A few years ago I sat on a bus during a company trip next to one of the other employees, and we discussed a lot of insignificant matters. We then talked about the business, and the things that could be done, the way it was headed, and what we thought the future was going to look like. It ended up being a great conversation, and I truly enjoyed the discussion. It was after we got off the bus that one of my coworkers asked me how I ended up sitting next to one of the owners and presidents of the company. My heart stopped. I had no idea that’s who I was sitting next to and talking with during the trip. I guess I knew he was important given his dress and the way he carried himself, but I immediately began to replay the conversation in my head to make sure that I didn’t say something really, really stupid.

Have you ever had one of those moments? If not, let me tell you—it makes you remember to guard your tongue at all times! I read about another person who had an even more incredible experience, and one that changed his life forever. In fact, it changed him so much; he is now a historically famous person. His name is Peter.

Peter was a disciple of Jesus. He was a very passionate person, and jumped at the opportunity to prove as much. When the mob came to arrest Jesus, it was Peter who jumped up to defend Jesus with the sword. He learned, however, that his reaction was not the way that Jesus operates. But that wasn’t the main lesson. The lesson was when he realized something much, much greater.

It wasn’t that Peter hadn’t seen Jesus do some incredible things. He had seen him perform miracle after miracle. He had heard the sermons and even the thoughts of Jesus first-hand. Peter knew Jesus. I believe that he just didn’t fully realize who Jesus truly was. Until Jesus told him that he would deny Jesus three times in one night.

I believe Peter was hurt. Just before Jesus told him that, he proclaimed his loyalty to Jesus. In Luke 22:33, Peter told Him, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” In his mind, I believe Peter truly thought that. He would stand by his friend. And though he calls Him “Lord” here, I don’t know that he truly grasps that concept.

The story continues that Jesus is arrested and Peter follows Jesus where the religious leaders and soldiers took Him. He is recognized three times, and each time he is questioned or accused of being a follower of Christ. Each time, Peter denied it. It’s what happened the third time that really got my attention. I’ve always heard and read that the rooster crowed right after Peter denied Jesus the third time. Today, though, I saw something different.

Luke 22:61 says this, “At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind…” What I read here was that the absolute moment that Peter denied Christ, and the rooster crowed, “…the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” Jesus knew, and He turned to see Peter. Interestingly though, it doesn’t say “Jesus turned.” It says “the Lord turned.” I believe it makes that distinction not because Luke decided to change proper nouns, but because it was that moment that Peter realized who he had been walking with, talking to, and living life beside. He realized that Jesus is the Messiah, the Lord. I can imagine the feeling that hit him deep in the gut, that beyond sinking feeling, that incredible grief that must have accompanied such a realization. It was the moment that knowing the head-knowledge of Christ became the heart-knowledge of the Savior. It was realizing that he had failed the true King.

Have you ever had that moment? Have you had the time that you suddenly realize that Jesus is not just “Jesus.” He’s not just a guy in an old book. He’s not just a prophet of old. He’s not just anything. He’s God. He’s the Savior, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. He is our all. If you haven’t ever come to that realization, maybe this was for you today. Make this your time. Make this “That Moment.”

Prayer

“Jesus, my Lord and my God, I realize that You are not just someone I read about, and not just a character in a book, but THE GOD. I pray that you would help me to see that daily, and to live in a way that speaks that truth. God, I want that moment. I want the moment when I realize just who You are, and where You should be in my life. I want you first. I want You to be in Your rightful place. I don’t ever want a time that You turn to look at me, and see that I have failed. I know that I will, but I thank You Jesus that You forgive me! I love you, Lord, and I thank You for Your words. I ask all these things in only Your name, Jesus, Amen.”

Category: Stand Up
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I can’t tell you how many times I have looked at a situation and refused to accept the reality or the gravity of the situation. I have just refused to look at it for what it was. To me, it was refusal. I refused to accept it. In reality, it was living in denial.

I looked up “denial” on dictionary.com. One of the definitions it uses is this, “refusal to recognize or acknowledge; a disowning or disavowal.” I thought, well, that about sums it up. Then I read the example. “the traitor’s denial of his country; Peter’s denial of Christ.” Wow, did I just read that right? Here I am putting together my blog for this morning and the example hit it right on the head. After all, in John 18 we see Peter’s three denials of who Christ is. How much more could I have needed to write this? Should I just stop there? No, there was something else that the Lord wanted to show me this morning.

It would be easy to focus just on Peter’s denial and about how that story goes. But, there’s more. There’s our denial. My denial. And then there’s another part of the story that I want to look at.

Right now you could probably be thinking, Wait a minute, I’ve never refused Christ. I have never denied knowing Him. That’s awesome if that is true. But, what I am pointing to this morning is denying Christ in areas of our life. For some, denial may be in the area of relationships. We trust Christ for all things but not in that. “Jesus, I know you are King of All Things, but, uh, I will control who I date, who I marry, who I befriend. You handle all that other stuff.” Sometimes, we even refuse to ask God if we should be pursuing a relationship at all. That would be the first step.

Some of us refuse to let Jesus have control over our finances. Put a big red check next to my name on that one. I have always struggled with this one. When I see the needs in our budget, I usually refuse to let God take control of meeting my needs. It’s a form of distrust. I would rather take the wheel here. Here’s the stupid part. It never works.  My plans are not His plans. His ways are not my ways. So, it never works out. I never do it the right way. There are times I think I did it right, but it comes back to bite me. Why not just ask God to direct me? I do! But it is like giving God the control, and then taking it right back every time. It doesn’t make sense, but it’s what I do.

Where is your denial? What area do you prefer to take the wheel?

So, that should wrap it up, right? NO. That’s not where the Spirit left me this morning. There is one more BIG POINT that was made in John 18.

The religious leaders had Jesus in custody. They had taken Him, and now were at the door of the Roman governor, Pilate. In verse 28-29, there’s something in here I’ve never seen before.

 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. ²⁹ So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”

Did you see that? No? Okay, here’s what I saw. They were determined to have Jesus killed. They were speaking falsely about Him, they were determined to execute an innocent Man. They had evil in their hearts. But, in verse 28, it says they would not go into Pilate’s house because he was a Gentile, and to go in his house would “defile” them, and they would not be able to celebrate the upcoming Passover celebration.

They were harboring all this sin in their hearts, but they were so caught up in the religious ceremony part of their life that they couldn’t see that. Are you with me? See, a lot of the time, we view church that way. We live how we want to Monday to Saturday, but come Sunday, we make sure we do our religious duty, the ceremonial Sunday service. God isn’t making tick sheet of all the times we go to church. He is taking notes on our heart, our love, our expressions of His son, Jesus. We can’t get so caught up in the ceremony that we don’t at some point take an inventory of our heart.

Peter’s denial is so obvious that we cringe when we read it. What if God were to read our denial? What if He read mine? “You did not deny me to man, but in this area, you denied Me.” I don’t want that. God, help me in that.

Refusal to accept something is denial. Refusing to realize where we are keeping God out is denial. Realizing that we have the opportunity to change it all? That’s what it is about. See, Jesus forgave Peter. If we are truly repentant, we are forgiven. Start over today. Give Him the control of that area. Make this the day that the only thing you deny is yourself. That’s the denial He is looking for.

Category: Stand Up
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