Evil Resolve

Peter set a powerful example when he became a spokesman for the rest of the Twelve. Sad to say, it was a powerfully negative example. When facing a battle against a fortified, superior force on the battlefield, you like to have a Peter or two in your company or platoon. But sometimes that brazen courage is nothing more than a zeal without knowledge. It's important to remember that the most trusted from a human perspective was in fact a traitor. The most admired for his boisterous, charismatic spirit would betray the Lord three times. Judas asked, "Lord, is it me?" Peter proclaimed, "Lord, it could never be me!" Different takes ....same result.

What was Peter's downfall? It was certainly his self-confidence. That deadly, self-confident spirit drew away the other apostles into the same sin. These men forgot about their own sinful hearts. Jesus had said that all of these men would stand against Him that night. Peter resolved (and that's the problem with all human resolution), "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be." Jesus assured him that he would deny his Lord. But still, he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" That deceptive bravado was pretty contagious. "And they all said likewise."

No doubt everyone gathered wanted to stand with Christ and do the right thing. Seems like a good thing to me. But it was an evil thing. What made it evil? The evil stemmed from an independent, self-confident spirit.

Why does this resolution sound so good to us?

It sounds good because Jesus deserves it.

How could we think otherwise, right? Think of all He had done for Peter and the other apostles. Think of the purpose and the teaching. Think of the way Jesus would suffer for them. Hasn't Jesus done the same for you and for me? Should we really back away from a resolution like this? It sounds like a missionary who is about to die on the mission field at the hand of those who oppose him. "If I have to die with Jesus, I will not deny Jesus!"

It sounds good because Jesus demands it.

Who is a disciple according to Jesus? Isn't a disciple the person who denies not Jesus but himself? Jesus said a disciple denies himself, takes up his cross daily, and follows Him. Jesus said, "He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (). Isn't it our reasonable service to give our temporal lives for life eternal? Jesus died for me; should I not die for Him? It's a great privilege and a great duty to spend and be spent for Christ.

The resolve of Peter sounds so good because Jesus deserves it and Jesus demands it. So...

Why is this resolution so evil?

It is evil because of the deficiency in us.

Every single apostle forsook Christ and ran away. Peter claimed to be more faithful than all the others, but he denied his Lord first. He also denied the Lord over and over and over again. The mighty have indeed fallen. If Peter fell, then we will all fall. If we say otherwise, then we sin in the same way Peter did.

It is evil because of the deception in us.

We think we are sufficiently able but forget that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God (). We forget that we can do all things only through Christ who strengthens us to do them (). Sometimes He calls us to do the truly painful thing - to live and suffer for Him not to die in some grandiose fashion. Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing" ().

“Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” (, NKJV)

What does this passage teach us about the evil of self-confidence? It leads out to a parched wilderness.

We must be strong IN the Lord and IN the power of HIS might. Peter and the apostles were strong in the power of their might and fortitude.

Conclusion

We must make the words of Paul in our own words: "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." The problem is that we tack Christ onto our own agendas. We seek not to gain Christ but to resolve to gain Christ on our terms. That resolve will be tested and it will be found wanting. We might say, "None of these things move me!" But do we continue the thought? "Nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" (). Paul was ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (). But that resolve didn't come from his own spirit; it came from the Holy Spirit.

Your way is not in yourself. It is not in you who walks through life to direct your own steps. (See ). Solomon said, "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered" ().

“And [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (, NKJV)

Peter spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.” (, NKJV)

This resolution sounds so good because Jesus deserves it and Jesus demands it. However, it's an evil resolution because of the deficiency and deception in us.

Only the blood of Christ will take that deficiency and deception away. Only the righteousness of Christ worked in and through us will satisfy the Father. As we think of the suffering and death of Christ this week, we would do well to remember that all is not only forgiven us; all is also given to us in Christ.

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