Encouragement from Luke 22:31-34,54-62.
All our blogs are unattributed but it is relevant to say the author was a Iwerne leader and camper.
The World's Strongest Man is an international strongman competition held every year.
The current title holder is 30 year old Tom Stoltman from Invergordon, in Scotland who has won the title 3 times. Nicknamed "the Albatross" due to his sizeable arm span, Stoltman is particularly known for his prowess with the Atlas Stones. This is where five spherical concrete stones of increasing weight are placed on top of stands usually about a normal person's head height. In fact, in 2020 Tom broke the world record for the 100-180kg set, completing the lifts in just 16 seconds.
He also holds the the world record for the heaviest Atlas stone ever lifted over a 4 foot bar, at 286 kilograms. He is a beast and I can’t imagine his daily protein or calorie intake.
Wouldn’t it be something to be a spiritual strong man - or woman?
To have spiritual biceps like tree trunks, to be strong in our faith, strong in our resistance of temptation, strong in the conflict to live for Jesus and speak for Jesus, strong in standing for the truth, and strong in the daily battle against the malign influence on us of the world, the flesh and the devil?
Wouldn’t that be something? To be a spiritual strong man.
Because I guess many of us know just how weak we are. We know the frailty of our characters and temperaments. We know the shame and guilt of our moral failures. We know our spiritual cowardice. We know how easily we give in to temptation.
The reality is that we are spiritual weaklings.
Or perhaps, if we’re not prepared to admit that, we kid ourselves. We may not profess to be a strong man, but we’re confident in our spirituality. We project an image of being spiritually sorted, of having a measure of spiritual grip and gumption. We may even convince ourselves that’s the case, so much so, that it spills over into loud protestations of commitment and dedication.
And it doesn’t really matter how long we’ve been followers of Christ. You’d think that we might build some spiritual bulk along the way and gradually be able to lift heavier spiritual weights as it were. But in fact, the longer we’ve been in Christ, the more aware we become of our essential frailty and our regular, daily failings. It actually feels as if we’re growing weaker, not stronger.
This morning we come to Peter’s denial of Jesus, something that’s recorded in all four gospels. And the way Luke recounts it highlights his frailty and failure.
And I want to say that is an enormous encouragement.
Peter is the lead disciple, one of Jesus’ closest followers, one of the 3 whom Jesus had taken with him up on the mountain and who’d witnessed the transfiguration. Peter had been the first to confess that Jesus was the Christ of God, God’s anointed king and ruler.
Yet Jesus predicts his denial: “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:34
Satan’s sifting of Peter will lead to his capitulation: ”Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.” Luke 22:31,
And Peter’s protest at this prediction only makes his eventual failure all the more poignant. The idea that he might fail Jesus was inconceivable: “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Luke 22:33
He’s adamant he will not fail. He’s utterly confident of his commitment, loyalty and courage. But he’s totally overestimated his spiritual strength and underestimated the power of Satan. And Jesus knows that even this most ardent follower will be unable to stand against the evil one in the hour of darkness. In fact, not only will Peter not be ready for imprisonment and death, he won’t even be prepared to own up to knowing him.
Do you see how Peter’s failure accentuates the frailty of all of us when spiritually attacked? Even the apostle Peter was floored. Even this central figure among the disciples was unable to stand in his own strength. Even Peter's powerless when sifted by Satan and he’s blown away like chaff when shaken by the powers of darkness. We all need rescue from sin and Satan and evil. Even the great apostle. None of us can stand in our own strength. We are all spiritual weaklings. There is no class of super strong Christians. There is no elite group of crack disciples. We’re all in the same boat. We’re all just as weak as Peter, easily blown away.
Let’s take a moment to see just how easy it was. Luke tells us his narrative was carefully researched and put together from eye witness testimony. And this section is full of eye witness details, little observations about a fire had been kindled in the middle of the courtyard, the fact Peter sat down in the circle of light coming from the blaze. And that’s what exposed him: "Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” Luke 22:56
What happens next is simply told but excruciatingly tragic.
Peter denies that he even knows Jesus three times. First, a servant girl peers across the bonfire, recognises Peter and dogs him in, ’Hey, this guy was with Jesus.’ And Peter denies it: "He denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him."” Luke 22:57
Then a few minutes later some random guy also marks him out as one of Jesus’ disciples. Again, Peter denies it: "Peter said, “Man, I am not.”" Luke 22:58
The third denial comes after an hour, so Peter’s had time and opportunity to reconsider, but when his Galilean roots are noted as evidence of Peter’s association with Jesus: "Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.”" Luke 22:60
For all his bluster about how he would die for Jesus, Peter crumples when identified by young girl. It’s pretty lame, isn’t it? He’s talked big about sticking with Jesus through thick and thin, but this roughty, toughty, burly fisherman is blown away by a simple comment from a serving maid.
And it’s not as if he just lost his bottle once. One denial might have been a momentary lapse, a passing weakness, a transitory slip. But this was three times, repeated over more than an hour. he’s had plenty of time to think about it. And he keeps denying.
