Luke 22:54 - 62

 Luke 22 54 - 62

Peter transitioned from one who is ready to single-handedly take on the whole contingent of soldiers and guards to the one who would deny the Lord. And he makes this transition in a matter of a few hours. The transition from radical bravery in the face of a mob to being intimidated by a servant girl speaks volumes to us. How is this possible? We all know this happens, we see it and the historical record. We have it happen in our own lives. But why does it happen? How is such schizophrenia of loyalty possible?

As we attempt to answer that we find a clue in Peter’s emotions. There was no more miserable man and all of Palestine that night than Peter. He wanted to be brave and loyal and to fight for his Lord, but he also wanted to be safe. He wanted to be near Jesus, and he wanted to be far from Jesus. He wanted to be Jesus's right hand man in the coming Kingdom and he wanted to be a simple observer watching an interesting trial. There is no one more miserable than the person torn between two ultimate and mutually exclusive desires. That is perhaps the reason of how Peter could perform such a radical transition, at his core his heart was divided by his own wants.

The lesson for us from Peter is that as long as we are captains of our own heart and soul we will always be tormented by conflicting desires and wants. Our hearts are in and of themselves wicked, selfish, and divided. There is no wholeness in our own heart. That wholeness is only possible when we deny ourselves, die to self, and follow Christ. Jesus’ call for us to come and die is the only protection from the misery like that which Peter had that night in the courtyard.

Consider those there that night. The high priest and their delegation were playing a high-stakes political game. They were no doubt in some anxiety that if things went wrong and the people rioted the Romans reacted. They were in high anxiety.  There would have been conflict among their servants about this teacher and His treatment. Their accusations and the denial from Peter did not bring them peace.  The servants would have viewed Peter with suspicion wondering if he might not start something in the courtyard.  Every person there that night was to some degree in a state of inner conflict and anxiety with only one exception.  It was the only person who had given Himself over completely to the will of the Father that was at peace.

“Lord, grant me the peace of complete surrender to You. AMEN”