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READ: Mark 14:66-72
LISTEN: Mark 14

But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway. Mark 14:68

While Jesus faces his accusers, Peter faces his own trial out in the courtyard. A servant girl recognizes him as one who has been with Jesus, but Peter denies it. Moving farther away, he’s confronted again and denies Jesus more forcefully. When his accent gives him away a third time, Peter swears he doesn’t know Jesus. Then, the rooster crows, fulfilling Jesus’s prediction, and Peter breaks down in bitter tears. His failure is a stark contrast to Jesus’s faithful testimony. Yet Peter’s story doesn’t end with this devastating failure. Later, Jesus specifically mentions Peter when telling the disciples where to meet him after the resurrection. Peter is fully restored and goes on to lead the early church boldly as seen throughout the book of Acts.

We should see ourselves in Peter’s story. Too often, we also choose self-preservation over faithful witness. We follow Jesus but don’t want to follow him here when it involves service, sacrifice or suffering. We may regret times we’ve denied Jesus through our words or actions. We may have remorse for seasons when we followed him in name only or didn’t think of him at all. The good news is that, like Peter, our failures aren’t final. Jesus specializes in restoration and invites us to follow him closely. The way forward begins now—by serving others as Jesus did.

TODAY: Pick one relationship you can begin serving in today. It might mean serving your spouse, aging parents, a challenging supervisor or teammate, or at church. Choose one specific act of service that follows Jesus’s example and puts their needs ahead of your comfort.