King Herod takes out James, and loses Peter thanks to the midnight escape. But political problems have him in a place he doesn't want to be, being lied to by people who just want things from him, but his pride has him so high on power that he forgets who he is.
We've finally come to the hour of darkness – the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and the final rejection of the religious leaders. All three are forms of temptation that Jesus warns his disciples to pray "so that they don't fall into."
It’s something we all struggle with; something that lies underneath all of our sin and rebellion… and yet no one thinks they have it.
The pivotal moment in the story of Esther is not the moment(s) of heroism and courage. It's a little less sexy than that, and a lot more ordinary.
Like notifications on your phone remind you of things you might otherwise forget, Peter wraps up his letter with a couple things we shouldn’t forget.