Luke 22:54-69 (NIV)
54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. 63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him. Jesus Before Pilate and Herod 66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”
If you are like me, you may make the mistake from time to time and think that Jesus is just a better version of you. We think that if we work harder, pray more, feel guiltier, etc, that we can finally be the person God wants us to be. Faced with the reality of our nature, we fail miserably, and just like Peter, become overwhelmed with shame and embarrassed by guilt. The truth is that Jesus knew about every sin we were ever going to commit (even the ones we’re going to commit tomorrow) but chose to forgive us anyway. He knows the agony we feel about our failures but is committed to our complete redemption. He understands our weakness and knows that we are but dust. (Psalm 103:14) You see, Jesus is not just a better version of you. He knows everything about you, yet he willingly took the journey through that dreadful night of suffering and ultimate sacrifice to pay for your sins. He took it all to the cross so you can now rest in his finished work. Stop running! You no longer have to weep or be ashamed. Now isn’t that Good News? Praise His Name Forever!
