One Year Bible for Friday, February 11th - Peter Denies Jesus Three Times!

Click Here to Listen to the Audio Readings for Today

Read Exodus 32:1-33:21

1. It is amazing how quickly the Israelites have forgotten the greatness and power with which God delivered them from the Egyptians. Impatiently, they wonder where Moses is, and ask Aaron to build a golden calf they can worship.  Aaron, instead of standing up as a leader, caves under the demands. 

Sadly they say,

"Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” 32:4

2. When God sees what is happening, he orders Moses to go quickly back down the mountain, as He is about to destroy the Israelites who participated in this wickedness.  Moses reminds God about the promises he made to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He pleads with God to change His mind. And God does. What an amazing thing! Moses' prayers led to a change of God's mind, as he reminded God of his promises.

3. God then orders the Israelites, led by the Levites, who obeyed God's instructions, to go toward the Promised Land. Along the way, God meets with Moses personally in a tent.  I love this verse because we get the first glimmer of God's desire and willingness to have a personal relationship with us,

"Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." 33:11

Read Matthew 26:69-27:14

1. Though Peter was audacicous and bold at times, today he fulfills the Lord's prediction that he would betray Jesus three times. When the rooster crowed, he was reminded of Jesus' prediction that he would deny him three times. Realizing his sins, he wept. Though it might be easy to look down upon Peter, we all in our own way deny Jesus when the chips are down. 

2. Next, we see Judas, who also denied Jesus, but in a more devious way. Judas also fulfilled Jesus' words that he would betray him. When Judas saw the consequences of his sin, as the priests and elders prepared to take Jesus to Pilate, he was filled with remorse and admitted he had betrayed innocent blood. He not only gave back the thirty pieces of silver, but went out and hung himself.

As I read this story of Judas today I wonder if though he betrayed Jesus, his repentance saved him. I hope so, though we will only know in heaven. 

Another sidelight is that the priests and leaders used the 30 pieces of silver to buy a potter's field which was used to bury foreigners. It was called the, "Field of Blood". Importantly this was prophesied by the Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Matthew again shows the events around Jesus' death fulfilling this prophecy. How else would Jeremiah have known this to happen 600 years before Christ if it was not true?

3. Finally, as the leading priests and elders ask Jesus if he thinks he is, "The king of Jews",  Just like yesterday when they asked if he was the Messiah Jesus replies, "You have said so!" After further questioning, Jesus remains silent as if to say, "You have already said what is true about me so I don't need to make any more comments!" Jesus is in charge not them!

"What Now" Study Questions:

Peter goes from drawing his sword to denying His Lord! Consider instances when you went down the same slippery slide and give thanks to God for His forgiveness?

Read Psalm 33:1-11

Proverbs 8:33-36


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why are you persecuting me!"  Paul thought he was serving the Lord, but he was persecuting him b
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in
Read more