Moving Beyond Regrets
Have someone read: Luke 22:39-53
Prayer and greeting
Read: Matthews 26:69-75
Introduction
Have you ever done something you immediately regret? May be you got into an argument with your spouse. From that argument, you physically and mentally abused them. May be you got with the wrong crowd and got drunk or high. May be you raised your hand to your parents. May be you have abused your helpless children. May be you are slip, tipping and dipping with a friend.(fornication) May be you are slip, tipping and dipping with someone else spouse.(adultery) Surely, these are a few regrettable incidents in your life that you wish you could take back or may be you don’t.
Peter’s regrets, failure and despair were worst than death. But thank God, He uses failures! I am not sure where I would be, if God did not use people who continually mess up. Can I get a witness? No matter how deep our regrets my be, Jesus still loves us. What can separate us from the love of God? (Rom. 8:37-39) Jesus asked Peter three times, do you love me but also reinstated him three times.
This same Peter who said, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” This same Peter who said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” This same Peter was regretful. (v75) Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the roster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Sermon Body
I believe, Jesus fought the final battle for our soul, in the garden of Gethsemane. There the Lord was just a stone’s cast away from his disciples and prayed. He experienced such great anguish that his sweat was like drops of blood. But Jesus won the war when he said, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. But an angel from heaven strengthened him. How many of you know God to be your strength. (Psalm 27)… The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Jesus asked his disciples to pray so they wouldn’t fall into temptation. So when Jesus was arrested, one his disciples cut a servants ear. This is what happens when we don’t pray like we should. We fall into temptation.
According to (Luke 22:60-61), …Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Just think about some of the things we do and then immediately regret it. We may assume that we are getting away with things just because no one sees us. Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter, but Jesus also turn and look at you.
Peter figured it's too late. I've already messed up and blown it. There's no use trying to get it back together. No matter how devastating your life my have been, it doesn't have to be an excuse to give up, to throw in the towel.
The beauty of God's grace is that he can put you back together again. God has something better for you to do than just drowning in you regrets. He will move you beyond your regrets into his marvelous light.
*** FIND SERVANTS WHO DIDN’T GIVE UP, EVEN AFTER PERCISION ****
It is the time to finish what you have started: (Phil 1:6) …. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Peter’s Misplaced Confidence
Peter was a hot head. A person who would speak or act on impluse, who would just say or do whatever came to mind, right or wrong. Does this sound like someone you know? Peter’s life caved in on him so bad he thought it was over between him and Jesus. Peter, the leader of the twelve disciples, bragged that he would never let the Lord down. (Matt. 26:33) Peter's failure wouldn't have looked so bad if his timing hadn't been quite so rotten.
I believe a lot of Christians are like Peter:
· Peter had good intentions
· Peter's promise was a good one
· Peter's vow of faithfulness was solid
We have good spiritual intentions, promises, and vows that we can't carry them out. But with Jesus, I can do all things. This why Peter’s world collapsed because he tried to pull off spiritual goals in the power of the flesh. For in the flesh, Peter had a lot of self-confidence. He just knew that he couldn't and wouldn't fail. (Matthew 26:36)
Peter over estimated his courage and under estimated the weakness of his flesh and the power of temptation. (v41) Jesus addressed Peter, warning him of the ease with which we fall to the temptation to spiritual weariness. (Peter failed to pray three times (vv41,43,45) and then he denied Jesus three times.
Peter’s disobedience
Jesus was telling Peter and the disciples to leave, don't stay around here. Peter disobeyed and took matters into his own hands. (John 18:10) How dare you to take Jesus. Now most men would applaud Peter. Hurrah for Peter. That's a good macho reaction. Peter missed the point completely. This was the Father's will for Jesus.
When troubles come our way, we need to know how to face them and to keep them from ruining our lives. We need to make sure we are not analyzing the events from a human and worldly point of view rather than from a divine, spiritual, godly point of view. We are quick to adopt the world's methods. Some youth today will use guns and violence to solve their disagreements. Others just use their tongue(unruley) to lie and deceive.
(John 18:10-11)
Peter was a walking time bomb waiting to go off. He failed to pray, he disobeyed when Jesus told him to leave the garden and he acted with a worldly perspective. When a person is prayer less, disobedient, and worldly, that is a lethal combination.
The Bomb goes off
(John 18:12-13) Peter followed, which he was not suppose to do because Jesus had told him to stay out of this.(v16,17)
The first charge of dynamite being set off:
· A promise that cannot be kept. (Matt.26:35)
· Denial number two (John 18:25)
· Peter began to curse (John 18:26-27; Matt.26:74)
Peter gets leveled
Peter's collapse took less than twenty-four hours. He made a promise he couldn't keep. His hanging out with the world caused him to adopt the world's way of thinking.
