Peter’s Fall From Grace

Introduction

It’s the reality of twenty-first century America that most of us have a cell phone. You want to feel old?

Many of our young people have never known a life before cell phones. Any of you old enough to remember life without cell phones? When all you had was a landline. Any of you old enough remember even life before an answering machine? I’m old enough to remember a party line. Young people, you have to ask your grandparents what a party line was. Looking out at the audience, some of you remember smoke signals.

It was what was called a bag phone. The phone was actually in a bag. It had to be plugged into the cigarette lighter for it to work. And you had to stretch that coiled cord out and stand on the roof of your car with your hand extended to get a signal. I can remember one time using that cell phone, someone had given me directions of how to get to their house, and somewhere along the way, I messed up and I was lucky enough that I could drive back down this road enough till I could get that one little bar of a signal, and I took out that bag phone and dialed my friend’s landline phone and said, I’m lost. He proceeded to ask a series of increasingly frustrating questions.

His first question was, Where are you? I said, again, I am lost. Second question was, how’d you get lost? If I knew that, I wouldn’t be lost. His third question was, where did you make your wrong turn? If I knew that, I wouldn’t be lost. But the reality is that when we’re lost, something went wrong. Somewhere along that journey, we took a wrong turn that resulted in us being lost. And here’s the most understated statement you’ll hear today. And if you’d have known where that wrong turn was, you would not have taken it, therefore not have been lost. Make a spiritual application. Someone is away from the Lord, who used to be a child of God, but is now lost. Where are they? How did they get lost?

And more importantly, where did they take the wrong turn? Hindsight being what it is is if we could catch that person. When they’re about to make that wrong turn that’s going to result in their state of being lost and alert them. Better yet. If we could make them or make a personal application, make ourselves aware of that step. Don’t. In fact, you do that sometimes when you’re giving directions. Don’t, now you’re going to see, don’t take that first left, or you’ll get lost. If we could be alerted to that wrong turn, to be wary of it and to avoid it. Because you see, no one is just instantly lost. There is some step that was taken that led to that result. It’s usually a very gradual process.

But it’s usually one in hindsight that’s very easy to figure out where they went wrong. This morning I’d like for us to gain some foresight. To see and to be alerted to our brethren, to be aware if we see signs that may indicate that they have taken or they’re about to take a wrong turn. That we might step in before. And again, personally, to be aware in my own life, of where I am on my journey, and have I taken a wrong turn? Or am I about to? I want us to use the example of Peter’s fall. Sadly, we’re all aware of Peter’s denying his and our Lord. And as we read through this story in the gospel accounts, as we’re going through this morning, again with the benefit of hindsight, we can see, can’t we, exactly where Peter is going wrong.

And we may even want to scream through the pages of our Bible and say, Peter, no. I want us to learn from Peter’s fall, and hopefully to be more aware of others, and most maybe more importantly, our own journey, to make sure that we don’t follow that same path. Where did Peter go wrong? Where was the wrong turn? Turn with me, if you will, in Matthew chapter 26. And we’re going to look at this dark moment in Peter’s life. And maybe one of the reasons that this story is so prominent in the gospel accounts is so that we can learn from it. And we can avoid the steps that he took so that we might not be lost. Here’s where Peter’s journey begins, if you will, or whether his where his wrong journey begins.

1. Peter’s Fall Began With Overconfidence

Matthew chapter 26, verse 31. Jesus said to them, this is just prior to his betrayal in the garden. Jesus said to them, All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter and answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. And again, the benefit of hindsight, we’re looking at this and we’re going, Peter. There’s where you made your first wrong turn. Because Peter’s fall began with overconfidence. We don’t have time to look at both ends of this spectrum this morning, but I believe that two of the greatest dangers in a Christian’s faith, and continuing in that faith, are either underconfidence or overconfidence.

For this morning, let’s look at overconfidence. Peter so boldly said, Absolutely not. And even in what might be taken as an insulting statement, even if everybody else does. Was Peter implying, yeah, I can see the rest of these guys doing it. But not me. I will never be made to stumble. And we’re looking at Peter and we’re saying, Peter. Overconfidence. Now there may be some explanations for Peter’s overconfidence. Maybe part of it was just kind of built into his personality. But there were some other things. Peter was the second apostle chosen over all. He quickly rose to the rank. He is named most times. He is named first in the list of the apostles. He is in that inner circle, Peter, James, and John. If you can’t name but three apostles, Peter’s one that you can name.

