1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:05,300 Of all the things that Jesus could have said to them of all 2 00:00:05,300 --> 00:00:08,700 the things that he could warn them about as he's nearing the 3 00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:12,300 cross. He chooses to bring up the fact 4 00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:16,500 that they will all defect, they will all desert him, they will 5 00:00:16,500 --> 00:00:21,500 all turn their back on Jesus and if the disciples are to carry 6 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:23,900 out the message to the world, they're going to have to be 7 00:00:23,900 --> 00:00:27,200 strong as I mentioned. Just a moment ago, though. 8 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:31,400 The very first step in understanding strength is to 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:36,300 First understand weakness. The lesson of weakness is first 10 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:38,800 thing that we have to learn and I think that's what he's 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,500 teaching here. It's A lesson that we all have 12 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:44,200 to learn as well in our life, you know. 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,400 I think it's important that we realize that sometimes sometimes 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:53,100 we rely on our own strength and because of that we think we can 15 00:00:53,100 --> 00:00:57,400 handle whatever comes our way. And may I just say this if you 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:02,200 are failing day by day if you are weak spiritually, if you are 17 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,500 struggling day by day, I'm going to say it. 18 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:06,500 Be at the very outset of this lesson. 19 00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:10,300 It is because you were trying to handle all of those things. 20 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:15,200 By way of your own strength. And if you do, and that is you, 21 00:01:15,300 --> 00:01:17,400 you are failing miserably every day. 22 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,000 We all fall into that category, if that's our motive, if that's 23 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,700 the way that we do it. If that's the way we handle it, 24 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,200 we are going to fail in the passage that is before us 25 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,900 though, we find that these are things that are spoken to the 26 00:01:31,900 --> 00:01:37,000 Disciples of Jesus Christ. And they thought they thought 27 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:40,000 they were going to do the right thing after all. 28 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:41,600 They all said, I'll never leave you. 29 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:43,000 We're going to get into specifically. 30 00:01:43,100 --> 00:01:46,400 Lee the words that were used by Peter and the other Apostles 31 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,500 also. But just remember this what they 32 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:53,300 said was wrong. You remember, what happened in 33 00:01:53,308 --> 00:01:56,300 the Garden of Gethsemane. Now, I'm not going to go into 34 00:01:56,300 --> 00:01:59,000 that, I'm not gonna actually, I'm just going to make a point 35 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,000 about it, and I've decided to skip the Garden of Gethsemane in 36 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,000 the last week, in the life of Jesus in our series. 37 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,100 Because I preached on that, I think at least three times, 38 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:12,400 right here over the years. And I didn't want this series to 39 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,800 be just Just a re canting of things that I've already taught 40 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:20,100 or studied, so it's a good. It's a very good possibility 41 00:02:20,100 --> 00:02:23,500 that we go from here to win. He's arrested. 42 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,100 All right, all that being said remember in the Garden of 43 00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:29,300 Gethsemane. Jesus goes and he prays and they 44 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:33,800 slept notice what happened. They said here, I'll never leave 45 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,700 your side. But we know exactly what 46 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:39,100 happened. Jesus comes out forward and the 47 00:02:39,108 --> 00:02:43,300 betrayer is out in front, it's Judas, we know what happens. 48 00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:47,000 Then, do you remember, what Jesus said, he was protecting 49 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,300 these men, that said, they would never leave his side. 50 00:02:50,500 --> 00:02:53,200 And Jesus said, who are you looking for? 51 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,800 And they said, Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus said, I am 52 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,300 he, by the way, the word, he's not in the original, you know. 53 00:03:01,308 --> 00:03:05,600 He said, I am, it's always been. I am, And you know what 54 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,700 happened? They fell down unfazed by that 55 00:03:08,700 --> 00:03:11,400 they get back up, Jesus says again really quickly. 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,500 Now he said, who are you looking for? 57 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:17,200 They said Jesus of Nazareth. He said I am he let these go. 58 00:03:17,700 --> 00:03:21,900 So I said all of that to say that he protected the disciples, 59 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:25,200 he said let them go but that's not what happened. 60 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,600 They didn't stand firm. In fact in Matthew 26 and 56. 61 00:03:30,100 --> 00:03:34,500 The last sentence of the verse says this then all the disciples 62 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:39,400 for Took him and fled, when it came down to the moment of 63 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,600 trial, they all fled. Now Matthews intent here. 64 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,900 I do believe is to preserve the Majesty of Jesus Christ. 65 00:03:47,900 --> 00:03:52,500 What do we mean by that? I love this John, and you've 66 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:56,000 heard me say this over the years, many times in the Gospel 67 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,500 of John, John Paints the picture, or describes Jesus, in 68 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:04,200 deity, the deity of Christ emphasizes. 69 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,600 The deity of Christ, Matthew emphasizes, the Majesty of 70 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,300 Christ. What do I mean by that? 71 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,800 What I mean is the kingship of Christ. 