THE PRETENDER
Introduction
The title of message today is, The Pretender. A pretender is a person who changes his behavior in order to fool other people into believing he is who he says he is, although he is not. She is a pretender. He is a pretender that uses deceptive speech to conceal one’s true purpose or identity.
Pretenders break dishes and when asked of course no one knows anything about it. Pretenders act as if they are sleeping when they their spouse comes in the room. Pretenders try to peek on your test to get the answers, and when you look at them, they look out the window.
Pretenders also run for political office. They often make promises to all of us to improve education, prescription drugs for seniors and fair housing, better access to health care, when they know when they are elected they will be stopped by the power of lobbying.
The pretender of all pretenders is Satan. He can appear in so many forms. He can manifest himself many ways in his efforts to foil that plans of God.
In Luke 22 talks about a pretender named Peter. Now Peter was a hand selected apostle by Jesus who had a problem with pretending. Peter, an inner circle disciple wasz not fully convinced in the mission of Jesus.
Many Christians today fail because they do not buy completely into mission of Christ.
What is Jesus’ mission for the church today?
· Love God first
· Love your neighbor
· Go into the world and share the good news
o To seek and to save the lost.
So Jesus is being taken to the judgment hall in verse 22:54.
Luke 22:54-67
Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. [55] But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. [56] A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."
[57] But he denied it. "Woman, I don’t know him," he said.
[58] A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."
"Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
[59] About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."
[60] Peter replied, "Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. [61] The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." [62] And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Why did Peter pretend to have no relationship with Jesus? Maybe let’s ask him!
Reasons for Denial #1 Luke 22:57
Luke 22:57
But he denied it. "Woman, I don’t know him," he said.
Jesus rebuked me a lot. One day Jesus commenced to washing all the feet of the disciples. Heck! I did not want my feet washed, certainly not by the Master. But Jesus told me I will have no part with Him in the ministry, if he did not wash my feet. He should not wash feet. He is the Son of God.
So I said it I don’t know Him!
Reasons for Denial #2 Luke 22:58
Luke 22:58
A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them."
"Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
And another problem I had with Jesus. He kept telling us that he was going to die and rise again. How could Jesus talk about dying We are healing people and feeding people. So I took Jesus to the side alone and said you must stop talking about dying. This has gotten all the disciple upset. We want a kingdom now, where we will reign with you.
Then Jesus blew me away! Jesus then called me Satan. He said get behind me Satan! You do not care about the things of God. You care about the things of man! I did not like what Jesus said to me that!
So I said it I don’t know Him!
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Reasons for Denial #3 Luke 22:60
Luke 22:60
Peter replied, "Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.
I saw the soldiers beating the mess out of Jesus and they condemned him to death. I cant be any part to this!
So I said it again; I don’t know what you are talking about!
Luke 22:61
The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."
Jesus speaks
Peter, How could you say you don’t know me?
· I called you to be an apostle
· I healed your mother in law of a fever
· I cast out devils and you were there.
· I raise Lazarus from the dead and you were there.
Oh Peter, How could you say you don’t know me?
· I heard you when you said You was the Christ, the son of the living God
· I heard you when you said, Lord let’s build three tabernacles, one for Moses, one for Elias and one for you
· I heard you talking about the miracle of the baskets of food taken up when we fed thousands with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread
Points of application
The Lord wants us to get closer to Him.
· Prayer
· Bible reading
· Devotion
The Lord knows that pretenders sometimes verbally deny their relationship
The Lord requires pretenders to give account for their actions
The Lord gives pretenders warning.
The Lord restores the pretender when they sincerely repent.
Conclusion
Peter denials of Christ revealed his ability to pretend. Don’t be a pretender. When you are asked do you know him, tell them the truth. When someone asks you, do you know him, tell the truth by living for God.
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