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THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

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WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

“Peter said, ‘Master, I’m ready for anything with you. I’d go to jail for you. I’d die for you!’

“Jesus said, ‘I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Peter, but before the rooster crows you will have three times denied that you know me.'” Luke 22:33-34.

We like to pick Peter out for being cocksure of himself but I don’t think we are any different. There was no problem with his sincerity. He loved the Master and would willingly have given his life for him — in his mind — but, in the real situation, at the mercy of ruthless Roman soldiers, it was a little different.

Peter did not know what it was like to be in that kind of situation. Perhaps even more important was the fact that dying for Jesus then would be pointless. He would be dying for a friend but not as a witness to the truth to which he was testifying. His opportunity would come later when he would give his life for what he believed and preached, that Jesus is the Son of God and that He rose from the dead and is the author of eternal salvation for all who believe in Him.

Peter had a whole lot of living to do and learning the truth about Jesus and the resurrection because that became the pivot of his life and message, and the reason for his obedience and courage, even to the point of dying the same cruel death as his Master.

Peter did not even know that his brash words were prophetic. He did indeed go to jail and to death for Jesus but it was because of his choice to follow Him and not because he was the victim of Jewish leaders’ prejudice. Peter learned his lesson well. He had to go through his own ‘Gethsemane’, humiliating and painful as it was, to be equipped to be an apostle of the good news.

Our own failures and weaknesses seem so drastic and final that we think that they disqualify us from being Jesus’ disciples, and we run from Him in guilt and shame. God has a very different view of our failures. These are the very experiences that equip us to be witnesses for Him.

To what are we really witnessing? Not to our strengths! If we never failed, we would not need the grace which God freely gives to us because of Jesus. This is the marvel and miracle of the gospel. Jesus came to earth because of who we are. There is nothing in us to commend us to God. God’s verdict: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV).

At best we are foul. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah 64:6 (NIV).

Jesus did everything necessary to rescue us from our pitiful condition. He paid our debt, washed us clean and presented us to God as His own beloved sons and daughters and gives us the grace to live for Him in His strength, not ours.

We are fools if we think we can do it by ourselves. Peter learned that and so must we if we are to be witnesses of how big He is, and not of how big we are. It only takes our considered decision to follow Him to bring God’s grace into action that energises us to do what we have chosen to do. The choice is ours; the strength is His and we do it together.

We have a union with the Holy Spirit who lives in us so close that, whenever we decide to obey, His power activates our choice and we do it through Him. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me, the life I live in the body, live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NIV).

Is that not a better option than being self-confident and falling into a deep, dark hole of guilt and shame because I thought I could do it by myself?

And The Rooster Crowed

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AND THE ROOSTER CROWED

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. ’You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,’ she said. But he denied it. ‘I don’t know or understand what you are talking about,’ he said, and went out into the entryway.

When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, ‘This fellow is one of them.’ Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, ‘Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.’ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about.’

Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.’ And he broke down and wept. (Mark 14: 66-72)

Oh Peter, how could you? Don’t you remember Jesus’ warning?

It’s so easy for us to stand back and judge Peter, isn’t it? Of course we wouldn’t do that, now would we? Or would we? Put yourself in Peter’s shoes. The events of the night happened so fast and so unexpectedly that he was caught unawares. Jesus had given him and all the others plenty of warning about what was to happen to Him, but they had chosen to dismiss His words and not to take Him seriously. Peter had even cancelled out Jesus’ words to him personally by protesting his undying loyalty.

Then things began to spin out of control. Instead of being awake and alert as He had urged them, because His betrayer was on the way and His arrest was imminent, they all fell asleep, giving way to the weakness of the flesh. When the mob fell on Jesus, they were unprepared. As usual, Peter acted first and thought afterwards. It was Peter who recklessly swung his sword and connected with the one person he would not have chosen to tangle with, an important member of the high priest’s household. Fortunately for him, Jesus was there, always watching for an opportunity to fix what was broken in spite of the adverse circumstances.

You have to give it to him, though. He was the only disciple who dared make his way right into the enemy’s camp. He mingled with the crowd in the courtyard of the high priest’s residence and tried to make himself invisible. But, unfortunately for him, he stood out like a sore thumb. His Galilean accent gave him away, for one thing, and for another, he was known to be a disciple of Jesus. He’d been seen all over Jerusalem hanging out with Jesus.

In spite of the evidence, Peter tried to lie his way out of trouble. Would he be arrested because he was guilty by association? He didn’t want to take the chance because he was not about to face crucifixion if the Romans got hold of him. Not once but three times he denied any knowledge of his Master, vehemently cursing and swearing his ignorance of the man he had confessed to be the Son of God not long before.

