Not Me, Lord

NOT ME LORD 4/27/08 CBC

MATHEW 26: 31--35

INTRODUCTION: OLD SAYING: “DON’T EVER SAY NEVER.”

IT WAS ONLY FITTING THAT SATAN SHOULD DESIRE TO HAVE SIMON PETER, TO SIFT HIM LIKE WHEAT***, TO SHOW WHAT OVERCONFIDENCE CAN DO TO A PERSON.

1. OF ALL THE DISCIPLES, SIMON PETER WAS THE MOST ARROGANT.

2. HE WAS ALWAYS THE FIRST TO SPEAK UP, THE FIRST TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT, FIRST TO FALL FLAT, AFTER BRAGGING.

3. PETER WAS A LOUDMOUTH, EGOTISTICAL BUT SOMEONE ONCE SAID: “AT LEAST HE WAS WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE, AND SPEAK UP.”

4. UNFORTUNATELY, HE FELL FLAT ON HIS FACE BEFORE THE ENEMY.

5. I’M SURE SIMON PETER WAS QUITE SINCERE, BUT ALSO QUITE OVERCONFIDENT. HIS CONFIDENCE WAS MORE IN HIMSELF .*****

I. MK. 14:50: “SELF WILLED SAINT.”(they all forsook him and fled)

(A) ONE HOUR HE WAS WILLING TO GO TO PRISON, EVEN DIE FOR CHRIST

(B) THE NEXT HOUR HE FLED THE SCENE AND EVEN DENIED KNOWING CHRIST.

(C) JESUS IN HIS OMNISCIENCE KNEW THAT SATAN HAD HIS EYE ON SIMON PETER.********

(D) MANY TODAY, LIKE SIMON PETER, ON FIRE FOR GOD ONE DAY, COLD AS ICE THE NEXT. INCONSISTENT IN THEIR CHRISTIAN LIFE.

(E) WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO SERVING CHRIST, COMMITTED TO HIS CAUSE.

II. MK 14:37 “SLEEPING SAINT.” “AND HE CAME AND FOUND THEM SLEEPING, AND SAID UNTO PETER, SIMON, ARE YOU ASLEEP?”********

PETER WAS ASLEEP ON THE JOB. NO WONDER HE WAS THE BEST CHOICE FOR SATAN TO SIFT LIKE WHEAT.

SIMON PETER WAS WELL NOTED FOR SLEEPING.

HE SLEPT 3 TIMES IN 3 OUTSTANDING PLACES.

(A) HE SLEPT (LUKE 9:32) IN THE PRESENCE OF GLORY

1. MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION (W/MOSES AND ELIJAH)

(THREE TABERNACLES REQUEST*****)

(B) HE SLEPT (LUKE 22: 45) IN THE PRESENCE OF AGONY

2. WHEN JESUS PRAYED IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE.

(C) HE SLEPT (ACTS 12:6) IN THE PRESENCE OF GLOOM.

1. THERE WE FIND HIM ASLEEP BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS; HE WAS BOUND BY CHAINS AND AWAITING DEATH IN THE MORNING.

2. GOD SENT HIS ANGEL TO FREE HIM FROM PRISON.

III. MARK 14:66 WE FIND A SLIPPING SAINT.

PETER FAILED IN THE MIDST OF CHRIST’S ENEMIES.

(A) AT A TIME WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOYAL TO THE LORD, WE FIND HIM BEING DISLOYAL BECAUSE OF FEAR AND PERSECUTION.

(B) THE MORE WE TRUST HIM AND THE CLOSER WE STAY TO HIM, THE MORE BOLD WE CAN BE AND MORE WE CAN WITNESS FOR HIM.

?????????

WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR PETER’S FAILURE?

IV. HE FOLLOWED AFAR OFF.**** MARK 14; 54>>> EVEN INTO THE PALACE OF THE HIGH PRIEST, HE FOLLOWED AFAR OFF.

1. HIS FAITH FAILED HIM

2. HIS FEARS OVERWHELMED HIM

3. LEAD, FOLLOW OR GET OUT OF THE WAY!

4. ARE YOU PART OF THE SOLUTION OR PART OF THE PROBLEM?

(A) WHEN SATAN ATTACKS WE NEED TO FLEE “TO” JESUS, NOT FROM HIM. HE IS OUR REFUGE, ROCK OF OUR SALVATION. HE HAD RECENTLY TOLD PETER THAT THE GATES OF HELL CANNOT PREVAIL AGAINST HIS CHURCH.

(B) WE CANNOT STAND BACK IN THE WORLDLY SHADOWS OF THE CROWD AND SERVE CHRIST.

1. MANY TODAY, ARE CONTENT TO BE “SUNDAY CHRISTIANS” WHO

ARE ACTIVE IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY, BUT HIDE IN THE OBSCURITY OF THE WORLD FOR THE OTHER SIX DAYS.

V. SATAN’S FINAL ATTACK ON SIMON PETER.

(A) PETER IS WARMING BY THE FIRE OF THE ENEMY.

1. HE OPENLY DENIES HIS LORD*****

2. DON’T KNOW HIM**

(B) RATHER THAN IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST, HE NOW DENIES HIM, JUST AS THE LORD HAD SAID HE WOULD.

1. HIS FAITH WAS IN THE FLESH, (NOT IN THE LORD.)

2. LATER, (WHEN HE WAS FORGIVEN AND STRENGTHENED), HE WOULD GLADLY GIVE HIS LIFE AS A TESTIMONY OF HIS LOVE AND DEVOTION TO CHRIST

(C) PETER WENT OUT AND WEPT BITTERLY. with a broken heart and a contrite spirit he now faces the sad consequences of backsliding.

WE SEE THE SAD PICTURE OF PETER’S FAILURE.

(D) WE FIND A LESSON HERE IN PETER’S FAILURE.

1. WE FIND A GODLY SORROW. (TRUE SORROW)*******

2 CORINTHIANS 7:10: GODLY SORROW WORKS REPENTANCE.

3. WE FIND A GODLY GRACE.

ROMANS 5:20: WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND. (a pound of grace covers an ounce of sin.)

4. WHEN A CHILD OF GOD SINS AND FAILS, HE DOES NOT FALL FROM GRACE, IF HE REPENTS OF HIS SIN HE FALLS INTO GRACE.

(GOD’S FORGIVING GRACE. 1 JOHN 1:9: IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.

CONCLUSION: JESUS FORGAVE PETER OF HIS GREAT SIN, USED HIM GREATLY AS A WITNESS AND AS A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL.

FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS UNTIL HIS DEATH, WE FIND PETER PREACHING WITH GREAT BOLDNESS. HIS VICTORY IS SECURED THROUGH CHRIST. HIS FAITH IS IN A RISEN SAVIOR.

WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?

TOTAL COMMITMENT TO CHRIST. FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT RATHER THAN THE FLESH.