This past week in the Lenten devotional I’m reading along with a group of others from my church family, we camped out in Matthew Chapter 26 for a good portion of time. As of this writing we’ve all read about Peter denying Jesus three times on the night of His arrest. It won’t become known to us later after Jesus’ death and resurrection, how important Peter will become in advancing the kingdom of God on earth. Much will be written about Peter. Yet, in his evening of denial, he gets a bad rap from believers who don’t know “the rest of the story”.

Questions we ask ourselves is “how could he deny knowing Jesus”? “Didn’t Peter know that Jesus was the messiah? After all, he’d been in ministry with Him all that time!” “How could Peter deny a best friend and teacher?” These and perhaps many more are legitimate questions and I fear that we can find ourselves in their very answers.

I know there are times in my own life that I’ve not represented Jesus very well. How many times do I sit through a movie and not walk out when His name is thrown around like a beach ball. Have I always defended my faith well in the midst of conversations about Christian teachings that leave many confused, myself included. 

The Bible has many confusing or contradictions when perceived with our human mind. For example, I’m currently reading the Bible in chronological order and just finished the book of Judges. There’s a lot of brutality and carnage that took place in the history of the Israelite nation. I honestly don’t comprehend the “why” behind all the warring, but God allowed it. He even commanded it. And with Him it’s always with purpose. To reconcile my confusion I tell myself “well, He created. He has ultimate authority. He gets to call the shots”.

But, back to Peter. I think we are all more like Peter than we care to admit. When faced with unknowns or fear, it’s human nature to self protect. By Peter “staying at a distance”, actually sitting outside the courtyard where the high priest is questioning Jesus, he is close enough to hear all that is taking place. Combined with loyalty and fear, Peter remains as close as his emotions will allow. In the course of the night’s events, Peter “ physically remained” near the trial, yet fear became a driving motive to be “emotionally removed”  from Jesus. 

Peter offers me great hope. I hope he does for you as well. The more I learn about Peter the more I can relate. As a fisherman by trade he would have been strong. He was a servant, evidenced by his willingness to lay down his livelihood and follow Jesus as a disciple. He was married. He was passionate and bold which is shown through later preaching times to crowds coming to hear the “good news”.

I’m glad Peter didn’t end up his ministry in the wrappings of denial when things got hard for him and for Jesus. I’m encouraged that even though he chose a path of temporary cowardness, God used him later to shed light on telling fellow Jews about the resurrected Messiah. 

Peter may be seen by us as a coward. Let us not miss his humanity. Let us not downplay his role in launching a “new” way…The Way as the early church was called. Him being credited as “on this rock (Peter) I (Jesus) will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”. You see, even before Peter would deny knowing Jesus, he is set apart as someone who will have a key role in creating Jesus’ church–not man’s–God’s!

What can we take away from Peter? Even with his character flaws and failings, God set him apart BEFORE the night’s events of arrest and trial of Jesus. God allowed Peter to be himself, to walk through the coming days and then take his rightful place of confidence and authority to preach the “good news” to all who would listen. And listen they did! The Book of Acts records his first sermon to a crowd and we read about thousands being added daily to the list of all who came to believe in Christ’s death and resurrection.

If God can use an ordinary fisherman turned disciple and preacher, He can use you. The challenge is this, will you follow? Will you share the “good news”, too?