FOLLOWING FAR OFF

Matthew 26:58 KJV (WS)

But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Our text deals with the failure of the Apostle Peter.

It shows what happens when we distances ourselves from the Lord.

It is not a pretty picture but sin never paints pretty pictures.

Peter had earlier boasted that he would not deny the Lord, yet within hours he denied the Lord very conspicuously.

It all happened when he let too much distance come between him and the Lord.

His devotion and fellowship with the Lord declined until it was said that he followed the Lord “afar off.”

Many folk are like Peter today and the price of this lack of devotion and fellowship with the Lord is costly.

Don’t just hear what they say, watch what they do!

We note four bad things that happen as a result of following the Lord “afar off.”

FIRST—THE WRONG PLACE

“The high priest’s court.”

The high priest’s court was not one that honored the Lord.

In this place, Peter would hear much bad talk about Christ.

They would slander Him, speak blasphemously of him, mistreat Him, and unjustly condemn Him.

It is not good for God’s people to be in such places, in such dens of iniquity where Christ is so terribly dishonored.

It only encourages you to dishonor Christ more as Peter did.

But when you follow the Lord at a distance, you will end up in the wrong place.

SECOND—THE WRONG PEOPLE

“Sat with the guards to see the end.”

When you follow the Lord at a distance, when you do not fellowship intimately with Him, you will eventually end up in the wrong crowd.

Psalm 1:1 KJV (WS)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Peter learned the hard way that sitting with the scornful removes one from blessing.

What’s a servant of the Lord doing with servants of those who hate the Lord?

Elijah was asked,

We need to ask ourselves that question often, for it will tell us much about our spiritual temperature.

Those who do not follow the Lord closely will end up with the wrong people.

1 Kings 19:13 KJV (WS)

And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

THIRD—THE WRONG POSTURE(position)

“Sat.”

Peter was sitting and listening to all the bad accusations and injustices said and done to Jesus Christ when he should have been standing up in protest for all the evil that was going on.

But when you follow the Lord “afar off” you lose your zeal and your convictions.

You will be sitting and condoning when you ought to be standing and condemning.

(Face likes and dislikes)

FOURTH—THE WRONG PERSPECTIVE

“To see the end.”

It was not the end, it was the beginning of the Gospel program.

But when you follow the Lord “afar off,” you will have poor perspective of life.

We often look at our trials and difficulties as the end, when in fact they are the beginning.

They are not to destroy us as we think but to build us up and strengthen us.