The Heat Of The Battle Or The Warmth Of The Fire
Peter followed him at a distance … There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
Mark 14:54
Peter: a servant at last. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong time, the wrong place, and the wrong master!
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Christ’s call to serve involves a willingness to face persecution. But fear became Peter’s master in the face of danger. He chose the guise of a servant in order to escape the hardships of being identified with Christ.
Matthew Henry, one of God’s committed servants, suggests where Peter went wrong.
WALK WITH MATTHEW HENRY
“He followed Christ, but it was afar off. Fear and concern for his own safety prevailed.
“It looks bad, and bodes worse, when those who are willing to be Christ’s disciples are not willing to be known as such.
“Here begins Peter’s denial: For to follow Jesus afar off is to turn away little by little.
“Peter should have gone back up to the court and appeared for his Master. But he went in where there was a good fire and sat with the servants. Not to silence their reproaches, but to screen himself.
“He followed him, led more by his curiosity than by his conscience. He attended as an idle spectator, rather than as a disciple.”
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
There is something inconsistent about a servant in the shadows.
A servant more concerned about his own welfare than his master’s.
A servant more intent on being comfortable than on being a comforter.
Times of crisis should be the showcase for God’s servants. After all, that’s what he has uniquely equipped you to handle.
But when the choice falls between the heat of the battle and the warmth of the fire, only you can decide whether you will sit with the servants or stand with the Savior.
