Peter: Cowardly and Afraid

This is an uncomfortable story for many reasons because we wonder how Peter, who is so brave and heroic just earlier in the evening, telling Jesus that he is even willing to die for him, how Peter could so quickly turn around and allow fear to cause him to deny even knowing Jesus. This story is uncomfortable because many of us have experienced those times when we’re been real quiet about being a follower of Jesus because we didn’t really want the people we were with know we are Christians. There are a lot of reasons, sometimes it’s fear, sometimes we’re uncomfortable because of what we might be doing or where we might be, or perhaps it’s because of who we are with.

It’s easy to be brave about following Jesus when we know there will be no push back, it’s a little more challenging if we think we might get some push back about being Christian. Personally, my most uncomfortable times are when people are criticizing Christians for being close-minded, bigoted, angry, and even hate-filled because no matter what I say, I know I will be unlikely to change their minds. It’s takes time to show them that I work hard at trying to shape my life around Jesus’ command to love God with everything I am and have and to love everyone deeply.

We want to be strong and brave, to be heroes, at least most guys do, that’s why so many people love the Avenger movies, Batman and other superhero movies. I want to make a difference wherever God puts me and make our community a better healthier place to live. This is why our kids love the Bible stories of David and Goliath, of Daniel in the lion’s den, or of Daniel’s three friends thrown into the fiery furnace because they’re going to be faithful to God no matter what. But the reality is that, like Peter, we often allow fear to keep us from standing for Jesus all the time and everywhere.

Peter’s not even challenged hard about his relationship with Jesus. A servant girl comes up to him and says, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” There’s no threat here, no challenge, just a statement of fact. A second servant girl mentions to others around a fire that Peter was with Jesus and both times Peter denies it. A little later some others mentioned that Peter must be one of the followers of Jesus because of his accent, and in fear Peter denies this a third time. You know the story; a rooster crows and Peter remembers that Jesus had said that’s exactly what he would do. These are people with little influence and still Peter reacts out of fear.   

Fear is still one of the ways Satan keeps us from being a powerful life changing presence in our communities. Fear keeps us from dreaming for Jesus, keeps us focusing on what we don’t have instead of remembering that everything in this universe belongs to God. I’ve been asked, “What does a healthy vibrant church look like?” Over the years I’ve come to see that a healthy vibrant church is one that dreams big dreams for Jesus, has a vision for being a strong life changing presence in the community because Jesus loves them. A church with people who dream of Jesus doing powerful things in the world are dangerous to Satan so he tries to take away the dreams and visions by getting us to focus on reality and keep things safe. Satan uses fear to keep God’s kingdom from growing; fear of change, fear of failure, fear of the world around us, fear of the unknown.

Fear leads to doubting Jesus when he says that we will do even more than he did in John 14, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” The entire time Jesus was here in earth, Jesus is inviting people to repent and believe because the kingdom of heaven is near, and then shows how through his teaching, life and miracles. As part of doing even greater things, Jesus tells his followers that their mission in life is to go and make disciples, a mission shaped by love for God and our neighbours. When we live in Jesus’ love for our community, people react to us with surprise and they wonder why, especially in a time when so many people no longer have a relationship with Jesus.

This is why Peter, the very Peter who was afraid and denied Jesus, later tells followers of Jesus in the area we now call Turkey, “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” Peter points us to Jesus and he’s honest when he says that there will be times when we’ll suffer for what is right, for standing up as followers of Jesus, for sharing our faith and making inviting others to follow Jesus a normal part of our life. But Peter reminds us to keep on worshiping Jesus as our Lord, keep trusting Jesus and to make sure we’re able to tell people why we are followers of Jesus, why we willing face suffering, ridicule, and still focus on blessing our community.

We keep trusting Jesus because we know how much he loves us. We’re sinners. We don’t keep Jesus’ command to love God with everything we have and are and we don’t love our neighbours as ourselves. We don’t measure up to who God has created us to be. Because God is perfect and just, he can’t accept us the way we are, but he loves us too much to let us go, so Jesus comes to take our sin to the cross and the grave to make us right with God. Jesus is able to do this because he is completely God and completely human. But Jesus comes to bring healing and hope to the world, to establish the church to be his presence, to bring renewal in our lives and communities that point us to the kingdom of heaven. Our lives reflect the character of Jesus, the love and compassion of Jesus, the power of Jesus to stand against the brokenness and wrong in the world and still live out of love.

Jesus’ love is perfect and his love is what gives us the courage we need to stand up as his disciples no matter what’s going on around us. John reminds us, ^“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” When you love someone, if they’re in a dangerous situation, you don’t even think about getting hurt yourself, you jump in to help. I remember coming across a car accident and how the father, in spite of the flames, was wrestling with the car door to get his son out of the back seat where he was trapped. The father never even considered standing back because of the danger of the flames, he rushed to save his son because of his love for him, there was no fear because of his love.

Trusting in Jesus’ love and choosing love as our approach to others drives out the fear that Satan wants us to focus on and nurture in our hearts. Jesus’ love gives courage and energy to create a better world where everyone knows Jesus and understands Jesus can change their life if they accept him as their Lord. Satan has always underestimated the power of Jesus’ love and how it can change the world. Churches need work at creating ways to bless our communities and it will involve change, creating new opportunities, and imagining new ways of being in our communities. Dreams need to be encouraged and shared, visions need to be cast of making a deep difference in our communities, conversations need to happen, and opportunities will raise their heads for followers of Jesus to make a difference because of their commitment to Jesus and who Jesus is calling us to be.

Jesus always provides exciting ways of moving forward, but it comes with a need for a deep commitment to making more disciples, to doing the hard work needed surrounded and supported by much prayer. When fear and anxiety creep in, Peter encourages you to “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”