Thursday, April 11, 2013

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Thursday, April 11, 2013    Peter Denied Knowing Me 

Page 291      Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:56-62;

John 18:17, 25-27

Full of love and loyalty, Peter makes his way to the place of Jesus’ interrogation. When questioned, Jesus tells the truth. When questioned, Peter lies. Immediately, Peter understands Jesus’ teaching: I am the vine, you are the branch. Apart from me you can do nothing. Peter embodied the weakness of sinful flesh that cannot be overcome until Jesus sends The Helper, The Advocate, The Holy Spirit.

Today in Jerusalem, at the site of the home of the High Priest, there is a statue depicting Peter sitting around a fire as he denied he knew Jesus. His loss of integrity, his act of betrayal is memorialized for all time. Also today, in Rome, there is Saint Peter's Basilica. It has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world. Tradition holds that this is the burial site of its namesake, Saint Peter.

Peter’s journey from coward to saint affirms the power of God’s promise “that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Near the statue of Peter, there is also a pit, hewed deep into solid rock. Jesus was imprisoned in this pit overnight, before being taken before Pilate. When I visited Jerusalem, I stood in this pit and read Psalm 88 to our group. That vision is a continuing reminder to me that Jesus paid a very dear price in order to open heaven’s gate for a sinner such as me. The vision of Peter’s statue reminds me that the possibilities of new life in Christ, won by Jesus descending to the depths of the Pit, are endless.

You have put me in the depths of the Pit,

in the regions dark and deep.

Your wrath lies heavy upon me,

and you overwhelm me with all your waves.

Psalm 88: 6-7

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

The second edition of my book, First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGQL5JC

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

(Seed Sowers Christian Book Publishing House. http://www.seedsowers.com/)

Friday, April 12, 2013        The High Council & Judas

Page 291-292         Matthew 27:1-10; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66-71