Main Point and Overview:
While Jesus faced The Cross with tremendous courage, his disciples were not prepared for this moment of truth. In fact, their claims of allegiance suddenly fell apart when faced with pressure. The posterchild for this “crumbling under the pressure” is seen in the behaviors of Simon Peter and Pilate as Jesus endured arrest, trial, and crucifixion. A once proud claim was quickly abandoned when fear gripped Peter’s heart. He would fail in his faith in this moment, yet God wasn’t done with him. The scenes that lead up to The Cross remind us of what both courage and cowardice look like. Jesus was committed to “drink the cup of wrath” from his Father; Peter was contented in “denying that he even knew Jesus” as his accusers questioned him; Pilate was pressured into going against his intuition and advice from his wife. Pressure is coming, if it hasn’t already come in your life. How you handle the pressure speaks deeply to your spiritual maturity! In fact, it speaks to your readiness to be used by God for the mission. Jesus had warned his disciples that “in this world they would have tribulation.” He encouraged them that “he had overcome the world,” and they could find true peace in him. It's really important that we are listening to the voice of God through his Word. If Peter would have been truly listening to Jesus, and not simply hearing him, he would have not been surprised when the time came for Jesus to die on The Cross. Instead, he overreacted in “fight” as he attacked a man, and then he underreacted in “flight” when he distanced himself from the Messiah. Pressure is coming…how are you going to respond to the pressure! Thankfully, God is not done with us when we fail him. He has lessons for us, which he later used in Peter’s life (John 21:15-23). What’s your lesson, and how are you going to be prepared the next time the pressure comes?
While Jesus faced The Cross with tremendous courage, his disciples were not prepared for this moment of truth. In fact, their claims of allegiance suddenly fell apart when faced with pressure. The posterchild for this “crumbling under the pressure” is seen in the behaviors of Simon Peter and Pilate as Jesus endured arrest, trial, and crucifixion. A once proud claim was quickly abandoned when fear gripped Peter’s heart. He would fail in his faith in this moment, yet God wasn’t done with him. The scenes that lead up to The Cross remind us of what both courage and cowardice look like. Jesus was committed to “drink the cup of wrath” from his Father; Peter was contented in “denying that he even knew Jesus” as his accusers questioned him; Pilate was pressured into going against his intuition and advice from his wife. Pressure is coming, if it hasn’t already come in your life. How you handle the pressure speaks deeply to your spiritual maturity! In fact, it speaks to your readiness to be used by God for the mission. Jesus had warned his disciples that “in this world they would have tribulation.” He encouraged them that “he had overcome the world,” and they could find true peace in him. It's really important that we are listening to the voice of God through his Word. If Peter would have been truly listening to Jesus, and not simply hearing him, he would have not been surprised when the time came for Jesus to die on The Cross. Instead, he overreacted in “fight” as he attacked a man, and then he underreacted in “flight” when he distanced himself from the Messiah. Pressure is coming…how are you going to respond to the pressure! Thankfully, God is not done with us when we fail him. He has lessons for us, which he later used in Peter’s life (John 21:15-23). What’s your lesson, and how are you going to be prepared the next time the pressure comes?
Posted in Devotional