WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.360 Okay, so the title of last week's sermon was Lifeline, because we were looking at prayer 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:10.599 and how prayer is such a significant and important lifeline too, is like, you know, that iPhone 00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:15.480 is useless if it's not being plugged in and being plugged into the source. 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:19.719 It's just, as Thomas was saying on Wednesday, it's just something that's come out from the 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:23.280 ground really, and it's useless without the power. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:28.600 Well today the title of the sermon is Lifeline Severed, because we're looking really at the 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:35.840 consequences of Peter and the disciples, but primarily Peter's lack of prayer at that very 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:41.760 important time, where Jesus, remember the difference between the two was that Jesus, 00:00:41.760 --> 00:00:47.040 the Son of God, the perfect Son of God who was going towards the cross, at this point 00:00:47.040 --> 00:00:49.760 in his life needed strength. 00:00:49.760 --> 00:00:52.920 He needed strength, and where did he go for his strength? 00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:56.920 Jesus, the Son of God, where did he go for his strength? 00:00:56.920 --> 00:01:01.560 He went to his Father in heaven, and he went to his friends. 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:02.560 That's where he went. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:05.680 He asked his friends to come with him and pray with him, because he was praying to his 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:07.000 Father who was in heaven. 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:10.719 His Father didn't let him down, his friends did. 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:11.719 His friends fell asleep. 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:17.520 They didn't pray with him at that point, and so we see the difference even there, beginning 00:01:17.520 --> 00:01:19.240 to unpack. 00:01:19.240 --> 00:01:20.560 Jesus needed strength. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:24.640 So also Peter needed strength, Peter and the other disciples who were with him in the 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:29.079 Garden of Gethsemane, just like we need strength as believers. 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:31.480 Peter was in this point of a spiritual battle. 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:33.719 He also needed strength. 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:35.079 What did he do? 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:39.319 He slept instead of praying, because his spirit was willing. 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:41.159 He wanted to follow Jesus. 00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:48.280 He wanted to do what Jesus wanted him to do, but his flesh was weak, his desire was weak 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:56.359 in a sense, and he was tired and confused and weary and struggling, and so instead of 00:01:56.359 --> 00:01:58.840 praying, he slept. 00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:00.519 We saw that last week. 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:05.960 And we saw the reason for that was that previously he and the other disciples had stopped listening 00:02:05.960 --> 00:02:12.560 to Jesus and had therefore stopped talking to God. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:13.560 So the two came together. 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.080 They stopped listening to what Jesus was saying, the Word of God. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:19.440 We could take that as being the Bible for us. 00:02:19.440 --> 00:02:20.440 The Bible was closed. 00:02:20.440 --> 00:02:22.520 He'd stopped listening to what Jesus was saying. 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:26.080 Jesus had predicted lots of things that were going to happen, and had taught them about 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:29.240 the crucifixion. 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:34.439 So they'd stopped listening to Jesus, and as a result, they didn't feel the need to 00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:37.320 talk to God. 00:02:37.320 --> 00:02:42.400 And we looked at that for our own Christian walk and the danger of gradually slipping 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:46.080 away from a walk of faith with Jesus Christ. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:47.080 I know it's different. 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:50.840 I know Jesus isn't in the room with us like it was for Peter, where Peter could feel him 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:52.640 and touch him and see him. 00:02:52.640 --> 00:02:53.640 We know that. 00:02:53.640 --> 00:02:54.640 We know that. 00:02:54.640 --> 00:02:58.920 I'm assuming that we all recognize that the walk of faith is different. 00:02:58.920 --> 00:03:03.360 But none that is different, but it's not so different in the sense that it's a spiritual 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:05.159 relationship we have with Jesus. 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:06.400 We can't see Him physically. 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:12.360 He's in heaven physically, but we still know that He is the living God, the Son. 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:16.600 And we are in relationship with Him by faith, okay? 00:03:16.600 --> 00:03:21.880 So Peter and the disciples' faith was weakened because they were unplugged from God. 00:03:21.880 --> 00:03:22.880 Okay? 00:03:22.880 --> 00:03:23.880 They were unplugged from God. 00:03:23.880 --> 00:03:27.000 They stopped listening, and they stopped praying. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.880 They stopped learning, and they stopped asking. 00:03:30.880 --> 00:03:38.680 And they started depending on their own wisdom and their own insight, rather than depending 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:42.480 on Jesus and on the Holy Spirit in their lives. 00:03:42.480 --> 00:03:46.520 Now when that happened for them, when that happened, I'm specifically going to speak 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:53.640 about Peter, when that happened to Peter, it led to a distorted view of himself and 00:03:53.640 --> 00:04:01.240 a distorted view of God and a distorted view of other believers. 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:03.439 He didn't understand Jesus properly. