![]() Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. (John 18:18) Here we are in the high priest’s courtyard and on his premises a fire is made. Kingsford BBQ coals are ignited and the night is underway. This account is surrounded with intrigue. Jesus has been arrested and two of Jesus’ disciples enter the courtyard of the high priest. They are following Jesus at a distance to watch what will come of the recent events. Peter is our disciple in focus. He is seen in relation to Jesus whom he follows. The issue for us today on this fifth Sunday of Lent is that of temperature. The climate is cold we are told. Is this simply a weather notification to given us a more dramatic effect? This is doubtful. We are given insight into the fall of Peter. It is today’s image of a charcoal fire that shows us light. Light is a prominent and dominant image in the gospel of John. But it’s Lent and this is a time for judgment. It is the verdict that the true light Jesus Christ has been sent of the Father into this world and humanity refused the light and loved darkness. We don’t simply prefer our fallen condition we are enslaved to it and have no way out of it. Our human condition is powerless to do anything to change the decrepit sinister mindset that is ignorant to spiritual reality. Peter, one of Jesus’ choice disciples is recorded here to narrate his fall. We all have one, especially as disciples. There is something to be said about Peter’s denials here. He is denying his affiliation with Jesus Christ. Self-contradiction we are all riddled with it. This is more than simply, I struggle and you struggle because we are all human. It is a denial of our discipleship. To deny our discipleship is to ignore God’s claim on our lives. Our witness is rendered ineffective and darkened in understanding of God’s loving and gracious character. What’s more is we deny God’s wondrous work. What drew Peter to share in the artificial light of the charcoal fire? It was perhaps he was cold or perhaps a desire to hear what people are saying about Jesus. Whichever it could be, Peter fell into a specific temptation that all of us struggle with in various forms…I’m talking about the temptation to be relevant. It take various forms…we hunger to know what’s going on at all times, to appear in control without any signs of brokenness, Peter denies Christ because he is in denial. What is he in denial over? His view of God has been challenged. A common occurrence for people. What we know of God at the beginning will surely need revision as time goes on. Peter thinks he is loyal to Jesus…a good Christian we can say. But Christ predicts he will deny he knows Jesus three times before morning breaks. Jesus knows what Peter is made out of. He is not able to handle the pressure. Peter’s ignorance to Jesus’ knowledge is the way his denial is at work. He denies he is subject to folly. He overestimates himself and thinks too highly of his knowledge and walk with Jesus. But this sets him for a fall. Part of Peter’s denial is his demanding sense of immediacy he claims for himself. I will not only follow you but I will follow you now. The time is now to follow Lord and I shall not draw back. John 13:37 Peter’s words will not be mentioned again until chapter 18, our section today. The space between of some four chapters is intentional delay. It is partially to show that the demands of the now must be held off for some narrative time. Jesus is after all the protagonist, the central figure with His Father in John’s gospel. Peter’s actions including his denial is penultimate and takes a side for the sake of the Son of God. What does Jesus do during this space from John chapter 14 through 17? He addresses His disciples in an upper room discourse. It is concerning Jesus’ departure from this world back to the Father and the sending of the Holy Spirit. It is Jesus’ time to give His last words in His earthly ministry. The crowning moment of Jesus’ care for His own was shown in chapter 13 to be washing His disciples feet and it climaxes in His prayer for His disciples, those in the immediate and those in the future. Jesus has clear sharp vision of eternal life and bestows it on whom He will. This is the command He received of His Father.
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A Word from the PastorGreetings to all of you in Christ's name. This blog is for you to consider in your walk with God. Shalom. Archives
November 2016
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