Learning From Peter’s Denial of Christ

Introduction

Good morning. You please open your Bibles with me to Mark chapter 14. I’ll try not to shout at you. And you try to open your Bibles with me to Mark chapter 14, please. When you think about Bible characters, and you think about those particularly close to Jesus, the ones that often come to mind are those with sort of struggles, right? There’s doubting Thomas. There’s all that the apostles suffered and died from, in some cases, after Jesus lived. But if you had to identify one apostle, one close disciple of Jesus, who quite often found his faith failing or lacking, it was Peter. And so it’s interesting that in Mark chapter 14, you have perhaps the pinnacle of Peter’s denial, and that’s his denial of the Christ when he literally says that he does not know the man.

He does not claim to know Jesus. But if you look at Mark chapter 14 and verse 26, you see where this all begins. You see where the story of Jesus around his crucifixion is correct in identifying what Peter would do. Look with me in Mark chapter 14, beginning in verse 26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, You will all fall away, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to him, Even though they all fall away, I will not. And Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.

But he said emphatically, if I must die with you, I will not deny you. Now to be fair to Peter, please look at the last part of verse 31. And they all said the same. So Peter kind of gets an individual rap for this because, well, frankly, the inspired scripture reveals that he fulfills what Jesus said would happen. Peter did, in fact, in Mark chapter 14, deny Jesus three times. But it wasn’t just Peter who had the hubris to say, far be it from me, if I must die with you, I will do so. Isn’t that the claim that we all as Christians make that we’re going to give up everything to follow Christ? By definition, that’s what a Christian is. A Christian is someone who has decided that this world is not worth it, that without God, we are stuck in our sins.

And so we turn to that loving God who sent Jesus to Christ to die for our sins for my sins. And we say, I no longer live for self, I live for God. Much like Jesus, who, as we will read, even in this chapter in Mark chapter 14, was fixated on God’s will being done. And if that’s a Christian, if that’s what a follower of Christ is, a true obedient disciple of God, then we have to ask ourselves, how is it that Peter, this disciple so close to the Lord, would reach a point where he not only turned his back on Jesus, he actively and repeatedly denied Jesus. If it can happen to Peter, the truth is it can certainly happen to me. If it can happen to Peter, it can certainly happen to any of us.

1. Peter Started With Pride

And that’s the truth of the matter. And if we think about Peter’s message in 2 Peter chapter 2, you know that there’s the warning against falling away. And it’s not even just a warning, it’s saying how bad it would be. It’s worse than if you had not ever even known in 2 Peter chapter 2. So you think about what Peter has learned. And I want to learn from both Peter’s example and then look over at the book of 1 Peter and see as Peter is applying some of these principles that cost him his life at this point, at this very moment. You think about what Peter’s denial, how it was set up. It started very, as we already read in verse 29. Did you see that?

Even though they will all fall away, Lord, I will not. Peter started with pride. If you think about what this statement says, Jesus has just said, they’re going to strike the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter. And Peter knows, he says, He’s the shepherd, I’m the sheep. That’s not going to happen to me. That can’t happen to me. I’m Peter. I know who Jesus is. He’s right here with me. I will never turn my back on him. Now that’s the attitude we should have, that we will never turn our back on our Lord. But think about this for a moment. If we go into anything with the mindset that says, that’s not a problem for me. I’m not going to fall away from the Lord in this way.

That would never happen to me. You know what life dictates usually? Apart from sin, when you say this isn’t going to happen, life says, oh yeah, here it is, times 10. Think about our spiritual life, though, how more, how much more grave are the consequences? How much more serious are the stakes? If I say that this isn’t going to bother me, what am I likely to do? Well, I think in a way of personal application, if I’m going to say that I am not going to fall in this way, if I will not reject Jesus in this way, then I’m more likely to put myself into that temptation. I’m more likely to be in a situation that for others, well, they would fall, but for me, I will not.

And we know what Proverbs chapter 16 says about that. Pride comes before destruction. You think about the fact that Peter was prideful. He was boastful, not only to say in verse 29, even though they will all fall away, I will not, he says, I don’t care if it happens to everyone, Lord, I will not turn my back on you. But again in verse 31, as he is said to have said emphatically, if I must die with you, I will not deny you. If we lose our humility, we’ll take not only a step backward from our aim towards being more like Christ, more like the God who created us. But we’re going to put ourselves in a worse situation than we were at first. You look at Matthew chapter 18 with me.

