WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.480 Do you love me? 00:00:03.540 --> 00:00:04.600 Do you love me? 00:00:05.980 --> 00:00:06.879 Tend my sheep. 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:10.339 Feed my sheep. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:17.100 We're all on a journey. 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:21.519 God is meeting us at different places on that journey. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:24.000 Some of us are doing really well. 00:00:24.859 --> 00:00:26.900 Some of us kind of wonder what we're doing. 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:34.479 I have to tell you that for me, part of the journey, the hardest part of the journey sometimes is being a dad and a father. 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:48.599 I feel like, especially in these last couple weeks, I've been learning over and over and over what it means to fail. 00:00:50.019 --> 00:00:53.899 I know we don't like talking about failure in Hong Kong, but I've been learning that. 00:00:53.899 --> 00:00:59.299 You know, it's easier when you're a single person, if you're honest. 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:04.620 Now, you singles are going to hate me for saying this, but it was easier when I was a single person than when I failed. 00:01:05.500 --> 00:01:07.640 Because when I failed as a single person, it was my roommate. 00:01:07.759 --> 00:01:10.180 We just kind of looked at each other and went, okay, let's grab a beer. 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:10.640 You want TV? 00:01:10.739 --> 00:01:11.039 Yeah, okay. 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:16.780 Now, I know it's different with girls because guys can do that, but girls, there's something inside of girls, 00:01:16.880 --> 00:01:21.520 and they kind of, my girls are telling me, you know, they X each other out, and they're no longer friends and things like that. 00:01:21.520 --> 00:01:23.140 But that's not true with guys. 00:01:23.219 --> 00:01:29.540 Guys, you can just, you can just, you can be a jerk, and you can be selfish, and you can fail, 00:01:29.660 --> 00:01:31.460 and the next minute you're good friends with each other. 00:01:31.459 --> 00:01:41.519 But you know, when you're a dad, and you're a husband, sometimes failures are a lot harder. 00:01:42.059 --> 00:01:51.619 Because you don't just see it in yourself as a single person, but you see it in the mirror of your spouse. 00:01:52.419 --> 00:01:54.299 You see it in the mirror of your children. 00:01:54.299 --> 00:01:55.819 You see the failure. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:57.620 You see the brokenness. 00:01:57.659 --> 00:02:02.920 You see the depth of what you do and how it affects other people. 00:02:04.599 --> 00:02:07.079 Man, last, yesterday, I failed big time. 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:09.419 And this is a fear. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.879 Sometimes we get up to preach because we worry that, I grew up in a church where I looked at the pastor. 00:02:13.979 --> 00:02:14.759 I thought, well, he's perfect. 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:16.699 There's nothing wrong with that guy. 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:18.599 He's perfect, and I can never be like him. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:22.860 And you know, that's my greatest fear that you would think about that, like, for any of us here. 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:24.680 Because we're not perfect. 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:30.100 Because when you're perfect, and then you do make mistakes, you never forgive that person. 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:36.660 And so yesterday, I was trying to be a good dad, and I went to my kid's basketball game. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.400 And in their basketball games, there was a tournament all day long. 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:44.500 And I was part of that tournament, and I was watching, and I wanted to encourage them in their games. 00:02:44.540 --> 00:02:47.980 Because they had just lost, both of them, Becca and Kip had just lost a game. 00:02:47.979 --> 00:02:53.840 And in the middle of this, I went to them, and I said, well, how are you doing, and what's going on? 00:02:54.019 --> 00:02:57.839 And within 20 minutes, both of them were crying. 00:02:59.399 --> 00:03:02.239 By how I asked them questions, and what I expected of them. 00:03:02.399 --> 00:03:03.479 And I was just passionate. 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:06.399 Okay, you got to do this, and you got to block the ball more, and you got to get in there. 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:07.959 When that guy comes in there, you step in there. 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:14.000 And what I saw as good and wanting to encourage them, they saw as criticism. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.480 And I walked away just saying, man, I'm a loser. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.120 I failed. 00:03:22.819 --> 00:03:25.540 You know, you worry about that sometimes. 00:03:26.040 --> 00:03:31.360 And one of the things I continue to learn in this journey that we're on is that God, for his children, 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:38.520 God is doing everything he can to get us to take our eyes off of ourselves and to put our eyes on him. 00:03:41.820 --> 00:03:44.980 One of the things I'm learning in my journey is that God is doing everything. 00:03:45.100 --> 00:03:46.040 He's taking everything. 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:47.360 He's taking the failures. 00:03:47.500 --> 00:03:48.460 He's taking the success. 00:03:48.940 --> 00:03:51.620 Sometimes he has to take the failures because they're more powerful than the success. 00:03:51.620 --> 00:04:00.200 But he's taking everything that he can to take our eyes off of ourselves and to put our eyes on him. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:07.920 And that's what this passage is all about, putting our eyes on him. 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:15.680 If you've been with us for three weeks now, we've been looking at this series called Jesus' Last Day and Our New Year. 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:22.900 And we've been talking about these things that are happening in Jesus' Last Day and how we can apply them to our new year. 00:04:23.400 --> 00:04:28.939 We said two weeks ago that we need to, as we go on our journey, make sure that we live our lives in light of eternity. 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:31.319 That the now is not our home. 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:35.360 That now is not our final destination. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:37.459 That the present is temporary. 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:44.000 And that if we don't live in light of eternity, we will always have unrealistic expectations of people. 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:48.459 People will always be failing us. 00:04:48.459 --> 00:04:51.799 And we will always be failing ourselves. 00:04:51.979 --> 00:04:56.919 That we will lose perspective if we live for the here and now and think that this is our home. 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:08.740 We said last week that as we go on this journey this year, that success, that we're going to be challenged to produce success in our work and in our homes and in our environments. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:10.740 But we said that there's two types of success. 00:05:10.859 --> 00:05:13.039 There's a worldly success and there's a kingdom of God success. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:17.800 And we said that the kingdom of God success is measured in serving. 00:05:19.960 --> 00:05:21.100 In serving other people. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.620 We said that our pride and our ambition are going to prevent us from doing that. 00:05:25.960 --> 00:05:32.120 But we will ultimately find success in God's eyes if we serve people. 00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:34.680 Not if they serve us. 00:05:35.460 --> 00:05:37.960 I challenge you to think about how are we equipping our children? 00:05:38.080 --> 00:05:39.220 How are we educating our children? 00:05:39.300 --> 00:05:41.640 Are we educating our children so that a lot of people will serve them? 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.800 In God's word that says they would be a failure. 00:05:46.719 --> 00:05:51.399 Are we educating our children so that they will serve other people? 00:05:52.459 --> 00:05:54.439 In God's word that says that's greatness. 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:57.039 That's success. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:03.060 And today we come to this passage and we're just walking through the book of Luke like we've been doing for three years now. 00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:04.819 So we've been in Luke for three years. 00:06:04.919 --> 00:06:05.560 We're at Luke 22. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:06.680 We're finishing it off. 00:06:07.500 --> 00:06:09.680 And we come to this passage in Jesus' life. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.420 And we think about this new year. 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:16.180 And this passage is all about failure. 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:19.120 If you look at it, really. 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:23.759 I mean, if you go deeper, it's about something greater than failure. 00:06:24.379 --> 00:06:25.199 But it's about failure. 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:29.300 And I realize that in Hong Kong, we don't like to talk about failure. 00:06:29.300 --> 00:06:34.579 I mean, we live in a culture and a world that doesn't accept failure. 00:06:35.300 --> 00:06:37.960 I mean, sometimes I walk down the streets and I think of that Top Gun movie. 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:39.759 You know, and they're in Top Gun and Welcome to Top Gun. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:42.520 And oh, yeah, by the way, there's no points for second best. 00:06:43.080 --> 00:06:45.300 And I think that's what Hong Kong is kind of like. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:48.500 There are no points for second best. 00:06:48.500 --> 00:06:52.279 But you have to succeed. 00:06:53.060 --> 00:06:56.439 I mean, we don't want to talk about failure unless it's somebody else's failure. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:02.920 And we only want to talk about our failure if it wasn't fully our fault that somebody else caused us to fail. 00:07:03.220 --> 00:07:05.839 But what we don't realize is that the Bible is a book of failures. 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:07.920 Did you realize that? 00:07:09.339 --> 00:07:13.680 That the Bible is a book about people who are failures. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:20.740 Men and women who go on these journeys, and on these journeys, they make these massive, horrendous mistakes. 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.540 They do things that destroy people's lives. 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:25.220 They destroy history. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:27.199 I mean, they're just failing. 00:07:27.699 --> 00:07:37.480 And all amongst that, we have this God who's passionately and unrelentlessly pursuing us. 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:40.220 Because he loves us so much. 00:07:41.620 --> 00:07:42.899 His mercy's poured out. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.160 His grace is poured out. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.939 And we come to this passage today, which is probably the greatest failure in the New Testament. 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:52.780 You probably didn't know that. 00:07:52.819 --> 00:07:55.780 But it is probably the greatest failure you're going to see in the New Testament. 00:07:56.780 --> 00:08:00.280 We put together about four or five different verses from different Gospels. 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:04.480 Because this is a very complex story in this telling this failure story. 00:08:04.780 --> 00:08:06.660 But it's the last night of Jesus' life. 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:09.019 It's Good Friday. 00:08:09.939 --> 00:08:11.199 Jesus has had the ceremony. 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:12.019 He's washed your feet. 00:08:12.019 --> 00:08:14.459 And we talked about it last week because everybody was arguing about who's the greatest. 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:17.979 They've gone to the east of Jerusalem from the upper room. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:20.799 They've gone, and they're in the garden of Gethsemane. 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:22.060 And they're worshiping. 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:24.659 And Jesus comes to his disciples and says, hey, you guys, you need to pray. 00:08:24.660 --> 00:08:27.020 Make sure you're praying. 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:28.900 Because something bad is going to happen. 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:29.800 Make sure you're praying. 00:08:30.320 --> 00:08:32.060 Make sure that you're praying and you're trusting the Lord. 00:08:32.300 --> 00:08:35.940 Make sure that you're praying and taking your eyes off of yourself and you're putting your eyes on God. 00:08:36.680 --> 00:08:37.879 Because something big is going to happen. 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:40.120 Something major is going to happen. 00:08:40.120 --> 00:08:46.159 The soldiers show up with Judas and they take Jesus and they pull him away. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:51.879 And as you read in this story, they go to the southern part of the gates of the city where there's this house. 00:08:51.940 --> 00:08:55.100 And you could go there if you go back with us to Jerusalem and Israel in two years. 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:57.360 It's Caiaphas' and Ananias' house. 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:00.500 And in this house is this elaborate structure. 00:09:01.659 --> 00:09:03.899 And then there's this courtyard that's spread out there. 00:09:03.899 --> 00:09:09.899 And we're told that Jesus is taken to the second room and he's questioned by the government officials and by the religious officials. 00:09:10.860 --> 00:09:14.439 And as he's being questioned there, we're told that he's being asked, are you the Messiah? 00:09:14.659 --> 00:09:15.559 He's being beaten. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:17.100 He's being spit upon. 00:09:17.220 --> 00:09:18.240 He's being mocked. 00:09:18.459 --> 00:09:19.659 He's being hit over his head. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:21.819 They're doing everything to humiliate him. 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:26.000 And in the courtyard down below, we're told in this passage that Peter comes in. 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:27.600 It's really cold. 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:29.559 They start a fire. 00:09:30.199 --> 00:09:32.639 And he sits down there and he starts to warm himself. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.879 He starts to warm himself. 00:09:35.100 --> 00:09:39.679 And as he's listening to these things, he realizes what's going on in the upper room. 00:09:40.580 --> 00:09:43.580 He realizes that Jesus is being tortured and beat. 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:45.899 And he's thinking about that. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:47.600 And I wonder what he's thinking about. 00:09:48.699 --> 00:09:51.759 And the passage says to us, this is what happens. 00:09:53.460 --> 00:09:56.439 This is what happens on Peter's greatest night. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:59.539 This is Peter's greatest failure. 00:09:59.539 --> 00:10:02.899 And there's three things I think we can look at and learn from this. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.559 And we're just going to talk about them. 00:10:04.599 --> 00:10:05.399 I know this is the beginning. 00:10:05.599 --> 00:10:07.000 We've said that we're on a journey. 00:10:07.439 --> 00:10:10.039 And Watermark's purpose is to help everybody take the next step. 00:10:10.740 --> 00:10:11.759 Not to get to the goal. 00:10:12.299 --> 00:10:13.679 Not to get it all in your head. 00:10:14.019 --> 00:10:15.159 But the next step. 00:10:15.959 --> 00:10:20.439 And so as you look at this passage, the next step, what I want us to talk about, think about, are three things. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:22.000 About failure. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:26.480 The first thing is this passage says really clearly that we're all going to fail. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:29.440 That we're all going to make mistakes. 00:10:30.379 --> 00:10:34.320 That we're going to fail in massive ways this new year. 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:35.179 And you know what? 00:10:35.779 --> 00:10:37.220 The passage says that God knows it. 00:10:38.379 --> 00:10:41.200 And not only does God know it, but he expects it. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:48.740 The second thing we're going to learn from this passage is that God doesn't allow us to stay in our failures. 00:10:50.220 --> 00:10:53.360 But God does something amazing with our failures. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:58.340 He takes our failures and he covers them in his grace. 00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:07.639 He takes our mistakes and he covers them in his blood. 00:11:09.800 --> 00:11:20.600 And the third thing we're going to learn here is that even though that we today, this year, the rest of our life, we're going to fail God. 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:28.120 We're going to see in this passage that God never fails us. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:34.480 God never fails you. 00:11:36.440 --> 00:11:37.580 So let's look at the passage. 00:11:38.220 --> 00:11:44.960 First we see in this passage in verses, we see this idea that Jesus knows that Peter is going to fail. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:47.740 We see it in verse 31 of Luke 22. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:50.879 Jesus predicts to him, he says, this is what's going to happen. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:53.120 And we see it happen in verse 60. 00:11:53.680 --> 00:11:56.879 I mean, the passage says several times that you're going to fail, you're going to fail. 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.139 And he says there's several things involved in that failure. 00:11:59.960 --> 00:12:00.740 Did you read the passage? 00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:02.379 Would they listen to it when they read it out loud? 00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:06.320 He says first that there's going to be this demonic component. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:14.259 That as you and I walk through our days today, the devil is trying to slip us up. 00:12:14.259 --> 00:12:19.059 The devil is actively involved in throwing things against us. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:23.039 The Greek words to sift actually means to tear apart. 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:28.500 And so he says here that as we go through our day, there's this demonic component. 00:12:29.659 --> 00:12:31.360 And the devil is active in God's people. 00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:33.399 Now, I don't know what you think about that. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:36.700 I know that there are a lot of people who don't believe in the devil. 00:12:37.439 --> 00:12:39.319 And there are a lot of people in church who don't believe in the devil. 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:43.000 But you know, Jesus believes in the devil. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:48.920 The Bible talks a lot about satanic and demonic activity. 00:12:49.920 --> 00:12:56.080 And in this passage, we see that often our failures happen because of these things. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:02.000 It's important to note that the devil has to go to Jesus and ask permission. 00:13:03.280 --> 00:13:06.820 As God's people, the devil never comes into our life and just starts tearing it up. 00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:08.520 But God is in control. 00:13:09.420 --> 00:13:14.180 I mean, the Bible basically says that everybody works for God. 00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:16.940 Even the devil. 00:13:18.920 --> 00:13:22.300 So there's this demonic component that we need to be praying about and thinking about 00:13:22.300 --> 00:13:25.340 and realizing that there's things in our lives that are going to try to trip us up. 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:29.600 The second thing we see is that there's this Tobin or Peter component. 00:13:30.400 --> 00:13:31.780 And it's called pride. 00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:36.839 And we see in this passage over and over in verse 33 and Mark 14, 31, 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:39.120 that Peter continually denies it. 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:40.000 He says, there's no way. 00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:41.259 I'm not going to fail you. 00:13:41.459 --> 00:13:42.379 This is not going to happen. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:43.620 I'm stronger than this. 00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:44.799 I'm going to die for you. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:48.299 I mean, Peter is basically, in the Greek, he's basically swearing an oath. 00:13:49.740 --> 00:13:51.379 He's swearing an oath to Jesus. 00:13:51.959 --> 00:13:55.079 And he's saying in this oath, I am with you until the end. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:56.819 I'm never going to let you down. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.699 I'm never going to fail you. 00:13:58.079 --> 00:13:59.339 I'm totally confident. 00:13:59.340 --> 00:14:04.160 I mean, what you see in this passage is that Peter is totally confident in his strength. 00:14:04.580 --> 00:14:06.139 He's totally confident in his ability. 00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:08.120 He's totally confident in his education. 00:14:08.420 --> 00:14:11.080 He's totally confident in his loyalty, like a lot of us are. 00:14:12.160 --> 00:14:14.540 He's totally confident in that he's going to be able to do it. 00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:15.720 Remember, Peter was a strong one. 00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:18.740 Remember when Jesus walked to them on the water? 00:14:19.280 --> 00:14:21.019 Peter was the one who said, hey, I want to get out there with you. 00:14:21.060 --> 00:14:21.660 Can I go with you? 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:24.800 And Peter says, bid me come and I'm going to come. 00:14:25.060 --> 00:14:26.040 And so he had courage. 00:14:26.139 --> 00:14:26.900 He had strength. 