Read Matthew 26:69-27:14
Read Jeremiah 17:9 and consider the human heart, especially as you consider the fall of Peter.
How courageous was Peter when there was no danger? Matthew 26:30-34
Why is Peter following “at a distance?” Matthew 26:58. When do you want to keep your distance from your Savior? How is following at a distance different than running away from Jesus?
Peter was afraid of a servant girl – not a soldier or guard. What makes Peter so afraid?
Gerhard writes, “Since it was nighttime and was cool, the servants had made a fire of wood and charcoal, to which Peter drew close and warmed himself. Meanwhile, the inner fire of love for Christ began to extinguish itself.”
What possible reasons would Jesus have for telling Peter the prediction of the rooster crowing? What all does God use to call you to repentance?
How does this story show us how weak our human strength and free will are?
Consider each sin: distrust, cowardice, lying, denial, perjury, cursing, obstinacy. (Note from pastor: As I was considering Gerhard’s book, I looked up each of these words in a dictionary. There’s no shame in that. Google it up. It’s helpful).
The deeper we consider Peter’s sin and our sin, the more joy we have in Christ’s strength and rescue of us all.
What passages can you find or think of about the dangers of denying Christ? Matthew 11:6; Matthew 13:21; John 6:61; Matthew 10:33; 2 Timothy 2:12.
What did Peter fear most at this point? What do you fear most right now?
What detail does Luke 22:61 add to this story?
Gerhard writes, “The Lord in His great suffering thought to Himself: O, poor Peter, how he has fallen into such deep slime of sin. I have to bring him out of it again. Take note: God the Lord still must do this with us today if we are to come to repentance.”
What sort of words from our Lord ought we “remember?”
In this “remembering”, how is Peter different than Judas?
Read John 21:15-19 and consider more about Peter. Peter will, in fact, be a courageous follower and confessor of Christ. How much more courage will Peter have for the rest of his life after the Lord was kind and forgiving to him?
Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17. This is written, not by Peter, but by Paul. Rejoice in God’s patient love for us all. Two of the great pillars of His Church were so very weak and God was so very patient. Sing “Chief of sinners though I be.” Google it if you need to.
O Lord Jesus Christ, look upon me, a poor sinner, with Your eyes of mercy, the same eyes of mercy with which You looked upon Peter in the assembly-room, upon Mary Magdalene at the banquet, and upon the thief on the cross. Grant to me also, O You, almighty God, that with Peter I bemoan my sin from the heart, with Mary Magdalene sincerely love You, and with the thief on the cross may live eternally with You in Your kingdom. Amen.
Do you think Judas thought it would go this far (bound and led away to be crucified)? Consider it this way for a bit. First, that Judas thought Christ would free Himself whenever He wanted. Christ had freed Himself several times before. Judas knew Jesus could do whatever He wanted to do, and Judas would also make a handsome amount of money. When Judas saw this wasn’t going to happen, he despairs and kills himself.
Why are the chief priests’ response, “See to it yourself,” the worst pastoral or spiritual advice that could be given? Is that how our Lord responds to you when you confess your sin?
Judas and the chief priests were committing similar sins, yet one group is so hard hearted while the other man despairs so much he kills himself.
Gerhard writes about Peter vs. Judas,
“Peter’s example stands before us for our comfort. Judas’ examples stands before us for our warning. If the Devil wants to drag us into sin, we should remember the example of Judas; if out of weakness we have fallen into sin, we should behold the example of Peter. The example of Judas should protect us from over-confidence, the example of Peter from doubt. The example of Judas should hold back our sinful lusts and greed, so we don’t follow it. The example of Peter should console us so what we do not have anxiety and despair on account of our sin.”
Finally, one other quote from Gerhard, this one as he considers the dangers of both pride and despair,
“Judas went out in blind delusion and did not allow himself to be warned. However, as he later acquiesced under the weight of sin, the Devil made it appear to be so huge and heavy that Judas did not see the Sun of Divine Mercy and the payment of Christ. For that reason the ancients said that the Devil has, so to speak, twin mirrors which he holds before man.
The first mirror is the minimizing mirror. With it he makes the sin quite small and insignificant. He holds up this mirror when he wants to tempt a man into, and drive him into, sin.
The second mirror is the magnifying mirror. With it he makes the sin quite large and thick…so that later we despair over the sin.
We should equip ourselves against this, so that we remind ourselves before we fall into sin what a weighty and dangerous thing sin is. If however, we do fall into sin, we should remember that Christ’s merit and the mercy of God are much greater than the former – yes, much greater than all of the world’s sin combined.”