The Prophecy of Failure

Peter thought he was strong even thought he was a match for his enemies and he would rise above their threats. And thought he was a it was a match for Satan more than a match.

That's pretty treacherous ground crowd sought prominence put himself in a very vulnerable very dangerous. It's a fresh and fast-paced survey of the crucifixion and resurrection and will get to today's lesson in just a few minutes but first John at Grace Community Church. We have an elders meeting once a month and my favorite part of those elders meetings is your report because you always give a summary of what you're learning from Scripture, and what you been reading lately and I love to hear you talk about those things. So let's pretend this is part of your reported an elders meeting and tell us what you been reading and what you been learning from God's word. I've been reading book that is a little bit obscure and pretty expensive.

It's knocks on rebellion. It's John Knox's sermons and the history around his rebellion against the government of England when he was the great reformer in fact you could argue I think Lloyd Jones would argue that Knox was the first Puritan that he really started the Puritan movement and of course he was pastoring an English church in Geneva during the era of Calvin and the development of the reform movement self when he goes back to England. He is caught in the fact that he is illegal he is doing things that the government says don't do, and you know we all know the story of his run-ins with the Queen and the things he said about her and that she even said she feared him more than she feared anything and rightfully so because his words were so powerful, so the question comes up in this coded world that were still in this whole thing. What's our response to be to government so I bet I've been reading John Knox because he had so many definitive things to say about the fact that we must remain faithful to the Lord and when government oversteps its bounds. We have to do what God tells us to do the tax. Five. You judge whether you obey God or man. We try to follow that. So Knox's been kind of model for me. As we've resisted the threats of government for the last well virtually a year. The second book that is had a an impact on me is some in Oxford University book, which is a study of Calvin in Geneva and his core company of pastors. They were absolutely totally convinced that the only righteous way to preach the word of God was expositions through book sequential exposition of the books of the Bible. They actually did this every day of the week it was either insane, Paul's Cathedral, or it was in the law to toile the little auditorium next door every day's they were. Hour after hour expositor and compositing's buzzing the word of God's people were coming the second thing that struck me, and I'll be quick about this is how utterly committed. They were to discipline in the church.

There were some harsh times but there was also mercy mixed in. So those were the things that gave birth to the Reformation faith which was the saving of the gospel which we now preach so those two have had an influence on me recently.

Thanks John. That was helpful for me and I'm sure it was helpful to many of our listeners and friend. Let's get back to John's brand-new series that's preparing you for a worshipful resurrection Sunday. John calls this the divine drama of redemption. Here's the lesson. Now we come to Mark chapter 14 verses 27 to 31 we left off in verse 26 as Thursday evening's Passover event ended an event that began at about sundown and didn't end until after midnight six hours or so. Our Lord spent eating the last Passover and introducing the first communion and around that all kinds of important events took place and our Lord did extensive teaching to his apostles, giving them promises all laid out for us in the wonderful chapters in John's Gospel, starting with chapter 13 and running through chapter 16 closed out the evening with a great high priestly prayer recorded in chapter 17 when the evening was finally done. They sung a hymn Psalm 136 and they left we pick up the story at that very moment in verse 27 and Jesus said to them, you will all fall away because it is written, I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, but after I have been raised. I will go ahead of you to Galilee. But Peter said to him, even though all may fall away yet. I will not. And Jesus said to him, truly I say to you that this very night before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny me three times. But Peter kept saying insistently, even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you and they were all saying the same thing also. This is an insight into the weakness of the followers of Jesus. You do remember that our Lord said, is recorded in Mark 838 that whoever was ashamed of him. He would be ashamed of them. Certainly Judas falls into the category of those who are permanently and terminally ashamed of him. But what about the other 11. How much different than Judas Worthington they didn't betray the Lord they wouldn't sell the Lord they wouldn't of turned the Lord over. They certainly appear to be ashamed to be identified with him and before the story ends. Of course no one is more on display as one who was ashamed to be identified with Christ than Peter. The shame of Judas was the shame of unbelief. The shame of the 11 was the shame of weakness. The shame of Judas was irretrievable without remedy the shame of the disciples was temporary and could be turned to faith.

So what we learn here is not about the shame of Judas, not about a permanent damning shame, but about a temporary shame from which the followers of Jesus can and do recover its experience that we all have had, because there have been times when each of us has been ashamed to identify with Christ because we thought would be rejected because we thought we'd see hostility because we thought it might bring about negative consequences, so it will be helpful for us to understand how these men went through that experience of shame and came out bold in the end, and that's exactly what they did, however, this text doesn't say anything really specifically about our Lord. It really is about them that they will be scattered that they will be recovered and then the claims of Peter but what shines through this is the majesty and the magnificence and the glory of the son of God, not to looking back in verses 27 to 31 saying, where is it that's why I'm here. I want to help you to see what you might otherwise not see you have here.

