What Is Your Greatest Forgiveness?

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This is good Truth Network what's your biggest failure or have you blown up more than any other time. Your life but what is been your biggest forgiveness. Your biggest restoration work.

God took that failure and turn it into something magnificent. That's what I like – Gertrude I'm Stu Epperson when looking at the denial of Peter likely most likely the most dark moment in the life of this apostle who denied Christ after pledging his full support with me is a special guest. Today the Christian cargo rubber door to read the passage and guys to these questions, Robert. We just have a couple questions to the end. Your but this is so deep in Christ is been betrayed by Judas, stabbed in the back betrayed with a kiss. Now he's being denied by Peter, the one that he thought was the one who would leave the church, the one that had so many hopes for read the passage what do we rob you and I will get into the final questions are salute 2254 through 62.

Having arrested him and led him and brought them into the high priest house but Peter followed at a distance. Now women kindled a fire at the midst of the courtyard and sat down together. Peter sat among them in a certain servant girl seeing him as he sat by the fire looked intently at him and said this man was also with him, but he denied him saying woman I don't know him, and after a while, another saw him and said, you are also love them.

But Peter said, ma'am, I am not then after about an hour passed another confidently affirm saying, surely this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean. But Peter said, man. I do not know what you are saying immediately. While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter then Lord, then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. So Peter went out and he wept early so here we have Peter denied Christ three times now for some interesting points about this particular passage Scripture that some folks may not know it's in all for the Gospels that the denial of Peter. Matthew 26 versus 69 to 75 Mark 1466 to 72 in John chapter 18 verses 15 to 27 record is Matthew and Mark tell us of Peter's repeated cursing and swearing an oath.

Mark records to cook rooster crows and John combines the three denials with the three corresponding events of Christ trials and record in records of the third accuser is actually a relative of Malthus, so he gives is that detail who whose ear was cut off by Peter.

John also tells us how Peter gains access to the gated courtyard area, but only Luke records the famous look which you talk about that was is when Jesus looked at Peter. Imagine being on the receiving end of the gaze of Jesus Christ and I want to close by the way today with a poem by slave trader Darrell elects pagan profane man by the name of John Newton who is radically saved, converted and became a huge Christian author and wrote songs and everything he wrote a poem called the look that's been recorded as a song, I'll read that at the end of this broadcast Robbie unexperienced truth. They were looking at the Scriptures were journeying to the book of Luke every week you got two more questions here in the bottom hit is with the I guess that one right there is the difference between Peter hear the words Peter that the situation in Peter at Pentecost.

How was he restored yes or something happened between this event.

This dis-betrayal. The depth of Peter's depravity and sin where he betrayed the one who came to save him the one who called him the one who who even renamed him the rock from Simon to Peter here is betrayed Christ 3×7 have between that event and in the event of Pentecost where you have the strong bold leader of the church standing up preaching the gospel thousands come to Christ. He leaves early church. He's a bold disciple apostle. He's doing signs and waters.

It says or even look at it took to touch a handkerchief that Peter had touched right so they could be healed by him. He just has this power of the Holy Spirit running through him.

So what what was the difference. John 21 Jesus is set made some breakfast disciples been fishing Peter comes in Christ asked him three times. You love me and it's a great study and a few nuance to different Greek words for love there you got agape got for Leo galleys once, but Jesus, Peter denied Christ three times Jesus in John chapter 21 restores him but not once but three times, one for each of those denials is very powerful Robbie but his need to see how Christ is a great question. Can Christ take your worst blow up your worst total sin, evil you've done everyone listening to me right now someone's you messed up beyond maybe what you think. You've never even shared some understanding or shame. Can Jesus heal that can he bring about healing and not only does Jesus forgive Peter for this horrible betrayal and denial, but he fully restored a fully says now your to feed my sheep hear it, so he restores you so that you can go and do something supernatural so that he can use you to heal and touch others so everyone of us are broken vessels.

Everyone of us are bruised, broken, struggling human beings and God takes the tragedy of our sin and the evil in the darkness and the pain of our past Robbie to restore us so that we can be used mightily and this is exactly what Jesus eventually did with Peter.

But if you look at the text year.

Peter denies him three times the Lord turned and looked at Peter for 61 and then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said to him before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times to Jesus and set it.

His word is true even in predicting this kind of thing. So Peter went out and he wept bitterly. So we have a totally different Peter at the bottom of the bottom of the bottom from a Peter at Pentecost, who is boldly preaching and bring souls to Christ was in it. Also see how God transform that may have so much there, because to me. Another interesting comparison is if you'd been at dinner that night with Judas and Peter.

