Peter Before the Out Pouring - 2

 Reading: John 13:36-38, Luke 22: 52- 62, John21

In spending so much time with Jesus for a few years, Peter knew who Jesus was. And in the most noble place in his heart he just "knew" that no matter what, he would follow Jesus. But Jesus knew Peter, He knew Peter's heart better than even Peter did. The same is true of us today as well. God knows us better than we know own ourselves. He knows everything about us past, present and future; and He knows places in our heart that we don't even see.

Jesus had been predicting His death and that He would be leaving. But the disciples did not understand. One day "Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord where are you going?' Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going you cannot not follow Me now, but you shall follow me afterward.' Peter said to Him, 'Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake.' Jesus answered him, 'Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times." John 13:36-38 NKJ  Peter must have been devastated, hurt that the Lord would think that he was not loyal. Yet at the same time, Peter knew that Jesus knew all things.

Peter Denies Jesus by Carl Bloch

Jesus said this to Peter during the Last Supper. It would not be long until they would go to the Garden of Gethsemane where Judas would betray Jesus to the authorities. When they took Him away, Peter followed at a distance" and joined the guards around a campfire in the courtyard. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and said, "'This man was one of Jesus' followers!' But Peter denied Him saying 'Woman, I don't know Him.' NKJ Later someone else looked at Him and said "'You must be one of them!' 'No, man, I am not! ' Peter retorted. About an hour later someone else insisted, 'This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.' But Peter said, 'Man, I don't know what you are talking about.' And immediately, while he was still speaking the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, 'Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me.' And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly." Luke 22: 52- 62

Oh, the anguish Peter must have felt for not standing up for the Lord in that moment. In all the human strength and determination that Peter could muster in his own strength, it all evaporated and he let Jesus down. He denied that he even knew Him. Jesus knew ahead of time that this would be a great moment of testing for Peter. Satan must have known something of Peter's potential and determined to attack him. But Jesus knew this and prayed for him ahead of time, that his faith would not fail. Luke 22:31, 32

Cast on the Right Side by Greg Olson

After Jesus was crucified and resurrected, the disciples went to Galilee, as Jesus had instructed them. Several of the disciples were there and Peter said, "I'm going fishing." They went with him. All night they fished and caught nothing. As the sun was coming up, a man on the shore called out "Throw out your net on the right side of the boat and you'll get some!" So they did, and the net was so full of fish they couldn't haul it in. Then they realized it was the Lord... He was cooking breakfast for them on the shore, fish and bread.

After breakfast Jesus asked Peter, "'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?', 'Yes, Lord,' Peter replied, 'you know that I love you.' ' Then feed my lambs, Jesus told him".  But then Jesus repeated the question two more times... "do you love me?" Peter was hurt the third time and said "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Then Jesus told him to feed his sheep.
John 21

It is interesting that Peter denied the Lord three times and then the Lord asked him three times if he loved Him. When Peter was hurt the third time, this time he knew that Jesus knew his heart; and replied "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." It would be out of this love for Jesus on Peter's part and from the Promise to Come that God would empower Peter to lead the church. In our next post we will see the dramatic change in Peter's life after he was clothed with power from on high.