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:07.960 He certainly didn't understand His own heart properly, and He didn't really understand the 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:09.640 needs of the other disciples either. 00:04:09.640 --> 00:04:15.080 So the lack of communion with God, the lack of prayer, and the lack of listening led to 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:19.680 Him being distorted in His understanding of spiritual things. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:25.079 And I'm wanting this morning to follow through with the experience of Peter and Jesus, because 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:30.920 I believe it's still really vital for our lives today, because if we are Christians, 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:35.639 we also have a relationship with Jesus Christ by faith. 00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:39.959 And it's one we need to guard and look after in our own hearts. 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:45.199 These are vital truths that we'll be looking at today, and it really is again another connection 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:50.079 towards the significance and the importance of our prayer lives, private and corporate 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:52.079 together. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:57.680 So in other words, if you're not praying as a Christian, if you don't pray, if you've 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:03.000 struggled and stopped praying, if prayer is a distant memory to you, then you will also 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:11.000 experience the same basic distortions in your life, in your life of faith. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.120 You will have distorted views. 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.120 We have distorted views when we stop praying. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:18.959 We don't understand God properly. 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:24.000 We don't understand ourselves, and we probably don't understand other Christians in the church, 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:27.480 in the church context, in the family of God. 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.759 And the truth, the Bible has given to us, and this passage has given to us, and these 00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:40.039 experiences are given to us to help us, to warn us, to encourage us so that we don't make 00:05:40.039 --> 00:05:41.039 the same mistakes. 00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:46.199 And if we do make the same mistakes, then it's okay, because there's a way back for 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:48.800 us, and that's hugely important. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:54.159 So can we look first of all briefly at Peter and the disciple Peter, who is so significant 00:05:54.159 --> 00:05:56.879 and so important in the Bible and the New Testament. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:02.319 And there's a couple of things I want to say about Peter and his relationship with Jesus. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:08.199 There was a bruised love, and there was also a... that led to a broken love. 00:06:08.199 --> 00:06:12.120 And I think that again is important for us in our relationship as Christians. 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:16.800 There's a bruised love in verse 58. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:20.560 This is... these are really brilliant words, right through this part. 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:28.519 The little... the little vignette word sentences are very significant. 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:32.000 We kind of read over them and maybe don't think about them, but they actually tell us 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:33.000 so much. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:37.680 So there's a great little phrase here, it says, in verse 58, and Peter was following 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:40.680 him at a distance. 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:44.360 That's really great, and it's really helpful. 00:06:44.360 --> 00:06:46.199 In other words, there was a distance. 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:52.240 I know it's physical, ultimately here, he followed at a distance, but it says more than 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:53.240 that. 00:06:53.240 --> 00:06:54.240 It says more than that. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:07:02.959 Peter was... his love was bruised, and he was following just a distance here from Jesus. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:07.079 Because he had a distorted view of Jesus by this point. 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:12.839 It seemed to me that Jesus... it seemed to him that Jesus... was it that Jesus was weak 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:14.319 at this point? 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:18.959 He's following at a distance, Jesus goes into the Sanhedrin where he's questioned by the 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:27.879 council and all these different people, and he... he didn't stand up to the false claims. 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:28.879 He was just silent. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:32.159 Well, Jesus, what's the hell about? 00:07:32.159 --> 00:07:35.079 Peter's following at a distance and he says, gee, why are you doing that, Jesus? 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:38.639 Why are you not standing up for who you are, you're the Son of God? 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:39.639 Stand up for... 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:44.919 He's silent, and it seems that Jesus is weak, and he's vastly outnumbered. 00:07:44.919 --> 00:07:48.959 There's Jesus and nobody else on his side. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:54.439 Nobody representing him, nobody speaking on his behalf, surrounded by like wild animals 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:57.599 baying for his blood. 00:07:57.599 --> 00:08:02.599 And Peter is at a distance. 00:08:02.599 --> 00:08:09.319 Jesus seemed weak to him, and Jesus was making unrealistic or crazy claims in verse 64. 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:18.599 They come up with this claim that Jesus had said he would build a temple, rebuild the temple, 00:08:18.599 --> 00:08:20.399 destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.319 And he said, what was he talking about? 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:24.319 How could he do that? 