Daily Devotionals
Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening"
Devotional: October 11th

Morning

“Peter followed him afar off.”

Matthew 26:57-75

Matthew 26:57

Waiting for his blood, his enemies were spending the night in watching, until news should come that he was taken.

Matthew 26:59-61

This was a perversion of his meaning, and a wresting of his words. He had spoken of his own body and said, “Destroy this temple.” It is no strange thing if the wicked misrepresent what we say, for they did the same by our Master and Lord.

Matthew 26:62 , Matthew 26:63

Like a sheep before her shearers, he opened not his mouth.

Matthew 26:65 , Matthew 26:66

How could God’s own Son blaspheme? His works had proved him to be God, and yet they called him a blasphemer.

Matthew 26:67 , Matthew 26:68

Having rejected his Deity, they now mock at his prophetic claims. Those who deny Jesus to be God, do not long accept his teaching. See the shame our Lord endured! Our sins brought it upon him.

Matthew 26:69 , Matthew 26:70

Brave Peter trembles before a maid-servant.

Matthew 26:71 , Matthew 26:72

He uttered an oath, that they might no longer suspect him, for followers of Jesus abhor swearing. Poor Peter, what a fall was thine!

Matthew 26:73

His Galilean brogue revealed him. If a believer sins he will not be able to do it as others do, and is sure to be detected.

Matthew 26:74

Providence controls what men call accidents. Surely the cock could crow when it willed, and yet the will of the Lord was done.

Matthew 26:75

There was grace in his heart, and therefore the crow of a cock affected him, and the look of his Lord broke his heart. May the Lord by some means bring us also to repentance if at any time we are so base as to deny him.

If near the pit I rashly stray,

Before I fall, as fall I may,

The keen conviction dart!

Recall me by that pitying look,

That kind, upbraiding glance which broke

Unfaithful Peter’s heart.

In me thine utmost mercy show,

And make me like thyself below,

Unblamable in grace;

Preserv’d, prepar’d, and fitted here,

In full perfection to appear

Before thy glorious face.

Evening

“They persecute Him whom Thou hast smitten.”

Luke 22:66-71

Sorrowfully let us now see our Lord accused before the Jewish council, standing alone before his cruel enemies. After the council had condemned Jesus in a preliminary examination, they seem to have separated, to meet again in a more formal manner in the morning.

Luke 22:66-69

And as soon as it was day which was then about five in the morning

Luke 22:66-69

They would neither hear his arguments nor reply fairly to any questions which he might put to them, by which his claims might be proved. He had, in former days, proved to them that he was the Christ, and that the Christ was the Son of God, and yet they had refused to believe. He, therefore, bore his testimony, and left the issue to the last great day, saying,

Luke 22:70

He had called himself “the Son of man,” but they saw at once that his claim to sit at God’s right hand involved his Deity, and, therefore, they pushed the question yet further, that they might accuse him.

Luke 22:70

Which means, “Ye say rightly that I am.”

Luke 22:71

From the boldness of our Lord let us take example, and never conceal the truth from fear of men.

Matthew 27:1-10

Matthew 24:1

The day was more advanced, but it was yet early, and a third time the Sanhedrim held a sitting, not to try the Lord Jesus, but to consider how to secure his destruction. The Romans had taken away from them the power of life and death, and, therefore, they were forced to carry their prisoner to the Roman governor.

Matthew 24:5

From the place whereon he hung him self he fell headlong and was dashed in pieces; thus every circumstance of horror attended his self-murder. Unhappy man! How shortlived was his profit! How eternal his loss! Will we give up Christ for gain or pleasure! O Lord, forbid it.

Matthew 24:6

Base hypocrites. They had a qualmish conscience about the harmless pieces of money, but none concerning thee murder they had perpetrated! They remind us of those who are zealous for their church, and yet continue in sin.

Lord! when I read the traitor’s doom,

To his own place consign’d,

What holy fear, and humble hope,

Alternate fill my mind!

Traitor to thee I too have been,

But saved by matchless grace,

Or else the lowest, hottest hell

Had surely been my place.

Blest Lamb of God! thy sovereign grace

To all around I’ll tell,

Which made a place in glory mine,

Whose just desert was hell.