2015-08-02 Faith Talk When I Am On Trial
Peter followed the crowd that was taking Jesus to trial. Peter positioned himself in the courtyard to witness what happened next to his Lord. Peter was recognized and confronted three times there in the courtyard.
Even though, when Jesus warned Peter this would happen Peter stated his loyalty and determination, when the time came to stand up and admit he belonged to Jesus, Peter denied His Lord.
Read Matthew 26:69-60 (NKJV) 69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."
Notice: Peter was in the courtyard with others curiously watching the proceedings. Peter looked just like the rest of the people; there was nothing remarkable about him that made him stand out in the crowd, unless he was crying.
Consider: Imagine Peter’s emotions that night. What would you have felt? What would you have done?
Would tears have streamed down your face as you watched Jesus being treated so terribly? How would you have responded to the servant girl if she accused you of having been with Jesus?
Discuss: Peter was positioned to watch what went on. Peter was “in the world” that night. What could have caused Peter’s belief in and feelings for Jesus to be obvious to others around him? The servant girl accused
Peter. Did she accuse Peter because she saw him with Jesus, or did she accuse Peter because of his reaction to what Peter was watching? Were the words “You also were with Jesus of Galilee” an accusation, a statement of what she believed to be true, or were they posed as a question? Could she have seen in Peter’s eyes his own suffering and pain and realized he had a tremendous love for Jesus?
Question: Would others, DO others see the same in us when they see us witness Jesus under attack today?
Read Matthew 26:71-72 (NKJV) 71
And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth." 72 But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!"
Notice: Peter repositioned himself, he went to the gateway. Perhaps he already felt threatened by being recognized. Perhaps he saw others in the crowd he himself recognized; perhaps Peter even saw people in the crowd he had spoken to, maybe even had shared Jesus with. Nevertheless, Peter seems to have been on his way out when he was confronted again.
Consider: What was Peter afraid of? Was Peter afraid of being associated with Jesus? Was Peter afraid of being forced to join Jesus on trial that night? What if, on the other hand, these servant girls needed reassurance instead? What if instead of accusing to harm, they were questioning to see if he could offer a kind word or some word of hope? What if they were looking to Peter, one they knew as an associate of Jesus, for something to hold on to in these uncertain times?
Discuss: How important is it for us, those of us who identify ourselves as Christ Followers, those of us the world can identify as professing to be Christ Followers, to be ready to share the truth? Can we share this?
I BELIEVE IN JESUS, The SON OF GOD. I BELIEVE HE DIED ON The CROSS SO THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES ON
HIM CAN BE FORGIVEN OF THEIR SINS AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HIM.

2015-08-02 Faith Talk When I Am On Trial
We may not, like Peter, deny Jesus with an oath, but isn’t our silence just as effective in denying we know
Jesus?
Read Matthew 26:73-75 (NKJV)
73
And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter,
"Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you." 74 Then he began to curse and swear,
saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of
Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.
Notice: Now Peter is accused, not by one or two servant girls, Peter is accused by the crowd. “Those who stood by” accused Peter of knowing Jesus based on how Peter talked. Peter had a choice. Peter could use the opportunity to admit Jesus was his Lord and share what Peter had confessed to Jesus
Himself, “Jesus is The Christ, The Son of The Living God”, or not. Peter chose NOT. Peter reinforced his
NOT choice by changing his language to convince those who accused him he WAS DEFINITELY NOT A
FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
Consider: Imagine how Peter felt when the instant the curses left his lips, the sound of the rooster crowing reached his ears. Imagine the heartbreak Peter felt as he heard in his mind Jesus’ warning…”Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times” as he made it true. We do well to consider consequences of our actions before we do them, while there is still time to change the outcome to a happier one.
Discuss: How much like Peter are we? How strong do we feel in Jesus’ presence as compared to how strong we feel when we are “in the world”? How do we react under the external pressure we feel when we are recognized as Christ Followers? Are we even recognized as Christ Followers when we are “in the world”? Should we be? How can we be?
Challenge: Peter knew from experience how horrible it felt to let Jesus down. He knew how heartbreaking it was to miss opportunities to share Jesus. It is no surprise then it was Peter who wrote the way to avoid all that heartache, heartbreak and shame.
Read 1 Peter 3:15 (NKJV) 15 But sanctify the Lord God [4] in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
Memorize this verse, practice this verse, apply this verse to your life and share Jesus, your only true source of HOPE, with a friend the very next time you feel accused of “BEING ONE OF THEM”, a Follower of Christ.
Lo ve,
Tom