Peter's Prediction

Good morning, welcome to NHCC, please open your Bibles to Mark 14.

Inching closer to the death of Christ.

Read Mark 14:26-31- And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Pray.

Three predictions given by Jesus.

1. The disciples will scatter.

Quoting Zechariah 13.

The unfaithful shepherds are struck for the way in which they led God’s people.

Now it is the Father who strikes the Son, specifically through His unjust betrayal and arrest.

Reminded of the workings of God.

Augustine- “God knows in us even what we ourselves do not know in ourselves.”

skandalizo- scandalize, to fall away.

Mark 4:16-17- And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.

The disciples will demonstrate rocky soil, withering away at tribulation.

Implication- we are not meant to be in charge, we are not made for self-governance.

Apart from the shepherd, we scatter in fear.

Nothing provides hope for this life but the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:31-32- What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:35- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:37-39- No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is our constant trust in such promises that allows us to avoid a frantic life of fear which has been replaced with a firm life built upon the rock of Jesus Christ.

Apart from the shepherd, we scatter in ignorance.

We require guidance, because left to ourselves we find our way to sure destruction.

Aletheia and her lanyard.

Proverbs 16:25- There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Psalm 23- Leads me beside still waters, makes me lie down in green pastures.

Walking in the shadow of death, there is nothing to fear.

Rod and staff comfort me.

We are meant to be shepherded, and when we live apart from the Shepherd, we, like the disciples, will scatter, will fall away into our own destruction.

Wrap up this thought by reminding us of what Jesus thought of those with no shepherd.

Mark 6:34- When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

How do we perceive Jesus’ heart towards our scattering, our running, or falling, away?

Angry, frustrated, enraged, but instead we see Jesus with a heart of compassion. His longing is to bring us back to Him.

2. Peter will deny Jesus.

Last week, the sad questioning of the disciples. This week, strong-willed denial.

Disciples, Peter included and leading the charge, have left behind questioning their faith and embraced a misplaced defense of their faith.

Peter rebukes Jesus once again, like he had in Mark 8.

Following a pattern of sorts, Jesus disagreeing with Jesus, claiming that Jesus is wrong.

Does this in front of the other disciples.

How would we define this moment of Peter’s life? Egotism.

There is a lot of danger in such a stature in front of Christ, who is readying Himself for the cross.

Consider the calling of these disciples. After Jesus dies, is resurrected and ascends to the Father, what will be expected of them?

Servant-hood. The laying down of their lives for the furthering of the gospel.

Peter, in his false assurance of himself, is nowhere near ready to lay down his life on behalf of others, and that is the point that Jesus is making.

Mark Moore- “How could such a devoted disciple deny Jesus? It is simple really. He is willing to stake his life on a miracle working, power wielding Messiah. But when Jesus orders him to put away the sword, he took away the only resource that Peter knew and trusted. Peter is willing to fight for his life, he is not willing to lay it down.”

I wonder if many of us would find ourselves in Peter’s shoes this morning. I’ll fight, I’ll argue, I’ll win, I’ll defend, but if you ask me to serve, if you ask me to lay down who I am, I’ll come up with every reason why I can’t.

Remember what it means to follow Christ- Mark 8:34- And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

These are crucial words- deny himself. This is what Peter failed to do.

3. The resurrection will redeem.

For the fifth time, Jesus predicts His own resurrection. This time the language is, “after I am raised up...”

The scattering of the disciples and the prediction of Peter’s denial remind us that the Kingdom of God does not advance through the perfection and bravery Jesus’ followers.

This ought to be good news for all of us. The Kingdom’s success does not rely upon our performance.

Everything hinges on Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Notice the change in the disciples from before the resurrection to after.

In standing in their own strength, they flee and scatter. The threat of death terrifies them.

After Christ’s resurrection, they stand firm in the faith, willing to endure persecution, suffering, and even martyrdom. What has changed?

What has caused such a transformation to take place?

Primarily, the giving of the Spirit.

But secondarily, I’d argue the reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus. The violent death of Christ had been reversed.

Life and death had been redefined in the person of Jesus.

Kingdom of God vs. the kingdoms of this world.

How do we view suffering, death and life beyond the grave?

The resurrection has redeemed life and death. Given new purpose and direction to our lives, but has also removed the threat of physical and spiritual death.

Free to live as God commands.

Perhaps shown most clearly in Peter.

I wonder- how well have we been shaped by the resurrection of Jesus?