Thanks for checking out the Anchor Faith Message podcast
from St. Augustine, FL.
Now enjoy this message. John chapter one verse 35 it
says this. And again the next day John was
standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at
Jesus as he walked and said, behold the Lamb of God.
The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus,
And Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, what
do you seek? And they said to him, Rabbi,
which translated means teacher, where are you staying?
And he said to them, come and you will see.
So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed
with him that day, for it was about the 10th hour.
One of the. Two who heard John speak and
followed him was Andrew Simon Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, we have
found the Messiah, which is translated means Christ and he
brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looked and said, you
are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas,
which is translated Peter Hallelujah.
Peter first heard about Jesus from his brother Andrew.
G Peter heard. I said, Peter heard.
Peter heard from someone else, a family member who came to
announce to him that I found the Messiah.
The Christ is here. The Christ is here.
Now in context you must understand that Peter is of the
nation of Israel and and and then the New Testament, the four
gospels, they are spoken of as the Jews.
So he is of Jewish descent and so he knows the writings of the
the law and the writings of the prophets.
He understands the history and lineage of his nation, and he
knows as well as everyone else that they are waiting for this
Messiah to come, this Messiah that was prophesied about in
Isaiah Chapter 9, verse six. It said a child will be born, a
son will be given, and the government shall rest on his
shoulders and there'll be no end to the increase of his
government or peace that he would come on the throne of
David. So they're expecting this
Messiah to come, this Christ, this king, the King of Israel,
who will come and set up his Kingdom that will have no end.
And Andrew comes home to his brother and says, I found him
every generation before us have been looking for him, but he's
here. The one that has been prophesied
about is in town. I've met him.
I saw him. Can you imagine the excitement,
the elation, the thoughts and the emotions that must have been
going through Peter's mind when Andrew is saying we have found
him? It had to be mixed emotions
because number one, it's like this.
And my brother, he could be kidding with me, you know, he
always, you know, pick do different things, you know,
brotherly things, right in one sense on the other side because
the whole nation is looking for him.
He's like, my gosh, man, is this true?
Could this be true? And so Andrew obviously in the
conversation did a little more than just say I found him, he
compelled him, says come on, I'll take you to him.
And so he came to Jesus, and Peter came to Jesus after he
heard. That he was the Christ.
That the Messiah was here, and when Jesus saw him, he said,
you're Simon, but I'm going to call you Peter.
And at that juncture, because again, the four Gospels don't
record everything in the same order.
And so a lot of times, if we don't watch out because we read
Matthew first, the encounter with Jesus and Matthew looks a
little different and we think this is his first encounter.
However, the the John account lets us know that Peter met
Jesus before Jesus found him, came to him.
So first Peter heard, then Peter came and then Jesus spoke about
his destiny. But Peter went home and Peter
went back to work and Peter did the business of his father then
in Matthew chapter 4 starting in verse 8 and said now as Jesus
was walking by the sea of Galilee.
So obviously this is not the same account.
This could not have been an after account.
It was obviously a former account where he met him.
There was a conversation, there's this passing off of John
the Baptist to Jesus and Andrew, who followed John went over to
Jesus and then from there went to his brother, said We found
the guy. He met the guy.
But their lives continue to do as they were always doing.
They're aware he's there, but their actions have not changed.
They've heard and they've seen. They've heard his voice, yet
they're still doing the same thing.
But one day Jesus in Matthew chapter 4 comes by the Sea of
Galilee, saw two brother Simon, who was called Peter, 'cause he
gave him a different name. Because you understand Andrew as
the brothers like you. May Simon no more.
You heard the Christ tell you, you're Peter.
I'm going to call you Peter. From now on I'll only call you
Peter, Right. So the names picked up and so it
says. And Andrew his brother, casting
Nets into the sea for they were fishermen.
And he said to them, follow me and I'll make you fishers of
men. And look what it says in verse
20 immediately. They left their Nets and
followed him. Here Peter became a follower of
Jesus. Many in the church world today
are much like Peter right now. They have heard about Jesus.
They've even come to him. How do you come to Jesus?
Most come through the church because Jesus Christ is the head
of the church. So when you come to church, you
can encounter Jesus if it is the church He's building.
If it is the church He's building, then you will
encounter Jesus because the church and the scripture is
Jesus. For in the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
John 11 and John 114 says the Word became flesh.
