Mark Photos - 14:66-72 - Signs
Mark 14:66-72 - Peter Denies Jesus While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant- girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.” And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. And the servant- girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about.” At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept
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Signs…they are all around us. Stop. No Right Turn. One Way. No Smoking. Speed Limit. School Zone. For the people of Jesus’ day, signs were much different. They were not metal signs posted alongside the road, but instead they were signs in the heavens. One such sign took place yesterday morning - a full lunar eclipse. Back in the day, such a celestial event was read to be a warning, an omen of something coming. Today, some still see it in that way, but we can scientifically explain it and also scientifically predict when the next ones will come. There was a sign for Peter here - the rooster crowing twice…when that happened and Peter realized what had taken place.
Peter is an interesting character in Scripture - he is so like us. He’s the every-person in Scripture. Passionate, impulsive, faithful in so many ways, but yet the one who falls short so many times. He’s the one who denies Jesus here but yet a few weeks later is the one who stands up in front of 1000s of people to proclaim Jesus resurrected.
It was the sign that Jesus predicted that called Peter back into the moment and the recognition of what he had done. It was later the sign of the Holy Spirit coming upon him that led him to speaking the message as he did. What signs call you back or call you into what God has for you?