Sermon Tone Analysis

STEPS THAT LEAD TO FALLING

*TEXT: Matthew 26:75 *

*INTRODUCTION:* Peter a saved man, a man who walked for three years with Jesus, a man taught and trained by the Lord Himself, a man who believed and was bold in faith, failed greatly in a time of difficulty and denied the Lord.

How could that happen?

It is a fact...saved people at times and in different degrees do fail their Lord and Savior.

It would be wonderful if this were not so....but it is so and we should address it and understand it thoroughly that we might not fall at Satan's tempting.

Satan wants to devastate us to destroy us.

The believer is open to attack by all the forces of Hell and we must be aware of it.

We must be on guard and be totally committed to doing all we can to be faithful to the Lord that we not fail.

Peter was a good candidate for failure.

He was bold and outspoken.

He deeply loved the Lord and wanted to do right.

He was one of the outstanding of the disciple along with John and James which made up the inter circle of Christ's disciples.

It was a position of leadership.

Satan laid devious plans to destroy him spiritually and render him a failure, and thus branding Christ's message and ministry a failure.

Let us look at him this morning and let us understand clearly a shocking truth.

If Peter could suffer such a tragic fall, so could we!

    Let no one here who is saved by God's Grace; say "I am safe."

Let us understand what Peter meant in his First Epistle Chapter 5:8, "...The devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

Peter knew that truth first hand!

This should be a stern warning to each of us!

!

I.          First Step is THE BEGINNING OF THE FALL.

!! A.        Satan had long been lying in wait ready to perpetrate Peter's fall.

He had been watching and stalking Peter for some time prior to Peter's fall.

!!! 1.

No one falls in a moment.

There must be preparation.

There are always steps that lead to failure.

There are many small failures that precede a great failure such as Peter experienced.

!!! 2.      It must be understood that Peter's failure was brought on him by himself.

Though Satan was behind working to defeat Peter, to have been successful Peter must have been a collaborator.

!!! 3.      Man is not made like a puppet in which various forces act and produce certain results.

!!! 4.      A believer does not grow and mature or backslide as a passive pawn.

!!! 5.      A believer does not grow in the Lord and mature into a spiritual Christian able to be used of the Lord by having a passive attitude.

\\ "Passiveness means submissive."

!! B.        Spiritual growth is always the result of a conscious cooperation with God.

!!! 1.      God wanted Peter to growth spiritually, to live a purposeful life of accomplishing many things for Christ.

!!! 2.      But the enemy of the children of God, the enemy of God, Satan is inflamed by the sight of spiritual growth.....and with increased rage he launched a brutal attack against Peter.

!! C.        Peter should have borne in mind that Satan sought to destroy him.

Christ had warned him.

/"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

Luke 22:31-32 /

!!! 1.      Jesus also prayed for Peter.

Yet Peter still failed.

!!! 2.      Did you note Luke 22:32?

Peter had a task, to strengthen and be an example to the others.

Satan was well aware of Christ's purposes to use Peter.

!!! 3.      Peter had walked with the Lord.

Hours earlier had spent a blessed time in the Upper room with Christ Jesus at the Last Supper.

!!! 4.      But these experiences with Christ did not make him invulnerable to Satan's attacks!

!!! 5.      On the contrary....they exposed him to the possibility of new dangers.

!!! 6.

We should never say, "Because I have reached this place in my spiritual life and understand many spiritual truths....I am no longer afraid of temptation!"

!!! 7.      Folks that is Satan's prime moment!

He waits for one to develop such and unhealthy attitude.

!! D.        In this atmosphere, of spiritual blessing Peter made his first contribution to the Devil's attack.

!!! 1.

It was the spirit of spiritual pride and self confidence that led to his fall.

!!! 2.      When Jesus that evening warned that they would be tempted Peter's ego took over and he proclaimed, "Never me, Lord."

He even went so far as to say, "Lord the other disciples may fail you, but never me!"   [Matt.

26:31-35]

!! E.        Do you see what Peter was doing?

!!! 1.      Peter was comparing himself with the other disciples and judging himself superior!

!!! 2.      Folks this is a fatal error.

There is only one standard of comparison for the believer!

That comparison is with Jesus Christ.

There is not other!!

!!! 3.      Do not think you are something because you are not as bad as someone else.

The correct standard and questions is this: "Am I like Christ Jesus my Savior."

!!! 4.      To much the world is deceived by Satan today to accept a different standard that the Bible gives.

/"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Romans 8:29 /

!!! 5.      It is well to note that only Peter of the eleven disciples denied the Lord Jesus.

!!! 6.      Peter separated himself from the others and thought himself greater spiritually that they.

!!! 7.      Peter was bold in his testimony for Christ.

He was steadfast....yet he was the one who fell.

!! F.         The clear principle was must live by as a child of God is expressed by Paul, "When I am weak, then I am strong."

II Cor.

12:10

!!! 1.      Peter could whisper to each of us, "Be careful, my brother-my sister, for that's how I started to that evening.

I started with a boast about my spiritual strength, and suddenly I found myself denying by Master and Lord!"

!

II.

PETER'S SECOND step HAPPENED IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMENE.

*M**att** 26:36-46**.*

!! A.        All the disciples had come to the garden together except Judas who was busy arranging the betrayal.

!!! 1.      Jesus then selected three of the men and went to a remote corner of the garden.

Peter was among them.

!!! 2.      They were the closest to the Lord.

In Christ's hour of great need as He agonized over the coming Cross, he asked them to be with Him.

!!! 3.

He prayed in earnest to the Father, as they slept.

\\ He was kind and understanding.

He said, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."

!! B.        The believer who does not follow the Lord's command and example is in grave danger.

!!! 1.

The flesh is weak, yet Christ had told them to pray.

They gave in the flesh and went to sleep.

Folks our physical bodies can lead us to fail.

It can happen when we are tried.

When we are under pressure.

When someone hurts us.

!!! 2.      Would Jesus have asked them something that was beyond their ability to do? Surely not!

!!! 3.      They could have but did not.

Peter needed prayer, Jesus knew it and told him...but Peter refused.

!!! 4.      In a few short hours Peter would need the strength that prayer would have given him, yet when the hour came Peter was unprepared.

!! C.        We can neglect prayer, the study of God's word, a time of worship, obedience in faithfulness we will most likely live a defeated and fallen life.

!!! 1.

We can proclaim, but I am a child of God...God will protect me!!