The Denial

Turn in your Bibles this morning to mark chapter 14 would you do that Mark chapter 14 and were going to cover what I called the denial. This is the biblical narratives in the night before Jesus was crucified when Peter denied the Lord. But the whole narrative of the denial covers some territory.

You could say it begins on Thursday afternoon before they travel from what I call the olive farm the garden of Gethsemane is often called the gift simply means all press. It was a place in the olive farm.

It seems to be our retreat center that the Lord had chosen during his last week of earthly life, where he would minister in Jerusalem during the day and begin a respite get away from the people is his disciples along with himself would journey outside of Jerusalem.

Proper to this little olive farm and it was about a mile up to 3 miles depending on the route that they would take from the inner city to get there so anyway there there on Thursday evening and they travel from the olive farm into Jerusalem for the Passover. There they have the Passover meal and that upper room and Jesus transforms the Jewish Passover into the church is Lord's supper and then later that night they travel back out of Jerusalem back to the olive farm outside of Jerusalem proper and there you have the betrayal by Judas Iscariot, and the rest. And then Jesus is taken back into the city from the olive farm and he's taken to the household of the high priest and that's where the actual verbal denial of Jesus occurs.

The powerful section of Scripture, and it really is holy ground, and I hope starting today and going to the next four sessions that we begin to marvel even more that we begin to treasure even more deeply wonder even more wondrously over the wisdom and the power and the beauty of our God in our redemption through his son Jesus Christ. This get in Mark 14 and will look at several sections here. Part 14. First of all verses 27 to 31 and Jesus said to them that you will all fall away because it is written, I will strike down the shepherd of the sheep will be scattered, but after I have been raised. I will go ahead of you in the Galilee. But Peter said to him, even though all fall away, yet will not. Jesus said to him, truly I say to you that this very night before rooster crows twice, you will yourself deny me three times, Peter kept saying insistently, even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you they were all saying the same thing also. Now turn over to verses 53 and 54 the same chapter verse 53 that let Jesus away to the high priest and all the chief priests and the elders of the scribes gathered together.

Peter had followed him. Note the phrase at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire now over to verse 66 through verse 72 as Peter was below in the courtyard.

One of the servant girls of the high priest came and saying Peter warming himself. She looked at him and said, you also were with Jesus the Nazarene, I need to know. I didn't say I neither know nor understand what you're talking about and he went out into the porch, the rooster crowed the servant girl saw him and begin once more to say to the bystander. This is one of them. But again, he denied it. After little while the bystanders were again saying the Peter.

Surely you are one of them for your Galilee into but he begin the cursor pronounce a curse on himself and swear I do not know this man were talking about. Immediately a rooster crowed the second time Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him for a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times and he began to weep.

The denial God is a God that can do two things at the same time, but in fact he can do 10 million things at the same time. Obviously the driving central theme of the text is the eternal plan of a sovereign God to deliver up his son to say for himself a people in all of these events are unfolding to fulfill that grand and central purpose not only the central purpose of the Scripture which it is is a central purpose of everything the universe time.

All that exist, centers in Christ and his death for his children that he might redeem them and claim them for his own forever, but in the unveiling of that glorious truth.

The narrative gives a lot of attention to Peter, the leader of the 12 and primarily to the events that surrounded Peter's denial of the Lord three times of the night that Jesus was arrested and delivered up. He said Peter was a man of enthusiasm. He was more than others, perhaps a boisterous man. Peter seem to do everything in a big way and God knew for Peter to be the leader that God was intending him to do that there had to be some flaws some shortcomings, yes, some sins dealt with, and so in this time in its marvelous a marvel to me, but in this time of the holy Scriptures unfolding. The narrative of our Lord going to the cross. It also unveils an intensive and essential training time for the apostle Peter so that he might be the qualified leader of the apostles and of the early church. So God uses this time in the delivering up of his son as also time for the training of Peter and in a broader sense for the training of the 12, and an even broader sense for the training of us less notice. First of all, I this list notice.

