Thursday, 19 May 2016 - “He cursed and swore, ‘I don’t know this man’”
Daily Scripture: Mark 14:66 Meanwhile, Kefa was still in the courtyard below. One of the serving-girls of the cohen hagadol 67 saw Kefa warming himself, took a look at him, and said, “You were with the man from Natzeret, Yeshua!” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about!” He went outside into the entryway, and a rooster crowed. 69 The girl saw him there and started telling the bystanders, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it. A little later, the bystanders themselves said to Kefa, “You must be one of them, because you’re from the Galil.” 71 At this he began to invoke a curse on himself as he swore, “I do not know this man you are telling me about!” — 72 and immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Kefa remembered what Yeshua had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.” And throwing himself down, he burst into tears.
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Reflection Questions:
Strikingly, all four gospels tell the story of Peter denying Jesus. In this campaign year, we’re hearing rivals telling negative stories to tear each other down. But Peter was a leader among the early Christians. The gospel writers weren’t trying to tear him down. Pastor Hamilton wrote, “Why did all four Gospel writers feel comfortable telling the story? I believe it was because Peter had told it again and again across the Roman Empire.”1
- In Luke 9:26, Jesus called us to take up our cross. He added, “If any of you are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes.” What are some ways in which you could be (or have been) ashamed of Jesus in your daily life? Do you see a difference between being ashamed of Jesus and being tactful or tolerant toward others who do not share your faith?
- Peter had said, “Even if I must die…I won’t deny you.” The rooster reminded him of Jesus' warning, he realized how little he understood himself, and “he broke down, sobbing.” How did Peter avoid getting stuck in destructive guilt, shame and self-hatred, and move to the healing, cleansing power of God-given sorrow over his failure (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10)? Have you learned and experienced the difference between those two kinds of sorrow when you fail?
Today’s Prayer:
Loving Jesus, I want to serve and follow you faithfully. And too often I fail. Preserve me from indifference, but also from destructive guilt that cuts me off from your grace. Amen.
1 Adam Hamilton, 24 Hours That Changed the World: 40 Days of Reflection. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009, p. 87.
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.I was a child of the 80’s. I wore neon leg warmers and had a Cabbage Patch doll. I grew up with Growing Pains and was in awe of MacGyver’s craftiness. I tried and disliked Crystal Pepsi. I cheered for E.T. to find his home. I listened to Madonna and Culture Club, but was too young to understand that “Let’s Get Physical” was not a song about aerobics.
But the 80’s was also a time of high-profile televangelists. First, they were known for their ministries. While over-the-top, they were also capturing the hearts of America through the medium of television. But then, sadly, some of these ministries gained the spotlight as we watched their leaders fall into various temptations.
Judgment was thrown as trust was broken. A ministry or a church is meant to be a holy and safe place. We expect our churches to lead us in a growing faith toward God, which they should. Churches should be a place where we can come to worship and encounter God. Our trouble comes when we expect our churches to be God.
The church is meant to be the body of Christ, and while we often focus on the “Christ” in that call, we should also look to our role as “the body.” We get the fleshy part of Christ, the part that walked on earth with and amongst real people. While the church should be drawing people toward God, the church was never meant to be God. Certainly we must never stand for injustices on behalf of the church, but we must also be careful not to put the church on a pedestal, expecting perfection or complete divinity.
Even if we looked back to the very beginning of the Christian church we find that Peter, the very rock of the church, denied even knowing Christ three times. Yes, Peter, the one whom Christ picked to lead the charge of his ministry. Jesus forgave and loved Peter, just as he forgives and loves the church.
The history of the Christian church is full of holiness and righteousness, but it is also speckled with moments of waywardness and absolute disgrace. The church is not God. It is made of imperfect people. It has always been that way, and we can’t expect anything different. But we must remember that through our broken past and well into the future, we, as a body of believers, are covered in a blanket of forgiveness from Christ. This blanket is extended to our own church and to all other churches following Jesus, even to those whose path might be taking a wrong detour. We all get and need the same grace, and for that mercy, we are ever so grateful.
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