LEARNING TO WALK
John 18:15-27
INTRODUCTION
Peter loved
the Lord. He was vocal in his desire to protect his teacher.
He was
first to say who Jesus was.
Matthew
16:15-17
"But
who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon
Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17
And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona,
He was
quick to tell Jesus he would protect Him from the cross.
Matthew
16:22-23
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
"Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall
never happen to you!"
Jesus turned
and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan.
He was
quick to trust Jesus by stepping out on the water.
Matthew
14:28-29
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied,
"tell me to come to you on the water."
29
"Come," he said.
He was
quick to tell Jesus that he would not allow Him to
Wash his
feet
John 13:8
"No,"
said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet.
Jesus
answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
He was
quick with a sword to cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest.
John 18:10
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and
struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's
name was Malchus.)
Simon Peter vocalized
his high regards for Jesus, but in each case, it did not
Cost him
anything.
As long as
Jesus had his back, Peter was big and bad.
PETER
TALK THE TALK, HE HAD TO LEARN TO WALK
FOLLOW IN
THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS
V:15 Simon
Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was
known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard,
16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known
to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there, and brought
Peter in.
A. You are always in good company
following Jesus, but you have to be ready
To walk in His shoes.
1. To walk in Jesus's shoes, you have to
listen to what He says.
2. You have put all pride and self-interest
aside and focus on
His mission. Peter was
quick to talk but slow to listen
Matthew 26:33
Peter answered and said
to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be
made to stumble."
3. He was talking when he should have
been listening.
Matthew 26:34-35
Jesus said to him,
"Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you
will deny Me three times."
4. The Word of God always gives us
insight into future events.
Since there is nothing
new under the Sun, everything that
Has been done or said is
included in the Word.
Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again,
what has been done will
be done again;
there is nothing new
under the sun.
B. No one knows who the other disciple
was.
1. Whoever he was, he was smart enough
to keep
His mouth shut during the
trial
2. It may have been the other disciple
who told everybody
That Peter denied knowing
Jesus
3. Both Peter and the other disciple
were under the
Protection of Jesus.
4. While Jesus was surrounded by the
enemy,
He was free of the enemy
and had total control.
5. Jesus’s power as the Son of God was
not diminished by
The circumstances.
6. The spotlight was on Peter to draw
the sin of his pride
Into clear focus in his
mind.
7. No matter how strong or sure we are
of ourselves,
Our weaknesses are engrained
in us.
8. Until we recognize our faults, we
cannot correct them.
A
DECISION TO PROCLAIM JESUS
V:17
"You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door
asked Peter.
He replied,
"I am not."
18 It was
cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep
warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
A. You never know who is watching you.
1. You can be sure someone is watching and
will question your
Motives.
2. There are no secrets that will not be
uncovered in time.
3. We ought to be proud to have a
relationship with Jesus.
4. The text teaches us to be ready to give
an account of
Our love for Jesus.
5. We need courage to speak in the face
of opposition.
B. Peter placed himself in the midst of
the trial.
1. Earlier, Jesus had dismissed him
along will all the
Other disciples to go
into a safe place.
2. Peter's love for his Lord drew him to
be close to Him.
3. When you place yourself in enemy
territory, expect
The enemy to identify
you.
4. Peter set himself up for the question
of the servant girl.
5. Peter had a choice, to tell the truth,
or to lie, denying
Knowledge of Jesus.
6. You and I are under the pressure of
being discovered, and have
A responsibility to claim
Jesus as Lord and Savior.
7. Peter failed the test. I am sure he was
grieved at his
Weakness to save his life.
JESUS HOLDS
YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE TRUTH
V:19
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his
teaching.
20 "I
have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in
synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing
in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I
said."
A. We live in this world, but we must
live in Jesus.
1. If we spend too much time on
ourselves, we will lose sight of Jesus.
2. What will you choose; to protect
yourself or support Jesus?
3. It is my belief that Jesus wanted
Peter to understand the
The courage it takes to proclaim
Him as Lord and Savior in the
Face of the opposition.
B. Jesus, throughout His ministry,
openly proclaimed the Word of
God in the presence of the enemy and many other witnesses.
1. Under pressure with the cross in
sight, Jesus did not back
Down from the mission of
the Father to die for our sins.
2. Jesus accused His accusers of denying
their knowledge
Of Him and not bringing
witnesses who would prove
His words and His works.
3. The high priest and the elders of the
synagogues knew the
Truth but blinded
themselves with their desire to kill Jesus.
