Thursday, 2/12/2015

“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” ~ Sophocles

LEVITICUS 14

The laws concerning cleanliness and infectious diseases are presented and every possible scenario..

MATTHEW 26:55-75

55In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

They take Jesus back to the Sanhedrin and begin to question him.  Witnesses file in making claims all to which Jesus remains silent.  Finally....

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”64“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^e65Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66What do you think?”“He is worthy of death,” they answered.

Meanwhile, Peter is out in the courtyard and he is approached by a servant who inquires if he is one of the disciples.  Peter outright denies the claim.  He is accused 2 more times to which he finally loses  it

74Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”Immediately a rooster crowed. 75Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. 

JOURNAL

I can only imagine Peter's despair.  In a few hours his entire world has been ripped apart and to make maters worse he has denied even knowing Christ.  He has to be completely disillusioned...what now? He must be vacillating between intense shame and outright terror. Peter's life is shattered.

It is easy for me to sit on this side of the story and think how foolish Peter was...he is best friends with the Son of God and the first sign of trouble, he lies and bails.  Yet as I really am honest with myself, I cannot imagine what Peter is experiencing.  To have God removed and ripped from your life is something none of us have ever had to endure.

So when I think about this in my own life...since Christ is never forcibly removed, then my failures and my betrayals are a result of me ignoring him.  It's me not trusting and distancing myself.  It goes back to faith and acceptance of his love.  If I fully accept his love then why would I ever deny or turn away from him?

This again is the war of the flesh and the spirit...it is the battle that will rage until my death.  Sin has been conquered, I have been made righteous but when I sin it is because I refuse to fully believe, trust and follow.  My desire for immediate gratification (sin) becomes greater than my desire to give, love and obey.

8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces^d ? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? (Galatians 4:8-9)