Pride arises and is embraced pride arises and is embraced my mother stop there and give you this exhortation, all of us are still high almost in this fallen unredeemed humanity. We all have the old flash of your truly God if you're born again your new man on the inside but the old man is still attached, and so part of the old man is the pride factor that thing of I can do it and I don't need daughter. I miss Wise's daughter my ways.

His goodness is that stuff always rises up what our job is to catch it by faith and repent of it and put it back down is not what happens here. Peter's pride arises and he embraces it. Verse 27 if you will. Jesus is speaking to them. I've had the Lord's supper are are the Passover meal and transformed into the Lord's supper and then Jesus says those words and in Mark 1427. You will all fall away the word fall. There's an interesting word. It can is easily be translated stumble. I think it probably would be better translated that but I'll submit to the scholars who went ahead and translated it fall, but to us the concept of fall means to fall away fully and forever. Typically that's the way I think stumble is a better word, but just understand that either word could be used to Jesus says all of you Peter and all the rest of you in this not in the events that are about to unfold before you. You're all going to fall away. And here's a powerful, formal words that you need to grasp because it is written. That's interesting to me you're not, though it is certainly implied, interested, you're not only going to fall away because you are weak and you are flexible in your sinful and we all are prone to such a fall away because it's written that you're going to fall away.

Listen to me child of God. What's written abuse.

Always true of you. What is written of you in this sacred book is true of you.

So Jesus goes straight to the Old Testament." This text from Zechariah because it is written, I will strike down the shepherd. That's God the father laying on his son, Jesus, the shepherd of the church, the sin of the world. The crushing retribution of holy wrath in their place. So when I struck down the shepherd.

The sheep shell.

The scattered and then you have verse 28. And what a word of hope and encouragement. This must've been. And if I could hear it or 20 but my goodness, what an important conjunction, the shepherds going to be Christ.

The sheep are going to scatter you're all going to stumble or fall away from me… Going to leave it at that. After I have been raised. I will go ahead of you in the Galilee, you're going to scatter from me, but I will give you all back together again as evening told you God sovereign in all things, the sovereignty of God in this God's written that you're going to fall away and we do find by the way were not fatalistic. The Bible teaches you responsible if you fall away when the Bible predicts it.

Trust me, it's going to happen. But Jesus says after I rise again. I'm going to take all of you stumbling failing warnings and humble heard you all back together is my sheep going in the Galilee. Interesting wonderful promise Jesus and affixes this, you will fail me, but I will not fail you just meditate on that Jesus and effect, says you will fail but I will keep you in on the final analysis, the perseverance of the saints that precious doctor in our bags, forefathers of Hilty from the beginning that your once saved always saved it. It's not about you holding on to Jesus. It's about Jesus holding on to you. You will stumble you will fall away, but I will not fail you trying to drive home a true truth to these guys and especially to Peter. Peter needs more training like some of us do notice Peter swelling up in pride verse 29. But another conjunction but will the good stuff and follow this one verse 29 but Peter said to him, even though all may follow. I get I will not Peter said Lord you don't understand some things rest these guys. I don't know what kind of stuff there might've been the not by the stove on rest. These guys might not hang in there, but rest these guys. You know the kind a little weight loaf imminent guys, but I'm here the rock I will fall away sure you remind yourself pride goeth before the fall, but Peter should sit as oh dear God, I'm prone to all kinds of failure. Please don't let me do it. That's we should send a bullet pride swells up and he's embracing it is amazing how much we pick on Peter. What if your name was put in fewer Peter and is recorded for all eternity. Aren't you glad God and record all of our failures for all the church of all the ages to study and look at verse 30 and Jesus said to him, truly I say to you that this very night before rooster crows twice, you yourself there's an emphatic nature. There you Peter you you yourself will deny me three times. But Peter Is present tense. Peter just keeps on boldly, loudly, insistently, even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you and all the rest jump in.

