AN EMBARRASSING FAILURE
John 18.15-27
S: Peter’s Denials
C: Failure
Pr: WE ARE TO PRACTICE HUMILITY.
TS: In our study of John 18.15-27 we will find how Peter’s weakness is exposed.
Type: Inductive
I. UNDERCOVER (15-18)
II. UNDERHANDED (19-24)
III. UNDERCURRENT (25-27)
IV. UNDERSTANDING (27)
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Practice humility.
• Practice it or find it enforced.
Version: ESV
RMBC 11 March 07 AM
INTRODUCTION:
1. Have you ever really been embarrassed?
ILL Embarrassment (H)
A young man called his mother and announced excitedly that he had just met the woman of his dreams. Now what should he do? His mother had an idea: "Why don’t you send her flowers, and on the card invite her to your apartment for a home-cooked meal?"
He thought this was a great strategy, and a week later, the woman came to dinner. His mother called the next day to see how things had gone.
"I was totally humiliated," he moaned. "She insisted on washing the dishes."
"What’s wrong with that?" asked his mother.
"We hadn’t started eating yet."
Well, I suppose that would be embarrassing…
I think, though, that what really embarrasses us as a person is when we fail to keep our word.
We have said that we are a certain type of person, but we fail to show it on our lives.
Or we say we will do this certain thing, but then we do not do it.
This is true about our faith as well.
Every day we face situations that put our faith and commitment to Christ to the test.
For example…
Perhaps you are a student and you are talking to your friends, and you start telling about something funny that happened at church, and one of your friends says, “Church! You go to church?”
Anticipating the ridicule of your peers, you just say, “Oh I go just to keep my parents off my back…”
Perhaps you are at the end of your work day, and once again your coworkers encourage you to join them for a good time at a local bar, carousing and gambling.
Because you made a commitment to Jesus long ago, you have resisted that repeated invitation.
But on this particular day, you were really feeling discouraged about work and your finances and your family, and so you went with them.
That night, you got drunk and did things you could not believe you would do.
Awaking the next morning with a huge hangover, waves of guilt sweep over you and you feel as your life is over.
Perhaps, as a single person, you have made a commitment to wait until marriage for a sexual relationship, and had been faithful to that promise.
But one night in May, you broke that commitment because of the pressure you were feeling by your new sweetheart.
Afterwards, though, the relationship changed and the suitor moved on to someone else and you feel used and ashamed that you did not keep yourself pure for your future spouse.
Each one of us, as Christians, faces temptation to compromise our values and standards.
Each one of us faces persecution for what we believe.
And when we fail, it is embarrassing, or at least, it should be!
This brings us to Peter.
He was blessed to live and walk with Jesus for three years.
But Peter had a knack for getting it wrong.
He was a man of great passion.
He was the type of person that would act or speak first, then think about it later.
Nevertheless, Jesus understood that he had great potential.
But…
2. Peter has embarrassed himself by not understanding the necessity of the cross.
In Matthew 16, we are told of the incident where Peter attempts to talk Jesus out of His plans.
The text says…
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
This was not the first or last time that Peter did not get it right.
In fact, it is a pattern.
Over and over again, Peter shows that he does not get what Jesus must do.
So…
3. Instead of embracing God’s plan, Peter has fought it.
This was evident in our study last week, when Jesus and His disciples were confronted by the betrayal of Judas.
Judas has brought a band of men, both Romans and Jews, to arrest Jesus in the garden.
At this point, Peter pulls out his sword, and proves that he is no Zorro.
No one aims for an ear, but Peter manages to slice one off.
Peter is embarrassed, not only by his swordsmanship, but by Jesus telling him to put the weapon away.
He has once again misinterpreted what Jesus has come to accomplish.
So, today…
4. In our study of John 18.15-27 we will find how Peter’s weakness is exposed.
OUR STUDY:
First we see that Peter decides to go…
I. UNDERCOVER (15-18)
(15) Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, (16) but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. (17) The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” (18) Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
Somehow…
5. Peter musters the courage to follow Jesus.
This matches his impetuous demeanor.
