- The Courtyard – the Denial
The story
Jesus was arrested and taken away. He was taken from place to place, questioned, mocked, rejected and finally sentenced to die. It was all very frightening and most of Jesus’s friends ran away. His best friend Peter tried to stay close and followed the crowd to the courtyard of the High Priest’s house. He tried not to think about the words Jesus had said just a few hours before: “Peter, before the cock crows you will deny me three times”.
The courtyard was full of people. In the light from the brazier in the middle one of the serving women stared at Peter. “Hey you,” she shouted, “You know Jesus don’t you?”
“No,” said Peter firmly.
The woman turned to a man standing nearby and pointed at Peter. “He knows Jesus,” she said.
“No, I don’t” said Peter even more loudly.
The man looked at him curiously. “I think you do know him. Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”
No. No. NO! shouted Peter. I have never seen him in my life.”
At that moment the cock crowed. Peter remembered Jesus’s words. That was the most terrible moment of his whole life.
Reflection
Why do you think Peter didn’t say “Yes”?
We all make wrong choices, say unkind words, do hurtful things. You might remember a time when you let someone down or were let down yourself. But the Bible tells us that “If we tell God the things we have done wrong, God can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.”
Response
Find a dead twig or dead leaf. Hold it still for a moment then throw it away. Remember that if we are truly sorry, God forgives us for everything.
