Luke 22:31-34

Luke 22:31-34 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Luke 22:54-62 Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them. “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 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.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Peter was put in an untenable position. He was not a coward; he was willing to give his life that day in Christ's defense. He drew a sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, an action that could have resulted in his imprisonment or death. Peter was willing to go down fighting for his Lord, but Jesus betrayed his intentions by saying, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. (Luke 22:51) Jesus' words must have confounded Peter, the rugged, independent fisherman. How could Peter defend a man who would not allow him to do so? Peter knew that most of the great men of God in the past were warriors who fought mighty battles for God and righteousness. Now, Jesus, who proclaims to be the Son of God, would not even allow his followers to fight for him. Instead, Jesus allowed himself to be led away as a lamb to slaughter. I am sure as Peter sat in that courtyard, he mulled over Jesus' words. “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11) How could he defend a man who would not fight? For sure, Peter was brave: Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death. However, he was left with no options to save the One he dearly loved. He could only sit and observe the inevitable consequences of Jesus' arrest.

When the servant girl and the man pointed out to the crowd that Peter was with Jesus, Peter had no other recourse in this futile mission but to say, I don’t know him; I don’t know what you’re talking about! Yes, he could have chosen to die with Jesus, but for what? Jesus' incarceration brought great disillusionment to Peter, for Jesus was seemingly just another man, now in the hands of a fierce and superior force. Their movement to bring deliverance to the house of Israel had failed as far as Peter was concerned. Why carry on with this futile adventure with no victory in sight. So Peter left that courtyard in tears of tremendous shame, sorrow, and discouragement because, as Christ had predicted, he was not faithful. Jesus who fed the multitudes, raised the dead, healed the lepers, and opened the eyes of the blind could not prevent his own capture by a violent crowd. To Peter, the magnificent Jesus he served now seemed powerless as He stood defenseless among the unruly crowd, seemingly without authority to change the situation. Yes, Peter left the courtyard in tears, believing everything they had worked for was at an end, forever destroyed, finished.

However, Christ's work was not finished. God's kingdom would not be taken by swords, but by The Lamb. God would not usher in the Promised Land through conquest, but according to the prophetic Word imbued with grace and mercy. In the flesh, Peter could not discern God's plan. Since the resurrection and the infilling of the Holy Spirit had not occurred, as a mere man Peter could not discern spiritual truths fully. Only after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit did the depths of Jesus' ministry become clear to Peter. Only then could he realize God's Kingdom was not of this earth but of the Spirit. Only then did he know the power and authority of God revealed in Christ Jesus, the only true door. Then he knew heaven and Earth could pass away, but God's kingdom would never pass away. Despairing the loss of his Lord, Peter walked away in the flesh, weak and frightened. Although his self-will had been strong, now he felt too weak to remain to confront his accusers. However, God did not leave Peter in his weakened state: He brought Peter out of this experience a powerful man of God. Although the sword was put away, the kingdom of God was established by force, the force of the Holy Spirit. Where the flesh failed, the Spirit succeeded. By obeying Christ and putting away his sword that day, Peter helped establish God's kingdom, which has grown from a small mustard seed into a hugh tree, flourishing around the world to encompass millions of believers. Although over two thousand years removed from that difficult day, we can hide ourselves in that tree of faith because the kingdom of God has come to us.