this is of course, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and
out this is the message to the disciples, but go your way, tell
his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee
there, shall you see him as he said, unto you Obviously, we're
talking about the Apostle Peter this afternoon for a little
while something of his life. There's something special about
the very name of this impulsive Wayward and child hearted man,
that awakens our interest in him.
We know ourselves better when we know the Apostle Peter very
well, we study him in his failures and we grow discouraged
sometimes for we say if a man who could be so near Jesus
Christ as Peter with him in the house of jeremías on the
Transfiguration mountain and in Gethsemane, if he could deny him
then it's certainly not strange that we should fail in this
sinful and adulterous generation in which we live.
Are we starting him though? In his successes and we Rejoice?
But we say, if a man, like Peter, unlettered uncultured
fishermen as he was, if he could be loved and accepted back by
the Lord even after he had denied him.
Then there's hope for every one of us.
And so I hope we will look at it that way this afternoon.
Now there are many reasons why I like this man, Simon Peter.
And I'm sure that next to the Lord Jesus Christ of all the men
whose Names appear in the New Testament.
He would be one of the ones I should like most to meet in
heaven and see exactly what he's like.
I like to him because of his enthusiasm.
I like an enthusiastic person. I like a person who really shows
what he means, Peter had an artery about him that seemed to
radiate through everything that he did.
If he was right, he was enthusiastic the right if he was
wrong, he was enthusiastically wrong.
And I like such a man is that? But some of them might say,
isn't that the thing that caused him so much trouble?
But I would say that the world doesn't know Too much too rich
over cautious. People he was a brave man.
I'm sure though that somebody's about to say you mean Brave,
man. Didn't he deny the Lord in the
presence of a little girl when he said, I know he not and the
old habit of his profanity came back upon him.
And he denied the Lord with an oath and I last I'll say that's
true too, but then you have to remember that Peter had courage
enough to follow Jesus down into the presence of his enemies.
And Peter was one of the ones of the disciples near the master in
the courtroom. There are many reasons why I
think the Apostle Peter is an outstanding man.
But I want you to get our sermon this afternoon and Peter.
Now these words, which form an angel's message to the
Brokenhearted disciples percent, one of the sweetest pictures in
the whole Bible to us. And I hope you'll get this
afternoon. The crucifixion scene is over
now and the rocks have ceased their throbbings into crosses on
the hillside stand still and strange.
The text is the Angels message to the disciples who have
gathered themselves together after that dark dark day and are
seeking to comfort each other. They had always imagined that
the master whom they had loved and followed wants to be a king
of a temporal Kingdom. And they were to have positions
of power in that Mmm. You know, the mother of two
wonted, two of her sons to sit one.
On the right hand and one on the other.
But now, he's been crucified, and they don't understand their
hearts are, well, not breaking within them because it's an
oral, a mystery to them. How can he be a king after he's
died? It seems I can see them almost
as they sit in that little Upper Room in Jerusalem down this they
say to one another, we had trusted that it had been he that
should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, this is
the third day since all this was done, but I'm sure that there
was one who was not in that company in Jerusalem.
I feel sure that that was a vacant chair.
This one's name was Peter. He must have felt that he was no
more of disciple and felt that he what did no more qualify to
the right of communion and fellowship with the other
disciples. I expect he was someplace on the
outskirts of the city and some Dark Lonely, Place far away from
any human eye. To look upon him for broken
hearted, man. Probably we've all felt somewhat
that way at times, but if Peter were not into company of the
disciples, I'm sure of one other thing.
Thing too. And that is that the other
disciples must have been talking about him human nature.
Hasn't changed that much. We have a great way of
remembering all about a person's failures, and downfalls, and
forgetting the strong points in their character, remembering
onto their weak places and forgetting and tired of their
virtues. And so, I suspect that these
disciples were speaking. Some?
What about Peter wondering why he wasn't here.
Can't you just hear them? We've all been in such setting?
And maybe we've been a party to too many of them.
Someone asked Wonder, where's Peter?
