Jesus Predicted ... Peter Stumbled Series

Message

Matthew 26:69-75

Jesus Predicted ... Peter Stumbled

How many times have we been in a situation where we have wanted a second chance?

Someone doing an important exam … and just miss one small point that causes the whole exam to be a failure.

Can’t I have a second chance?

Trying out for a job but, because you are nervous, you make mistakes which you wouldn’t usually make.

Can’t I have a second chance?

Words that get spoken in the heat of the moment which create untold hurt and brokenness.

Can’t I have a second chance?

Being in a situation which called for a response of integrity, but instead it was a response of failure.

Can’t I have a second chance?

I don’t think there is anyone here who, one way or another, hasn’t wanted a second chance at some time in their life.

In fact I would go even further and say that many of the second chances we want often relate to our relationship with God.

We are among our not-yet-believing friends and, instead of being an influence on them, we allow ourselves to fall into language that we would never use when we are at church. And our friends now have a very different view of us and our “Christianity”.

Can’t I have a second chance?

We are talking about someone in the church, perhaps making a judgment about them or gossiping about them. Then we turn around and … there they are!! Now they know what we really think of them – and we have to sit next to them in church.

Can’t I have a second chance?

We find ourselves in questionable moral situations and we know that we have been the cause of the compromise. There is shame and guilt and a sense of failure because we said we would “never” do this.

Can’t I have a second chance?

You know what I mean don’t you. There are so many reasons … so many times … in our spiritual life, and our relationship with God, and our relationship with others where we say, “Can’t I have a second chance?”

Well let’s see what the Scripture says about that.

Read Luke 22:31-34

Read Matthew 26:69-75

Peter … he was often a disciple who stumbled in his journey with Jesus

One moment he is climbing out of the boat and walking on water – the next he is swimming with the fish.

One moment he is saying Jesus you are the Christ, the Son of the living God … the next moment Jesus is telling Peter – you remind me a lot of Satan.

One moment he is faithfully declaring Even if everyone falls away, I will not … the next he is denying Jesus three times.

Peter’s life just seems to be a continual series of faith face-plants.

Getting up – falling over.

Getting up – falling over.

Getting up – falling over.

With this latest episode being the worst. And you kind of get this sense that Peter is slowly but surely digging himself into this great big hole. Peter is really stumbling.

Indeed it is such a large stumble that every single Gospel writer tells us about it.

Matthew 26.

Mark 14.

Luke 22.

John 18.

You put these stories together and you have this very powerful understanding of what is going on and all that Peter is facing.

The first denial.

This accusation is made by a servant girl … a servant girl.

As a servant she has very little status and few people notice her. Peter has much more position in the community than she does.

As a girl … well what is she compared to a seasoned fisherman like Peter?

It’s kind of like David and Goliath … except it is more like Davina and Gutless.

She has no status. She isn’t armed with weapons. She hasn’t brought a group of guards. All she says to this man standing in the courtyard by the fire, You also were with Jesus of Galilee.

Andrew was the first disciples that Jesus called into His group – and Peter was second. Peter was there right at the very beginning. Before anyone in Galilee knew what was going on Peter was already by Jesus side.

I don’t know what you are talking about.

It happened so easily didn’t it. Fear has taken hold. The first denial – just as Jesus predicted.

But doesn’t call Peter to his senses.

The second denial

Peter has moved out of the courtyard and over to the gateway. Hoping to be a little inconspicuous. Maybe trying to make sure he can get away easier.

When you put the four gospel accounts together you get the sense that the servant girl is talking to a few people around her and that people are starting to talk in a group.