Deny definition: state that one refuses to admit the truth or existence of this truth.
Have you denied Jesus?
No. Nope. Not me. Well that is also what Peter said. Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed on the night he was betrayed in the garden. And emphatically and affirmatively Peter says:
“Even if all fall away, I will not.”
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. Mark 14:29-31
Have you ever denied Jesus? Well my initial answer was No! Of course not. Then I read the account of Peter denying Jesus.
The denial happened right after Jesus had been betrayed in the garden. Peter went to warm up by a fire, who knows what was running through his head as he watched the flames rise into the air. He rubbed his chilled hands together and probably had a million doubts running through his mind… why didn’t Jesus save himself?? What am I going to do now?? Will they arrest me if they find out I am His follower?? After he denied Jesus, Peter remembered the words of His Savior and he went off and wept bitterly. And as I read those words my eyes welled up with tears and I knew that I too, have denied Jesus.
At first glance we look at Peter and wonder how he could have denied Jesus, he physically walked and talked and ate and prayed with Him.
With self-righteous sass we wonder what he was thinking at that moment in time.
Why would he deny Jesus, who was perfect in every way? Why would he deny the man who had taught Him the scriptures and fulfilled prophecies? Peter had witnessed Jesus perform miracle after miracle. He was there when Jesus fed the 5,000. He was there when Jesus calmed the raging seas. He was there when Jesus walked on water. Peter walked and talked, lived and breathed with the King of Kings. And yet, as he warmed himself by a fire that bone chilling night he said he did not know the man three separate times. He was so upset with the questioning of others that he cursed and swore he did not know Jesus. And then in a timely fashion the rooster crowed and He remembered what Jesus had said.
The first thing I want to point out is that Jesus ALWAYS knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our thoughts, our intentions, our motives. He knew that Peter was going to deny him, even when Peter himself had no idea he was capable to do so. God calls us His children and there are many reasons for this but one I can think of is children are extremely predictable.
If I tell my children not to touch the stove because it is hot, or don’t sneak the cookie dough because there are raw eggs, or don’t touch your tablets until quiet time, when I walk away, I can almost rely on the fact they are going to do what I said not to. They may not everytime, but they will at some point do the thing they are inclined to.
God knows our inclinations before we do. He knows the ways in which we are weak. Which is why He tells us that He is our strength. Philippians 4:13
Peter was capsized by doubt and fear in this moment of denial.
So I’ll ask again have we denied Jesus?
My Friend, I have. We have.
Maybe we have not denied who He is as Lord or as the Son of God but we have denied His truth at one point or another in our lives.
In the same moment we lose our job we immediately doubt our ability to pay the bills. We deny the promise that God shall supply all of our needs.
In the moment we get a bad health report for ourselves or a loved one we wonder how we can face treatment or how could we go on without this person in our lives. We deny the fact that God says I know the plans I have for you plans to give you a hope and a future.
We avoid conversations about Jesus at work for fear of insulting others or perhaps embarassment and by doing so we deny that He says we are the light and salt of the earth and to make disciples.
We run away from conversations with family members who challenge what we believe in order to not feel stressed and uncomfortable and we deny that he says to Revere Christ as Lord and always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15
We watch movies and shows filled with sexual immorality and violence and deny that he says abstain from every form of evil.
We very easily deny Christ when we fulfill our own sinful desires and give into the enemy of doubt and lies. We deny Christ when we shift our focus from truth and life to doubt and fear. We deny Jesus when we put our lives and health before His promises about our lives and health. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
Matthew 6:30
We go from walking with Him on water to denying Him when the heat is on. Fire and fear and turmoil overcome the truth of who we are in Christ.
This is why I need a savior, this is why we need a savior. Although we have denied His promises for us, he knows our tendencies and He forgives us. He tells us to pick up our mat and walk, He tells us to go and sin no more, He says be holy as He is holy, He says to fix our eyes on Him the author and perfector of our faith… He loves us and forgives us from all unrighteousness.
The next time you find yourself in a stressful heated moment, when there is pressure on who your Savior is and what he has done for you and is continually doing for you… When who you are in Christ is being questioned and tried….
Remember that we are no better than Peter, we have the same tendency to deny our Savior. We have the same tendency to live in fear and denial. But we also have the choice to recognize the situation as it happens or even before it happens. To notice that even when there is pressure to deny Jesus- when fear of our freedom, fear of our economy, fear of our health, fear of what others think attack us- in those fearful moments we need to recognize our tendancy to deny the promises that God has made and instead live confidently in who we are in Christ.
We need to rid ourselves of fiery doubt in our lives and recognize His truth, so we can walk on water with our Savior, before the rooster crows.
The Lord Bless you and Keep you,
Kara
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