72 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,900 So in other words, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the 73 00:04:15,900 --> 00:04:21,399 king and John emphasizes that Jesus is God, God, God, the son, 74 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,300 the deity of Christ. And I think we're going to find 75 00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:27,400 what Matthew is doing here, showing the magnificence in the 76 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:29,800 Majesty of Jesus. I think we're going to see that 77 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,900 as we move through. So, in verse 30, right before 78 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:36,000 this, it says, when they had sung A Hymn, they went out to 79 00:04:36,008 --> 00:04:39,700 the Mount of Olives. Now they're gathered together in 80 00:04:39,700 --> 00:04:45,500 these Final hours, one more time and in verse 31, Jesus launches 81 00:04:45,500 --> 00:04:50,300 into this confrontation of weakness, this lesson about out 82 00:04:50,300 --> 00:04:52,400 weakness. And you know, in all of this I 83 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,600 think we find a tremendous contrast between Jesus Christ 84 00:04:56,700 --> 00:05:00,900 and the 11 and that preserves his majesty and I think you'll 85 00:05:00,900 --> 00:05:03,800 see that moving forward. First thing we want to notice. 86 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:08,100 First of all, there's a tremendous contrast between 87 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:14,500 knowledge and ignorance. And I'm talking about the Lord's 88 00:05:14,500 --> 00:05:19,000 knowledge and the disciples ignorance, in fact, the 89 00:05:19,008 --> 00:05:23,000 Disciples of the ones that were woefully ignorant briefly. 90 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:24,800 Going through this. Look at verse 33. 91 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:30,300 Even if all are made to stumble because of you I will never be 92 00:05:30,300 --> 00:05:33,600 made to stumble. Ignorant, you know what 93 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,100 happened? Just a few hours later, he 94 00:05:36,100 --> 00:05:38,600 exactly did that. He did the very thing that he 95 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,500 said, he would not do verse 35, even if I have to die with you. 96 00:05:42,500 --> 00:05:45,300 I will not deny you that's another ignorant statement. 97 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:48,100 You know why? Because he would do just that he 98 00:05:48,100 --> 00:05:51,200 would deny the Lord, he would not do what he said. 99 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:55,400 He couldn't affirm that, he was ignorant in that and you know 100 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,300 what? He wasn't alone because look at 101 00:05:57,300 --> 00:06:03,900 the end of verse 35 and so said all the disciples Now why were 102 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:05,900 they ignorant? And what was their ignorance? 103 00:06:05,900 --> 00:06:09,200 Here it is. Here's the disciples ignorance. 104 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:11,600 They were ignorant about many things. 105 00:06:11,700 --> 00:06:15,500 Number one, they were ignorant of their own weaknesses. 106 00:06:16,700 --> 00:06:21,400 Number two, they were ignorant of the strength of Satan number 107 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,900 three. They were ignorant of the tests 108 00:06:23,900 --> 00:06:27,200 that they would have to face. Now, hold that thought we're 109 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,200 going to get, we're going to go further, but just look at this 110 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,800 and apply this to your life at any Rebel that you might have if 111 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:38,100 you're struggling, just perhaps? It's because you are ignorant of 112 00:06:38,100 --> 00:06:42,500 your own weaknesses. Number two, you're ignorant of 113 00:06:42,500 --> 00:06:45,300 how powerful Satan is. I'm going to tell you the devil 114 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:48,700 is alive. And well, he's a roaring lion 115 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:51,300 and he's trying to get us, he's trying to get our kids, trying 116 00:06:51,300 --> 00:06:53,300 to get our families, he's doing everything he can. 117 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:58,300 So when I struggle, it's because I am ignorant of the strength of 118 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:02,100 Satan number three. I'm also ignorant of the tests 119 00:07:02,100 --> 00:07:05,800 that I might have to face in my life and don't misunderstand me. 120 00:07:05,900 --> 00:07:08,500 This does not mean that God is testing us. 121 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,600 He's not doing that. God is our refuge. 122 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,600 The test comes from the Devil, the Temptation comes from Satan. 123 00:07:18,100 --> 00:07:20,300 If I want to be successful, I need to understand my 124 00:07:20,300 --> 00:07:21,800 weaknesses. I need to understand the 125 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,700 strength of Satan. I need to understand the trials 126 00:07:24,700 --> 00:07:27,500 that I would have to face the hard things, I would have to 127 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:31,200 face in advance, all right? All that being said, this also 128 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,700 applied to the 11, but there's more. 129 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:39,100 And here's the point, they were the most ignorant because they 130 00:07:39,100 --> 00:07:42,500 were ignorant of the Old Testament prophecy on this very 131 00:07:42,500 --> 00:07:45,500 thing. They were ignorant of the Old 132 00:07:45,500 --> 00:07:48,200 Testament prophecy. This goes back to verse 31, look 133 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:53,100 at this passage, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of 134 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:57,800 the flock will be scattered. So their ignorance is obvious, 135 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,700 but over against their ignorance is the knowledge of Jesus Christ 136 00:08:01,700 --> 00:08:04,600 that he had. It's another time for teaching 137 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,900 and instruction and the lesson is about foolishness in 138 00:08:07,900 --> 00:08:11,100 self-sufficiency. Here's exactly what he said. 139 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,700 Jesus said, all of you. Ooh, here's the flip side. 140 00:08:14,700 --> 00:08:16,700 He knew this the opposite of ignorance. 141 00:08:17,300 --> 00:08:19,000 All of you would be made to stumble. 142 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,100 Because of me this night for it is written, I will strike the 143 00:08:23,100 --> 00:08:26,200 shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered, but 144 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:32,000 after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee now. 145 00:08:32,500 --> 00:08:37,299 Then he said this assuredly, I say to you that this night 146 00:08:37,299 --> 00:08:42,900 before the rooster crows You will deny me three times, that's 147 00:08:42,900 --> 00:08:45,300 perfect. Knowledge of God's plan, and 148 00:08:45,300 --> 00:08:48,600 Jesus knew it all. And it focuses basically on 149 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:53,400 verse 31, from an Old Testament prophecy found in Zechariah, 150 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:59,300 Chapter 13 and verse 7. Notice I will strike the 151 00:08:59,300 --> 00:09:03,200 shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. 