Luke 22:54-63 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. ⁵⁵ After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. ⁵⁶ And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” ⁵⁸ A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹ After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.

But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.        When the Lord turned and looked at Peter I don’t believe it was with disappointment or condemnation. Peter’s denial certainly did not take Jesus by surprise. Jesus had said:  “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; ³² but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”(Luke 21:31-32) Jesus did not condemn Peter. He encouraged him by speaking of a time beyond his failure when he would return. Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.

We, like Peter, may at times fail. Also like Peter our failures do not take Jesus by surprise and He does not condemn us. Romans 8:34 says:   who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.   Jesus is interceding for us, like He prayed for Peter, that our faith will not fail. We are saved by grace, not by our works, it is a free gift. But look at what is required of us in Ephesians 2:8-9.     For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.    Our faith is required. John 3:16 says: God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.     Salvation, eternal life is a free gift, but to receive we must believe. Even when we fail, our faith, if it is in Christ, will not fail. We though, like Peter must turn again, return to Christ. Condemnation and guilt are not of the Lord.        There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) When Jesus looks at us in our failure there is no condemnation from Him. We though must turn again to Him. We must turn from our sin.  The text says of Peter:    And he went out and wept bitterly.  

It’s unclear exactly what Peter did next, how long and how bitterly he wept and repented over his actions. When we next see Peter it is after the resurrection. In Luke 24:12 it says:  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.   Peter ran to see!   Peter’s faith did not fail. He turned again to Jesus, he chose to run to Christ and leave his sin. Peter walked in the power of the resurrection. He walked in the fullness of the words Jesus had spoken over him. “when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”    Peter’s ministry and his testimony of Christ became foundational in the early church.

Peter knew well the necessity and the power of repentance, of returning to Christ. When he shared his first sermon he closed saying:      “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 

³⁷ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.   (Acts 2:36-41)

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. But we must turn again to Him. We must turn from our sin and see Him as He looks lovingly into our eyes. We must turn to Him and hear His words. On the cross Jesus said:   “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) For those who turn to Jesus, for those who believe, Jesus says:    “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”(John 14:12-14)   

Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer, though I may fail You never fail. I turn again to You. I choose to walk in the fullness of the words You have spoken concerning me. By faith in You I will do the things You did. By faith, I will strengthen and encourage my brothers and sisters, that all may turn to You and believe.    Amen