Abiding Somewhere Else

What does not abiding in Christ look like?  Something other than the impact and the influence of Christ causing us to make decisions.

Something Else - A person, thing, or event that is quite remarkable, as in That pitcher is something else , or Her new film is something else . The else in this idiom means “other than ordinary.

The Weakness of Good Intentions

Both times Peters intentions where good. They showed faith in Jesus and a desire to operate by faith. But good intentions will not sustain us.

Good Intentions

The road to hell, they assure me, With good intentions is paved; And I know my desires are noble, But my deeds might brand me depraved. It’s the warped grain in our nature, And St. Paul has written it true:

~ Romans 7:19 “19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”

~ 2 Timothy 1:7 “7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

John Wesley referenced the proverb in his sermon titled, "The Almost Christian", in 1741: "Hell is paved,' saith one, 'with good intentions.

Thinking you would like a square meal will not in itself earn you one. Thinking you would like a strong body will not without effort on your part make you an athlete. Thinking you would like to be kind or successful will not bring you gentleness or achievement if you stop with mere thinking. The arrows of intention must have the bow of strong purpose to impel them. Good Intentions by St. Claire Adams

Fear

~ Matthew 14:28–31 “28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?””

~ Luke 22:54–62 “54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went…”

The most marvelous ingredient in the forgiveness of God is that he also forgets, the one thing a human being can never do. Forgetting with God is a divine attribute; God’s forgiveness forgets.

Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)

The voice of sin may be loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder.

Dwight Lyman Moody (Evangelist)

Anger

~ John 18:10–11 “10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?””

Disqualification

~ John 21:15–17 “15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

After Peter denied Jesus he went back fishing…

Why did Peter Fall to Fear

In all these instances Peter took the path of least resistance. We must resist the devil…

Don’t let the devil steal your cry for help. Don’t let the devil make you feel so condemned that you don’t cry out.

How was Peter brought back

Jesus sought Peter out and restored him. Never forget Jesus is our Savior!!

Jesus is asking for agape, and Peter is giving Philleo, you do not have to have arrived to be used and empowered and sent and called

~ John 21:15–17 “15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Leaves the 99 to seek out the one.

~ Matthew 18:12 “12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?”

Things to Remember when We slip Up

You are not the author nor the finisher of your face, Jesus is. 

~ Hebrews 12:2 “2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

~ John 15:6 “6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”

Me being the branch if I’m separated from the vine, Christ, I’m thrown on the ground. I don’t spring up into another tree by myself, but I wither and die.

When times change

~ Galatians 2:11–14 “11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?””

Peter separates himself from the Gentiles when certain Jews from Israel show up. We’re not talking about perfection. We’re talking about consistency and abiding.