Sermon Nuggets Tues Nov 18
Theme- Failure
Verses John 18:10-11 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
18:15-16 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
Following
The song of commitment and dedication says, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.”
In Peter’s attempt to live out the call to follow Jesus he thought he would protect Him by taking a sword and start swinging at the time of the arrest. He might have been prepared to die, but he wasn’t going down without a fight.
We talked about this incident a couple of weeks ago. Violence in the name of Christ of the New Testament is never the way of the Lord. Bombing abortion clinics or leading an attack on Muslims and their property would not come from the commands of Jesus. Violence is done to us, not done by us for Jesus’ name. We are the ones who need His defending. Jesus was never in the need for Peter to rescue him, only the other way around. It is not by our strength or our activity or our wisdom that the Kingdom of God is advanced, but by the power of God and His might and our desire to follow Him.
There is no question that Peter’s heart is in the right place. We see in the story where the other disciples fell away. Peter is following now from afar. Some preachers make a sermon from that phrase, “following afar.” John doesn’t say in his gospel but it is implied. Some will try to conclude that Peter is not close to Jesus and this is an allegory about backsliding where people are not close to Jesus but secret followers. Certainly it is true the farther we are from Jesus the more spiritual problems we will face. The closer we are to Him the more we depend on Him for our strength, love and courage. But that is not the implication from this passage. Peter is doing something none of the others are doing, with the possible exception of John. His following Jesus even into the dangerous courtyard of the high priest is part of his character and personality. He was the first out of the boat and walk on water. He was the first to confess publically that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God. He is the first to want to build a tabernacle on the Mount of Transfiguration. He is the leader of the group.
The problem was his short sightedness with his own human weakness. He was overconfident in his desire and failed to see what Jesus saw- how weak we really are when put in the right situation at the right time. Self confidence and over confidence can make us vulnerable. Thinking we can overcome what is ahead underestimates the power of Satan and the dependency we have on our Lord. It isn’t what we can do for Him, but what He does through us that is the key to every day living.
We can come to worship as we have for years and go through the motions and not worship. We can regularly participate in committee meetings or programs confident because we have been through the routine. But we can do so without the humility and dependency on prayer for God’s wisdom. We fail.
A preacher can take pride in his faithful service and burning desire to serve the Lord but it is not in the area of open public arenas where one fails, but overconfidence cuts low in the private and secret contacts that catch him unprepared.
Following Jesus is where He leads, not where we think we should go. Daily fellowship and study in His word and prayer are key parts in His leading. Peter failed, but he did so in a situation which none of the other disciples even dare to face. He failed, not because he was a coward, but because he was willing to risk because he followed. If you are following Jesus then be aware Satan would shift us all like wheat. If he can get the best of Peter, who is the most faithful and zealous of the lot, then we are all in need of warning and alertness. The stronger we think we are the more vulnerable we can become. Desire is important. It is commendable. But it does not alone prevent us from falling into temptation.
Seek to be a follower of Jesus with all your heart, but also with complete dependency seeking His will and way even today.
Pastor Dale
