Service and Peter's Denial
True greatness, Jesus taught, is service: the first must be servant of all. Yet even Peter, the boldest disciple, denied knowing him. Explore what service and failure reveal about following Jesus.
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To follow is to serve
What does it really mean to follow Jesus? In Mark's Gospel, two moments give the answer: Jesus teaches that true greatness is service, and even bold Peter stumbles. This module explores the teaching on service and the story of Peter's denial, and what they reveal about discipleship.
The language of discipleship
Four ideas run through this module:
Greatness turned upside down
In Mark 10:42-45, Jesus contrasts the world's idea of greatness with his own.
Came to serve
In Mark 10:45, Jesus says the Son of Man came to do what?
- To serve, not to be served
- To rule over the nations
- To gather great riches
- To be waited on by many
Match each passage to what happens
- Mark 9:33-37
- Mark 10:35-45
- Mark 14:27-31
- Mark 14:66-72
- Jesus says the greatest must be servant of all
- James and John ask to sit beside Jesus in glory
- Jesus foretells that Peter will deny him
- Peter denies Jesus three times and weeps
What Jesus taught
Select the TWO things Jesus taught about being great, in Mark 9 and 10.
- The greatest must be the servant of all
- Whoever wants to be first must be last
- The great should be served by others
- Greatness comes from ruling over people
A warning at the meal
After the Last Supper (Mark 14:27-31), Jesus warns that all the disciples will fall away. He tells Peter that before the cock crows twice, Peter will deny him three times. Peter protests that even if he must die with Jesus, he will never deny him.
Peter in the courtyard
In Mark 14:66-72, put the events of Peter's denial into order.
- Peter warms himself in the high priest's courtyard
- A servant girl says he was with Jesus, and he denies it
- She says it again, and he denies it a second time
- Others say he is a Galilean, and he denies it a third time
- The cock crows, and Peter breaks down and weeps
How many times?
How many times did Peter deny knowing Jesus?
- Three times
- Once
- Twice
- Seven times
Discipleship in words
In Mark's Gospel, Jesus teaches that true greatness is _____: whoever wants to be first must be the _____ of all. He said the Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a _____ for many. Later, Peter _____ knowing Jesus three times before the _____ crowed, then broke down and wept.
Service and denial
Tap the TWO statements that are TRUE.
- Jesus taught that the greatest must be the servant of all.
- Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before the cock crowed.
- Jesus said the Son of Man came to be served by others.
- James and John were made the two greatest disciples straight away.
- Peter felt proud and pleased after denying Jesus.
Match each idea to its meaning
- Servant of all
- A ransom for many
- Peter's denial
- The cock crowing
- Putting everyone else before yourself
- Jesus giving his life for others
- A leading disciple failing under pressure
- The sign Jesus had foretold
What happens next?
Recall how Jesus and Peter act in three moments from Mark's Gospel.
- The disciples argue about who is the greatest. What does Jesus tell them true greatness is?
- James and John ask for the top seats beside Jesus in glory. How does Jesus respond?
- Under pressure in the courtyard, Peter is asked whether he knows Jesus. What does he do?
Service and failure
Using Mark's Gospel, explain what the teaching on service and Peter's denial show about Christian discipleship. Refer to what Jesus taught about greatness and to how Peter behaved under pressure.
- Explain what Jesus taught about true greatness and service
- Describe how Peter denied Jesus and how he reacted afterwards
- Explain what service teaches about being a disciple
- Explain what Peter's denial shows about the cost of discipleship