Peter's Life of New Beginnings ...Continued from page 2

After all that heart warning and soul stirring worship, Jesus teaches them about Heaven (14:1-11), then teaches them about prayer (14:12-14), then promises the coming Holy Spirit (14:15-30); and then we find in John 14:31 that they left the Upper Room.

John 14:31 "But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.

Mark records that as they started on the walk after Passover, they were singing Psalms (Mark 14:26). That night was beyond description. Think of leaving a communion service with Jesus the Lord of Glory, leading the disciples in song!

Now the Eleven walk with Jesus in the late night darkness illumined by the full moon of Passover, to the Garden of Gethsemane. Along the way Jesus gives His final training sessions known to us as John 15-17, these words were Christ's legacy, His final earthly gift of teaching them before the crucifixion. It is Luke that picks up the fullest account of what happens next. Let's start in Luke 22:39.

Luke 22:39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.

Jesus and His disciples walk to a familiar place, Gethsemane, Christ's quiet place of prayer. They arrive at the place Jesus had found to be His place?the place of refuge and the place of strength as He ministered under such pressure.

It should challenge us to pray when we see that at the most trying of times?Jesus increased His prayer times.

Instead of pressures driving Jesus away from prayer pressures only drove Him even closer to His Father through prayer.

And that need for prayer is what drew Jesus to a place called...

Gethsemane

Gethsemane was probably part of a small, walled garden that may have belonged to a wealthy follower of Christ's. To this spot Jesus often resorted. It was most likely near a place where olives were pressed, much like the Cave of Gethsemane that many scholars believe to be an olive pressing operation from the time of Christ.

And from Gethsemane Jesus was led after his arrest, to the home of Caiaphas .

Look at verse 54. It is here that we see what happens when Christ's warnings are not heeded. Peter in his two Epistles states that his goal was to remind God's people, and stir up their memories. We do not constantly need new truths as much as we need to remember to consistently practice the old truths we have already learned.

That is what we need to be reminded of; they are...

Lessons Peter Forgot

Luke carefully records the events in the courtyard of Caiaphas' house. It was there that Peter waited for word about Jesus. It was also there in that place that Peter forgot what he had been taught by Jesus. He forgot the old truths, he failed to practice them, and he failed miserably. Instead of not entering temptation, Peter was tempted and gave in and betrayed Christ three times before the cock crowed.