So when you hear the Word, the scriptures, you are hearing from
Jesus, and when you come to church, the one he's building,
you'll be in the presence of Jesus because he's the head of
the church which is his body. So many have heard of Jesus from
someone and even have been invited by that someone to come
see him, just like some today are here because somebody told
you about Jesus and said why don't you come to church and
come see? And maybe before this thing's
over you'll be a follower. I said you'll be a follower.
Are you hearing me? So Peter became a follower.
But it's not good enough to just be a follower because here's
Peter's herd of Jesus. Peter came to Jesus, had an
encounter with Jesus, but went about life like he always did.
But then when God called him, I said, When God called him, he
said, I'll leave everything and I'm going to follow you.
And now here's the follower of Christ, the one who is going
with him from town to town. Not only is he going from town
to town, but he's seeing the miracles.
I mean, he's seeing miracles, signs and wonders.
He's seeing the dead raised, the lame walking, the lepers healed.
He's seeing the blind eyes open. I mean, he's seeing miraculous
things happen constantly. And there comes this time in the
ministry of Jesus, for he's preaching about the Kingdom all
the time. For he said the Kingdom of God
is like this and the Kingdom of heaven is like that.
And He's ministering along these lines.
Then he would tell parables to people, but then he would look
to his disciples and say to them, I'm holding back this
mystery, or I'm I'm, I'm not giving them the answer to the
mystery, but to you, I'm going to give you insight.
I'm going to give you explanation.
I'm going to give you hidden secrets that to the public I
don't reveal, but to you I reveal.
And so he had an in depth insight to things concerning
God's Kingdom, his reign and his desire for humanity.
And then we get to Matthew 16 and then Matthew 16 verses 13
and 19. Says when Jesus came to the
district of Caesarea Philippi. He was asking his disciples, who
do people say that I that the Son of Man is?
And they said to him, some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
but still others Jeremiah, are one of the prophets.
So he goes on to verse 15 and he says, But he said to them, But
who do you say that I am at this point?
He wants to know your belief in me.
Is it based upon what you've heard from someone else?
And many people have a belief of Jesus only based upon what
someone else has said to some Jesus.
People have said to you that Jesus is the savior of the
world, and he is, But that's all they've ever told you about
Jesus. So your only thought process is
about Jesus, is that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, that
he will ultimately save you, that if you ask him to come into
your heart when you die, you get to go to heaven.
And that's all you know about Jesus.
Is that the Jesus You know because of what others have
said? But maybe you're one of those
that say, well, you know, I've heard about Jesus this way, Then
He is the one who saved us from our sin and is the lamb that was
slain before the foundation of the world and paid the prize for
our wrongdoing. And if you call on your His
name, you would be saved. But he also undo you with power
from on high and the Holy Ghost that lives in you to bear
witness with you. You're a child of God.
He'll also come upon you, and He'll give you power and and and
and and outward evidence that you have that power is that
you'll speak in the language of the Kingdom the Bible calls an
unknown tongue. And you're functioning in.
Is that the Jesus that you've heard?
Maybe you've heard that Jesus is the healer, and that's the Jesus
you've heard. But he crosses over and says,
well, who do you say that I am? Because your revelation of who
he is will determine what he is in your life.
I said your revelation of who he is will determine who he is in
your life, he said, But who do you say that I am?
In verse 16 it says Simon Peter answered.
Are you hearing me? Simon Peter answered.
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Hallelujah. Look what Jesus says in verse
17. He says and Jesus said to him.
Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not
reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven, I also
say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build
my church. Now just to correct the
tradition and wrong theology, It is not upon Peter that the
church is built. Peter is Little Rock.
He says it's upon this rock. Jesus is the chief cornerstone.
He said It's upon this revelation that I am the Christ,
Peter that I'll build my church. Because he said who do you say
that I am? Peter says you are the Christ.
Upon that revelation that I'm the king, I'll build my church.
Not upon the revelation I'm the Savior, but upon the revelation
I'm the King. And the king did save us.
Glory to God. Our king is a conquering king.
Our king went down into the grave.
Our king was the seed of all kings that would come after him,
because unless a grain of wheat falls in the ground and dies, it
remains alone. But because he was the king,
God, and he sowed himself, he put himself back in the ground.
It allowed him to harvest. When we come in Christ, we all
become kings because he's the king of the Lord.
Of Who are those kings? You are, And you're those kings
now. You rule and reign today.
But we're not like kings of the earth that are selfish and
looking for power. We're like our king who lays
down his life for others and only does the will of the
Father. But we do reign.
