ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUS
ENCOUNTER TWO
SIMON PETER AND THE ROOSTER
How will I introduce the message?
Three strikes, you’re out. That’s usually how we roll in life. You get three opportunities for tolerance and forgiveness. It’s like the farmer:
The Farmer marries back in the horse and buggy days. That’ll be one. Two, three. Shoots the horse. “What’s wrong with you? You’re crazy!” “That’ll be one.”
What is the main idea of the message?
We usually “guilt” people because of Peter’s denial of Jesus. Today we will see the positives.
Introduce the rooster. Fun facts about Roosters
What stories or object lessons will I use to emphasize the message?
Peter strikes out three times. So . . . Let’s talk to the rooster.
https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/3-fun-facts-about-roosters
• Roosters love to crow at any time of the day, not just at sunrise.
• Many countries around the world hold rooster crowing contests.
• Once the roosters start calling, they cannot be stopped. It is a kind of a crowing contest and anything can trigger them like a car arriving, a phone ringing, a dog barking, and even the chiming of bells or a clock chiming.
http://infomory.com/facts/interesting-facts-about-roosters/
How will I organize my exposition of the passage?
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple (John) was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. 16 Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. 17 The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?”
“No,” he said, “I am not.”
18 Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself.
25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”
26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed. John 18
And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. Lk 22:62
This was no temptation for John but for Peter it was. You and I have no right to put our little ideas of separation down on another Christian. Another Christian may be able to go where you cannot go. It was wrong for Simon Peter to go in there, but it was not wrong for John.
Prov. 29:25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.
Can you just imagine what a contention that rooster would have been for Peter for the rest of his life? He would probably never eat chicken again or at least every time he did, he would remember his betrayal.
What’s your rooster?
For many years I have observed and studied what makes people become bitter in their lives. Sometimes it is an external event that happened to them. But often it is either their response to a life event or their lack of response to a situation.
That's when the bitterness can really settle in because we become angry with ourselves and not just our situation.
Roots of bitterness. Peter wept bitterly.
14. Peace, Pursue without hostility, strive, for peace, try to live peacefully, with everyone, work (persecute) at getting along with each other, and holiness, holy lives, for the without which, apart from, no one will see the Lord. Because if you don't you will not see the Lord.
15. Make sure, be careful, look diligently, see to it, that no one falls short, falls behind, or fails to obtain the grace, favor, kindness of God; and that bitterness doesn't take root, no “root of bitterness,” harshness, resentful, poisonous spirit springs up, (germinates and grows) produces, and grows up, and causes trouble, disturbs or annoys you, and by it many become defiled; stained, dyed, polluted, contaminated that corrupts many of you. Hebrews 12:14-15
https://studybible.info/strongs/G5453
Who was looking out for Peter while he was looking out for Jesus?
1 Peter 5:2 feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight, not by constraint, but willingly; not for dishonest gain, but from a ready mind
TIMELINES. Have you noticed on some movies and television episodes take you back and forth in time? Often the only way you can tell which time period you're in is by the clothing the person wearing or the length of their hair or whether or not there's more gray in their hair!
Here we're going to Fast forward the tape and see how Jesus restores Peter from this bitter state.
We can imagine the bitter pain Jesus suffered from this moment forward.
What makes people become bitter?
To deal with the FRUIT, you have to get to the ROOT. Robert Morrison
Bitterness is prolonged anger and resentment toward someone or an event that you believe was unfair or has wronged you in life.
Blaming forces outside yourself is the hallmark of bitterness.
• Holding onto a grudge and not forgiving someone.
• Not forgiving yourself and allowing guilt and shame to create a negative mindset.
• Feeling constantly upset or disappointed with people.
• Having a rigid, all-or-nothing outlook that creates a negative worldview.
• Becoming cynical and thinking that things will never get better.
• Feeling a lack of control over life and that you are helpless.
• Believing that one failure or mistake makes you a complete failure.
• Feeling you have nothing to be grateful about.
What will I ask my congregation to change as a result of this message?
• Invite Jesus to heal any fear, anger, or bitterness in your heart.
• Lookout for others in your community who may be close to having an embittered spirit.
• Weep bitterly, accept His forgiveness.
What follow-up, open-ended questions do I want small groups to discuss?
• Why do we tend to give people three strikes? Is it just from baseball?
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• Does it seem fair to “guilt people” so they won’t deny Jesus as Peter did?
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• Why is the rooster so important to the story?
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• What types of situations have you seen turn people to bitterness?
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• Why do we need to pursue and work at having peace with people?
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• If blaming forces outside yourself is the hallmark of bitterness, which of the following have been an issue for you at some time?
? Holding onto a grudge and not forgiving someone.
? Not forgiving yourself and allowing guilt and shame to create a negative mindset.
? Feeling constantly upset or disappointed with people.
? Having a rigid, all-or-nothing outlook that creates a negative worldview.
? Becoming cynical and thinking that things will never get better.
? Feeling a lack of control over life and that you are helpless.
? Believing that one failure or mistake makes you a complete failure.
? Feeling you have nothing to be grateful for.
• Ask the Spirit of God to cleanse and heal you of any bitterness, hurt or anger you might have.
