0302 Peter's Encounter With The Cross

PETER’S ENCOUNTER WITH THE CROSS

To sin is to miss the mark. One thing you have in common with Hitler is both of you missed the mark Sin makes us selfish and selfishness makes us sinful. Middle letter of sin is I Hell is paycheck for sin. People go to hell not because God hates them but because they deserve it

Matthew 26:31-35; 36-40; Luke 22:54-62

Peter making empty promises. Peter – talking Christian Peter put himself above Scripture, Jesus, and disciples Disciples stumbled but Peter fell because of too much talking If Peter would of said less he would of done more. They more you say the less you’ll do Talking is easy and cheap but walking is difficult. Never say never (I will fast 40 days; I will not hurt my wife) What would happen if God would be faithful to His word like we are. Let your heart speak not your mouth Fool is known by the multitude of words; when fool shuts his mouth he is considered wise; in multitude of words sin is not lacking; when go to the house of the Lord do not be rash with your mouth, let not your heart utter anything hastily before the Lord, God is in heaven and you are on earth, let your words be few

Peter sleeping when he should be watching. Peter – sleeping saint It’s not first time Peter fell asleep (Mountain Transfiguration) When Peter was sleeping Judas was working. They will take your Jesus from you When Samson was sleeping enemy was working on him. They took his anointing from him God works on you when you work for Him, enemy works on you when you sleep on God When they slept enemy sowed bad seeds in the field (parable of tares and wheat) Sleeping is not being dead and not being active; it’s in between When you sleep you get into accidents. Problems come as result of our spiritual slumber Young lad fell asleep in church. If you sleep in church you will fall and break your back Sleeping saints are not in the world but not in the word Today Jesus’ heart weighted down not the cross but generation. Are you staying awake or asleep? When David was weeping his followers wept with him, when Son of David was weeping His followers were sleeping

Peter followed Christ at a distance (Mt.26:58) Peter stayed as close to Jesus as he could without losing his life, comfort and reputation While Peter stayed at a distance with Jesus to preserve his life, Jesus stayed close to God to lose His life The cost of staying close to Jesus is your life Peter stayed as close to the fire as could without getting burned Following Christ at distance made Peter deny Jesus What we call balance God calls betrayal. Apply this to marriage We don’t want to be too hot and too cold so we remain too lukewarm Israel was at distance where as Moses was face to face (cloud, feet of God, face of God). They denied him

Jesus didn’t stayed at distance with Peter Jesus turned and look at Peter (Luke 22:61). Why Peter wept was that Jesus didn’t stay at distance with him You promised to die for Me but it’s Me who will die for you Jesus told woman to tell disciples and Peter where He will meet them (Mark 16:7) Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him (John 22) The reason why Peter couldn’t stay close to Jesus because he didn’t know how close Jesus stayed to him God wants you to know how far He went to reach you Jesus came as far as manger, washing of feet, Judah’s made profit on him, falsely accused, beaten physically, sickness placed on him, punished for my sin, crown of thorns, nails, hunger, thirst, & nakedness