Peter’s Progression

Hello again!

This is what God gave me today in His word:

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” (John 18:15-17)

Let’s look at the events that occurred in leading up to Peter’s denying Christ: – on a side-note, Peter actually denied Christ three times, but his first denial is all we’re going to look at for now. – First, we see that Peter, “and another disciple” were following Jesus. Then Jesus and the other disciple go in to high priest’s courts, while Peter stays behind. This, right here, when Peter is away from Jesus and “the other disciple”, is when he denies Christ. There’s a progression that goes on here: first Peter is following Christ, and has another disciple to help him and spur him on (so to speak. — we don’t know if the other disciple actually did any “spurring on”…). But then, when Peter is alone, does he give in to the sin of denying Christ.

We can learn something from Peter’s progression. First and foremost among the things we can learn, being not to be separated from Christ! Granted, in this case, Peter didn’t have a choice in the matter, but the fact still stands that when Jesus left was the time Peter fell. Likewise, when we grow distant from Christ; when we stop reading our Bibles, when we stop praying, and when we grow apart from other believers, that’s when we become most vulnerable to attacks.

The point being simply this: let’s not get away from Christ. Instead, looking forward to the cross, let’s run the race which has been set out before us.

You are Loved!

Joshua Cleveland