Peter’s Collapse (Part A)

This speaks well of pushing him in the class almost entirely by himself. What John the apostle he's there tonight in the courtyard when he's there and orders of the four high priest we get that John's Gospel, but Peter so many others that are not following Jesus into this courtyard, so he puts himself in enemy territory, which makes me again reluctant to cast him as this coward. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark.

Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio. Specifically, you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the gospel of Mark chapter 14 as he begins a brand-new message called Peter's collapse. Mark's gospel chapter 14 beginning in verse 66 now as Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the servant girls of the high priest came and when she saw Peter warming himself. She looked at him and said, you also were with Jesus of Nazareth, but he denied it, saying I neither know nor understand what you were saying and he went out on the porch and a rooster crowed the servant girl saw him again began to say to those who stood by.

This is one of them, but he denied it again in a little later those who stood by said to Peter again. Shirley you are one of them for you are a Galilean in your speech shows it. Then he began to curse and swear, I do not know this man of whom you speak a second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind were the Jesus said to him before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times when he thought about it, he wept. This chapter of this passage is paragraph I could pastor could speak on this paragraph. Three times in a row, not repeat himself.

Once this you can go in so many director's homely lessons here. I don't plan to address too much. The rooster crowing part this very profound part put my attention will be elsewhere not to take away from how meaningful it is. But the just so many other areas where you going 45, 50 minutes what you concentrate on well you concentrate on what the Lord is leading you to say in this message is entitled Peter's collapse and is the failure of a beloved servant, Jesus love Peter no, no doubt about that.

And yet we are watching we going to watch him unravel what we just did standing up and reading this, but we must let must not let our feelings judge Peter we have to go by the facts and stick to the record concerning him, and I say this because of all the commentaries that I have read over the years on this this passage which is found in all four Gospels. Incidentally, most of the commentators have been pretty hard on Peter calling him a coward and just slamming him in and II don't agree with all of that but one of the outstanding things that is you can't get away from is that he did did deny the Lord, and he did it at a time when the Lord is being shuffled from court to court and then crucified those of facts, but was Peter's denial because he was a coward that means something to me. I want to know the answer to these things because my turn may come when I am facing arrest, persecution of death for my Lord and others so these things are good.

The critical to us. Yes, Peter was busy denying the Lord but not so much looking to save his own skin, as many cast him.

He was cornered he was called out and he collapsed and so hopefully will be under looking to understand why he collapsed so that we would not given a similar situation put under such pressures, he purposed good in his heart. What he still following the Lord, but suddenly and completely, he was overcome with temptation temptation to do what save his own skin. Again, I'm not so sure. That said, so we going to look at this man who moments ago did not fear death, but now does not want to be associated with Christ and the consequences that may come with that. I still think it's a little deeper. Let's look at verse 66 now as Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the servant girls of the high priest came how Matthew adds this interesting note to this moment. But Peter followed him at a distance to the high priest courtyard and he went in and sat with the servants to see the end that's the part that Matthew adds that Mark does not include Peter wants to see where this is going. He's got hope he still hoping some way God is going to get out of this and so this speaks well of Peter.

It puts them in a class almost entirely by himself while John the apostle he's there tonight in the courtyard, but he's there in the quarters of the per high priest we get that from John's Gospel, but Peter, there's so many others that are not following Jesus into this courtyard, so he puts himself in enemy territory, which makes me again reluctant to cast him as this coward, Horatio Nelson, one of if not England's greatest Adm. said no captain can do very wrong. If he places his ship alongside that of the enemy to engage the enemy fulfill his purpose. Well, Peter is looking to be close to his Lord and for that we we have to understand and that is a high thing, not a low thing. He couldn't walk away not that kind of man he was no way he could be hiding somewhere knowing his Lord was there being under arrest and busy struggling Judas in contrast to Peter distanced himself and he died distanced from Christ.

Yes the other apostles had scattered and where they were. We know not what they did not turn on Christ and be betray him. I pointed out for Peter because he's going to deny him, having disagreed with Christ and the Lord warned him and yet here he is, he doesn't yet see it is too close to it all of you ever been in such a situation, we just too close to it, others can see better what's going on and you cannot not a happy place, but love compels this man has love compels us to stand up to those things that are in opposition to our testimony.

I am mindful of Jacob. Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord.

He thought that his strength could somehow gain something for him and I did not.

His strength was not enough and so we find Jacob calling out.

I won't let you go to you blessed me. There's a sob and that is there not is not a sob in the story of Peter other not sobs in my own life silent and loud both things about me that I dislike and I don't understand things about me that I don't seem able to defeat and yet there's that assurance. Christ ain't going anywhere. He's staying with me he loves me.

He died for me. Christ is not finished. Forgiving people is going to be forgiving them right up to the cross right up to this moment. So let's we don't need to be judgmental need to be spiritual attention to the spirits leading apply the lessons and at the same time not dismiss that which is wrong and were not dismissing Peter.

