Saturday, January 24, 2015

GOSPEL GEM: Breaking of the rock (Peter)

Synergy of Matthew 26:69-75/Mark 14:29,30,66-72/Luke 22:54-61/John 18:15-27
But Peter said unto him,
Although all shall be offended,
yet will not I.
And Jesus saith unto him,
Verily I say unto thee,
That this day, even in this night,
before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house.

And Peter followed afar off.
Now Peter sat without in the palace: 
And the servants and officers stood there,
who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold:
and they warmed themselves:
and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself....and were set down together,
Peter sat down among them.

..there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:
And when she saw Peter warming himself, 
and earnestly looked upon him, saying,
Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

And when he was gone out into the porch, 
another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there,
This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
And again he denied saying,
I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.
I do not know the man.

And after a while came unto him they that stood by,
and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them;
for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
One of the servants of the high priest,
being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith,
Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
Then began he to curse and to swear, saying,
I know not the man.

And immediately the cock crew.
And the Lord turned,
and looked upon Peter.
 And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him,
Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
And he went out, and wept bitterly.
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Peter Adds - ...the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 1:7
"Peter denied the Man of Sorrows in His acquaintance with grief in the hour of His humiliation. But he afterward repented and was reconverted. He had true contrition of soul and gave himself afresh to his Savior. With blinding tears he makes his way to the solitudes of the Garden of Gethsemane and there prostrates himself where he saw his Savior's prostrate form when the bloody sweat was forced from His pores by His great agony. Peter remembers with remorse that he was asleep when Jesus prayed during those fearful hours. His proud heart breaks, and penitential tears moisten the sods so recently stained with the bloody sweat drops of God's dear Son. He left that garden a converted man. He was ready then to pity the tempted. He was humbled and could sympathize with the weak and erring. He could caution and warn the presumptuous, and was fully fitted to strengthen his brethren."
Testimonies for the Church vol.3, p.416 E.G.W.