He wants to see the outcome.
In his thinking, he should be there.
He should not run.
But, perhaps he should just have gone on his way like the rest of the disciples.
There is no doubt that Peter is a confused man.
He is confused about what Jesus was thinking.
He is confused by Jesus denying him the opportunity to step in and protect Him from those seeking His arrest.
He is confused when Jesus lets Himself fall into the hands of those who desired to kill Him.
This was all very confusing.
So Peter makes his way back to the courtyard of the high priest.
He is let in because he has a connection, another disciple.
We do not know who this other disciple was.
Some say it was John, but we do not have any strong evidence that he was from a priestly family.
It was more likely Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, or someone of like kind.
So Peter gets in when he…
6. Peter decides to go incognito.
A servant girl is the guard at the door, and she asks, “You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?”
Her question is worded in such a way that a negative answer is expected.
And that is what she got!
“No, of course not!”
For Peter, it was a line of escape.
He was able to avoid conflict.
It was a small compromise.
It gets him in the door.
But the problem is that he now he sets a pattern.
Now the scene changes back to where we left off last week.
We are dramatically called back to the house of Annas, the real power behind the power.
Interestingly, only John speaks of this part of the so-called “trial.”
The other gospel writers report about Jesus’ time with Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, but John skips this latter part and tells us about the…
II. UNDERHANDED (19-24)
…activity that took place before.
(19) The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. (20) Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. (21) Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” (22) When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” (23) Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” (24) Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
The informal inquiry continues and it is at this point that it is established that…
7. Jesus has never hid the truth.
According to Jewish tradition, rabbis were required to teach out in the open.
It was the false prophets that taught in secret.
Jesus said there was nothing hidden.
The essence of His teaching was public property.
This did not really matter much to these interrogators.
Nothing really mattered.
According to Jewish law, they were not supposed to force the accused to convict himself.
It was not Jesus’ responsibility to demonstrate His innocence.
Nevertheless, His answer was unappreciated by one of the officers, and the Son of God, was slapped.
It just kept on showing how uninterested they were in doing things right.
You see…
8. Jesus reveals their inconsistency.
The abusive treatment demonstrated the hearts of the accusers.
The whole matter was political, not legal.
The whole matter was about power, not truth.
They were never going to be believers.
They were embarked on an agenda that would not be swayed.
No matter what miracle Jesus worked, no matter what prophecies He fulfilled…even after His resurrection…these people would not be open to the truth.
They only saw what reinforced their agendas.
Now John tells us that the interrogation is turned over to Annas’ son-in-law, Caiaphas.
In the meanwhile, Peter is caught in the…
III. UNDERCURRENT (25-27)
He is now drawn into an ocean of lies…
(25) Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” (26) One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” (27) Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
Peter made his way into the courtyard, and since he was incognito (no one was to know he was a disciple), he warmed himself by the fire.
He would have looked out of place anywhere else.
But the problem is…
9. Peter is caught in his lies.
Some time has passed since the first question and another servant girl asks the question expecting a negative reply.
We know from the other texts that the others in the circle pick up on the question.
They begin inquiring as well.
But Peter keeps denying who he is.
More time passes, and this time, a relative of Malchus asks the question.
This time, though, the question is different.
An affirmative answer is expected.
“I saw you in the garden with Jesus, didn’t I? Yes, I did.”
You see…
Peter was on trial to tell the truth.
And he fails.
He has denied his Lord three times.
And now, the rooster crows.
It is the sign that Jesus has foretold.
Luke tells us that at this very moment, Jesus turned and looked at Peter.
He was not so far that He could not see him.
We are not told what his facial expression was like.
We can only guess.
But for Peter, it was heartbreaking.
It was embarrassing.
He failed to keep his word.
And Jesus knew.
We know from the story that Judas experiences remorse for his betrayal, but not repentance.
When Judas left the upper room, it was night.
He was doomed.
When Peter went out to weep bitterly, it was dawn.
