Many times when it comes to Good Friday we remember how Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the authority. From then on He had to go through the trials and ultimately to the hill of Golgotha where our dear Lord was crucified with two other criminals.
This evening at the Maundy Thursday Holy Communion service, another person was brought to light - he is none other than Peter.
He was so sure that he would not deny Jesus but when he was put to the test in three occasions, as prophesied by Jesus Himself, he failed all three miserably. He did not have the guts to acknowledge that he was a disciple of Christ. Instead he became an ostrich and hid his head in the ground.
I cannot speak for others but I can definitely see a Peter in me in several occasions of my life - when I had to go to church after work, instead of telling my colleagues that fact, I used another reason of meeting some friends for dinner; when I needed to go somewhere to pray, I would say I was going to the toilet; when I knew something done was outrightly wrong, instead of correcting, I went along with the practice; when I wanted to read the Bible in the train, I felt awkward; when I was reading a Christian literature in the bus, I would try my best to hide the cover so that people would not know it was Christian stuff.
The above are just some examples. It is sad that I do not have the courage to live out my faith and proclaim Jesus aloud as being my Lord and Saviour all the time. In church, I can tell my siblings-in-Christ to do what the Word of God says and be a light but when I am on my own, there are times when that light is covered with a bowl and the Word of God suddenly became dead.
When I was preparing to receive the bread (symbolising the body of Christ broken for us) and the wine (the blood of Christ shed for our sins), I was challenged to live my Christian faith 100% and to stop being a mouse. If I had to be mocked by others for the sake of Christ, so be it. Of course this is easier said than done and it is my prayer the Lord will give me the guts.
It is comforting to note that though Peter has hurt Jesus with his denial and Judas with his betrayal, Jesus still died on the cross for all and not some. That is what grace is about - no discrimination whatsoever.
I guess Good Friday and Easter would mean nothing to us unless we truly embrace Jesus in our lives and not be ashamed of Him.
Praise the Lord for the lesson learnt. Well, the long weekend is here and it is my prayer that I will have some time to rest. I am still coughing - it can be irritating at times but I am trying my best not to let it affect me too much. I am also preserving my voice for this Sunday's Easter Combined Service - I hope I will be able to sing the songs I am leading then.
"Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly." Matthew 26:69-75
This evening at the Maundy Thursday Holy Communion service, another person was brought to light - he is none other than Peter.
He was so sure that he would not deny Jesus but when he was put to the test in three occasions, as prophesied by Jesus Himself, he failed all three miserably. He did not have the guts to acknowledge that he was a disciple of Christ. Instead he became an ostrich and hid his head in the ground.
I cannot speak for others but I can definitely see a Peter in me in several occasions of my life - when I had to go to church after work, instead of telling my colleagues that fact, I used another reason of meeting some friends for dinner; when I needed to go somewhere to pray, I would say I was going to the toilet; when I knew something done was outrightly wrong, instead of correcting, I went along with the practice; when I wanted to read the Bible in the train, I felt awkward; when I was reading a Christian literature in the bus, I would try my best to hide the cover so that people would not know it was Christian stuff.
The above are just some examples. It is sad that I do not have the courage to live out my faith and proclaim Jesus aloud as being my Lord and Saviour all the time. In church, I can tell my siblings-in-Christ to do what the Word of God says and be a light but when I am on my own, there are times when that light is covered with a bowl and the Word of God suddenly became dead.
When I was preparing to receive the bread (symbolising the body of Christ broken for us) and the wine (the blood of Christ shed for our sins), I was challenged to live my Christian faith 100% and to stop being a mouse. If I had to be mocked by others for the sake of Christ, so be it. Of course this is easier said than done and it is my prayer the Lord will give me the guts.
It is comforting to note that though Peter has hurt Jesus with his denial and Judas with his betrayal, Jesus still died on the cross for all and not some. That is what grace is about - no discrimination whatsoever.
I guess Good Friday and Easter would mean nothing to us unless we truly embrace Jesus in our lives and not be ashamed of Him.
Praise the Lord for the lesson learnt. Well, the long weekend is here and it is my prayer that I will have some time to rest. I am still coughing - it can be irritating at times but I am trying my best not to let it affect me too much. I am also preserving my voice for this Sunday's Easter Combined Service - I hope I will be able to sing the songs I am leading then.
"Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly." Matthew 26:69-75
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