Why do the Gospel writers highlight Peter’s denial, likely the worst day of his life?

One reason: to show how faithful Jesus is to his followers, even when they let him down.

Peter has just failed Jesus utterly, but Jesus is about to prove him himself utterly faithful.

This is what Jesus does. He saves people who need saving.

We see that by seeing what happens next after the denial. Jesus will be crucified and he’s going to die. But then he will rise from the dead. And when Jesus makes his first appearance to some women, here’s what he says: “Go tell … Peter” (Mark 16:7).

Peter denied Jesus, but Jesus won’t deny him. Jesus actually appears on Easter morning to him!

And then Jesus will appear to Peter at the Sea of Galilee by a fire and he will restore him (John 21), and he’ll build him up. That’s who Jesus is. He saves. He redeems. He heals, he restores. He gives meaning. He gives purpose.

Peter’s life shows it.

After Jesus restores Peter, he preaches on Pentecost and 3,000 people come to faith in one sermon. Later, he heals a man. And people start to follow him around to know more about Jesus.

Later, Peter will be arrested and be dragged into court. They’ll tell Peter to stop talking about Jesus, but he won’t. This man who denied Jesus will become the bold proclaimer of Jesus because of what Jesus did in his life.

Peter also will write two letters in the New Testament, First and Second Peter. And if you want the best advice in all of scripture about how to survive in a hostile environment, go, go read those letters, because they come from Peter’s experience.

None of this, though, is about how great Peter is. This is about how great Jesus

And what does that mean for you?

It means you can go to Jesus. Maybe you feel like you’re Peter, that you’ve been walking with Jesus, that you should know better and you’ve still managed to deny him in some way. What should you do? You should go to Jesus.

You should go to him because Jesus can and does save sinners like you and like me.

Adapted from Pastor Jon’s sermon, “Peter Denies Jesus.”