First Denial

First Denial. In our passage today we are witnesses to a drama within a drama. Though afraid, Simon Peter followed Jesus from a distance so as not to be discovered. Also following Jesus is John who, being a friend of the High Priest, is allowed entrance into the palace of the high priest. Seeing Peter outside the door, John spoke to the keeper of the door and persuaded her to let in Peter.

15. And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

16. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

John 18:15-17, King James Version

First Denial

In our passage today we are witnesses to a drama within a drama. Though afraid, Simon Peter followed Jesus from a distance so as not to be discovered. Also following Jesus is John who, being a friend of the High Priest, is allowed entrance into the palace of the high priest. Seeing Peter outside the door, John spoke to the keeper of the door and persuaded her to let in Peter.

The damsel who kept the door looked at Peter and said, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples?

What was Peter's response? We hear Peter's first denial, "I am not."

Fear, that great culprit, overcame Peter's desire to be faithful to Jesus even unto death. Does fear affect us in the same way?

Yes, of course it does! Sadly, we are not usually talking about fear unto death; we are just talking of fear from ridicule or from being ostracized by the crowd. Why is that?

Like Peter, the answer is simple and yet profound. We have our feet sunk too deeply into the things of the world. Just as Jesus warned Peter, so, too, have we been warned.

24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (Matthew 6:24-25, King James Version.)

We Christians today have lost the meaning of verse 24, as we seek diligently to serve the Lord while keeping one foot in the world. It is time we think of the first denial of Peter, and think of the seriousness of our own denial of Jesus through our ties with the things of this world.

It is an interesting thought, is it not?

Next: Where Is the Sin? - verses 19-24