And they are all, of course, stare for a moment Peter said,
Ida says, you didn't expect him to be here, did you did you ever
know of him falling through without some kind of a slip-up?
Maybe another one says yeah, he's always great on speaking up
and watch and see if one of the first to put his foot in his
mouth, maybe they started mentioning some of the things
that Peter had done irrationally and wrong and they could have
mentioned a number. They sure could how probably did
his failures. They could have told about the
time that he started walking on the water and started sinking,
and that, cause that seemed to my mind to Jesus, Was coming to
them on the water. They were so afraid because they
thought he was an apparition, our spirit.
And then Jesus cried out. His voice.
Ringing like a silver bell in the midst of all the hurricane
and the winds and the Raging of the waters.
Be not afraid. It is I well after they had
calmed himself somewhat Peter said Lord, if it be thou bid, me
come unto thee on the water and Jesus answered with one word,
come. Jesus, cried out of that boat
and started walking to Jesus. And, you know, he just
accomplished that for some time he did.
All right. Until the waves, roundabout, he
became so boisterous and he began to notice them.
The Bible said he took his eye off Jesus.
Alright, we do sometimes and when he did, he is Faith failed
him and he began to sink down into the waves of the sea.
He said, Lord help me Jesus reached out his hand and helped
him and put him back into the boat.
Now they could have mentioned that and that certainly was a
failure own Peters part. But then, you know, come to
think of it. On the other hand, it took a
great degree of courage to climb out of that boat.
The others didn't I notice? They weren't perfect their legs
over the side of that boat. And walking across the water.
No sir they stayed put did indeed.
So if you're going to criticize feeder, there's a lot of things
to be said about those who never make an effort, those who never
make it effort are always quick to judge those who do make an
effort and sometimes fail into doing.
So they could have mentioned that if they had wanted to they
not have mentioned, sometimes the scene.
So recent when the Lord was washing their feet and all of a
sudden, Peter impossibly sprang up and said, Lord, thou canst
not wash my feet. Well now when you come to look
at it, that was because of a humility that was seizing.
Peter's heart the time he seemed to recognize the fact that this
is the master down there, doing the menial tasks of a servant
and he was about to let us the Lord placed servant around him
and wash his feet while he sat there, like somebody.
No sir. But Jesus wanted to prove a
point Jesus wanted to express something.
So he said, Lord, he said Peter, if I wash not that feet Dynasty,
the partner love with me and then of course, poor Peter
impulsive, Peter, Peter. So like we all are.
He said, well then, Lord not my feet only but my head.
Also, if that's the way it is, just take me off.
Take all of it. That's better.
Although they could have mentioned several other things,
too. You know, we don't usually
mention people's good things when we're putting them down.
Do we? You know, I wonder if there was
any kind of in one their kind enough to remember him and say
yes, but his love for, Jesus was so wonderful.
You never heard the master asked a question that Peter wasn't the
first one to answer it. He respected the Lord, his
mansur might not always be so might not be true but he would
try. He really would whom say ye that
I am Jesus said Peter spoke up. That's the way it was whom say
ye that, I am he answers and says so.
And so, we could mention some of the examples today.
It's a bad thing to dislike anyone so much that you can't
ever remember his good points. I hope I never get so hardened
until I can't ever see a good poet in someone even if I don't
like the person. That doesn't mean that they're
completely abandon because I don't write them, you know.
But if Peter were not gathered in the upper room and talking
about, but if they were gathered in the upper room, talking about
Peter, there's another thing of which I am most certain this
afternoon, he was the most utterly disconsolate man in all
the city of the king for Mark. You well, this one thing and
don't ever forget it. What once a man has been at the
Kings Table and taste you to the Kings meat, you can no more
expect him to find real pleasure in the world.
Then you can expect the I could go back and try to live on the
husk to satisfy himself with the company of the swine the second
time. So I think Peter was a very
broken hearted, man, this day. And I think he was in the
outskirts of Jerusalem. If there's one whom I pity, if
there's one in the world, I pity it is that one who stands like
Peter of old out of communion with his blessed Lord.