152 00:09:03,300 --> 00:09:07,400 Now, Jesus not only knew what Judas was going to do member, 153 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,700 What Judas member Judas Jesus says whatsoever, thou doest do 154 00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:12,900 quickly. He knew exactly what he was 155 00:09:12,900 --> 00:09:15,200 going to do. It was prophesied. 156 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,000 That Judas would do that, that he would lift up his heel 157 00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:21,300 against him. Jesus said prophetically, it 158 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:23,900 would be mine only for my familiar friend. 159 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,300 And he knew that, secondly, he knew exactly what the religious 160 00:09:28,300 --> 00:09:31,100 leaders were going to do. He knew that, too, he knew what 161 00:09:31,100 --> 00:09:32,900 the Roman soldiers were going to do. 162 00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:35,300 He knew that too, but there's something else. 163 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,400 He knew exactly what the 11 were going to do. 164 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:44,900 Also And that's because of Zechariah, 13 and 7. 165 00:09:44,900 --> 00:09:46,400 Do you see what he's saying here? 166 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,300 And by the way, this is a Messianic prophecy. 167 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:54,100 And what you can do is you can go to commentators on Zechariah 168 00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:57,200 13 and 7 and there are all manner of interpretations. 169 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,800 But I'm going to tell you it's Messianic and it makes a whole 170 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:05,000 lot of sense. Notice who is I I is God. 171 00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:09,400 In fact, it says this in Zechariah 13. 172 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:14,500 I will Smite or strike my shepherd. 173 00:10:14,500 --> 00:10:18,400 Who's that as Jesus Christ? Look, it was prophesied. 174 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:24,000 God said, I will strike my shepherd that Jesus and the 175 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,400 sheep of the flock. That's you. 176 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:32,300 The 11 will be scattered. He knew. 177 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,400 The future. Because he knew the past. 178 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:44,900 Secondly, we see a contrast between courage and cowardice. 179 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:50,300 Now There's a difference between cowardice. 180 00:10:52,500 --> 00:10:55,900 And fear. There's a difference. 181 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:04,000 Because cowardice is the acting. Based on fear. 182 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:09,900 It is the action. And just because a person has 183 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:11,600 courage, doesn't mean they don't have fear. 184 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,400 In fact you cannot have courage with where there is no fear. 185 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:20,000 So what you find is a contrast between Jesus and the disciples 186 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:24,400 Jesus is Ultimate courage and their ultimate cowardice. 187 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,500 I wanted to make that point though, about fear Because 188 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:34,100 notice in verse 31, Jesus said all of you will be made to 189 00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:36,300 stumble. Because of me this night, you 190 00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:38,100 want to know what this word stumble means. 191 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,400 It's the same word. It comes from a Greek word, is 192 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,700 the same word. That's translated. 193 00:11:43,700 --> 00:11:47,600 Trap or snare, you know what it means? 194 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:52,400 It means it is a trap or it's a snare that is so great. 195 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:57,700 You cannot get out of it. Let that sink in for just a 196 00:11:57,700 --> 00:12:00,500 minute. He's telling them that on this 197 00:12:00,500 --> 00:12:06,000 night, you're going to fall into a trap or snare that you cannot 198 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:11,400 get out of All right, you know what, I love, I love it when the 199 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:15,200 word of God tells us exactly what the answers are, okay? 200 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,900 What's the snare? What is it? 201 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,500 We can turn to the word of God and we can find out. 202 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,500 What is the snare? What is the Trap? 203 00:12:22,500 --> 00:12:26,200 Here it is. Here's the Trap and it's found 204 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:33,500 in Proverbs 29 and 25, the fear of man brings a snare. 205 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:38,400 What's the Trap? It's fear. 206 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,200 You see, fear is not the problem. 207 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:46,500 Fear is when fear wins the battle over faith. 208 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,100 And when that happens, then, that is cowardice, and that's 209 00:12:51,100 --> 00:12:53,900 what they did. What's the flip side in this 210 00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:56,500 beautiful? The flip side of fear, the flip 211 00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:01,400 side of fear being the Trap is, what trusting in the Lord. 212 00:13:02,100 --> 00:13:05,700 It says, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. 213 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,700 I'm going to tell you that's what they didn't do. 214 00:13:10,100 --> 00:13:13,700 They didn't trust in the Lord. So if you are, I've known a lot 215 00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:16,800 of people that are really driven by fear and it's very sad for 216 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:18,100 me. When I see people that are 217 00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:21,100 really driven by fear. Do you know what happens when 218 00:13:21,100 --> 00:13:22,700 you're driven by fear in your life? 219 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,600 It's because you're not trusting in what you should trust in. 220 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:29,500 And that's a fact, you are not trusting in the Lord that you'll 221 00:13:29,500 --> 00:13:33,900 be safe. When you trust in the Lord, it 222 00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:36,500 brings fear and gets rid of fear, takes it out. 223 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,000 Jesus said you're going to fall into a trap. 224 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,500 That trap is feared. They were afraid. 225 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,000 They were afraid, but the Romans were going to do. 226 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,900 They were afraid of what the Jews were going to do. 227 00:13:49,900 --> 00:13:52,300 Do you remember in the, oh, I don't know. 228 00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:55,800 In the last several days I guess of the Lord's Ministry. 