DON’T KILL THE ROOSTER
By Pastor Jim May
Anyone who knows anything about the Bible will be able to tell you about Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus into the hands of the Jews. Judas was one of the chosen 12 disciples, but his heart was never changed. His one and only mission in life was to gain the wealth of this world. I don’t read anywhere that Judas was ever committed to the Lord in service. He kept the treasury for the disciples as they traveled, he was there for many of the miracles and teachings that the Lord did during his 3-1/2 year ministry, but there is no indication that Judas ever really became involved in anything other than the business side of being a disciple. He had all the same opportunities. He heard all the same teaching. He was chosen, just like all the rest of the disciples, but he simply would not let go of the things of this present world.
Judas is like so many people in the church today. Just pick any church you want to, small or large, it won’t matter. And look into any denomination, or any independent church you want to, and I guarantee, in the midst of every one of them, there will be some with the same mindset as Judas Iscariot.
It’s not really hard to spot them if you look. You can tell by the things they are involved in and by their commitment to true ministry.
It is a great thing to be involved in ministries of helps around the church. Without everyone pitching in and doing their part, it wouldn’t be long until we would have to close the doors and find somewhere else to go to worship the Lord. I thank God for all of you; for your hard work and dedication to the House of God. I commend you for you work and I ask you to keep on doing what you do because we all need you so desperately.
Most of those who are involved in ministries of helps are such a blessing. Their ministry is done out of a heart of love for God and for their fellowman. I believe that God will reward them for their faithfulness in a job where they often get little, if any, thanks from other people.
But there are a few who will be like Judas. These people will be involved in everything that goes on around the church. They will be at every social gathering, hanging around with everyone else and doing all they can to make the church successful, but why are they involved?
Are they involved because they really love the Lord, or because they just want to appear busy and look the part of a true Believer? I suppose that what I’m trying to say here is that we can put on a façade of Christianity, be busy doing a lot of work for the Kingdom of God, hanging out with God’s people, hearing the preaching of the Gospel, and doing everything that all our brothers and sisters in Christ are doing, and still not have a heart after God.
Good works are commendable and necessary to prove your faithfulness but why do we do those good works? Is it because we love Jesus, or is it because we have the same attitude that Judas Iscariot had? Are we concerned with our image before other people more than our true relationship with Jesus? Are we more concerned with what the preacher will think than we are with what Jesus will think about us?
Judas had his heart set on the things of this world and those “things” were the god of his life. His heart was never able to see just who Jesus really was. He never really caught on to the great calling that had been put upon his life. It’s a sad thing to note that Judas had every chance but never accepted Jesus and allowed the Lord to change his heart.
Before the Holy Ghost fell on the Day of Pentecost, Judas was already in the flames of hell. He could have done like the thief that hang next to Jesus and repented, even after he had betrayed the Lord, but he could not find a place of repentance and went out and committed suicide. He finally came to realize that he had rejected God and tried to give back the reward for betraying Jesus but there was no turning back now, he had gone too far.
I can only hope and pray that those in the church today with a heart after the things of this world, like Judas, will wake up and realize that they need to turn back to Jesus in repentance and stop denying his Lordship over their lives.
Now I want us to look at one of the other disciples this morning. There was another disciple that Jesus had chosen who would also be guilty of denying Him.
Peter was a man who was used to getting what he wanted. Don’t through the years we have come to know him as the “big fisherman”. All through the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we read time and again where Peter was outspoken and often the first to react with brute strength. He was an independent and strong willed man who felt that he could overcome anything by his own power.
Jesus chose Peter to be one of His disciples, just like He chose Judas Iscariot. I don’t think that Jesus chose either one of them without knowing what was already in their heart. I want to remind you that not one of the 12 disciples were saved before Jesus chose them.
Jesus went down the shores of the sea of Galilee and into the towns of the area and some of the characters He chose to be His disciples were people that most of us would not have chosen. He chose Judas Iscariot, a greedy and envious, money-hungry, miser, who would do anything he could to get money.
He chose Simon he surnamed Peter, a big tough fisherman who loved to fight. He chose James and John, both sons of Zebedee, and it wasn’t long until Jesus was calling them the “sons of thunder” because they were always in a brawl. He chose one of the most hated Jews in the land, a tax collector by the name of Matthew. Then he chose an educated man, a doctor by the name of Luke, and on it goes.
How many of us would choose someone like these guys to be on our church board. Would you choose a thief, knowing that he was a thief? Would you choose two brothers who loved to fight? Lord knows there’s enough fighting in the church now, without intentionally choosing to add these two fellows. What about a crooked politician? That’s what Matthew was. He was elected by the people for sure but he had to have the same attitude as a lying, deceiving politician to get the Romans to appoint him as a tax collector. How Jesus ever got an educated doctor like Luke to join this motley crew is a miracle in itself. No self-respecting doctor would want to hang out with such a group of ruffians and misfits. Then Jesus also chose a big fellow, loud, boisterous and a man who would fight at the drop of a hat.
Jesus knew all of their flaws, all of their attitudes and He chose them anyway.