I said we do reign and we reign now and we don't have to wait
till we go to heaven to get heaven's resources to show up in
our lives, he said. Now when you pray, pray this
way. Our Father, so many people pray
this prayer, but don't get the results of the prayer.
When you pray, pray this way. Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be
done on earth as it is. Is anyone sick in heaven?
Is anyone broke in heaven? Is anyone depressed in heaven?
So there's no reason for you to have it down here, because His
Kingdom can come now. Physically it will manifest, but
we can receive from it today. When you know who you are, when
you have the revelation that Jesus is the Christ, he's the
king. He's done more than just saved
me. He has set me up forever.
He has put me on his seat. He has caused me to reign in
him. He has paid the ultimate price
so I could walk in his life. And Peter says, you're the
Christ. And Jesus says upon this rock,
this revelation, I will build my church, and the gates of hell
will not prevail against it, he said, I will give you the keys
of the Kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bond on earth shall
have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
shall have been loosed in heaven.
He's given us keys because our Father has chosen gladly to give
us the Kingdom. And we can walk into the
Kingdom. We can enter the Kingdom.
We can see the Kingdom the minute we're born again.
Hallelujah. Because we become children of
the king and we get to reign with him in this life and the
one to come. Hallelujah, are you reigning?
Peter has this revelation. He has this revelation that
Jesus is the Christ. So Peter has heard.
Peter came to Jesus. Jesus spoke to him and it
didn't. It didn't change his life.
It didn't make him have a course correction, although he had
heard about him and even heard from him.
But when Jesus said follow me, when Jesus spoke to him and said
Leave what you do when you come to me, Peter dropped it all and
began to follow, 'cause he believed he was the Christ.
And how do you deny the king 'cause when the king commands
you to come, you come. Peter laid it all down.
Then he has the revelation, not because he heard what someone
else was saying, but because Jesus said, My father has
revealed to you who I am. You have spiritually discerned,
You have revelation, knowledge. I'm the Christ you know, and I
know that he knows that you know who I am.
So a person can hear about Jesus, can come to Jesus, hear
him speak, can ultimately follow Jesus and have the revelation
that he's the king. And if he's the king, then we do
what he says because his word never fails.
I said never fails. I said never fails.
Yet Peter, who's heard, who's come, who's following, and who
has revelation, knowledge, and now that Jesus is my Father's,
let you know who I am. You have insight and information
and revelation that no one else in the nation knows.
Of. For I've told you.
The Kingdom of heaven is like and then I explained the parable
and I explained it here and I explained it there and then
Jesus went on. If you continue in the same
chapter, it says from that time because they had.
Heard. They came, they followed, and
they had revelation. He began to show his disciples
that I must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be
raised up on the third day. In fact, one scripture says he
spoke to them plainly about this.
That way they knew what was going to take place.
In essence, he's revealing to them.
And he has said before this moment because they travel with
him and they're like, how do you do this?
He said, Look, only whatever I'm doing, I'm only doing because
the father's told me. I only do what the father says.
I only submit to the will of the Father.
I only do what he says. Everything you're saying if
you've seen me, you've seen the Father.
Because I only do what the father says.
I'm submitted to him because this is how kings of the earth
function, because this was God's design, Because when God first
created man in his image according to his likeness, he
gave them dominion. But their dominion was to be
submitted to the Father who ruled in heaven, and they ruled
on the earth. And I'm demonstrating to you
what you lost in the garden. Because what the first Adam
lost, I'm walking in now. I am the last Adam, and I'm the
seed. I came from heaven, not of the
earth. And I'm going to give you back
what the first Adam lost. And it was the dominion for you
to rule on the earth, for you to hear the voice of your king, for
you to follow the voice of your Father and and act out whatever
do whatever the Father says And whatever the Father says it had
come to pass. And then he said, now let me
tell you what the Father has said.
I got to go to Jerusalem. I'm going to suffer many things
by the elders and the chief priests, the scribes and they go
kill me. But I'll be raised up on the
third day. Verse 22.
Peter. Peter Come on, say Peter.
Peter. Peter who has heard.
Peter who came to Jesus and heard his voice.
Peter who Jesus called and told him to follow and became a
follower. Peter who has revelation, he's
the cry when he heard the plan of the father.
Peter took Jesus aside and said rebuked him.
May it never be, God forbid it. Lord, this shall never happen to
you. But he turned and said to Peter,
Get behind me Satan. You are stumbling block to me,
for you are not setting your mind on God's interest, but
man's. Here's a person who's heard a
person who came, a person who's following a person who has the
revelation that Jesus is the Christ.
