God Moves Into the Desert

March 5

Scripture: Luke 22:66-71

After Jesus was arrested, He was taken to the Roman governor, a man named Pontius Pilate. When the people brought Jesus to Pilate, they said all kinds of unkind things about Him. Pilate asked Jesus if He was really the “Son of God.” Jesus said, “Yes, I am.” But Pilate did not believe Jesus. Instead, he decided to believe the unkind and untrue things the people said about Jesus. And so he sentenced Jesus to die on the cross.

Peter was Jesus’ closest friend and the leader of the disciples. The night Jesus was arrested however, Peter was afraid for his own life and ran away from Jesus. Some people in the courtyard recognized him and began to ask him if he was a disciple of Jesus. Peter got angry and said that he had never even seen Jesus. He denied Jesus. Even though Peter denied Jesus three times that night, Jesus loved Peter very much. After Jesus rose from the dead, He forgave Peter for denying Him.

Read and reflect on the passages.

1. Did Jesus receive a fair trial? Why or why not? While on trial, why do you think Jesus wasn’t clearer about who He was and what He had come to do?

2. What is one of the ways we can know Jesus is the Son of God?

3. Why do you think Peter denied Jesus? How did Peter feel when he realized what he had done?

—Jodi Coleman