His past accomplishments. He is the one that said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God, from which he received glowing praise from his Savior.

We don’t know exactly why. But we know that Peter was overconfident. And there was no basis for that overconfidence. And here’s the warning for us today. Our history, our spiritual history, nor our present circumstances spiritually are any immunization against apostasy. Never say never. In the book of 1 Corinthians, is that not the warning that the apostle is giving in 1 Corinthians chapter 10? In that familiar warning. After listing out the Israel’s accomplishments and Israel’s overconfidence, the apostle issues this warning. 1 Corinthians 10, you know where I’m going, verse 12. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. You think you’re standing. You think it’ll never happen to me. And those are the proverbial, famous last words. The second step in Peter’s fall.

2. Overconfidence Leads to Carelessness

Is it often does, overconfidence leads to carelessness. That’s usually the next step, isn’t it? I can remember when we were preaching in the Birmingham area that one of our members there, one of our deacons, was an electrician, master electrician. You ever need an electrical question? You asked Bud. Bud knew everything about electricians and electricity and those kind of things. I can remember the week prior that a local electrician in the Birmingham area had been electrocuted on the job. Killed him. So the next Sunday I asked Bud, I said, Bud, did you happen to know? I just all electricians know each other, don’t they? Do you happen to know this man? And he goes, Yeah, I didn’t know him well, but I knew who he was.

And I asked, I said, Do you know what happened? And he told me briefly what had happened. One safety check wasn’t done, and he was working on live when he should have been turned off. And I said, Oh, well, was he a new guy and he didn’t know any better? And my friend Bud chuckled and he said, No. He says, the new guys never get electrocuted. They are so scared of the electricity that they double and they triple check. And they take every safety precaution. He said, It’s always us old guys that have done it a hundred times, and nothing bad ever happened. He says, We get too confident. And we get careless. And he said, Unfortunately, that’s what happened here.

And I thought then and still think about the spiritual application to that. That’s what happened to Peter, isn’t it? Peter’s overconfident. This will never happen to me. In fact, turn over to Luke’s account in Luke chapter 22. Luke takes Peter’s boldness, brashness, overconfidence, carelessness to the next level. In Luke chapter 22, begin with me in verse 31. Matthew’s account said that Jesus warned that all of you will stumble because of me. Look what Luke’s account records. Luke 22, verse 31 says, And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren. But he, that is Simon Peter, said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.

Luke records that not only did Jesus say, all of you, that Jesus singled Peter out by name. And he still missed the warning. See, overconfidence leads to carelessness. Has this scenario ever happened to you? Does this describe your reaction? That the preacher is preaching a particular, maybe specific application to a biblical principle. And he says, I want everybody to listen. You, I’m talking to you, and you at that moment say, look in the corner of your eye, say, You hearing this, brother so and so? He’s talking to you. And the preacher says, I’m not talking to the other person, I’m talking to you. And you say, You hear that, brother so and so?

And we miss that that might be applying to me. That I might be the application. I might be the one that this very week Satan is going to ask for that he may sift us like wheat. The apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 5 gave us a word, a word that we don’t use that often, but one that we should be practicing often. In Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 15, here is what we must do to our lives spiritually. Ephesians 5 verse 15 says, the apostle says, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Circumspectly. The word circum means in a circle. Speckly just simply means to inspect, to look. And so here’s the idea of going around, looking, watching. Looking at every angle, looking at everything, being alert, being on the guard.

You would think, would you not, that when your Lord spoke directly to you and said, every one of you, in fact, you right there, Simon, you will be made to stumble because of me. You would think that would be enough to cause you to be on the alert. Warnings abound for all of us to be aware of the temptations, of the struggles, of the sin that is out there. And how many times does it catch us unaware? Because we thought, not me. Where else did Peter go wrong? Look in Luke chapter 22. Back to Luke’s account.

3. Peter Followed at a Distance

Peter boldly said, It’ll never happen to me. Maybe somebody else, but not me. Even when called by name, he was careless. Luke records the next step in Luke chapter 22. Is there some significance in this statement? Luke 22, verse 54. Having arrested him, they led him and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.

Well, for one thing, it’s out of character for Peter, isn’t it? Did Peter ever shy? Did Peter ever shrink back? Peter was always in the front. It was always Peter, Peter, James, and John. It was always Peter. If the Lord asked a question, Peter’s hand was the first one to shoot up, even if he didn’t know the answer. But now, seemingly totally out of character. Peter is following at a distance. Let me emphasize this is a warning sign. One that many times we can see with the benefit of hindsight. When a child of God falls away, finally and fully falls away, we might be, if we’re able to think back, we can say, you know. That kind of explains. I’ve noticed recently that they were just acting a little bit different.

