THROUGH HUMILITY AND REPENTANCE OUR FAILURE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH.
PETER'S 1ST FAILURE: REBUKING OF JESUS
Matthew 16:21-23 - From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to You!”23 But He turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s.”
PETER'S 2ND FAILURE: FORCEFUL FOR JESUS
John 18:7-11 - Then He asked them again, “Who is it you’re looking for?” “Jesus the Nazarene,” they said. 8 “I told you I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for Me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the words He had said: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave’s name was Malchus.) 11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Sheathe your sword! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
PETER'S 3RD FAILURE: DENIAL OF JESUS
Luke 22:55-62 - 55 They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56 When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with Him too.” 57 But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know Him!” 58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too!” “Man, I am not!” Peter said. 59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with Him, since he’s also a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
LEARNING TO FOLLOW JESUS IS A PROCESS RIDDLED WITH FAILURE.
SPIRITUAL MATURITY COMES FROM CONFLICT, & CONVICTION THAT IS MET WITH HUMILITY & REPENTANCE.
OUR MOMENTS OF FAILURE:
REBUKING JESUS = GOING AGAINST GOD'S WILL
WHEN WE REBUKE JESUS WE ENTER INTO A SKIRMISH WITH GOD.
OUR MOMENTS OF FAILURE:
FORCING JESUS = CAUSING HURT TO OTHERS)
WHEN WE FORCE JESUS ON OTHERS, WE ENTER INTO A SKIRMISH WITH THEM.
OUR MOMENTS OF FAILURE:
DENYING JESUS = UNWILLING TO DIE TO SELF
WHEN WE DENY JESUS, WE ENTER INTO A SKIRMISH WITH OURSELVES.
OFTEN OUR FAILURE TO FOLLOW JESUS HAPPENS FROM OUR INABILITY TO SUBMIT TO HIS WILL, SURRENDER OUR DESIRES, OR SACRIFICE OUR SELFISHNESS.
Acts 4:13,18-20- When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. 18 So they called for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
THE ENEMY DESIRES TO MAKE OUR FAILURE FINAL BUT GOD DESIRES TO TURN OUR FAILURE INTO FAITHFULNESS.