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:30.720 He knew and understood that he could do this. 00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:34.519 But what we see in this passage is something really interesting. 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:42.980 That often when we fail, we're going to fail in our strength. 00:14:42.980 --> 00:14:51.460 Often when we fail and we make bad choices, we're going to make bad choices and we're going 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:54.200 to fail in our competence. 00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:56.879 I mean, it's true of Peter. 00:14:58.200 --> 00:14:59.039 He said, no way. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:14:59.840 I'm going to be there. 00:14:59.899 --> 00:15:00.300 I'm strong. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:01.060 I'm going to be confident. 00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:01.860 I'm going to be there to the end. 00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:04.200 And in that strength, he fails. 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:07.240 The Bible says a lot about people failing. 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:12.500 I mean, Moses was told that he was the meekest man among men. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:15.399 Meekness meant strength under control. 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:18.639 But when we read Moses' life, he loses his control. 00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:21.080 He kills the Egyptian and he goes on the run. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.980 He loses it at his greatest strength. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:28.500 Abraham was the father of faith. 00:15:29.259 --> 00:15:31.139 He left everything to go to the new land. 00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:35.600 But then we're told he gets to this new land and the Pharaoh really likes his wife. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:39.100 And he's worried about, is he going to live or is he not going to live? 00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:43.179 And so he tells the Pharaoh that the wife is his daughter, his sister. 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:45.860 And he fails. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:49.879 He fails at his greatest strength, which is faith. 00:15:50.199 --> 00:15:51.179 David does the same thing. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.639 David is a man after God's own heart. 00:15:52.699 --> 00:15:53.679 What does David do? 00:15:53.960 --> 00:15:55.039 A man after God's own heart. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:57.080 David doesn't follow God's heart. 00:15:58.019 --> 00:16:01.059 He's up in his building, in his house, when kings should go to war. 00:16:01.139 --> 00:16:02.419 He looks down and he sees a woman. 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:03.259 He lusts after her. 00:16:03.539 --> 00:16:04.319 He commits adultery. 00:16:04.419 --> 00:16:05.000 They have a child. 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:08.340 And he ends up killing the lady's husband. 00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:14.179 His strength was his heart for the Lord. 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:17.639 And in his strength, he fails God. 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:22.419 They all fail in their strengths, not their weaknesses. 00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:24.600 I mean, we think that we're going to fail in our weaknesses. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:27.259 We think, well, I've got to watch out for this because I'm not very good at this. 00:16:27.299 --> 00:16:29.179 I've got to watch out for this because I've got to be reading the Bible more. 00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:30.139 I've got to be praying more. 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:31.399 These are some weaknesses I have. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:32.259 I've got to do these things. 00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:39.899 But the scripture says that where we're going to fail this week, where we're going to fail this year, 00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:44.240 where we're going to fail in our lives are in our greatest strengths. 00:16:45.179 --> 00:16:49.379 Because sometimes in our greatest strengths, we just don't think about those things. 00:16:50.439 --> 00:16:51.259 I mean, they're unguarded. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:52.659 We don't worry about those things. 00:16:52.659 --> 00:16:57.299 And so we see this passage of Peter talking about his strength and talking about his strength, 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:01.500 but he doesn't realize how weak he really is. 00:17:03.339 --> 00:17:07.480 He doesn't realize how weak he really is. 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:12.039 So the question we have to ask ourselves today as we go into this new year is, 00:17:12.740 --> 00:17:15.180 what is our strength? 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:22.160 What are we competent in? 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:26.140 What are we good in? 00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:30.620 I mean, what are we sure that there's no chance of anything bad happening in this area? 00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:32.559 What are we saying that I got this handled? 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:34.220 Don't worry about that because I'm really good in this area. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.759 And the passage says, and the Bible says it, 00:17:38.059 --> 00:17:41.899 in that area is where we're going to fail. 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:45.299 And we need to be very careful of that. 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:50.099 Luke 22, 54 through 62 tells this amazing story. 00:17:50.419 --> 00:17:52.480 And in this story, Peter is in the courtyard, 00:17:52.679 --> 00:17:55.279 and they've set up this charcoal fire, and they're burning this. 00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:56.819 And Peter is surrounded by people. 00:17:57.639 --> 00:17:59.079 I mean, we know that Jesus is upstairs. 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:01.399 We don't know exactly what the upstairs looks like. 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:05.100 There's probably a window or some podium up there that he can see them. 00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:07.840 But he's downstairs, and in the middle of this time, 00:18:07.940 --> 00:18:09.740 he's warming himself up there. 00:18:09.980 --> 00:18:11.860 And we're told in the passage in verse 56, 00:18:12.180 --> 00:18:13.880 this little girl comes to him, and she says, 00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.640 aren't you one of them? 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:18.120 Strength. 00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:21.560 Peter says, no way. 00:18:22.280 --> 00:18:23.820 In fact, in the Greek, he says, I do not know him. 00:18:24.660 --> 00:18:25.540 I know him not. 00:18:26.080 --> 00:18:26.580 Sam, I am. 00:18:27.800 --> 00:18:28.740 I know him not. 00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:31.019 A little time goes. 00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:33.900 It's interesting because some of the transcripts say, 00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:36.039 the minute he said that, a rooster crowed one time. 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:38.079 Kind of like a kick countdown. 00:18:40.420 --> 00:18:42.039 We're told he goes on a little while longer, 00:18:42.180 --> 00:18:43.880 and all of a sudden, another person, another girl, 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.519 comes to him, and she asks him the same question. 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:49.559 She says, hey, aren't you one of them also? 00:18:50.660 --> 00:18:51.620 No, no, no, no, no. 00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:51.900 I'm not. 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.539 No, not me. 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:53.200 I'm not that. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.039 I don't even know him. 00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:59.140 And then an hour later, we're told, 00:19:00.539 --> 00:19:02.759 in verse 58 and in verse 60, 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:06.440 someone comes to Peter and says, don't you know him? 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:08.319 And you're dressed like him. 00:19:09.120 --> 00:19:10.180 You sound just like him. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:12.160 You got this big hat on. 00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:14.000 You're slopped up with suntan lotion. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:17.140 You're saying good day in water. 00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:19.160 Surely you're an Australian. 00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:21.100 No, I'm not an Australian. 00:19:21.099 --> 00:19:21.219 Australian. 00:19:22.219 --> 00:19:24.839 The passage says, they look at him, and they say, 00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:27.539 I had to put that in there for my Australian friends. 00:19:29.639 --> 00:19:30.659 But you see the irony? 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.819 Because the people look at him, they see how he's dressed, 00:19:34.879 --> 00:19:36.659 they see his accent, they know what he's saying, 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:39.279 and they say, surely you're one of those people. 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:41.740 And then in verse 60, the Bible, 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:45.899 the Bible says something that it doesn't want us to hear. 00:19:47.259 --> 00:19:49.699 I mean, in Mark, the words are so harsh 00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:51.920 that when they translated it, 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:54.299 they were worried that we would be offended by it. 00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:59.000 And it says that when Peter denies Jesus the third time, 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:03.660 he actually calls down curses on Jesus. 00:20:03.660 --> 00:20:08.240 He starts cussing Jesus out. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:09.880 The language is very specific. 00:20:10.040 --> 00:20:12.640 It means he amathetizes him. 00:20:12.860 --> 00:20:15.860 He says, may Jesus be cursed. 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:19.040 Basically, the wording says that he's doing this 00:20:19.040 --> 00:20:21.800 so that he is in fear of his life. 00:20:23.100 --> 00:20:24.900 He doesn't want to be associated with him. 00:20:25.540 --> 00:20:27.820 He wants to show everybody that he's not one of the disciples. 00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:32.759 It's a massive and public display that I'm not with him. 00:20:34.379 --> 00:20:35.379 No, I don't know him. 00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:40.659 Pliny, who is a Roman historian, 00:20:41.339 --> 00:20:43.139 one day was talking to the Emperor Trajan. 00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:44.819 The Trajan came to him and said, 00:20:44.899 --> 00:20:46.179 we're having this trouble with all these Christians. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:49.619 And the problem is we can't tell if people are really Christians or not. 00:20:49.879 --> 00:20:51.960 How do we tell if a person is really a Christian? 