02-17-2019 – Priests Persecute, Peter Denies

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02-17-2019 - Priests Persecute, Peter Denies

John 18:12-27

Read John 18:12-14...
Mark 14:50, the eleven “left Him and fled.”
Jesus is taken to Annas, although Caiaphas, was high priest at this time. Luke 3:1-6; Acts 4:1-6; 1:15; 2:41
Caiaphas had told the Jews it was better for one man to die rather than the nation perish (cf John 11:47-53).
Read John 18:15-18... Peter and “another disciple” follow the arresting party. The phrase “other disciple,” is also used in John 20:2.
Who is the disciple that Jesus loved? See John 13:23-25; 21:20, 24.
Read John 18:19-24... Jesus suggests that Annas question those who have heard His teachings.
The religious leaders fear Jesus’ teaching (see Matthew 7:28-29; John 7:15-16, 32, 44-46).
Annas sends Jesus to Caiaphas, who can bring Jesus before Pilate, who alone can render the death penalty.
Read John 18:25-27... What John doesn’t tell us, the other writers do (see Mark 14:66-67; Luke 22:54-56).
Peter, for the third time, denies being a follower of Jesus, immediately a rooster crows. Although John doesn’t mention it, Peter goes out and weeps bitterly.
Luke gives us insight to Peter’s brokenness over denying Jesus as Lord and Savior (see Luke 22:57-62).
Peter, confronted by the eyes of the Lord, wept loudly expressing unconsolable grief; Peter wept bitterly, expressing his deep and painful regret.
When Jesus looked at him (Luke 22:61), “Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”
During the Passover meal, Jesus told the eleven He was going to leave them, to which (John 13:36-38),
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.”
Peter was much like us, one moment willing to take on an army of God’s enemies for the Lord’s honor; the next moment, we fearfully deny any relationship with our Lord.
It should not be that way!
Isaiah 41:10, “‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’”
Romans 8:38-39, “For... neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”