of the hour, He told them that they would all be offended because of Him, that night. The effect of this should have been to solemnize their hearts. Peter, the impetuous, with his big heart full of zeal, resents at once the imputa- tion. He lacked reverence for His Mas- ter. He practically says: "You don't know ME—the others may fail you, but I never. His position is parallel with the one which he took when the Lord spoke of His coming death and Peter rebuked Him, Mark 8:32, and when he said "You shall never wash my f e e t ." John 13:8. Peter meant it, but Peter knew as little about his own heart as most disciples do. Jer. 17:9. Peter loved the Lord, and He could not brook the thought of being unfaithful to Him. Poor Peter; he has a hard lesson to learn, and the schooling is just before him. Peter was self-centered, and there-' i fore self-sufficent. The strong swimmer takes great risks and is often caught by, the swift undertow. Samson was surd, he was safe, and so was David— both Veil. The Lord had said to Peter in the\garden, "Wa t ch lest ye enter into temptation," vs. 41, but Peter was off-guard. He was quick to say ' ' Though I should die, I will not deny Thee.'' Over confidence has brought many a man to a bitter failure. Israel suffered defeat before the little city of Ai. Sam- son said I will go out as at all other times, but he did not, Judges 16:20. We are only safe when we have no confi- dence in the flesh, Phil. 3:3. Peter said " N e v e r ." Christ saiu, " Th is very n i g h t ." SELF CONTRADICTORY. " I do not know the ma n ." When the Lord was arrested, Peter, who had armed himself with a sword, struck a swift blow in His defence, but when the officers led the Lord away, Peter fled. FEAR. The brave Peter has lost his courage. He thought He would be will- ing to die, but his courage oozed out when the tide turned against him. Pear means terror. Is not this often the first step to the betrayal of the Lord?
FORSAKING. " T h ey all forsook Him and fled." Mark 14:50. What a contrast in the pictures. The pompous Peter on the run. We all know some- thing of this forsaking the Lord. We are long on profession. It is easy to sing " I Surrender All," but it is an- other thing to have all surrendered, or to say " T a ke my life and let it b e " and quite another to say " He re am I, send me.." The prayer meeting wit- nessing is easy enough, but testifying in the midst of opposition is quite dif- ferent. FOLLOWING AFAR OFF. Peter had not yet abandoned the Lord—he was only on the way. He was follow- ing, but he had no fellowship with His suffering, Phil. 3:10. He was a disciple but his heart was having a chill. He was out of touch—out of sympathy. There is so much of the far off follow- ing, and the Lord knows all about it— knows why we get out of step—why we shrink from walking with Him when He is in disrepute. FALSIFYING. He is getting towards the end. He sits without in the palace, and a maid says: " Th ou wast with Him." How quickly the lie springs to his lips. " I know not what thou say- e s t ." Peter is going at a f a st rate now. He goes out to the porch, and again he is charged with being a fol- lower of the Nazarene, and he quickly says " I know not the ma n ," and this with a false oath. The third test is met with cursing and swearing. Thus it is always. There is a downward tendency in sin. One sin leads to another, and usually to a worse one. There are many ways of denying the Lord. Loving of self; fear of the world; association with worldly companions; failure in testify- ing; but all grow out of the lack of real separation unto the Lord. FALLING. Peter's failure was in de- pending upon Peter, trusting to his own strength. He thought too highly of him- self. He loved his own life. He was occupied with self protection rather than shielding and savinc the Saviour. Peter really fell when he boasted of his fidelity. No man is stronger than the weakest place in his armor. Self con-
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