00:20:52.899 --> 00:20:54.939 In Pliny and his writings, you can go back and read it. 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:55.920 He says, this is what you do. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.940 You stand them before you, 00:20:58.580 --> 00:21:00.080 and you ask them three times, 00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:01.700 do you know Jesus? 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:04.259 Do you know Jesus? 00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:06.180 Do you know Jesus? 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:08.440 And he says, if they say no, 00:21:08.620 --> 00:21:11.720 the final thing you need to do is you ask them to curse Jesus. 00:21:12.580 --> 00:21:14.380 Because a Christian, a follower of Christ, 00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:16.660 will never, ever curse Jesus. 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:17.920 And if they can curse Jesus, 00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:20.279 you know that they are not a follower of Christ. 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:24.119 Peter curses Jesus, 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:25.759 and we're told in the passage immediately, 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:27.599 a rooster crows. 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:30.259 I think about this often. 00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.539 Can you imagine being there in the courtyard? 00:21:33.899 --> 00:21:37.160 Can you imagine what Jesus looked like? 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:43.259 Beat up, bruised, face swollen, blood coming out. 00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:45.279 And the passage says that somehow, 00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:48.660 immediately after Peter said, no, I do not know him, 00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:52.620 somehow, Jesus' face met Peter's face. 00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:55.100 Whether Peter looked up, 00:21:55.140 --> 00:21:56.180 and he saw Jesus up there, 00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.920 and he saw this, 00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:59.220 or Jesus walked by the courtyard 00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:00.900 being carried off to somebody else. 00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:02.800 But it says somehow, 00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:06.100 Peter met Jesus' face. 00:22:07.800 --> 00:22:09.019 And in those wordings, 00:22:09.100 --> 00:22:10.440 it says Peter said, 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:12.040 failure. 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:12.159 failure. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:17.859 What it says in the Greek is that Jesus looked at him, 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:21.240 and loved him. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.559 He had concern for him. 00:22:25.940 --> 00:22:27.359 He had compassion on him. 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:29.460 He worried about him. 00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:32.639 One commentator says this in his whole story. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:33.740 He says this, 00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.740 and I think it's very interesting. 00:22:34.819 --> 00:22:36.599 He says that Mark wrote this way, 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:39.219 because he wanted us to see 00:22:39.219 --> 00:22:40.919 that every day, 00:22:41.959 --> 00:22:43.899 and in every setting of our lives, 00:22:44.339 --> 00:22:45.959 we're on trial. 00:22:49.199 --> 00:22:50.459 And the question is, 00:22:50.579 --> 00:22:52.319 will we be a witness 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:54.179 for Jesus? 00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:58.500 He says every day we give an oath. 00:23:00.879 --> 00:23:02.240 Every day we give an oath, 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:03.439 and we show people, 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:05.039 and tell people who we are following. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:07.720 We give an oath at home, 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:10.200 by our actions, 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:12.299 in our words. 00:23:13.460 --> 00:23:15.119 We give an oath in our family, 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:18.180 by how we care, 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.879 and love, 00:23:20.399 --> 00:23:21.299 and serve. 00:23:21.940 --> 00:23:23.159 We give an oath at work, 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:25.299 by what kind of workers we are. 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:26.720 We give an oath at lunch. 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:29.500 We give an oath on the computer, 00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:31.819 when we're trying to decide, 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.740 should we look at things, 00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:35.019 or not look at things. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:37.859 And the passage says, 00:23:38.859 --> 00:23:40.059 and the question is, 00:23:40.879 --> 00:23:43.960 will we be identified with Jesus? 00:23:46.859 --> 00:23:48.759 Will we speak up for the truth, 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:51.279 no matter what the cost? 00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:54.460 Will we say, 00:23:55.099 --> 00:23:55.319 yeah, 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:58.019 I follow him? 00:23:58.019 --> 00:24:02.460 or will we swear an oath 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:04.420 to somebody else? 00:24:06.440 --> 00:24:07.680 The passage says here, 00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:09.940 that Jesus saw Peter, 00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:12.900 Peter failed. 00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:16.400 And the passage says, 00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:17.200 that you and I 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:19.099 will also fail. 00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:23.700 You and I will also fail. 00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:26.380 The next thing we see in this story 00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:26.799 is that, 00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:28.360 the passage shows us 00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:30.160 that God wants us to do something, 00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:31.500 he wants to do something amazing 00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:32.220 in our failures. 00:24:33.580 --> 00:24:33.799 I mean, 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:36.180 I've been thinking about this 00:24:36.180 --> 00:24:36.819 for a long time, 00:24:36.860 --> 00:24:37.940 it's taken me about 30 years 00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:38.900 to get my head around this. 00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:40.480 I'm still trying to think about it, 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.299 I was worried about how 00:24:41.299 --> 00:24:42.160 I was going to share this, 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:43.360 would it make any sense? 00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:44.740 But it seems to me, 00:24:44.840 --> 00:24:45.460 in this passage, 00:24:45.580 --> 00:24:46.440 in all the Bibles, 00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:48.559 that God wants to do something 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.600 incredible with our failures. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:52.199 I mean, 00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:52.899 in verse 32, 00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:53.299 he says, 00:24:53.439 --> 00:24:53.559 Peter, 00:24:53.699 --> 00:24:54.839 once you have turned, 00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:57.139 then go strengthen 00:24:57.139 --> 00:24:58.039 your brothers and sisters. 00:24:58.919 --> 00:25:00.500 In verse 15 and 16 00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:01.679 and 17 00:25:01.679 --> 00:25:02.819 of John 22, 00:25:03.639 --> 00:25:04.459 he says, 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:05.779 feed my sheep, 00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:07.599 feed my lambs, 00:25:08.699 --> 00:25:09.439 tend my sheep. 00:25:11.179 --> 00:25:11.939 And what I think 00:25:11.939 --> 00:25:13.419 this passage is teaching us, 00:25:13.459 --> 00:25:14.079 and what the Bible 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:15.939 continually teaches us, 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.779 and what I think 00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:17.579 is so hard 00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:19.019 for most of us 00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:19.799 in Hong Kong 00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:20.639 in this day and age 00:25:20.639 --> 00:25:21.259 to understand, 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:22.980 is that every time 00:25:22.980 --> 00:25:23.440 we fail, 00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:26.879 every time we sin, 00:25:28.379 --> 00:25:29.480 every time we stumble, 00:25:30.339 --> 00:25:30.539 I mean, 00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:31.700 everything that we do 00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:32.579 in our lives, 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:33.859 God 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:36.240 takes that 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:39.039 and he does 00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:40.019 something amazing 00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:42.099 for his purpose 00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:44.019 and plan 00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:46.319 for our lives. 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:48.980 I mean, 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:49.619 the passage says 00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:50.059 that God 00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:52.200 uses even our failures, 00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:55.599 even our sin. 00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:58.159 He uses all of these things 00:25:58.159 --> 00:25:59.779 to show his glory 00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:01.779 and his grace 00:26:01.779 --> 00:26:04.019 and he continually 00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:04.659 comes to us 00:26:04.659 --> 00:26:05.399 as his children 00:26:05.399 --> 00:26:08.359 and he does amazing things 00:26:08.359 --> 00:26:11.220 when we're at our worst. 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:14.140 Have you ever thought 00:26:14.140 --> 00:26:14.620 that before? 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.539 I didn't. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.079 I mean, 00:26:19.100 --> 00:26:19.819 I came to Christ 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:20.460 and his gospel 00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:21.079 and that's great 00:26:21.079 --> 00:26:22.140 and the rest of my life 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:23.160 I kept living my life 00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:24.059 to earn favor 00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:25.200 and earn points with God. 00:26:25.860 --> 00:26:26.680 And if you were to ask me 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:27.380 what my life was like, 00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:28.240 it would be this big bucket. 