Jesus had to deal with the idea of humility oftentimes, and note what a value he placed on it. What high a priority humility had in the eyes of the Christ. In Matthew chapter 18 and verse 1, at that time, the disciples came to Jesus saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And calling to him a child. He put him in the midst of them and said, Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Verse 4. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In the midst of the disciples, those close to Jesus, whom Peter would no doubt undoubtedly be a part, they’re arguing, who’s going to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Lord?

Who is going to be your number one and your number two? Jesus’ answer is that’s not the right question. The truth of the matter is what he says in verse 4, if we’re going to be with Christ, if we want to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we must humble ourselves. Now that humble the idea of humbling ourselves is important here because we see in Peter’s statements in Mark chapter 14, he didn’t have that humility. That humility that says, I am vulnerable. We’re going to see that as we move forward into Mark chapter 14. That temptation can conquer me. If you’re here this morning and you think that if you’ve ever given in to temptation, you know it comes and it comes hard. Think about this.

If you’re not in life’s trials right now, give it time. How many of us can say that we have never faced a hard time in life, situationally, temptation wise, or in any other way. If times are good, prepare, be watching. We’re going to move forward to that point. But have the humility of mind that says, first of all, Jesus is to be served no matter what, to the credit of Peter. But that I must work to reach that. I don’t have some sort of automatic status and not falling away. I haven’t been a Christian long enough to where I don’t have to study the Word of God. I haven’t been a Christian long enough to where I don’t have to be at the services. I need to be a Christian, and that means dedicating my entire life to serving Jesus and recognizing, yes, I can fail if I turn my back on Jesus.

2. Watch and Pray

Peter, who is closer to him than anyone, seemingly lacked the humility to stick with Jesus. And as we know, as Jesus rightly prophesied, Peter denied Jesus three times. Pride is the first marker in Mark chapter 14 of what led Peter that way. But look secondly in Mark chapter 14, at this interesting account, in Mark chapter 14, we’ll begin the reading in verse 32. As Jesus is praying, this is imminently before his betrayal and certainly even his crucifixion. And in verse 32, and they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray. And he took with him Peter and James and John and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.

Remain here and watch. And going a little further, he fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Ah, the Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but you will. And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again, verse 40, do you see this? He came and found them sleeping. For their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

And he came the third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. Jesus certainly identified Judas coming to betray him with the kiss. Betraying him to what would ultimately be his death on the cross, that painful, excruciating experience, both mental, physical, spiritual, what have you, that had Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane. And while he went to do that, while Jesus is praying, if possible, Lord, let this cup pass from me, but not my will, but yours be done. He asked Peter and James and John to watch. To be there. And the first time, you see, what was the reaction?

Well, he comes back and he finds him sleeping, and especially to Peter, he says, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? What’s the big deal about this? Why was it that it was so important to Jesus that Peter watched? I think it’s interesting in verse 38. You see, note what Jesus follows up this question of why were you not watching? Why were you asleep? Verse 38 again. Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Watch and pray. Well, why? Why does Peter need to watch and pray? Peter is not going to be sacrificed on the cross. Peter is not Jesus who’s come to take on the sins of the world. That’s not Peter.

That’s Jesus. Why does Peter and James and John, why do they have to be watching? Lest you enter into temptation. Why? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Is that not the manifestation of the first point? The problem with Peter in Mark chapter 14 in those first verses we read. The pride was coming out. Yes, Peter’s spirit was willing to say, I will even die with you, Lord, but the flesh has a different story. Because when the rubber meets the road, when the test of life comes down hard, that’s when we have to have prepared our decisions. You see, because when Peter, when we come to the end of this road, and he’s faced with the test of acknowledging that he not only knows Jesus, but he was with Jesus.

Or will I deny him? But I think about pride. I think about the fact that I have to understand that, yes, my spirit may be highly willing, but my flesh is weak. I am susceptible to sin. And if that’s the case, I have to do something about it. I need to be eagerly watching and waiting. No, the second time. When Jesus comes back, he found them sleeping, and their eyes were very heavy. And don’t you see this at the end of verse 40? This is almost cartoonish. And they did not know what to answer him. Of course they didn’t. Because they were not found watching. They were caught unprepared. They were caught literally sleeping when Jesus wanted them to sit and watch. Then the third time he said, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?

