Peter's Restoration
Charles H. Spurgeon
And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly (Luke 22:60-62).
Peter had terribly fallen. He had denied his Master, denied Him repeatedly, denied Him with oaths, denied Him in His presence while his Master was being smitten and falsely charged. He had denied Him, though he was an apostle, denied Him, though he had declared that should all men forsake Him, yet would he never be offended. It was a sad, sad sin. Remember what led up to it. It was, first, Peter's presumption and self-confidence. He reckoned that he could never stumble and for that very reason he speedily fell. A haughty spirit goes before a fall. Oh, that we might look to the roots of bitter flowers and destroy them! If presumption is flourishing in our hearts today, we shall soon see the evil fruit that will come of it. Reliance upon our firmness of character, depth of experience, clearness of insight, or matureness in grace will, in the end, land us in disgraceful failure. We must either deny ourselves, or we shall deny our Lord. If we cleave to self-confidence, we shall not cleave to Him.
Immediately, Peter's denial was owing to cowardice. The brave Peter in the presence of a maid was ashamed. He could not bear to be pointed out as a follower of the Galilean. He did not know what might follow upon it. But he saw his Lord without a friend and felt that it was a lost cause, and he did not care to avow it. Only to think that Peter, under temporary discouragement, should play the coward! Yet cowardice treads upon the heels of boasting. He that thinks he can fight the world will be the first man to run away.
His sin also arose from his want of watchfulness. His Master had said to him, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt. 26:40) and no ...
Charles H. Spurgeon
And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly (Luke 22:60-62).
Peter had terribly fallen. He had denied his Master, denied Him repeatedly, denied Him with oaths, denied Him in His presence while his Master was being smitten and falsely charged. He had denied Him, though he was an apostle, denied Him, though he had declared that should all men forsake Him, yet would he never be offended. It was a sad, sad sin. Remember what led up to it. It was, first, Peter's presumption and self-confidence. He reckoned that he could never stumble and for that very reason he speedily fell. A haughty spirit goes before a fall. Oh, that we might look to the roots of bitter flowers and destroy them! If presumption is flourishing in our hearts today, we shall soon see the evil fruit that will come of it. Reliance upon our firmness of character, depth of experience, clearness of insight, or matureness in grace will, in the end, land us in disgraceful failure. We must either deny ourselves, or we shall deny our Lord. If we cleave to self-confidence, we shall not cleave to Him.
Immediately, Peter's denial was owing to cowardice. The brave Peter in the presence of a maid was ashamed. He could not bear to be pointed out as a follower of the Galilean. He did not know what might follow upon it. But he saw his Lord without a friend and felt that it was a lost cause, and he did not care to avow it. Only to think that Peter, under temporary discouragement, should play the coward! Yet cowardice treads upon the heels of boasting. He that thinks he can fight the world will be the first man to run away.
His sin also arose from his want of watchfulness. His Master had said to him, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt. 26:40) and no ...
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