Let's look at our verse 67 and when she saw Peter warming himself. She looked at him and said, you also were with Jesus of Nazareth. Many people were men were named Jesus and so she specifies Jesus of Nazareth.

They had become known as the Nazarene by this time, but she is one of the many irritating Bible characters to me quite a few of that.

I just don't like her. She might have been you know she might've made some really wonderful cheesecake or something, but I just don't like what I know about her and and you'll see why I'm not being too harsh part on that what still in a like. So here's Peter now warming himself by the fire of the enemy and in a lesson we can't get away from when we look at this is Jesus can make fires for us if were cold. We do not have to be with the enemy is.

But what if that's where I find myself passionate, devoted Peter fearful without even knowing why he's bewildered. We know that is upset Windsor turmoil hub turmoil have blown upon him, and here he is emotionally is hobbled by the crash from the glory of the upper room to the arrest and the garden again. How do you put yourself in Peter's sandals.

Having not walked personally with Jesus for 3 1/2 years very difficult if not impossible. Mark chapter 14 there is where we read of Peter's boast.

Peter said to him, even if all are made to stumble yet I will not be John might stumble even though he loves you. Thomas might stumble Andrew my own brother. He may stumble, Peter, and this of course is what he is going to pay for now he is going to pay for that vain speech that he made in crisis, let it happen and not only is Christ going to rebuild this man, but he's going to use all of this to this present day. What about that pledge. Peter will he's unstable in his head. Now is not that is not that same man things have happened. He's been confronted with things that even plan for Matthew chapter 5, Jesus warns us all. He says let your yes be yes and your no no okay that's a sound teaching of the Bible is a principle of Scripture. But then he added something very important for whatever is more than these is from the evil one was that not Peter.

These might forsake you. Instead of just saying what I'm I'm not going to for sake you. He had speeder. These might find me that went beyond his yes and it was of the evil one. Christ even warned him will get back to this later you going to get sifted.

Satan's going to put you in a sieve.

He's going to shake you and you going to find out what falls out and what stays on top, then the Lord said in a very cryptic way you going to fail. But I'm going to rebuild as he says once you got your but I have prayed for you. Also, I'm getting ahead of myself and will get to that in a moment.

Verse 68 but he denied it, saying I neither know nor understand what you're saying and he went out on the porch and the rooster crowed.

He did not want the servant girl to tell the high priest that he was here that had to be his first thought.

So he lied and played ignorant lying especially wrong up here, and even to him and to us, but he hasn't had much time to think things through. Since the upper room in the arrest and just think Calvary is just hours away.

It hasn't even been 1615 hrs. Yet, since the upper room. Things have been going at a rapid pace. He's not had a chance to collect himself is a you sound like you're defending Peter. I am because I see me in this, I see everybody in the states. Even flash the humans that people that want to be doing the right thing for Jesus and mess it up that would be all of us at some point, maybe not to this degree, but it's still a failure of some sort that we eventually have to taste so he had tried giving his life for his Lord already just hours ago if that more long but was corrected, leaving him at a loss. Matthew 26 verse 52 but Jesus said to him, put your sword in its place for all who take the sword will perish by the sword is getting a battlefield lesson is you think now is not the time for a sermon or speech or a class with Jesus, take cities on making this a teachable moment and it hobbled this man in his head. The fact we can't dismiss Peter is unraveling. He thinks he's going to be the coward.

That's what he is going to think, to he's going to cast himself in that light, but what could he do this bewildered state. When confronted you were one of them. What could he do what he could tell the truth. Why doesn't he tell the truth again, not a chicken as we would say is more complex than that. I have learned my own life and in life of other Christians there problems that come into our life that are complex and not simple is not a simple will here take two Bible verses and call me in the morning. More to it time to to very lengthy process of restoration recovery from whatever traumatic experience were faced within our faith. Well, he tried to move away from this group, so he goes out to the porch were told here in verse 68 and L hold that rooster but he doesn't register yet it registers later with him, but not at the moment common sound why should you stand out because the word of Christ. Number 69 servant girl saw him again and began to say to those who stood by this is one of them so I don't like or what is so important. What is, is she looking for the you know parking spot of the month of the servant of the mother something.

Why is it why she want points with her coworker.

See I told you I was right. I know what I'm talking I don't know what Peter is thinking she just won't let this go. What is the big deal. All right, what if he said I am one of the service with the have been a parade for anyway. Look at I don't is a lot of people I don't like what's one more is too easy to dislike people and that's right why Christ calls us out on that and he did here and you know it and I know that you are a Christian you have ill feelings for somebody you know the Lord is just you know not going always.

Okay, maybe giving you space to fix it but he is not saying it's okay verse 70 all the one time I heard the Lord tell me now I can either know that never happened. You know I get verse 70 but he denied it again in a little later those who stood by and said to Peter, surely you are one of them for you are a Galilean in your speech shows it again. What is with you people.

