What Jesus Did! 'An Oath of Betrayal' — Mark 14:70-72

Saturday, November 23, 2024

But Peter denied [being with Jesus] again.

A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, "You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean."

Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm lying — I don't know this man you're talking about!" And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.

Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he broke down and wept.

— Mark 14:70-72 NLT

Key Thought

Peter swore that he didn't know Jesus. Then he heard the rooster crow, and he realized the bitter truth. Not once... not twice... but three times he denied his Lord. The third time he even cursed and used an oath to deny Jesus. How could he have done it? How could he have slipped so far? A short time earlier he had drawn a sword and been willing to take on the armed group that had come to arrest Jesus (John 18:10). Where had his courage, his conviction, and his commitment gone? We must realize that none of us is strong enough to guarantee we won't fail or abandon our Lord at times. However, the test we face involves two parts: The first part is the temptation to sin. If we yield to that temptation and sin, the second is to have the courage to recognize it as sin, to be convicted to the core of our hearts of that sin, and to change our hearts and behavior to return to our deeply held allegiance to the Lord.

Today's Prayer

O Father, give me courage. I want to demonstrate my allegiance to you, your Son, and your Kingdom no matter what my outward circumstances and temptations may bring. But, dear Father, if I fail and sin, please help me to have the courage to recognize it, to be emotionally convicted by it, and to be spiritually committed to come home and show that it was an exception to a life lived for you. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Luke 22:31-32
  • John 21:15-19
  • Mark 14:38

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Illustration

Illustration of Mark 14:70-72 NLT — "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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