Key Themes: Repentance as a Way of Life, Recognizing Heart Sin
[Core Gospel Concepts: Repentance, Forgiveness, Sin]
After Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples and Judas Iscariot had gone out, Jesus said to them, “This night, you will all fall away because of me. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 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.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. He said to his disciples, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me while I go and pray.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus went away again to pray, found them sleeping, prayed again, came back, “Wake up. The hour is at hand, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Let’s go.” Then Judas Iscariot walked up leading a crowd from the chief priests and elders, betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and Jesus was seized. Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Jesus was taken to the High Priest and elders and scribes. Peter followed at a distance, going as far as the courtyard of the high priest. Jesus was being falsely accused and abused, though he refused to defend himself. As things were getting worse for Jesus, Peter was sitting just outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to call up a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed, and the Lord turned and looked
at him. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Optional Memory Verse: Matthew 26:39b: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”