27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.-----
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway[h] and the rooster crowed.[i] 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.[j]
CONTEXT:
This is the last few days of Jesus before His death. He gathered his disciples and celebrated the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread with them. Before He was arrested through the betrayal of Judas, Jesus foretells the denial of Peter and later asks his disciples to accompany him to watch and pray in the garden of Gethsemane, three times He found them sleeping but three times also He warned them to watch and pray that they may not enter into temptation.
Content:
#1. Jesus prophesied for his disciples of what will happen to them after his death, but Peter with self confidence and to establish his sympathy to Jesus, gave a promise that he will stay faithful to Him even to death.
#2. Jesus knew the motive and what is in the heart of Peter. To teach Peter, Jesus gave him a test to pass in a certain period of time. (The crows of the rooster represent a certain period of time).
#3. Jesus used a servant girl (lowest in the society) to humble Peter.
#4. Peter denied Jesus three times which symbolically related to how Jesus warned them three times to watch and pray. The reasons why Peter denied Jesus:
#1. First denial: because of forgetfulness. Peter forgot His promise to Jesus that he will stand for Him even to death.
#2. Second denial: because of fear. When the servant girl say it to the bystanders, he feared because now not only the servant girl knew who he was. He feared for the people who might bring him to the enemy of Jesus and suffer the sufferings that Jesus will face.
#3. Third Denial: The way to escape. To escape from being part of Jesus's sufferings is to stick to what he had said.
#5. After the rooster crowed, Peter remembered his promise to Jesus and he broke down and wept realizing how weak he was.
MESSAGE:
#1. Jesus made us. He knew how weak we are and how we are always vulnerable to many temptations.
#2. Peter, one of the disciples and friend of Jesus, was not exempted from the test of faithfulness and so we are.
#3. We cannot go ahead of Jesus and assumes that with our own strength and ability we can endure the trial.
PROMISE:
Jesus, addressing to His disciples, "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." (v.28)
COMMAND: (none)
WARNING:
#1. Do not assume that with our own strength and ability we can pass the test of faith and stand for Jesus whatever the cost.
#2. Do not go ahead of Jesus. To fear only proves our pride and self-reliance.
APPLICATION:
#1. Knowing all these things, I am now more aware of my own failings. I am humbled to realize that even Peter, Jesus's friend and one of his disciples, failed to stand for Jesus.
#2. I will ask God to help me to stand when trials will come my way and pray that the trials will not become a downfall to other believers but will become a testimony and encouragement to all.
#3. I will humble myself before Him and surrender everything to Him knowing that without Him I can do nothing.
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