Peter stood with them and warmed himself”(John 18:18)
When the going gets tough the tough take off running? At least that’s what Peter did after Jesus was arrested and taken away. A few hours earlier, Peter boasted that he would never deny the Lord. Too bad, he hadn’t considered the warning that those who think they stand need to take heed lest they fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). Peter denied the Lord. In fact, he vowed cursing and swearing that he didn’t know Jesus. How becoming, a cussing preacher! It was the coldest day in his life and interesting that the same night Jesus was sweating blood, Peter was shivering at the enemy’s fire. Christ was hot enough to sweat; Peter was so cold and backslidden that he shivered like a shaggy dog left out in the rain. The text says, “…the servants and officers…made a fire of coals, for it was cold…and Peter stood with them and warmed himself”.
Notice he stood “with them”. He hoped to “fit in” rather than stand out. It is the square peg’s attempt to fit in a round hole that doesn't work. Be care who you choose to stand with.Next notice, he “warmed himself”. Believers are supposed to find their warmth in fellowship, prayer, worship, evangelism and so on but the carnal casual Christian forsakes worship and tries to warm his soul with earthly fires,like cars, cash, casinos and cocktails, etc. Obviou
sly the mixture doesn’t jive. Peter had been warned, “Deny yourself or you will deny me” (paraphrase Luke 9:23), but it didn’t soak in. He slept when he should have wept. While Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, Peter napped. Then when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter grabbed a sword and lopped off the high priest’s servant’s ear. You can't win a spiritual battle by using fleshly weapons (2 Corinthians 10:3,4) especially if you have been asleep.The next downward step was that “Peter followed afar off” (Luke 22:54). The distance is widening. Then came the denials; then came the coldness...............Though a chill filled the air, the love of Jesus remained as hot as ever. Peter may have denied Jesus but Jesus would never deny Peter. First, he anointed a messenger with a prophetic word. Oh, not your typical preacher. He used a rooster. “While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed…So Peter went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60,62). Jesus told the over-confident Peter that before the rooster crows he will have denied Christ three times. Now I’m not an expert on rooster language but I think “cocka-doodle-do” can be translated as, “Chicken!” or "Yes you do too" Peter chickened out and his heart broke in repentance. While Judas’ bowels gushed out in suicide (Acts 1:18), Peter’s heart gushed in sorrow. After the resurrection Jesus made it a point to instruct Mary, “Go tell the disciples and Peter” that He is risen from the dead (Mark 16:7).That was to let him know that Jesus had not given up on him. He still believes in you and calls you by your “new name”, the surname of your new identity, “Peter”, which means, “a rock”. Peter acted like a reed but Jesus called him a rock. What a marvelous example of How God pursues the backslidden cold Christian.He doesn't give up.His goodness and mercy will chase you down...They are in hot pursuit for the duration. Peter's restoration was clinched in a post-resurrection rendezvous, we don’t know where and we don’t know what all was said, but the Bible records, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon [Peter]!” (Luke 24:34) I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to hear that exchange.Jesus prayed for Peter and stayed by him and a few short weeks later Peter became the blazing mouthpiece of Pentecost preaching the birthday sermon of the church. He changed from fear-filled to fire-filled. Peter who was sifted and lifted became gifted. Have you grown cold?What earthly fires are you using to warm your soul? Money,drugs,power?Warm up to Jesus and turn a cold shoulder to the world otherwise you'll find yourself freezing like Simon Peter did.
Nuff Said,
