I Will NOT Deny You!!

Thursday morning, March 6, 2008
This is what Jesus said to His disciples, just prior to Gethsemane, the place of crushing: “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I shall strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mark 14:27-28). This is what impetuous Peter said in response: “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not” (Mark 14:29). This is Jesus’ rebuke to Peter: “Truly I say to you, that you yourself this very night, before a cock crows twice, shall three times deny Me” (vs. 30). This is Peter’s reaction: “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You” (vs. 31a)! I think you know the rest of the story; however, this is the ending line: “And immediately a cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he began to weep (vs. 72).
Not too long ago, I was listening to an addiction counselor, as she spoke to a group of addicts, and in the listening, I heard her say something that has stuck with me: “Addicts do not know how to live life according to life’s terms.” She went on to explain the reason: the addict thinks he/she is “right” and everyone else is “wrong”. As you might imagine, my mind thought, “WOW”!
As you probably know by now, I tend to examine everything in light of the Scriptures (one of my quirks!) and this was no exception. My mental response was immediate: if this is true, then all Christians must be addicts because we certainly do not know how to live life according to life’s terms. To be sure, most of us are thoroughly convinced that we are “right” and everyone else is “wrong” and the evidence is plenteous!
As I continue to muse, I made a bit of a correction and concluded this: For the most part, Christians do not know how to live life according to God’s terms and we do not because we believe (far too often) that we are “right” and He is “wrong,” and the evidence of our stupidity is abundant. IF we could just learn that He is ALWAYS right and live life according to His terms, rather than our own, we wouldn’t have to listen to the crowing of nearly as many roosters.
Peter, as you can see from the text, was convinced that Jesus was wrong about his falling away; it simply would not happen. Notice, however, that Jesus was more than convinced that, when the heat was turned up, Peter was going to tuck his tail and run like a scalded dog. You know who won and you know it wasn’t Peter! I was about to tell you that I wonder how Peter felt when he heard the rooster crow, but the truth is I know and I do because I have been there and done that—not once but several times (it does seem that one such experience would have been enough for anyone, but we know better, don’t we!).
Anyway, I do want to remind each of us that He really does know what He is talking about, every time and all the time, and it would behoove us to listen to Him and to follow His lead, even when it seems so contrary to what we think is truth. I think Peter honestly believed that he would die with Jesus before he would deny Him, which is why it was so difficult for him to accept the warning that Jesus gave to them. Notice, too, that the “falling away” was really not the issue, as Jesus had that covered; instead, the issue was whether or not Peter would accept the fact that Jesus loved him enough to warn him that he was about to make a fool of himself, not because he would deny Jesus, but because he refused to humble himself and admit that he was wrong and Jesus was right.
I think this is the issue for you and for me, as well—