Lessons From Peter’s Life - Pt.2

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John 18:1–18 ESV

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 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?” 12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. 15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

John 18:25–27 ESV

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Opening Prayer

Setting the Stage

Last week, we began gleaning from the life of Peter:

We saw, that like Peter, we forget the gospel and seek to prove ourself.

And, in our attempt to prove, we resist grace and blaspheme the gospel.

We saw, that just like Jesus taught Peter, our security is not in what we do or don’t do.

Our security is in Christ’s willingness and perfect accomplishment of being our substitute on the cross.

So this morning, I want us to continue learning lessons from biblical truths gleaned from the life of Peter.

I want us to look at…

Peter’s Denial of Christ 3x

if you read all four gospels regarding this scene, each one gives the same story but with different details.

Not contradictory details, but different.

Different for the purpose of the point they’re making.

This does not make anything about the gospel stories false, rather unique for their audience or the truth they’re teaching in the context.

We do this all the time.

If someone were asking you what you did this morning…

You don’t have to give them every detail in order for what you do say to be true.

If a Mom asked their child what you did after they woke up…

The child would quite possibly include eating breakfast and brushing their teeth.

Why?

Because that would be something a Mom would want to know regarding their child.

However, if a friend at school asked that same child what they did on a particular morning, the child may say what time they woke up, and that they got dressed for school.

All of which truly took place, but details given to specific audiences for specific reasons.

So, I’m going to give us some details shared in other gospels, but I will stick close to John’s account.

John tells us of the…

1st Denial

John 18:17 ESV

17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

The servant girl at the door is a description of the person rather than where it took place.

And, descriptions like this show the authenticity of the writer because it allows readers to investigate if they like.

2nd Denial

John 18:25 ESV

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”

He’s trying to blend in with the crowd.

Peter’s trying to go unnoticed.

He’s curious as to what is going to happen…

But has no interest in putting himself in danger.

3rd Denial

John 18:26–27 ESV

26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Luke tells us at this moment Jesus turns and looks at Peter.

They make eye contact as Peter denies Christ for the 3rd time.

And, we’re told there that Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Isn’t it interesting that once we give in to sin the easier it is to continue down the path of sin.

Once we make the decision to choose something other than Christ over Christ, the easier it is to make that decision again.

Think about that truth in your life.

The cure is running back to Christ and remembering the gospel.

Now Remember, that Peter wielded his sword, he wasn’t supposed to…

But, he felt the necessity to prove himself…that he wouldn’t deny Christ.

But, now, this has, most likely…moved his name up the most wanted list of the RL’s.

And, who is the person that asks Peter if he is a disciple of Jesus.

John tells us it is a relative of the very person that Peter swung the sword on and cut off the ear.

The supposed bravery and urgency by Peter to prove himself right…is the very thing that has caused him to be more in the spotlight and made him all the more afraid to claim Christ.

What makes Peter do such a thing?

The Cause

What caused Peter to behave this way?

to betray Christ?

to deny Christ three times?

It’s the same reason Peter put his foot in his mouth when he tried to rebuke Christ and say he wouldn’t allow Christ to be arrested and killed.

And, when Jesus told him to sheath his sword.

The cause is self-righteousness.

Self-righteousness is much messier than just the demand to be right.

It is the demand that we should be King and Dictator of our life.

It is expresses itself with an attitude of being entitled to special treatment and special preference.

It is a sinful attribute woven into our fallen nature to be self-centered, self-absorbed, self-preserving, and self-gratifying.

We behave out of a personal self-interest at all times.

Even when we behave to benefit others…

We are ultimately behaving in such a way because of how it makes us feel

self-righteous

conscience soothing

Or, we are behaving because of the return on investment.

Glory of self

Self-preservation

Future opportunities for self-gain

Bondage to sin = bondage to self

The only thing that can change that is the regenerating power of God.

The freedom we have in Christ is a freedom to serve God…

And deny self-motivation through a knowledge of God and the benefits in store through obedience to Him.

Unless we are Christians, we are in bondage to self.

And, even as Christians, we are constantly battling it.

We are called to deny self.

