Peter’s Denial - Part 2 of 2

In additional Sharon Bradley Junior welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible and will will will and in summer months are always particularly challenging in keeping up with the expense so you can help us to keep the program on the air will be certainly thankful for our address is the Baptist Bible. Our box 17 old 37th Cincinnati, OH 45217, we continue today with the message entitled Peter's denial from John chapter 18 it is indeed sad that as we observe this man who had displayed such strength that other times caving in to his weakness in human nature, and denying the Lord, but it is also encouraging to see his restoration back in the 18th chapter of John, Jesus had said I have told you that I am he.

If therefore ye seek me to him and asking them. He wanted to pull them out so that they had to plainly say what their purpose was in arriving that they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth choices. I me. I'm the one you're looking for. Let these go their way released by disciples.

They wanted give them opportunity to leave. He knew there weakness really couldn't stand but Peter didn't take that opportunity. He followed the crowd.

Basically, he walked into temptation if he had departed as Jesus indicated that he should. The events would not have unfolded as they did Matthew chapter 26 verse 41 Jesus and said, watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. But rather than praying that he might avoid temptation rather than being careful that he doesn't walk into a place where temptation is not going to be there if he follows the crowd goes to the palace.

The house of Anna so there was a disciple there who was recognize and admit it right away. I'm amazed sometimes of how much space is taken up in commentaries for men to write about things they find admit they don't know the answer to it. All kinds of speculation about who that other disciple was most come to the conclusion that is John, but some have long arguments as to why it couldn't of been John had to be some else, but they all admit they don't know. So I might want to wear you with those discussions this morning and just say that was a disciple that wasn't identified, but then he comes to the door and asked that the doorkeeper who happened to be a young lady would open the door and let Peter in. And so Peter goes in and of course it was there that he was confronted and asked if he was not one of the followers and so these at the wrong place at the wrong time and then we see ultimately comes out stand with the crowd and he is warming himself by the enemy's fire prescriptions 1533 says evil communications corrupt good manners. Think of it. Where is Peter now he's standing side-by-side with those who are the enemies of Jesus those who are wanting to put him to death. It was cold and I think there's a lesson in that for us. Sometimes when we become cold spiritually. We're looking for something to sustain us where where we want to be worn but instead of going to the Lord defined the warmth of spirit that can only be found in him again to find some warmth by the enemy's fire, you begin to look to the world begin to look the sum of its entertainments began to turn some of its philosophies again want to fit in with others limited when you're standing with the enemy warming yourself for the enemy's fire you're in a dangerous place. Furthermore, he was control the fear of man, it's interesting that in spite of all his boldness, in spite of all of his courage that the first person that asked him are you not one of his followers wasn't a big strong man who might've conquered him on the spot. It was a girl who was keeping the door and falls apart just when this girl asking the question. In fact, victims in the Greek the questions raised so that she was expecting a negative answer, but he came in such a hard time about one of his followers.

Proverbs 29, 25, says the fear of man bring up a snare, but whoso put his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Peter followed the pattern is laid out for us in the first verse of Psalm one Blessed is the man that walk is not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand up in the way of sinners nor sedatives in the seat of the scornful is exactly the path he took. He walked in the counsel of the ungodly, he was standing by the enemies of Christ conversing with them. He stood with the enemy by the fire and then ultimately sat in the seat of the scornful. Denying the Lord, claiming that he did not know him so verse 18 tells us he stood with them. He was in bad company and Peter couldn't afford to be there. I sometimes counsel with young people who obviously were traveling with the wrong crowd. They had friends that were a bad influence and they would say something like this well II know prodrug makes mistakes and I'm unwilling to change, but I just tell you right now I can't give up a friend and I told young people repeatedly. If you don't give up your friends that are having an evil influence on you. You won't give up your sinful habit.God's word is authoritative and it plainly tells us that evil communications corrupt good manners.

Peter was easily provoked, easily led to rash actions so he didn't need to be standing with this group of people where you stand. Are you standing for the testimony, the truth of Jesus Christ for some time.

Are you standing with the culture of the day you want to be looked on as a fanatic you want to be criticized it on to be looked down on. So you make some compromise. You entering the some activities that know there's some question about it, but can't be all that bad, and before long you headed down the wrong path at a rapid speed. If you're standing with Jesus and his priorities should be your priorities and what was his response that he please the father. Your priority should be that in every detail of life. Whatever we do, whether we eat or drink. We do all of the glory of God is that uppermost in your mind, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. His values should be your vendors, but those things that are esteemed in the world around you today, he is teaching his doctrine should be the teaching a doctrine that you embrace not listening to somebody who says well doesn't seem fair. If it was this way doesn't seem right doesn't seem more loving if we took another position here. No mistake what he stood with them.

