Affirmation and denial
Day 404, Friday, Sept. 19
John Chapter 17 – 18:27
It’s a dark night.
It is after the Last Supper, and the disciples go with Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane—except for Judas, who comes separately but with soldiers and officials who are there to arrest Jesus.
Then two interrogations happen.
Jesus is questioned first by the soldiers and officials, then by the high priest.
The answers Jesus gives are honest, courageous and measured.
The closest he comes to arguing his own case is to ask what it was he said that justified his arrest. “If I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”
Interspersed with those questions, though, we read of Simon Peter getting an informal interrogation of his own by members of the crowd. He does not do nearly so well with his answers.
To go back to one of my favorite questions to ask about stories from the Bible, we could easily ask why Biblical writers and compilers felt it important to preserve the story of Simon Peter’s humiliating denials. While we can’t ever know for sure what their reasoning was, the account of his denial does accomplish three important things:

1. It helps to affirm the accuracy and honesty of scripture. The Bible time and time again seems to go out of the way to show the weakness and failings of even its greatest heroes. Simon Peter is considered by many Christians to have been the rock upon which the whole church is built, and yet the Bible does not shrink from portraying him as less than perfect.
2. It shows the breadth of God’s forgiveness.
3. It reassures us that we will be forgiven our failings—even big ones—if we repent and return to faithfulness.

Friday meditation

Job 36:1-12
Elihu continued: “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God’s behalf. I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
“God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights. He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, he tells them what they have done—that they have sinned arrogantly. He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

Prayer focus
Lord, forgive us for the times we have denied you by what we said or left unsaid.

-Rev. Mark Fleming