Midweek Lent 1 (Ash Wednesday) – Pr. Faugstad homily
Text: St. Matthew 26:69-75

In Christ Jesus, who was “despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3), dear fellow redeemed:

The cursing and swearing that came out of Peter’s mouth were not characteristic of him—at least not since Jesus called him away from his fishing nets. We don’t know how he was before, except that when Jesus provided a great catch of fish on the Sea of Galilee shortly after Peter met Him, he fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luk. 5:8). Now whatever foul language he had learned in the past came rushing back to him as he stated with an oath before God that he did not know the Man Jesus. Peter was afraid, afraid that he would be arrested and beaten up like Jesus was and maybe even killed.

It was only a few hours before this that Peter had confidently told Jesus, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away” (Mat. 26:33). Jesus told him that before the rooster crowed twice (Mar. 14:30), Peter would deny Him three times. Peter would not hear it: “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” (Mat. 26:35). He was so sure of himself, so sure that he could not fall like that.

And that’s exactly the kind of self-assurance that the devil looks to exploit. History is full of Christians—good and faithful Christians—who fell into sins they thought they would never succumb to. They heard the stories about how others had fallen, and they thought to themselves, “That would never happen to me. I would never do that!” An attitude of judgment and pride are mixed into those thoughts. We are warned about this arrogance in 1 Corinthians 10: “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (v. 12).

The devil, like a roaring lion, is watching and waiting for the opportunity to attack us when we think we are standing strong. Jesus spoke these ominous words to Peter when he boasted about his faithfulness: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat” (Luk. 22:31). In other words, “You are not as strong as you think you are, and the devil knows it.” Then Jesus added these hopeful words, “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (v. 32). Peter would fall, but he would not be lost forever. The Lord’s mercy and grace would cover even his horrible curses and denial.

This is a great comfort to us. We can also think of times that we cursed and swore and indicated by our words and actions that we “do not know the Man.” We did it because we wanted to fit in. We did not want to be made fun of for our faith. The devil was right there, tempting us, ready to sift us like wheat, and we gave in. Don’t you wish you could go back and unsay the terrible things you’ve said, and undo the wicked things you’ve done?

But there is no going back. There is no fixing what you broke. As much as Peter wanted to forget what he did in that Jerusalem courtyard, it happened. He did it. When faced with the reality of our sin, our natural reaction is to try to downplay it: “I was young and made some mistakes—everyone makes mistakes. It didn’t really hurt anyone. It wasn’t that big of a deal.” Or we try to assign the blame to someone else: “If I hadn’t been put in that situation by that person, I would have been fine.”

We think we can escape our sins by trying to wiggle out from under them or by keeping them buried in the past. But as much as we might want to detach ourselves from our sins, they will not detach themselves from us. We can’t try to balance out the bad by doing good. We can’t pay the debt of past sins by paying it forward in kindness. There is nothing we can do to make our sins go away and make things right with God. We sinned against Him. We did it.

Peter felt his sin to the depths of his soul. Jesus told him what would happen, told him what he would do. Peter denied his Lord’s words. And then he denied his Lord. Jesus was aware of all of it when it happened. Right after the rooster crowed the second time, the evangelist Luke records that “the Lord turned and looked at Peter” (Luk. 22:61), either as He was being led through the courtyard or from a window or doorway nearby.

Peter saw Jesus look at him, and he remembered what Jesus had said about denying Him. When the reality of what he had just done hit him, there was nothing he could do but weep, bitterly. Was he sorry for his sin? Every tear said that he was. There was no more posturing from him, no more proving his faithfulness. He was crushed by his sins, and he repented.

This is what we do with sin—we repent of it. Repentance is not about saying the right words, and you are good to go. It is not a work you do that God rewards. Repentance is acknowledging sin from the heart, without selling it short or making any excuses for it. It is admitting what you thought or said or did that God said you should not think or say or do. Repentance is painful; we don’t like to own up to our sins. But repentance prepares us to receive grace from God.

Jesus came for sinners. He suffered and died for all of them, including his dear disciple Peter who denied that he even knew Him. The first thing Jesus said when He was nailed to the cross was not, “How could they all desert Me and leave Me to suffer alone?” He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luk. 23:34). Those words are for you, too. Even though you have denied Jesus by your sin, He went to the cross willingly for you.

As the spotless sacrificial Lamb, He offered up His perfect life as the sacrifice for all sin, for your sins and mine, sins of arrogance and pride, of stubbornness, of trying to pass the blame for the wrongs you have done. He suffered “once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring [you] to God” (1Pe. 3:18). You sinned against God in countless ways, and Jesus reconciled you with the Father by pouring out His holy, precious blood to wash your sins away.

His blood also paid for Peter’s sin, even that horrible denial of Jesus in His darkest time of suffering. Jesus had told him, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” This was Peter’s hope in his gut-wrenching grief. Jesus had not forsaken him—He would not forsake him—because He had promised to be faithful. Jesus made sure that Peter knew His love and forgiveness by appearing personally to Peter after His resurrection (1Co. 15:5) and then reinstating him to feed His lambs and sheep (Joh. 21:15-19).

He assures you of the same love and forgiveness each time you hear His Word of absolution and receive His body and blood for the remission of your sins. You do not come before Him with boasting, presenting all your good works to Him. You come in humble repentance, laying bare your soul to Him, begging for His mercy and grace.

That is the message that Martin Luther wrote on his deathbed. 480 years ago today (2/18/1546), He left a note ending with these words: “We are beggars, this is true.” Luther did not enter death empty-handed, but he took along nothing of his own. He knew that the Lord supplied the forgiveness and righteousness that he needed for eternal life in heaven.

The same is true for you. Jesus suffered and died for you, so that all your transgressions would be forgiven, removed from you “as far as the east is from the west” (Psa. 103:12). His ear is always open to your cry, and His Word is always ready to bring you His healing and life. So you can confidently and gratefully say along with penitent David and Peter: “A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise” (Psa. 51:17, NKJV).

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.

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(picture from “The Second Denial of Saint Peter” by James Tissot, 1836-1902)