Mark 14-16

October 26

Mark 14-16

Peter was a man’s man. He worked the water for a living. His hands would have been tough and calloused. He had good intentions, but he often spoke before he thought which got him into trouble more than once. As Jesus prepares His disciples for His crucifixion and resurrection, Peter’s mind prepares him to stand his ground and to defend Jesus. When Jesus said that all the disciples would fall away, Peter was the first to proclaim his allegiance to Jesus and that He would never fall away. Jesus calmly informed Peter that before the night was over, he would deny Jesus three times.

Even Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends fell short. He wanted to defend Jesus. He wanted to fight to the death, but as Jesus told him when he could not even stay awake to pray with Jesus during his final hours; "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”" (Mark 14:38, NIV)

How often our spirits are willing but our bodies are weak? We want to do what is right, but we fall short. We say we will stand strong for Jesus no matter what the world may throw our way, but temptations and struggles knock us down. Like Peter, we have good intentions, but our follow through falls short.

Peter in fact did deny Jesus three times before the cock crowd. He failed his Lord. Peter wept and realized his own weakness in the face of trouble. But after the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter. Peter was the first to speak after the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on Pentecost. He became the man he wanted to be when God filled him with the Holy Spirit and power. We also can achieve the goals God has for us if we will pray and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and empower us for Kingdom work.