His conscience stabbed him like a knife because he knew he had lied. And then the rooster crowd. Suddenly his memory lit up like a prairie fire, burning and searing his heart until he crashed in a heap of misery. Jesus’ warning words rang in his mind and even more loudly his protestation of loyalty. In that moment he was stripped naked and saw himself for the first time as he really was – not the brave leader of the pack as he thought he was but a cowardly little weasel, cowering before a serving maid. He wept until he had no more tears to weep but, like feathers in the wind, he could not take his words back.

Worst of all. Jesus knew. Peter saw His glance and burned with shame. There was no opportunity to make right with Him. He was heavily guarded and on His way to death. Peter knew it. He remembered all the altercations He had had with the authorities. The crunch had come and they had Him in their power. There was no escape for Him this time. The Sanhedrin was not interested in them. They wanted the ringleader and the finally had Him.

Had you been in Peter’s shoes would you have acted any differently? How did Peter feel? Desperate enough to do what Judas did? Thank God he hung on, and eventually reaped the reward of forgiveness and reinstatement as a beloved disciple.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Watch this space. My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master, will soon be on the bookshelves.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

 

 

Untested Loyalty

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UNTESTED LOYALTY

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’

Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’ But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ All the others said the same. (Mark 14: 26-31)

Why did Jesus sound a warning like that? There was no doubt that Peter was very sincere in his declaration of loyalty. Weren’t they all at that moment? Unlike Judas, who had every intention of betraying Jesus, Peter had no such plan of ever denying his association with Him. Why would he? He didn’t have a bone to pick with Him. He may not have always agreed with Him or even understood Him, but there was no doubt about his commitment of loyalty to Him.

Peter adored Jesus, so much so that he did everything in his power to impress Him. Did you notice that when you read the gospels? He was Peter, the “motor mouth”. If there was anything to be said, Peter said it. He was the spokesman for the group. On behalf of them all, he declared without hesitation, in response to Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?” “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” No doubt they had discussed it among themselves when His words and actions baffled them.

There was no way that He could be just an ordinary man. Never could a man, in all their history, not even the most powerful of prophets, hold a candle to Him. It was not only His words and actions that held them spellbound but also His very nature, revealing the mercy, compassion and love they had never experienced before. There was nothing in Him that resembled other men, and yet He was all man. They were mesmerised by Him.

So, at that moment, in the face of His declaration, they could not think of doing something as dastardly as disowning Him. Their intentions were of the best, but they did not know themselves.

But why was Peter singled out for a warning when they would all be in it together? After all, which was worse – verbally disowning Him or running away when He needed their support. It was one and the same thing.

Peter had to take the rap because Peter was the blabbermouth as usual. The others took their cue from him. We must not forget that these men were very young, probably not much older than teenagers. Rabbis chose their disciples, not from the seasoned scholars but from among the learner rabbis. Jesus, no doubt also looked for the young ones – those He could mould into His image before they became too set in their ways. Perhaps one like Matthew might have been a bit older, in his late twenties, but the rest were still apprentices on the journey of life – untested and inexperienced in handling crises.

Once before, Jesus had warned Peter about Satan’s intention, but he brushed it off with no comment, obviously not really taking His words seriously. Jesus had indicated that He was not perturbed – in fact He promised to pray for him, not to get him out of the test but to pass the test so that he could use the experience to support others when they were tested.

This was the crux of the matter. It was imperative that Peter and his fellow disciples be tested. That they failed was not the issue. They had to experience the test because it was part of their maturing process. Failure was far more important than success. Failure imprints the lesson far more deeply than success. Peter’s protestation of loyalty, backed up by the others meant nothing without putting it to the test. He had to feel the shame of failure. He had to taste the sweetness of the Master’s forgiveness and the realisation that the love of his Master did not depend on his performance but on His character. Peter could not fail himself out of his union with Jesus.

Peter had to learn that it was love for Jesus, not his will power that would steady him in the storms of life. The greatest commandment, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength’ still stands as the solid rock upon which loyalty is built. Everything else is but shifting sand.

‘If you love me,’ Jesus said, ‘you will do what I command you.’

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

The Rooster Crowed!

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THE ROOSTER CROWED!

“Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there, warming himself. So they asked him, ‘You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?’ He denied it, saying, ‘I am not.’ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, challenged him, ‘Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster crowed.” John 18:25-27 NIV.

Another “meanwhile”! With great skill the writer moved the action backwards and forwards between Annas facing off with Jesus inside the high priest’s palace and Peter facing off with the servants in the dimly lit courtyard.

It was difficult to identify faces in the pre-dawn darkness, the courtyard lit only by the glowing embers of a coal fire. Peter tried to keep his face down as he warmed his cold hands. He had already been challenged once. In his panic he had denied any association with Jesus. He didn’t want to be noticed in case someone else who had been there in the garden recognised him.

The servants around the fire knew very well that Peter was not one of them. He was a Galilean, by his accent and they soon began to question among themselves. Suddenly one of them spoke up. With withering scorn he pointed in the direction of the palace and demanded, ‘Surely you aren’t also one of His men, are you?’ Peter was not caught off guard this time, but he had already lied once. He had to keep it up to save his skin. ‘I am not.’ he muttered.

