Most national sports leagues have a Hall of Fame where players with notable careers are inducted. There is even a Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fame.
However, most Christians have what is called a “Hall of Shame.” Inducted in the Christian’s Hall of Shame are those things you would rather not think about. Perhaps they are memories of who you were before Christ saved you.
The Apostle Paul had a Hall of Shame and the only time when he reached back and pulled out one of the tarnished trophies was to let people know that Jesus Christ had forgiven him for everything he was and did during those times. He wanted people to know that though his sin was great, God’s grace was greater still!
Today we are going to look at a portion of the life of Peter, one of the disciples or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will look at an event in his life that he would most surely include in his "hall of shame.” We are going to look at the time when he denied that he even knew Jesus. We are going to see that Peter had:
1.) An overconfident spirit
2.) An insecure love
3.) An unholy alliance
4.) An empty hope
5.) A restored fellowship
John chapter 18 tells us that the events which led to Peter’s denial of the Lord Jesus began in a garden:
John 18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.
John 18:2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples.
John 18:3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
It’s no coincidence that this encounter took place in a garden.
King David was betrayed in this same garden. In 2 Samuel 15:30-32, King David was betrayed by a friend (Ahithophel) while crossing the brook Kidron and going up to the Mount of Olives.
In John 18:1, Jesus crosses over this same brook with His disciples as He makes His way to the garden in the Mount of Olives. It was in this same area that Jesus was betrayed by a friend, Judas.
This olive garden was the ideal place for His disciples to make a quick get away. Now the Scriptures don’t say this but it does let us know that Jesus did not want His disciples to be captured or killed.
In verses 8 and 9 Jesus told the detachment of troops and officers, "… if you seek Me, let these go their way,” and then John’s commentary: “that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, ‘Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.’”
Jesus told the soldiers, “Let these go their way…” But nooooo, Peter was not submitting to his master’s desires. John 18:10 says, “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear.”
Why would he do this? The key to discovering the answering to this question can be found in John chapter 13:
John 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."
John 13:37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."
John 13:38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
Mark’s account of this conversation is even more graphic:
Mark 14:29 Peter said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be."
Mark 14:30 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."
Mark 14:31 But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all said likewise.
1.) An Overconfident Spirit
It was pride that motivated Peter to swing that sword. He remembered what he said to Jesus and he was going to prove to Jesus that he would NOT deny Him. Pride has been the downfall of many a person.
How many people have died because of a dare? Someone says to them, “I dare you...”
Some years ago the news reported a 23-year-old Akron, Ohio man choked to death after he tried to swallow a live 5-inch fish on a dare.
In NY a 14-year-old teen Eric Alvarez was riding home from school, his friends dared him to climb to the top of the train, a practice known as "subway surfing.” The teenager was killed when his head struck an overhead beam and he fell to the tracks.
Jesus does not “dare” Peter to put his money where his mouth is, but He just tells Peter the truth—that he is going to deny Jesus three times. Jesus says to Peter, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.”
Imagine you are having a conversation with someone about a car you want to purchase. You tell this person that you’re going to get a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. He says in response, “Man you can’t afford something like that. Mark my word; you are going to be driving around in a Hyundai.”
What happens? Pride kicks in and you're going to show your friend that he is wrong even if you have to beg, borrow or steal to get that 2007 Escalade.
After Jesus predicts Peter’s denial, Peter most certainly thinks to himself, “I’m going to show Him I’m no coward.” When the soldiers confront Jesus, Peter draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant.
What motivated him to do this? He was overconfident when he said, “I’m going to lay down my life for you Jesus.” And now it is his pride, not his love for the Lord that moves him to cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant.
His actions virtually put himself and the other disciples in danger of reprisal. The detachment came for only Jesus not the disciples. Now the disciples were in danger.
Jesus made a way of escape for Peter and the rest of the disciples and if Jesus hadn’t healed the servant’s ear (Luke 22:51), Peter and the other disciples would have been taken captive too.
It is interesting that the Scriptures says in, 1 Corinthians10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
Jesus knows that they would be coming after Him (Matthew 26:2) so He purposely arranges for the encounter to be the garden on the Mt. of Olives. He makes a “way of escape” for His disciples and Peter almost botches it up.
Whenever you or I find ourselves in the midst of a temptation God always gives us a way to escape. The problem is that oftentimes we do not go through that door or like Peter, we try to find our own way out.
Overconfidence or pride influences us to try to face the temptation straight up. But the Bible tells us to run from the things that tempt us.
1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
1 Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee sexual immorality.”
2 Timothy 2:22 says. “Flee youthful lusts…”
1 Corinthian 10:14 says, “…flee from idolatry.”
If truth be told, when temptation comes, many of us don’t want out!