A new day was dawning.
And he would have opportunity to change.
For Peter gains…
IV. UNDERSTANDING (27)
10. Peter learns that he is a fragile stone.
It is interesting that Jesus named Simon, Cephas (Peter), before he had done anything.
He was called “stone” or “rock”, but at this moment, it must have seemed a most inappropriate name.
Maybe “wobbly” or “shaky” would have been more appropriate.
But God knows who we are before we know ourselves.
And the good news is is that we are more than the sum of our blunders and failings, as well as our victories and our bright spots. (Carattini)
Before we have had a chance to fall on our face, or say something smart, God knew He would need to die for us.
And He did.
Peter is a loud statement to the hopeless, the skeptic, and the guilt-ridden.
God can take our doubt, our regret, our hopelessness and make something good out of it.
We can take great comfort in this truth…
If we are faithless, He remains faithful.
APPLICATION:
ILL Confession (S)
In his autobiography in 2004, Pete Rose finally admitted that he bet on baseball games while employed as manager of the Cincinnati Reds — an infraction that produced a lifetime ban from the sport in 1989. Rose’s admission of guilt came after denying any wrongdoing for almost 15 years.
And he has not stopped confessing, either. In September of 2006, he began using his website to personally apologize to each of the fans he had failed or offended. In fact, for only $350 (plus $4.99 shipping handling), Pete Rose will send you a personalized autographed baseball that reads, "I’m sorry I bet on baseball."
The marketing copy on the website says: "Now you can get the baseball collectible everyone’s talking about — Pete Rose’s personal apology for betting on baseball, newly inscribed on an actual baseball — at a fantastic price."
Associated Press, "Rose Says ’Sorry,’ but It’ll Cost You,"
Houston Chronicle (9-20-06) [price update from 10 Mar 07
Pete Rose has shown over and over again that he does not get it.
He does not get confession.
He does not get humility.
And as a result, he is frustrated, for all of his successes, probably the best hitter ever in baseball, he is still a failure.
For even though he is known for his superior play and tremendous statistics, he is banned from the Hall of Fame for injuring the integrity of the game.
You see…
11. WE ARE TO PRACTICE HUMILITY.
This is the way to recover from failure.
Peter finally got this.
He humbly accepted His weaknesses and confessed His failure to the Lord.
You see, no matter what we have done, God can still restore and use us.
God gives us a second chance and allows us to come to a different end.
Our selfishness, our pride, our arrogance…does not have to be the end of the story.
But listen to this…
12. If we do not practice humility, we will learn it the hard way.
When we depend on our strength, we are sure to fail, and be brought even lower.
You don’t have to make that mistake, not today.
You can come humbly before God, and find rest and restoration.
You can find love, coming from our Lord, who was determined to follow the plan, so that He could save you and me.
We have a great Savior!
For Further Study: Deuteronomy 17.6; Matthew 5.17-20, 16.21-28; 26.33-35; Luke 10.16; John 13.37-38, 21.15-19; Romans 5.8; Ephesians 4.32; I Peter 1.24-25, 5.7
BENEDICTION:
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
RESOURCES:
SermonCentral:
Credille, Brian Facing the Charcoal Fire
Goettsche, Bruce Learn from the Failure of Others
Lombardi, Luciano You Can’t Always Trust What You See
Pittendreigh, W. Maynard Peter’s Denial
Tow, Richard Hitting Bottom: Peter’s Denial
Vasicek, Ed Inside Connections and the Jewish Trial of Jesus
Verdeflor, Cesar The Court with No Appeal
Article:
Carattini, Jill “The Stuff of Scars.” A Slice of Infinity, slice@sliceofinfinity.org, 09/21/05
Books:
Keener, Craig S. The Ivp Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977.
Renich, Fred C. When the Chisel Hits the Rock: The Sculpting of a Leader. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1980.
Stern, David H. The Jewish New Testament Commentary. Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., 1992.
Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament. Colorado Springs: ChariotVictor Publishing, 1989.
