With Jesus

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

WITH JESUS

Matt 26:69-75

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. 70 But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. 71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." 72 He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" 73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." 74 Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

NIV

Although we should focus on the three times Peter denied knowing Jesus as this was told to him by the Lord. It again proves the divine knowledge of Jesus. If we would agree that Jesus was fully man, which he was, and not consider that he was also fully God, then he still would have known about what Peter was going to do based on the Holy Spirit giving him that insight. Although Jesus often prayed to the Father he did not need to ask the Father for anything as the Father gave Jesus all authority. He had the authority to not go to the cross, but as we noticed he submitted his will, his authority to the will and authority of the Father. Nevertheless by the words of Jesus Peter denies him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning. We can be sure volumes have been written about this denial of Peter. We cannot hope to regurgitate all those thoughts. What is interesting, however, are several ideas that spring forth from this passage. First the idea that Peter had placed himself among the unbelievers. He had spent some three years in the presence of Jesus and the other disciples soaking up the atmosphere Jesus created for them.  He had listened to his teaching, witnessing his miracles, even walked on the water himself, although for a brief moment. Peter was saturated with holiness, but now he was all alone among those who were not followers of Christ. Yes, he had an interest, a concern as to what was happening to his Lord. He had been told what was going to happen but he needed to see it himself. So there he was with the crowd in the courtyard. We are not told why the crowd was there. Were they spectators of the treatment of Jesus? Were they there to bear witness of his blasphemy? Whatever the reason some of them recognized Peter as one who was with Jesus. This should give us a lesson. We spend a lot of time in the midst of the unbelieving world. We, like Peter, find ourselves surrounded by people who do not believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Do they accuse us of one who is with Jesus? Do they recognize us as someone who is with Jesus? Perhaps Peter would have been better off not being among those people, then he would not have had to deny who he was. We cannot afford that luxury. We have to mingle with them, we work with them, we shop where they shop, and we participate in recreation where they do. We cannot simply associate with just believers. We cannot stay in church with the “Us four and no more attitude”. We cannot isolate ourselves from the world. We are constantly surrounded by people who do not believe like we do. One person recognized Peter by his accent. Do people recognize we are with Jesus because of our accent, our speech? If not, if people do not know we are with Jesus, then perhaps they think we are with them. Is that a form of denial? Surely if someone said to us, “You’re a Christian”, we would admit it. Even if they said, “Your one of those religious fanatics”, we would admit it. Well maybe, we might try to explain we not a fanatic, just a regular Christian. What is a regular Christian? Is it a person who goes to church? Is it a person who does not smoke or drink? It is a person who does not swear? Although all those might be part of the definition of a Christian, many non-believers might exhibit those same behaviors. Does our speech give us away? Do they hear us talking about Jesus? Do they hear us speaking of his Lordship in our lives? Do we talk to them about their lives and how Jesus can help them? Do we take the opportunity to pray with them for their need? Do we love them as Jesus does? They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love. If we are not loving them, then are we, in effect, denying him? Surely we are not sinless. Surely we are not perfect people. But are we living our faith out loud so people know without a shadow of doubt that we are with Jesus?