A
Study of the Book of John
“That You May Believe”
Sermon
#47
“The Denial of Peter”
John 18:12-18,
25-27
The events in the
garden are now complete and John tells us that the arresting party has bound Jesus and led
him away. While Jesus is on the inside being tried for his life, Peter is on the outside
facing his own trial of faith. Next time we will consider the trial of Jesus, but today we
will concern ourselves with Peter’s trial of faith. But in order to under-stand what
is happening we need to look back at the fact the Jesus had predicted the testing that
Peter would face. In Mark 14: 27-31, “Then Jesus said
to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is
written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’”
But
Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ prediction is recorded in verse twenty-nine, “Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I
will not be.” I am convinced that
as Peter made this statement that he meant it. That he intended to follow through, but he
had mis-judged himself. We can be guilty of that too.
The Lord answered Peter’s boasting by
saying in verse thirty, “Assuredly, I say to you that
today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
This is followed by more loud denials and pitiful
declarations of loyalty in verse thirty-one, “But he
spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And
they all said likewise.” Please
note that this verse says that not only Peter but all the disciples repeatedly declare, “Lord, I am with you all the way, I am willing to
die with you.”
Yet only a few hour
later when Jesus is arrested and led away only two of the disciples follow along. Peter
and an another unnamed disciple, who is most likely, John. When they reach the high priest’s
house, John is allowed into the courtyard because he is known to the high priest. John
comes back to gate and talks with the young girl who is watching the gate so that Peter
can get into the courtyard.
We read the story in
our text beginning in verse twelve, “Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the
officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. (13) And they led Him away to Annas
first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. (14) Now it
was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the
people. (15) And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that
disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high
priest. (16) But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known
to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.”
(17) Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of
this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” (18) Now the
servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they
warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.”
First, Peter At the Fire (18:12-18)
It is interesting to note how John repeats the
phrase concerning Peter that he was “standing and warming
himself” (vv. 17, 25) at the fire. At first glance this appears innocent
enough. But it is evident that Peter is trying not to be identified as a follower of
Christ. He was trying to fit in with his surroundings and most of all, not do anything to
draw attention to himself. Matthew Henry wrote, “Those that
warm themselves with evil doers grow cold towards good people and good things and those
that are fond of the devil’s fireside are in danger of the devil’s fire.”
[Matthew Henry. Commentary
on the Whole Bible, Vol 5 (New York: Fleming H Revell Co., n.d.) p.1181)
Peter’s First Denial (v. 17)
The first temptation to deny the Lord is very
subtle. The keeper of the door, a young slave girl, asks Peter a question in verse
seventeen, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He said,
“I am not.”
What else can he say if he wants to get in?
He certainly can’t do Jesus any good on the outside. Peter wants to avoid conflict.
It was a small compromise of the truth. It gets him in the door but the problem is that it
has set a pattern. It is so easy to justify the first lie. But now Peter has a problem. He
has stated that he is not one of the disciples. Leon Morris
points out, “the challenge when it comes was as gentle a
challenge as can be imagined. It was not a man, but a woman, not a free woman, but a
slave, not a mature matron, but a girl.” [Leon Morris. Reflections On the Gospel of
John. (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 1986) p. 613]
The word “also”
gives reference to John who is already present and known by the high priest’s family.
This question is expressed negatively and expects a “No”
answer. And Peter does not disappoint the servant girl for his answer is “No I am not!” Peter at this point did
not want to be identified as a Christian – a follower of Christ.
This danger remains today. How often have we
found ourselves in situations with friends or business associates when some matter related
to the Christian faith arises? At such times each of us faces the danger of trying to hide
our Christianity when are among unbelievers. And every opportunity that we have to stand
up for Christ, but fail to, becomes another denial. Can it be said of you, “When he is with Christians, he acts like a
Christian, but when he is among non-Christians he acts like them as well?”
But frankly the world does not need believers
who act like chameleons; who call themselves Christian when they are at church but attempt
to go unnoticed when in the world. The world needs Christians who are bold enough to be
lights to the world. The Apostle Paul states it this way in Phil 2:14-15, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, (15) that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without
fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in
the world.” A sad fact
of trying to live with one foot in each world is that we end up not feeling a part of
either!
One can easily see several causes of Peter’s
failure, but we will mention only two.
· He
Had His Confidence in the
wrong place
Peter says, “Even if all the others desert you Lord, I will
not.” Peter was so sure of himself.
But the Apostle Paul cautions us in (1 Cor. 10:12), “Therefore
let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” The one who thinks that
he cannot fall into sin is in the most precarious position of all.
· He
Did Not Appreciate His Own Weakness
Peter’s
basic problem was that he had an
We all know what it is like to make promises
in church or a camp but then lie when life gets rough at work or at school. We mean to
live up to our commitments. But in the darkness when there is a cost to be paid for our
commitment we say, “You know, now that you
mention it, I didn’t really know him.”
