The Chatterbox - Week 4 Series

Crash the Chatterbox - 4

Luke 22:34-62

May 18, 2014

Have you ever told someone you would stand by their side, you’d be willing to go to battle with them, you’d be willing to die for them and with them. You’re so passionate, you feel it in your heart and spirit. Your mind is picturing the victory. Your starting to sweat as you feel the energy and passion within you. The adrenalin is flowing, your feeling it, your loving it. You feel you can destroy anyone and anything, your like the Fantastic Four all in one person! What a rush!!

It’s time! It’s time to enter the battle. You check your weapons, yup, you’re set. You step forward, but something happens, your feet aren’t moving. You’re trying to step forward, but wait! Nothing’s happening. You’re supposed to be in the battle, but you’re not. The energy is turning to anxiety, you suddenly feel weak. It’s supposed to be this glorious moment and nothing is happening! The rush is the rush of fear, panic. What now!?

Today we’re entering week 4 of the Chatterbox. We’re trying to put away the words and the images, the voices which enter our heart and head which tells us the negatives, and instead we need to hear the words of life through Christ.

What I described a few moments ago is part of a Bible story. We find it in the third book of the New Testament, the gospel of Luke 22. It’s been an amazing night. The disciples and Jesus share a Passover meal, Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, and Jesus looks at Peter, the rock and says this to him ~

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

33 Peter said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

You can feel the drama. Peter tells Jesus, I’ll die with you, I’ll go to prison and be beaten with you. Jesus looks at Peter, at tells him, not so quick friend. You’re going to battle, but it’s not what you thought.

Finally, the pivotal moment arrives and Luke tells us ~

54 Then they seized Jesus and led Him away, bringing Him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance.

55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with Jesus.”

57 But Peter denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”

58 And a little later someone else saw Peter and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”

59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Jesus, for he too is a Galilean.”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”

62 And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

When Jesus was arrested, there was Peter, then he followed in the distance. He didn’t want to get to close. All that bravado was quickly melting away. One person called it a “guilty distance.” Instead of trying to fight, he stands in the background, hoping to blend in with the people, but still wanting to get a look at what was happening.

As we consider Peter, I wonder how many of us are following Christ at a distance? Maybe even at church, you’re here. And that’s great. But that’s where it ends. You’re a good person, and the voices tell you that much and more. You see, satan knows reverse psychology to get you to do nothing, too.

Hey, you’re a good person.

You don’t have to give 10%, how many really do?

You do enough.

You’re here aren’t you.

You helped your neighbor last month.

Look around you, if others don’t do it, why do you?

We buy into the cheap grace satan offers us. You see, he wants us to do nothing, yet he still wants us to feel guilty. To stand at a distance from Christ, feeling guilty and helpless and hopeless . . . in our hearts.