Our rest, our journey here in this life, is done when we’re back with God. Until then, we need to be watching and praying. We need to actively be on the lookout to prepare ourselves for those tough moments in life. I’ll go back to the question I had just before. Haven’t we all faced times where we were in severe temptation? We were facing life trials. What we do now, when we’re not in those trials, or even while we’re in the midst of them, helps determine how we will answer. Will we survive the test of the devil? Will we make it when life is hard? Because if life’s easy right now, it’s easy to coax, but that’s not what we do. We have to be prepared for the battle we know that is ongoing and that we will face at a high level at some point in our life.

If we don’t have the diligence that Peter lacked, we like Peter will find ourselves perhaps turning our back on our Lord. Maybe not in words, but certainly in deed.

3. Peter Followed Him at a Distance

Look at verse 54 closely, because you see two different avenues here that helped Peter lead to his denial. Yes, Peter, the very strong disciple of Jesus in many ways. In Mark chapter 14 and verse 53, as Jesus is led to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. Now, who are the chief priests and the elders and the scribes who came together? These are the group of people, the leaders of the Jews, who want Jesus dead. That’s who these people are. They’re finally getting their mission carried out. They had Judas come and be the betrayer. Jesus was given into their hands. And verse 54. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.

And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Well, look at verse 54. If you look closely, where is Peter following? Yes, Peter’s still there. Give him some credit for at least monitoring the situation. But he’s following at a distance. I think sometimes I like that type of Christianity appeal. I like the idea of being able to follow Christ, but at a distance. You see, I don’t want to be too caught up in that Christianity thing where I’m fanatical about it, where my life is completely changed. I filter the movies I watch, the way that I speak, the entertainment I have, and what I even do, yes, on my Sundays and Wednesdays, because you know what? That’s just fanatical, and that’s not what Jesus says.

The Bible never says I have to give up X hours of week, X hours of my week. That’s just fanatical Christianity. But biblical Christianity denies self and follows Jesus. And no, there is no time marker. Because the only time marker that could be found in the New Testament of what is pleasing to God is giving my whole life, 100% of who I am, changes away from being slaves to sin to being slaves to righteousness. That’s a different perspective. Because what I like to do, albeit not with the physical manifestation of Jesus in the flesh, is I like to follow Jesus at a distance sometime. Because it’s just easier, and frankly, it’s more convenient. Because if I don’t have to ruffle feathers along the way, if I’m at my office, I don’t have to bother people with the fact I’m a Christian.

I don’t have to worry about how people are going to respond to me. I don’t have to concern myself with any sort of self-discipline or self-control that marks me as different or keeps me from enjoying this life the way I feel I deserve. See, what was Peter’s problem? Well, he followed him at a distance, right, into the courtyard of the high priest. Peter wanted to know how was this going to turn out for Jesus. Perhaps you could say up until this point, if you hadn’t read the rest of the story, that Peter is actually doing a good thing here. But we know that that’s not necessarily the case. Look at Matthew chapter 10. What is the view of Christ towards fear, towards cowardice, towards being unwilling to actively proclaim the name of Jesus?

If you look at Matthew chapter 10 and verse 26, you see what I think is really Peter’s problem here, is he’s afraid of the consequences of being a follower. You see in verse 26 what Jesus says about this. He says, So have no fear of them. Who? For nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light. And what you hear whispered, proclaim on the house tops. Here’s the who in verse 28. Do you see this? And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father?

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. I think verse 29, or excuse me, verse 28 hits the nail on the head. Do not fear those who can kill the body but can do nothing with the soul. Fear the one who can control both the body and soul. Peter, in Mark chapter 14, was concerned for his life. He was concerned for the circumstances that he was living in, because after all, let’s think about this to be fear to Peter for a minute.

If you understood Jesus to be the Christ, and the apostles showed this problem time and again, a misunderstanding of exactly who he was and what he would do despite Jesus telling them over and over. Would it not be at least a little perplexing to you that Jesus would come and that he would just give himself up to be crucified? This is Jesus the Son of God. This is the Christ. Why would he let himself be given up? And seeing Jesus, seeing the one you acknowledge to be the Son of God, the one who worked the many miracles in your presence and spoke the words of wisdom, and the one who claimed to be I am, to see him just given up. To see him being given into the hands of those who wanted him put to death and would have him put to death and the torturous crucifixion.

