Holy Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Opening Scripture

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:6-9

Opening Prayer

Most Merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry, and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

John 18:15-27

Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” 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.

Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Reflection  

The gospel writers collectively tell us that, upon Jesus’ arrest, “all the disciples deserted him and fled” except for John and Peter, who followed at a distance. Apparently, John knew some members of the high priest’s household and was allowed to bring Peter in past the outer gate.

John’s familiarity with some of those present is confirmed by his identification that one of Peter’s questioners was related to the man whose ear Peter had cut off. While Peter was a “suspect” that night, John didn’t seem to be in any danger. The coolness of the evening and the gathering around a charcoal fire serve as additional first-hand observations.

From the very beginning, this was a sham “trial.” It started late at night, which Jewish law forbid in capital cases. It took place in a private residence rather than in a public court. There were no formal charges based on witness testimony. Jesus reminded the “officiants” that He had spoken openly in the temple courts, so witnesses should have been easy to find. The outcome was predetermined, so there was no impartiality. Striking a cooperative defendant demonstrated presumed guilt.

On the “second stage,” Peter was facing his own “trial.” Just as Jesus predicted (13:38) – after declaring at dinner, “I will die for you” – after brandishing a sword in front of a detachment of soldiers – Simon Peter, “The Rock,” was now cowering before a servant girl.

The framing of her question – “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” – seems to anticipate a negative response, and Peter quickly obliged. Surely one of Jesus’ followers wouldn’t be in the high priest’s courtyard, would they?

Some time passed before the second and third denials. Luke tells us it was “a little later” and “about an hour later.” Mark tells us that in the end, Peter “began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know this man you are talking about.’” Notably, the final denial goes to a relative of the man that Peter had just tried to kill.

Luke offers a powerful conclusion to these events. “Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

Flourishing Habit

Happiness and Life Satisfaction

Jesus’ persistent condemnation of the religious leaders was based on their pride, hypocrisy, and self-satisfaction. They were offered truth, but chose falsehood. They had access to the light, but embraced darkness. They claimed to see, but had closed their eyes to what God was doing. They didn’t need a “savior” or “messiah.” They were at the top of the Jewish “food chain” and planned to stay there.

Peter’s denial of Jesus is recorded in all four gospels. There’s nothing like having your greatest failure broadcast for all to see. After confidently boasting about his loyalty and devotion, Peter quickly crashed and burned. Broken. Embarrassed.

After three years as part of Jesus’ inner circle – jumping into the water, being the first to speak, making bold statements, wielding the sword – Peter failed badly. He knew. Jesus knew. Eventually, everyone would know. The humiliation was overwhelming. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Thankfully, that’s not the conclusion of the story. As Peter would come to understand, failure doesn’t have to be the end. Guilt and shame can lead to sorrow and repentance. God will graciously meet us in our brokenness. When failure turns hubris to humility, when we honestly confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive. And forgiveness is a powerful thing!

It’s in that posture of sorrow and shame that we joyfully discover that the Lord God Almighty is eternally present, incomprehensibly holy, outrageously good, staggeringly gracious, overwhelmingly kind, exceedingly wise, embarrassingly forgiving, and abundantly generous.

Earlier in this Lenten season, we skipped John 8:1-11 because those verses are absent from the earliest manuscripts or other ancient witnesses. Many scholars consider that section to be a later addition. Nevertheless, it’s a powerful story that reflects the heart of God.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Failure. Guilt. Shame. Humiliation.

Sorrow. Repentance. Confession. Apology.

Compassion. Forgiveness. Freedom. Abundant Life!

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!