March 8th, 2026 - Peter's Denial

Scripture Passage:  Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75

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Lent 3
Peter's Denial
Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75

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Betrayal and Denial

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Again an All-play
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me...

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A Word on Prophecy
“Awake, sword, against my shepherd,
    against the man who is close to me!”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“Strike the shepherd...

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Jesus was a prophet
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

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Much of prophecy is unpopular
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

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Long and short range fulfillment
56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

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Where and when is this happening?
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

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Reflex or Planned?
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

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Digging Deeper
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

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Evidence evokes emotion
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

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Busted and Broken
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

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Back to the Prophecy
  I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.
They will call on my name
    and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”

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Own your disowning
Let Him refine and restore