They were all saying the same thing also. Proverbs 1618, remind us pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling one of the things I want to say here to you is Jesus said this is going to happen then… Here's the incarnate Word of God saying you're all going to fall away.

This specifically. Peter, you will deny me three times and many quotes, the infallible, inerrant word of God from Zechariah that prophesied, you're all going to fall away, but Peter disagrees with God's word but to stop for a moment this morning, brothers and sisters in Christ what's in God's word that you disagree with right now I'm not talking about secondary things that we can all disagree on that. The Bible is not clear on I'm asking you what in your life right now is the word of God clear on and decided I agree with that. That is, that's called pride and pride goeth before the fall. You need to save your heart this morning.

Have you learned to talk to yourself and stop listening to yourself, you know, don't you know your heart is full of foolishness and wickedness.

You gotta talk true to yourself. You need to talk for yourself this one. It's an old God where ever your word is clear.

If I disagree with it humbled me and help me to be in agreement with you and with your word.

Don't let pride swell up in me and, further, don't let me begin to embrace first Timothy 36 talking about how deacons need up before their pointed to the office need to be men of proven mints is a not a new convert so that he will not become conceited, pride, and falling to the condemnation incurred by the devil.

So here the apostle Peter is still young.

He's immature. He's looking to his natural our fleshly strength we have to remind ourselves that even of our sales are natural self. Listen to me we are unable and we are always unwilling to do anything purely for the glory of God is just not in us to do it, the flesh, the old natural man is always about serving self. It's always about self pleasure. It's always about self exaltation. It is written. Also in Matthew 2641 that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak is written also in in Romans chapter 8 verse eight.

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God to hear. Peter is maybe he's trying to impress the Lord maybe tried to impress the other disciples around him rising up and in the strength of his fleshly wisdom, and in the strength of fleshly power sink will remain faithful to said no you will work out prophesied that you will remain for you will stumble you going to fail me and you do at this very night before, crows twice, you'll actually deny me publicly three times this confidence of Peter was really not well-founded because he's had a bumpy discipleship already EEE told the Lord, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God in just a few moments later he rebukes Jesus verse when Jesus tells him is going to down the cross, he thinks, no, no, no, Jesus timeout, you can't go down the cross. That's not the way women work this thing out. Have you learned that when you submit to somebody you don't get to submit your way submission link you want with their way. So Peter said I'll submit to you Lord I built a church problem to the way I want to do it and you know what the next thing Jesus told Peter was after that round moment of self-confidence. He said get behind me Satan you're not sitting here my mind all millions on God's interest but only your acting like a fallen, fleshly, foolish human again instead of the spirit new reborn spirit indwelt believer human pride is always the basis for our doubting God's word will reject God's word. When we think that our wisdom is superior, but we must as children of God by all in humility that we will serve God in this way by his strength and for his glory.

That very conviction is what brought me decades ago to a stall work, unmovable conviction about the local church because I studied and studied and studied and studied and studied the New Testament and all the amazing things I was going to do to make disciples. And all this work for God. God kept saying it's all the churches all the churches all the church all the church and found acid is all the church I had my Peter humbling season of realizing God studies what you will to do it in my way is not to compete with. He is on the yield that here's here Peter is saying you're not will not fall away all in my flesh to hold up I'll do right and he's full of pride. Pride arises and it is embraced Roman to the denial gets closer.

You begin to distance yourself from the Lord. Distance yourself from the Lord.

Look at verses 53 and 54. As Jesus has been arrested. He's taken away to the high priest house.

Verse 53 chapter 14 Mark they led Jesus away to the high priest and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together or swallow any comment on the boulder all their own thing high priest all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes are all there. I mean they all are excited about this moment, this is what they been warning for months, even years now. They wanted to get this Jesus they want to silence him.