This is one of the commonest of frustrations for a pastor. When a Christian comes to his or her pastor for counsel and a problem that is occurring in their life and the pastor gives godly counsel that is not heeded.
Jesus says to the soldiers in John 18:8, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,”
Jesus has everything under control. He is not in the garden with a sword pointed at His throat because it caught Him by surprise. He knew what was going to happen. He even arranged for the place where it was going to happen. But Peter grabs his sword and swings it.
There is one more thing we need to see here. All along, the devil is trying to detour Jesus away from the Cross and this isn’t the first time he has tried to use Peter.
Mat 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Mat 16:22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
Mat 16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Peter was one of Jesus’ closest friends and sometimes the devil will use someone who is close to you to get you off the path of righteousness.
John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
Do not miss that there are two disciples who followed Jesus. The Scripture doesn’t mention the other disciple’s name but most students of the Bible believe that the other disciple was John, son of Zebedee.
This “other disciple” was in a unique position to gain entry into the courtyard of the high priest—he was known by the high priest! Since he was known by the high priest his life was also in danger.
John 18:16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.
John 18:17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."
It couldn’t have been any easier for Peter to admit that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. John was known to be a disciple of Jesus and Peter was with him. It would have been nothing for Peter to say, “Yes, I’m one of Jesus’ disciples and I am with John.”
Peter’s overconfidence and pride kept him from trusting the Lord.
His pride began to cut away at his faith.
His weak faith in Jesus began to give way to fear.
Denying the Lord Jesus was a natural consequence of this fear.
Someone has said, “The conclusion of a dying faith is fear.”
Someone else has said that FEAR is: False Evidence Appearing Real.
False evidence appeared real to Peter because pride had replaced faith and faith gave way to fear. Fear led to his denial of Jesus.
But the Bible teaches in 1 John 4:18-19 that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”
Who wrote this? John did. John was the disciple that Jesus loved. The Gospel of John reports this four times (19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). What is this saying? It is letting us know that John was secure in the love of Christ! But Peter was not secure in the love of Christ.
2.) An Insecure Love
When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me Peter?” Peter could only answer, “I love you with brotherly love…” (John 21:15-19)
Peter was not secure in the love of Christ and when confronted about his relationship with Jesus, he denied His Savior.
Do you know why many of us do not witness? Do you want to know why many of us are afraid to share our faith? Like Peter, we are not secure in the love of Christ.
Some of us cannot say we love Jesus with an agape love, a selfless, self-sacrificing love. Some of you have some measure of doubt as to whether Jesus even loves you.
When it comes to witnessing, many of us have a hard time witnessing because we are afraid of rejection. It seems kind of silly when you think about it but you don’t even know the person on the corner but you care so much about being accepted by them.
Don’t you remember the words of the Psalmist, “If my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.”?
The Apostle John was secure in the love of Jesus. How do we know this?
He followed Jesus from the Mount of Olives all the way to Mount Calvary.
He was at the foot of the Cross when Jesus committed to him the responsibility of caring for His mother Mary. The other disciples were “who knows where…”
This is the way it is for many Christians today, you cannot find them when Jesus needs them. They are nowhere to be found. They are afraid for their lives. They are not secure in the love of God so they are ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now don’t get me wrong, Peter had courage. He was an experienced fisherman.
It takes courage to be on the water in the midst of turbulent waters and winds and rocking boats.
Peter showed courage when he took up the sword to fight for Jesus.
But when it came to a question asked of him by a little servant girl, where was his courage then?
Some of us have the courage to face a street gang at gun point but when it comes to saying something about Jesus, you fall apart at the seams. Could it be that you are not secure in the love of Jesus?
Do you love Jesus enough to say that if no one else follows Him you will?
Do you love Jesus enough to offer someone a piece of paper about forgiveness and freedom in Christ and not be upset if they do not take it or tear it up in front of you?
Can you honestly say “Lord Jesus, if not one person on this planet loves me, I know that you do.”? This is exactly what Paul says in Romans 8:
Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
Rom 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Rom 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Peter was insecure in the love of Jesus. But it gets even worse…He forges…
3.) An Unholy Alliance
John 18:18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
Where is Peter now? He is actually standing around with the enemies of the Savior and warming himself with them!
Peter’s denial of the Lord influences who he decides to associate with. He would much rather associate with those who reject the Lord than someone like John who wasn’t ashamed of the Lord.
Doesn’t Peter know Psalm One which says:
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Peter was now “in the congregation of the unrighteous.” The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."”
John 18:25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"
In order to get a feel of the level to which Peter has fallen you need to put all of the Gospel accounts of Peter’s denial together, there are at least five different statements that Peter makes in denying Christ (Mt. 26:69-70, 71-72, 73-74; Lk. 22:58, 59-60a; Jn. 18:26-27).
