Time to Engage: The Journey to Discipleship
“Distant Discipleship”
Luke 22:54-62
Watch on YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnO8Qw29I6w
As you probably know, we’re on the third word in the vision I believe God gave to us last year. And this new series takes us into the issue of discipleship, that is, being a disciple which Jesus calls us all to be.
Now, the last time we met I introduced what I called being a secret disciple. Today, I’d like to introduce another type of disciple, one seen in the life of Peter, which I am calling, being a distant disciple. A distant disciple is one who follows Jesus, but at a distance.
After Jesus’s arrest in the Garden, while everyone ran, we see Peter following Jesus, but He wasn’t following close, instead He followed at a distance.
Let’s take a moment and read what happens with Peter. Read Luke 22:54-62
When we look at the life of the Apostle Peter, we see one massive roller coaster of a ride. During his time with Jesus, he was up and down so many times it makes our heads spin.
In one instance he’s walking on water; and next he’s sinking beneath the waves.
At one point he boldly confesses Jesus as the Christ, the son of the Living God, and then shortly thereafter he tries to rebuke Jesus.
Peter also boldly said he’ll go to prison and even die for Jesus, but then we see him following at a distance, staying out of sight and denying that he even knew Him.
It’s this last incident that I’d like to look at in our time together.
In John 18 we see this in more detail. As the Jewish guard approached to arrest Jesus, Peter courageously pulls out a sword and cuts off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants (Malchus), but then ran for his life with the rest of the disciples, but he didn’t run far, instead he turned around and began to follow, but he followed behind at a safe distance, which is now what we see in Luke 22:54.
“Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance.” (Luke 22:54 NKJV)
And so, the question becomes, “Why Did Peter Keep His Distance?”
Let me share with you a couple of reasons that I see.
Peter Had a Discernment Problem
Let’s now look at what it says in verse 55.
“Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.” (Luke 22:55 NKJV)
It’s not that Peter didn’t want to be close to Jesus, he just didn’t want to be close enough to be connected. Peter showed a real lack of discernment, because he ends up smack dab in the enemy’s camp. He went into the courtyard of the high priest, the very person who had Jesus arrested.
As I see it, Peter wants to maintain some contact with Jesus, but not close enough to do any good. Not close enough to be identified with.
There are some who want to be a Christian, but don’t want to identify themselves with Christ in their everyday lives. They want to have some contact, so they come to church occasionally, but continue to live their lives on their own terms.
But while Peter warms himself at their fire, he ends up getting burned in the process. We can’t warm ourselves at the world’s fire without our consciences becoming burned as well.
When we follow Jesus from a distance, we’ll begin to lose contact and closeness with Him, and soon we’ll find ourselves not only in the enemy’s camp, but we’ve set up our tent as well. (Example Lot)
Peter Had a Denial Problem
Jesus even told Peter of this upcoming problem.
“I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” (Luke 22:34 NKJV)
And this is exactly what we see in Luke’s account. In verse 60, while Peter was making his last denial, it says,
“Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.” (Luke 22:56-60 NKJV)
Earlier Peter had the revelation that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. What a profession of faith. But after following Jesus at a distance and warming himself at the enemy’s fire, Peter completely denies knowing Him.
But this happens daily with most of us. We make the same declaration when we come to faith in Jesus. We make the declaration that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, but then by our actions and words we deny Jesus a little bit more every day, and guess what, the rooster is crowing.
We deny Him in our actions. We take short cuts, lie, and cheat. We deny him in our words, that is, when we had the opportunity to share our faith, we instead choose to keep quiet.
When our relationship with the Lord is distant, we lack discernment and soon find ourselves in the wrong places, hanging with the wrong crowd, and denying our relationship with the Lord. The real danger is that we’ll soon find ourselves departing the faith all together.
Maybe you’ve started to grow a little distant from the Lord? You’re still following, but not as close as you once did. Church attendance is spotty as is time in God’s word. And so, when things get a little dicey, like Peter we become a little afraid, and we begin to stray.
