Luke 22: 54-62 Peter Denies Jesus-Station 1

Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.   A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. A little later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later, another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.   The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. 

As we begin the Lent season, we will be sending out a devotional every Monday to orient your week towards the Cross. We will be going through different stages and experiences of Jesus as He is led to Calvary. Our prayer is that this would gather us as a church, under the Word of God, and we would start our week off right. Different staff members will be writing the blog every week so you will get to hear from a lot of different voices. Enjoy! 

Our first station is the Denial of Peter. Here we are. In the drama and thick of it all. Jesus has been arrested and He is being brought to the High Priest. You can just imagine the angst in this crowd as Jesus is being led through a sea of people all wanting Him dead. The whispers. The anger. The passion. So here we are and the disciples are hiding out and not going anywhere near the witch hunt. Except Peter. 

Peter stands by, helpless and powerless as Jesus is about to suffer an excruciating consequence. Peter tries to blend in but he can’t. He gets called out. “He was with HIM!” A woman says. Right then and there Peter’s cover is blown and he denies Jesus three times. The disciple who said he was ready to go to prison and even die for Jesus denies for a third time any connection to Jesus.

The “rock man” (which is the meaning of Peter’s name) has been crushed to pieces by the pressure.

What is interesting about this narrative in the book of Luke is the book of Luke is the only Gospel that has Jesus “looking at Peter” and Peter “weeping bitterly outside.” Peter had parts of his life that Jesus did not have “say” over. 

A part of the Christian faith is allowing all aspects of our life to be transformed and renewed by God. God’s kingdom enters when we proclaim “your say” over “my say.” We give Jesus authority over different things in our life. We let the reign and rule of God’s kingdom enter in. 

What parts of your life does Jesus have “say” over with you? What parts of your life does Jesus not have “say” over with you? Maybe today is the day you let Jesus have “say” over something you have not let Him have authority over. 

Take a moment, right now, and identify 1-2 things that you have let Jesus have “say” over in your life. Thank God for His perfect grace and mercy.

Now think on the parts again that Jesus does not have a “say” over in your life. Take a moment and talk to Him about it. Why have you not let him have “say” over that? Talk to God about it.