Mark 14:27-31, 50 NLT
“All of you will desert me,” Jesus told them [the disciples]. “For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
“But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” “Peter,” Jesus replied, “the truth is this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
“No!” Peter insisted. “Not even if I have to die with you! I will never deny you! And all the others vowed the same…Meanwhile, all the disciples deserted him and ran away.
When we first met Peter, I doubt that any one of us would have believed that this blustery, self-confident fisherman would deny Jesus. Not Peter! He was the person that Jesus was depending upon to build the church. But Peter denied Christ as Jesus said that he would. Peter cried. (Mark 14:72) If Peter had never felt humility, shame or guilt before, he certainly experienced them when he denied Jesus.
I sometimes read passages like this and wonder how I would have behaved. Am stronger than Peter? Do I love Jesus and God more than Peter did? Certainly I would have been there when He wanted and needed me to be there for Him. Would I have denied Jesus?
It seems to me that we “run away” frequently. We say we are Christians. As Christians we are expected to follow the great commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul, and might and love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:19-20 to “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” NLT
In other words we need to speak up for Jesus whenever we can…not just in church or in Bible Study or when other “church people” are the people to whom we are speaking.
No! We are to speak to the world about Jesus. When we do not, our silence denies Jesus just as loudly as Peter’s denials. We need to feel ashamed, gulty, humbled, and cry as Peter did.
How can we say we are Christians and not speak Jesus’ name in public? I am guilty as well. Recently, however, I have discovered almost by accident that it is not so difficult to talk about Jesus to other people as I thought it was. We just need to do so. It is easier than you may think. People are hungry for Jesus…but they may not know it. If we wait for that “perfect time,” to teach, witness, affirm we may be denying Jesus the rest of our lives. Jesus is our Savior. We must tell people about Him. If we do not, the forces of evil will win.
I do not want to face Jesus and have Him ask me, “Carol, why did you deny Me?
Carol
Bible Breath:
Jesus, make me your witness.