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:28.839 He didn't understand that Jesus was using a picture about his own death and resurrection 00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:29.839 in the third day. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:31.959 He seemed... he was speaking in riddles. 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:36.000 Now, Jesus quite often spoke in riddles or in parables, and here Peter's saying, well, 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:41.759 it's unrealistic, why he's... why you're not explaining these things just now, Jesus? 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:48.480 And of course, then he claims to be equal with God when Jesus said, you know, he's 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:52.440 claimed to be the Christ, and he says, you have said so, but I tell you from now on, 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:55.759 you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the power, coming in the clouds 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.759 of heaven. 00:08:56.759 --> 00:08:59.519 The high priest tears his robes, blasts for me. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:05.919 You know, because he was effectively claiming to be divine, to be equal with God. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:10.919 And so he's making these huge claims, and yet at the same time, he seems to be weak 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:14.919 and unable to defend himself and silent at the wrong moment. 00:09:14.919 --> 00:09:19.000 And so there's a distance between Peter and Jesus. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:22.399 Peter's confused and afraid. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:27.559 His faith is stretched to the limit here as he is a distance from Jesus. 00:09:27.559 --> 00:09:31.599 His body's trembling and his mind is fogged. 00:09:31.599 --> 00:09:33.799 His mind is fogged by what's happening. 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:36.279 He doesn't understand what's going on. 00:09:36.279 --> 00:09:37.279 He loved Jesus. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.799 He loved the Messiah, but this was not how it was meant to be. 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:46.279 Do you recognize that as a Christian? 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:47.279 Distance from Jesus. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:49.639 It's not how it was meant to be. 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:52.519 This is not how I expected it to be. 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:54.079 He was in emotional turmoil. 00:09:54.079 --> 00:09:55.079 Is any of this real? 00:09:55.079 --> 00:09:57.079 Is any of it significant? 00:09:57.079 --> 00:10:02.599 The lights were going out all around him, and he was all alone, even his friends at 00:10:02.599 --> 00:10:03.599 this point. 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:05.960 They had abandoned him, whatever. 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:08.560 They all abandoned each other. 00:10:08.560 --> 00:10:10.200 And so his love is there. 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:16.279 It's bruised because he can't understand what's going on, and he feels that it's all slipping 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:17.279 away from him. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:20.680 Now you might be able to sympathize with that this morning. 00:10:20.680 --> 00:10:24.480 I hope, well, when I say I hope you do, I don't. 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:29.279 I hope you're not, but if you are, I'm glad you're here. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:31.800 I'm glad you're here. 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:37.359 Because we need to stop the pretense of everything being great in our lives when it's not spiritually. 00:10:37.359 --> 00:10:40.399 And we need to recognize it's okay for that to be the case. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:47.439 Because sometimes we just come with slapstick smiles on, and everything's okay in our public 00:10:47.439 --> 00:10:51.639 demeanor in church. 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:54.719 But there's maybe deep-seated battles and struggles. 00:10:54.719 --> 00:10:59.039 You feel that you're a distance from Jesus Christ as a believer. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:02.480 And that distance, it led to denial. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:06.159 And maybe there's things in this that you will recognize as well. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:11.360 And I certainly recognize also. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.679 We saw that Jesus predicted that, didn't we? 00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:19.599 Last week, I didn't actually read that bit, but Jesus said to me, you know, Peter says, 00:11:19.599 --> 00:11:21.839 I'll never fall away, verse 34. 00:11:21.839 --> 00:11:28.000 Jesus said truly, this very night before the cock grows, you will deny me three times. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:29.000 Three times. 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:30.960 You will deny Jesus. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.120 And the word there for deny, the word that we have there for deny is a really strong 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:36.120 word. 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:43.559 It's an intense verb, a very strong, powerful turning away, absolutely deliberately from 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:44.559 Jesus. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:45.559 It wasn't thoughtless. 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:48.720 It wasn't just random. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:49.720 It wasn't careless. 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:56.360 It's a very deliberate decision that he made at that point as he was slightly away from 00:11:56.360 --> 00:11:58.519 Jesus Christ to deny him. 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:04.639 Now, Peter the Rock, the rock on which Jesus said he would build his church, spent three 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:10.519 intense years in fellowship and in friendship and in companionship and in traveling with 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:11.519 Jesus. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:13.439 Peter who said, to whom will I go? 00:12:13.439 --> 00:12:17.079 You've got the words of eternal life when everyone else was turning away from the hard 00:12:17.079 --> 00:12:18.639 sayings of Jesus. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:23.879 Peter who just briefly, a few hours before it said, I'll never let you down. 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:25.879 Even if everyone else here does, I'll not. 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:27.799 I'll never let you down. 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:32.319 Peter the preacher, the teacher, the leader, the deep friend, the one who had seen the 00:12:32.319 --> 00:12:41.919 miracles, who drank up the teaching of Jesus had stopped listening and had stopped praying. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:51.039 And a great distance began to come between him and Jesus and a huge fear, deep-seated 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:57.479 fear in this really powerful section from verse 69 of Peter was outside warming himself, 00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:58.480 sleeping at a distance. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:02.759 The girl came up to him and said, yeah, you're, I recognize you. 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:04.960 You're a, no I wasn't. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.960 Someone else comes out. 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:07.240 He moves, someone else comes out. 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:09.399 You're with plenty of opportunities. 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:10.680 No, never. 00:13:10.680 --> 00:13:13.080 I absolutely not. 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:14.080 Strong denial. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:15.759 And third, cursing and swearing. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.720 No, absolutely not. 00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:18.920 Completely not the case. 00:13:18.920 --> 00:13:24.920 And increasingly vehement dissociation with his friend Jesus, cursing and swearing his 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:29.559 denial and his disloyalty. 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.679 So there was this bruised love. 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:41.959 And then I think it is descended the right word, descended into a broken love. 00:13:41.959 --> 00:13:47.039 And that broken love, and what I mean by broken love, I mean that in his heart he was broken. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:52.439 I don't mean the love between Jesus and him was broken, but I meant that broken hearted 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:55.160 love might be a better phrase to use. 00:13:55.160 --> 00:13:58.920 And it's triggered by a look. 00:13:58.920 --> 00:14:01.400 It's not recorded in Matthew, it's recorded in Luke. 00:14:01.400 --> 00:14:03.600 I think we've got it on the screen. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:07.040 No, okay, we don't have it on the screen. 00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:08.240 Sorry. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:12.560 There are some verses for the screen, but I'll just look up because it's so powerful. 00:14:12.560 --> 00:14:16.160 Luke chapter 22 and verse 61. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:24.759 This is the same account, but all the Gospels have it slightly differently or add different 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:25.959 points. 00:14:25.959 --> 00:14:29.360 So, but Peter said, man, I don't know who you're talking about. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:30.360 This is the third time. 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:32.439 Oh, there we go. 00:14:32.439 --> 00:14:39.399 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered, yep, the Lord turned and 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:42.199 looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the saying of the Lord. 00:14:42.199 --> 00:14:44.720 It doesn't record it in Matthew, but records it in Luke. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:54.200 So Jesus, in the midst of his trial, an earlier trial, just turned around and looks at Peter, 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:56.200 who's at a distance. 00:14:56.200 --> 00:15:04.879 And that triggers, it sparks the memory of Jesus' words that he had obviously heard, 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:07.000 but had not taken on board. 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:13.639 The prophetic words had registered, but had been rejected by Jesus, by Peter. 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:14.799 And he remembered them here. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:20.080 And as the cock grew three times, it was a powerful reminder of what Jesus had said. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:27.480 And it led to bitter repentance and sadness, brokenhearted love for his Redeemer. 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:33.240 But interestingly, can I say just a sidebar here, if you notice at the end of chapter 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:38.439 26 where we read to, the beginning of chapter 27 where Jesus delivered to Pilate, it goes 00:15:38.439 --> 00:15:40.039 on to speak about Judas. 00:15:40.039 --> 00:15:46.159 Now that's not insignificant that Peter and Judas are laid side by side in the Scripture 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:52.159 there, because Peter's sorrow was different from Judas'. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.839 Judas' was remorse for being found out. 00:15:55.839 --> 00:16:02.360 For whatever reason, it was a disastrous failure on his part, and he didn't want to return 00:16:02.360 --> 00:16:03.639 to the disciples of Jesus. 00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:09.000 He took his own life in hugely tragic circumstances. 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:12.519 But Peter didn't. 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:17.200 He had a brokenhearted relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.759 Is it the end for him? 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:20.679 He's failed as a disciple. 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:22.399 There's no way back. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:24.240 Do you feel like that today? 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:27.519 If you felt like that in your Christian life, there's no way back. 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:30.440 I've fallen from such a height spiritually. 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:34.360 I've stopped doing all the things that you used to do. 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:35.960 I'm hanging on. 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:43.440 A best, a bruised love, certainly brokenhearted in many different ways. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:47.600 And I just feel constantly I've let Jesus down, and it's too difficult to carry on. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:51.120 It's too difficult to be, I'd rather not be in that place. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:57.920 Well, the next mention of Peter is not in Matthew or in the rest of the chapters here. 00:16:57.920 --> 00:16:58.920 It's not in Luke. 00:16:58.920 --> 00:17:01.360 It's not in Mark. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:02.720 But it's actually in John. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:08.400 In John's Gospel, he's next mentioned when the women who were at the tomb go back to 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:13.400 the disciples and speak to him. 00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:16.079 And I think it's the next... 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:21.680 Yeah, there's another verse which... 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:23.559 I will come back to that one. 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:24.559 Yeah, there's another verse. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:25.559 Okay. 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:26.559 But could you put that one back up then? 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.559 That's a good one. 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:28.559 Yeah. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:29.559 Sorry. 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:32.960 I may be not. 00:17:32.960 --> 00:17:34.519 Okay. 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.679 That's fine. 00:17:35.679 --> 00:17:36.679 Yeah. 00:17:36.679 --> 00:17:41.319 So, in John's Gospel, on the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:43.960 locked where the disciples and Peter was at this point. 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:48.480 For fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, Peace be with 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.480 you. 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:50.879 So, we're not even at that level. 00:17:50.879 --> 00:17:52.559 It's not the end for Peter. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.559 Okay? 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:55.319 And we see... 00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:59.480 I'm going to look now at Peter and Jesus' response to him, because it's very significant 00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:02.720 for us in our life of faith, particularly if we're struggling or battling or want to 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.639 give up in our Christian life. 00:18:04.639 --> 00:18:09.319 So Peter and Jesus, first of all, we know that Jesus has been speaking into Peter's 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:11.079 life, even when Peter wasn't listening. 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:15.399 And that's very important for us, not just through the three years of his public ministry, 00:18:15.399 --> 00:18:18.599 but right just at the end, the bits that we've looked at. 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:22.000 He's already spoken to him and said, Look, you're going to deny me three times. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:27.119 He speaks to... he warns him because he loves him and he warns him. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:30.880 And he says, You're going to deny me. 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:33.920 And then when Peter doesn't listen to that, when they go into the Gethsemane, he says, 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.279 Look, disciples, watch and pray. 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.279 Watch and pray. 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:40.720 He speaks to them there and he encourages him to pray. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.819 He knows what he needs. 00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:44.759 These are warnings that he gives in love. 00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:48.960 And these are the living words of a friend for you if you're a Christian today and you're 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:49.960 at that point. 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:53.400 And maybe you're not at that point and maybe none of us are at that point, but all of us 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:55.920 need to hear Jesus saying, Watch and pray. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:57.079 It's great advice. 00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:58.079 Three words. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:59.079 That's what he says to us, Watch and pray. 00:18:59.079 --> 00:19:02.480 If we watch and pray, we'll not go far wrong in our Christian walk. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:07.120 If we watch and pray, if we keep that relationship with Jesus Christ open as we listen and as 00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:08.120 we pray. 00:19:08.120 --> 00:19:16.240 So he speaks into Peter's weakness to try and draw him back from the cliff edge of denial. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:21.480 But he also convicts him after he has failed and betrayed his Savior. 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:26.559 He convicts him simply with his presence and with that look. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:28.960 Luke 22.61 again speaks about that. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:31.240 He just, Jesus looked at him. 00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:33.200 That's all it took. 00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:36.759 You know, husband, do you know that look from your wife? 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:38.759 Wife, do you know that look from your husband? 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:40.720 Friend, do you know that look from a friend? 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:49.039 It's just a look that says, It's all been wrong and that's all that's needed. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:56.240 There's a conviction of failure on Peter's part of hurt, of letting his Savior down. 00:19:56.240 --> 00:20:04.200 But then he restored, Jesus restores him so personally, beautifully and very gently. 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:12.360 So, and I'm jumping a little bit to the different gospel accounts because I think that's legitimate. 00:20:12.360 --> 00:20:14.200 It's okay to do that. 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:15.200 Mark 16. 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:21.160 Okay, this is the same kind of place. 