I have news for you. We all fit into the same categories as those original 12 disciples somewhere. If you studied the lives of each of them you would find one that you could identify with among them.
Jesus chose each of us when we were lost without God and dead in our sin. He chose us - we didn’t choose him. He called us to come and follow Him. We were going about doing the business of our father the devil when Jesus turned us around and gave us hope.
Among the 12 disciples, the one that I think of most is Peter. To see where he came from and then to see where he finished the race is truly amazing. But it wasn’t an easy road for Peter. He had a lot of changing to do before he could become a true disciple of Christ.
Do you have a lot of changing – or “did” you have a lot of changing to do in your life after you came to Jesus?
Some of the disciples seemed to have an easier time adjusting to the teachings of Jesus but Peter certainly didn’t.
Have you struggled with your own life in trying to change to be more like Jesus? Take heart and look at Peter. No body struggled more than he did and yet he made it because he was willing to allow Jesus to change his heart. That’s the key – we must be willing to surrender our will to Jesus. We must be willing to surrender our plans, goals and our very life to the will of God, and then obey the call of God and walk with Him. Even if we do it’s going to be a struggle for most of us.
Peter loved the Lord; there is no doubt that he soon developed a strong bond with Jesus as they walked the dusty highways together. Peter developed a loyalty to Jesus and the calling of God upon his life became his central focus that kept driving him to be a disciple, no matter what the cost. He would give his life for Jesus. He was preparing for the battles that lay ahead because he was convinced that he would be a leader in the grand army of Israel that Jesus would raise and bring to an end Israel’s slavery to Rome. No price was too great for Jesus, and for Peter’s homeland. Peter was willing to die if necessary to see that freedom was won.
Peter followed Jesus willingly and tried to learn everything he could. He was the first to confess that Jesus was the Son of God. God was continually working on Peter’s heart to change him into the man that God knew he could be.
Thus we see that Peter is among those who sat in the Upper Room on the night that Jesus was arrested. All of the disciples were there, including the one that Jesus knew was going to betray him into the hands of those who would crucify him. I know that Jesus felt pity for Judas because he said in Mark 14:21, "The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born."
Judas, sitting in the very presence of the Son of God, was soon going to be burning in the pits of hell and Jesus felt pity for him because he knew that there was no turning back now.
But Peter was there too and he was still being Peter. He still didn’t fully understand what was happening, or who Jesus was. None of the disciples did. But Peter was convinced that he was going to see this thing to the end, no matter what and he let Jesus know it!
That was nothing more than pride in his own abilities and self-confidence in his own power to fight that caused Peter to speak up. Jesus knew his heart and he knew that Peter was soon going to face one of the most terrible times of temptation that he would ever face.
Luke 22:31-32 says that Jesus looked at Peter and said, "… Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Jesus knew that Peter would make it through the coming ordeal victoriously but He also knew that Peter would face the fires of temptation and failure in the process. Jesus prayed for Peter, asking the Father in Heaven to keep Peter’s faith from failing. He had chosen Peter for his strength of character and now that same strength would be useful in encouraging the other disciples who were going to fall also.
In Luke 22:33-34 Peter boldly says, "… Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."
John 13:37-38 says it this way, "Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice."
Right now, we are in the House of God. Right now, we are sitting among a group of Believers. It just doesn’t seem possible that when we leave this place of togetherness and closeness to the Lord, after hearing His Word and feeling His presence inside our hearts, that we could go out this afternoon and face temptations and trials so strong that they may cause us to deny Jesus!
But how many times has it happened already? How many times have we walked out of church and fell prey to temptation? Some people don’t even get from the front door of the church to their car in the parking lot before they begin to fail God and deny Jesus in some way or another.
Maybe they will start right back in on the argument that began on the way to church. Maybe they will begin to pick apart the sermon or gossip about Brother or Sister So and So.
Maybe they will begin to think that it’s time to move on because they just don’t seem to be getting anything out of church anymore.
Maybe they will get to the restaurant and get upset with the waitress or the service and their Christianity is snuffed out for a few moments while they speak their mind.
Maybe they will go home, take a nap and then let the devil talk them out of coming back because they are tired.
Whatever it is, and however it comes, we have to realize that anytime we fail to that which we know is what we should do, we are, in a sense, denying Christ one more time.
Having been there so many times I can’t count has made me realize that none of us are immune to following in Peter’s footsteps and denying Christ.
Are we not denying Christ in our lives when we refuse to obey him? Are we not denying Christ before the world when we don’t do those things that even the world knows are the things that a true disciple should so? Are we not denying Christ every time we choose to do our own will instead of the will of God? We find ourselves denying Christ a lot more often than we want to.
Like Peter, I am also convinced that we are reminded of our denial every time it happens.
Peter denied Christ and the rooster crowed three times to remind him that He had failed to be faithful.
Have you heard the “rooster crow” when you failed too?
The problem with so many people today is that when they hear the “Rooster crow” all they want to do is kill the rooster and not hear his message to their hearts.
How do you “kill the rooster”? You kill the rooster every time you refuse to recognize that he is calling you back to repent of your denial.