But I think maybe he finally says, I guess I've got to go and
get back with the boys and get it over with, we're thankful.
He didn't do like Judas. He did have some feeling left in
his heart. So I've got to go back and try
to fix this up somehow. Someway, maybe the fellows will
pity me and help my terrible feeling.
You know, the night that he was there to Garden in the y'all
rather in the courtroom. He was standing outside when he
went inside, when the Lord was taken inside to be tried, he was
out there warming himself around a thorn by the scholars.
Believe it was about midnight, it was cool and chill.
And here the soldiers were trumping about and the riprap
men about maybe and then all of a sudden, a damsel comes out and
sees Peter slinking In the Shadows over there.
Trying to Or himself around the part.
She said you're one of his disciples he said, no, I don't
know him. Jesus had told Peter, you know
that before the cock crows you will deny me Thrice.
Again she comes out and said you are sure one of his disciples
and he said no I don't know him and about this time that door
opens and a shaft of light pierces through the darkness of
the night and then they see Jesus bound and being led out.
And just about this time, she says, I know you were one of his
disciples, your speech betrays you, you are Galilean and Tsar
Peter take. His old habit, reverting.
He said he, the Bible says he cursed and swore and said I know
him. The agency said that remark
falls out on the air. Jesus has just walked out in
earshot and the Bible says he turned and looked at I don't
think that was a hateful look. I don't think that was a
spiteful, look. I don't think that was an angry,
look. I think it was a look of hurt.
Love, what did I tell you? So Peter type of a look And then
Jesus looked away. That look got Theatre.
The Bible says he went out into the darkness.
And cried aloud. He went out into the darkness
and wept. Now later translation gives that
this way he went out into the darkness and screamed aloud.
Now you know, the reason he did that was because it suddenly
dawned on him, he had done the worst thing that a human being
could ever do in this world. Now, that a lot of things you
might do, you might commit murder.
You might commit all kinds of mail you might do, but when you
deny the Lord, you've done the worst thing you've ever done in
this life. And Peter realizes that because
that look remind you, then he remembered the words of the
Lord. The Bible says, it all came back
on you. So I think he was still
somewhere out in the darkness of the night.
Are on the outskirts of town, the next day.
I don't think he just ran, got him a little hotel that night,
slept it, all wrong things, all over.
No sir, no way. So, I think now he tries his
best to go back and get what the apostles again.
I think maybe he turns and starts along the streets and
through the city and comes to the little room in the distance,
courage, fails, perhaps the time of to, I don't know.
Goes back to his old Retreat and sits with clenched fists and
bowed head biting. His lip tears streaming down his
face, but finally, he gets up and says, I will go and he did
go. However, he what happened.
He went, and with thankful for that, he reaches the stairway
leading up to the room. And as he, our sins we're really
dragging his feet. He reaches the landing and
reaches the latch. What does he Hear?
Voices Inside? Are people.
Talking about him inside? Are they say?
Saying those things about him inside that would hurt him and
drive him off again. He goes in.
I don't know what happened when he went he in.
I hope though that some brother someone of the group walked over
by in a manly way placed his hand upon his shoulders and
shook him. Good said Peter, We're Glad You
Came. We've been all missing you It's
never been the same since you left.
You know, you've always been our spokesman and we depended on
you. Where have you been?
We need you. The Lord won't you.
I hope that was the way it was, I don't know you know, show the
right attitude toward the area and it will do them good.
It'll bring them back. If ever, there is a time when a
man needs the words of sympathy, when he needs the warm class for
her hand, it is when he has stepped the first time out of
line. Say the right thing and do the
right thing and many a man will be brought back into the cause
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we hope that's the case.
But listen, somebody else is coming.
Not wearily, dragging your feet, like Peter did, but she burst
into that room like a glare of sunshine.
It was a lovely married. Mary Magdalene who had been over
Yonder the tomb, Talking to Angels.
And she has received the greatest message of all times
and as she Springs into the company, to the disciple she
calls out, perhaps, he's risen, he is risen.
