Pressure Burst Pipes!
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· 121 viewsThe pressure of life can cause us to subccumb to sin.
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Transcript
Text:
Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Topic:
Pressure Can Burst Pipes or Make Diamonds!
Introduction:
A famous NBA basketball player named Robert (big shot Bob) Horry created a famous epigram that has been quoted by many especially in the sports world that says “Pressure burst pipes or makes diamonds.” His thought was that pressure can either break you or make you. You’ll either come out worst, you’ll give up, you’ll cave in, or you will come out better, you’ll come out stronger, you’ll come out successful.
Robert Horry was famous for hitting big-time game winning shots in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs. He experienced constant pressure from fans, from coaches, from opposing teams, from himself, and the pressure of having the ball placed in his hand to shoot the game winning shot.
As christians, we too face constant pressure from all sides. We experience pressure from without, pressure from within, pressure from people, pressure from situations, pressure from the world, pressure from Satan, and pressure from demonic principalities.
Although we may face pressure in life, we must remember that Jesus Christ (through his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension) has provided the tools and the help that we need to withstand the pressures of life and the pressures of sin.
Dealing with the text:
Last week we preached on the subject matter “God Will Restore”. We dealt with Peter, how Jesus prophesied how he was going to use Peter to establish the church. Peter gladly received this prophecy but then our text this morning deals with Peter’s fall from grace. Peter thought he could stand on his own, he thought he had the power within himself to be strong, but when pressure came his way he fell. Pressure can burst pipes.....pressure can cause you to fall short of the glory of God.
What pressure did Peter face? Well, first off.....when Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsaname Peter attacked one of the temple guards by the name of Malchus and cut his ear off. It was a violent assault Jesus tells Peter to put his sword away because those who live by the sword die by the sword.
Secondly, after Jesus was apprehended, Peter followed stealthily behind to see what would become of Jesus. When the people kindled a fire, Peter tried to blend in with them and sat down among them to get himself warm. A maid (verse 56) noticed that he had been with Jesus. Listen, when you’ve been around Jesus people are going to notice you too. Peter denied the Lord and said “I don’t know him”. A little while latter a man saw him and said “you’re one of Jesus’ followers, and Peter once again said “I am not one of Jesus’ followers. An hour later, another confidently affirmed Peter’s identity and said “Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.” And Peter said, “man I know not what thou sayest” “I don’t know what you your talking about. They said we know who you are because of your speech and mannerism (Matt 26:72-74) then Peter began to curse and swear, the pressure got to him, it caused him to commit violence, the pressure got to him, it caused him to deny the Lord not once, but three times, the pressure got to him and caused him to swear and cursed, and say things that was not befitting for a saint of God! Listen, just like Peter, you can experience pressure and it will cause you to act out in violence, it will cause you to engage in conversations that you should, pressure will cause you to look at things that you shouldn’t, pressure will cause you to swear and to curse somebody or just curse period! Pressure Bursts Pipes! Jesus looked at Peter, and Peter remember what the Lord told him, that before the cock/rooster crows three times you’ll deny me. Peter said, because he was sure of his self “I’ll never deny you” “I’m willing to die with you” but your flesh will cause you to take down from what you promise God. Your flesh will cause you to do what you said you wouldn’t do, it will cause you to act in ways that you don’t want to act all because of pressure!
PRESSURE!
Types of outward pressure:
Family.
Friends.
Peers.
Co-workers.
Media influencers/influences (TV shows, talk shows, commercials, Movies, Radio, Podcasts, Internet, Social Media, Books, Magazines.
Government: laws, personal convictions, pressure from citizens.
The World System: The system that defies God, God’s word, God’s commandments.
Demonic Principalities: Oppression and possession.
Satan himself.
Types of inward pressure:
Low self-esteem
Loneliness
Pride
Your carnal mind
Depression
Mental Illness
Addictions
Lust
Traumatic Experiences
Physical Injuries
Sickness
These pressures along with other pressures can work against us to make us fall, to cause us to sin, and to remain in a fallen state where we have fallen from grace, or these pressures with the help of the Lord can make us stronger and when God brings us out of these, He gets the glory!
Sometimes it is pressure that gives us the propensity to sin. Other times it can just be straight disobedience or we are just walking in the flesh. However a lot of times we experience pressure, pressure from without; a co-worker, a family member, a church member says something that irks us and we reply in a way that does not bring honor to God.
Sometimes we deal with inward struggles and pressure, we are lonely, maybe we’ve experienced a traumatic event in our childhood, a member of the same sex may have molested you and now your preference is to have relationships and sexual encounters with the same sex (now please understand that this is not always the case. Maybe you were molested by the opposite sex and you are promiscuous. Your friends exposed you to some stuff you shouldn’t have seen as a child and now you are a porn-addict. You came from an abusive environment and now you are in a constant state of anger.
Sometimes the sin that we battle with and against is rooted in a traumatic experience or an overall experience that was not conducive to our well being. So what do we do? We come to Jehovah Rapha and let him heal us! We come to God and express to him our struggles, our fears, our disappointments!