4. Sitting With the Guards, Warming Himself at the Fire

Certainly that would be slamming on his faith. But nonetheless, Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter 10 reign true in Mark chapter 14, and they reign true today. We have to be willing to follow Jesus no matter what. That includes being right with him and not being worried about the consequences of doing so. That’s a big change from Peter’s life and from what many would like to do. I think the last part in verse 54, though, is also interesting. Yes, Peter followed him at a distance, but he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Peter finds himself now with the very enemies of the cross. He finds himself with those who wanted or were going to play a role in Jesus being crucified. I have to think, if you see this progression, and this was me, you know what comes next.

Is when the test comes, I’m going to give up because I have the prize that says I’m not going to fall away. And because I’m not going to fall away, even though I know Jesus says I need to be watching and waiting, I’m not really watching. Because you know what, this life’s hard, my eyes are heavy, I’m falling asleep on the job. And you know what? I am concerned about what people think. I’m concerned about the implications of me being a true Christian, a true disciple of Christ. And you add all on top of that, I’m with the very people who are enemies of Jesus. How do you think that story ends? If you look at James chapter 4, I think James puts a startling phrase on this.

In James chapter 4, it’s pretty clear. We could look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 33, evil commandions can corrupt good morals. But James chapter 4 and verse 4, you adulterous people, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. This is another example of putting ourselves in a vulnerable position. Do you see that that’s what all of these traits have in common? When we say that this isn’t going to happen to me, I’ve made myself vulnerable. When I’m unwilling to watch and wait, even though I know temptation is coming, I’m making myself vulnerable. When I am afraid of the consequences of being a true follower of Christ, I’m vulnerable to leaving him.

And certainly when I’m friends with the world, and I find myself at any type of status that the New Testament writer in any context would describe as an enemy of God, I am certainly vulnerable. So when you think about when Peter was put to the test in Mark chapter 14, beginning in verse 66, is it any doubt? Is there any confusion as to how Peter could deny Jesus? If you look in Mark chapter 14 and verse 66, you see the denial. And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, You also were with the Nazarene Jesus. But he denied it, saying, I neither know you know nor understand what you mean.

And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, This man is one of them. But again he denied it. And after a little while, the bystanders again said to Peter, Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean. He went to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, I do not know this man of whom you speak. And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. And he broke down and wept. When Peter faced this clear right before him test, to just simply acknowledge that he was one of Jesus’ disciples, that he knew Jesus, that he was with Jesus.

5. Peter Learned to Be Humble and Watchful

What we would call an elemental level of faith. Peter, the apostle. Peter, the close disciple of Christ. Peter, the one who had at one point had the faith to walk on the water towards Jesus before sinking. This Peter denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. And again, I say, as I said towards the beginning, if Peter can fall, I know I can fall. So what are we going to do to learn from that? I think we can see that Peter learned from that. And the first way is his need to be humble. Do you see the words in 1 Peter? Turn over to the book of 1 Peter. We’re going to look at several passages there. And if you know the growth of Peter, you see how he learned from what he was doing.

And his message is indicative of that. In 1 Peter chapter 5, beginning in verse 5, note where he says, Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. You want to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. You want to be exalted by God, verse 5. You want to have the grace that God offers? Humble yourself. You see it in verse 5 and in verse 6. In verse 5, humble yourself where? Towards one another. Verse 6, where is our humility aimed? Towards God. We have to humble ourselves.

It’s a realization I’m not all that. I can’t do it on my own. I need the grace of God. And if I need the grace of God, if I want to be something, I have to trust God to let me be there. I can’t do that on my own. I must be different. The world says you want to be great, you have to have an ego that says, go for it. You look at our leaders, and I don’t mean political leaders, I mean business leaders. What usually separates them is a willingness to not recognize fault, to go for it no matter what. And many great things have been achieved in the circumstances of this life from that type of attitude. But what Jesus calls us towards, well, what Peter recognized we must have to be something is to recognize alone we are nothing.

But with God. We are more valuable than anything this life has to offer. We need to fear the Lord. We need to be humble in mind. But as the verses continue, we need to be watchful. Well, why? Because that temptation is there. In verse 7, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. You see, what Peter recognized is that temptation is active.

It’s seeking, not just people. It’s seeking me. Temptation is trying to get me. It’s trying to get us. How are we going to be restored, confirmed, strengthened? What do we have to do to be established? We have to be watching. We have to be sober minded, watchful, recognizing this is out there. This is not just something that we teach in the church building. This is not fictitious. Temptation is there around every corner. We must be watching. If we don’t, that’s when it will strike. And you know what the worst part is? Sometimes we don’t even recognize what temptation is. Because we haven’t been trained in recognizing what the will of God is on every subject. And if we have been, and we reject God, how much do we really care about it?

