A Tale of Four Men - March 19 Readings: Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:25-27

Today's Readings

Context

Today's readings record (with some varying details and perspectives) the denial of Peter. It is another example of the differing perspectives and presentations of the gospels of the same story. John divided the story into two sections, part of which were in yesterday's readings.

Devotional - A Tale of Four Men 

For the last couple of days we have been reading the story of the arrest and trial of Jesus. Matthew 26:47-75 records the story of the night before Jesus' death. This was the turning point of history and the moment that all of God's work in this world had pointed to since the foundation of the world. As always, God used men to accomplish this work. In this story, four men - each one had a part in the outworking of God's plan. One did God's will. Three sinned against God.  

1. One man betrayed the plan of God. (47-50)

Well, he tried to at least! Judas was disappointed in Jesus as he started talking about laying down his life and dying. Judas was in it to get rich, to reach the top. He did not sign up to deny himself, take up his cross and follow Jesus on this mission of self-sacrifice. There was no way he was going to follow Jesus on the way of the Cross! So, he cut his losses, sold Jesus for a few bucks and led the arresting party to find him. 

But one thing must be noted here. Judas betrayed Jesus, but his actions only furthered the cause. Jesus was meant to die and Judas' sin took him down the road to Calvary. Though he was culpable for his actions both in history and in eternity, God used even this man's evil to accomplish his purposes. 

2. One man tried to fight in the flesh. (51-54)

Peter was a Galilean fisherman and he had no business wielding a sword, but he did. He tried in his own power to do the heroic thing, to rescue Jesus. I wonder if Jesus smiled sadly, shaking his head? The disciples of Jesus usually make a mess of things when we try to serve him in our own power. He told Peter to put away the sword and let God's plan unfold. 

We cannot accomplish the work of God with our fleshly means. Paul told the Corinthians that their weapons were not worldly, but were spiritual and powerful. When Peter tried to fight the fight with the weapons of the flesh he failed miserably. But Jesus, in his grace, cleaned up Peter's mess and continued on the path to fulfilling God's eternal plan. 

3. One man obeyed God and submitted to his plan.  (57-68)

Of course, we know that he was more than a man; he was the Son of God, God incarnate, the promised Messiah of Israel. But Jesus yielded himself to the Father's plan and accepted what God brought his way. He did not defend himself or declare the injustice of it all. He took the cruelty and lies of sinful men to accomplish the work of God. 

4. One man cowered in fear. (69-75)

Of course, the second man and the fourth are the same man. Having blown it once, he now followed Jesus, perhaps hoping that there was some way he could undo the damage he had done earlier. Just a few hours earlier he had proclaimed his willingness to die with Jesus, but now he cowered in fear. If he claimed to be a follower of Christ his life might end as Jesus' was about to. So, instead of standing for Christ he trembled before man (and woman). It was a sad moment. We often criticize Peter as the coward of the bunch, but as best we can tell he was the only one who even had the courage to get this far. But his courage failed and he shrunk back in fear. 

But we must remember the end of that story. At the shore of the Sea of Galiliee, Jesus came to him and restored him. The coward became a courageous man of God. Failure is never final in the Kingdom of God. 

Four men. Four reactions to the plan and purpose of God. One betrayed Jesus and sought his own glory and good. Another tried to do the work of God in the power of the flesh - and caused only greater pain. Another (well, the same guy, just later) cowered because he feared what people could do to him. One served the purposes of God and he was the one who changed the world. 

Do not live your life for self - that is a betrayal of the Kingdom of God. Do not try to accomplish God's work in the flesh - that is futile. Do not be afraid of men and what they can do - fear God, not man. Let us be like our Savior, giving our lives over to the purposes of God - no matter what.

Lord, I give my life to your purposes. No selfish purpose, no fleshly strategies, no fear of man. By your help, I pray that commitment will be a reality.

Think and Pray

It is likely that you have dabbled in each of these at times, but which marks your life most commonly?

• Do you cower in fear of others opinions, of the future, of the world, of the circumstances of life?
• Do you try to fight the fight of faith in the power of the flesh? 
• Have you betrayed the plan of God by seeking the things of the world? 
• Or are you following Jesus on the way of the cross?