Wednesday of Lent 2- March 11, 2020 – – John 18: 15-27
[1]Peter gave it scarce a thought
When he God rejected;
At Christ’s look, he fled, distraught,
Weeping and dejected.
Jesus fix Thy gaze on me,
True repentance teach me,
When Thou evil there doth see,
Through my conscience reach me. [2]
When Peter would eventually deny the Savior, he thought he was only finding a limb on which to climb. It was for him a way of “saving face.” “I wasn’t really denying my Lord,” he could argue, “It was merely a case of “mistaken identity.” Peter said to the crowd, “You’re talking to the wrong man!”
What happens in our life? Do we give a “false witness” when we, for example, compromise clear Biblical principles in order to fit in at work, or at school? What price will we pay to acquire acceptance or approval? Every time we sin willfully, we are doing nothing short of what Peter did on that fateful night. Like Peter we often “give it scarce a thought” when we compromise principle for convenience or for what is expedient at the time.
Each of us can recall those moments in our lives in which we are not proud! Peter’s’ denial crushed him – but what he found was restoration by the Savior!
Peter’s freedom came at a price – the price of Jesus’ life. To be crushed by conscience and the Law is never a pleasant thing. But Christ’s redemption leads to recovery – to be reconciled to the Father and also to each other – all has been made possible by the Savior’s amazing grace!
O God, You so loved the world that you gave Your only begotten Son to reconcile earth with heaven; Grant that we, loving You above all things, may love our friends in You, and our enemies for Your sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen [3]
1 Image: Peter’s Denial, Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS for personal and congregational use,
2 Chorale From Bach’s St. John Passion
3 Collect for Wednesday of Lent 2, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm
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