1. Title: Running From The Cross
2. Text: Matthew 26:57, 69-75; Mark 14:53-54, 66-72; Luke 22:54-62, John 18:16-27
3. Audience: Villa Heights Christian Church, AM crowd. April 2, 2006. 2nd in the series “Walk to the Cross”
4. Objectives:
-for the people to understand seriousness of Peter’s denial, and also the great level of love and forgiveness of Jesus; to consider, from Peter’s experience, what might motivate us to deny our Savior so that we deal with that weakness ahead of time; to understand how God can use people who have wandered off from Him to still do great things
-for the people to feel repentant over any time they have with their lives or words denied that Jesus is lord of their life
-for the people to identify specific ways in which they are denying Jesus and to return, repentant, as Peter did, to the welcoming Lordship of Jesus
5. When I finish my sermon I want my audience to examine their own lives to see if there are times they deny Jesus as their lord and to turn from that behavior to complete devotion to Him
6. Type: textual
7. Dominant Thought: Peter illustrates the danger of “running from the cross” but also the hope for imperfect people who embrace the cross
8. Outline:
We’ve titled this series “Walk to the Cross.” The goal has been to encourage us to walk, deep in our hearts, to the cross along with Jesus. Last week, we walked through the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus. But today…today is a bit of a diversion. Today we step off the road to the cross. In fact, we’ll jump off the road and run the other way through the experience of Peter.
I want the text to speak for itself.
Matthew 26:69-75
Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don’t know what you’re talking about," he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." He denied it again, with an oath: "I don’t know the man!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don’t know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
I’m not worried this morning that I might either vilify or hero-ify Peter. The reason we have this story, according to John, is so that we will understand Jesus and believe in Him. The point of us having this is really about Jesus and what we do about Him. Peter’s denial is just one in a 3-year series of mess-ups we have recorded from his life. Peter spent most of that time with Jesus running in a direction other than the one that Jesus was taking. He was running from the cross. Are you??? Let’s find out…
I. The Cross is a Way of Humility, Surrender, and Dependence
Peter was a strong guy. In Jn 21, he jumps from a boat, swims about 100 yards to shore to get to Jesus, and then right afterwards he’s the one who drags a net full of 153 large fish onto the shore. No doubt he was conditioned from a demanding life as a laborer that sometimes had him up all night, in a boat, fishing with a net. I have to use my imagination a bit here, but I think a guy like Peter must have a guy used to doing things. If Peter’s boat had a bumper sticker, I think it would have said, “Git R Done!”
We need people like that. We need them in our community and in our church; people who act; people who don’t just talk about doing something; people with spirit and drive who want action and who accept a challenge, rather than being bored and not sure what to do about it!
So, caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Peter and the other disciples see Jesus walking out to their boat…on the water. They’re scared. Jesus assures them it’s Him. “Don’t be afraid. It’s Me!” What does Peter say? “Prove it!” Now, I might have liked proof too, but I think I might have given Him a quiz – you know, “OK, Jesus, how many hairs are on my head?” “What’s Bartholomew’s middle name?” - things like that. Not Peter. “Jesus, if it’s really You, have me walk out on the water to You.” OK. He does. But somewhere between stepping over the side of the boat and getting to Jesus, it occurs to Peter: he’s walking on water in the middle of a storm at sea! Ever seen road runner cartoons where Wyle E. Coyote runs out off of the cliff and suddenly realizes that there’s no road under him and he looks down and drops? That’s Peter here. He sinks, and Jesus saves him.
This ought to be one of the clues that the way of the cross is a way of humility, surrender, and dependence. And I imagine Peter got back into the boat a little more humble, a little more surrendered, and a little more feeling dependent on Jesus.