Secondly,
Peter In the Fire (18:25-27)
While Jesus was on trial on the inside Peter
was on trial outside. In the face of fear Peter denied Jesus before the world. Each of the
gospel writers gives an account of the denials of Peter. All of them show that Peter
denied the Lord just as He had predicted. Three
times Peter is confronted concerning his relationship with Jesus and three times he denied
that any such relationship existed.
We have looked at his first denial now we look
at:
Peter’s Second Denial (v.
25)
Then someone in the group took a good look at
Peter and said, as verse twenty-five reveals, “Now
Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied
it and said, “I am not!”
Peter firmly denied he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Notice how he keeps slipping in
deeper and deeper. The further you go with a lie the harder it is to turn around.
Peter’s Third Denial (vv.
26-27, Luke 22:61-62)
More time passes and this time, a relative of
Malchus, asks the question. This time the question is different. While the other two
questions expected a negative answer, this time an affirmative answer is expected. Verse
twenty-six says, “One of the servants of the high priest,
a relative of him whose ear Peter cut
off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” (27)
Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.”
Luke’s account contains one detail the others omit. Evidently the guards were leading Jesus through the courtyard just as Peter denied Jesus for the third time. In that tiny moment of time, Peter cursed (Matt 26:74), the rooster crowed, and Peter looked up and saw Jesus looking directly at him. I don’t believe that Peter ever forgot the look in Jesus’ eyes. In Luke 22:61-62 we read, “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.
Perhaps the greatest pain for Peter was when
he saw Jesus standing there looking at him, not with anger in His eyes, but with
compassion. With the eyes of the Lord upon him he remembered his rash promises and the
Lord’s tender warnings. In an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse he fled from
the palace. Peter’s pride was shattered by a common rooster. There really in no doubt
that Peter truly loved Jesus and now he knew how much he had hurt Him. I wonder, “Have you ever stopped to consider how much your
sin hurts Jesus?”
Third,
Peter On Fire
Peter is a testimony to all the hopeless and
guilt-ridden believers who feel like failures. When Peter failed the Lord so miserably he
probably thought he could never be used by the Lord again. Perhaps some sin has not only
thrown you to the ground, but now stands over you keeping you down with the thought, that
you can not be used by God again. If that is the situation in your life then I want
you to pay special attention to the remainder of Peter’s story.
When Peter was alone with God and his
conscience he repented. Luke tells that Peter ran from the room and “wept bitterly” (Lk. 22:62). But Peter repentance
was genuine not because he wept but because he was changed. Judas, also wept but his
was not true repentance, it was merely remorse. Judas wept but was not changed.
One proof that Peter’s repentance was
genuine was because when Jesus was risen the angels told the women to “go tell His disciples and Peter.” (Mark 16:7).
I love that little phrase “and Peter” because it
displays the wonderful mercy and forgiveness of our Lord. Peter is singled out by name. It
is as if the angel was saying, “Make sure you
tell Peter.”
Jesus not only knew that Peter had failed and
He also knew how Peter felt. It is comforting to notice how Jesus dealt with Peter’s
failure. Peter is discouraged and sought to quietly resign from his position as a
disciple. In John 21:3 Peter said, “I am going
fishing,” in saying that he is saying more than that he is gone on a day’s
fishing trip, he implying that he is returning to his occupation as a fisherman. He is
saying, “I am going to return to what I was
before I failed the Lord!” John tells us the secret to forgiveness in (1 John
1:7), “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
We find another fire-side chat later in John’s
gospel when we find the story of Peter’s encounter with Jesus at the seaside. Peter
was embarrassed by his failure and felt unworthy. Yet Jesus sought him out and with great
compassion dealt with his failure and restored him to service. The story is found in John
21:15-17, here three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. Three times Peter had
denied him, so now Jesus asks him three times if he loves him. In so doing Jesus is
saying, “You denied me three times and three
times I have forgiven you. Now get busy, tend my sheep.” Isn’t wonderful to
know that no matter how badly we have failed Jesus that he stands ready to forgive us and
restore us to usefulness again.
But the Lord does not cleanse us simply so
that we will feel better about ourselves. He cleanses in order that we might be useful
once more.
Conclusion
There are just two points I want to make today
in closing.
First, Satan does not always attack us at
the point of our weakness; in fact he often attacks us at the point of our perceived
greatest strength. It is interesting to consider how our natural strengths can become a
point of our greatest failures? Why, is that?? Over the years we have learned to depend
upon those strengths rather than depend upon the Lord. If we rest in our own strengths we
will surely be blind-sided by sin.
Second, God can redeem your mistakes if you will let Him. Please consider the fact that Peter accomplished more for Jesus Christ after his fall than he did before. Before, his failure he was loud, proud and unreliable; but after-ward He when He bragged it was on the Lord.