Clearly an example of human weakness by believers in Christ you have here and in a sense, the low for his apostles, but against that background. What really comes through here is the shining majesty of Jesus Christ not remember the Passover meal on Thursday night after sunset being eaten ended with the final Halal section in the 4th cup and then Psalm 136 where every verse ends with for his lovingkindness endures forever.

And then they left an evening that was full of promise and hope lies the 12 leave the throbbing city to find quiet in a very familiar place. They are about to have a confrontation with the Lord in which they affirm their trust and strength and courage, and he tells the truth about what they will do in this confrontation and exposure of their weakness. You see the majesty of Christ.

There's no point in looking at their weakness we see that and that we can identify with. But what the Holy Spirit is placed in this text that is not necessarily on the surface is what I'm going to show you as we look at our Lord. First of all, go see his knowledge is knowledge. We would conclude that they are ignorant they don't know the future. They don't know what's coming.

Even what he told them about their not sure about the not sure they can embrace it in the midst of their ignorance they are full of fear and doubt that will become panic, terror caused them to flee and even deny Christ repeatedly, as in the case of Peter.

That's against the backdrop of their ignorance, fear rising out of their ignorance. In contrast to that is the knowledge of Christ. Wonderful wondrous supernatural knowledge. Let's look at verse 27 Jesus said to them, you will all fall away while you will all fall away.

The Greek verb is convoluted, so you will be scandalized.

You will be offended. You will defect that dear friends, is indicative of his supernatural knowledge he knew they would do that. It was all known to him because please notice it was written. It was written. He knew it and it had been written down in Scripture and even quotes the Scripture in verse 27 the Scripture from Zachariah 13 seven I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered is written is a common Old Testament formula, Jesus said I know what's going to happen because I know everything, even what hasn't happened and I know what Scripture says so. He knew he knew the events of the future and he knew the meaning of the past.

He knew what was coming because he knew everything and he knew how to interpret Zachariah 13 seven I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. He knew he also knew his own future that he would be struck down and that that would cause them to be filled with fear and terror, and scatter the point here simply this, Jesus knew the future. He knew what was coming.

He knew what was going to happen to the disciples, he knew what was going to happen to the nation. He knew the persecution was going to follow against them and against believers, even beyond them. This was all pretty written in the Scriptures of the Old Testament.

He knew all that was going on with Judas.

All that was going on with the Jews. How would all come into focus in a few hours what would happen.

This is no mere man.

This is the Messiah, the son of God the best, the most devout, the truest of the true in Israel were the 11 apostles. They were true believers in Christ. It confessed him as Lord and God and Messiah.

They had been given salvation. They were the devout, they were the best the truth about them was really sad. Why would the Lord assume that that would happen to them because he knew because it was written.

This is so important I think for them to learn a lesson that no one can know the future but God, and no one can predict what is coming, but God and he did.

If we knew everything that was going to happen to us in the future we would be traumatized into a paralysis. Our Lord in every detail, every move that would come upon him and his followers. The disciples thought they knew themselves they didn't they didn't. So we see first of all, his knowledge coming through this incident secondly receives courage is courage. He says go back to the text, you will all fall away. You will all fall away at the prophecy you will all be caught in a trap. That word means the fear of man brings a snare. Proverbs 29, 25 says you're all going to be trapped by your fear you going to end up being disloyal to be lured into the sin of unfaithfulness by the fear of persecution you're going to leave me just like Zachariah said you're going to scatter and that's exactly what happened when the pressure was on. In Christ was taken captive to be killed, the inseparable 11 separated it blue that little group that had been together for three years apart.

You will all fall away because of me because of me or Lord meant that been identified with him would be threatening to their lives. It would become dangerous to be associated with Christ. That's how they perceived they were set to kill Christ and they did it, and the disciples could only interpret the fact that their close connection with Christ could mean they were next and they were not willing to pay that price of being associated with Jesus. They were not ready to give their lives in Matthew 2656 says all this took place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets than all the disciples left and fled the ran for their lives to couldn't face the danger what shallow love. They returned for his perfect love that is so cowardly, so cowardly, in contrast to that what you see the amazing courage of Christ. This again is why I say this passage puts him on display without even saying it.

He has courage beyond any mortal to bear the hatred to bear the pain to bear the indignity to bear the betrayal to receive the betrayers kiss to face death death on a cross to bear sin willingly for the sake of men who forsook him in his darkest hour. Men who not only scattered at the cross, slept in the hour of his agony in the garden. This knowledge is perfect and that set against the background of their ignorance is courage is magnificent and it set against the background of their cowardice.

He stands apart from the ignorant cowards who were the best of men but no match for his character. He is majestic. In contrast, in his defective disciples cannot diminish the majesty and dignity that we see in his person. So we see the ignorance they don't know what's coming in the cowardice they fear for their lives of the disciples against the beautiful backdrop of the magnificent knowledge of Christ supernatural omniscience and his wondrous courage as he steps into the vortex of this hurricane of divine wrath about to break on his head and take his precious life and it all.