Mt. 17, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain with Him. He’s praying, and His appearance changes. Moses and Elijah appear along with Jesus, talking to Him. The 3 disciples are waking up…sorta. Peter says, “Lord, it’s good for us be here. If You want, I’ll build 3 shelters here. One for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter wasn’t thinking real clearly at this point. Then God’s voice thunders from heaven, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" All 3 of the guys suddenly got some good face in the ground time in front of Jesus. Nice try, Peter. Jesus wasn’t here to become some kind of god like Greek mythology and camp out on top of the mountain. God set things straight fast. Listen to Jesus.
Later in that chapter, they come into Capernaum. The local tax collectors approach Peter. “Doesn’t your Master pay the 2 drachma tax?” “Sure He does!” Peter tells them...without asking Jesus about it. Later, Jesus let’s Peter know that He really didn’t have to pay that tax, but now He has to do something about it. So, He has Peter go and catch a fish. It has a coin in its mouth, and Peter uses it to pay the tax for Jesus and for himself. Thanks, Jesus! But more important was the lesson Peter learned about humility, surrender, and dependence on Jesus.
That’s just 3 events, but all 3 show us a Peter who is still learning the way of the cross. We can’t be too down on him, though. There are a lot of us who still don’t get the cross way. In fact, in the Church, there seem to be a lot of “Peters” who aren’t ready to walk the road of humility, surrender, and dependence on God.
That failure is what keeps some people from accepting Jesus today. You’ve looked it over, and for some reason you’ve decided that the walk to the cross with Jesus isn’t for you. It would mean humbling yourself and admitting you need a savior. It would mean surrendering your plans to His plans. It would mean becoming dependent on Jesus for your eternity, and that’s not what you want to do. Not yet.
That failure affects some peoples’ giving. Your giving this morning reflects that you’re depending on something other than God; that you’re not willing to surrender to God what you call your own.
That failure affects whether or not we’re open to being helped by anyone around us. If you do, it means admitting that you need help, that you depend on someone besides just you, and some of you don’t want to go there.
If that’s you, listen: If you can’t accept the way of the cross, you can’t accept Jesus. You’re not just rejecting an attitude in life. You’re rejecting your only hope for eternal life.
It’s right before the Last Supper. No one has volunteered to take on the lowly task of washing feet before everyone eats. So, Jesus is washing His disciples’ feet – even the feet of Judas Iscariot who will betray Him. He gets to Peter’s feet. Strange that, up to this point, no one was made any comment about it. But Peter can’t take it! Jesus, the Lord and Master, washing feet! How messed up is that! “No way, Lord! No way that You’re going to wash my feet!” But Jesus tells him, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
Translation: if you can’t accept the way of the cross, you can’t accept Jesus.
II. The Cross Runs Counter to What’s Rational
The cross always presents some problems for people. Listen to Paul as he writes about it:
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
Ill - There’s an interesting insight into this from archaeology. It’s found in some graffiti from the wall of a house in Rome, written by someone making fun of a Christian he knew. The idea that someone would follow a hero who was crucified was foolishness to him. So, he drew a figure of Jesus, with a donkey’s head, on the cross. In front of it is a young man, worshiping. Then, he wrote a caption: “Alexamenus worships his god.” It’s an interesting look into the attitude of the Roman world toward the way of the cross. Foolishness.
The whole idea of a savior who is very ordinary in looks and strength, and who then allows himself to be mocked and tortured to death doesn’t make sense. It’s not rational. No wonder we often find Peter, and others, headed in another direction.
Mt 16, Peter has just expressed his belief that Jesus is the Messiah. It stands to reason, in an average Jewish man’s mind, that the Messiah is going to save His people. Translation: free the Jews from Rome. That’s the rational expectation.
Isn’t it interesting how what you take into a study of the Bible will often decide for you what God is saying before you even look at it? For centuries, the Jews had been anticipating a Great Deliverer. Convinced that this was Jesus, Peter had certain expectations, along with all the other disciples. A road that leads to a Roman cross doesn’t fit that plan – not in Peter’s understanding. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Messiah.
Jesus begins to detail to the 12 that He’s going into Jerusalem, He’ll be arrested, mocked, and crucified. Peter takes Him aside and begins to rebuke Him. He corrects the Son of God!