So, we need to be careful when we stray, where we stay, and what we say. Since I mentioned the word “danger,” what are the dangers of following Jesus from a distance?
Danger in Following at a Distance
Fall out of Communion
Among the different denominations there are various names used to describe Peter’s condition of following at a distance, warming himself at the enemy’s fire, and denying Jesus with his actions and words. The more common definitions are “backsliding,” and “falling away.” But there is a phrase that is rarely used, but is quite telling, and that is that we fall out of communion.
Dr. Wilbur Chapman, Presbyterian evangelist in the late 19th century, said about falling out of communion with the Lord that “It takes the look of joy from your face; it takes the peace from your heart; (and) it takes the power from your life.”
So, the question becomes in what ways do we fall out of communion?
With Christ
These are Christians who professed belief, but they’re not 100% sold out, and this is evidenced in the life they’re living. Something has gone wrong. Things haven’t turned out as they planned, and in their disappointment, they’ve backed away and follow at a distance.
Peter never expected Jesus to go the cross. He expected Jesus to be crowned King. He never expected to experience the suffering that comes with faith; instead, he expected to share in Jesus’s kingdom rule. And now with his hopes and dreams dashed, he follows at a distance.
But instead of pulling away from God; what we need to do is to draw closer to Him.
We need to remember that Jesus suffered and died for us. He suffered as no one has ever suffered; therefore, He knows how we feel and can sympathize with us, and what this means is that not only can Jesus enter into our suffering, but He can help us through it. So, we need to press into Jesus instead of distancing ourselves from Him.
With Christians
Peter also separated himself from the other disciples. Maybe it was because he was disappointed with them for not standing up for Jesus the way he did? But whatever the reason Peter now found himself out of communion with them as well.
I find it disappointing when people leave church when they have problems with others. Instead of learning how to deal with their problems, they separate themselves from church.
Some won’t go to church because they say it’s filled with hypocrites, not realizing they’re hypocrites as well.
People stop coming to church because the church, or the believers, aren’t doing things their way, as if their way is the only way.
And there are those who end up doing nothing but criticize, condemn, and complain, which is no way to win friends and influence people according to Dale Carnegie.
Another danger of following at a distance is that we tend more toward evil than good.
Tend Toward Evil
Notice where Peter ends up once he started following at a distance: in the camp of the enemy. Once we start following at a distance we start heading back to our old haunts and our old ways, and once that happens, it begins to corrupt our walk in the Lord.
“Do not be deceived: evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV)
I once knew a pastor that was on fire for the Lord. He had a great gift, but started to distance himself from the Lord through business dealings and what some would call seeking after the good life. You see, he got mixed up with a businessperson and his discernment was a problem. They started taking shortcuts and finally lost everything including their families. And so, this pastor ended up living on the street, and he died homeless with none of those he knew and pastored even knowing.
Pastor William Riley, known as The Grand Old Man of Fundamentalism, said, “When we get into evil company we are likely to strike a level with it, and we not only lower our reputation, but carry down character as well.”
The third danger of following at a distance is that fear begins to set in.
Fear Sets In
So, here’s Peter, a grizzled fisherman, as tough as nails, cowering before a little serving girl fearful over what she said.
There’s a story of an Irish soldier who was always boasting of his bravery, but when the order came to attack, he found himself retreating. When confronted he said, “I have a brave heart, but somehow whenever danger approaches my cowardly legs run the other way, taking my brave heart with them.”
The Bible says in Proverbs 29:25 that the fear of man is a trap, but those who trust the Lord will be kept safe. This idea of trusting in God to rule over us more than our fear is found during the time of the Great Tribulation.
In his vision the Apostle John saw the throne of God, and before the throne stood all those who were beheaded for their witness of Jesus and the gospel message during this time of Tribulation. They knew the outcome of standing firm for their faith, but fear didn’t dissuade them from their witness.
