This is a sermon I gave at Harvest Time Fellowship, Gold Hill, Or.

There are four accounts of the denial of Jesus by Peter. Two were known to be first-hand witnesses, Matthew and John. Mark might have been but it is unknown. Luke was not a witness to this act but he got his information from either Peter or Paul or both. I am listing all four. All emphasis is mine.

Matthew 26:69-75 (NKJV)
69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”
74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

Note: The word “also” here indicates someone else who was with Jesus was knowingly there. That we know was John the Beloved. Also, Peters reaction to his denial of Jesus was to weep bitterly. Judas’ reaction to his betrayal was to hang himself. Remember David’s reaction to his failures was to pray in sackcloth and ashes. It is important how you respond when you fail. Where do you run when you fall down? An Amy Grant song. Know this, we will fall down, deny Jesus. How will you respond? You would be wise to pre-determine what you will do. Never give up, get back up and dust yourself off, ask for forgiveness and go forward. This pre-determination of your actions will help you react the right way.

Mark 14:66-72 (NKJV)
66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”
68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.”
70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”
71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.

Note: A difference appears here. Matthew has the roster crowing once, Mark says twice. Whenever you have multiple accounts of an event you will usually have differences. Why? It is different peoples recollections, and, each person will remember different things because they will usually see it from a different angle and with differently trained senses. People will react differently to the same event. This is normal and should not make someone think that the Bible is in error. People error, God does not. Thus doctrine is not based on single scripture. It is based on the Concert, the Whole of the Bible.

Luke 22:54-62 (NKJV)
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.
55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.
56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Note: Peter followed at a distance. I could do a sermon on just this point alone. Two points and I move on: 1. When you follow Jesus be like John the Beloved, be as close to Him as you can get. 2. At least Peter followed Jesus, the other 10 did not. You might not be perfect either but following Jesus is better than not following Him, even if it is at a distance. Jesus will meet you where you are at and use us even in our imperfection. Also, if you follow Jesus He will guide you to ever greater heights.

John 18:24-27 (NKJV)
24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!”
26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”
27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

Note: If you want to know which account is probably the most accurate, it would be Johns. He was the closest to the action. Otherwise, it is not important. John wrote his account much later than the rest and he put in what he felt was important, sometimes abbreviated. He leaves out one of the denials but does not hurt the rendition.
Beware; when you warm yourself by the enemies fire, you will probably get burnt. You hang around bad long enough and it will probably start affecting you badly. Choose your friends carefully. Good company will lift you up. Bad will take you down.
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Now what follows is what I call Peters second denial.
What you need to know here is that the New Testament was written in Greek originally. Thus, some things can get lost in translation. In the following verses I have interjected some of what is lost. Things in brackets [] are my additions. There are a number of words in Greek that we translate as love. Agape is Godly love. Phileo is brotherly love. Eross is sexual love.

John 21:15-17 (NKJV)
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love[agape] Me more than these?”[James and John] He[Peter] said to Him[Jesus], “Yes, Lord; You know that I love[phileo] You.” He[Jesus] said to him[Peter], “Feed My lambs.” [shepherd-feed the little ones-lambs]
16 He[Jesus] said to him[Peter] again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love[agape] Me?” He [Peter] said to Him[Jesus], “Yes, Lord; You know that I love[phileo] You.” He[Jesus] said to him[Peter], “Tend My sheep.” [tend-serve all of the sheep-His people]
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love[phileo] Me?” Peter was grieved because He[Jesus] said to him[Peter] the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he[Peter] said to Him[Jesus], “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love[phileo] You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” [walk before-teach my people]

Note: The denial is of Peter feeling that he could not agape love Jesus or for that matter anyone else. Peter had become humbled where before he was bombastic and pushy. Eventually Peter would come around as I will show next, but note where and what Peter ends up. Jesus meets us where we are at and brings us to where we can be if we but follow Him. Follow Jesus, there is no better thing that you can ever do.
Notice the regression and the progression. Regression on love and the progression on growing in Jesus through serving Him. If you want to be a leader, start by following. Then by serving Jesus by serving others. Then He will make you a leader. Not, you will make you a leader, He will make you a leader when He feels you are ready.

Both very sad and very encouraging. Peter could not bring himself to say that he could agape love. He felt like he was not good enough to still be like the others or Jesus. He became humble. But he did do as he was instructed. He could have reacted like Judas did and hanged himself but he didn’t, he hung in there, damaged but alive. Have you ever noticed that you tend to falter when you think you are doing so good?[Elijah] Yah, it happens. But! He meets us where we are at and uses us to our ability and then leads us to be better.

Just in case you think this is a single verse and out of context read:

1 Peter 2:20-25 (NKJV)
20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;[Jesus]
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree[cross], that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.
25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Note: Jesus had told Peter, who is the author of this book of which I quote, “follow Me”. Jesus had also told Peter to “tend my sheep”. Here we have Peter teaching the sheep. We also know that eventually Peter would also be crucified. Peter had learned to agape love and follow Jesus even to death.

John 21:18-19 (NKJV)
18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
19 This He[Jesus] spoke, signifying by what death he[Peter] would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”