'I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM"

 FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Luke 22:54-63

54 So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. 55 The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. 56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”

57 But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”

58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”

“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.

59 About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

63 The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him.

In the gospels Peter is known for being a courageous, at times stubborn and hard-nosed person. As one of the 12 disciples and a member of what many call Jesus’ inner circle, he seems to have been someone who was loyal and committed to Jesus too.

Remember, he was the disciple who got out of the boat to walk on water with Jesus. At that final Passover, he was the one ready to go to prison or even die with Jesus. At Jesus’ arrest, Peter even cut the ear off one of the soldiers. And he seems to be the only one who followed Jesus to his trial.

But something changed. As Peter was waiting for the outcome of Jesus’ trial, a slave girl saw him and said, “He was one of Jesus’ followers!” Peter responded, “I don’t even know him!” Someone else saw Peter and said, “You must be one of the disciples!” “No, I am not!” Peter insisted. An hour later, someone else said, “This man must be one of them. He’s a Galilean!” Again, Peter denied it. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

A fair conclusion is that Peter’s loyalty and commitment only went so far; that when he was truly cornered, Peter turned out to be all about Peter. Wait, before we cast some severe judgement in Peter’s direction, I’m not sure we are any different. In our most honest assessment, like Peter, don't our loyalties and commitments only go so far? When things get truly frightening, difficult, and painful, when we feel cornered, don’t most of us go into self-preservation mode, where survival becomes more important than anything or anyone else?

The end of Peter’s story is not his action of self-preservation. There is more to Peter’s story, and to our story as well. After his resurrection, Jesus personally approached Peter, forgave him, and restored him to community. Here is the amazing news, Jesus does that for us, too! You see, what our Bible tells us is that No matter how much we mess up, how much we demonstrate to be all about ourselves, Jesus is there for us: ready to forgive us and to bring us back to our proper place in his community, to his inner circle.

LET US PRAY

Heavenly Father, accept our honest confession of the wrongs we have chosen, the unfairness to which we have been party, and our denials of your grace and mercy. Would you turn us toward the love and forgiveness offered in your Son, and cleanse us by your mercy, forgive us, bring renewal through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.