John 18

Read John 18

Peter stared into the remains of the charcoal fire breathing at his feet.  The rooster’s crow had fallen on his ears like the clap of a gavel.

-Lord, why can’t I follow you now?  I will lay down my life for you-

Across the fire, his questioner spoke again, but Peter didn’t answer, didn’t stir.  After a moment, the man strode away, a shadow passing into shadow.

-I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times-

Peter swallowed, his gaze swinging to the courtyard door wherein Jesus his rabbi, Jesus his Lord, Jesus the Son of the Living God stood trial.

And here Peter stood, shivering outside.

-I will lay down my life for you-

The rooster crowed again, and someone slipped out the courtyard door.  Whispers that Jesus was going to Pilate.

Peter shuddered and folded his arms against his chest.  In his mind, the weight of his denials hung like a millstone around his neck, dragging him beneath the waves.

This moment marked the lowest point of Peter’s life.  For three years he had followed Jesus as one of the hand-picked Twelve, and in a single night, he had disowned both his discipleship and his rabbi, the man who Peter himself had confessed was “‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matt. 16:21).

If ever grace seemed impossible for Peter, this was the moment.  And it is a moment to which all people can relate.  Small missteps here, a white lie there—these Jesus can forgive.  For these his grace is sufficient.

But this…

Even this, says Jesus.  In that moment of the rooster’s crow, Peter had not stepped outside Jesus’ capacity to forgive.  In that moment of the rooster’s crow, Jesus still loved Peter.  The lonely road of ridicule, torture, and death that Jesus walked, he walked for Peter.

And for us—no matter how great our sin.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 9:7).

Written by Ben DeVries, a New Life member and a senior at Illiana Christian High School.