And then she says it Jesus is risen from the dead and he said,
he would, he would see you all over in Galilee go, tell my
disciples that I go before them into Galilee.
Is that what she said? No, and I'm glad that wasn't
what she said because if that's what she said, that man sitting
over here would have felt excluded because he already
feels the Vatican artist and it and if she had said that, he
would have felt left out. Out.
Just as sure as you can believe because the Lord thought that
too and the Bible says and putting it, right?
Here's what she said, tell my disciples and Peter.
That I go before them into Galilee.
What did the Lord name him particularly and especially
well, I'll tell you why. He was the only ones named Mitch
and and the only ones name mentioned is the only one who
had done wrong and felt that he would no longer qualify as a
disciple. I want to tell you today that
the Lord is the same yesterday today and forever. and he has an
invitation for every one of his children, but if there's one if
there's a special individual in all the world, That needs the
message to be sent to anyone. It's that one who gives out of
favor with the Lord and don't forget those words and Peter.
And Peter. It was not that the Lord didn't
love the other disciples he did. he loved him as much as he did
Peter, but he was Peter, that was the one who was lost then,
and that's the one he was thinking about the most, And at
that time, the Lord was grieving for him.
Now I heard a story told one time Someone foolishly asked our
old mother. Which one of her children she
loved the most a large family children.
She just really answered like that.
So, last morning every night Isn't that sweet?
That one would be the one of her concern at that moment and
that's the one who would be Out of the circle.
And she would be most concerned and grieving about him.
That's the one at that moment that she would love the most.
And that's the case with Peter right here and Peter, you know,
the Lord doesn't want to give up any one of his disciples He
doesn't have a single disciple that he would spare.
He loves you all in spite of our mistakes, in spite of our
failures. In spite of our weaknesses.
I've read a poem, long time. It's a classic written in
England and I'm going to read. It is one of my favorite poems
and it illustrates this, just so perfect.
As rather lengthy, the story is so you can get the thought real.
Well, two brothers lived in England, one of them was
childish. And he made it well in life, he
had it going real well. His other brother had married
and had a whole house full of kids 7.
I believe. But he didn't make it quite so.
Well, it seemed like it was hard for him to get along.
He'd Fallen upon hard times. You just could make end meets
meat. So the well-to-do brother, wrote
him a letter, and told him that I'll give you all, you need for
the rest of your life. If you'll just give me one of
your children, let's see what it says.
Here's the letter. What shall it be?
I looked at John.
John looked at me. This is the why dear patient
John who loves me yet. As well as though my locks were
Jet and when I found that, I must speak, my voice, seems
strangely low and weak. Tell me again, what Robert said?
And then I listening bent my head, this is his letter, I will
give a house and land. While you salil if in return
from out of your 71, child to me for a is given Under to John's
old garments worn. I thought of all that John had
borne a poverty and work in care which are the Willing could not
share. I thought of seven little mouths
to feed. I'm seven little children's
need. And then of this come, John
said, I will choose among them as they lie asleep.
So, walking hand in hand. Dear John, and I surveyed our
band first to the Cradle like this depth, For the new name,
this baby slept shall it be baby quest for John?
I took his hand and hurried on to Lily's crib, her sleeping
grasp. Held her old dog within.
Its her class her dark curls, lay like Golda like a goal
against the pill of white softly.
Her father stopped to lay his rough hand down in loving way
when dreamer whisper made her sister.
Then us Kelly said John not her not her We stopped beside the
trauma bed. And one long Ray of Lamplight
shed our thought, the boys faces their slow sleep in pity in
sleep. So, pitiful and fair are so
Jamie's rough, red chica T run dried Here, John could speak
he's but a baby to said I and kissed him as we hurried by hail
patient Robbie's suffering, angel face in sleep, still bore
sufferings Trace. No, not a thousand crowns, not
him. We whispered while our eyes were
dim for dick. That dick, our wayward son
turbulent. Restless either one, could he be
spared? No, he who gave bids us,
befriend him to the Grave. Only a mother's heart can be
patient enough for such. You see and so said, John, I
would not dare to send him from her bedside prayer.