They wanted to get him out of the way but they never knew how to do it because he had so many of the common people who thronged around him and loved him so I minute to arrest Jesus started hard to Jesus, will cause a riot if they cause a riot. The Roman governments can be really upset about that. We can't do that, but finally they got him they come in the night to arrested with their torches come to the garden of Gethsemane. The olive farm. They didn't have electric lights. These guys come with their torches to arrest the light of the world. They'd seen him every day been teaching in the open yeah but they were too cowardly to do that, they arrested the taking to the household of high priest there enjoying their new prize there all talking over it and they are too blind to see that they are falling right into the plans of the sovereign God. This is exactly what he has orchestrated to happen but look at verse 54 getting back to the way the narrative keeps bringing out the episode with Peter Bickford, 54, Peter had followed him at a distance riding to the courtyard of the high priest, and was sitting with the officers and warming himself at five following at a distance. I call this halfhearted discipleship cannot charge you this morning brothers and sisters in Christ.

Have you follow the way to the degree are are you now walking in halfhearted discipleship. Peter is following all along, but he's keeping a distance. The text tells us he's not declaring he's a follower of Jesus. He's not taking out that big sword he used to carry on how to cut people's ears off really fun for people's heads off adjusted ears. He's not taking out that big sword in hacking on that door and saying let my Lord go know he's quiet.

He's at a distance.

He's following along at a distance. I call it halfhearted discipleship, halfhearted discipleship manifested itself in a lot of different ways. Are you one of those that show up on Sunday but you don't seek God hardly ever Monday through Saturday as your prayer times as your time with the book open.

Has your morning devotions, just to say Lord this is your day.

I want to honor you this day. Work on my heart Lord has your prayer time. Your devotion times in the morning you halfhearted disciple disciple of Jesus.

Yes, what are you following at a distance. Are you seeking him in the morning. Are you seeking during the week and I'm not talking about legalism here because you can have quiet time seven days a week and still miss God, but you need to be seeking God that you study your small group lesson this week, so you'd be prepared so that when you come to small groups you realize it's not about you it's about you being a blessing to your brothers and sisters in your small group are you following along at a distance view setting is the preaching the word with the learned sobriety prayerfully saying got out of every printer this morning. How utterly save your truth and repent of anything in my heart, mind, behavior motives, whatever it is that then line up with you if you're not doing those things that doesn't make you a super Christian if you're doing those things.

It makes you an average Christian or are you following at a distance, I'm following them discounted a distance as halfhearted discipleship. Those who are in the halfhearted discipleship judge a church by what they get out of it, not by what they can give to it will so glad that we don't have much of that anymore.

Some family come waltzing into the church like they're the greatest prize in the kingdom of God were also just fall down and golfed over them instead of walking to the church, humbly saying we don't were unworthy to be a part of God's church were unworthy to be God's servants, we would just like to join and be a part of serving God's bride. If he loved it enough to die for it and all the love enough to leave Fort are you kinda warped and halfhearted in your discipleship and you view church like what if it cranks my tractor if it scratches my itch if it blesses me. If it fits my emotional predisposition of what I like and don't like that I'm in. Once you go play religion somewhere. This is the church of Jesus Christ. Are you halfhearted disciple.

It would be honest with you, we all are from time to time. We don't stay there. We want to stay there.

We can repent get back on board the sentimentalism and emotionalism. God's the halfhearted disciple what's in it for we went blesses me. What encourages me. What do I like what you like.

PT is IPT's charts should be conditioning and training. As I got like what you like. I love what you love don't let me fall into my flat sleep definitions of what's good and right. You those to the word of God will be determined by the Spirit's help, I will arbitrate your love and joy in what you trade your love and joy find me a church that's anchored in truth and I will learn to love it because I don't be a halfhearted disciple is not about me. You see this point as Peter's following at a distance is not about Jesus.

It's about Peter. He's worried about himself. He's worried about where the purchase will end up for me. Notice the text says in verse 54 that Peter's following at a distance. Denise last phrase warming himself by the fire.

