Luke 22:31-34, 54-62, John 17:9-11, 15-19, 21:15-19
Peter, who betrayed Jesus
Mari Ikeda
A. When the faith is shaken (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62)
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
1) Fear of death
2) Self-hate
B. What the Cross and the Resurrection have brought
1) Forgiveness
2) To belong to God (John17:9-11,15-19）
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. …11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. …15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.u.
3) “You will be led where you don’t want to go” (John21:15-19)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Summary
Seeing Jesus caught by people, Peter betrayed Him out of fear. But soon he realized what he had done himself and started to cry hard. We also doubt Jesus by fearing death, physical and mental pain. We may lose sight of God, when we come to hate ourselves by being shaken between our own desire to believe and our doubt. But God knew all of that. It was for that very reason that God came to this world as Jesus in order to forgive us, and chose to be crucified. He then showed us through the resurrection that He even defeated death, so that we may no longer fear death and may live to belong to God eternally.
For Discussion
1) In what kind of situation is your faith shaken (do you not feel God close)?
2) What has the Cross of Jesus brought to you