I think Judas knew what he was going to do and if it was not a surprise to him.

What he did because he wasn't wearing the mask that Peter was this one caught Peter completely by surprise and I really think Jesus was teaching him through allowing these three people to tempt him and three obviously different ways to penetrate this mass that Peter had that was actually keeping Peter from his full strength in his full glory. You and so by removing not one but two, but three different coverings that Peter had been relying on to get through life.

He was able to actually connect with God like you say the very beginning that what was standing between him what why was he following at a distance is because like me. My wife can tell you all the reasons that I keep alert her the distance that I'm not aware of. And if you really want.

Interesting exercise sometime ask your wife how you feel like I'm holding you at arms length and oh my goodness shall give you Jesus example is the master where it is a sound that happens in the story want to know what the sound is in your life.

But it's the rooster crow.

So here's a question.

Do you think that Peter ever heard a rooster crow the same again. Think about later on in his life.

He's out preaching somewhere in Antioch or something. It's early in the morning.

He's good enough for his prayers. Here's a rooster crow what you think went through his mind. Here's a question what's your roosters crow. What is that sound that you associate your greatest failure with and when your enemy brings up your failure.

Do you go to the one who carried your failure on the cross.

How is God used your failures to lead others to him. And so here you have another man, Saul, a terrorist murdering Bilotti murdering the early Christians ask a one he says he was he was fuming.

He was ravaging the early church like a wild animal ripping people out of their homes and in putting in prison for their faith.

And yet he became one of the greatest missionaries in the early church. So God restored Dell yet. Peter and Judas. What a contrast, both failed but only one truly repented and received the offer of Christ. Grace and look at how mildly that Peter was used after that to strengthen the brother lead many to Christ. So I love that one preacher said he said God through our sin into the sea of forgetfulness and he put up a sign that said no fishing so there's a real powerful restoration and so I close this poem Robbie but hit us with those last two questions were quick for people to get rhetorical you will think and how has his grace healed and restored. You even at your lowest point and how can my life be an open confession of Jesus and the gospel, meaning that at this point Peter needed Jesus, Peter didn't know he needed Jesus like he ended up with a member if so your failures while your failure shop in the form of scars will have stars you won't have the stars in heaven, but one person in heaven will have stars in his hands is feet aside, Jesus and the reason that he does have stars is to get us there because those scars by those stripes we are healed. Medical and so while we have the stars and earth. There simply to show him the point of the one who eternally bears in his body. Our sins on the cross. What he did for us.

So this is the powerful story. Someone chosen another to think about your failure to think about God's grace in your failure and how are you using that to share with people out there who are struggling who are empty who are hurting, you have a story to tell your story tell his story of what he's done in your life okay so this is what John Newton wrote.

It's called the look infectious song is a song by sovereign music that put together in a maybe one time will play we can play for this episode is rather time to listen to this song that was turned into a sauna poem by John Newton, former slave trader got all kinds of scars to start a lot of people brutal, profane man begot Radley saved and will in axes got on the campaign to free slaves and he wrote another song called amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. This is what he wrote, recently wrote. I saw one hanging on a tree in agony and blood who fixed his loving eyes on me as near his cross. I stood and never till my dying breath. Will I forget that look, it seemed to charge me with his death, though not a word he spoke my conscience. Felted owned the Guild and plunged me into spear. I saw my sins's blood spilt and helped to nail him there, but with a second look. He said I freely all forgive this blood is for your ransom paid. I died that you might live forever etched upon my mind is the look of him who died the Lamb. I crucified, and now my life will sing the praise of pure atoning grace that looked on me and gladly took my place for thus while his death. My sin displays for all the world to view. Such is the mystery of grace. It seals my pardon to so that look Jesus gave to Peter was yes a look of of absolute guilt because you are caught, but there is a look of powerful grace that changed everything in Peter's life as he looked in the eyes of Jesus Christ looked in the him and as he looks at you. What is EC and are you allowing those Isa penetrate your heart, and his word to penetrate your heart to change and do correct and to transform your heart by his mighty grace were done this week and experience true.

Thanks for being here. Thanks for listing go sure the truth study the word memorize the word read the word teach the word hear the word. Are you under a steady diet of Scripture going to church to teach the Bible, God's word not just about the Bible but from the word of God because that's what's so powerful that points to the Savior. The author Jesus Christ himself will be back arrow next on my Stu Epperson back your next time with more experienced truth on truth talk. This is the Truth Network