Peter heard the rooster and he went out and wept bitter tears, repenting of the times that he had failed God. He cried and begged for forgiveness. He felt so worthless and weak. This was a feeling that left him alone in a world filled with people because he knew that his relationship with Christ wasn’t as strong as he thought it had been. He just couldn’t believe that he could be so weak and so deceived by the devil. How could Peter, a man who swore to die for Christ, give in so easily under pressure?
Have you ever felt like Peter? How could I have been so dumb to do such a thing, whatever that thing may be? How could I say such a bad word? I thought I had gotten rid of those things in my heart? How could I treat someone like that? I thought that I had enough of the Love of God in me that I would never act like that again? How could I get so mad and fly off the handle at my wife or my husband like that? I love them, and I love God, and I just don’t understand how that could happen!
Peter felt so worthless, but when he heard the Rooster crow, he didn’t try to kill the rooster by pushing it out of his mind and going on in his denial. He went out and fell on his face before God seeking forgiveness, then started doing his best to find his way back to God. He finally found his way back in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost!
When you deny Christ – listen to the rooster crow? What is that rooster and how does he crow?
I can only say that the “crowing of the rooster” is the Holy Ghost within you that reminds you of what you have done. He works on your conscience; He speaks to your heart; and he pops into your mind, to let you know that you need to repent for what you have just done. Don’t “kill the rooster” by ignoring the guilt feelings – fall on your face before God in repentance.
Too many people just keep “killing the rooster” until finally they can’t hear Him “crowing” anymore.
1 Timothy 4:1-2, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
Have you seen people who once loved the Lord with all their heart and it seemed that they would never fail to serve God, and yet today they are no longer in the House of God?
They have “killed the rooster” and ignored his “crowing” so many times that they don’t hear Him at all anymore.
They once thought that they would not miss church for anything – but they don’t hear the crowing anymore, they’ve killed the rooster, and it doesn’t bother them to stay home now. The more they miss, the less they hear the “crowing”!
They once thought that they would keep their prayer life going strong. Those times they spent alone with God were so wonderful and inspiring. They felt the presence of God on a daily basis. Then little by little they allowed the devil to steal that time of prayer from them. They heard the “rooster crow” but they were just too busy to stop and seek after God. They allowed the devil to deafen their ears to the “crowing of the rooster” until now they just don’t hear the Holy Ghost calling them to prayer anymore.
They once thought that they really wanted to be involved in any kind of ministry that they could do. They were among the most faithful workers in the church. You could count on them for anything, all the time. Then the things of life just began to pull them away from that ministry they loved. The devil will find many ways to keep you from God’s work if you allow it happen. There is no end to the devices, the people and the circumstances at his disposal. It takes a daily renewal of commitment to keep from being drawn aside.
They once said that nothing could separate them from their love of God. They loved His church, they loved his people, they loved His Word, they loved His work and they would never be unfaithful. But things change and before you know it they are allowing the “crowing of the rooster” to fade into the distance, then they “kill the rooster” because they refuse to hear his “crowing” at all.
It’s a terrible thing to “kill the rooster”! How can we find our way back to God without his “crowing” in our ears? The fact is that I don’t think the “rooster” ever quits. It’s just that we don’t hear him anymore!
My word to you this day is simply this – “don’t kill the rooster, but listen for his crowing and fall on your face in repentance while you can still hear him calling.”
If God is speaking to you through this message, then thank God that you can still hear the “rooster crow”! That’s the Holy Ghost calling you back, beckoning you to come home!
Jesus didn’t just tell Peter that he know Peter would fail before the Rooster crowed three times. He also told Peter that there was hope. Somehow Peter would make it through if he just didn’t ignore the rooster. Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail; that somehow the Father in Heaven would bring him back.
1 John 2:1, "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
Jesus is still praying for you and I today. He is still praying that our faith does not fail when we are in denial. He is still making a way for us to come back. He is still letting the “rooster crow” in every heart that fails God.
Jesus told Peter in the next few verses these words:
John 14:1-4, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."
It’s as though Jesus is saying, “Peter, I know you will deny me, but I still love you anyway. Peter, don’t let your denial destroy your love for God or your faith in me. Peter, trust me, come back and repent! All that I have told you must come to past, but Peter, all that I have promised is true too.
On the other side of your denial there is repentance and acceptance back into right relationship with me. Peter, I’m going to prepare your place in Heaven. If you couldn’t go I surely wouldn’t tell you that you could. Though you will deny me, Peter, there is still a reward waiting for you if you will only come back when the “rooster crows”.
When the time comes you will know the way home to Jesus! Peter, you can come where I am going, and you will know the way if you will only come!”
Today, I want to tell you the same thing. The “rooster is crowing” right now. The Holy Ghost is speaking to your heart to come back to Christ. You know the way. The way is through repentance and a renewal of your commitment and dedication to Jesus. The way is through the Blood of Jesus Christ and by the cross of Calvary. The way is open, the door is swung wide, the “rooster is crowing” .
Don’t “Kill the Rooster”! Come back to Jesus in repentance and lay hold on your eternal reward in Christ! AMEN