229 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:59,800 He did many wonderful things and even going back to John chapter 230 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,600 9 when Jesus healed. The man that was born blind when 231 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,800 they went to the parents and they asked the parents. 232 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:06,300 Is this your son? Was he born? 233 00:14:06,300 --> 00:14:07,900 Blind? How come he can see all that? 234 00:14:07,900 --> 00:14:10,800 We all know the story, remember what they said they said. 235 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,300 Yes, this is our son. Yes, he was born blind but Then 236 00:14:13,300 --> 00:14:17,700 they said, but as to why he is able to see, you'll have to ask 237 00:14:17,700 --> 00:14:22,400 him and then it said and this they said for fear of the Jews, 238 00:14:23,100 --> 00:14:26,000 right? How many times did it say for? 239 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,000 They said this for fear of the Jews, do you know why? 240 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:35,000 Very simply because the Jews meaning the religious leaders 241 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,600 had already said that. If anyone was going to confess 242 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,500 that Jesus was the Christ, they be cast out of the synagogue. 243 00:14:41,700 --> 00:14:44,400 Oh, there was all kinds of We're absolutely. 244 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,400 They were afraid of what the Romans might do. 245 00:14:46,500 --> 00:14:48,600 They were afraid of what the Jews might do. 246 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:52,400 They were afraid of it all and you know what happens in verse 247 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,100 55. When they saw the soldiers 248 00:14:56,100 --> 00:15:01,200 coming with clubs and staves and swords and torches, and they saw 249 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,100 the religious Elite with them, they were afraid. 250 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:10,300 And they fled. And so, Jesus said, all of you 251 00:15:10,500 --> 00:15:14,400 will be made to stumble because of me all of you will fall into 252 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:16,300 that trap. You're going to leave me, you're 253 00:15:16,300 --> 00:15:19,200 going to defect, that's what you're going to do, and it's 254 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:23,000 going to be out of fear now. Admittedly identifying, what 255 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:27,700 Jesus can be difficult. It is, I'm not standing before 256 00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:31,200 you and I'm not going to tell you a message, and I hope you're 257 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,000 not getting this from what I'm saying. 258 00:15:33,900 --> 00:15:37,500 I am not saying it is easy to stand for what's, right? 259 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:41,500 I'm not saying that at all. I'm not saying that it's easy to 260 00:15:41,500 --> 00:15:45,800 stand for what the Lord wants us to stand for and defend the Lord 261 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,400 and defend the truth. I'm not saying that either. 262 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,800 What I'm saying is, even if it's difficult in our life, it's 263 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,600 still our choice that we must make. 264 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,800 That's what Moses did. Remember that Hebrews chapter 265 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:06,700 11, Moses chose the reproach of Christ rather than the sins of 266 00:16:06,700 --> 00:16:09,800 the world. Now not everybody makes that 267 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,700 choice on every occasion. In fact, there are those who 268 00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:16,900 flee when the pressures on and they run for safety because 269 00:16:16,900 --> 00:16:20,600 they're afraid and again, that's what cowardice is. 270 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:26,300 It is the acting upon fear. Now, Proverbs said, if you don't 271 00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:28,800 want to act on fear, you've got to trust in the Lord. 272 00:16:28,900 --> 00:16:31,400 If you trust in the Lord you're going to be safe and you won't 273 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,500 be afraid and if you're afraid you're going to fall into the 274 00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:40,100 Trap chicken out, I'll tell you something. 275 00:16:40,100 --> 00:16:43,600 I was raised. I was raised berries. 276 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,600 Specific about. Courage. 277 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,400 My father wouldn't let us even get discouraged. 278 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,100 And by the way, I'm not saying, right? 279 00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:56,300 Wrong or indifferent, my dad would just basically say this to 280 00:16:56,300 --> 00:16:58,100 me. And I'm glad that he did, I 281 00:16:58,108 --> 00:17:00,200 don't know, everybody's personalities different but with 282 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,400 me, it really worked. If I started to get discouraged 283 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:07,300 about something you don't, my dad would say, Is that all you 284 00:17:07,300 --> 00:17:10,900 are? Is that it seriously, is that 285 00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:13,500 all you got? Then he would say, some, let me 286 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:16,900 tell you that the, the mark of a man, is the problem. 287 00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:20,200 It takes to discourage him. Are you, is that all you got, 288 00:17:20,900 --> 00:17:22,500 you know, it would do and make me mad? 289 00:17:23,500 --> 00:17:28,600 I fight back. My point is this. 290 00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:35,900 There is never a case to quit. And there's never a 291 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:38,900 justification for quitting because of fear. 292 00:17:39,900 --> 00:17:43,600 There's never justification for that on the flip side though. 293 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,600 So we see the cowardice of the disciples why they were 294 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:52,000 entrapped by the snare fear. And then they demonstrated it 295 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,700 with cowardice and denial. What's the flip side? 296 00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:57,700 Look at Jesus. Jesus, the greatest woman that 297 00:17:57,700 --> 00:18:00,800 ever lived, he's praying In The Garden of Gethsemane. 