Lenten Vesper Homily – Mark 14:66-72 – You are a Galilean

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Lenten Vesper Homily – Mark 14:66-72 – You are a Galilean
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
March 26, 2009

Listen to this sermon.

Mark 14:66-72 66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, "You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth." 68 But he denied it, saying, "I do not know or understand what you are talking about." And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. 69 And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." 70 But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean." 71 But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, "I do not know this man you are talking about." 72 At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.

Tonight we have come for our second Lenten Vesper. We are still following Jesus as he makes his way to the cross. We have been privileged to be with Jesus in Bethany when his body was anointed. We joined with Jesus and his disciples around a Passover table. We prayed with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and watched as Jesus was arrested. Then we accompanied Jesus into the palace of the High Priest for trial. And tonight we will go back outside into the courtyard where Peter is waiting. But first please pray with me.

Father in Heaven, we are accompanying your son on his final journey on earth. Help us to understand what is happening and what this means in our lives as disciples of your son. We pray this in the name of the one we are following. Amen.

Inside the Palace of the High Priest a trial is going on. The most powerful people in Judah are interrogating Jesus to find out who he is. Outside in the courtyard a similar interrogation is occurring, but the questioner is not powerful at all. This questioner is the most powerless person imaginable, a slave girl.

This slave girl really wants to know about Jesus. She has heard about his miracles, his healings, his exorcisms, and of course his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. She has heard the rumors that Jesus may be the messiah they had been waiting for, for so long. Maybe she had seen Jesus and his followers as they went about Jerusalem. And she thought that she recognized one of his followers who was warming himself by the fire in the courtyard of the High Priest.

Since she really, wanted to know about Jesus she went up to this man and asked him if he was one of those with Jesus. Peter responded with an emphatic “no”, said he knew nothing about Jesus, and walked away.

The slave girl really, really wanted to know about Jesus and she saw some friends near the Galilean. So she went over to talk with the friends said loud enough for Peter to hear that he must be one of Jesus’ followers. But Peter denied that he was part of the group.

Some of her friends decided to try one more time to get this man to talk about Jesus. But Peter told them that he did not know who Jesus was, and then wept bitterly.

Why did Peter tell these lies and then start to cry?

Certainly Peter lied. He had followed Jesus since his early Galilean ministry and had personally observed the miracles. Peter was not only a member of the group following Jesus; he was part of the elite 12 and in fact was the leader of that group. And Peter had developed a personal relationship with Jesus by spending time with him and talking with him. These are all good things to do. So why did he lie about them and start to cry?

I believe that Peter had finally come face to face with his own sin and found that he was powerless to do anything about it. And so in despair he fell down weeping. You see, Peter had done everything right, but was missing one thing. He knew about Jesus, he was part of a group following Jesus, and he had developed a personal relationship with Jesus, but he was missing one thing: grace that leads to forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with God, and new life in Christ. Remember that Peter was on this side of the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice for us had not yet occurred. So all that was left for Peter was despair.

I constantly tell you that it is necessary that you learn all you can about Jesus through listening to sermons, attending Bible studies, and reading your Bible every day. And I tell you that it is important that you join the church, attend small group Bible studies, and get into accountability groups. And of course you must develop a personal relationship with Jesus through prayer and worship. All of these things are good. But they are not enough. You must also, on this side of the cross, experience the grace of Jesus Christ that leads to the forgiveness of sin, your reconciliation with God, and your new life. This is the good news of Lent that we are on a journey the Jesus to the cross where in his sacrifice we experience the grace of God. Amen.