Mark 14:27-31
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
27"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written:
" 'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.' 28But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."
29Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."
30"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times."
31But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.
It is the night before Jesus' arrest...Jesus knows what is coming...He knew that Peter would deny Him, not only once but three times before morning...Jesus not only predicts Peter falling away from Him, but also all of the twelve disciples will fall away...The Good Shepherd will be struck, and the sheep will be scattered...The disciples will leave Him, but He will arise in His resurrection and then go ahead of the disciples into Galilee...
Peter stands up and defends himself, and says even if the other eleven fall away he will not...Jesus tells him, he will not only deny Him once, but will disown Him three times...Peter insists and is adamant that even if he has to die, he will never disown Him...The other disciples all said the same thing, that they would not ever disown Him...
Peter and the disciples did not understand His upcoming death...They knew Jesus was special, but they did not know He was divine or these other special things...He is the Son of Man and the Son of God, but what does that mean...The disciples would have been struggling with those ideas and thoughts being (just) men...Being men they also would say and would want to think that they would be by His side through thick and thin...The Twelve would think they would be there for Him through all things, but we as men have doubt come in our lives...Doubt can come quickly or slowly...Other people can bring doubt into our lives and minds...Had Peter not been questioned by the three asking him of his relationship with Jesus, he may have never denied Him...However, we do not know this...But other people can play a role in our doubts and beliefs...
Even though others play a role in our doubts and denials, it is up to us to think independently...We each need to think on our own...But regardless if we think on our own or let others think for us, each of us separately must embrace the truth...The truth is what each of us should be searching for, regardless of whether we like it or not...One might think searching for the truth would be a uniform process (of searching for the truth) for all men and women but it is not...
We try as men, and as sinners to do our best...Peter loved his LORD, and tried and tried hard...But he still denied Him...All of Jesus disciples scattered from Him...We try, but things of this world get in our way of the LORD and the truth...We have to be on guard for this...Even though we our on guard for this and think we wouldn't deny Him, it happens...If someone you know and maybe respect, who is a non-believer, and the subject of Jesus comes up would you defend Him, would you talk about Him, or would you deny Him...
Today's world seems to be in even a different situation than in Peter's time, especially after the LORD's resurrection...Yet many things are still alike...The Saints in their writings know that man is flawed...Man sins...The Saints know we continue to drift away and continue to deny Him...Today, it seems that many of us are like the Pharisees...We continue to need a Savior...Today's "average man" may say why do I need a Savior...We all need a Saviour for our sins...The "average man" may think or say, sins from what, what are you talking about, (they may be thinking) take care of yourself...We may not even think of denying Him, because that is not part of one's thinking or one's mindset...If Jesus is not part of your life, then you would not of even thinking why of if you would deny Him...If Jesus is a part of your life, then you will be more on guard to being prepared to follow Him, but denial is still possible...If Peter and every disciple denied Him in His great hour of need, how we react may or may not be better than him and the Twelve...Our reaction may even be worse...Times have changed, but some things never change...But denying Him is better than doing nothing...If you have denied Him, you are closer (to Him) than the one, who is indifferent about Him or does not know Him...You have a relationship with Him, and can be forgiven by Him...