298 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:07,400 He praised three times. He said, father, if it be 299 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,800 possible, let this cup pass from me. 300 00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:13,800 And do you remember about a month or two ago is very 301 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,200 important, get this police about a month or two ago. 302 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:22,800 I talked about when Jesus was when he was in The Garden of 303 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,000 Gethsemane. And the Bible says, his soul was 304 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,500 exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, and all of that, okay? 305 00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:34,400 And I said this, it cannot be that the interpretation of that 306 00:18:35,300 --> 00:18:39,000 Is that all he didn't want was or all he was worried about was 307 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,900 the pain of the Cross. That's too easy. 308 00:18:43,300 --> 00:18:46,300 There were many Martyrs that we can read about in foxes book of 309 00:18:46,300 --> 00:18:50,500 Martyrs, that were Martyrs for the cause of Christ and stood 310 00:18:50,500 --> 00:18:53,800 there firm. And those men were not greater 311 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:57,100 than Jesus, not at all. Those men were not more create 312 00:18:57,100 --> 00:19:00,900 courageous than Jesus. So what are we talking about 313 00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:04,800 when Jesus prayed to his father? Let this cup pass from me. 314 00:19:04,900 --> 00:19:08,500 What's the cup? It was not only suffering which 315 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:11,700 is included in that but it's not exclusive to that. 316 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:16,900 It's talking about the shame is talking about God's wrath upon 317 00:19:16,900 --> 00:19:20,700 sin. And that's what Hebrews 12 and 2 318 00:19:20,700 --> 00:19:23,900 is talking about when it says looking unto Jesus, the author 319 00:19:23,900 --> 00:19:27,200 and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before 320 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,700 him, endured the cross despising, the shame and is set 321 00:19:30,700 --> 00:19:32,700 down at the right hand of the Throne of God. 322 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,400 It was the shame. It was the fact that he was 323 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:41,300 perfect and sinless and yet the sins of the world will be placed 324 00:19:41,300 --> 00:19:42,900 on him. It was the shame. 325 00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:47,100 It was the fact that God's face would be turned and he would 326 00:19:47,100 --> 00:19:51,200 have to do it alone. He was completely courageous. 327 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,100 And the contrast that Matthew shows is not only the cowardice 328 00:19:55,100 --> 00:20:00,100 of the disciples but also the curate, the courage of Jesus 329 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,500 also, there's a third element that we see and that's a 330 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:06,000 contrast between power and weakness. 331 00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:10,500 The disciples were afraid to face the moment because they 332 00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:13,100 were weak and they couldn't handle death, and that's really 333 00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:16,400 scared them, but Jesus wasn't afraid at all. 334 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,400 In fact, in verse 32. Notice what Jesus says, you 335 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,500 know, why? Because Jesus understood the 336 00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:27,400 power, He said all this is going to happen, but after I have been 337 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:31,700 raised, I will go before you into Galilee now. 338 00:20:32,900 --> 00:20:35,800 The Lord face death with tremendous courage because he 339 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,900 knew that he had the power over death. 340 00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:42,000 How many times did Jesus say? No man lays down his life or 341 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:43,900 another words? No one takes my life. 342 00:20:43,900 --> 00:20:46,700 I lay it down. He said I had the power to lay 343 00:20:46,700 --> 00:20:49,000 it down and I got the power to raise it up. 344 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:53,300 So we see the disciples over here. 345 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:58,200 But over here, we see Jesus and we see the difference between 346 00:20:58,300 --> 00:21:03,000 power and weakness. Jesus told them, I must go and 347 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,300 be crucified and three days later, I'll rise from the dead, 348 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,900 he had committed himself to the power of God into the divine 349 00:21:09,900 --> 00:21:12,800 power over death. In fact, Jesus came to conquer 350 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:14,900 death. The disciple should have known 351 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:16,800 that. You never just a few short days 352 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:22,300 before and John Chapter 11, Remember that Jesus is going to 353 00:21:22,300 --> 00:21:24,400 go and raised Lazarus from the dead. 354 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:29,000 And he says this to Martha and John chapter 11 beginning in 355 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,900 verse 25. Listen, Jesus said to her, I am 356 00:21:33,900 --> 00:21:38,000 the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though. 357 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:42,700 He though he may die. He shall live and whoever lives 358 00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:44,400 and Believes In Me. Shall never die. 359 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,900 Do you believe this? They should have known that but 360 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:52,300 they were afraid. They were cowards and they 361 00:21:52,308 --> 00:21:55,400 didn't have strengthen the faith of God, Like Jesus did. 362 00:21:56,500 --> 00:22:00,200 But you see this lesson is very important to us because we can 363 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,200 say that we all have strength to face anything. 364 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,700 But we ourselves are weak and that's not all bad. 365 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,200 Did you just get that? I just said, were weak. 366 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,500 Did you hear me? And I said, and that's not bad. 367 00:22:16,700 --> 00:22:20,400 I'm going to tell you right now, the older you get, the more you 368 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,700 come to realize that you are weak. 369 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:28,500 And that's not bad. What's the lesson here? 370 00:22:28,500 --> 00:22:32,500 It is until we learn the lesson of weakness, we cannot possibly 371 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:36,800 understand strength. We got to learn to stop trusting 372 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,200 in our own strength. Peter was very foolish. 373 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,500 He was very prideful. In fact, his pride is Manifest 374 00:22:42,500 --> 00:22:46,100 in three ways. Listen to this, it's manifest in 375 00:22:46,100 --> 00:22:49,600 three ways. And if this isn't Pride, I don't 376 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,700 know what it is. Jesus said this before, the 377 00:22:53,700 --> 00:22:56,100 rooster crows you will deny me three times. 