I just want to be warm. Why can't you just leave me alone is corner and is doesn't know what to say really because Seth is in denial mode is in the flesh will here is the swordsman of Gethsemane, that's now the lyre of the courtyard. Just like that so this is where I start to learn something, the self-sufficiency that Peter was operating on the self-sufficiency. It became a hiding place was flash and now he is are you reaping what he sells disease at the covered he's is drawing from the flesh because he self-sufficient. He announced that these might forsake you. I am not. I said well that's not going to work. Then he argued with Christ so he is will will see him a different man after Pentecost, though he will still struggle from time to time. If we ever feel that we are able to serve Christ in our own strength than our own strength will be all we have and if you want to try to into ministry. That way you're going to fail and you probably going to be a problem to others, to ministry it. What is ministry well is serving the Lord. It actually that you know for me the definition of ministry is Jesus Christ. That is the definition of ministry. What if what if you were on your church and and and one of the ministry heads were passed because hey can you stop off at the store and get something for the church would you get in the flesh, tall man I'm already behind in order to, or would you see it as I'm serving Christ when you when folks walk into the church and they find the bathrooms clean the floors swept in the vacuum on the carpet of tissue boxes replace the hand sanitizer. We filled somebody's doing that all know were just praying in the summer. The Angels are coming in when no one's here again who is it that empties the vacuum cleaners. They get full so ministry. It is serving Jesus Christ because it is Jesus Christ. It is the body of Christ. And when we look at it that way, we say okay now I'm in a spiritual zone where there is spiritual warfare and I better not conduct business in my flash self-sufficiency, some going to be taken out and this is a hard lesson about that very thing is the difference of a Peter after Pentecost and Peter now yes he's a believer when he saw was still in his own strength in God was allowing Peter as he did with Jacob to exhaust the natural strength to see where it got them didn't get Jacob anywhere and he got Peter in trouble. I don't want to enter the pulpit in my own strength. I don't want to say well you know one of my teachers taught me that you read yourself all and you enter your the pulpit. That way okay but that's not enough. I don't want to come here with just research want to come with us. The anointing of the Spirit and without that I don't want to go course we all mindful of Moses, Lord, if you don't go with us if you not going with me. I don't want to go and God honored that with Moses and so to put ourselves again and Peter sandals we have to do a lot of work to identify with what's going on because having seen Christ to so many miracles he probably was expecting one right now. Verse 71 then he began to curse and swear, I do not know this man of whom you speak can even say his name. At this point I cannot say I do not know Jesus Christ. I do not know Jesus of Nazareth cannot say that they wouldn't of said Jesus Christ, because the whole Messiah thing was still to be in progress, but he could've said I did not know Jesus of Nazareth and yet we read he began to curse and swear he's willing to take a curse upon himself rather than be associated with Christ. How do you make Peter look good after something like this are trying to make him look good were trying to stick to the facts. This is not vulgar or profane speeches, we might consider it today. The Jews really didn't have curse words like we have, they could say things that were worse blasphemous. They had blasphemy. This is not the language of a rabbi's pupil. That's why he's doing this is why he's saying these things, so they were civil. Jesus is a rabbi. They all agreed to that. Whether they'd like to agree with them is different story. But they knew he was a rabbi, no rabbi's people would talk like Peter was talking right here out to get Peter ever spoke like this ever before in his life. What was he saying how do we know what he was saying. Well, the word for curse.

There is anathematized is invoking curses on himself if he is lying. May God strike me dead if I know Jesus Christ that's what he's saying. That's how it translates into our language and again no rabbi student would dare make a statement unless he was telling the truth. But His line this awful moment for Peter sees at his worst lesson spiritual war and natural strength hinders God inflicts me and those around me. He says I do not know this man of whom you speak again too much to say the name now again we contrast. At this moment Christ is on the inside courageously telling slick Caiaphas, the truth, announcing exactly who he is.

I am the Messiah, saying, who is and what he is doing and what he is at the cost of his own life. And Peter is outside thing. I don't know him. What a mess. One of mess. The flesh is gotten him into standing up to Christ disputing with the Lord disagreeing with him doubling down after you spoken to you at once Christ spoke to Peter.

That was the word of God to Peter and he did not accept in here is again Peter would not know how to fight spiritual wars until the spirit came upon them at Pentecost. Even before Pentecost went after he survives this and after the Lord restores him. He still is making blunders and Peter stands up well.

We need to know cast lots to find out who's going to replace the office of Judas and really was not in the spirit will get to that in the book of acts when we get to the book of acts at a witness at that moment is why he's not a coward that he will. You don't have to be a coward to fail. Jesus is part of you could just the flesh can do it without cowardice. If anyone if Christ had walked out and someone had smacked the Lord in the face in front of Peter. You think he would've gone beast mode. I don't have a doubt would've been over my dead body moment on. Fortunately for Peter. This should've been an over my dead body moment to refusal to deny the Lord. There's this opportunity and he doesn't take it move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry.

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