Am I Having Peter's Overconfidence Before He Denied Jesus Thrice?
I think about this talk He had. Perhaps he remembered the time he gave his declaration if faith in Matthew 16:16-18. He confessed his faith. But now this was where Peter had a rude awakening. He soon boasted, "Lord even if everyone leave you - I will not forsake you." Did Peter forget that Jesus had rebuked him as an instrument of Satan in Matthew 16:23? Peter had good intentions when he said, "Lord you don't have to suffer." Jesus reminded him that he must suffer all those things. Now, Peter may have forgotten what Jesus had told him.
Luke 22:31 has it where Jesus warns Peter saying, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Peter was putting confidence in himself. How foolish can I be if I say, "Lord I will never forsake you even if everyone does." in my own flesh. Peter was getting a hard lesson when Jesus warned what Peter would have denied Jesus thrice after the cock would have crowed twice.
Peter tried to show off where he got his sword. This reminds me of times I wish the Gospel could be done by force. Instead, Jesus told Peter to put the sword away. Peter cut off the ear of a servant of Caiaphas - but Jesus healed the man's ear. I couldn't imagine what Peter must have thought when he used his sword. Later, Peter was alone. He fell asleep before Jesus' arrest. Now he was there, terrified. As Jesus predicted, Peter had denied Him thrice. Peter couldn't help but weep bitterly at his own overconfidence. What a cold, staring glare it must have been when Peter saw his Lord whom he denied thrice.
This is where I see myself. I have said once or many times I wouldn't fail but I failed. I fail to remember Peter's boldness can only come from God. Peter could only be an effective New Testament pastor only after the Holy Spirit had empowered him. Peter here fell into repentance seeing that he was trusting his own power. He fell. Solomon once trusted in his wisdom than He who provided it and backslid horribly. David got lax with his devotion to God and fell into adultery. Peter denied his Lord thrice when he relied on his own flesh than the Spirit. He failed to remember Jesus' words in John 15:1-8 where it's stated, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."
Peter here simply fell and it was a bad day for a pastor. The pastor backslid. The whole congregation fell down. The disciples went back fishing. But I'm amazed at how Jesus chastises those who are His. There's a saying you tend to rebuke first those who you love. Hebrews 12:5-7 says that God chastises those He loves. Why did God discipline Jacob and not Esau? Esau was unsaved and Jacob was saved. Peter was no different. In John 21:15-17, we read Jesus going after Peter to bring him back to the ministry. I couldn't explain how Jesus must have loved Peter so much in this chapter. Peter was hurt because he denied his Lord thrice. Yet Jesus continued to remind Peter to feed his sheep. This should be a reminder to God's anointed pastors to never rely on their owns strength.
This is where I see myself. I have said once or many times I wouldn't fail but I failed. I fail to remember Peter's boldness can only come from God. Peter could only be an effective New Testament pastor only after the Holy Spirit had empowered him. Peter here fell into repentance seeing that he was trusting his own power. He fell. Solomon once trusted in his wisdom than He who provided it and backslid horribly. David got lax with his devotion to God and fell into adultery. Peter denied his Lord thrice when he relied on his own flesh than the Spirit. He failed to remember Jesus' words in John 15:1-8 where it's stated, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."
Peter here simply fell and it was a bad day for a pastor. The pastor backslid. The whole congregation fell down. The disciples went back fishing. But I'm amazed at how Jesus chastises those who are His. There's a saying you tend to rebuke first those who you love. Hebrews 12:5-7 says that God chastises those He loves. Why did God discipline Jacob and not Esau? Esau was unsaved and Jacob was saved. Peter was no different. In John 21:15-17, we read Jesus going after Peter to bring him back to the ministry. I couldn't explain how Jesus must have loved Peter so much in this chapter. Peter was hurt because he denied his Lord thrice. Yet Jesus continued to remind Peter to feed his sheep. This should be a reminder to God's anointed pastors to never rely on their owns strength.
Years later, Peter would write in 1 Peter 5:6 saying, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:"