A Vessel to carry others into the presence of God
John 18:15
The world of Simon Peter at the time of the text was revolving in circles undoubtedly faster than he could stand for it to. It wasn’t just a few hours prior to this time that he was sitting in an upper room, eating bread and drinking wine with the Savior. It was just a bit later he found himself in a garden with James and John sleeping, though Jesus had given them a direct command to watch and pray with Him. Suddenly, Peter finds himself in the middle of a mob of Roman soldiers, led by Judas Iscariot, as they arrested Jesus. In a rage of fury, Peter whisks his sword out and cuts off Malchus’ ear (high priest’s servant). Who would’ve imagined this all would literally take place.
The next thing you know Peter finds himself outside a gate surrounding the high priests courtyard. When Jesus was arrested all the disciples scattered. But now he finds his way back to the viscinity of where Jesus is, while his mind has become full of mass chaos. Everything was spinning quickly/seemingly out of control.
As he got to the door of the courtyard, he had met up with another disciple that went with him there. *Bible doesn’t say exactly who he was, some suggest it was John (the writer), some say perhaps it was Joseph of Arimathea, or Nicodemus, since they were both secret followers of Jesus, but also were part of the Jewish ruling counsel. Either way, we know that this person knew the high priest, so he had free access to go before him. However, Peter did not have this right. So, the Bible says after the man went and showed himself to the high priest, he went back and told the girl watching the door that it was o.k. to let Peter come in. **Now I know that Peter would deny Jesus as soon as he walked in the door, as well as 2 other times. But there was 1 thing for certain, when Peter came into where Jesus was, and he looked at him, and Jesus looked back, Peter would never forget that moment. And had it not been for someone who was willing to go back and help him get in, Peter would’ve never got to experience this final moment in the presence of the Lord.
I don’t know if you know it or not, but we are commissioned of God to do all we can to get people into his presence. We’re told to go win the lost, and bring them to salvation. But even in the body of Christ, the Lord is looking for people who can be used to lead others into his holy presence. He’s looking to use people that can get on the stage, sing a song, and take the congregation into a mighty atmosphere of worship. He’s wanting to grab a hold of some preachers, anoint their souls, and put them in a position to take churches into days of refreshing. He’s looking to move upon individuals willing to be intercessors, and empower them to pray over those that are bound, sick, or in need of a miracle. HE JUST WANTS TO USE FOLKS TO TAKE OTHERS WHERE HE IS!!
We’ll look at people sometimes and say "they’re not smart enough, can’t sing very good, don’t have altar calls where everyone is slain in the spirit every night, etc." and think they can’t fit the bill. But I am convinced that God has been, and will continue to use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. *We don’t need just another good singer/musician, don’t need just another preacher, just another deacon, teacher, etc. We need someone that knows how to take us into the presence of God!
This was not the 1st time someone brought Peter into the presence of the Lord. John 1, we find a time when John the Baptist was baptizing in the river Jordan. One day while standing there along with 2 of his disciples, John says "Behold the lamb of God". When the 2 heard this, they left John and started following Jesus. We know the identity of one of the 2: his name was Andrew. After spending the day with Jesus, Andrew got up and went and found his brother, Simon Peter, and said to him, "Come on brother. We have found the Messiah; we have found the Christ". *Studied alot @ John Baptist, but can tell you one of the greatest things he ever did was say these words into the ears of those 2 men. For, had John not introduced them into Jesus’ presence, then Andrew would’ve never been an Apostle. And had not Andrew been used of God to bring Peter to Jesus, there would be no preacher at Pentecost winning 3000 souls, no people healed by standing in a man’s shadow, and nobody at Cornelius’ house filled with HG.
There were others who had this priviledge endowed upon them. Jn. 1:43 Jesus went into Galilee, and found Philip, saying, "Follow me". **V.44 (not by accident says) Phillip was from the same town as Peter/Andrew, Bethsaida. Have you ever sat with someone that just had an encounter in the real/genuine presence/power of God? Not just some chill bumps, but the real presence, where it almost seemed tangible? Them people can’t help but testify about what happened to them... I believe Peter/Andrew went and spread it to every person in town who had good sense enough to hear, how that they just got called to follow the son of God. And all the time they were planting seed into the heart of Phillip. So when Jesus called him out, he was ready to go, shouting glory hallelujah, he picked me too!
Then Phillip went out and found Nathanael, saying "Come with me. We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph". When he told him this he responded, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" **There are going to be people sometimes that no matter how hard you try, they refuse to get into the presence of God. You can beg them to sing/worship, you can preach to them until you pass out, you can even lay hands on them. But some folks just don’t want to go!** Phillip just told him, "just come and see for yourself". And I’ll guarantee that when they got to Jesus, Nathanael was so glad that Andrew brought him there. Jesus said, "behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile". He said this not only to pronounce his cleanliness, but especially to let him know that he is glad to have him. And Jesus tells him "you are going to see greater things than what you see here. Hereafter you will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man".
There’s other instances of this. Remember John 4, woman at well? After Jesus got done talking to her she left her bucket at the well and ran into town telling all the men, "come see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done". *Why did she just tell the men? Women thought she was just a dirty ol’ permiscuous woman that was stealing their husbands. But the men knew her, 5 of them were once married to her and 1 was shacked up with her. They were willing to listen to her, because she had a reputation with them.* All the men went out to Jesus, and they believed in him. 1 washed up, tramp of a woman was able enough to be used of God to bring the men of Samaria into a genuine encounter into the presence of the Lord!
It is crucial/vital that we get into the presence of the Lord. (1)Ex.33 14-15 Moses-"If your presence doesn’t go with us, then don’t even take us there". said there is rest in his presence. (2)2 Kings 13:23-grace, (3)1 Chron. 16:27-glory, honor, strength, gladness, (4)Ps. 9:3-victory, (5)Ps. 16:11-fulness of joy/pleasures evermore, (6)Ps. 97- hills will melt like wax in his presence, (7)Acts 3:19-times of refreshing in his presence.
But how many knows that there are times when we just can’t seem to get there by ourselves? We pray, sing, lift our hands, etc. but nothing seems to work. It’s in that moment of time that we need someone who is already there to grab ahold of us and take us into that place. That’s why he said if "2or 3 agree together in my name I’ll be in the midst of them".
I’ve made my mind up that I want to be a channel that the HG anointing can flow through to help others around me be enthronged by the holy presence of the Lord. I want to be able to help that person who is struggling in their worship, to minister to that person who is so downtrodden they can’t feel God, and to lift them up so we can set together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. *So many have the attitude that as long as I get blessed/moved upon that’s good enough. But, assure yourself there is an awesome responsibility for everyone here to be a catalyst for others to be moved of the Spirit.
