WHAT IF I FALL?
How To Face Failure And Recover From It
Matthew 26:31-35
INTRODUCTION:
First of all, I want to make it clear that this message is not for perfect people. If you are already perfect in your Christian life then you can stop reading this sermon. Because this message is for anyone who can say honestly that they experience struggles and even fall sometimes. This message is for ordinary person who knows the feelings of failures therefore admits that he cannot manage his life apart from God.
The gospel of Jesus is not for the saints but for the sinners. The Great Physician came to the world for the sick and not for those whose life needs not healing.
THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THOSE WHO DID THEIR BEST SHOTS BUT STILL MISSED THE TARGET
• For the parent who did their best but it seems that they are losing the battle for their kids
• For the Christians who tried their best to live what they believe but still failed the test.
• For the people who have struggles keeping their resolutions and promises
• For the couples who struggle to keep their marriage
• For the man who cannot find strength to get away from addiction and bad habits
• For the young people who cannot say no to their friends who are bad influences
• For the family who are struggling to make ends meet
• For the expatriates fighting to survive loneliness and hard labors for the sake of their family
• For every people who for varied reasons failed the people who trust and love them
• For Christians who sometimes fail their God and therefore suffering from guilt and lack of confidence
My friend, this message is for ordinary people! If you have struggles in your life from time to time, then this message is for you!
Fresh graduate from three years Special Theological Course under the greatest teacher that the world could ever have, the dean gave the commencing words of challenge, career guidance or better says a warning for their future ministry. But the young graduates called apostles were full of confidence specially the best of the class by the name Peter.
Normally, Training Institutions and tons of books taught us how to win. But this time, the greatest teacher of all is instructing his students how to face failure and recover from its devastating effect. When everybody is talking positively about winning, Jesus chooses to face the realistic question - What if I fail.
READING:
Mat 26:31 Then Jesus told them, This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
Mat 26:32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.
Mat 26:33 Peter replied, Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.
Mat 26:34 I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.
Mat 26:35 But Peter declared, Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. And all the other disciples said the same.
DISCUSSION:
I – FAILURE IS PART OF OUR LIFE AND EVEN JESUS UNDERSTAND ITS PURPOSE
Mat 26:31 Then Jesus told them, This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
PETER’S FAILURE IN DENYING CHRIST
Mat 26:69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. You also were with Jesus of Galilee, she said.
Mat 26:70 But he denied it before them all. I don’t know what you’re talking about, he said.
Mat 26:71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.
Mat 26:72 He denied it again, with an oath: I don’t know the man!
Mat 26:73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.
Mat 26:74 Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, I don’t know the man! Immediately a cock crowed.
Mat 26:75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: Before the cock crows, you will disown me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Failure is inevitable to all Christ followers; in fact Jesus foretold that his disciples will all fall away.
God did not cause our failure. Our failure is not God’s mistake. But God did not use His sovereign power to shield us from experiencing fall for divine reasons.
The great Michael Jordan once said:
I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
GOOD PEOPLE STUMBLE AND FALL FOR A REASON
If the sparrows will not fall unless there’s God’s permission, how much more are the people of God.
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
Mat 10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
GOD USE OUR FALLING TO TRANSFORM US INTO A NEW LIFE
Joh 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Joh 12:25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Before I fall, my life is full of pride and self confidence. But when I experience falling, I learned to surrender my life to God fully. I am no longer interested about my reputation. I started to live for the glory of God and not for my own. Through His grace, God can even use our mistakes to make us better.
II – JESUS IS ALWAYS READY TO CATCH US WHEN WE FALL
Mat 26:32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.
Once they fall, Jesus expected them to go back from where they started – in Galilee. Hence He already announced that He will meet them there in that same place. Jesus is ready to catch us again when we fall.
JESUS WANT US TO BE READY AND EVEN WARN US FOR TRIALS TO COME
Luk 22:31 Jesus said, "Simon, listen to me! Satan has demanded the right to test each one of you, as a farmer does when he separates wheat from the husks.
FAILURE IS NOT FINAL NOR FATAL, GOD EXPECT US TO RISE ONCE WE FALL
Luk 22:32 But Simon, I have prayed that your faith will be strong. And when you have come back to me, help the others."
GOD NEVER CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT OUR CALLING THOUGH WE FAIL HIM SOMETIMES
Joh 21:15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16 Again Jesus said, Simon son of John, do you truly love me? He answered, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of my sheep.
Joh 21:17 The third time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, Do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my sheep.
Rom 11:29 God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.
III – GOD ALLOWED FAILURES TO TAME OUR SOULS AND TEACH US TO TRUST HIM AND NOT OURSELVES
Mat 26:33 Peter replied, Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.
Mat 26:34 I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.
Mat 26:35 But Peter declared, Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. And all the other disciples said the same.
Though success may boost our confidence but failure can trains us better by taming our spirit so that we can start depending and trusting on God and not ourselves.
Under God’s training, failure is not fatal but part of our faith development.
The period of training does not end at the classroom or the church hall but it continue even during our success and failures.
Scanning through the books of the Bible, we can find the common causes of downfall. And every Scripture verses explain itself clearly that there’s no need of interpretation.
THE COMMON CAUSES OF DOWFALL
WRONG FOUNDATION
Pro 11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
1Ti 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
PRIDE
Pro 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Jer 50:32 The arrogant one will stumble and fall and no-one will help her up; I will kindle a fire in her towns that will consume all who are around her.
OUR OWN TRAP
Pro 28:10 He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.
Ecc 10:8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
PERVERSION
Pro 28:18 He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall.
EVIL TIMES
Ecc 9:12 Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.
NATURAL CAUSES
Isa 40:7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.
Isa 40:30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
LACK OF PRAYER
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
(Also: Mar 14:38 , Luk 22:40)
HEART IS NOT ROOTED WITH THE WORD OF GOD
Luk 8:13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
(Also: Mark 4:17)
DIVISION
Luk 11:17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.
SIN
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
LACK OF SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
1Ti 3:6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
1Ti 3:7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
DISOBEDIENCE
1Pe 2:8 and, A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. They stumble because they disobey the message-- which is also what they were destined for.
Heb 4:11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no-one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
WOMAN
Pro 7:26 Such a woman has caused the downfall and destruction of a lot of men.
Pro 7:27 Her house is a one-way street leading straight down to the world of the dead.
PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID FALLING:
1. Build your life on the Strong Foundation
Mat 7:25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
2. Be firm with your spiritual identity and calling
2Pe 1:10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,
3. Be on your guard
2Pe 3:17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
4. Be careful
1Co 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
5. Faith in God
Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The LORD protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.
Psa 27:2 When evil people attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall.
Psa 37:24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
Psa 91:7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Act 28:6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
HOPE AND RECOVERY – WHEN I FALL
1. Remember God’s promises
Psa 145:14 The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
Rom 11:11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
2. Get up
Jer 8:4 Say to them, ’This is what the LORD says: ’When men fall down, do they not get up? When a man turns away, does he not return?
Psa 37:23 The LORD guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him.
Psa 37:24 If they fall, they will not stay down, because the LORD will help them up.
3. Fall on the grace of God
2Sa 24:14 David said to Gad, I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men
If you have been blessed, encouraged or inspired by this sermon then it’s your turn to be an encouragement too. You can do it by sending email to this contributor at spy2rb@yahoo.com or post comment on the discussion box below.
