Would You Betray Him?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Everyone who lives long enough on this earth knows the pain of betrayal. You know what it is like to be betrayed by someone you love, but if you are honest, you know what it is like to betray someone you love as well.
Some of the most famous betrayals in history have made the most memorable stories.
Julias Caesar and Brutus
Benedict Arnold and the American Revolution
Spy thrillers
None of these come close to Judas betraying Jesus.
However, how many of us really think of Peter and the other Disciples when we think of betrayal?
This morning, we are going to ask the question of ourselves, “Would you betray Him?”
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”
34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”
37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”
39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Pray
1. Never Underestimate Your Capacity for Evil (vv.31-32)
1. Never Underestimate Your Capacity for Evil (vv.31-32)
This came right after this special moment that the Disciples had shared with Jesus in the Lord’s Supper
Satan often comes after us right after a spiritual victory
Examples
Elijah and the prophets of Baal
David and Bathsheba
Jesus quotes from Zechariah 13:7
7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
Question 1: Since this was prophesied beforehand, did God make the Disciples fall away?
Question 2: Does God foreordain for you to sin and fall away?
Answer: God is not the source of our sin, but if He leaves us to our own strength, we will never be faithful to Christ.
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
2. Never Depend on Your Own Righteousness (v. 33)
2. Never Depend on Your Own Righteousness (v. 33)
Peter was trusting in his own flesh to keep him from falling away
Peter had made the faithful confession of Jesus and had been told by Jesus that he would build His church on this rock.
The rock was not Peter, but His confession
Questioned about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with the sacrifices
Luke 13:2 “2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?”
Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee
Luke 18:9 “9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:”
Application
Know your own depravity (know your capacity for evil)
Know who the enemy is and what his tactics are
Illustration
Thomas Watson
The Select Works of the Rev. Thomas Watson, Comprising His Celebrated Body of Divinity, in a Series of Lectures on the Shorter Catechism, and Various Sermons and Treatises Of the Sixth Petition in the Lord’s Prayer
Satan tempts to that sin which a man’s heart is naturally most inclinable to; he will not tempt a civil man to gross sin, this is abhorring to the light of nature. Satan never sets a dish before men that they do not love
Application (cont.)
Put up a fight
How often do we simply roll over and give in?
We will claim that it is just our sin nature
Remember that God can use your failures for His glory
3. Never Judge Your Faithfulness by Comparison with Others (v.33)
3. Never Judge Your Faithfulness by Comparison with Others (v.33)
Peter had pride and that led him to say what he said
This does not mean that there is no value in being motivated by others and looking at their examples
Paul specifically tells the church to do this as they look to his example
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
Things were written for our example
4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Peter was comparing his righteousness to that of the other Disciples
Illustration
If you have ever had do any sort of construction project, you may have run across this before. You may need to cut multiple boards to the same size. One thing you are never supposed to do is cut one board to the measurement and then cut the next board to the one you just cut. You might think that this would be fine if you are measuring them all out the same, but what can happen is your measurements can start to drift slightly until you are way off the mark.
Application
We must never look at man and think that he is the standard that we are supposed to measure up to. Christ is the standard we are to measure up to.
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
We all have been born in the image of Adam.
This is why we fail
Adam passed on the sin nature to all of us
Christ came in the flesh to change us
49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
The example we follow in others is only as good as they are following Christ.
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
4. Never Let Your Guard Down (v.33-44)
4. Never Let Your Guard Down (v.33-44)
We’ve already highlighted that we are supposed to understand the enemy and our own weakness and to put up a fight
How do we fight?
Jesus fought by time spent alone with God
Jesus fought by time spent with others with God
Jesus fought by time spent in prayer
Jesus fought by time spent remembering God’s Word
Jesus fought by surrendering to God’s will
Conclusion