378 00:22:56,300 --> 00:23:03,800 The First Act of pride, is this Peter contradicted, Jesus, Jesus 379 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,100 said, before the cock crows of the rooster crows, you will deny 380 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:09,200 me three times. You know what Peter said? 381 00:23:09,300 --> 00:23:12,900 Nope, I won't do it. Not me. 382 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,500 I won't do it. He contradicted, the Lord, you 383 00:23:17,508 --> 00:23:20,100 know, what else he did? He did what sometimes we do. 384 00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:22,500 Please don't do this. Please don't do this. 385 00:23:23,300 --> 00:23:28,100 Peter acted, like he was better than everybody else. 386 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:33,200 And it was specific to a specific thing that he's talking 387 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,900 about. Peter says, even if all are made 388 00:23:37,900 --> 00:23:41,000 to stumble because of you I will never be made to stumble. 389 00:23:41,900 --> 00:23:44,200 Look at the pride. First of all, he contradicts the 390 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:45,900 Lord. Now he says, you know what, I'm 391 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:49,400 better than everybody else. Do you know when we do that? 392 00:23:49,700 --> 00:23:51,500 I'll tell you. When we do that, what we do when 393 00:23:51,500 --> 00:23:56,000 we do that is when somebody Falls and we say man that could 394 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,500 never happen to me if you believe old so-and-so. 395 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,700 I'm going to tell you something. It can happen to you. 396 00:24:05,700 --> 00:24:09,500 It can happen to you. And who am I talking to? 397 00:24:09,700 --> 00:24:13,400 I'm talking to you. I'm talking to everyone 398 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,200 individually. Oh, yes, it can Peter. 399 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:21,000 So arrogant, Peter, so prideful. Even if everybody falls, even if 400 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:25,400 everybody's caught in the Trap, I won't be not me. 401 00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:31,300 But you know what else he did? He trusted in his own strength. 402 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,500 And he said this, even if I have to die with you, I will not 403 00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:37,600 deny. You, look at this. 404 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,100 Now you see the problem? Look. 405 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,900 Here it is. Aye, aye. 406 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:52,400 Aye. There was Lord was nowhere to be 407 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,400 found in that. No I won't. 408 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,000 I won't do it. I'll stay in there with you. 409 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:07,500 I Relying on his own strength. Oh, and by the way, by the way, 410 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,200 the other disciples kicked in they said, yeah that's too. 411 00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:13,400 Yeah, see that sews. It all the disciples. 412 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:21,800 Now, Jesus said this in verse 34, assuredly, I say to you that 413 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,300 this night before, the rooster crows, you will deny me three 414 00:25:24,300 --> 00:25:28,000 times. When is that When is rooster 415 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,400 crow time? Well the Jews divided the night 416 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:36,200 into 4 into 4 sections or into four parts. 417 00:25:37,100 --> 00:25:39,500 This is the night to a Jewish person. 418 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:45,500 Okay, here they are and we find that from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. that 419 00:25:45,500 --> 00:25:51,600 was called the evening time. What else from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. 420 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,300 that was actually called midnight? 421 00:25:54,300 --> 00:25:57,400 Or it was described as the middle of the Night. 422 00:25:57,500 --> 00:26:01,600 You know what happened from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. that was the 423 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,000 section of time in the wee hours of the morning that was called. 424 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,800 Yes, it was rooster crow time. I read some Scholars on that. 425 00:26:10,900 --> 00:26:14,000 You know why? Because about three am using, 426 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,100 not beyond that, that's when the rooster crowed. 427 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,100 What Jesus is saying and they're somewhere by the way. 428 00:26:21,100 --> 00:26:24,600 They are somewhere in here at the time that Jesus said these 429 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,900 words. And what he's saying is he 430 00:26:26,900 --> 00:26:31,900 saying Peter before, rooster crow time before 3, a.m. you're 431 00:26:31,900 --> 00:26:37,100 going to deny me three times. That's what that means. 432 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:41,900 And by the way the morning is 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. that's tonight 433 00:26:42,500 --> 00:26:43,900 that's the four parts of a night. 434 00:26:43,900 --> 00:26:47,700 Oh the Lord was brilliant. He was brilliant. 435 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,200 He sang in a few hours even before rooster crows two times, 436 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,600 you're an already deny me on three cases. 437 00:26:56,000 --> 00:27:01,100 Before it even gets to 3 a.m. You know, when he did that. 438 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,100 I want you to picture in your mind. 439 00:27:06,100 --> 00:27:07,800 I want you to picture kind of what Peter did. 440 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:14,200 He denies denies, he denies. One time even with cursing and 441 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:15,600 swearing, I know not the man, right? 442 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,900 We know that. Okay. 443 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,400 I like what it said in another gospel account, what happens? 444 00:27:22,900 --> 00:27:25,700 We find that he went out and wept bitterly. 445 00:27:26,700 --> 00:27:31,600 When he heard the rooster crow, and after he had denied the 446 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:37,100 Lord, the third time, the Bible says he remembered the words of 447 00:27:37,100 --> 00:27:40,300 Jesus, and he went out and wept bitterly. 448 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:45,800 That's one gospel account, but there's more It says, also in 449 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,500 The Gospel According to Luke, that after Peter denied Jesus, 450 00:27:49,500 --> 00:27:53,700 the rooster crowed, and the Lord looked on Peter. 451 00:27:56,300 --> 00:27:57,700 You don't have thought of what I thought of this. 452 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,400 The Lord looked on Peter. And I don't mean this like the 453 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,000 Lord was saying it in a ha ha ha. 454 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,000 I was right way. But in a very, very, very, very, 455 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,100 very sad way. I don't know how far Jesus was 456 00:28:10,100 --> 00:28:15,700 away from the place where Paul or Peter was denying Jesus. 