Have you ever been guilty of making a statement like this, “I can tell you one thing for sure: I will never...” Whatever the circumstance is it doesn’t matter—you just believe in your heart at the moment you make that statement that you would not engage in certain things, and you never plan to. But how many of us here today have learned to never say never?

In the Scripture passage we’ll be looking at this morning, Peter finds himself right in the middle of a never say never situation. And it’s not until something as simple and natural as a rooster crowing that he even realizes he’s there.

1. Peter’s desire is to be near Jesus. [18:15-16

As you read through the gospels—you can’t help but notice that Peter seems to always be where Jesus is. So much so—that you remember when Jesus was walking on the water in Mat. 14:25 and He scared the disciples half to death? Peter was the one who wanted to walk on water with Jesus too.

Peter’s love for Jesus is real. Peter knew in his heart that Jesus was someone very unique. In Matthew 16 Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was and Peter said, “You are the Christ…the Son of the living God (v16).”

Peter’s desire to be with Jesus is real. He went all in when he left his fishing business in order to follow Jesus wherever He goes.  Therefore I’m not surprised to find Peter following Jesus here in verse 15 after He has been arrested. Do you remember back in 13:33 when Jesus said to His disciples that He was going somewhere they could not go for a while…and Peter’s response in verse 37 was, “Why can’t I follow You, I’ll lay down my life for you?”  I think Peter meant ever word.

Peter demonstrated his commitment to Jesus when he tried to protect Him from those seeking to arrest Him. And, then, after all of that, he still goes with the other disciple to be near Jesus (vv 15-16). Let me ask us all a question this morning, “Do we have a desire to be near Jesus?” He said in Mat. 18:20, “Where two or more come together in my name…there I am with them.”

I believe that Jesus is saying "wherever My people are…I will be there also." We gather here each week in His name and know that He is here with us because He said He will be.  Since He’s here—is there a desire in our heart to be here…near him? (Hebrews 10:25)

2. Peter’s dilemma as a result of being near Jesus. [18:17-26]

The servant girl’s question in verse 17 highlights Peter’s dilemma for us. Her question deals with proximity and anonymity. In other words—Peter is trying to figure out how he can be near Jesus physically and not admit that he knows Jesus personally.

Verses 17-26 picture’s for us two trials happening simultaneously. Jesus is before Annas, and Peter’s standing among Annas’s servants and officials in the courtyard (v18). Although we see Jesus and Peter both being questioned, their responses could not be more different.

Verses 19-24 tells us what Jesus is facing is really not a legitimate trial at all. His situation is more like an interrogation than a legal proceeding: the accused is not to be questioned directly; there are no witnesses or a charge of criminality.

Peter’s situation is different. The servant girl’s question is certainly legit. She’s simply wants to know if Peter is a disciple of Jesus. In verse 26 a relative of Malchus wants to know the same thing. What a dilemma Peter has gotten himself in to. Have you ever been there? Have you ever been put in a situation where someone thinks you’re a Christian and asks you to explain it or maybe pray?

Something like this usually happens at work when there’s a person you’re trying to impress in order to get ahead is there and you know they think Christianity is for wimps and losers. Did you notice from our passage that Jesus wasn’t intimidated at all by Annas and didn’t deny anything. Did you notice that Peter was intimidated by everyone and denied every thing.

3. Peter’s devastated as a result of denying Jesus. [18:27]

I doubt if any of the disciples would have ever thought it would be possible to deny knowing Jesus. Especially Peter.

Remember—Peter’s the one who said, “I’ll lay down my life for you, Jesus back in 13:37. Peter is portrayed…perhaps as the most prominent disciple in the gospels. He’s the unelected leader of the group. ILL: In chapter 21 when he says he is going fishing…those with him go as well.

Peter’s denial of the Lord begs the question, “How did it happen?” When Judas betrayed the Lord—you could point to things like power – prominence – or personal financial gain…but those don’t seem to apply to Peter. So—what happened?

It would have been great for us if John had written a verse or paragraph that outlined Peter’s path to denial. If that were the case, we would know what to do to avoid following in his footsteps. Well, here’s what we do know, ‘it’s possible to deny the Lord.’  Peter did it. And we can too. Let me suggest a couple of things that might have led to Peter’s denial…things that we need to consider ourselves.

A. He was overconfident.

Peter had not been in a situation with Jesus where it appeared that He didn’t have the upper hand. Peter had seen Jesus calm the sea, heal the sick and even raise the dead. But now—verse 24 says that Jesus is bound. In the upper room in chapter 13 Peter is willing to lay down his life for Jesus…in chapter 18 he won’t even admit that he knows Him. Have you ever thought to yourself or said to someone…I will never deny the Lord?

B. He was unprepared.

In Luke 22 Jesus told Peter that Satan has asked if he could ‘sift him.’ You might think that would cause Peter to seek the Lord’s help against the devil—but in the garden when Jesus asked him to pray in order to avoid temptation…Peter slept. Are we ever guilty of not praying?

For Peter, the possibility of denying Jesus has become a reality in verse 27 and he’s devastated. Luke 22:61ff says, “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then he remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him; Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.”

The Apostle Paul reminds us in I Cor. 10:12, “If you think you are standing firm…be careful that you don’t fall.” In other words—don’t under-estimate your adversary and don’t over-estimate your own abilities and become lax in spiritual preparedness. It’s possible to deny the Lord.

But note, as we will see in the weeks ahead, Jesus doesn’t leave Peter devastated...