One man in the group kept staring at him. Peter shrank back into the darkness but it was no use. A relative of Malchus who had been there when Peter had lashed out wildly with his sword and severed Malchus’ ear, challenged him. ‘Hey! Weren’t you in the garden with him?’ he said. Peter had already cooked his goose.  He had been unmasked but he still persisted with his lie. Did anyone really believe him?

After three counts, the rooster gonged him out! John was silent about Peter’s response to the rooster. The other gospel writers pull the curtain aside. Peter was not only found out by the rooster for his foolish dismissal of his Master’s warning, his threefold denial of his Master and his shameless lying about his association with Jesus, but his utter emotional nakedness was also exposed by the gospel writers and revealed to the world.

Perhaps John still had traces of the old rivalry in his heart and deliberately excluded the heartrending scene of Peter’s regret. Didn’t he have a dig at Peter when Peter quizzed Jesus about John’s future (“Lord, what about him?” – John 21:21). Jesus cut him short with a sharp rebuke: “Mind your own business, Peter.”

“‘Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.'” John 21:22 NIV).

Jesus won the first round against Annas. With His insistence on the truth, He caught Annas out and all Annas could do was bow out by sending Him to Caiaphas. Let Caiaphas bear the brunt of Jesus’ astute understanding of the truth and what a fair trial was all about and see whether he could wangle a conviction against such an opponent.

Jesus was not trying to get an acquittal. He was committed to being the Passover Lamb of God that would be sacrificed for the sin of the world. At the same time, each person involved in the miscarriage of justice and the twisting of the truth to serve his own ends, had to face up to his own guilt. Among all those who were directly involved in His conviction and execution there was only one who remained not guilty — the prisoner Himself.

Even those who loved Him the most and who were the closest to Him failed at the crucial moment. Peter’s guilt was not only his own. Though the others did not verbalise their abandonment of their Master when He needed them the most, Peter represented them all with his words and actions.

And we too, though not there in person, stand among those who were guilty of condemning Him to death because it was our sin that He took upon Himself and our debt that He paid so that we can be free.

The Rooster Pulled the Trigger!

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THE ROOSTER PULLED THE TRIGGER!

“Arresting Jesus, they marched Him off and took Him into the house of the Chief Priest. Peter followed, but at a safe distance. In the middle of the courtyard some people had started a fire and were sitting around it, trying to keep warm. One of the serving maids…noticed him…and said, ‘This man was with Him.’
“He denied it, ‘Woman, I don’t even know Him.’

“A short time later someone else noticed him and said, ‘You’re one of them.’
But Peter denied it, ‘Man, I am not.’

“About an hour later someone else spoke up, really adamant: ‘He’s got to have been with Him! He’s got “Galilean” written all over him.’

“Peter said, ‘Man I don’t know what you are talking about.’ At that very moment, the last word hardly off his lips, a rooster crowed. Just them, the Master turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Master had said to him…He went out and cried and cried and cried.” Luke 22:54-62 (The Message).

Would Peter ever forget that night? Every time a rooster crowed, for the rest of his life he would remember.

I guess that many thousands of sermons have been preached on this passage of Scripture over the centuries, mostly focusing on Peter’s denial and Jesus’ forgiveness. After all, it’s a message of grace that everyone needs to hear.

But God’s grace comes to us in many different ways. Sometimes we identify God’s grace as His direct intervention in our lives; miraculous healing, forgiveness, times when we cope when we have no strength of our own.

At that moment in Peter’s life, I am sure he would like to have killed that rooster because it triggered a memory that brought him to utter despair. What if Jesus had not warned him in advance that it would happen? Would the sound of the crowing rooster have had as much impact on him as it did? Probably not.

He would have felt bad about denying Jesus but, because of the warning, every time he heard the rooster, he would also have heard his own retort at Jesus’ warning, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to jail and to death.’ It was not Jesus’ words that haunted him as much as his own.

Peter did not know himself. He had no idea of his weak and cowardly heart until the crowing rooster pulled the trigger! He had a long journey ahead and a lot of growing to do before he could say those same words and mean them.

The rooster was only being a rooster but, for Peter, his voice was a forceful reminder of his fallible humanity and his need for God’s grace because he could not do it on his own. It was his failure that caused him to be aware of his constant need of God and caused him to rest in the power of Jesus to give him strength to stand under testing.

Peter could not have penned the words in his letter to believers under pressure had he not experienced what he did on that terrible night. Only tested faith can come out pure, like gold that has gone through fire. Had Peter not fallen that night, he could have claimed victory through his own will-power, but his crash was the best thing that ever happened to him.

The sound of the crowing rooster was a trigger, not of failure and despair but of hope, a reminder of God’s grace that forgives, restores and gives another chance to those who discover, through experience, how weak they really are, and who learn to rest in the strength that God supplies.