457 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:17,800 I don't know when the rooster crow. 458 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,300 Don't know how far I was away from Jesus but at some point in 459 00:28:20,308 --> 00:28:23,400 time at some point in time, there are at least close enough 460 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:28,500 and proximity that the Lord can look on Peter and the Lord knew 461 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:31,100 exactly what Peter did. And Peter knew the Lord was 462 00:28:31,100 --> 00:28:32,800 looking. I kind of thought of it like 463 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:34,700 this, look at this, he looks over. 464 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:40,400 Told you. I told you. 465 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:47,100 Not with hahaha. But With sadness. 466 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:53,000 I told you. I told you. 467 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:56,300 All right. Is that How It Ends? 468 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,700 Nope, got some good stuff going to happen. 469 00:28:59,700 --> 00:29:03,000 Now in the last part of our lesson, thankfully doesn't end 470 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,000 here. In fact, we go back to verse 32, 471 00:29:07,500 --> 00:29:11,900 notice here. But after I have been raised, I 472 00:29:11,900 --> 00:29:15,700 will go before you into Galilee. You know what he's saying? 473 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:20,600 He's saying, in the midst of all of this, I'll be I'll be back. 474 00:29:21,300 --> 00:29:26,500 And by the way, when it says, I will go before you into Galilee. 475 00:29:26,500 --> 00:29:30,700 That means this, he's saying I will lead you. 476 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,900 In other words, the Shepherd that God is going to strike one 477 00:29:36,900 --> 00:29:40,500 time as prophetically, it was stated that he would Once right? 478 00:29:40,500 --> 00:29:44,300 Bear the sins of the world that same Shepherd is going to rise 479 00:29:44,300 --> 00:29:47,700 from the dead and a Shepherd leads his sheep and he's going 480 00:29:47,700 --> 00:29:49,700 to lead those disciples into Galilee. 481 00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:53,700 How about that? The courage of Jesus. 482 00:29:56,700 --> 00:29:58,100 I'm going to collect you on the lead to you. 483 00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:00,700 What happened. On that Hillside. 484 00:30:00,700 --> 00:30:05,300 He restored them. Yeah, he did. in John chapter 485 00:30:05,300 --> 00:30:10,700 21, it record specifically that it restored Peter Peter denied, 486 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:13,700 the Lord three times. And you know what? 487 00:30:13,700 --> 00:30:15,300 He says he doesn't call him Peter. 488 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:21,500 He calls him Simon. You know, there's a mouthful in 489 00:30:21,500 --> 00:30:24,800 that and there's probably a whole sermon in that showing 490 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,100 where Peter was in John chapter 21, you know. 491 00:30:27,100 --> 00:30:33,500 He says Simon son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these 492 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,700 He said, you know that I love thee. 493 00:30:38,300 --> 00:30:43,900 And Jesus says feed my Lambs. Second time he said, Simon, son 494 00:30:43,900 --> 00:30:46,200 of Jonah. Do you love me? 495 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:49,100 He said, you know that, I love you. 496 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:55,100 Feed my sheep a third time. Still not calling him Peter. 497 00:30:55,200 --> 00:31:00,800 He said, Simon, do you love me? And as I paraphrase Peter says, 498 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,800 Lord, you know that I love you. He was troubled by the fact that 499 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:05,500 the Lord kept asking him this question. 500 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:06,800 He said, you know that I love you. 501 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:14,000 He said feed my sheep, Jesus restored, Peter and Jesus 502 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,600 restored. The rest after they learned this 503 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:19,100 lesson, and you know what happened? 504 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,400 He got Peter back on board, he got the others, a back on board. 505 00:31:23,500 --> 00:31:27,100 He ascended into heaven and Acts chapter one, he sent the Holy 506 00:31:27,100 --> 00:31:28,900 Spirit and do you know what happened? 507 00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:33,700 Beginning there and X2. The Bible says, in the book of 508 00:31:33,700 --> 00:31:38,600 Acts that the apostles literally turn the world upside down with 509 00:31:38,700 --> 00:31:41,300 She okay? Did they learn their lesson 510 00:31:41,300 --> 00:31:42,300 though? Back here? 511 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:45,500 When they chickened out because they were trying to focus on 512 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:48,200 their own strength? I think they learned their 513 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:50,000 lesson. Here's how I know. 514 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,200 They learned their lesson. Now we're going from right here 515 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:54,800 where they're all going to check it out right. 516 00:31:54,900 --> 00:31:57,300 They're going to run out of fear caught in the Trap. 517 00:31:58,100 --> 00:32:02,600 Everything's different. Now, Acts chapter 5, And they 518 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:06,800 agreed with him and when they had called the apostles and 519 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:10,300 beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the 520 00:32:10,308 --> 00:32:14,400 name of Jesus and let them go. So they departed from the 521 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,700 presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted 522 00:32:17,700 --> 00:32:21,700 worthy to suffer, shame for his name and daily in the temple. 523 00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:25,600 And in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching 524 00:32:25,700 --> 00:32:29,300 Jesus as the Christ. You see the point. 525 00:32:30,300 --> 00:32:32,900 They learned a very powerful lesson about their own weakness 526 00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:36,400 and that's true. Strength only comes from the 527 00:32:36,408 --> 00:32:42,600 Lord we say that again. True strength only comes from 528 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,800 the Lord. We have to learn that too. 529 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,600 To truly understand strength, we have to understand weakness. 530 00:32:50,300 --> 00:32:54,600 And then we understand what Paul meant I'm going to put an 531 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,800 amazing passage of scripture on the screen. 532 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:02,100 Okay, this is Paul and it's dealing with Paul after. 533 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,400 He was given a thorn in the flesh. 534 00:33:05,300 --> 00:33:08,500 A messenger of Satan, as he said to Buffett me, right? 535 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,900 He prays to God. Could you just take it away? 536 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,700 Notice what happens? And he said to me, my grace is 537 00:33:16,700 --> 00:33:19,900 sufficient for you. My strength is made. 538 00:33:19,900 --> 00:33:21,200 Perfect. In weakness. 