Peter failed miserably, as miserably as anyone has ever failed.
I can do several things reasonably well. I am an expert at boiling eggs. My technique never fails. I can make toast with the best of them, and I can make a pot of Aussie Madura ™ tea with panache. However, if there is one thing I am very good at, it is failing. I can fail with the best of them, especially when it comes to taking opportunities to share Christ with others.
“And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.” (Luke22:58)
Peter failed miserably, as miserably as anyone has ever failed. Our Lord even warned him that it was going to happen! Peter failed on numerous occasions. I’m glad God recorded these incidents from Peter’s life, because they help me understand the sins in my own life. We all fail, regularly. Perhaps collectively our greatest failing is in denying the Saviour who died for us. What is it about the name of Jesus? We can speak about God all day long. We can (and should) promote our local church. We talk about others great and small. We identify with our chosen sporting teams, yet the one Name we so often fail to express throughout the course of an average day is the very Name that needs to be spoken; JESUS.
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” (Acts 8:35)
“And some said, What will this babbler (Paul) say? … because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.” (Acts 17:18)
We marvel at the spread of the Gospel in the book of Acts. The early believers preached Jesus Christ, publicly and privately. “He’s risen!” was the catch cry that rang throughout the entire known world. The believers at Antioch were known as Christ-ians, followers of the Risen One. These believers were opposed, persecuted, ridiculed and slaughtered all because they dared to speak the name of Jesus, and what a name it is! Jesus, name above all names! At the name of Jesus, every knee should bow!
Friend, it is imperative that we share Jesus Christ with those whom God brings across our daily path; not even so much our church and ministries, but Jesus. He IS salvation. He IS the Saviour. His name is despised, even hated, but He is the name by which sinners are saved.
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Who will take the reproach of Jesus today? Who will be a fool for Christ today? Who will proclaim his beautiful name today?
Name Him, brothers, name Him, with love strong as death
But with awe and wonder, and with bated breath!
He is God the Saviour, He is Christ the Lord,
Ever to be worshipped, trusted and adored.
(Carolyn Noel 1870)
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