No, Lord! This will never happen! It isn’t rational! You’re the Christ, the Deliverer! You can’t die!
Jesus looks at the other disciples, looks at Peter, and rebukes him in a way that might shock us:
Matthew 16:23
"Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
How often do we want to write off the irrational teachings of Jesus? How often do we try to ignore the irrational example of Jesus?...The way of the cross?
• Blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted.
• If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.
• Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
• If someone slaps you on the cheek, turn to him the other.
• If someone sues you and takes your shirt, give him your coat too
• If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles.
• True greatness comes from being the servant of all
• Bless those who curse you – Jesus did this while He was on the cross.
How often we rush to practice those words of Jesus? It want to suggest that, until we do, we’re very much like Peter who was running from the cross. That wasn’t the rational way to go.
III. The Cross Represents a Way of Grace, Not Law
The way of the cross isn’t fair. We might even say it’s unjust. Peter understood that, at least. But what Peter may not have understood about God’s way of grace at that time he had to later appreciate when he did understand it – because he needed grace!
Jesus told the guys they would all run away. Apparently Peter was again the 1st to say Jesus was wrong. “No way, Jesus! Everyone else may fall away, but not me.” Jesus told Him, “Tonight, you’re going to deny you know Me 3 times.” “No, Jesus! I’ll die for you if I have to! I’ll never disown You!” I notice that all the others chimed in at this point: “Yeah, me too, Jesus! Me too!”
You see, for Peter to deny Jesus would be the ultimate mess-up. How could he possibly go to heaven if he did such a horrible thing?
It’s easy for us, on this side of the cross, to look at Peter and say, “He really didn’t understand the cross, did he?”
I’m not sure that most people do. In fact, I’m pretty sure that most people don’t understand the cross – that it’s God’s way into heaven for people, like Peter, who mess up; people who have blown it where being good is concerned, and who need a different way to be allowed into heaven.
Did Peter need another way?
The critical time in the Garden of Gethsemane is past. The die is cast. There’s not one speck of hesitation, not a hint of wavering by Jesus. He’s on His way to the cross. Judas betrays Him with a kiss. The guards surge forward to grab Him. Now, there are at least 11 disciples standing around, and probably Mark. Between them, they have 2 small swords that we know of. Who has them? One of the disciples, before joining up with Jesus, had been a zealot – Simon – they were a group of Jewish revolutionaries who kept a dagger strapped to their body under their cloak so they could knife unsuspecting Roman soldiers. Maybe he carried one of the disciples’ 2 swords. We don’t know. But guess who’s carrying the other. And guess who rushes forward, swinging it at the neck of the high priest’s servant. And guess who Jesus rebukes. “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Jesus doesn’t need Peter’s sword.
But guess who needs grace.
Bold as Peter was, when Jesus surrenders Himself to walk the way of the cross, Peter joins the other disciples as they all abandon Jesus and run away. Guess who needs grace.
Jesus is arrested. The farce of a trial is beginning. False witnesses are called forward to lie about Jesus. The soldiers have already roughed Him up. They spit in His face. They slap Him around. They blindfold Him, and take turns punching Him in the face. “Who punched You, prophet? Who punched You?” Peter’s watching from just outside. 3X he’s called on the carpet. 3X he denies even knowing Jesus. The 3rd time, somewhere, a rooster crows. Luke records that Jesus turns and looks at Peter. Their eyes meet. Guess who needs grace.
Peter had spent his life pursuing righteousness by law, and falling on his face all along the way. That next day, God would inaugurate His new way to heaven…the way of grace…paid for by the death of Jesus on the cross.
Do you and I need a way besides the good works and law-keeping way into heaven?
Well, no. You don’t really. If you’re good enough, you really don’t need the cross way. If you’ve never messed up, you’re OK. And if you’re convinced this morning that you’re good enough for heaven the way you are, then you don’t need the cross – it’s not going to do you any good anyway.