Then stole we softly up above and they'll primary Child Of
Love, perhaps for hurts, would better be?
I said to John. Quite silently.
He lifted up a curl, a straight across her cheek, and willful
way. Then shook his head nail of not
to eat the flower of my heart, the all degree, only one more.
Our eldest LED trustee truthful. Good, and glad so, like his
father. No John, no, I cannot, I will
not let him go. And so we wrote in courteous
way, we could not give one child away and afterwards tall, like
for seemed thinking of what thinking of that for which we up
which we dream happy and true. That not one fakes we missed
from its accustomed Place thankful to work for all the
seven trusting, the restaurant in heaven.
That's just the way the Lord feels about the church at Fair
Oaks. With all of your weaknesses with
all of your troubles, with all of your problems, he doesn't
want to give one child away. well, you know That's the story.
And that's the reason why the Jesus when he sent his message
from Heaven back down here to Earth, he said, you go tell them
and Peter. I want Peter name.
And if you are stray this afternoon, if you're out of Duty
with the Lord, if he were sending a message down to this
old world, he couldn't, he couldn't be more impressed.
He couldn't be more interested in you that if he had really
called your name, he's that much interested in you though.
He's not talking to you audibly today, like you did.
Then he's talking through his word, but he means it just the
same You know, in spite of his failures, Peter had a met had a
message for us, that is rich in. Hope he tells us in the most
emphatic, way that the man who followed a far out yesterday may
enter into the intimacy of the Masters Fellowship today.
He tells us that there's a place at his side, even for those of
us who have denied him that look, but Peters heart that day,
you can have, you can hear Pathetic sobbing across the
centuries, he found his way once more into the Masters
friendship. Jesus could hardly wait to get
the door of that tomb. Open to send Peter, a special
message. Go tell my disciples and Peter.
There's it, a private interview that Jesus had with Peter.
Did you know that it's not explained in the Bible?
And it's not clearly stated in the Bible?
What took place we're not told but we can be sure of something
that he said, was said, Peter, proved that the, Peter poured
out, the whole wretched story before Jesus I think and Jesus
listened and forgot. And forgave the Bible says he
appeared on Unto Simon, he appeared unto some.
I don't know why that was no one knows what that was.
But isn't that something Peter comes forth from that interview
wearing the different Garb than he had ever worn before the Garb
of humility? MC commands that to you and me,
be clothed with humility. He writes for God, resisteth,
the proud and giveth grace to the humble wearing this robe.
Peter went forth into the ministry of the Lord.
It was in this costume that he preached in the house of
Cornelius in this Garb that he received his stripes.
And thought it owner that he was counted worthy to suffer for the
Lord. It was in this Garb that he went
into prison and he was in this Garb to the Garb of humility
that he was crucified. When Peter wrote his epistle,
when he was converted and brought back to the Lord, you
know. Peter wrote an epistle.
And there's encouragement in that epistle to everyone.
Listen, he says, but God is Not slack.
Concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is
long-suffering to us-ward listen to that long-suffering to
us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance something.
One, by the Holy Spirit, Peter Pan, those words back in the
Indy chamber of his heart, he could hear an echo. 70 and Peter
and Peter because those words were the sweetest words he had
ever. Heard in all of his life they
welcomed him back. Again somewhere down in North
Africa, probably was As he was Faithfully following his duty to
the Lord, and he never did go astray again.
His enemies apprehended him and they gave him the final
punishment. He was crucified, I like the
Lord. The only objection he had was,
don't crucify me in the normal way, crucify me upside down
because I'm not worthy to die like Jesus and they indulged
with him in that he was crucified upside down.
Wherever you are today. If you're out of Duty with the
Lord, remember these words and don't ever forget them, let me
be a encouragement and a challenge to you.
The Lord is calling for you to come back.
Now, he feels that way, just as much about you as he did Simon
Peter in the long long ago. I'm quite sure.
We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
would like any additional information or you would like to
receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.
Please email us at info at True Church of Christ
Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays
at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. so
please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our
honored guest