Read Luke 22:54-71

PETER DENIES KNOWING JESUS
Jesus was immediately taken to the high priest’s residence, even though this was the middle of the night. The Jewish leaders were in a hurry. They wanted to complete the execution before the Sabbath and get on with the Passover celebration. This residence was a place with outer walls enclosing a courtyard, where servants and soldiers warmed themselves around a fire.
Peter’s experiences in the next few hours would change his life. He would change from a half-hearted follower to a repentant disciple, and finally to the kind of person Christ could use to build His church.
Peter wept bitterly, not only because he realized that he had denied his Lord, the Messiah, but also because he had turned away from a very dear friend. a person who had loved and taught him for three years. Peter said that he would never deny Christ, despite Jesus’ prediction. But frightened, he went against all he had boldly promised. Unable to stand up for his Lord for even 12 hours, he had failed as a disciple and as a friend. You need to be aware of your own breaking points and not become overconfident or self-sufficient. If you fail Him, you must remember that Christ can use those who can recognize their failure. From this humiliating experience, Peter learned much that would help him later when he assumed leadership in the church.
Jesus in effect agreed that He was the Son of God when He simply turned the high priest’s question around by saying “You are right in saying that I am.” And Jesus identified Himself with God by using a familiar title for God found in the Old Testament: “I am.” The High priest recognized Jesus’ claim and could accuse Him of blasphemy. For any other human this claim would have been blasphemy, but in this case it was true: Jesus was the “I am.” He was God.
Blasphemy, the sin of claiming to be God or of attacking God’s authority and majesty in any way, was punishable by death. The Jewish leaders had the evidence they wanted.