Matthew 26:17-35

“Peter answered him, ‘Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’” (Matthew 26:33–34, ESV)

Peter was a fascinating person. Impulsive and loyal, Peter saw himself as a leader among the Twelve. He often spoke up when no one else dared to. But Peter’s confidence was based in his own strength. Like so many of us, Peter depended on himself rather than upon God. He was courageous, but his courage was no match for the powers of darkness. If he would truly be the rock that Jesus said he was, then he would need grace and power so much greater than himself. That night, Peter would stumble and fall, but God would use this failure to make him the man he was called to be.

How did Peter stumble?

First, Jesus told the disciples that they would all fall away that night because of him. But Peter said, “Though they all fall away, I will never fall away.” Peter’s first problem was that he denied the Word of the Lord. He thought he knew better than Jesus. Haven’t we all at times preferred our own opinion to what God was telling us?

Second, Peter thought he was superior to others. “Though they all fall away…” Jesus’ words might be true about the other guys, but that would never happen to him. They might be weak, but he would be strong. The Bible tells us that pride comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18), and this was certainly true of Peter. Have we ever considered ourselves better than others?

Peter was weaker than he thought. The rooster would not crow twice before he denied the Lord three times. But God would use this failure to transform Peter into a pillar of the early church. After Peter returned to the Lord, he would strengthen his brothers, and he continues to strengthen us through his example and his two epistles.

The lesson we learn from Peter is to depend upon the Lord’s strength and not on ourselves. Also, we learn to listen to the Lord and take to heart His Word. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He sees what we do not see. Third, we learn that it is best to keep a humble opinion of ourselves. If anything, we should consider others better than ourselves. This is a great safeguard to stumbling. We are all one banana peel away from a fall! Yet God will use even a major fall like Peter’s to work His good purpose in us, if we will humble ourselves beneath His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6).