00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:30.120 And I kept filling stuff 00:26:30.120 --> 00:26:30.680 in this bucket 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:31.400 with good deeds 00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:32.200 and good things I did 00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:32.960 and things I accomplished 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.980 and hoping that I'd get 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:34.680 this bucket high enough 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:35.559 that God could use me. 00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:37.519 But then I make a mistake. 00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:39.759 Then I treat somebody poorly. 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.740 Then I look at something 00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:41.519 I shouldn't look at. 00:26:41.579 --> 00:26:42.640 Then I do something 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:43.420 I shouldn't do. 00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:44.660 Then I date somebody 00:26:44.660 --> 00:26:45.680 that I shouldn't date. 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:47.960 Then I just am mean to people 00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:49.079 and things get poured 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:50.519 out of that bucket. 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.079 And I feel gross. 00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:56.279 And I feel worthless. 00:26:56.700 --> 00:26:57.539 And I feel useless. 00:27:00.140 --> 00:27:01.200 And I think that's the way 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:01.960 most of us feel. 00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:05.039 I think most of us, 00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:05.759 if we're really honest, 00:27:05.859 --> 00:27:07.299 we feel like we have to produce 00:27:07.299 --> 00:27:08.559 and do 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.799 and be 00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:12.119 add to 00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:13.399 what Christ has already done 00:27:13.399 --> 00:27:14.039 in our life. 00:27:14.879 --> 00:27:16.139 And if we don't do that, 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:16.919 if we fail, 00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:17.740 if we make a mistake, 00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:18.379 then 00:27:18.379 --> 00:27:20.299 we're not useful anymore. 00:27:22.619 --> 00:27:24.059 But the passage says 00:27:24.059 --> 00:27:24.599 that Jesus 00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:27.399 takes our failures 00:27:27.399 --> 00:27:31.379 and he covers them 00:27:31.379 --> 00:27:32.399 with his grace. 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:37.060 and he does something amazing 00:27:37.060 --> 00:27:37.840 in our lives. 00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:41.580 The passage says 00:27:41.580 --> 00:27:43.200 that our failures 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:44.780 are never for our destruction. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.640 As God's children, 00:27:48.820 --> 00:27:50.340 our failures are never meant 00:27:50.340 --> 00:27:51.800 for our destruction. 00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:53.480 I mean, 00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:54.860 it might feel like that sometimes. 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:55.400 It might feel like 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.140 when we make mistakes 00:27:56.140 --> 00:27:57.740 that God has his hand against us, 00:27:57.780 --> 00:27:58.560 that nothing's going on, 00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.400 that we're in trouble, 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:01.120 that we have no hope. 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:03.799 that these trials 00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.479 and temptations 00:28:04.479 --> 00:28:05.119 are hitting us 00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:05.879 and they're unnecessary. 00:28:08.199 --> 00:28:09.259 But the scripture says 00:28:09.259 --> 00:28:10.379 that all of these things 00:28:10.379 --> 00:28:12.919 God is using 00:28:12.919 --> 00:28:14.299 in your life. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:16.599 And what he wants to do 00:28:16.599 --> 00:28:17.299 is he wants to take 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:18.039 those mistakes. 00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:20.639 He wants to take your failure. 00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:21.859 He wants to take your sin. 00:28:22.119 --> 00:28:23.259 And he wants to wrap them 00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:24.139 in his grace. 00:28:24.140 --> 00:28:27.220 And he wants to develop 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:29.400 something incredible 00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:30.960 in us. 00:28:34.080 --> 00:28:35.240 How do you feel about that? 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:39.640 When you hear that, 00:28:40.600 --> 00:28:42.000 is that good news? 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:45.740 That's making you 00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:46.380 kind of uncomfortable. 00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:49.040 Because you feel like, 00:28:49.100 --> 00:28:49.660 well, I got to do something. 00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:52.060 I got to perform. 00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:53.620 I mean, if I don't, 00:28:53.820 --> 00:28:54.660 if I don't do the right thing, 00:28:54.740 --> 00:28:55.840 God's not going to love me. 00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:57.300 God's not going to use me. 00:28:57.600 --> 00:28:58.340 God's not going to be 00:28:58.340 --> 00:28:59.320 happy with me. 00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:00.860 God's not going to bless me. 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:01.620 I think often 00:29:01.620 --> 00:29:02.900 so many people in Hong Kong 00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:03.660 walk around 00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:05.120 with this massive fear 00:29:05.120 --> 00:29:05.960 that they don't do 00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:06.440 the right thing. 00:29:06.540 --> 00:29:07.460 God's not going to bless them. 00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:08.540 And if they're being blessed 00:29:08.540 --> 00:29:09.019 and it's proof 00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:09.420 that they're doing 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:10.100 the right thing, 00:29:11.540 --> 00:29:12.660 this passage says, 00:29:12.820 --> 00:29:14.019 no way. 00:29:14.019 --> 00:29:14.080 No way. 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:19.579 No way. 00:29:23.199 --> 00:29:24.039 The passage says 00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:25.399 that God takes our failures 00:29:25.399 --> 00:29:26.939 and he does something 00:29:26.939 --> 00:29:28.019 incredible in our life. 00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:29.199 The psalmist says it this way. 00:29:29.259 --> 00:29:29.879 The psalmist said 00:29:29.879 --> 00:29:31.699 that even when I fall down, 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.759 even when I fall down, 00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:33.759 it's not for my destruction 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.799 because God 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:36.220 has a hold of my hand 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:38.099 and he wants to do 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:39.319 something amazing in my life. 00:29:41.419 --> 00:29:42.240 Seven times 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:43.559 a righteous man falls down 00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:44.299 and seven times 00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:45.399 he's picked up. 00:29:45.659 --> 00:29:46.579 How is he picked up? 00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:47.359 By his own strength? 00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:51.019 He's picked up by God 00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:54.460 because God comes amongst him. 00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:55.919 I mean, think about it 00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:56.519 in this passage. 00:29:56.879 --> 00:29:58.200 If Peter hadn't failed, 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:00.460 what would have happened? 00:30:02.179 --> 00:30:03.460 I mean, because Peter failed, 00:30:03.879 --> 00:30:04.619 he knows now 00:30:04.619 --> 00:30:05.819 that he can't trust himself. 00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:08.220 He knows now 00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:09.299 that he can't trust his strength. 00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:09.740 He knows now 00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:10.720 he can't trust his pride. 00:30:12.399 --> 00:30:13.539 Because Peter failed, 00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:16.460 he has this massive understanding 00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:18.139 of the depth 00:30:18.139 --> 00:30:19.899 and breadth 00:30:19.899 --> 00:30:22.059 of God's grace. 00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:24.019 He understands forgiveness. 00:30:24.179 --> 00:30:24.960 He understands restoration. 00:30:25.159 --> 00:30:26.039 He understands redemption. 00:30:26.339 --> 00:30:27.139 If he hadn't failed, 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:28.440 he would probably not understand 00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.559 those in the same way. 00:30:30.679 --> 00:30:32.119 Now, I'm not telling you 00:30:32.119 --> 00:30:33.220 to go fail 00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:35.019 so that you get more 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:35.879 of God's grace. 00:30:37.139 --> 00:30:38.339 I mean, Romans says that, right? 00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:38.579 He says, 00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:40.159 how can we continue to sin? 00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.460 May it never be 00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:43.079 because we understand 00:30:43.079 --> 00:30:44.059 God's grace and mercy. 00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:45.220 But what we need to understand 00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:45.839 is that God 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:47.240 takes our failures. 00:30:48.639 --> 00:30:50.039 He takes our mistakes 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:52.359 and he wants to do something 00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:53.679 amazing in our lives. 00:30:54.539 --> 00:30:55.879 But often when we fail 00:30:55.879 --> 00:30:56.639 and we make mistakes, 00:30:56.699 --> 00:30:57.799 we just kind of walk away 00:30:57.799 --> 00:30:58.579 and we give up. 