An Awkward Situation

IT’S A COLD DAY FOR SEPTEMBER WAS ALL I THOUGHT TO SAY. WHEN I SAW YOU ON THE STREET THE OTHER DAY. I KNEW SOMETHING CHANGED BETWEEN US ALL THE TALK WE MADE WAS SMALL. BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHEN THEY’VE HEARD YOU SAY IT ALL. IT’S AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION IN A MOST PECULIAR WAY. HOW DID WE GET FROM SAYING I LOVE YOU TO I’LL SEE YOU AROUND SOME DAY. IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY DAYS AGO WE HAD SO MUCH TO SAY DID WE TAKE IT ALL FOR GRANTED DID IT ALL GET THROWN AWAY.

THE BOYS IN GREAT BIG SEA WERE SINGING ABOUT A CHANCE MEETING WITH AN OLD FLAME. BUT HAVE YOU EVER MEET WITH GOD AND FELT LIKE THAT. I KNEW SOMETHING CHANGED BETWEN US ALL THE TALK WE MADE WAS SMALL, BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHEN THEY’VE HEARD YOU SAY IT ALL. IT’S AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION IN A MOST PECULIAR WAY. HOW DID WE GET FROM SAYING I LOVE YOU TO I’LL SEE YOU AROUND SOME DAY.

PETER MUST HAVE FELT LIKE THAT. WHAT A DAY HE HAD. I’m sure that he could identify with our friend murphy. HE ARGUED WITH THE OTHER DISCIPLES OVER WHO WOULD BE GREATEST, WOULDN’T LET CHRIST WASH HIS FEET AND BOASTED THAT HE WOULD DIE FOR CHRIST. IN GETHSEMANE HE FELL ASLEEP THEN HE FREAKED OUT IN THE GARDEN WITH A SWORD AND CUT A DUDES EAR OFF, AND THEN VEHEMENTLY DENIED CHRIST, NOT ONCE NOT TWICE BUT THREE TIMES. EVER HAVE ONE OF THOSE DAYS, HEY STUFF HAPPENS. DOES IT EVER.

BUT WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT PETER? HE WAS THE LEADER OF THE APOSTLES, ONE OF CHRIST’S CLOSEST FRIENDS LIKE HOW MUCH MORE SPIRITUAL CAN YOU GET. BUT SO OFTEN THAT IS THE VERY TYPE OF PERSON WHO IS SUBJECT TO SATANS GREATEST ATTACK. THE PERSON IN THE HIGHEST POSITION IS THE ONE WITH THE FARTHEST TO FALL.

BUT WHO WAS PETER? WELL HIS REAL NAME WAS SIMON AND HE WAS THE SON OF JONAs, HE WAS THE FIRST APOSTLE, BROUGHT TO CHRIST BY HIS BROTHER ANDREW, AND WAS RENAMED PETER BY JESUS. HE WAS PART OF THE INNER CIRCLE WITH JOHN AND JAMES THE SON’S OF THUNDER. IT WAS JOHN AND PETER WHO WENT AHEAD TO ARRANGE THE UPPER ROOM FOR THE LAST SUPPER. IT WAS PETER WHO WALKED ON THE WATER, A MAN WHOLLY DEVOTED TO CHRIST AND YET HE WAS STILL JUST A MAN.

IT WAS PETER WHO SAID, We have faith in you, and we are sure that you are God’s Holy One." AND "You are the Messiah sent from God." IN Matthew 26:33 Peter spoke up, "Even if all the others reject you, I never will!"

THE PHRASE THAT IS TRANSLATED REJECT YOU IS ACTUALLY ONE WORD IN THE GREEK AND THAT IS SKAN DAL IDZO, IT’S WHERE WE GET OUR WORD SCANDALIZE, AND IT MEANS TO TRIP UP, STUMBLE, ENTICE TO SIN OR TO OFFEND. AND SO PETER IS SAYING, "JESUS I WOULD NEVER SIN AGAINST YOU."

LET’S REMEMBER THAT WHEN EVER WE USE THE WORD NEVER WE’D BETTER WATCH OUT, IT’S AN AWFULLY BIG WORD, AND AN AWFULLY LONG TIME. ABOUT THE TIME WE USE THAT WORD SATAN PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS. "I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY COULD DO THAT, I WOULD NEVER COMMIT ADULTERY." "I WOULD NEVER CUSS" "I WOULD NEVER LOSE MY TEMPER LIKE THAT" NEVER IS A LONG TIME. THE VERY WORD STUMBLE IS INDICATIVE OF THE KIND OF MISTAKE IT IS. THIS ISN’T "WELL I THINK I’LL GO OUT AND MURDER 17 PEOPLE TODAY." THIS IS A SLIP OF THE TONGUE THAT HURTS A FELLOW CHRISTIAN, THIS IS A FLASH OF ANGER, THIS IS A CARELESS THOUGHT OR ACTION.

THE SECOND PART OF PETERS BOAST COMES TWO VERSES LATER IN Matthew 26:35 But Peter said, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never say I don’t know you." All the others said the same thing.

HOW OFTEN HAVE WE HEARD SUCH A BOAST, FOR THAT MATTER HOW OFTEN HAVE WE MADE SUCH A BOAST. "O LORD I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO BRING REPROACH ON YOUR NAME, EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE FOR YOU." I’M SURE THAT CHRIST WOULD CONCUR, THE PROBLEM ISN’T GETTING PEOPLE TO DIE FOR YOU, IT’S GETTING PEOPLE TO LIVE FOR YOU.

NOW LET’S RECOGNIZE THAT PETER DIDN’T PLUNGE FROM SAINT TO SINNER OVERNIGHT. HOW OFTEN WE THINK THAT PETER GOT UP AND SAID, "WELL THIS IS THE DAY." IT MAY APPEAR THAT WAY BUT IF THE TRUTH WAS KNOWN IT JUST DON’T HAPPEN THAT WAY. USUALLY A LOT HAPPENS BEFORE THE ACTUAL FALL TAKES PLACE. SATAN KNOWS THAT, HE DOESN’T OPEN UP WITH THE HEAVY STUFF RIGHT OFF, HE GRADUALLY WEARS DOWN THE DEFENCES AND THEN ZAP HE’S DONE IT TO YOU AGAIN.