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)