John 18:12-27

Jesus prays late in Gethsemane Judas brings the arrest party Jesus literally stuns them with a few

words Peter foolishly attacks a Temple guard Jesus heals Malchus’s ear Jesus submits humbly to his arrest The other disciples flee

 49Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! 50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

 36Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"       Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."  37Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."  38Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Belief in Jesus is not an irrational leap in the dark but it does involve faith.

But what do you stand to lose? Your moral independence Your freedom to do as you please

He is cold and tired He is afraid for his

life He hangs around in a

dangerous place with dangerous people

His faith in Jesus is still weak

He is self-confident

By not speaking of him to those who don’t know him to each other

By failing to live for him By being too busy to obey his

promptings By failing to identify ourselves with him By expecting too little of him By substituting religion for relationship

We are afraid of people rather than God We love the pleasures and comforts of sin We don’t know Jesus well enough to

represent him We trust in our own strength We don’t expect God to work through us Because we have denied him before

The cock crows Jesus looks at Peter (Luke 22:61) Peter goes out and weeps bitterly Jesus graciously restores Peter (John 21) Peter goes on to become a bold

messenger of Jesus and is the means of many hearing and believing the gospel

Will you let Jesus change you from one who often denies him to an effective witness