Dark Nights

Luke 22:31-65

Luke’s narrative describes three failures:

• Unreliable disciples (vs. 39-46)
• Deceitful Judas (vs. 47-53)
• Cowardly Peter (vs. 54-62)

Two thousand years and several thousand miles away – it’s easy to point the finger at Peter for his disloyalty.

The fact that all the other disciples ran should give us pause and a reason to look at ourselves.

Two points of interest as we shine the light on ourselves:

1^st No matter how confident we may feel, we are all human.

Each of us can be misled into believing we are stronger than we actually are.

Who among us has not made promises to God and under the pressure of temptation buckled?

2^nd No matter how devoted we are to Jesus, we will all fail.

(Scene 1)

Here we find the disciples unfaithful and falling asleep rather than praying with the Lord.

It is in the Gethsemane experience that we learn submission to Christ alone.

It is here we discover His faithfulness in spite of unfaithfulness.

(Scene 2)

Here we observe Judas’ betrayal.

When we encounter betrayal we come to the reality that others will fail us.

We also discover that God never fails and thus we mature and become better by the experience.

(Scene 3)

Here we experience Peter and his tragic denial.

This is hardest of all – to know it didn’t have to happen – it is the harvest of our own sowing.

Gethsemane teaches us submission.

Betrayal teaches us reality.

Failure teaches us humility.