When the Rooster Cried "Guilty"
3/31/25 Bible Thought (Luke 22)
I truly believe that one of the most amazing truths in God’s Word is that the Lord Jesus prays for us. On the eve of His death, we find this so clear not only in Jesus’ high priestly prayer from John 17, but also in the personal prayer of our Lord for Peter.
At the last supper he shares,
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Lk. 22:31-32).
As the time of Jesus’ earthly sojourn was coming to an end, the enemy was diligently hunting the apostles. He entered Judas Iscariot (Lk. 22:3) and was now also demanding to have Peter too. What’s interesting is that Peter responds by immediately denying his future denial!
Just as vehemently as he would later deny Christ, he denies that he would ever do such a thing! “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death” he declares (Lk. 22:33). No matter the cost, he had decided to follow Jesus, there would be no turning back, no turning back.
But Jesus knew more than Peter and He knew more about Peter than he knew of himself. By the end of the night with the rooster’s morning cry Peter would deny Christ three times (Lk. 22:34).
The one who so valiantly took up a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk. 22:50; John 18:10) wouldn’t even take up a verbal defense of the Lord Jesus in the courtyard of Caiaphas’ home. The one who was ready to fight soldiers and priests would quickly deny Jesus to save face, even before a servant girl.
After his third denial, a rooster crowed, and the Lord made eye contact with Peter at that very moment (Lk. 22:60-61) perhaps for the last time before the resurrection. At least for the moment the story is sad, but it’s not over. Peter’s faith might have faltered, but it would not fail. Jesus had prayed for Peter, and we were told from before the denial that Peter would turn again. This is not due to Peter’s own credit, but to the faithful intercession of Jesus Christ.
Later, when the women who visited the empty tomb testified to the resurrection, many of the apostles considered it to be an “idle tale” but Peter rose and went (Lk. 24:12). In John’s Gospel, Peter’s threefold denial is reversed with a three-fold declaration of love for the Savior (John 21:15-19).
In the book of Acts, he is the one chosen by God to preach on the day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls were added to the church (Acts 2:41). Peter later would powerfully testify before the Jewish council (Acts 4:8-12) suffer beatings alongside the apostles (Acts 5:40) and be imprisoned (Acts 12:3). According to church history, Peter’s life would end in martyrdom in Rome and the tradition states that he was crucified upside down.
Peter’s faith didn’t fail because Christ’s intercession didn’t fail. Peter was faithful because Christ was faithful. Thus, the author of the Hebrews says also to us,
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).
He is able to save for all-time and to save to the fullest extent as He lives forever to make intercession for us. He not only prayed for Peter, but He prays for us. What a wonderful truth that He is interceding before the Father on our behalf day by day and that His power to keep is greater than our power to fall away.
Great message today.