Monday, April 05, 2010

Peter Part III...

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

I will never forget that day. Jesus asked “Whom do men say that I am.” We talked about Elijah and the prophets. Then he said “What about you?” Jesus was good at that. He didn’t want us to focus on what others thought; He wanted us to focus on what we thought. What we do with Jesus is a decision we all need to make for ourselves. I answered that He was the Christ.

Life is full of high points and low points. I still wonder at how I could have gone from such a high point to having Jesus say to me “Get thee behind me Satan.” If only I had understood what was going to transpire in the next few days—or more importantly—why. Thanks be to God that I understand now and that Jesus was patient with me until I did!

Remember earlier when I talked about Jonah? Well, at one point Jesus said to the Pharisees “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” As we approached Jerusalem, we still didn’t understand all that that Passover week would hold.

The week started with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. We as his disciples got excited at that. When he cast the money changers from the temple, it only added fuel to our fire! We enjoyed Passover together until Jesus started talk about leaving us again. He said things like “Where I go, you cannot come…But I will come again.” I told him I would go with him to death. He told me I would deny him three times.

It’s sad that I was so brash at super, because in the Garden—in my Master’s greatest hour of need—He repeatedly found me wiping sleep from my eyes. The events in that Garden passed in a blur. Judas’s betrayal, Jesus arrested, me cutting of Malchus’s ear, Jesus healing him.

I remember following behind Jesus with John to the court yard of the temple. What happened there I will never forget. Three questions—three answers—the tender eyes of my Master. Those things are stuck in my mind like they happened yesterday.

Then saith the damsel that kept the door Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? I am not.”
“Art not thou also one of his disciples? I am not.”
“Did not I see thee in the garden with him? No!”

After Jesus looked at me, I went out and wept bitterly. While He was beaten, I hid. While he died I wept and wept some more. All my hope was gone!

But Sunday was coming!...

To Be Continued…