00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:22.960 This is after the resurrection. 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:24.559 Okay, look at this. 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:25.559 This is brilliant. 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:28.640 Jesus said to them, Do not be alarmed. 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:31.039 You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.200 He is risen. 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:33.200 He is not here. 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:34.200 He is not here to see Jesus speaking. 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:35.920 See the place where he laid them. 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:43.519 But go tell his disciples and Peter that he's going before you into Galilee. 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:45.240 There you will see him, just as he told. 00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:46.960 Go and tell the disciples. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:54.240 And Peter, Peter specifically, Peter mentioned by name, because Peter was the one who needed 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:59.840 to know the assurance that he was still a disciple of Jesus, even more than the others. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:07.000 My old colleague and boss, Kenny McDonald, is now in glory. 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:11.279 When he was a student, he was a student later in life in ETS, free church colleges, it was 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:13.000 called then. 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:20.000 He had one sermon that he preached as a student in his 40s, whatever he was. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:23.679 You would go around different congregations as a student before you were called to a place. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:32.560 One sermon, he preached 30 or 40 times, and it was that text and Peter, two words, because 00:21:32.560 --> 00:21:39.920 it's such a powerful restoration from Jesus to tell the women to tell Jesus. 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:43.799 And then of course we have the resurrection breakfast in John's Gospel, we don't have 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:45.640 time to look at that at all. 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.759 But where Jesus speaks with Peter, and you know that many of you will know that story 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:54.960 where he says to Peter three times, do you love me, Peter, feed my sheep? 00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:57.000 Do you love me, Peter, feed my lambs? 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:58.000 Do you love me, Peter? 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:05.000 And the third time Peter, the Scripture says Peter was hurt by this, questioning his love. 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:13.000 But it's the threefold reminder of the three times that he denied him before the crucifixion. 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:18.799 And that hurt for Peter is a reminder to him of what his relationship with Jesus is like 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.960 and what it meant for Jesus. 00:22:21.960 --> 00:22:26.440 But he's reinstated there, and he's given a task, a leader of Christ's flock. 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.200 He's going to have a cross to carry. 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:32.000 He's going to have sacrificial work to do, is the apostolic rock in which the New Testament 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:33.000 was built. 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:36.000 He lived by grace. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:41.079 So we see that restoration, and we see it working out in the ongoing New Testament so 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:47.720 that in Acts chapter 4 verse 13, we have now, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:51.079 when they perceived they'd been uneducated common men, and they were astonished. 00:22:51.079 --> 00:22:53.000 They recognized they'd been with Jesus. 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:54.319 Isn't that great? 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:58.559 Because he denied him, and he wasn't willing to be with Jesus. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:03.079 And yet he comes to this point where he's acknowledged as someone who is known to have 00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:08.559 been with Jesus, and he is courageous and bold and strong about that, and no longer ashamed 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:16.039 and embarrassed to be associated with, to be part of the followers of Jesus. 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:20.519 And of course, from that courage, he goes on to become a great teacher, and his epistles 00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:22.240 speak powerfully. 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:26.000 And we see his wisdom and the experience he's had. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:33.399 So then 1 Peter 4, 7 and 8, Jesus, Peter says to the people he's writing to, the church, 00:23:33.399 --> 00:23:36.799 the end of all things, is at hand, therefore be self-controlled, sober-minded for the sake 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:37.799 of your... 00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:43.039 Above all, keep yourself, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:44.039 of sins. 00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:49.519 So be sober-minded, it's the same word as being alert that Jesus said earlier on. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:51.799 Be alert, keep praying. 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:58.159 And now, this is Peter, having learned that harrowing lesson, he now passes it on to others. 00:23:58.159 --> 00:24:02.559 And also 1 Peter 5, where he says, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:10.200 not on your combustible will, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly. 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:13.879 And it goes on to say, for love covers a multitude of sins. 00:24:13.880 --> 00:24:16.600 And he knew that absolutely from his own experience. 00:24:16.600 --> 00:24:20.280 So I'm going to close just by asking the question, what about Jesus and us? 00:24:20.280 --> 00:24:21.880 Where do you fit into the story today? 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:24.160 Or do I fit into the story? 