Those who were the enemies of Jesus three denials. The girl at the door. Verse 17. Those at the fire. Verse 25 and then the kinsman of Marcus.

Marcus was the man whose ear Peter and cut off.

Now it was one thing to denied to this girl at the door. I'm not one of his. Another thing to say it even to those men that were at the fire.

But when one of them speaks up and says I remember you back in the guard this band, a relative of Marcus, the one who was injured by Peter if if if this man is now going to be putting out this this is one of his followers. This is dangerous but again he denies his Lord as we read this lesson you're somewhat appalled to be the somebody who was so close to Jesus. Somebody who saw his miracle somebody who was with him on the land of Transfiguration somebody who made such bold confessions of his deity. How could it be that he did in writing the mask you how often have you denied that he never came out and vocally sad though I'm not one of the followers of Jesus, but your conduct indicated the attitude that you maintain some of the things that you said some of the places you went some the things to did you were denied him if he did not even by not having love for him as the dominant factor in your life. Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments. Somebody observed your life closely.

I could see how you use your time how you use your resources. The things you read the thing to look at the places you go, whether not to minister to other people and help other people when they identify you as one who follows Jesus, one who keeps his commandments over. They conclude that this is just a matter of a Sunday trip for you to go to church so that you can feel like I've discharged my duty. I've done what I need to do the rest of the time you forget about at United as much as you think it's a dark scene. Indeed, it is for Peter. One of his close disciples to deny him vocally you may deny him by the life you live on a regular basis.

He denied them by promising I'm going to finally understand with you on whether the fit meeting about to die for you.

I'm unwilling to die but he failed he failed United when he failed to pray. You may have denied. So I believe in prayer, but how often do you play how diligent are you in your prayer life. Do you seek the Lord daily. Several times a day Jesus spoke one parent understood the purpose of this that man ought always to pray and not the thing. First Thessalonians chapter 5 tells us that we are to pray without ceasing. You can say I believe in Jesus. I wanted his followers, but if you don't talk to them. You know, pray to him.

Your denied without time in his word is I believe anything your mother know what he said go to want to know everything you can learn about his life. His message read it again and again meditate upon it incorporated into your life.

Have you denied it by yielding to fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Sometimes people will try to defend certain activities by saying, well, it really doesn't hurt anybody else time looking at something on my own computer. I'm not bothering anybody that is really making a difference does you look at evil, corrupt scenes think it's not harming anybody else you think is not harming you fleshly lusts.

He said the war against the soul. If you're looking at filthy material.

If you're reading books that stir fleshly lust and you become enslaved by the war against your soul. You may say I'm not not being affected God's words as you are. It cuts off your community and fellowship with Jesus Christ.

It destroys your joy in the Lord to prevent you from growing in grace and your low dark and spiritual state. Then has an impact on your family and on other people have you denied but then thankfully the story doesn't end with Peter's denial. The next thing we observe is his road to recovery.

He could recovered because Jesus had prayed for him to go to the book of Luke chapter 22 reading of the 31st verse and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, the whole Satan hath desired to have you, that he may see you sweet but I have prayed for the that five faith failed thought and when thou art converted strengthened by brethren. Jesus prayed for his or when a late minute Peter failed, but Jesus prayed that your faith would not fail. And even though Peter CN and his conduct was dreadful. He never denied that Jesus was the Christ. He did say for a moment I go fishing go back to my former occupation because I have miserably failed. But Jesus had prayed for unlimited. If you are one of his. He has prayed for you and not a marvelous thing to consider any of us when we had sickness we like to send word to the church. Pray for me and it's an encouragement to feel our brethren and sisters in Christ are praying for us but think of having Jesus pray for you. That's exactly what he does. He is our intercessor where he ever lives to make intercession for us and he prays for us in the same chapter verse 60 and Peter said, man. I know not what thou sayest, and immediately while he yet spake the clock crew. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had sent unto him before the cop role. Thou shall deny me thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly cop crewing was a call to repentance.

Peter and Josh denied his Lord and then he heard the clock crew and the words came forcibly to him. I remember Jesus had said, but was a call to repentance and the Lord looked at him.

Can you imagine how I felt.