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
We need to come boldly to the throne of grace.....we need to come with our hands lifted, we need to come surrendering to God, we need to come acknowledging our transgressions and our iniquities. Your carnal mind does not want to come to the Lord and confess anything. Your carnal mind wants you to run from God just like Adam and Eve did when they sinned! They hid from God.....you’ll hide too....you’ll stop coming to church, you’ll stop reading your bible, you’ll stop praying to God, you’ll stop listening to your gospel or christian music. God doesn’t want you to run from Him, He wants you to run to him! God is a gentleman, He doesn’t force Himself on nobody, He won’t help those who feel like they don’t need help! Let me give you a nugget of truth, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in church, it doesn’t matter how long you been preaching, singing, ushering, serving the church, praying, reading, fasting, the truth of the matter is that we all need the LORD! The babe in Christ needs the Lord, the sinner needs the Lord, the seasoned saint needs the Lord, the deacon needs the Lord, the preacher needs the Lord, the Bishop and the Apostle........we all need the LORD!
We need to come to Jesus and cast all of our cares upon Him for He cares for us. Those cares are just not limited to our personal needs, financial needs, family needs, but those cares can also be the pressure of life, the pressure of sin.
When the pressure hits us, when pressure arises, when hard times come, when the temptation hits you, do what Paul suggested:
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
You have to deal with the mind, actions don’t begin with the limbs, actions begin with the mind! When the devil put those thoughts in your mind you need to rebuke and get your mind on what is true, what is honorable, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely, what is admirable, think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Then you need to put what you’ve learned into practice, you don’t just need to hear the word......you’ve got to do the word. First you must hear, apply faith to the word, and then obey it. Think about all of the saints that suffered and endured temptation but they didn’t give up. Think about all of the word that we’ve been taught by our predecessors. The word that was handed down to the prophets, the apostles, the bishops, the pastors, our church leaders. By doing so, Paul says that “then” the God of peace will be with you.
God knows our infirmities, which is translated in english to weaknesses. God knows our pressure points, he knows the little red buttons, He knows the triggers that will set us off, that will cause us to fall. But we don’t have an high priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our weaknesses! Jesus felt pressure just like we feel pressure and the greatest pressure he faced was before he was arrested and taken to the judgement hall, tried, beaten, and crucified. Imagine knowing all the pain and agony that you were going to suffer, imagine knowing how you were going to be mistreated and abused! The bible says that Jesus himself:
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Jesus understands our weakness and our frailty or propensity towards sin! Jesus when he was on his way to Golgotha experienced physical weakness:
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
Jesus was so weak carrying the cross, so weak bearing our sins that God manifested in the flesh didn’t have the physical power to carry his own cross. We are talking about the one who spoke the world into existence, the preeminent Christ had to have help because though he was divine, he was also human. If Christ experienced weakness in his flesh and received help.....then he knows that you are weak and that you need help and if you can just believe and apply faith to your pressure, then you should have to confidence to know that Jesus, God, will help you in your struggle, God will help you in your weakness, God will help you in your pressure!
Come boldly to the throne of grace, come with assurance that God will help you, come with assurance that Jesus will strengthen you, come with assurance that the Lord will deliver you, come with assurance that the Lord will save you from the pressure! Come to the seat, the power of grace, come to God’s lovingkindness, come to seat of power that will help you, whatever it is, whatever you’re struggling with, whatever the pressure is the LORD says COME! Come to the throne of grace (charis).....where God can change your heart, where God can give you a new start, where God will give you favor and benefit!
But that same pressure can also create diamonds! Pressure, when it is handled correctly can work for your good! That pressure, if you handle it right, it’ll bring you closer to God, that pressure when we take it to the Lord in prayer, God can deliver you from that pressure, that pressure, when you crucify your flesh and the affection their of will cause you to be more anointed, will cause you to have a song in your spirit, will cause you to have a testimony that you can share with others who may be in your shoes......and it will bring them out! Paul said “All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord, who are called according to his purpose!” The devil will cause pressure to harm you, but God will turn the pressure for your GOOD! Testify to about three people and tell them God is going to cause your pressure to work for your good! Not your sin.....no that will result in death, but the pressure, the trial, the fear, the loneliness, the frustration, the sickness the disappointment.......GOD is going to cause it to work for you! It’s going to make you stronger, it’s going to bringing you closer to God, God is going to work out the family issues, God is going to heal your brokenness, He’s going to heal that traumatic experience, He’s going to bring you out of the addiction! Come on, let’s go boldly to the throne of grace, come on let’s talk to Jesus about it, come on let’s tell the Lord how much we need Him, tell the Lord about your weakness, tell the Lord about your pain, tell the Lord about your fears, tell the Lord about the addiction, tell the Lord about your struggle against those sins!
Conclusion:
When Peter came to Jesus, he could have stayed away from him because of his failure and the shame that he felt at letting Jesus down, but he came to Jesus.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter had been in the background, yes he ran to Jesus’ tomb when he heard Jesus had been resurrected, but Peter had been quiet and in the background. We see here that Peter literally comes out of his shell. Jesus was walking on the shore and John identified him......Peter loved Jesus so much that he cast off his fisher’s coat and cast himself into the sea to meet Jesus. That casting off of his coat was symbolic because Peter was casting off things that were holding him back, he was casting off his failures, he was casting of his weights and sins in order to be with Jesus. That’s what we have to do, anything that is hindering us we gotta take it off in order to meet Jesus. Later on Jesus restored Peter to right standing with himself and the Lord (John
Don’t let your pressure cause you to fall away from the Lord.....fall to Him. Peter came to Jesus and the Lord restored him (John 21:15-17).