You've heard sermons preachers been using it for years how people warm themselves by the enemy's fire when you have distance from Jesus. It's often seen by the fact that you socialize with the enemy. I'm not talking about folks you have to work with folks you may have to socialize with us for business or whatever thoughts about the people you choose to be buddies with the people you choose to run with that do not honor our Lord Jesus Christ, your Peter warming yourself by the enemy's fire you're distancing yourself from the Lord.

I haven't used this phrase in a long time but I taught a lot years ago is time to think about it again.

And that's this.

Do you choose friendship overlordship you decide Jesus as my Lord I'm not will be ashamed of him.

I'm not going to deny am not going to be one of these Bible thumper in your face all the time rebuking him… Talk about that on talk about your convictions or real you still believe homosexuality is sin and you're not ashamed to say it you still play sex outside of marriage is sending are not the same to shut say it you stably dishonor your marriage vows ascending or not ashamed to say it not so you get the street and scream at people on this thing is you live your life sign of Christ, or is truth when you start distancing yourself and you become a halfhearted disciple, you will start socializing you'll start picking friendship overlordship and right now Peter is warming himself and socializing around the enemy's fire. So what happens to us, we begin to enjoy what they enjoy the things that warmed the enemies of Christ are now warming Peter, we are not to get our satisfaction from the city polluted smoldering flames of this world, but from the illuminating fire of his word and his dear and precious present were not to be worn by the fallen fleshly passions of this life, but by the person of Jesus Christ, who lives in our heart.

Peter has so distance himself from the Lord that he lost side of the light of God. Just enjoy the smoking damn light of the world as he warns himself by the fire.

Well, now comes the denial. Pride arose in the city did rebuking no bets on the what's right. Every sort of got on everything, I'm pretty good at but will bring the Bible Peter full of himself. Then he begins convinced distance himself. And thirdly, he begins to deny the Lord openly denies the Lord openly look, if you will, over versus 66 through 72.

Would you do that for 66 through 72. Here we have Peter's in the courtyard of the high priest is warming himself by the enemy fire. He once claimed that he'd follow Jesus to the death in his Lord is behind the door just a few feet away being brutalized. He's not saying a word. When the pressure came. Peter fails and he denies the Lord looking versus 66 and 67, as Peter was below in the courtyard.

One of the servant girls of the high priest came and saying Peter warming himself.

There's enough light from the fire she begin to recognize him and she looked at me and said you were also there with Jesus the Nazarene, denial, number one, verse 68 but he denied it and said I neither know nor understand what you're talking about notes he denied Jesus is a liar.

What you're talking about maybe devoted to Jesus Christ. Now man here to have fun when into the porch and a rooster crowed. That's number one.

Look at verse 69. The cervical saw him and begin once more to say to him, but to the bystanders.

This is one of them first part of her 70 and again he denied it. That's number two in the second part of her 70 and a little while a rhythm after little while the bystanders were given saying to Peter sure you're one of them for your galleon to her said he would but he began to curse and swear, I do not know this man that you're talking about when you when you when you get the passion and the force of the language here is hard to receive his heart to see Peter doing that. It's hard to think of yourself doing but is it not true. When we live in our lives intentionally do things that dishonor our Lord. That in itself is of the Nile, Peter is undergoing intensive training. He's he's being unfolded in the pages of Scripture for us so that we could see how God was teaching him so that we can also be taught ourselves says he cursed and swore.

It means he he he he made a vow.

As such, he called down may have and curse me by God of heaven. Curse me, if I'm not telling you the truth that's powerful stuff right there. We were 72 immediately I rooster crowed. The second time and Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark before rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times and he began to weep. See, God knew that Peter was going to be the leader for the other disciple's and he knew of Peter's weakness, Peter's pride and he used this crisis.

This these very events to deal Peter's pride a deathblow get behind him so he could be use as he needs to be used got butterfat.

Luke 22 and live this gospel account gives us more insights. Luke 2231 and 32 Jesus regard the Bible records Jesus saying the Peter Simon side and, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.

Now the word CF don't don't don't like domino effect here and fallen all these applications.