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.659 And we don't realize 00:31:00.659 --> 00:31:01.659 that God is working 00:31:01.659 --> 00:31:03.480 and that his grace 00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:04.379 is being poured out 00:31:04.379 --> 00:31:05.240 in our life. 00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:06.720 Because Peter failed, 00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.420 he's different. 00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:08.799 The passage says, 00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:09.620 because he failed, 00:31:09.799 --> 00:31:10.380 he's different. 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:10.880 And now, 00:31:11.120 --> 00:31:12.620 God says to him in John 21, 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:13.940 because you failed, 00:31:14.200 --> 00:31:15.500 because you've experienced change, 00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.900 because you've experienced grace, 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:18.319 because you've experienced mercy, 00:31:19.120 --> 00:31:20.900 now I want you to lead my people. 00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:24.240 Because all these things 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:24.819 have happened to you, 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:26.400 now I want you to go do it. 00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:28.259 Because now I know, Peter, 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:29.579 you're not going to be prideful. 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.000 I mean, you're going to continue 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:31.900 to struggle with that, 00:31:32.059 --> 00:31:32.960 but every time you do, 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:33.440 you're going to hear 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:35.019 this roaster crow in your ear 00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:36.059 and you're going to look up 00:31:36.059 --> 00:31:36.619 to this upper room 00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.019 and you're going to see 00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:38.799 Jesus' face swollen. 00:31:39.859 --> 00:31:40.799 You're not going to be perfect, 00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:41.579 but you're going to continue 00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:41.900 to struggle. 00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:42.879 But every time you struggle, 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:43.440 now you're going to hear 00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:43.879 that rooster. 00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:49.859 Because Jesus came to Peter 00:31:49.859 --> 00:31:50.420 in his favor, 00:31:51.420 --> 00:31:54.980 God used Peter in mighty ways. 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.940 So the question I have for us 00:31:57.940 --> 00:31:58.379 is this. 00:32:01.460 --> 00:32:02.559 How do we respond 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:06.119 to God's grace and forgiveness 00:32:06.119 --> 00:32:08.440 when we fail? 00:32:13.379 --> 00:32:15.379 When you fail today, 00:32:16.220 --> 00:32:17.440 this week, 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:19.339 one month from now, 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:21.339 how do you respond 00:32:21.339 --> 00:32:23.940 to this passage? 00:32:26.399 --> 00:32:27.639 Maybe another question is this. 00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:29.440 how do you respond 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:32.080 when other people fail you? 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.720 When people who love you 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:39.280 the most 00:32:39.280 --> 00:32:41.120 fail you? 00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:45.460 When people who love you 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:46.580 the most 00:32:46.580 --> 00:32:48.540 betray you? 00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:52.320 When people who you expect 00:32:52.320 --> 00:32:53.259 a lot out of 00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:54.600 because they are the rock 00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:55.799 and they're going to lead 00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.259 everybody. 00:32:59.459 --> 00:33:00.500 What do you do 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:02.740 with grace and mercy 00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:04.980 when other people 00:33:04.980 --> 00:33:05.879 in your life fail you? 00:33:07.579 --> 00:33:08.619 The passage says 00:33:08.619 --> 00:33:10.219 that Jesus wants to show us 00:33:10.219 --> 00:33:12.059 that he will take 00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:12.639 our failures. 00:33:13.619 --> 00:33:14.819 He will take our sins. 00:33:15.419 --> 00:33:16.539 He's going to cover them up 00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:17.399 with his grace 00:33:17.399 --> 00:33:18.240 and mercy 00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:19.419 and he's going to do 00:33:19.419 --> 00:33:20.159 something amazing 00:33:20.159 --> 00:33:20.819 in our life. 00:33:20.819 --> 00:33:25.299 The question is 00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:26.259 will we let him do that? 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.019 Will we let him do that? 00:33:33.159 --> 00:33:33.519 Finally, 00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:34.439 the passage says 00:33:34.439 --> 00:33:34.720 that 00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:36.379 even though we fail 00:33:36.379 --> 00:33:36.859 Jesus, 00:33:38.439 --> 00:33:40.279 Jesus never fails us. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.859 In Luke 22, 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:44.000 54 through 61 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:44.960 we see this story 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:45.859 of Peter 00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:46.879 after he fails 00:33:46.879 --> 00:33:47.579 in the courtyard 00:33:47.579 --> 00:33:49.339 and Jesus is on the 00:33:49.339 --> 00:33:49.759 second floor 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:50.399 and he's being beaten. 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:51.780 he looks to him 00:33:51.780 --> 00:33:53.100 and in that look 00:33:53.100 --> 00:33:53.900 we see love, 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:56.000 we see compassion, 00:33:56.780 --> 00:33:57.880 we see concern. 00:33:59.820 --> 00:34:00.880 In Luke 22 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:01.600 at the very beginning 00:34:01.600 --> 00:34:02.340 in verse 32 00:34:02.340 --> 00:34:03.320 we see this statement 00:34:03.320 --> 00:34:03.759 that says 00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:04.960 Peter, 00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:07.140 I have prayed 00:34:07.140 --> 00:34:07.960 for you 00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:10.000 that your faith 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:11.160 may not fail. 00:34:13.139 --> 00:34:14.119 Do you realize 00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:14.480 right now 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:14.840 that Jesus 00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:15.619 is praying for you? 00:34:18.260 --> 00:34:19.059 Do you realize 00:34:19.059 --> 00:34:19.400 right now 00:34:19.400 --> 00:34:20.280 that the passage 00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:20.740 says, 00:34:20.820 --> 00:34:21.160 the scripture 00:34:21.160 --> 00:34:21.619 says that 00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:22.920 Christ is in heaven 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:25.380 and the word 00:34:25.380 --> 00:34:26.160 is intercede. 00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:27.360 He represents you. 00:34:27.840 --> 00:34:28.860 He is a law term. 00:34:28.940 --> 00:34:29.980 He steps in front of you. 00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.900 Jesus is here. 00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:33.119 God is here 00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:33.920 and you're here. 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:34.960 And when God 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:35.599 looks at us 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.440 to see our sin 00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:37.619 and our mistakes 00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:38.360 and our failures, 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:39.840 Jesus basically says 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:40.680 he steps in front. 00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:40.719 God. 00:34:43.719 --> 00:34:44.619 And so when God 00:34:44.619 --> 00:34:45.739 looks at us 00:34:45.739 --> 00:34:48.460 he sees his son. 00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:50.539 And the passage 00:34:50.539 --> 00:34:51.519 says in Luke 22 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:52.599 that Jesus 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:53.819 continually, 00:34:54.299 --> 00:34:54.799 continually, 00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:56.039 1 John says 00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:57.519 Jesus continually, 00:34:58.019 --> 00:34:58.440 continually. 00:34:58.980 --> 00:35:00.159 Jesus is before God. 00:35:00.460 --> 00:35:00.919 He speaks 00:35:00.919 --> 00:35:01.779 about us 00:35:01.779 --> 00:35:02.319 to God. 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:03.379 He represents us 00:35:03.379 --> 00:35:03.899 to God 00:35:03.899 --> 00:35:04.599 and no matter 00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:05.799 how much we make mistakes, 00:35:05.899 --> 00:35:06.500 no matter how much 00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:06.940 we fail, 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:07.859 no matter how much 00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:08.420 we disappoint 00:35:08.420 --> 00:35:09.519 those around us 00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:10.079 that we will never 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:10.780 disappoint him 00:35:10.780 --> 00:35:12.599 because he just shows 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:13.940 his scars 00:35:13.940 --> 00:35:14.980 and his blood. 00:35:18.780 --> 00:35:19.780 And God says 00:35:19.780 --> 00:35:20.160 forgiven. 00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:25.039 Forgiven. 00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:27.440 C.S. Lewis 00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:28.059 said it this way. 00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:28.740 He said 00:35:28.740 --> 00:35:29.960 a really interesting quote. 00:35:31.180 --> 00:35:31.820 He said that 00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:32.980 though our feelings 00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.599 come and go, 00:35:35.559 --> 00:35:36.680 Jesus' love for us 00:35:36.680 --> 00:35:37.160 does not. 00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.940 Jesus' love for us 00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:40.559 isn't worried 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:41.240 or wearied 00:35:41.240 --> 00:35:42.059 by our sins. 00:35:43.180 --> 00:35:43.880 His love for us 00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:44.500 isn't indifferent 00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:45.500 because we're indifferent. 