What Will You Do With Jesus? Deny Him?
John 18:12-27
Introduction
We have traveled through John’s Gospel now … starting with the encouragement to ‘come and see’ Jesus … then noticing so many reasons we love Him … and now what will we do with Him?
Albert Benjamin Simpson was a Presbyterian minister in New York City in early 1890s, where he led many immigrants to Christ. The church where he preached refused to accept the immigrants, so he began the New York Gospel Tabernacle.. It was during this time when he wrote several hymns, one of which was called “What Will You Do With Jesus?” In 1972 Alton Howard composed a new tune, arranged by Peggy West, that is now the one predominately used in hymnals associated with Churches of Christ. It’s a haunting stanza: “What will you do with Jesus?’”
Our last message was in John 13, when Jesus was washing the feet of the disciples. We have now arrived in John 18, after an amazing few chapters of teaching in the upper room, Jesus and the disciples enter the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas will betray him. Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (Jn 18:11)
Jesus is bound and begins a series of illegal trials through the night, each escalating in violence and accusation. First, he is taken to Annas, where he is questioned about his disciples and his teaching (18:19). Jesus told them to ‘Ask those who heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” - which provoked an officer nearby to strike Jesus with his hand. “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” (18:23) Jesus is then taken to Caiaphas… and then to Pilate.
Meanwhile, we turn our attention to Peter. John 18:17,18,25–27
John 18:12-27
17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”
18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
25 …So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”
27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
1. What Led Peter to Deny Jesus?
He was shaken by Jesus’ prediction that he would deny him
John 13:37-38 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
He was concerned about coming persecution
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
He was confused by Jesus’ talk about leaving
John 16:16-17 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”
He was angered by the betrayal by Judas
John 18:1-3 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
He felt defeated; his actions to protect Jesus brought a rebuke
John 18:10-11 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
When we are shaken, concerned, confused, angered, or feeling defeated, we should focus on putting on the Christian Armor! We are about to be under spiritual attack!
2. How Can We Deny Jesus Today?
With Our Words - Peter denied Jesus with outright lies. Given the right circumstances and people involved, we could be tempted to deny that we are followers of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”
With Our Silence
When we see injustice, when we could defend the weak, when we could speak up for Jesus and do not. Proverbs 31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
With Our Actions /Inactions
When we live lives that are filled with immorality, that turns people away from Christ. When no one can tell that we belong to Jesus, we mute the message of the Gospel.
1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
With Our Refusal
Acts 26:28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
2 Timothy 2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.
3. How Do We Strengthen Ourselves?
Be a Part. Being a part of the Church Family. Commitment, accountability, encouragement - Jesus didn’t have one disciple, he had 12.
Be Attentive. Build up your spiritual life. Preparing ahead of time for the struggles of faithfulness is essential. Prayer, Scripture Reading, serving and loving others.
Be Persistent. If you have a set back, don’t give up. Even Peter had to be restored … we all need restoration, prayer, support. Just think of everything we’re giving up if we turn away from Christ!
Conclusion
I know Peter didn’t decide ahead of time to deny Jesus, it was a painful experience for him.
In John 21 Jesus would meet Peter at another fire … this time to restore him back into faithful service, after his resurrection.
Any one of us can fail to live up to our commitment to love Christ on a difficult day. Our life circumstances can chip away at our resolve, our faith, and we must always be on guard so as not to fall into the traps of the Enemy. Do everything you can to keep your heart open to Jesus and never turn Him away.
“What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be; Some day your heart will be asking, ‘What will He do with me?’”
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Video of this message will be available on the YouTube channel for Forsythe Church of Christ.
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Discussion Questions For John 18:12-27
1. Why did Jesus go to a place where Judas knew he might be found
(vv. 1-3)? What does this tell you about Jesus’ perspective of
these events?
2. What motivated Peter to draw his sword (10) and why was Jesus
unhappy with this action? (11)
3. If you had been in Peter’s place, what reasons might you have
given for denying that you were a disciple of Jesus?
4. What do you think went through Peter’s mind the moment that the
rooster crowed three times? (See Matthew 26:74,75) What goes
through your mind the moment you realize you have let the Lord
down in your life?
5. What can we learn from Peter’s failure about being prepared to
stand against the world’s challenges? What are some places /
times when you might be challenged to be known as a Christian?
6. In John 18:14 a reference is made to something Caiaphas said
earlier. That was in John 11:49-51, after what amazing event?
How is Caiaphas’ remark prophetic?
7. In this text, Jesus is being brought into initial stages of illegal trials
that will culminate in his death. As he faces the high priest, Jesus
has courage, power, obedience to the Father. Which aspect of
Jesus’ character impresses you most?
8. Name Something you can do this week to…
a. Be a Part …
b. Be Attentive …
c. Be Persistent…
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Resources
Connelly, Douglas. John: The Way to True Life. InterVarsity Press, 2002.
LeMaster-Smith, Jonathan. Article: Tough Path to Follow. https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/tough-path-to-follow-john-18/
Walker, Wayne S. Hymn Studies Blog, What Will You Do With Jesus https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2020/10/01/what-will-you-do-with-jesus/
Wright, T. (2004). John for Everyone, Part 2: Chapters 11-21 (p. 108). Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
Wright, N. T. For Everyone Bible Study Guides: John. InterVarsity Press, 2009.
Commentary
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/peters-denial-2/commentary-on-john-1812-27
Devotional: The Burden of Shame, Max Lucado
https://jameslau88.com/2020/05/21/the-burden-of-shame-by-max-lucado/