"I do not know what you are saying." (Matthew 26)
"Woman, I do not know Him." (Luke 22:57)
"Man, I am not!" (Luke 22:58)
But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" (Matthew 26)
Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" (Matthew 26)
Peter denied Jesus on three occasions but made at least five different statements of denial. Jesus said that he would deny Him three times, and he did.
So Peter is cold and standing with the enemies of Jesus in order to get warm.
John 18:26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"
John 18:27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.
If anything, he should have been with John, the other disciple, but he was warming his hands with the enemies of Jesus.
Peter is experiencing what I will call spiritual hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the temperature of the body begins to cool. Peter is cold and tries to warm himself. The fervency he once had for the Lord Jesus has cooled and he now seeks to warm himself with the enemies of Jesus.
Have you ever been there?
Perhaps you remember the days when you were “on fire” for the Lord Jesus. You lifted the Lord’s Name on high. You loved to sing His praises. You were so glad He was in your life. You were so glad He came to save you.
You read the Word of God regularly; studied the Word of God regularly. You came to church saying, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” You might have even been known as the person who “all they talk about is Jesus…”
It was only a couple of hours ago that Peter was in Jesus’ face telling Him that he would go to the death for him.
Remember the “666” verse of Scripture? It says in John 6:66, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” The next verse says, “Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"
In John 6:68 John writes, “But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
But now he was warming his hands with the enemies of Jesus. His hands were warm, but his heart was cold.
I have seen this happen to a lot of people. They start off hot and they end up cold. I talked to a brother not too long ago who started off hot—teaching and preaching and worshipping God but now is barely keeping a commitment to attend church each Sunday.
I see it in the lives of some of those whose name is on the church roll at New Vision. In fact, this past week I removed several names from the membership roster.
Now someone might be thinking, “If someone asked me if I knew Jesus, I know I would tell that person that I know Jesus!”
John has something to say about that too. 1 John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” When you deny Jesus by the way you live.
When you don’t speak up for Him when others dog Him you are denying Him.
When your neighbors see your car parked in front of your home Sunday morning or when your coworkers see you at work when they know you should be at church, you are denying the Lord.
When you don’t give your tithe you deny the Lord.
When you don’t use the gifts the Spirit of God has given you to serve the body and reach the lost, you deny Him.
Denying the Lord has a harmful effect on Peter. What happens is that Peter’s spiritual hypothermia, or the cooling of his faith in Jesus, begins to permanently impact his spiritual strength and stamina.
In Revelation 3:8 Jesus tells the Philadelphian church, “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
The believers in Philadelphia had “a little strength” and not denied the Name of the Lord Jesus. But Peter is all out of strength. In fact, when you scroll down to John 20:10, you will find the words: “Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.”
You see, an overconfident spirit, an insecure love and unholy alliance oftentimes led to an empty hope.
4.) An Empty Hope.
Peter and the other disciples just went home. Jesus had called them to “Follow Me.” For three years they have hung out with Jesus, ministered with Jesus. They saw the lame walk and the blind see. They saw the dead coming back alive by the power of God!
But now Peter and some of the other disciples are going back home. In John chapter 21 Peter calls some of the other disciples and says to them, "I am going fishing."
He doesn’t even have “a little strength.” He’s given up on Jesus. He’s given up on the disciples and the ministry. Peter says, “I’m going fishing…”
Mediocrity is contagious. The disciples say back to Peter, “We’re going with you…” The Bible says, “They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.”
Peter started out with Jesus; he denied Jesus and now has nothing.
Jesus says, “Without Me you can do nothing…” Peter fishes all night long and catches nothing.
I know Christians who have started out with everything: Good health, good marriage, lovely children, houses and cars but begin to deny Jesus and end up with nothing.
Living in a state of denial of Jesus is not the place you want to be. In fact, the Bible says:
Luke 12:8-9 "Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. "But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”
2 Tim 2:11-12 – “ This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”
5.) A Restored Fellowship
If you feel that you are guilty of denying the Lord there is still hope for you as there was for Peter.
When Peter and the other disciples hopelessly went fishing the Bible says they fished all night and caught nothing.
In John 21 John writes that “when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.”
The Bible also says that when this happened John said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.”
Jesus tells them to bring some of the fish they had caught and they had a meal. This was now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Here is where Peter’s fellowship with Jesus was restored. Verse 15 says, “when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
Verse 16: He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
Verse 17: He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
What a wonderful scene. The same Peter who began to curse and swear saying, “I do not know the man” was sitting with Him being given the responsibility to shepherd (care for) those who would become followers of Jesus!