He'll be absolutely deserted by those who should have stood by. We also see here his power. Verse 28. But after I've been raised. I will go ahead of you to Galilee or Lord sees beyond the cross to what to the resurrection.

After I have been raised is another indication of his omniscience, he knows he will die. He knows they will scatter, but he also knows that he will be raised from the dead. He has said it again and again he will die and rise again is recorded that he has said that specifically three times already in the gospel of Mark. He believed what Abraham believed Hebrews 11 versus 17 to 19 that if God took the life of Isaac, he would raise him from the dead will Jesus not only believed in his resurrection, he knew it would happen because she knew everything he knew he had power over death. You display that power in raising others from the dead.

Most recently actually raising Lazarus from the dead. The disciples fear death. That's why they ran they fear death. That's why they scattered they fear death. That's why they disappeared into the darkness and into the crowd as it were filling up Jerusalem.

All of this because they feared death, our Lord had no fear of death.

He looked death in the face.

It wasn't death that he feared the horror that came upon him in the garden wasn't death, although he had never died.

Of course, and it was only a physical death, but he feared the horrors in a normal way of the wrath of God, and he feared being the sin bearer because you never been touched by iniquity. That's why he cried out, necessarily, but this cup pass from me had no fear of death itself because he knew he has.

Revelation 1 puts it had the keys of death and hell. Scripture makes a strong emphasis about his resurrection power the beginning of his ministry and John to verse 19 to 21 he said destroy this temple in three days I'll raise it up in John five. He said that God had given him the power delegated to him all authority in all power for the resurrection, and he would raise people.

Some on the life and some on the damnation in John six he says all of the father gives to me will come to me and I will lose none of them, but raise them up. He said because I live you will live also. He said I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will never die over and over again.

He repeatedly expressed his power of resurrection. So we see here. His knowledge is against their ignorance is courage against their cowardice is power against their weakness. Something else I guess to say here about the contrast and thought. Let's just call it his humility.

In a sense it's contrasted against their pride.

Verse 29 Peter said to him, here's the proud confidence of Peter who speaks and they all agree, as it says the universe. 31. Even though all may fall away yet. I will not.

This is the proud confidence of Peter. This is really very very persistent pride.

Why, because if you go back to the upper room. Let's go back a little while maybe a few hours earlier in the evening and Jesus is sitting at the table in the upper room having the Passover and Simon Peter and John 1336 said to him, Lord, where are you going Jesus answered where I go you cannot follow me now but you will follow later and he's referring going back to heaven. That's in the future for you. Peter said to him, this is in the upper room hours earlier, Lord, why can I not follow you. Right now I will lay down my life for you and Jesus said, will you lay down your life for me. Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not grow into you deny me three times.

He said that the Peter hours earlier sitting at the table in the upper room now here we are in the Mount of olives and Peter is still making the same insistent claim, even though all may fall away yet.

I will not, in other words, Lord your wrong. I will never do that everybody else might. I will not.

And Jesus said to him, truly I say to you this very night before a rooster crows twice, you, your self will deny me three times and Jesus gives him the same warning. The second time. Well Peter didn't buy that verse 31. He kept saying insistently, vehemently, is another way to translate.

He is stubbornly rejecting our Lord's knowledge of his own weakness. Peter really reveals his pride here.

Peter thought he was strong even thought he was a match for his enemies and he would rise above their threats.

And thought he was a it was a match for Satan more than a match. That's pretty treacherous ground. He was nearer to Judas in serious danger. Proud, he sought prominence willing to stand alone to put himself in a very vulnerable place on very dangerous ground.

They all have the same illusion. Peter says even if I have to die with you all not deny you.

They're all saying the same they are proud to a very, very ugly degree so proud. They contradict the Lord so proud.

They overestimate their own spiritual strength. So proud they are unprepared for what is to come and against that ugly pride is this amazing humility of Christ who humbly faces the cross, forsaken by them hated by his own nation rejected.

He is magnificent in humility against the contrast of the ugly boastful pride of the apostles. So I say in this experience here. While we see the ugly side of it. We see the ignorance and the pride of the apostles. We also see the majesty of Christ in wonderful and beautiful contrast, when Christians are confronted with Christ as so objectionable and so hated that if they do not deny him, they will lose their lives. The history is that believers will lose their lives rather than deny Christ. They will be truthful. How are we empowered to such strength. How are we empowered to such resolve such courage.

It is by power of the Holy Spirit. You're listening to Grace to you with John MacArthur.

He's been our featured Bible teacher for over 52 years now is also Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary and John has titled his brand-new Easter series, the divine drama of redemption that friend if you're benefiting from John's current study. Or perhaps you're thankful for all the free Bible study resources at our website. Would you do us a big favor and let us know. That's a greater help than you probably realize so drop us a note today. Our mailing address year Grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 or you can email us at letters@tty.org once more that's letters@tty.org and thank you for letting us know how God is using Grace to you and your life and especially let us know that you are praying for us.

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