It’s a failure of courage. He capitulates to a slip of a servant girl.
It’s a moral failure. He lies, ‘I don’t know him’.
It’s a failure of character or strength. He’d been warned he would be tested, but proves he’s not got what it takes. He was easily blown away.
Now how did Luke come by all this eye witness detail? Could it be that it came from Peter himself? Could it be that Peter had insisted on its inclusion? Did Peter want us, as Luke’s readers, to know that he was no spiritual strongman, he was a spiritual weakling, a spiritual failure?
Isn’t that an encouragement when we too fail, when we lack courage or fall morally or are blown away by some testing or temptation? We are all spiritual weaklings.
Here’s J.C.Ryle,
“... the best and highest saint is a poor weak creature, even at his best times. Whether he knows it or not… there is no enormity of sin into which he may not run, if he does not watch and pray, and if the grace of God does not hold him up.”
In fact, sandwiched between Jesus’ prediction and the denial itself, Luke records Jesus’ willingness to drain the cup of God’s wrath, to pay the price, to take the rap, to absorb the judgement for our failure and guilt and shame in himself (Luke 22:41-44).
Peter’s need for a saviour was anticipated in the prediction and then demonstrated in his denial. And what was true for Peter is true for us. We desperately need Jesus to bear our sin and carry our guilt.
There is one detail of this incident which only Luke records. It is the look: "Immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter." Luke 22:60-61
It could not be more poignant. Surrounded by blood thirsty and insulting enemies, anticipating the outrage of mocking and shameful treatment, the injustice of a unjust kangaroo court and a painful death, yet the Lord Jesus found time to think on and look towards his poor erring disciple.
What was in that look? I guess we will never really know. No doubt, there was sorrow that Peter’s faith faith had failed. But also, I think incredible mercy and grace.
Jesus had told Peter, “When you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32. Jesus was not surprised by Peter’s denial. He knew it was coming. But in that very moment he wanted Peter to know he knew. Luke tells us, that as Jesus looked at him, "Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”" Luke 22:61
And with that memory would come the possibility and hope of repentance, of turning again, of restoration and forgiveness, that Jesus knew his failure and was dealing with it, was going to the cross for it.
Again, J.C. Ryle,
“...the love of Christ towards his people is a deep well which has no bottom… there is about it a mine of compassion and patience and readiness to forgive… no man need despair, however far he may have fallen, if he will only repent and turn to Christ. If the heart of Jesus was so gracious when we has a prisoner in the judgement hall, we surely need not think it less gracious” [now].
Now that didn’t make the realisation of his denial any easier: "Peter went out and wept bitterly." Luke 22:62
Tears of shame for his failure, tears of sorrow for what was happening to his Lord. But there’s more.
The Latin Vulgate translation of this verse read 'Petrus flevit amare'. 'Flevit' means 'wept' and 'amare' means 'for love'.
There is all the difference in the world between remorse and repentance. Remorse can make you miserable, like Judas, but it can do no more. Repentance will make your heart soft and your conscience tender, your eyes fill with tears and it will show itself in turning again to Jesus.
Luke’s account is certainly the record of a terrible failure. But is so much more. It is good news for us. We know that Peter was restored, as Jesus also predicted. That restoration was - and is - possible because Jesus was going to the cross for Peter’s sin, including his denial three times. And that means there is forgiveness and hope for us. When we fall there is hope for us as there was for him.
If you have ever found your courage lacking, if you have lapsed morally or hidden your faith for fear of others then we are not so different from Peter. And the great thing about Jesus is that his love covers even sins like these. One of his closest friends denied even knowing him to save his own skin. But Jesus responded by giving up his life to save his cowardly, failing friend. So if you find yourself ensnared in some kind of sin, if you fail Jesus in some way - and don’t we all, every day? - take fresh joy in the fact that Jesus knew your every weakness, your every failure, your every sin. He knew the worst about you and he died for you anyway. Not so he could hold you at arm’s length for the rest of your life, or hold over you the things you’ve done, but so you might be free, forgiven and fully restored. Jesus is a friend who will never deny you. He is a friend who will never abandon you. He is a friend who takes your guilt and shame and deals with it and makes it so, that in God’s sight, you are spotless and unblemished and clean. That’s the kind of friend I need. That’s the kind of friend you need.
And in Jesus, that’s the kind of friend we have. These are words from a lyric by Graham Kendrick:
"If you heard that your life had been valued
That a price had been paid on the nail
Would you ask, ‘What was traded?
How much? and Who paid it?
Who was He and what was His name?'
If you heard that His name was called Jesus
Would you say that the price was too dear?
Held to the cross, not by nails, but by love,
It was you broke His heart, not the spear.
Would you say you are worth what it cost Him?
You say, ‘no,’ but the price stays the same.
If it don't make you cry, laugh it off, pass Him by
But just remember the day when you throw it away
That He paid what He thought you were worth."
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Lyrics from "How Much Do You Think You Are Worth" Graham Kendrick © (Year) Make Way Music. grahamkendrick.co.uk International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
With thanks to David Cain from Unsplash for the main image
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