But only the Christian has the Spirit of God to help obey such a command in the least little bit.

Unbelievers cannot deny self.

Self is the only motive in their life.

Self is the only authority they truly recognize.

Self is the only goal that is worthy of pursuit.

How does this sinful attribute of self-righteousness manifest itself in this passage?

John 18:14 ESV

14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

So, first we see…

The Nation’s Expedience

What is doing something that is expedient?

Behaving out of convenience and advantage for oneself, typically with immoral/unjust motives.

IOW, it’s not that the behavior/decision/action is the right thing to do…

But that it is perceived by those involved as the most advantageous for them in the moment.

You’ll remember back in John 11…

John 11:47–50 ESV

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”

What is Caiaphas saying here?

He is saying we can have this guy killed and structure it in such a way that it benefits the nation of Israel.

IOW, you guys aren’t thinking this through.

We can use this guy as a pawn in our game to allow us to gain benefit from the Romans, while letting them do our dirty work…killing Him.

The RL’s Plan

So, what we have happening now in this mock trial in the late hours at night, is this…

If the RL’s can accuse & document Jesus as a Zealot.

If they can accuse Him of being one who is actively competing against Rome for the allegiance of the people.

And, if the RL’s can hand Jesus over to Roman Officials with these accusations and witnesses to such…

Oh, what a benefit that would be to the Nation.

It could reap the bestowment of benefits to the Nation that would ease their suffering, keep taxes from being raised, gain permission for some more religious freedom…

The list goes on.

But, how much more of a benefit for the family of Annas and Caiaphas as they occupy the role of HP and all the luxuries that position now affords.

This was a decision for temporal advantages at the cost of doing what is right, they gain what is most self-gratifying for themselves.

You say, this is the expedience of the RL’s.

Yes, but we will soon come to a passage that represents the nation rejecting Christ and demanding He be murdered.

The Nation has rejected Christ’s ministry for three years.

And, now, here we are at the mock trial of the Lord.

Now, that is the RL’s and Nation’s expedience.

But, what about…

Peter’s Expedience

He tried to rebuke Christ for self-gain.

He swung the sword on Malchus for self-glory.

He denied Christ for self-preservation.

He distanced himself from the Gentiles in Galatia for peer esteem, which is self-glory and self-preservation.

Peter shows us that expedience for self is a battle that Christians face.

Let’s Think About Our Expedience

We do the same thing.

How often do we choose expedience, comfort, self-gain, self-gratification, self-preservation over Christ.

The world of unbelievers knows nothing but such.

But, Christians know the battle against it.

We know the weakness of our own flesh.

We know our only hope is the power of Christ in us.

But, dear brothers and sisters, we still fail too often as we battle through the denial of self...

And, the enlightenment that self-rightness is treacherous…

But, living for the glory of God is our greatest gain.

A.W. Tozer rightly said...

We often treat Jesus the way Saul treated David. We want Him to slay giants and sing evil spirits away, but we do not want Him to be King.

Why?

Because for Him to be our King is to step off the throne of self and surrender to the Lord.

This is the antithesis of self-righteousness.

And, it cannot and does not happen outside of the omnipotent regenerating power of God displayed in the application of the work of Christ on the hearts of His people as promises of the NC obtained by Christ for us.

Now, one last truth I want to show us this morning…

Do Repeat Offenses Cost You Your Salvation?

Peter argued that he had a right to be among the greatest of Christ’s kingdom, as the other disciples did as well.

Peter tried to rebuke Christ.

Peter swung the sword on Malchus.

Peter denied Christ, not once...but three times.

Peter blasphemed the gospel in front of the Jews and Gentiles in Galatia.

But, did that cause him to lose his salvation?

—> No.

Because his salvation, and our salvation is never about what we have done or not done.

It is about the perfection of Christ’s atonement and righteousness given to us, freely…by faith.

How can we sin, repeatedly…many times the same sins we struggle with the rest of our lives…

And, still be kept in the Kingdom of Christ.

Because, as Jesus teaches in so many parables…

The forgiveness found in Jesus cannot never be exhausted.

Rejoice dear Christian, you are covered by the blood!

Closing Prayer