You see, the way of the cross is the way of humility, surrender, and dependence. Humanly, it doesn’t make sense. And if you’re not willing to walk to the cross, if you’re running from it, it’s not going to help you.
It’s the way of grace: God’s favor, offered to you in place of the wrath you actually deserve. It’s the way into heaven for mess-ups – of which you and I are one! So was Peter. Guess who needs grace!
By the way, with all his goofs, Peter had some very promising shining qualities. You see…
• Peter got out of the boat while the other 11 didn’t even try.
• Peter was the one who answered Jesus’ question and testified Who He was
• Peter was the one who objected to having his feet washed because he understood Jesus was their Master
• Peter was the one who Jumped to defend Jesus while the others held back (We’re behind you, Peter!)
• Peter was one of only 2 who entered into the courtyard while Jesus was being tried
• Peter was the first one to run into the empty tomb
• Peter was the run to jump into the water and swim to shore to get to Jesus first
• Peter repented, rebounded, and God used him again and again as the Church began and grew, including writing 2 books of the NT.
But, again, we don’t know all of that just so we’ll have certain thoughts about Peter and what Peter should and shouldn’t do. What should we do? I want to close out this morning by taking this look at Peter, warts and all, and identifying some action points for us to do.
1. Take an honest look at your attitude toward a suffering servant savior.
We’re not getting much encouragement from the world to look to humble people as our heroes. The people we look up to are supposedly the ones who have fame, prestige, money, and power. You won’t find
So, when Someone Who is God empties Himself and becomes a servant on earth – to the point where He doesn’t even have a place to lay His head – what are you going to do with that?
To be sure, Jesus is going to return in power and every knee is going to bow before Him, but when He was here the 1st time, it was in order to give His life as a humble servant. What’s your attitude toward a Savior like that? That’s the way of the cross, and if you’re having a problem accepting that, it’s standing in the way between you and heaven.
2. Stop running from the cross. Repent!
Are you running from the cross? Do you find yourself having a lot in common with Peter? Are you after heaven only to find out the way you’re going isn’t headed there? Then have this in common with Peter: repent! It means “to turn around” – a change of heart that leads to a change of lifestyle. Quit running from the cross and run to it instead.
3. Go ahead and compare your other options to the way of the cross. Which is better?
Maybe you’re the kind of person who kind of holds off and ways the options in case a better offer comes along. OK. If that’s you, would you do me a favor? Would you go ahead and compare your other options this morning? Would you go ahead and tell me which other way is going to turn out better than the way of the cross? Go ahead and compare them.
4. Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Follow Jesus.
Right after Peter had rebuked Jesus and told Him He had it all wrong – “No, Lord, this will never happen!” Jesus told this to all the disciples and others who were around:
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Jesus was walking to the cross. Make no mistake about it – He invites people to walk to a cross as well. It means giving Him your life. It means being able to say, like Paul,
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
No apologies. No hidden agenda. Jesus wants your life.
Conclusion:
Jesus predicted that Peter would die the death of a martyr for Him. It’s not recorded in the Bible for us, although some writers in the early centuries of the Church help us piece together that Peter was put to death under Nero and at the order of King Agrippa. He was to be crucified, and requested that it be done to him upside down.
Peter "emulated the Passion of the Lord." - Tertullian, De Praescriptione
(recalling John’s Gospel, Chapter 21) "Peter was girded by another, as he was bound to the cross." - Tertullian, Scorpiace
"Peter...at last, having come to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer this way." - Origen, Third Commentary on Genesis
"It is, therefore, recorded … that Peter likewise was crucified under Nero." - Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History
How ironic…
Peter ran from the cross, but he stopped running from the cross. He learned to walk with Jesus, and he walked to another cross and even gave his life for the Master. What a changed man! What great hope there is for people today who are running in the wrong direction!
Maybe that’s you. Maybe you’ve taken an honest look and you and Peter have a lot in common. Today is the day you stop running from the cross.
