“We Fail God and that’s ok or is it?” Matthew 26:31-35 Maundy Thursday
Last supper
1. Why do we fail God?
• In Jeremiah, we read: “The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse — who can understand it? (17:9).
• And in 1 John 1, we read, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”
• Is it possible for us to entertain a delusion and not be aware of it?
2. All Disciples said they would never fail Jesus
• In Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper. Is an image of one happy family of faith and trust
• Sometime During the meal, Jesus says to the family: “, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me,: The Room probably became silent
• Peters breaks the silence by proclaiming Boldly, 35"Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.
• Peter even Boasted somewhat 33Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will."35But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.
• Jesus’s response calmly now Peter don’t Boast “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”
3. They all Failed God
• They didn’t know what the future held.
• They did not know the depth of their own weakness
• Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." 34"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." 35But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same.
• We know the rest of the story — the story of Peter’s utter humiliation and weakness.. He simply wilted when a young lady asked him a question. It was over within seconds. No, no and no. Three times.. The rooster crows and Peter bitterly realizes the enormity of what he’s done.
• Jesus knew they would all scatter in the hour of trial
4. We do fail but is it ok, or not?
• Yes we fail but it’s not ok however we need to understand we need Gods help in everything we do
• Peter thought he could handle anything on his own. He vainly believed that he had within himself the resources to combat whatever foe lay ahead of him.
• We will fail but do understand although we betray Jesus that is not an unforgivable sin. Jesus understands are mess ups and forgives us. Isn’t that the purpose of the cross?
• Its not ok to betray, fail, miss the mark, deny Jesus but All we can do is try, with God’s help, to be faithful
5. Finally, although betrayal is a terrible thing,
• Remember, although we might think a personal failure makes us forever unserviceable in the kingdom of God, it doesn’t God uses us even when we think we are useless we are useful
• Remember we are never beyond God’s ability to use us for the glory of God. Nor does any
child of God ever wander beyond the warmth of God’s love.
• Remember As someone once said, “Being challenged in life is inevitable;
being defeated is optional.”
• Remember although, Peter and The Disciples failed they moved from being defeated to being
brave and courageous and had great passion.
• Remember Failure does not disqualify us from service in the kingdom of God.
• Remember Its not Ok to fail God, but we will fail, betray,we will miss the Mark
