Peter Denies Jesus

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Peter Denies Jesus
Keywords: “denial” “Peter”
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Passage: Mark 14:66-72*

66. And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came,

67. and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, "You, too, were with Jesus the Nazarene."

68. But he denied [it,] saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." And he went out onto the porch.

69. And the maid saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, "This is [one] of them!"

70. But again he was denying it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, "Surely you are [one] of them, for you are a Galilean too."

71. But he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this man you are talking about!"

72. And immediately a cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, "Before a cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And he began to weep.

Questions

1. Why do you think Peter went to the court yard?

 

2. Where were the other disciples?

 

3. What does this story tell you about yourself and your sins?

 

Practical help

Oh foolish Peter. What a wimp!

But then again, where were all the other disciples? At least Peter tried to be close to Jesus.

Certainly it was pretty inept. But then Jesus had warned him in the garden to keep away and pray.

Perhaps we are seeing in Peter what plays out in our own lives. We don’t pray. We don’t study the Bible. We live a casual life enjoying the blessings of God, and then… All of a sudden our lives are turned upside down. For Peter, it was Jesus’ arrest and ultimate execution. For you, it might be some terrible discovery – by you about the weakness of someone else, or by someone else who discovers some dark secrets you have been hiding.

All of a sudden in a blinding flash of light it seems, your world is shattered. Then what? In those moments of calamity, is there anything planted inside of you from quiet moments already passed that fed your soul? Is there a source of strength or comfort bubbling up from a fountain of life within? Or are you shattered like dry bones?

I’m glad you are taking this moment to reflect on God’s Word with me and I pray that you have many such encounters with His people and His Word throughout the day. We all need the nourishment to keep us going strong.

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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."