You see, you think about different tools that Satan uses, and there is certainly one that is powerful and yet discreet, and that’s discouragement. What happens with discouragement is it gets into my mind. And I’m not quite as sober-minded and watchful because I’m thought, I’m thinking of things of this life. I’m not watching for spiritual temptation because I’m worried about the here and now. And what that has done is just like with Peter, it’s made me vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. We must recognize that our strength is not in self, but all from the Lord. If we recognize that, then we will read the Bible. We will spend our time in prayer with the God who can give us grace, who we recognize as the one true and living God.

6. Be Bold in Our Faith, Different From the World

Because if God is our everything, we will act like it. And that’s the problem. Is because when I get caught up in this life, I don’t act like God’s number one anymore. I think about what I want, what I want to do, and how I’m going to get out of a certain circumstance, and we’ve lost the focus that God demands that we have. You see a third point. We need to be bold in our faith. Whereas Peter followed at a distance, as he was unwilling to claim the name of a follower of Christ. You know what Peter writes in 1 Peter chapter 3 should be our attitude. I think this is interesting. In verse 8, beginning, finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling. But on the contrary, blessed, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled.

But in your heart’s honor Christ the Lord has holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect. Having with a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. Do you see the basis of this entire section? The basis is if suffering comes, take it because God is better. If suffering is something you face, accept it. Be ready.

Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you. But why? Oh, verse 13. Who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? That even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. Have we seen that theme time and again? What is it that pulled Peter away? A focus on this life, not Christ. That’s what Peter did. Even though he said he would make it, even though he claimed that he would not fall away, he got caught up with people he shouldn’t have been with, and he didn’t want to be seen as one with Jesus. Why? Did Peter just forget who Jesus was? Did Peter not know that he was the Son of God?

No. Just like us, Peter was blinded by things of this life. He didn’t have the boldness to stand up and to say, I am Christ, no matter the consequences of that confession. You see, the life that says, I’m with Christ no matter what, is not like here in America where you say, I’m a Christian, and it carries the weight of just some sort of umbrella turn. When Peter was having to confess that he was with the Christ, there was real concern for the implications of that confession. And while me just saying the words I’m a Christian may not do much, me acting like a Christian marks me in this life, and I may, in fact, face persecutions and struggles because of it. Are we willing to do that?

I think the last point in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 1 through 5. Are we going to be caught up in the world? Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourself with the same way of thinking. For whoever suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join in in the same flood of debauchery. And they malign you. But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Did you see that group included things like drunkenness and drinking parties? What was the problem with those? These are things that the Gentiles did. These were fleshly appetites that were being fulfilled. But in verse 4, with respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them and their debauchery. We need to be different from the world. Amen? We’ve got to know that. And it’s not just about knowing it because Peter knew who Jesus was. We need to do it to where it’s not just an acknowledgement in our mind. But when we’re put to the test, and the test is coming. What will we do? Look at 1 Peter 4 and verse 2. What is the difference in the Christian life? We don’t live for now.

Conclusion

So as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. That’s a strong confession. It means something to say it, but it means everything to do it. Will we be willing to crucify ourselves, sacrifice our life for Jesus or not? When we’re put to the test, our decision will be made. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or where we’re going, what we’re going to do. And the moment of trial and temptation, will I confess Jesus? Or will I deny him? Will you go to God and pray with me? Our dear God and most gracious Heavenly Father, we praise you. We thank you for your continued grace. We pray that you give us forgiveness of when we transgress your will.

We pray, O Lord, that we will be humbled, that we will seek to serve you no matter what the consequences may be. Help us to look around at this world and to see not just darkness, but opportunities to shed your light. Help us to recognize that without you, we have no hope. But with you, with the fact that Jesus was sent to die on the cross for our sins, we can be with you forever. And let that so guide our lives that we are vessels just waiting to be filled by your will to be more like Jesus. Forgive us, O Lord, of when we have unbelief, of when we deny you with our actions. Give us the strength, the courage. Help us to have the understanding and wisdom to choose Jesus and to suppress this life.

Be with us as we worship you this morning. Help us to do so in spirit and truth. Help us to eagerly examine your will so that we can be prepared at the time of the test. Help us to be with you. It’s in your sins’ name we do pray. Amen. We’re now dismissed to our Bible classes.