This is Jesus I've spent three years in his company have expressed to be one of his father was upset that I love even though that Peter did loving but when Jesus looked at him. Those penetrating eyes.

That loving countenance must have broken his heart and he went out and wept bitterly, his life and falling apart. He felt hopeless. He was in the dark of you wept over some of your sins and failures. The not been times when you were awakened to the fact I've been going down the wrong path. I made some terrible decisions I've dishonored. Lord I do not him about conduct by my faults. I failed to truly follow him as our professor was going to do and is the spirit of God convicted you. You were broken. You wept bitterly contrasts them. Seen here between Peter and Judas. Peter wept and repented Judas experience remorse, but he did not repent. It's one thing to be sorry because you got caught in some sinful activity. It's one thing to grieve over the consequences. It's another thing that your heart is broken because I've sinned against my Lord and that brings about repentance and turning.

I'm not just weeping but I'm repenting, I'm turning from it with the grace of God. I'm going to walk in another direction to see there's a difference between genuine repentance and just worldly sorrow, Paul deals with that in the book of second Corinthians chapter 7 it's crucial to recognize the difference because it's so easy for people to make a mistake and not see the difference. Second printing chapter 7 and verse nine. Now I rejoice not, that you were made sorry, but that she sorrow to repentance for your made sorry after a godly manner that you might receive damage by us and nothing for godly sorrow work with repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world work at death. The only sorrow you have the cause of your sin and your failure is just your personal embarrassment or the fact that it's cause complications in your life works. Death. But if your brief. If your deep conviction over your sin. The tears that you shared are genuine evidences of repentance that indeed is a blessing for God, the cop crewing was a call to repentance and it was also the announcement of the beginning of a new day cop crooned when it was nearing time for the morning to dull and it was a time for a new day for Peter in the last chapter, the gospel of John we find the account of Jesus restoring him not take time to read it all.

But when you have opportunity. Read John 21 verses 15 to 19. At this point he's asking Peter do you love me and Peter's not so bold at this point, it just is.

Lord, you know he does not make any claims now because he has seen what a terrible failure. He had been in verse 17 he set on him the third time, Simon son of Jonah's mother soundly. Peter was grieved because he said and then the third time. Love is now me and he said in him, Lord, thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love the Jesus Anthony and feed my sheep, and Jesus was forgiving him and recommissioning him at the same man who sold miserably failed was then used of God on the day of Pentecost. For each one of the most powerful discourses on record and 3000 souls were converted, what about you today are you self-confident like Peter was early on when you hear somebody else falling do you kind of sit back with an attitude well done. Surprised about that person taught me not me I can ever time you hear of somebody falling in the sin it ought to be an alarm set off Lord, if it can happen to them.

It can happen to me. It ought to cause great grief and never with a self-righteous attitude. Look online health.

I'm superior to that. What about some of you today are you warming yourself with the enemy's fire you're trying to find satisfaction you're trying to find something that's going to fill up that empty spot in your life and your turning to the world to find it returning to entertainment worldly pleasure material possessions.

Who knows what all warming yourself in the enemy's fire is a dangerous place to stand for somebody here today have to say preacher. I know based on what you preach this morning. I never said to somebody.

I don't believe Jesus is the Savior, but I know I have been hiding in many ways in my life maybe have concluded that things could just never be right again. Remember the words of the psalmist. Weeping may endure for night but joy cometh in the morning and the good news is that no Peter denied his Lord of the Peter failed. He was restored he was forgiven and he was still use in a mighty way of the glory of God.

You may have failed miserably. You may have grieve over lost time, lost opportunities look back and say time is passed I can never recover it all.

I might as well give up. I'm useless, but if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. How beautiful to see that in this dark dark power when the perfect Lamb of God is despised and rejected Jesus Christ God in the flesh is bound hold before the authorities illegally question ultimately crucified in this dark night the bright stars are yet shining in the fact that Jesus had prayed for his week servant, and ultimately restored gives us comfort and hope to know that no matter where we may be today. There is no reason to throw up our hands in despair but to come once more boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help in time of need. While it is sad to read the account of Peter denying the Lord.

There is much in it much practical instruction for all of us be reminded of our only this and also to be encouraged, if indeed I'm talking to someone today who is miserably failed to feel far off from the wonder of God still see the was restored and it was evident that the Lord hope that you will write us and let us know that you listen to the program to next time. This is for Sarah Bradley Junior bidding goodbye and may God bless and EM than a B and all in the ninth and in all