4. A trial at night and not before the
full Sanhedrin court was
Illegal.
5. The rush was to get Jesus tried and
crucified before the Sabbath
Begin.
ACCUSED OF
SPEAKING THE TRUTH
V:22 When
Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is
this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded.
23 "If
I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong.
But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" 24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to
Caiaphas the high priest.
A. To strike Jesus is to deny Him as
Lord.
1. The official of the High priest struck
Jesus out of ignorance.
2. It is in our best interest to know
Jesus so we don’t deny the one
Who gives us life.
3. It is one thing to strike Jesus out
of ignorance. But it is another
thing to strike Jesus
with full knowledge of who He is.
4. The High Priest and the Sanhedrin
court had full knowledge of
Jesus.
a. In response to Herod, they pointed to
the scriptures that were the
Prophecies of His Messiahship. Micah 5:2, Daniel 9:25
b. They were teachers of the Law who had
every Jew awaiting the
Coming of the Messiah.
c. They hated Jesus because of His
popularity with the crowd
Which threatened their authority.
5. With their mouths, they proclaimed
the Lord, but their hearts
Were from Him.
Matthew 15:8-9
"'These people honor
me with their lips,
but their hearts are far
from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but
rules taught by men.'"
B. When Jesus presented Annas, the older
High Priest
with the legalities of the law, he
ignored the truth and sent Jesus to Caiaphas.
1. The law only works if those who are
charged with enforcing
The law, follow the law.
2. Clearly, Jesus arrest was not a case
of a law being broken, but a
Law being perverted for the
personal agenda of the High
Priest.
C. Peter had the opportunity to speak up
for Jesus as a witness.
1. Peter and the other disciple remained
silent.
2. The other disciple had a greater
opportunity, being known by
High Priest.
3. PUT UP OR SHUT UP. Peter and the other disciple chose
to shut up.
ONE LIE
PROMOTES ANOTHER
V:25 As
Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his
disciples, are you?"
He denied
it, saying, "I am not."
26 One of
the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,
challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27
Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
A. Once you tell one lie, you have to
tell another to cover the first lie.
1. After the first lie, Peter had a
chance to leave.
2. Peter stayed to see what would happen
to his master.
3. All the while, I believe his heart
was heavy with his personal failure.
4. Peter had a double burden.
B. After the second denial of Jesus,
Peter stayed put.
1. The third denial brought to Peters
memory the
Words of Jesus. (all four
Gospels reported Peter’s denial)
Mark 14:72
Then Peter remembered the
word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will
disown me three times." And he broke down and wept.
Luke 22:60-62
Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what
you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The
Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the
Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown
me three times." 62 And he went
outside and wept bitterly.
Matthew 26:73-75
After a little while, those standing there
went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent
gives you away."
74 Then he began to call
down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"
Immediately a rooster
crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the
rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and
wept bitterly.
C. According to the text, only one other
disciple was with Peter during
Jesus’ trial.
1. That unknown disciple may have told
all the others the story of Peter’s
Denial of Jesus. What about other disciples' sin?
2. Peter saw the face of Jesus the
moment the rooster crowed.
3. Peter had a second opportunity to
speak up for Jesus,
Yet he remained silent.
4. In the midst of the trial, Peter
forgot the power of Jesus to
Cast out demons he had
witnessed on many occasions.
5. Peter didn’t recognize that he was in
the midst of a demon
Possessed crowd.
6. Once Peter saw the disapproval in the
face of Jesus, he
Went outside and had to
deal with his sin.
7. He promised Jesus he would not abandon
Him, yet he did.
8. How soon do we discard the Word when
trouble arises.
9. When trouble arises, go to Jesus
first.
GOD MAKES
ALLOWANCES FOR US
D. Thank God that He makes allowances
for our sins.
1. Prior to Jesus being taken into
custody, He prayed for Peter’s recovery.
Luke 22:31-33
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have
prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned
back, strengthen your brothers."
2. Jesus and the devil have
conversations about you.
3. Satan can’t do anything to you unless
allowed by Jesus.
4. Jesus allows Satan to test you, to
strengthen your faith.
5. The Lord knows you will stumble, but
he makes a way for you
To return to Him.
6. The purpose of your trials and
failures is for your strengthening
So you can strengthen other
disciples.
7. The Lord knows you will need the help
of other disciples to
Proclaim the gospel.
8. Don’t blame Peter for his failures.
They were designed by the
Father to propel his
success in the ministry.
THANK GOD
FOR THE COMPASSION OF JESUS
Rev. M.
Mitchell
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