539 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,600 I'm going to tell you, I don't know how many times I've heard. 540 00:33:23,700 --> 00:33:27,200 Somebody quote fat, as if Paul was saying about himself. 541 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,300 His strength is made. Perfect in weakness. 542 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:31,900 Nope, that's not Paul. That's Jesus. 543 00:33:32,700 --> 00:33:36,000 That's the Lord. Look, he prays to the Lord, let 544 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,600 it let it be taken from me. He said, no, my grace is 545 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:43,200 sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in 546 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,700 weakness. Okay, that's what it says. 547 00:33:46,700 --> 00:33:50,000 What's it mean? What's it mean? 548 00:33:52,300 --> 00:33:58,800 It means this. The Lord's power to help is 549 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:02,300 called out by the weakness of man. 550 00:34:04,500 --> 00:34:08,800 One scholar said man's extremity or the extreme things that he 551 00:34:08,808 --> 00:34:12,500 goes through. Is the Lord's opportunity? 552 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,500 And true strength can only come from the Lord. 553 00:34:17,500 --> 00:34:21,400 And when I understand that in my life, then I can say what Paul 554 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:25,000 said in Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through 555 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:26,300 Christ. Who strengthens me? 556 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,000 Don't you see? If you're strong enough on your 557 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:31,400 own, what do you need the Lord for? 558 00:34:32,699 --> 00:34:35,600 But if you submit yourself and humble yourself to the Lord and 559 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:40,900 say, I've got absolutely nothing, I'm weak, guess what 560 00:34:40,900 --> 00:34:43,100 happens? The Lord shows up. 561 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:51,300 With strength, our strength never his strength. 562 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,400 It's made perfect or complete. In what my weakness? 563 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:04,700 That's pretty good stuff in. Don't ever forget. 564 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:08,200 You have never heard me say this. 565 00:35:10,300 --> 00:35:12,900 Don't ever forget this, but you have never heard me say this. 566 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,100 And maybe I have you haven't heard me? 567 00:35:17,100 --> 00:35:18,900 Say, because maybe I've never said it before. 568 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,800 But something came to me, as I wrote The Sermon this week, you 569 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:26,500 know what it is. We are all broken. 570 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:29,800 And you might sit there. Go not me. 571 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:31,500 Yeah, I'm telling you. Yeah, you, yeah. 572 00:35:31,500 --> 00:35:38,000 You Yeah, we're all broken. And when we think we're not 573 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:42,100 broken, it is the height of our ignorance and arrogance. 574 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:48,700 And did you know that it's not only are we Broken? 575 00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:55,300 Not only are we weak, but it's also a command that we must be 576 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,000 in. Matthew Chapter, 5 on the 577 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:58,600 Beatitudes. Remember, the first one. 578 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:02,500 Blessed are those that are poor in spirit, the word. 579 00:36:02,500 --> 00:36:06,500 Poor means destitute. You know, that means that means 580 00:36:06,500 --> 00:36:11,700 I am destitute without Jesus. I am destitute spiritually 581 00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:14,900 without the Lord, I am nothing. Out God. 582 00:36:16,700 --> 00:36:20,200 And guess what happens when you got some trials in your life and 583 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:21,500 you got some hard stuff going on? 584 00:36:21,500 --> 00:36:24,400 Guess what? If you submit to that, if you 585 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,400 humble yourself and realize, I'm nothing without the Lord, I am 586 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:30,800 weak, without the Lord. I am broken without the Lord, 587 00:36:30,900 --> 00:36:33,400 then guess what? Here comes the Lord. 588 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:41,700 And we get his strength. In closing, I want to put the 589 00:36:41,700 --> 00:36:44,900 rest of this passage up in second, Corinthians going to 590 00:36:44,908 --> 00:36:49,300 read the passage. And when we finished He 591 00:36:49,300 --> 00:36:53,700 continues. Now, this is Paul's language. 592 00:36:53,700 --> 00:36:57,000 Okay, at first is talking about Jesus, my grace is sufficient 593 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,100 for you for my strength, is made perfect in weakness, that's the 594 00:37:00,100 --> 00:37:02,100 Lord. Now, here comes Paul. 595 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:07,500 Therefore, most gladly, I will rather boast in my infirmities. 596 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:10,800 That the power of Christ, May rest upon me. 597 00:37:10,900 --> 00:37:15,400 Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in 598 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:19,800 needs in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake. 599 00:37:19,900 --> 00:37:25,300 For, when I am I'm weak then. I am strong. 600 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:28,900 When you're weak, the Lord shows up. 601 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:34,200 And he makes all the difference in the world. 602 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,100 If you have ever endured something as a child of God and 603 00:37:39,100 --> 00:37:40,400 you think you did it by your own strength? 604 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:45,100 No, it wasn't you. We do our best, but folks it's 605 00:37:45,100 --> 00:37:48,200 the Lord. Through the hardest times of our 606 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:51,900 life. It's the Lord carrying us 607 00:37:51,900 --> 00:38:01,500 through, he carries us. You can't understand strength 608 00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:03,200 until you understand how weak you are. 609 00:38:05,100 --> 00:38:06,700 And you can't understand how weak yard to. 610 00:38:06,700 --> 00:38:09,300 You are able to say, I am broken. 611 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:15,300 And I need the room. We thank you for listening to 612 00:38:15,300 --> 00:38:20,100 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 613 00:38:20,100 --> 00:38:23,600 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 614 00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:26,900 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 615 00:38:26,900 --> 00:38:32,400 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 616 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,800 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 617 00:38:35,500 --> 00:38:40,700 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 618 00:38:40,700 --> 00:38:45,200 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 619 00:38:45,700 --> 00:38:47,900 We would love for you to be our honored guest.