Phil(2:5-6) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
Peter had neglected the warning of (Psalm 1:1.),”Blessed is the man who does not walk in counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners….” He had made his bed with unbelievers and now to protect himself, he denied the Lord. What Peter did is called APOSTASY, a definitive denial of the faith. Jesus ask his disciples, "But whom do you say that I AM? But later Peter denied Jesus with a curse (cursing).
Remember Peter had said, "These other guys may forsake you, but not me. I am going to stick with you. I am going to stay with you. You don't have to worry because you can count on me. I love you more than these other guys. Never measure your spiritual life by your neighbor. Never measure your spiritual walk by how well or how badly everyone else is doing. Some may say, “well at least I don't do what so and so does. So, I must be a better Christian than him.” We must not fail to remember, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Matt.7:1) “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
I would say Peter strayed pretty low. This is the same man who had helped Jesus feed the five thousand plus. This is the same man whose name Jesus changed from Simon to Peter because he was going to be a rock for the church. (Matt. 16:17-18) It's something about when God changes your name. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sera to Serah. But I have a new name over in glory and it’s mine all mine.
The fact that you were okay yesterday has nothing to do with whether you are going to be okay today. The fact that you were close to God yesterday has nothing to do with whether you are going to be close to God today. All Satan needs is an opportunity. You don't even have to open the door for the devil. Just leave it unlocked; he knows how to turn the knob.
It was too bad for Peter, for he forgot that the human will is no match for Satan when he gets hold of you. He forgot Jesus' word. He forgot what Jesus had taught him. Whenever you forget the word of the Lord, you open yourself up to the work of men or of Satan. Thine word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin against thee. And I shall put on the whole armor of God that I may be able to stand against the Devil.
Peter messed up so badly that he cried? It takes a lot to make most men cry. But Peter denied Jesus and looked into his eyes. As far as we know, Jesus never told anyone else what Peter did. It may have been their secret, just as your own problems may be your secret. (Psalm 139:1-4) O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.
Conclusion
Brand New Day for Peter
Because the rooster crowed, Peter shouldn't have stooped. Jesus protected Peter denial. Since Jesus knows the future, that's where our hope lies. When the rooster crow, it is the beginning of a new day. When God wakes you up, new mercy is given. When God wakes you up, you have work to do.
When the rooster crowed, it was a new opportunity, despite the fact that Peter had a weak prayer life, a worldly perspective, and disobedient spirit. Jesus had given Peter a glimpse of his future restoration. (Luke 22:31-32) 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Aren't you glad that Jesus is praying for us. Many say that prayer changes things. But do we really pray as we should? None of us knows how low we would go if Jesus' prayers hadn't kept us from going that low. If there's hope for Peter, there's hope for you and me. God has something better for us than sifting through the rubble of our mess. Jesus will clean up what we have messed up.
Peter's Restoration: It Begin with "I LOVE You"
Jesus has been crucified and has risen from the dead. Peter had lost his vision for ministry and his vision for his calling. He was saying,"God cannot use me anymore. I might as will go fishing." Have you ever felt that way? You may have thought, aw what's the use? I have already blown it once. I'd probably just blow it again if I try to do anything. That was Peter.
But notice the next morning, grace showed up. Here was Peter's brand new day. You cannot get started without Jesus. And when you have messed up, you cannot get back to where you were without Him. But the good news is that when you get right with God, you begin to be productive again.
READ (John 21:15-17) Jesus Reinstates Peter
Jesus promise he is going to bless you in your life time. Regardless of what people said about you. Regardless of what you have done. You say, “I may have done what they say I did, but that is not who I am.” Hallelujah! In Jesus, I am a free man, a free woman. Who the Son set free is free indeed. Hallelujah!
Yes! Peter cried but he cried tears of repentance. After the resurrection, Jesus reached out to Peter. (Mark 16:7) The Lord sent a message, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” Once Peter heard that Jesus had risen from the dead he ran to the tomb and was the first one to go in and examine the scene. After all the regrets, denial, and anguish, Jesus still thought about Peter. Jesus still loves you. For he proved this on the cross.
Peter’s morning didn’t stop there. One morning his was in the upper room. In the upper room, heartaches becomes tears of joy, in the upper room burdens are no more, in the upper room I lift my voice until the Lord, in the upper room the fire came down. This same Peter when he heard the crowd making fun of the presents of the Holy Spirit, stood up and said, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.” .. and about three thousand were added to their number that day. When the morning come, you can move Beyond Regrets, move Beyond Failures, move with Jesus Christ..