Giving in

Looking at other people’s mistakes - funny videos?

Humorous

Serious

Painful

Wait…I’ve tried that!

That Moment You Realize What it Means to Follow Jesus

READ: John 18 select passages

vv. 1-27

People - Faced with a choice of full surrender, all-in

Typically occurs during a really down moment, really facing your true sinful self…

There’s Jesus - arms open, and, what do you do?

1) Giving in to Self

This is Judas

Holds the money, siphons for himself (John 12:6)

A Zealot - desire for better life now, be own boss, not willing to submit to authority

Self is supreme

Judas did not deny knowing Jesus

But he could not deny self and follow

Judas did not actually deny stating that Jesus was real

He pointed Him out

After he decided that Jesus could not help him achieve what he wanted to achieve

The problem with Judas is that he wanted Jesus to fix all of his problems currently in the world (political) - wanting immediate physical/material gratification

Instead of reaching to the spiritual

When Judas realizes that Jesus is not about immediate, felt needs, Jesus is of no further use to him

The ultimate selfish act - ends his own life

The ultimate expression of control of self

Could have repented, and did not - that would have meant to let go of self

Guilt has amazing negative impacts on the brain, affecting thoughts and actions

John is not a fan of Judas - not mentioned again in his gospel

2) Giving in to Fear

This is Peter

Bold - walks on water, then falls (Matthew 14)

Brash - You’re the Christ, then rebukes Jesus saying He’ll be put to death (Matthew 16, Mark 8)

Watches the fulfillment of Jesus’ love start to take shape, and draws a sword…

(ASIDE - Jesus heals the ear, of Malchus, Luke 22, helping Peter avoid a capital crime)

Peter is limited by not understanding and accepting the full mission of Jesus

Peter is concerned about how the Father and Jesus want to go about fulfilling the mission

Peter, indeed, is believing that Jesus is being arrested unjustifiably. And Peter is resisting what He has been told by Jesus, over and over

Then, under pressure, denies knowing Jesus…three times

Fear is overwhelming to a person

Stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline eleased

Breathing rate increases

Blood flows away from heart into limbs and extremities - making angry reactions more likely (fight or flight)

When afraid, look around, or look up. Peter, here, looks around…

3) Giving in to Faith

Jesus in verse 11 - “Should I not go through with this? Of course I should!”

Verse 20 - Jesus never backed down from speaking truth, openly, never in secret

“Prove me wrong!”

Jesus, humanly, trusts the Father, trusts the plan, the Father’s will

Jesus - every reason to focus on self, chose to follow the Father

Jesus - every reason to fear what was coming, anxiety in the Garden coming up; still stayed the course

Jesus - great example, modeling how to manage the most extreme challenge

CLOSE

Every one of us will face situations, small or large, give in to one of these

Self, Fear, or Faith

So, first, who here is the true believer?

Judas, who points out who Jesus is?

Peter, who denies knowing Jesus?

Judas - gave back the money, could have gone to Jesus or disciples and asked forgiveness - would have been humbling

Sincerely hurt by his sin

But succumbs to “worldly sorrow”

Peter - weeps over his actions - sincerely hurt by his sin

Biblical sorrow, will lead to repentance

2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB95

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Where do WE fit in when it comes to taking a stand for Jesus?

If I prioritize self…I’ll choose comfort over confrontation - this world NEEDS us confronting it with TRUTH

Jesus understands, and demands we make the choice - Luke 9:23

Luke 9:23 NASB95

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

If I succumb to fear…I’ll fight or flee, when I need to be still - Psalm 46:10

Psalm 46:10 NASB95

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Fear is normal, natural, understandable

Psalm 46:1-3 - READ

When I yield to faith…It’s given to God

Giving to God - can only give something that you have

Burdens, worries, fears, concerns, doubts, guilt…we own and carry them

Faith allows us to give them to God

Faith allows God’s GRACE to work in us

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS:

Are we willing to go along with what the Father has in store for us?

Do we want to take matters into our own hands? And make a mess of things?

Do we pretend that we follow Jesus, but when it comes right down to it, are we simply brushing Him aside?

Deciding that we really have no use for Jesus, realizing just how much of us He wants?

Judas and Peter - very familiar

Their choices, extreme, unique

So are yours

Jesus is personal to each person

TRUTH: Sin is real, being humbled is real

Opportunity to fall into God’s grace - REAL

Judas and Peter, along with us, need to realize that what Jesus was about to do or what Jesus did is greater than any sin we can commit or own.

GRACE

It is easy to point out the mistakes of others in scripture, or in others that we know

We can even be mired in our own mistakes.

The problem comes when we take our eyes off of the Lord and off of his grace and mercy, because that will lead us to great despair

But…even in despair, the Lord offers us a great plan to recover

GRACE

Grace to the humble - James 4:6

James 4:6 NASB95

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

A moment of weakness does not have to define who you are as a believer. It is what you do when you are faced with owning up to that weakness, and turning to Jesus for strength and repentance and forgiveness

You, and I, are very capable of giving in to self, giving in to fear, or giving in to faith

GRACE

There’s Jesus - arms open, and, what do you do?