He Makes Our Wrongs Right

JESUS CAN MAKE OUR FAILURES, RIGHT: JN.13:33-37 10-20-07

How many times have we ever needed a 2nd chance? I’m sure just about all of us some time are another could have used a 2nd chance to do something or another.

In the message today we’ll see how that Peter denied ever-knowing Jesus. He stated that he would even lay his life down for Jesus, and Jesus said to him that before the roaster crowed that peter would deny Him three times.

And of coarse it happened just exactly the way the Load said it would. But I want us to notice that Jesus didn’t turn from loving Peter, Jesus; we might say gave Peter another chance, as He does with all His children. And even to lost sinners.

I don’t know about you but he certainly was gracious to me and extended His mercy and grace to me many many times.

Let us keep in mind that the disciples didn’t have the gospel account to read as we do today, it’s possible that we might have been just like them.

To Jesus disciples it looked to them that Jesus had failed, Peter, and the rest of the disciples, were expecting something different.

They were expecting an overthrow of the Roman bondage and a new kind of kingdom.

They were going to be with Jesus all the way, and be His mighty men as Jesus took control and set up His rule.

But to them it appeared to have all failed, He didn’t conquer the Rome rule. And Jesus was even executed.

The disciples didn’t realize that this was all in Gods great plan, they as of yet didn’t understand that Jesus was to pay the sin debt at His 1st coming, they never considered are understood that He was to come a 2nd time to set up His Kingdom.

And so as Jesus was bound and led away the disciples scattered.

Peter was setting at the fire of sinners and warmed himself as they led Jesus by, we all know the story, how Jesus looked on Peter as Jesus was being led away. And then we read that peter ran out and wept bitterly.

But what we learn out of this is that there are three stages that many of us often go through for Jesus to make us better servants for Him.

*It seems that a lot of times we have the preconceived notion that nothing can tear us down because we feel that we’re so super strong in the things of God.

Listen as I read today’s text found in JN. 13: 33-38

this conversation occurred before Judas’s betrayal, listen as I read:

JN. 13: 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come;

36Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. 37Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

And of coarse this happened as Peter warmed himself at the fire of sinners

Peter overestimated his ability.

He is arrogant. He has a certain belief in his own strength.

So much so, even if the rest of the disciples were to fall away, never would he, he thought. He was going to stay with Jesus no matter what.

Peter found himself surrounded by the Lord’s enemies there at the fire.

All of sudden, he realizes that he can’t stand true to his earlier boast.

All of Jesus’ followers had forsaken Him.

They proved…that the thing we do not want to do is the very thing that we do a lot of times.

And Peter, who said that he would not fall away, did follow Jesus…from a distance.

Now listen what happens to him… remember the Lord Jesus had told him earlier that he would deny Him 3 times before the roaster crowed.

Luke 22: 54Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.

55And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. 56But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

58And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.