Deny
Posted by Jeffrey Smith March 20th, 2018 2,469 Views 0 Comments
Matthew 26:35: Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
Romans 5:7-8: Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Peter has a really bold statement when Jesus tells him about what will happen the night He was betrayed and arrested. Peter could not possibly fathom a situation in which he would deny Jesus in any fashion. At the point at which they are all relaxing after a good meal and communion with Jesus, it was easy for him to say he would die with Jesus.
We all know what happens when Jesus is arrested and subsequently beaten, accused, spit on and slapped around by the Pharisees. Peter watches from a distance, and when someone called him out as a disciple, Peter denies knowing Jesus. He denies where he is from and even brings down curses upon himself (Matt 26: 70-74). All of this is happening so fast, and Peter is in total confusion and doesn't know what to do. But instead of putting himself in harm's way and go arm in arm with Jesus to the cross, Peter chooses to deny Jesus and cower instead of standing boldly in who he (Peter) is as a follower of Jesus. It is very rare for anyone to die for a good person, a righteous person, and so what we have in Jesus is so precious.
You see, when Jesus is in control of our lives, it is like we are reclining and relaxing around a table feasting with Him and all is calm and peaceful. The minute that Jesus is not leading Peter, he acts like he doesn't know anything about Jesus. He denies Him as if He had no instruction or any leadership from Jesus. I mean Jesus told Peter and all the disciples what was to come. He described it to them and yet it was a total shock to Peter.
My point is that it is a daily decision to draw close to Jesus and to seek His leadership and guidance. Sometimes when our faith is tested, we can often feel like Peter, all over the place, shocked, fearful of our own lives instead of the message of Jesus Christ and our yoke with Him. Have you been stuck in a season that feels out of control, without Jesus at the helm? Do you feel like its night and you cannot see Jesus? When we go through tests of faith, it can be difficult to stand in the truth and to die with Christ. But the point at which we submit our very lives to stay yoked with Jesus is the very minute we feel the most alive!
Peter grilled himself and agonized over denying Jesus. The truth is that we all do that from time to time when faced with situations. We cannot beat ourselves up. Jesus reinstates Peter and he goes on to do so many wonderful things to promote the gospel of Jesus even to the point of his death. We all get chances and opportunities. I encourage you, brothers and sisters, to live with me today and die with me in submission to Jesus. Let us all stand in the boldness that He died for. For it is written that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We must live for Him!
Word of the day: When we focus on the leadership of Jesus it is easy to have strength and faith to do anything. It is when we cannot see Him or we feel like He is nowhere near us that we have to trust and submit to Him in dying to ourselves and living in Him.
Prayer of the day: Father God, we thank You for sending Jesus to die a sinners death so we can live a life of the righteous in Christ. We submit ourselves today to Your desire and Your truth. We ask that You guide us and deliver us through times of trial and times of prosperity to lead us to yoke with Jesus all the days of our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.