Denial and Desertion

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. On the way, Jesus told them, "All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, 'God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there." Peter said to him, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will." Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." "No!" Peter declared emphatically. "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" And all the others vowed the same. Mark 14:26-31

Jesus’ words were from the Old Testament…

"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man who is my partner," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs. Zechariah 13:7

The sheep will be scattered. He telling His disciples that they will desert Him…in His hour of need. All of you will desert me. Not me…That is just what Peter said…No… I will never deny you. That is what everyone said. I will never deny you.  Do you ever feel that way? Jesus, I will never deny you. But do you?

Listen for the rooster crow.

Peter will deny Jesus. The rooster will crow twice…. That is just what happened. Peter denied Jesus.

… Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, "You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth." But Peter denied it. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed. When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, "This man is definitely one of them!" But Peter denied it again. A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, "You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean." Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm lying--I don't know this man you're talking about!" And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:66-72  

Denial. Once. Twice. Three times. Peter denied being part of Jesus’ group—denied even knowing Jesus. When the rooster crowed, Peter cried. That is not the end of the story. After His resurrection Jesus went ahead of His disciples to Galilee—just as He said He would. There He tasked Peter with taking care of His sheep—sheep that would eventually be scattered. Peter became one of the strongest disciples—taking the gospel into the Roman Empire. No more denial or desertion.

Prayer ~ Jesus, may I never deny or desert You. You are worthy of praise. Just like You went ahead of the disciples into Galilee…You have gone before us…to prepare a place for us. There is a forever place for us…with You. No scattering this time.

Daily Bible Reading: Jonah

© 2018 Text and photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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