In the name of + JESUS +
The meal in the Upper Room was over. They sang a post-communion hymn and then headed out for the Mount of Olives. Only 11 tagged along with Jesus. Judas had already slipped out into the darkness of the night. Would they all fall away? Would they all follow Judas out into the night?
Well, certainly at least one of them would not—NOT Peter! “Even if must die with You,” boasted the Lord’s own follower, “I will not deny You.” The other disciples joined the chorus. They all said the same. Have you ever said that to Jesus…”I’ll not deny you. Ever!”
You have maybe heard the once-popular song, “Lyin’ Eyes” (Eagles). Even though you may try and disguise your intent with a smile, the song writer tells us, it’s not enough to “hide your lyin’ eyes.” If our eyes give us away, along with all our lies, then how much more can our all-knowing, all-seeing Lord see right through us…into our hearts…to the truth of our conviction, our confidence in Him, our commitment to follow Him, no matter what?
The disciples were not really seeing Jesus nor letting the truth of His words sink into their ears…and hearts. They were blinded by their own, bent-inward delusions. They were lying to themselves as they were denying the Lord’s words. They were focused upon their own perceptions and plans. They had their minds on the things of this world rather than on the things of God.
And so it happened. One-by-one, they peeled off into the darkness, their cowardice on clear, unmistakeable display. Peter, too. Out-and-out denial of His Lord and Master. The last one standing…was Jesus. Only Jesus.
When they had arrived in Gethsemane, Jesus quoted the prophet Zechariah (13:7) to His followers, but adding a couple of words: “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (Mark 14:27). These words are a quote from the Lord God Himself: “Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, against the Man who stands next to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts. ‘Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’.”
Who, then, is “the Man” who stands next to God the Father? He’s the One against whom the Father bids the sword awaken! “I will strike the shepherd,” says the Father. “I will.” Did you get that? It is good, now, to stop everything and to let those very words settle deeply within your heart. God says, “I will strike the shepherd…awake, O sword…”
Now, listen to another Old Testament prophet, the prophet Isaiah. These are much-loved, familiar words to all of us: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed “ (53:4-5).
Do you see God striking…His only-begotten Son? For…you? Do you see the sword awakening to pierce even the innocent Lamb of God?
“Yet,” says Jesus to His own, “after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mark 14:28). Denying eyes turned away from sin and self…turned toward the cross of Jesus and His empty tomb. Eyes that needed to look past resurrection morning to the real task still at hand. This is the task that Jesus would entrust to His disciples before He ascended from their sight. They would have the job of teaching and baptizing, going to all nations to disciple them for Jesus (Matt. 28:19-20), empowered the Spirit Who would soon be poured out in abundance upon them.
And what about Peter with his “denying” eyes? Those eyes belonged to the only one with courage enough to get close to Jesus during His late-night kangaroo court of a trial. Those are the eyes of him who looked across the courtyard, the rooster’s crowing still echoing in the background. Those are the eyes held in the grip of Jesus’ gaze. His was the gaze of love and forgiveness, of comfort and healing and mercy.
And Peter’s once-denying-eyes flooded with tears. Those were the tears of shame and sorrow over sin, the tears of repentance and faith in His Lord. They were the tears of one sinner who repents and is welcomed into the arms of the heavenly Father.
Jesus welcomed Peter back. In fact, with his threefold denial of his Lord, Jesus offered a threefold word of forgiveness and sending (John 21:15-19).
Have you seen this look of Jesus as He has turned to look at you whenever you have denied Him, turned tail to run from Him, insisted in no uncertain terms that you “do not know Him”? Your eyes…denying, excusing, looking away, running away. His eyes…seeking, welcoming, forgiving. And all this so that, indeed, you may DENY.
Deny? Yes. Deny yourself. “If anyone would come after Me,” says Jesus, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul” (Mark 8:34-36)?
And this is in the happening! Right now! Through your Baptism, Jesus has given you a gift greater than the whole world. You’ve lost your life in this world for the sake of Christ Jesus and have now found your life in His and His Kingdom. Your feet have been set upon His path, the path that leads to resurrection and life forever in heaven. “Come, follow Me,” says Jesus. All eyes on Him! All feet heading in His direction! The Shepherd is leading! His sheep follow.
In the name of + JESUS +
Amen.
