Fearless or Fearful

The drama of the passion of Christ begins to unfold from the beginning of John 18. His betrayal and arrest, interrogation by the high priest and denial by Peter appear to unleash a series of unfortunate events over which Jesus has no control. In fact the opposite is the case. Jesus actually goes out to meet His adversaries. It is Peter who seeks to protect Jesus from drinking the cup the Father had given Him. But in the end self confident Peter wilts before his questioners denying everything whereas Jesus boldly stands up to his interrogators and denies nothing.
It would take the great work of the cross to establish Peter – forgiven and restored - to be unashamed of Christ. Peter needed the fruit and power of Christ’s passion opened up to him by the Spirit to fearlessly identify as one of Christ’s followers and so do we.