End And Beginning - Life Application Study Bible Devotional
End and Beginning
John 18:25-27, NLT
Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.” 26But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.
Setting the Scene
Fortunately, the story of Peter doesn’t end with his denials and tears. Soon he would rush to the empty tomb, see his risen Lord behind closed doors, and then converse with him on the beach, where Jesus would restore Peter to fellowship and ministry (John 21:15-19). And the book of Acts describes Peter, rather than running from trouble, courageously preaching, teaching, healing, and confronting the authorities.
Peter had to come to the end of himself before he could be an effective disciple. In fact, this event—Peter’s failure—became part of the process of Peter’s sanctification. From this humiliating experience of denying Christ, Peter grew in his faith and relationship with God and learned much that would help him when he became leader of the young church. The fact that this episode is reported in all four Gospels shows its importance to the early church, both as a warning of the dangers of yielding to persecution and as an example of Jesus’ power to forgive.
Getting Personal
When do you tend to rely on yourself instead of God? How might that change for you?
When have you experienced God transforming something bad into good?
At this point in his life, Peter had hit bottom. But we know the rest of the story, what he became from that point on. In what ways does Peter’s story give you hope?
Peter had tried to follow Christ on his own, in his own strength, and he discovered the truth about himself—that he was weak and a sinner. He needed to trust Christ completely and rely on him alone.
Peter’s experience also demonstrates that our failures are not final. God forgives and forgets, and God can transform us. Romans 8:28 reminds us that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT). When we confess our sins, he forgives and restores . . . and he uses even those negative experiences for our good and his glory.
Talking to God
God’s purposes cannot be thwarted. Thank him that even your failures and mistakes are being redeemed for his purposes and his glory. Thank him for working everything together for your good.