What that means. I think it's a simple truth when you went ORC if we it falls apart. The husk falls apart from the brain, he saying Peter, Satan is wanting to tear you apart. Satan wondering when you Peter. Peter look at verse Luke 2231 searches on your screen, but I have prayed for you will thank God for Jesus praying for us, that your faith may not fail. Another word failed. Here is a totally different word from the word fall away in our mark text the word in our mark text is a word that can mean to stumble along, not to completely fall out, but the word here were Jesus, I'm praying, Peter, that you may not fail as a word that means to cease or to stop. You can even be translated.it was even used when there was a total eclipse of the sun's rays were completely smothered out.

Tell me stumble usually to teach you some things you need to learn about yourself and your own pride euro bins and the weakness of your own flesh, but Peter, I'm praying that W stumble. Set your mind you're never going to completely fail. It's not over yet. I'm using your pride, your sanding or denial to teach you to get over your pride in your flesh thinking of doing things your way. I'm not going let you die. I'm not going to be cast away. That's exactly what this word means and what an affirming promise at the end of verse 32 and we and and and you win. Once you have turned again when Jesus prays that you don't complete fallout to go make it through. You will make it through once you have turned again, strengthen your brother's you're going to be a leader you will strengthen the brethren. If you get through with this intensive training I got you in interest well back in our mark text in marks 1474. The last parts is and he began to weep.

Fortunately, because Peter was one of God's children. Peter was a true born-again Christian. This weeping was not like that of Judas Judas well because he was sorry for the consequence of his sin. Peter is sorry that he failed his Lord. He sorry that his sin hurt Jesus then back over in the Luke again we get another good insight. Luke 2260 through 62 Peter said, man.

I don't know what you're talking about this is that denial again immediately why he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter is not in the mark text speculation about what convolute was his uncle take. Are you listening to you exactly what, look at is your succumb look at is it was Peter. I love you more than you could fathom in a million years of concentrating on my life.

You can't out send my love for you Peter learn your lesson, repent of your pride and come back to make. That's the looking child of God are you listening to me at the end of your deepest, sinful failure if your hips the moment you turned back to look at him. You'll find he was already looking at you with eyes of love, forgiveness and faithful covenant embrace when we say in God turns from us, but not in the sense of a whole rejection returns from our sin, but when we repent and turn to him. He's already looking back toward us with love and forgiveness. This text teaches us that for the child of God. I want to hear what I'm saying for the child of God in our greatest sin and failure. Faith is not absent from us. It's just not active in us.

Did you get that faith was not absent it was just not active in what God does through RCM season is humble us and break us so that we activate faith again and get oriented back to him being our Lord, our master and our Savior and we remember afresh the truth of Proverbs 28, 26, that he who trust in his own heart is a fool. He who trust in his own heart is full so in all of this that was going on. The magnanimous unparalleled event of God sending his son to head to the cross to die for the church God in his wisdom can do two things at one time he gets to do a million things on time, but he was also training Peter humbling Peter to be the leader, God called him today so I charge you this morning from this text are you embracing pride in your heart.

Is there anywhere anything where you said I know what the Bible says but I think this you're acting like a fool are you following at a distance. Young Ms. follower but I'm not really want to really be really committed. Right now I'm enjoying socializing with the enemies of God right now I'm enjoying some of the city polluted smoldering flames of the world right now warming myself. There are, maybe by your behavior by your actions by what you put first in your life, you're actually actively denying the Lord right. I don't know God's timetable, but I will say this. It didn't take God luck around, you know, why didn't take God long to get Peter turned back around because Peter was his. You'll be scared to death.

If you live this way for a link the time and God not yank you back in line will be scared to death all of us. All of us to do with pride. All of us find ourselves at a distance from time to time. All of us could even find ourselves of some aspect of denial of our Lord. But here's my chart to you this morning. Repent, call it what it is. And may you like Peter Balaguer had before this God and weeping say I've dishonored and displays my Lord, what I'm ready to get back on track.

I'm telling the moment you turned to him. He's already been looking for you if you if you