They used to volunteer. They used to teach Bible class. They used to be here for every service. In fact, they were early and they got to noticing that they’re a warning sign. Peter shrunk back. He followed at a distance.

Be on the lookout for that warning sign. If you see something in a brother or sister that just seems a little different, be bold enough, loving and compassionate, but bold enough to go and say, I love you. And I hope I’m seeing this wrong. But maybe more importantly, be bold enough with yourself to be able to look in that mirror and say, You know your drawing back.

4. Peter Sat Among Them

Stay in Luke. Verse 54 of Luke 22 says, Peter followed at a distance. Verse 55 continues, now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. The disciples have scattered. Now let’s be fair, it’s not just all Peter’s fault. They’ve all scattered. But who’s Peter with?

If we separate ourselves from the Lord, and many times from the Lord’s people, it is the natural next step, or really maybe in the same step, that we get closer to the world, things of the world. And there’s a warning sign. Because where’s the temptation for Peter to deny his Lord going to arise from? He sat among them. Where a void is created, it will be filled with something. If good godliness is taken out of our life, diminished from our life, even by a degree, it will be filled and filled most of the time with the sin and the world and of Satan. He pulled back from his Lord and he sat among them. We can’t help but think of the progression in the first Psalm, Psalm 1.

And in verse 1, we’re very familiar. Where it says, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. I’m not saying that the psalmist is prophetically thinking of Peter, but that’s kind of Peter’s digression, wasn’t it?

He walked, he stood, and he sat down with them.

Warning sign. If you see yourself pulling back, if you see yourself getting closer to the world, be warned because here’s the next step.

5. Peter Denied: I Do Not Know This Man

Peter’s going to do exactly what our Lord said he was going to do, exactly what Peter so sternly said, I’ll never do.

And then this happened. Mark chapter 14, verse 66 records. Now, as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servants, girls, 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. Now let’s pause there. This is not the usual time for a rooster to be crowing. It’ll happen with his final denial. The untimeliness of that rooster crowing was not enough to jar Peter into the reality of what was going on here. Since deceive us such that we cannot see when we’re in the throes of it.

He denied.

And a little later, those who stood by said to Peter, Surely you are one of them, for you’re a Galilean, and your speech shows it. Then, read verse 71 with me. Then he began to curse and swear.

I do not know this man whom you speak. Peter. If he’d only seen where he made the wrong turn, he could have avoided being lost. But that’s not the last step. Go back to Luke chapter 22. Luke chapter 22, verse pick, let’s pick up the reading in verse 61.

6. The Sorrow of What He Had Done

Let’s set the scene. The dark of the night. It’s cool, we assume, because they were warming themselves by their fire. Maybe it was cool enough that we’re, and I know this is a strange thing for Floridians, but where you can talk and you can see your breath. It’s that cool. And here is Peter, I’m sure the volume has been elevated in his speech when he begins to curse and to swear, saying, I don’t know that man. And as those words, maybe even visibly are proceeding out of his mouth. Luke records this, verse 61 of Luke 22, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.

So Peter went out and wept bitterly. The last step in Peter’s fall was the sorrow of what he had done.

Conclusion

And don’t you know? That if we’d have been able to go to Peter and say, Peter, you’re overconfident. Peter, you’re careless. Peter, you’re pulling back. Peter, you’re setting among the world that he would have loved to have been able to have the opportunity to at least to see where he went wrong before he saw his Lord so disappointed in him. If only, if only I’d listen to my parents. If only I’d listen to my family. If only I had heeded the elders’ advice. If only I had listened to the preacher.

But the blessing of Peter’s story is that even if you are lost, you can come back. In predicting, in prophesying of Peter’s fall, Jesus added this statement. But when you have returned, strengthen the brethren. That powerful. That in telling Peter and those others that they were going to deny him, that Peter was going to three times deny him that very night, inserted even in that pronouncement was mercy. But when you have returned, strengthen the brethren.

Where are you?

Where are you? Where did you make the wrong turn? And what do you need to do to return? If we can help you as you come to our Lord, who’s full of grace and mercy and is warning and longing for your return. If we can help you this morning, why not let it be known right now? As together we stand and as we sing.