Matthew 26:58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
Matthew 26:69-75 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
When was it that Peter failed? It’s not when He was with Jesus, following Him closely. It was when he separated himself away from Jesus. It was when he followed at a distance. That’s when he made the decision to warm himself at the fires of Jesus’ accusers. Then all it took was a couple of servant girls pointing their fingers and wagging their tongues to push him to deny Jesus with oaths and curses.
In Genesis 13, Lot separated off from Abraham and parked his tent toward Sodom. As you probably know, once he separated off from the family and focused on the temptation, it was only a matter of a few concessions before he was an elder at the gates of Sodom.
Later, in Genesis 26, Isaac and his gang were in the middle of a famine and God told him not to go to Egypt, so what does he do? He hangs out in Gerar … at the border of Egypt. Isn’t that just like us? I see this all the time with my kids and it never ceases to amaze me. I can tell one not to hang out near the stove because it’s very hot and what does he want to do? Hang out by the stove. I don’t know where they get it (though I have my suspicions). My friends, be careful what fire you are warming yourself by. Nobody falls into sin … they walk there, compromise by compromise.
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