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:29.200 As it gives us the living word and the account of the living word in our lives. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:35.240 Well, remembering that we have much, much more privilege than Peter, because we have 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:39.760 the story, the finished story, we've got the Bible completed, we've got all the epistles, 00:24:39.760 --> 00:24:43.440 we've got the death, the resurrection, the ascension of Jesus, we've got the giving of 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:46.519 the Holy Spirit, we've got far more than Peter had. 00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:50.880 What is it, with all our privilege, what is Jesus saying to us in our ongoing relationship 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:52.279 with Christ? 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:55.120 And if you're not a Christian, what is Jesus saying to you? 00:24:55.120 --> 00:25:01.480 Well, for us as Christians, I think firstly saying, never stop listening to Jesus, you 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:05.160 know, in the Bible, His living word. 00:25:05.160 --> 00:25:10.039 That's what Peter stopped listening to Jesus. 00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:13.559 And we mustn't do that, we have all Scripture. 00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:16.639 And it's not a dull book, it's not a dead book, and it's not a far away book, because 00:25:16.639 --> 00:25:19.720 all Scripture is God breathed, it's living. 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:27.639 And it teaches us, it speaks to us, it comes into our experience, and it's there to encourage 00:25:27.639 --> 00:25:31.720 and rebuke and bring us to that living faith in Jesus Christ, John's gospel. 00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:36.000 See, I've written these things so that people might believe. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:40.720 They'll learn about His, when we stop listening to Him in His Word, then we get a distorted 00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:46.680 view of Jesus, and we get, just get a big Santa Claus in His place, just get some big 00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:48.240 figment of our own imagination. 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:52.400 It's not the God of the Bible who speaks and reveals Himself, it's just some big kind of 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:56.519 big character that we've just won, that we make up. 00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.799 It's not like that. 00:25:57.799 --> 00:26:01.640 It's the living God who reveals Himself in His Word. 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:06.720 And as we, if our Bible is closed, then we misunderstand His nature, we misunderstand our 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:10.000 own hearts, and we misunderstand other Christians. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:14.280 Meditate on it, apply it, soak your life in the Bible. 00:26:14.280 --> 00:26:20.440 And that's one of the reasons that we've taken to the city groups on a Wednesday night being 00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:25.400 application of the sermon and the passage we've read on a Sunday, because we don't just 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:31.320 want to keep feeding and do Bible studies if we're not taking time to meditate and think 00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:39.000 and apply and make them personal through prayer and through the Spirit of God. 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:40.000 Never stop listening to Jesus. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:44.480 And I ask the question, do you sense a distance between yourself and Jesus today? 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:49.960 You bruised, you feel brokenhearted, you feel God is far from you, He's not answering, or 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:54.639 maybe you're just not praying, prayerless. 00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:56.240 You've stopped watching and praying. 00:26:56.240 --> 00:27:01.599 All I can say is just to the Jesus to watch and pray, watch and pray. 00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:06.120 If I die tonight, I've left you with that, watch and pray. 00:27:06.120 --> 00:27:09.240 That's the greatest advice I could give. 00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:11.880 And can I also ask you spiritually to sense His look? 00:27:11.880 --> 00:27:15.279 I just want to be a strange thing to say, to sense His look. 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:18.519 Now, Jesus looked at Peter and it was what brought the conviction now. 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:24.799 I know we don't have Jesus looking at us physically today, but there's no doubt that 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:29.680 He's part of our lives and He looks us in different ways. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:33.960 Sometimes it's through a word in the Bible, sometimes it's through a sermon, sometimes 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:38.599 it'll be through what someone says to us, sometimes it might be providence, something 00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:40.399 that happens in our lives. 00:27:40.399 --> 00:27:45.599 It's just like a look from Jesus which says, have you forgotten me? 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:49.599 Have you denied me? 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:55.039 And it's a redeeming look and it's to bring us back, to bring us back in repentance. 00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:59.879 Yes, it'll maybe bring tears to us, but it's healing tears. 00:27:59.879 --> 00:28:05.839 And He said, get back to Him, get back to me and get back to my people because that's 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:10.399 where safety is and that's where growth is and that's where protection is and encouragement 00:28:10.399 --> 00:28:11.399 and power. 00:28:11.399 --> 00:28:13.559 So sense His look. 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:20.200 And then remember, lastly, that His gentle restoration also has grit. 00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:22.599 Okay, can I say that? 00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:29.599 That Jesus' gentle restoration in our lives also has grit as part of it. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:33.759 So Jesus will say to us as we come back, and all of us need to repent, all of us are needing 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:37.279 to come back to Jesus to a greater or lesser degree in our day-to-day living. 