Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl approached him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.” But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!” And again he denied it with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You really are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.” Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:69-75
Have you ever had someone mistreat you at church? More than likely, they didn’t intend it as you took it. Now think about Jesus. Every one of his disciples scattered, except John. The thousands he fed, the hundreds perhaps who followed him regionally, the 12 disciples. Only John remained at the cross. 8% of Jesus’ closest friends remained true to him and didn’t stab him in the back. And look at Judas, again, 1/12 (8.33%) of Jesus’ best and brightest followers who lived with him day-in and day-out for over three-years not only abandoned Jesus but did his best to take him down. Even Peter, he denied Jesus 3 times. We should not be surprised when someone blows-up and lashes out against the church, in fact we should expect it at least 8% of the time. We should not act as though we expect everyone to remain true and never “backslide,” 90%+ of Jesus’ followers did, and he’s perfect. It’s human nature. We all have this in us. When you find yourself drifting, falling away, stop! Take a lesson from Peter. Go out and weep bitterly and then come back. Without Peter’s repentance there would have been no Pentecost sermon. It’s not what you’ve done that defines you, it’s what you will do next that matters most!
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