Focusing on the Facts
1. Why did Jesus need to teach the disciples a lesson on weakness (see p. 1)?
2. What was Matthew’s focus in Matthew 26:31-35? What accusation was he attempting to defuse (see pp. 1-2)?
3. What event did Matthew leave out of his narrative that John included (see p. 2)?
4. In what ways were the disciples ignorant (see p. 3)?
5. What were some of the events that Christ saw before they took place (see p. 4)?
6. How did Christ know what was going to happen (Matt. 26:31; see p. 4)?
7. What is the context of Zechariah 13:7? How did Christ interpret that verse (see p. 5)?
8. Who is the shepherd referred to in Zechariah 13:7? Explain. Who are the sheep? Explain (see pp. 5-6).
9. What trap did the disciples fall into (Prov. 29:25; see p. 6)?
10. How was Christ’s courage manifested (see pp. 6-7)?
11. Why was Christ able to face the cross with courage (see p. 7)?
12. The disciples could have faced death with courage if they had remembered what event (see pp. 7-8)?
13. On how many occasions did Christ predict Peter’s denials (see p. 9)?
14. In what way did Christ encourage the disciples in the midst of predicting their coming denial (see p. 9)?
15. In what three ways did Peter manifest his pride (see pp. 9-10)?
16. How is the humility of Christ revealed in His prediction of Peter’s denials (see p. 10)?
17. When did the Lord predict that Peter would deny Him (see p. 10)?
18. How did Christ restore the disciples (see p. 11)?
19. What does Christ’s restoration of the disciples prove about God (see p. 11)?
Pondering the Principles
1. The disciples deserted Christ because they were afraid of what the Roman and Jewish leaders would do to them. And that fear translates as being ashamed of Christ. Does your behavior betray your shame of being identified with Christ? When you are in a situation that calls for you to identify with Christ, do you keep quiet, or even deny Him? If you have been guilty of being ashamed of Christ, you should confess that now. As an act of repentance, you can turn your fear of men into courage. Look at how Christ faced the cross. He put His complete trust in God. You need to do the same. That means you have to risk being vulnerable to abuse and suffering, but that is God’s will for your life (1 Peter 3:17). To help in times of suffering, memorize 2 Timothy 3:12: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (NASB).
2. Peter manifested his pride in three ways: he contradicted the Lord, claimed superiority over the other disciples, and trusted in his own strength. Have you been guilty of that kind of pride? Look up the following verses: Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Philippians 2:3, 9-11. How do each of those passages apply to the three manifestations of pride? Based on those verses, what should your attitude be towards the Lord, other believers, and yourself? Commit yourself to a daily pursuit of those attitudes.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