00:35:46.599 --> 00:35:47.660 But Jesus' love for us 00:35:47.660 --> 00:35:48.220 is relentless 00:35:48.220 --> 00:35:50.260 and is determined. 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:52.320 He is determined 00:35:52.320 --> 00:35:53.539 that he will remove 00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:54.820 the curse 00:35:54.820 --> 00:35:56.039 of sin 00:35:56.039 --> 00:35:57.200 from our lives 00:35:57.200 --> 00:35:58.820 no matter 00:35:58.820 --> 00:35:59.579 what it takes 00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:00.400 in our lives 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:03.260 and no matter 00:36:03.260 --> 00:36:03.740 what it takes 00:36:03.740 --> 00:36:04.360 in his life. 00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:09.039 He is determined 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:09.680 to remove 00:36:09.680 --> 00:36:10.400 the curse 00:36:10.400 --> 00:36:11.099 of sin 00:36:11.099 --> 00:36:13.480 in our lives 00:36:13.480 --> 00:36:15.320 no matter 00:36:15.320 --> 00:36:15.840 what it takes 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:17.059 in our lives 00:36:17.059 --> 00:36:18.840 no matter 00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:19.400 what it takes 00:36:19.400 --> 00:36:20.760 in his life. 00:36:22.120 --> 00:36:22.720 Finally, 00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:24.140 we see in John 21 00:36:24.140 --> 00:36:25.380 at the charcoal fire. 00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:28.360 It's at this charcoal fire 00:36:28.360 --> 00:36:29.440 that Jesus 00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:30.780 meets Peter. 00:36:31.800 --> 00:36:32.000 Remember, 00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:32.740 Peter's failed him 00:36:32.740 --> 00:36:33.260 three times 00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:34.200 and he's wandered off. 00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:37.000 And it's in this charcoal fire 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:37.799 that we see 00:36:37.799 --> 00:36:38.839 forgiveness, 00:36:39.879 --> 00:36:42.099 we see repentance, 00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:44.919 we see renewal, 00:36:46.359 --> 00:36:48.159 we see forgiveness. 00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:52.199 And the question is 00:36:52.199 --> 00:36:55.179 because the passage 00:36:55.179 --> 00:36:55.899 is really clearly 00:36:55.899 --> 00:36:57.259 and the rest of the text 00:36:57.259 --> 00:36:58.119 is really clear 00:36:58.119 --> 00:37:01.219 that God has a charcoal fire 00:37:01.219 --> 00:37:01.779 for us. 00:37:01.780 --> 00:37:05.680 and he's asking us 00:37:05.680 --> 00:37:06.460 to join him there. 00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:09.820 He's asking us 00:37:09.820 --> 00:37:11.220 to come before him 00:37:11.220 --> 00:37:12.820 and to receive forgiveness. 00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:14.560 He's asking us 00:37:14.560 --> 00:37:15.220 to come before him 00:37:15.220 --> 00:37:15.900 and to repent. 00:37:16.840 --> 00:37:17.500 He's asking us 00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:18.120 to come before him 00:37:18.120 --> 00:37:18.600 and to confess. 00:37:19.120 --> 00:37:19.740 He's asking us 00:37:19.740 --> 00:37:20.519 to come before him 00:37:20.519 --> 00:37:21.660 and be renewed 00:37:21.660 --> 00:37:22.580 in our lives. 00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:24.880 In the passage 00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:25.120 he says 00:37:25.120 --> 00:37:26.320 no matter how badly 00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:27.000 we've failed, 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:29.040 no matter how much 00:37:29.040 --> 00:37:29.820 we've messed up, 00:37:30.180 --> 00:37:30.960 if we've messed up 00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:32.099 like Peter's pride 00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:33.079 in cursing Jesus 00:37:33.079 --> 00:37:34.559 or we've messed up 00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:35.179 at the workplace 00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:36.280 by not speaking up 00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:37.420 when we should have 00:37:37.420 --> 00:37:40.639 or maybe we've messed up 00:37:40.639 --> 00:37:41.199 as a dad 00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:43.659 who's been a little 00:37:43.659 --> 00:37:44.420 too passionate 00:37:44.420 --> 00:37:47.019 at a basketball game. 00:37:48.619 --> 00:37:49.599 The passage says 00:37:49.599 --> 00:37:50.019 that no matter 00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:51.579 how bad 00:37:51.579 --> 00:37:52.760 we've failed God, 00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:54.599 that God 00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:55.940 will not fail us. 00:37:55.940 --> 00:37:58.420 and the question is 00:37:58.420 --> 00:37:59.559 will we meet him there 00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:03.380 and experience 00:38:03.380 --> 00:38:03.900 his forgiveness? 00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.559 Will we experience 00:38:08.559 --> 00:38:09.119 his redemption? 00:38:12.119 --> 00:38:12.980 Or will we walk 00:38:12.980 --> 00:38:13.639 through life 00:38:13.639 --> 00:38:15.119 oh man, 00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:15.760 I made a mistake, 00:38:16.159 --> 00:38:17.079 God can never use me. 00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:19.200 There's two ways 00:38:19.200 --> 00:38:19.700 you do it, right? 00:38:19.820 --> 00:38:20.320 Either you go 00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:21.280 oh I made a mistake, 00:38:21.380 --> 00:38:22.179 God can never use me, 00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:22.720 I'm going to go hide 00:38:22.720 --> 00:38:23.380 in my hole for a while 00:38:23.380 --> 00:38:24.320 and then there's 00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:24.680 the other way 00:38:24.680 --> 00:38:25.519 like some of us do, 00:38:25.640 --> 00:38:26.500 I made a mistake, 00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:27.260 so what, 00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:28.019 God's going to forgive me. 00:38:28.860 --> 00:38:29.500 Both of those 00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:30.260 are wrong, right? 00:38:30.280 --> 00:38:31.039 There's a third way 00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:32.980 and that third way 00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:34.039 is out of charcoal fire 00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:36.660 where we see 00:38:36.660 --> 00:38:37.059 a Savior 00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:38.200 who shed his blood 00:38:38.200 --> 00:38:38.780 for us. 00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:43.440 The passage says 00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:44.619 that this year 00:38:44.619 --> 00:38:45.460 you're going to fail 00:38:45.460 --> 00:38:46.340 a lot. 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:49.320 The passage says 00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:50.200 that God takes 00:38:50.200 --> 00:38:51.099 our failures 00:38:51.099 --> 00:38:52.860 and more often 00:38:52.860 --> 00:38:53.199 than not 00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:53.659 he does something 00:38:53.659 --> 00:38:54.420 amazing in those 00:38:54.420 --> 00:38:54.779 failures. 00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:56.380 Even when we cannot 00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:56.980 believe it 00:38:56.980 --> 00:38:58.179 and we want to 00:38:58.179 --> 00:38:58.779 run and hide. 00:38:59.679 --> 00:39:00.400 It's in the failures 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:00.980 of our life 00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:02.159 that God changes us. 00:39:03.819 --> 00:39:04.779 The passage says 00:39:04.779 --> 00:39:06.000 that even if we 00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:06.759 make mistakes 00:39:06.759 --> 00:39:07.699 over and over 00:39:07.699 --> 00:39:08.339 and even if we 00:39:08.339 --> 00:39:09.239 forsake God, 00:39:10.839 --> 00:39:11.360 God 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:12.880 will never 00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:15.860 forsake his children. 00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:20.740 the big component 00:39:20.740 --> 00:39:23.099 of failure 00:39:23.099 --> 00:39:23.680 is forgiveness. 00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:26.579 In your chair, 00:39:27.340 --> 00:39:27.760 I put a little 00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:28.620 three by five card 00:39:28.620 --> 00:39:29.720 and I think 00:39:29.720 --> 00:39:30.480 on this card 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:31.480 because I don't 00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:32.260 have one with me, 00:39:33.140 --> 00:39:33.800 it says something 00:39:33.800 --> 00:39:34.440 like this. 00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:37.860 How do you need 00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:38.380 to ask God 00:39:38.380 --> 00:39:38.840 for forgiveness 00:39:38.840 --> 00:39:39.480 in your life 00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:40.980 this year, 00:39:41.620 --> 00:39:42.019 today? 00:39:42.019 --> 00:39:45.420 I think the second 00:39:45.420 --> 00:39:46.079 question says 00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:46.780 something like, 00:39:47.320 --> 00:39:49.259 who do you need 00:39:49.259 --> 00:39:50.000 to ask for forgiveness 00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:50.860 for in your life? 00:39:54.619 --> 00:39:55.599 The third question 00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:56.079 says, 00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:58.980 who do you need 00:39:58.980 --> 00:39:59.440 to forgive? 00:40:04.380 --> 00:40:05.340 My experience 00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:05.980 in Hong Kong 00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:09.699 with Tobin 00:40:09.699 --> 00:40:12.179 who grew up 00:40:12.179 --> 00:40:12.859 in a shame-based 00:40:12.859 --> 00:40:13.859 family and culture 00:40:13.859 --> 00:40:16.619 that often 00:40:16.619 --> 00:40:18.859 the hardest question 00:40:18.859 --> 00:40:19.460 for me to answer 00:40:19.460 --> 00:40:20.419 is the third one. 00:40:24.219 --> 00:40:24.899 Who am I going 00:40:24.899 --> 00:40:25.379 to forgive? 00:40:29.460 --> 00:40:30.199 Because when people 00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:30.839 let me down, 00:40:31.839 --> 00:40:32.659 I want them 00:40:32.659 --> 00:40:33.099 to know it. 00:40:35.279 --> 00:40:36.319 The passage says 00:40:36.319 --> 00:40:36.939 we have a Savior 00:40:36.939 --> 00:40:37.839 who's not like that. 00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:41.339 He pours out 00:40:41.339 --> 00:40:42.199 grace in our lives. 00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:44.259 I'd like for you 00:40:44.259 --> 00:40:44.719 to sit down 00:40:44.719 --> 00:40:45.099 in your chair 00:40:45.099 --> 00:40:45.539 and just think 00:40:45.539 --> 00:40:45.939 about those 00:40:45.939 --> 00:40:46.559 three questions 00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:47.500 and I'll come back 00:40:47.500 --> 00:40:47.960 up in a minute 00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:48.319 or two 00:40:48.319 --> 00:40:51.339 and I'll close 00:40:51.339 --> 00:40:51.759 this off. 00:40:52.019 --> 00:40:52.919 The passage says 00:40:52.919 --> 00:40:53.639 in the house 00:40:53.639 --> 00:40:56.339 there's two trials 00:40:56.339 --> 00:40:57.239 going on. 00:40:58.799 --> 00:40:59.539 It's a trial 00:40:59.539 --> 00:41:00.379 of an innocent man 00:41:00.379 --> 00:41:01.739 on the second floor. 