Sunday, July 7, 2024

Peter's Repentance (Matt. 26:75b)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/7/2024 7:36 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  Peter’s Repentance”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matthew 26:75b

 

            Message of the verse:  “And he went out and wept bitterly.”

 

            I have mentioned that I began looking at the 26th chapter of Matthew on April 6, 2024 and I hope to finish looking at this chapter today July 7, 2024 so that is a day over three months looking at this one chapter, but this chapter has a lot of things in it as we have seen.

 

            When a person sins like Peter did and is a true born-again believer then that is really not that true person as we see in Peter’s denial of Christ.  However in his repentance the first stage of which was deep remorse we once again to see the true Peter as he becomes broken because of his sin, and Peter finally realized the sin that he had committed, and so he turns from it in revulsion.  Like Judas, he fled into the night, however unlike Judas, he returned to the Lord in faith.  His faith had slipped and weakened, but it was genuine faith unlike Judas’ faith, and so Jesus Himself had prayed that it would not fail as seen in Luke 22:32 “but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’”

 

            MacArthur writes “When the magnitude of what he had done finally dawned on Judas, he experienced great regret and a kind of remorse.  He probably wished he could live the last three years, and especially the last few hours, of his life over again.  But he had no change of heart.  He had never repented of his sins and received Jesus as Lord and Savior, and therefore, contrary to Peter, Judas had no faith to weaken.  Jesus could not hold Judas because Judas never belonged to Him.”

 

            Peter was overwhelmed by his Savior’s love and grace and by his own sin and unfaithfulness, so Peter went out and wept bitterly.  Where he went is not told and how long he was there we are not told.  It is possible he returned to the Garden of Gethsemane where he was suppose to pray but instead slept.  Wherever it was it became a private place of confessing sin and seeking forgiveness.

 

            MacArthur writes “Peter’s tragic experience in the garden teaches a profound lesson about self-trust and unpreparedness and about God’s forgiveness and restoration of a sinning saint.  Although the awareness probably did not come to the disciple until his anguish subsided, he had learned never to distrust Jesus’ word again.  In finally dawned on him that what the Lord said would happen would happen.”

 

            Now just became the Lord forgave Peter does not mean that he did not go through a dreadful time, and it certainly would have been better if he had listened to the Lord and relied on Him rather than on himself.  Forgiveness is needed when a believer sins, but the results of the sin are still there.  For instance if a believers decides to get drunk and the result of that ends up with a broken arm, the Lord will forgive him but the arm is still broken.

            MacArthur goes on “It was not until Peter saw the Lord’s face and remembered the Lord’s words that he came to his senses, acknowledged his sin and helplessness and repented.  His sin did not make him repent.  Many people are very much conscious of sin in their lives, readily admitting its reality and its consequences.  But until it is surrendered to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing, the mere acknowledgement of it will only drive a person deeper into despair and hopelessness and even deeper into sin.  Forgiveness and restoration come only from turning from sin to God.  That is why true preaching and teaching of the gospel is not simply calling people to turn from their sin.  It is lifting up the Lord Jesus Christ so that, in His righteousness and grace, sinful men not only will discover the heinousness of their sin but also the only pope for its removal.

 

            “The Lord made good His promise that Peter’s faith would not fail.  After appearing to the disciples several times after His resurrection, Jesus three times questioned Peter about his love for Him, Just as Peter had three times denied that love.  And just as he had thrice denied his love for Christ, Peter then thrice affirmed it (John 21:15-17).

 

            “Many years later, near the end of his life, Peter no doubt still remembered vividly that experience in the courtyard.  The tragic event was probably in his mind as he admonished fellow believers: Beloved, knowing  this beforehand, be on your guard lest…you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 3:17-18).”

 

7/7/2024 8:09 AM

 

 

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