Can You Disappoint God?

Luke 22:54-62

⁵⁴ Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. ⁵⁵ And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. ⁵⁶ Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸ And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” ⁵⁹ And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Lord Jesus told Peter only hours before that he would deny Him three times. Of course, Peter declares that this will never happen and now Jesus' prophecy comes true. Peter has already distanced himself from Jesus, as the words of the text explain (vs. 54 – Peter was following at a distance) and has chosen to sit among those who are scoffers. One immediately recalls the words of Psalm 1:1.

Psalm 1:1

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.

Only Luke records the look of Jesus as Peter utters that last denial, but we are so grateful that he remembered to record that detail for in that look we find an intensely personal view of the relationship that was formed between Jesus and Peter. In that look we find condemnation, rebuke, and the road to repentance. As readers, we are so grateful that Peter takes that path of repentance and John 20 records for us Peter’s restoration by Jesus Himself. What I don’t think we see in that “look” is disappointment.

Disappointment is the reaction we have when our expectations are not met. When someone says they will pick you up at 8 and then they show up at 9:30, disappointment is the general (and appropriate) response. What we find here with Jesus is not disappointment. He already knew that Peter was going to behave this way and His expectation was met. The person who was disappointed was probably Peter. He did not expect to reject Jesus so quickly or completely. His disappointment in himself led to bitter tears and repentance.

So that leads us to the question: can we disappoint God? I don’t think so. God always knows what you are going to do, how you are going to act, and where you are going to sin. He never puts His palm to His forehead and declares, “I didn’t see that coming!” God is never disappointed in you. He may be grieved by what you do and He may even be angered by your sin, but He is never disappointed. I believe there are so many Christians who daily walk around believing they are a colossal disappointment to God. This just isn’t possible. God never shakes His head at you and wishes you would be better, or more, or different. Just as Jesus forgives Peter for these three denials, so too does He forgive you for every single sin you commit because He saw every one of them before you committed them. His forgiveness covers them and He simply cannot be disappointed in you. Would that it were in my power to convince all Christians of this fact. It is the work of the Holy Spirit so I shall leave that to Him. If we avail ourselves of His work, perhaps we would smile more.