Day 7 :: Pride Before a Fall
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all said the same thing.
Mark 14:30-31(27-31)
“It’ll never be me.”
Addictions. Theft. Affairs. Murder. Jealousy. Betrayal. Assault. Hatred. Fraud. Drunkenness. Idolatry…
“It’ll never be me.”
Or will it…?
After the Passover meal Jesus and his disciples headed out to the Mount of Olives. On the way, Jesus told his disciples frankly that they would all leave him.
He quotes Zechariah 13:7:
“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”
Zechariah prophesied that the good shepherd would be struck with the sword of the Lord’s judgement. It would result first in the flock, God’s people, being scattered in a time of trial, but would ultimately be for the purifying of the flock and they would return. (Zechariah 13:1-9)
Peter, with unfounded confidence, declared that even if everyone else did a runner, he would remain. To which Jesus famously lets him know that before the night is out, before the rooster crows twice, Peter would have denied Jesus three times.
“It’ll never be me!”
Peter’s stubbornness is, in some ways admirable. It’s good that he didn’t want to abandon Jesus. But he was foolish to think Jesus was wrong. He was foolish to not hear Jesus’ warning. He was foolish to think he couldn’t fall away and fail his Lord.
“It’ll never be me!”
How might you be tempted to think like that?
“So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12
Unless we accept the reality that every possible sin is in our heart, we will be blind when temptation comes. We might not expect it, but our deceptive hearts could succumb to any temptation at any given time. Pride comes before a fall.
The solution is to humbly trust Jesus. We’re all tainted by sin in every way possible, and like sheep go astray. But Jesus, the good shepherd, was struck with the sword of God’s wrath so we might be forgiven and receive his Spirit. With the Spirit in us we can face every temptation, knowing that what God has started he will finish, and he will lead us home.
Let’s have zero confidence in ourselves, but complete confidence in Jesus.
“To this I hold, my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing, "I am free"
Yet not I, but through Christ in me”
Passages to read: Mark 14:27-31, Matthew 26:31-35, Luke 22:31-34, John 13:36-38
A thought to remember: Jesus is the Good Shepherd who will gather his lost sheep.
A question to ask: Ask God to help you see where you are overconfident, and that he would give you a deeper trust in Jesus.
A song to sing: Yet Not I