Saturday, March 25th

Peter’s Denial

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

Luke 22:60

Read Matthew 26:33-35, 69-75

Peter was good at sticking his foot in his mouth. He was quick to speak and slow to count the cost of his words. Earlier in the evening, around the security of friends and the Seder meal, Peter had blurted out to all the disciples that he would stand by his Master through thick and thin. That boastful outburst was met with a prophetic word. Jesus looked at Peter and predicted, “... this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” (Matthew 26:34).

Without missing a beat, in his grand characteristic fashion, Peter announced, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you!” (Matthew 26:35). Poor Peter. He meant well but loyalty promised and loyalty practiced are very different things.

To his credit, he was not alone. The Scripture says that all the other disciples said the same thing. Disciples even to this day promise loyalty, but what happens when we leave the safety of our Bible study group or the security of our local church?

Only hours later, Peter was waiting around the fire outside Caiaphas’ palace. Three times the people in the courtyard pointed to him as a follower of Jesus. His Galilean accent gave him away. But as predicted, three times Peter denied he knew the Savior. When the cock began to crow, Jesus could see into the courtyard and looked at His disciple. As their eyes met, what grief struck Peter’s heart! He learned a painful lesson in loyalty and wept in shame.

Something to think about

1. How did the others recognize Peter?

2. How do believers deny Christ today?

3. How do you promise or practice loyalty to Christ?

Pontius Pilate

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

John 18:33

Read John

18:28-38

Having no authority to put a criminal to death, the chief priests took Jesus to the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. As procurator of this Roman province, Pilate posted Roman guards throughout the area, kept track of the empire’s financial interests, and handled disputes among the populous. He was not fond of the Jewish people nor they of him. This was not the first time he struggled with their cultural and religious practices. Now he would clash with them again.

Pilate was an unwilling participant in the most important drama in history. To him this was an annoying distraction to his day. The dilemma trapped him between the pressure of the people he was assigned to manage and the apparent innocence of the prisoner. Unfortunately, before the day would be over, Pilate would sentence the man from Galilee to death on a cross.

In a private interview with Jesus, Pilate attempted to “get to the bottom” of the issue, but the Savior offered only silence. Finally, Jesus spoke of His kingdom and His truth. “My kingdom is not of this world … Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

(John 18:36a and 37b). Was this an opportunity for the governor to believe in the Savior? Pilate merely shrugged his shoulders and replied, “What is truth?”

The truth is Pilate was a pawn in the hand of the Lord. He played an important role in the redemption of mankind, but he never knew it.

Something to think about

1. What is a “procurator”?

2. Why did the chief priests not enter the governor’s palace?

3. Who are pawns in God’s plans today?