Preached at: Donnington Wood Baptist Church, Telford, England
On: Sunday 19th January 2025
Text: Luke 22:54-65
In our Bible reading we read of one of the most well known denials of Christ in all of human history. We read about the Apostle Peter denying all knowledge and association with our Lord and Saviour. What a dreadful discourse is before us this morning. Peter of all people denying and rejecting Christ in his hour of need. If there was any time that Christ needed someone to stand up for Him is was in the event we have just heard from in Luke’s Gospel. I wonder what was going through the mind of Peter and our Lord at this moment. Clearly, Peter was afraid and the feeling manifested itself into denial and betrayal.
The trial of Jesus is composed of three stages. 1) The preliminary hearing before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. 2) The informal trial likely before dawn. 3) The formal trial by the Sanhedrin. This event in Luke’s Gospel took place before the formal trial of Christ.
Our Lord endured many trials before he was crucified. Firstly, he was taken before Annas, the former high priest who was an influential man. Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the official high priest. Jesus was found guilty before the Sanhedrin. The Jews wanted to get rid of Jesus as quickly as possible. As they could not do this themselves they sent him to the Roman authorities. They first took him to Pilate who sent him to Herod. Herod sent him back to Pilate. When Pilate realised that he had to make a decision regarding Jesus, he gave the Sanhedrin what they asked for and condemned Jesus to die on a Roman cross.
The account we have just read about in Luke’s Gospel is the second Jewish trial before Caiaphas when Peter denies Christ in the courtyard. Peter did not take the Lord’s warning seriously enough, to “watch and pray” as Jesus had told him in the garden. Remember that this is the same Peter that recently declare that he would never deny the Lord. For all his zeal, passion and courage, the apostle Peter was completely unprepared for Satan’s attack.
When our Lord was taken from the garden Peter followed afar off. This was the first step of his defeat. Peter was not meant to follow Christ. The apostles were meant to scatter and meet Jesus later in Galilee. When Jesus was arrested he said to the guards, “Let these go their way” (John 18:8), a clear sign that they were not to follow Him.
Peter and John followed the mob and gained access to the courtyard of Caiaphas’s house. Peter would have had been an easy target. Peter was only thinking about himself and his own comfort when our Lord was being subjected to beatings and abuse by the soldiers. One of the high priest’s servant girls challenged Peter. She accused him of being with Jesus and one of his disciples. Peter replied with, “I do not know him, I do not know what you are talking about.” Peter lied to save his own skin. He knew that if he acknowledge Jesus and spoke of his association with Christ; a similar fate would come his way. I wonder how we would react if we were in the same position as Peter. Would we say the same and deny any knowledge of Christ? Would we be ashamed of our association with Jesus? It is easy for us to boldly proclaim that we would never deny Christ, but in the heat of the moment and under pressure what would we do?
In fact we are in a similar position in our liberal Western society today. Many times we are called upon to testify of Christ. We may be asked by a work colleague or neighbour; “So what did you do on Sunday?” When we are asked that question do we say that we went to Church on Sunday?” or do we say, “O’ nothing much”. We live in a nation and society that is growing ever more hostile and godless. Things that were not accepted 50 years ago are not only embraced today, but heartily promoted and celebrated by a large number of people in society. Things that would cause great shock to the last generation are viewed as acceptable by this generation. When we go about our day to day business are we ashamed to admit we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we lovingly rebuke those who are outside of salvation and point them to the Saviour? Do we proclaim the truths of Scripture? Or are we those who like Peter in our text say, “I do not know him.”
Listen carefully to the words of Matthew 10:33-35, “ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” What these words teach us is this. Sometimes being a Christian will make you very unpopular. Being a Christian will cause division. Being a Christian will provoke even your family members to despise you at times. What we need to ask ourselves is this. Whom do we serve, God or man? Whose approval do we seek, God or man? Whom are we ultimately answerable to, God or man?
Listen to the words of 2 Timothy 2:11-13,“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Speaking about those who turn away from the truth Titus 1:16 says, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” 1 John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” Listen to the word of Paul to the believers at Galatia, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
Peter could not hide; he could not escape being noticed. We will be noticed by the world. Our lives are a living testimony to a lost watching world. The world knows we are not like them. We do not do the things they do. We stick out like a sore thumb. This world is not our home, we are just passing through. I wonder if you have heard of the song “This World is not my home” by the late Jim Reeves.
Some of the lyrics to that song are:
This world is not my home
I’m just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue
The angels beckon me
From heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home
In this world anymore
The point I am making is the world is not our home. We are strangers on the account of our faith in Christ. Our heart has found a new home with Christ. Our soul finds rest only in the Saviour. It was only when the cock crowed that Peter realised that the Lord’s prediction was fulfilled. Remember that when Peter boldly proclaimed that he would never deny his Lord and Saviour, Jesus foretold him that indeed he would deny him.