The Apostle Paul said, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)
Now, if I could, I’d like to take this discussion to another level.
God created us and called us into a love relationship with Him. He’s called us to be on a mission with Him in redeeming this lost and dying world. But without God this is an impossible mission.
But, Paul declared that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). In fact, the Lord says that His requirements aren’t hard at all.
“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 NIV)
Keeping God’s word, therefore, is not beyond our reach, and as believers in Jesus Christ we have the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us along the way. In fact, it was Peter who said that God has given us everything we need that pertains both to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)
With this being said, what keeps us following God at a distance?
I believe God said it best.
“But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish.” (Deuteronomy 30:17-18a NKJV)
What Keeps Us Following At A Distance?
Simply put, A Heart Shift
Moving away from God doesn’t begin with wrong activity; rather it begins with a move or a shift in one’s heart. It begins with a heart shift away from God. It’s where we no longer love the Lord the way we once did, which begins when we don’t obey God’s word thinking it’s no big thing, and we start substituting the philosophy of the world for God’s word.
To the church of Ephesus Jesus said, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.” (Revelation 2:4-5a NKJV)
They were doing church for church’s sake. They were acting the part, but their heart wasn’t in it. They left their loving relationship with Jesus for ritual and tradition.
But such a drift takes time, and involves a period of neglect, carelessness, and rebellion against God and His word. We see this in statements like,
“Well, I don’t have to go to church to be saved.”
“I don’t have to give the tithe, God doesn’t care, and He doesn’t need it, but I do.”
“God is a God of love, and besides, marriage is just a piece of paper.”
Statements like these reveal our drift, and that we’re beginning to follow God at a distance.
So, what are the Signs of a Heart Shift?
Lack of Obedience
Jesus made it clear that our obedience comes from the heart and is a sign of whether or not we love Him.
“Those who obey My commandments are the ones who love Me…All those who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and live with them.” (John 14:21a, 23 NLT)
If we want to solve the disobedience problem, we need to return to that first love relationship we had with Him. How do we get back to that loving relationship?
First, we need to love others as Jesus has loved us. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another; as I have loved you.” (John 13:34 NKJV)
And second, we need to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Jesus said, “If you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25 NKJV)
The second sign of a heart shift is when we develop God substitutes.
Develop God Substitutes
Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord talked about how Israel began to drift and follow from a distance.
The Lord said, “What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.” (Jeremiah 2:5 NIV)
And then He said, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13 NIV)
There exists an emptiness inside of humanity that only God can fill. He is the living water. He’s like a well of water springing up giving life. And only He is able to fill what we long for.
Unfortunately, we neglect Him for cheap substitutes, that is, broken cisterns that don’t hold water. We substituted work, religious activities, sexual immorality, addictions, and relationships. Instead of turning to God, we turn to the ways and methods of this world. But these cannot compare or substitute for the living water of God’s word.
Conclusion
But we don’t need to despair. There is good news. It’s not over for us just as it wasn’t over for Peter.
Just before the Garden experience, Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32 NKJV)
Our salvation and following after Jesus doesn’t depend upon us, but upon Jesus. Jesus allowed Peter to be sifted, or what we would call, “Going through the grinder.” But Jesus was praying and interceding with the Father on Peter’s behalf.
Our faith doesn’t rely on our faithfulness, but rather our faith relies upon the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who is faithful.
Jesus is on our side. He’s praying for us. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father even now making intercessions on our behalf. Jesus knew Peter would stumble, and He knows we will stumble as well, and He is praying for us. Jesus knows Satan is out to trip us up, and Jesus is right there praying for us and for our ability to get back up.
Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail, and that he would be restored. And what we see is that it wasn’t Peter’s faith that failed; rather it was his performance. He still loved Jesus, that’s why he felt so guilty. Yes he stumbled, but his faith didn’t fail.
In the end, like Peter we need to come to our senses, ask forgiveness, and repent. Let’s not wait until the rooster crows. Instead, let’s do it now, let’s do it today.