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:40.159 He says to us, it's okay. 00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:45.640 I know and I love you and I want you back. 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:55.160 But He will also, within that great grace, reflect some grit of love and say, move from 00:28:55.160 --> 00:29:04.800 this place because it's terrible for you and because it's damaging for you, for my name 00:29:04.800 --> 00:29:10.040 as a Christ as God and for others around you. 00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:16.359 Remember that, that He's pulling us back and might even have allowed us to go into that 00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:18.920 place in order to see what a dark and terrible place it is. 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:24.799 But He says, look, just as He does with Peter at the breakfast, He says, look, I've chosen 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:29.960 you, I've gifted you, I've got work for you to do, I love you. 00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:33.079 Go shepherd others. 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:34.720 Watch and pray. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.359 Carry my cross. 00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:38.000 Use your experience. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:39.799 No experience is wasted. 00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:45.599 It's not an excuse to drift and fall away, but He will use that as He draws us back into 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:46.599 His light. 00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:50.039 It's a dark place to be, to be away from Jesus. 00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:51.720 We want to be in the light. 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:54.919 And so He's saying, live out, watch and pray. 00:29:54.919 --> 00:29:55.919 Just live out. 00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:56.919 You live out. 00:29:56.919 --> 00:29:58.079 You live out in your week today. 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:02.039 I got to live out in the study downstairs or whatever else I'm going to be. 00:30:02.039 --> 00:30:04.599 Live out watching and praying daily. 00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:07.200 Make it part of who you are and what you do. 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:11.640 The great thing is we're works in progress and He'll never let us go. 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:14.039 And He excels in restoration work. 00:30:14.039 --> 00:30:15.880 That's what He does. 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.880 He's great. 00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:19.319 And if you're not a Christian, you need restoration. 00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:22.360 And as Christians, we need to keep on being restored. 00:30:22.360 --> 00:30:23.360 He excels in that. 00:30:23.360 --> 00:30:26.640 That's what His great gift is. 00:30:26.640 --> 00:30:29.240 Watch and pray. 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:34.519 Remember that as long as you live, because if you sleep spiritually, if you stop listening 00:30:34.519 --> 00:30:40.920 and stop praying, your heart will be bruised and broken. 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:47.000 And it needn't be like that for us as Christians. 00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:52.400 And if you're not a Christian, I'm just asking, who is Jesus to you? 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:53.400 What does He mean to you? 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:57.000 All this is sounded a bit fairy-fairy and a bit weird. 00:30:57.000 --> 00:30:58.440 Well, who is Jesus? 00:30:58.440 --> 00:31:04.039 Are you going to challenge yourself to find out who Jesus is? 00:31:04.039 --> 00:31:06.759 Just because we can't see Him, does that make Him not real? 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:08.319 Or is He not important enough? 00:31:08.319 --> 00:31:11.960 But, you know, we read that in Catechism. 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:12.960 He's coming back. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:16.519 He's died on the cross for our sins, to restore our relationship with Him, to give us life, 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:19.759 to give us fullness, where we look for it in other places. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:23.799 And He's coming back to take His children to be with Him. 00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:25.119 And you don't want to be on the outside. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:27.879 You don't want to be in darkness that day. 00:31:27.879 --> 00:31:28.879 Let's pray. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:35.400 Father God, we ask and pray that You would help us to understand You better, to know 00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:41.520 that as we learn about You from Your Word and as we pray, that we understand You and 00:31:41.520 --> 00:31:46.480 we understand through Your Spirit, we understand ourselves and we understand one another. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:51.880 And as Peter went on to teach in his epistle that we forgive one another because love covers 00:31:51.880 --> 00:31:54.360 a multitude of sins, because we've been forgiven so much. 00:31:54.360 --> 00:31:55.880 I've been forgiven so much. 00:31:55.880 --> 00:31:56.880 What right have I? 00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:01.640 What right have I to stand in judgment on others and not give forgiveness where I have 00:32:01.640 --> 00:32:03.440 been given so much? 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:06.320 May we see and know that and understand it. 00:32:06.320 --> 00:32:10.880 Help us to learn from Peter not to go down the same road of brokenness and distance and 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:11.880 betrayal. 00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:16.800 But help us to learn to stay close to Jesus and understand that with all our questions 00:32:16.800 --> 00:32:23.160 and difficulties and doubts, fears, confusion about the will and the mind of God, who wouldn't 00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:30.200 be, He's God and we are not. Help us to stick close and know His love and know His grace 00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:31.200 and know His goodness. 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:35.960 Lord, we pray for that and we ask that You would help us to live that in our lives today 00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:36.960 for Jesus' sake. 00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:54.000 Amen.