At the Last Supper Jesus said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
When Christ was led away he looked at Peter and that look must have broken Peter’s heart. Peter had three chances to stand up for his Lord and Master, but took none of them. He denied Him three times. Peter withdrew from the crowds and wet bitterly. His denial of Christ started to sink in; he began to understand what an utter failure he was. It took just one look from Christ to bring Peter to a place of repentance.
For one cock to crow at the right time while all the other birds in the city remained silent was certainly a miracle. It was more than a miracle; it was a message to Peter, a message that helped him to restore fellowship again. In his state a sorrow Peter was encouraged.
- Firstly, It was an assurance that Christ was still in control of the situation. No matter how dark, hopeless and helpless the situation seemed to Peter, Christ was in full control of the matter.
- Secondly, the crowing of the cock assured Peter that he could be forgiven. Peter disobeyed and argued with the Lord, but now he “remembered the word of the Lord” as verse 61 tells us. This brought him hope. Because with the word of warning was also a promise of restoration. Peter would strengthen his brethren as Luke 22:32 tells us.
- Thirdly and finally, the crowing of the cock told Peter that a new day was dawning, after all that is what the rooster’s call means each morning. Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.”
Each one of us, at one time or another, will fail the Lord and then in a sense will hear our cock crowing. Satan will tell us that we are finished, that our future and testimony is destroyed forever, but that is not God’s message to us. It was not the end for Peter and neither will it be for us.
Fear is one of the techniques and methods Satan uses to disarm and discourage Christians. Just like in the case of Peter fear was used in an attempt to cripple him and cause him to doubt. When we are in a situation where we are fearful may we always bring to memory the words of 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” May we also remember the words of Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” It is also helpful to remember the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:8).
It is strange how the church remembers Peter. He is not remembered as doubting Peter, like Thomas is remembered. He is remembered as the one who led the early church after Christ’s ascension into glory. This speaks of the great power of forgiveness and restoration. Christ took Peter with all his mistakes, failings and weaknesses and gave him a position of great honour. Peter’s restoration was so complete that he was able to say to the Jews in Acts 3:14,”But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you.” Peter did not have 1 John 1:9 to read, but he did experience it in his own heart.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Peter is the man who wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Peter gives us some words of wisdom and encouragement that we may be able to stand the fiery darts of the devil. He tells us to be of sober mind, to be vigilant because our enemy the devil is like a lion who seeks his prey only to devour them. Peter describes the devil as “a roaring lion”. When a lion seeks his prey he is not roaring, but calm, still and has his eyes fixed on his prey. The lion only roars when he has caught his prey. The message here is to be on the watch; be on guard. Do not be complacent! Do not be so naive to think that the devil is not interested in you. You are not insignificant. Do not be downcast, we do not serve that deceiving roaring lion. We serve the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In our text this morning we have heard about the Lord Jesus Christ going to a trial before the Roman authorities. Well, at the end of our earthly life when the final breath leaves our bodies and our heart beats for the very last time we shall stand before a judge. We shall stand before the great judge of all of the earth.
2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” The Bible tells us that every soul shall give an account to Christ for the things we have done during our lifetime. The Scriptures tell us that if we have broken God’s standard of perfection we shall face the judgment and penalty for doing so. On that day we will face Christ as either our Saviour or Judge.
As God is a just Judge He must punish sin. The punishment that God has ascribed to sinners is eternal judgement and separation from Him in a place that the Bible calls Hell. However, it does not have to be that way. God provided a way for us to be forgiven. He gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our place on the cross. Listen again to the words of 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We can be cleansed from all of our sins by the shed blood of Christ. We can do nothing to earn our forgiveness. Salvation is not earn by good works or anything we do, but based wholly on what Christ has done on our behalf. All we have to do is accept the gift of salvation that Christ offers to all mankind. We do this by embracing Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour: by accepting him as our personal Lord and Saviour.
I wonder if you have ever been in a court of law and watched the proceedings. You have the judge sitting on the bench, you have the witnesses in the case, you have the jury listening to the evidence and you have the accused in the dock. An earthly courtroom is similar to the great courtroom of Christ. Never in an earthly court does the judge take off his robes of authority and takes the place of the condemned prisoner. Christ does the opposite to an earthly judge. Christ takes off his robes of righteousness and places them on the condemned sinner. What a remarkable and gracious Saviour we have in Christ. The great judge takes the place of the sinner and pays the debt on our behalf.
If you have not yet come to Christ as a broken and contrite sinner, today is the day to do just that. Today is the day to come before the throne of Christ and by faith ask him to forgive you. Today is the day because tomorrow is not granted to anyone. Tomorrow you could pass into eternity without Christ as your Saviour and face him as your judge. O’ how I hope and pray that you will face Christ as your Saviour and not your judge.
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