00:41:03.659 --> 00:41:04.439 He's being accused 00:41:04.439 --> 00:41:04.799 of things 00:41:04.799 --> 00:41:05.239 that he's not 00:41:05.239 --> 00:41:05.799 guilty of. 00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:07.859 There's a trial 00:41:07.859 --> 00:41:08.719 of a guilty man 00:41:08.719 --> 00:41:09.899 on the courtyard. 00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:11.839 He's being accused 00:41:11.839 --> 00:41:12.179 of things 00:41:12.179 --> 00:41:12.919 that he is 00:41:12.919 --> 00:41:14.159 guilty of. 00:41:15.839 --> 00:41:16.699 One of the men 00:41:16.699 --> 00:41:17.839 denies everything. 00:41:18.919 --> 00:41:19.359 It's not me. 00:41:19.439 --> 00:41:19.959 It's not my fault. 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:20.599 It's not my fault. 00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:23.000 The innocent man 00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.439 says 00:41:23.439 --> 00:41:25.419 yes. 00:41:27.699 --> 00:41:28.439 One of the men 00:41:28.439 --> 00:41:29.139 denies 00:41:29.139 --> 00:41:30.359 the innocent man. 00:41:33.159 --> 00:41:34.099 The innocent man 00:41:34.099 --> 00:41:38.219 will never 00:41:38.219 --> 00:41:40.119 deny you. 00:41:41.159 --> 00:41:41.819 He will never 00:41:41.819 --> 00:41:42.420 deny you. 00:41:44.559 --> 00:41:45.380 As his children 00:41:45.380 --> 00:41:47.639 he will never 00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:48.299 give up on you. 00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:50.679 You're going to 00:41:50.679 --> 00:41:51.299 fail this year. 00:41:53.059 --> 00:41:54.099 God knows that. 00:41:55.480 --> 00:41:56.139 God wants to 00:41:56.139 --> 00:41:56.759 take that failure 00:41:56.759 --> 00:41:57.339 and do something 00:41:57.339 --> 00:41:57.880 amazing 00:41:57.880 --> 00:41:59.339 in you 00:41:59.339 --> 00:42:01.000 and all the people 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:01.519 around you. 00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:04.119 and he loves 00:42:04.119 --> 00:42:04.940 you so much 00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:06.920 that he's not 00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:07.280 going to let you 00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:07.800 stay where you're 00:42:07.800 --> 00:42:08.059 at. 00:42:10.259 --> 00:42:10.800 He's doing 00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:11.400 amazing work 00:42:11.400 --> 00:42:12.019 in your life. 00:42:13.360 --> 00:42:13.920 It's called 00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:14.420 grace. 00:42:15.860 --> 00:42:16.460 It's called 00:42:16.460 --> 00:42:16.840 mercy. 00:42:18.519 --> 00:42:19.099 It's called 00:42:19.099 --> 00:42:19.500 love. 00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:22.699 The question 00:42:22.699 --> 00:42:23.320 is will we 00:42:23.320 --> 00:42:25.079 accept that 00:42:25.079 --> 00:42:28.840 or will we 00:42:28.840 --> 00:42:29.199 say no? 00:42:29.199 --> 00:42:32.759 Father we 00:42:32.759 --> 00:42:33.319 know that 00:42:33.319 --> 00:42:33.579 there are 00:42:33.579 --> 00:42:33.980 people in 00:42:33.980 --> 00:42:34.399 here who 00:42:34.399 --> 00:42:34.960 on their 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:35.199 journey 00:42:35.199 --> 00:42:35.579 they haven't 00:42:35.579 --> 00:42:36.019 taken a 00:42:36.019 --> 00:42:36.460 step with 00:42:36.460 --> 00:42:36.739 you and 00:42:36.739 --> 00:42:36.939 they're 00:42:36.939 --> 00:42:37.399 wondering 00:42:37.399 --> 00:42:38.799 maybe what 00:42:38.799 --> 00:42:39.059 some of 00:42:39.059 --> 00:42:39.439 these things 00:42:39.439 --> 00:42:39.779 are about 00:42:39.779 --> 00:42:40.039 and they 00:42:40.039 --> 00:42:40.319 don't feel 00:42:40.319 --> 00:42:40.579 like they 00:42:40.579 --> 00:42:40.839 need 00:42:40.839 --> 00:42:41.259 forgiveness 00:42:41.259 --> 00:42:42.399 and they're 00:42:42.399 --> 00:42:42.779 not that 00:42:42.779 --> 00:42:43.259 bad of a 00:42:43.259 --> 00:42:44.000 person and 00:42:44.000 --> 00:42:44.799 they're really 00:42:44.799 --> 00:42:45.219 not that 00:42:45.219 --> 00:42:45.699 bad but 00:42:45.699 --> 00:42:46.000 when we 00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:46.399 compare 00:42:46.399 --> 00:42:46.859 ourselves 00:42:46.859 --> 00:42:47.219 to a 00:42:47.219 --> 00:42:47.919 holy God 00:42:47.919 --> 00:42:50.500 we're all 00:42:50.500 --> 00:42:51.319 really 00:42:51.319 --> 00:42:52.279 guilty 00:42:52.279 --> 00:42:53.819 and failures 00:42:53.819 --> 00:42:55.460 and I pray 00:42:55.460 --> 00:42:55.719 for my 00:42:55.719 --> 00:42:56.139 brothers and 00:42:56.139 --> 00:42:56.539 sisters who 00:42:56.539 --> 00:42:57.019 are on that 00:42:57.019 --> 00:42:57.460 part of their 00:42:57.460 --> 00:42:57.699 journey. 00:42:57.699 --> 00:42:58.059 They would 00:42:58.059 --> 00:42:58.699 ask somebody 00:42:58.699 --> 00:42:59.159 around them 00:42:59.159 --> 00:42:59.399 what it 00:42:59.399 --> 00:43:00.859 means to 00:43:00.859 --> 00:43:01.259 experience 00:43:01.259 --> 00:43:01.819 grace. 00:43:03.460 --> 00:43:03.759 What does it 00:43:03.759 --> 00:43:04.000 mean to 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:04.519 forgive? 00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:06.359 What does it 00:43:06.359 --> 00:43:06.639 mean to be 00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:06.980 forgiven? 00:43:08.699 --> 00:43:09.000 What does it 00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:09.659 mean to love? 00:43:11.279 --> 00:43:11.659 And to know 00:43:11.659 --> 00:43:12.099 that we have a 00:43:12.099 --> 00:43:12.939 God who never 00:43:12.939 --> 00:43:13.960 gives up on us. 00:43:14.119 --> 00:43:14.939 He never fails 00:43:14.939 --> 00:43:15.159 us. 00:43:15.219 --> 00:43:15.779 He never lets 00:43:15.779 --> 00:43:16.359 us down. 00:43:18.879 --> 00:43:19.539 Father for the 00:43:19.539 --> 00:43:20.019 rest of us who 00:43:20.019 --> 00:43:20.500 are on this 00:43:20.500 --> 00:43:23.519 journey that 00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:24.399 we've come to 00:43:24.399 --> 00:43:25.199 the fire for the 00:43:25.199 --> 00:43:25.859 first time and 00:43:25.859 --> 00:43:26.599 we've invited you 00:43:26.599 --> 00:43:27.400 into our life but 00:43:27.400 --> 00:43:27.980 we've just 00:43:27.980 --> 00:43:29.719 we've grown 00:43:29.719 --> 00:43:30.219 cold. 00:43:32.679 --> 00:43:33.360 We've grown 00:43:33.360 --> 00:43:33.799 distant. 00:43:35.480 --> 00:43:36.380 We've forgotten 00:43:36.380 --> 00:43:37.259 the look. 00:43:38.179 --> 00:43:38.799 We've forgotten 00:43:38.799 --> 00:43:39.239 the rooster. 00:43:40.779 --> 00:43:41.559 We've forgotten 00:43:41.559 --> 00:43:41.920 mercy. 00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:42.400 We've forgotten 00:43:42.400 --> 00:43:42.940 grace. 00:43:43.319 --> 00:43:43.659 We've forgotten 00:43:43.659 --> 00:43:44.239 love. 00:43:45.779 --> 00:43:46.599 And we just 00:43:46.599 --> 00:43:46.980 wander. 00:43:49.679 --> 00:43:50.579 Lord we need 00:43:50.579 --> 00:43:50.799 you. 00:43:52.900 --> 00:43:53.719 We just come 00:43:53.719 --> 00:43:54.299 before you and 00:43:54.299 --> 00:43:55.219 just ask your 00:43:55.219 --> 00:43:55.579 forgiveness. 00:43:55.739 --> 00:43:56.179 We beg your 00:43:56.179 --> 00:43:56.539 forgiveness. 00:43:58.079 --> 00:43:59.079 We repent of 00:43:59.079 --> 00:43:59.899 our selfishness 00:43:59.899 --> 00:44:00.159 and our 00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:01.059 self-servingness 00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:03.359 and our pride 00:44:03.359 --> 00:44:03.679 and our 00:44:03.679 --> 00:44:04.379 self-reliance 00:44:04.379 --> 00:44:05.059 and all those 00:44:05.059 --> 00:44:05.699 strengths that we 00:44:05.699 --> 00:44:07.000 count on to 00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:07.440 make it through 00:44:07.440 --> 00:44:08.059 our day every 00:44:08.059 --> 00:44:08.639 day in Hong 00:44:08.639 --> 00:44:08.980 Kong. 00:44:10.960 --> 00:44:11.799 We repent that 00:44:11.799 --> 00:44:12.139 we have our 00:44:12.139 --> 00:44:12.579 focus on 00:44:12.579 --> 00:44:13.539 ourselves and 00:44:13.539 --> 00:44:13.899 we don't have 00:44:13.899 --> 00:44:14.500 our focus on 00:44:14.500 --> 00:44:14.839 you. 00:44:17.019 --> 00:44:17.619 And Lord we 00:44:17.619 --> 00:44:18.139 just ask that 00:44:18.139 --> 00:44:18.639 we would 00:44:18.639 --> 00:44:22.139 that you would 00:44:22.139 --> 00:44:22.779 use all these 00:44:22.779 --> 00:44:23.839 things to help 00:44:23.839 --> 00:44:25.139 us put our 00:44:25.139 --> 00:44:25.799 focus back on 00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:26.039 you. 00:44:27.500 --> 00:44:28.160 Father we pray 00:44:28.160 --> 00:44:28.500 for our 00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:29.019 church that we 00:44:29.019 --> 00:44:29.340 would be a 00:44:29.340 --> 00:44:29.740 church that's 00:44:29.740 --> 00:44:30.760 not focused on 00:44:30.760 --> 00:44:31.420 ourselves that 00:44:31.420 --> 00:44:32.060 we're focused on 00:44:32.060 --> 00:44:34.260 others that we're 00:44:34.260 --> 00:44:34.840 focused on your 00:44:34.840 --> 00:44:35.180 son. 00:44:36.380 --> 00:44:37.300 Help us to love 00:44:37.300 --> 00:44:37.980 the people well 00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:38.500 that we come in 00:44:38.500 --> 00:44:39.480 contact with today 00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:40.220 and at our work 00:44:40.220 --> 00:44:40.700 tomorrow. 00:44:41.700 --> 00:44:42.160 Help us to 00:44:42.160 --> 00:44:42.740 realize even 00:44:42.740 --> 00:44:43.220 amongst the 00:44:43.220 --> 00:44:44.100 failures and the 00:44:44.100 --> 00:44:44.980 backstabbing and 00:44:44.980 --> 00:44:45.980 the things that 00:44:45.980 --> 00:44:46.740 they've done to 00:44:46.740 --> 00:44:47.440 us that you've 00:44:47.440 --> 00:44:48.539 done and you've 00:44:48.539 --> 00:44:49.300 taken all of 00:44:49.300 --> 00:44:50.000 those things and 00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:50.460 you've poured 00:44:50.460 --> 00:44:51.800 mercy and grace and 00:44:51.800 --> 00:44:52.820 forgiveness on us. 00:44:52.820 --> 00:44:55.340 show us what it 00:44:55.340 --> 00:44:55.940 means to forgive 00:44:55.940 --> 00:44:56.920 them like you 00:44:56.920 --> 00:44:57.740 forgive us. 00:44:59.740 --> 00:45:00.440 Show us what it 00:45:00.440 --> 00:45:00.980 means to give 00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:01.820 grace to those 00:45:01.820 --> 00:45:03.980 who offend us as 00:45:03.980 --> 00:45:04.800 you've given grace 00:45:04.800 --> 00:45:06.380 to us over and 00:45:06.380 --> 00:45:07.440 over and over. 00:45:09.059 --> 00:45:09.880 And as we do 00:45:09.880 --> 00:45:10.539 that Lord we know 00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:10.980 that your spirit 00:45:10.980 --> 00:45:11.539 will move. 00:45:12.900 --> 00:45:13.440 That Hong Kong 00:45:13.440 --> 00:45:14.240 will be changed. 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:16.820 People will fall 00:45:16.820 --> 00:45:17.380 in love. 00:45:18.720 --> 00:45:19.460 They'll fall in love 00:45:19.460 --> 00:45:20.180 with your son Jesus. 00:45:20.179 --> 00:45:23.099 So pray Lord for 00:45:23.099 --> 00:45:23.819 us that this year 00:45:23.819 --> 00:45:24.500 going into this 00:45:24.500 --> 00:45:25.000 new year that we 00:45:25.000 --> 00:45:25.440 would be different 00:45:25.440 --> 00:45:25.799 people. 00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:29.019 We need you. 00:45:30.119 --> 00:45:30.779 We pray all these 00:45:30.779 --> 00:45:31.319 things in your son 00:45:31.319 --> 00:45:32.259 Jesus holy name. 00:45:33.359 --> 00:45:33.659 Amen.