Today’s Reading:

Thursday, 14 April:  John 17- John 18 Romans 8; Psalm 22

“It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself” (John 18:18).

The Fear and Lure of the Crowd

Innocently, he stood there, warming himself. Among the crowd in the court of the high priest, Peter stood. Simon Peter stood – a distance away from His Master.

He had blended well and expected no one to notice him as a disciple of Jesus. But a servant girl confronted him, and he denied being a disciple of Jesus (John 18:17). His stomach shivered. The temperature dropped lower for him than it was, and he rubbed his palms together as swiftly as possible to keep his body from falling apart. What next? What if they come back and arrest me? Should I leave now or tarry a little while?

Crowds are comfortable sometimes, but the time comes when they ask for the payment of a hefty fee for that temporal comfort. Many have stood among the wrong crowds that have changed their beliefs and worldview without knowing it. When push comes to shove, they deny the Christ who saved them. On oath, they swear they never knew Him, as Peter did on that cold night in the high priest’s courtyard. What a tragedy!

It started for Peter when he slept instead of praying. To show he meant what he promised his Lord at the dinner table, he showed some bravado by cutting off the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest in Gethsemane. (10). Then he followed Jesus at a distance when they arrested Him (Luke 22:54). To avoid standing alone, he blended with the crowd and maybe joined in their conversation, but his Galilean accent gave him away (Matthew 26:73). Finally, the disciple Jesus called the “rock,” swore and rained curses on himself to deny he ever knew his Master.

As we relive the Master’s journey to Calvary and the ultimate rescue He accomplished for our salvation, may we watch out against the fear and lure of the crowd that could easily cause us to deny Him when our identity matters for His glory.

Prayer Focus:

1. Pray against spiritual haughtiness that denies the workings of His Spirit in our lives.
2. Pray for grace to keep you close to the Lord and in step with Him and not be a distant follower.
3. Pray against the lure of the crowd and the fear of standing alone on issues of life and morality.
4. Pray for boldness and fortitude to stand up for Jesus on moral issues everywhere and in every situation.
5. Pray for courage to witness Christ as only Lord and Redeemer for the sinner.
6. Pray for outreach efforts around the world, including your sphere of influence.