He They've made the Him Lord. They're following him.
They know that He knows, and the Father knows that they know who
Jesus. Is.
And yet they will willfully say, I got another plan.
And there are plenty of Peters in churches today who have their
own plans. They have their own plans.
They're all in essence, they're going to tell Peter told Jesus
we're not going to do it that way.
We'll do it a different way. Did Peter have some kind of
revelational insight that Jesus didn't have?
That Jesus later on in the garden said maybe Peter's on to
something. Let me ask the father Father's
there's any other way for this cup to pass?
But if not, let no, Peter didn't have other revelation because he
knew where Peter was talking from because he addressed the
voice. Get behind me.
Which tells me one who's heard, one who's come to Jesus, one
who's a follower who has revelation can still have a boy
a ear to the enemy when self-interest is within them.
Because for some, you know why it's easy.
They only show up on Easter Sunday.
You know it's easy because you are following who someone's told
you Jesus was, and you don't even have the revelation of it.
That all you got to do is ask Jesus to come into your heart
and save you. So when you die, you'll go to
heaven and there's really there's nothing you can do to
earn it. So there's nothing that can
happen to end it. That's all you have to do.
Now for those that aren't in this this situation, y'all
should shout Amen to help the other ones that are struggling
right now. Don't get quiet with them.
Just go ahead and say Amen.
Amen. My pastor's being pretty bold.
We'll go ahead, be bold with me. OK?
All right. Call we followers.
We have revelation. We submit our will to His will
because I don't want to be Peter.
I don't want to be called of God and they question everything
he's doing. I mean, I don't want to have
heard him come to him, be a follower of him, giving away
change my whole life just to go in a direction he's going and
then have the revelation that he knows that I know that I know
who he is. And then I'm going to question
and everyone in the room, God has a planned purpose, a
direction for your life, something that the father needs
you to do and is going to say, now listen, we going to go here
and you're going to hear that it's going to be uncomfortable.
It's going to be a little bit of a challenge.
It's going to be a situation. It's going to, there's going to
be some issues. But he already warned us.
He said, Now, look, in this life you're going to have what trials
and tribulation. But be of what good cheer for
I've overcome the world and God to tell you a plan like this.
Well, you know what? Just forgive them.
God forbid it that I ever forgive them for what they just
did. We're telling God this.
God forbid I have to go to church every time it opens.
God forbid that I would have to serve the local body church.
God forbid That I forgive my spouse.
God forbid that I let this God forbid, that I should have to
put that much time into him, God forbid.
That I should have to study to make myself approved unto God,
God forbid. Because a person who's heard a
person who's come, a person who's followed a person who has
revelation, and Jesus knows that you know that you know who he is
and that he's Lord. And then he says I'm going to
speak to you plainly, this is what I need you to do.
And you say, God forbid, Peter had his own ideas of how to
accomplish the will of God, and many believers have that still.
Because the reality. Is most believers really don't
want to follow Jesus, They just don't want to go to hell, just
say Amen anyway. I know we're talking about
people, you know, not yourself. I get it.
It's all the people on YouTube right now because they're
watching on YouTube because they didn't go to church.
God forbid I submit to a pastor. God forbid I submit to the
fivefold ministry. God forbid.
I let someone hold me accountable.
Because what revelation of Jesus are you serving?
That's why Jesus asked the disciples.
Who do you say that I am? Because your life's going to be
predicated on who you think I am.
But Jesus said who he was. Well, I'm not John.
Although I was among him in him, I gave him his assignment.
I'm not Elijah. Although I would gave him his
assignment, I'm not Jeremiah, although I gave him his
assignment. I'm not the prophets.
That did it right. Even though I gave them the
their assignment. I am the Christ.
I am the one they prophesied about.
I am the one they were looking for.
I am Him. I am.
And you know I am. And since you know I am, here's
the plan. But as long as we hold our idea
on how we're going to fulfill God's will, because everyone in
the room is not going to be called a fivefold minister, you
have to be concerned about that. It's not the issue.
The issue is just do you lay yourself down daily?
Do you passively pursue him and his purpose and so he can use
you in the realm or the sphere of influence that you are?
How are you making decisions when things happen in your life?
Are you hearing his will on how to handle it?
Or are you saying God forbid I say that God forbid I do that
because he had a self-interest of how he would accomplish?
The will of God on the night in which Jesus was betrayed, he
told one disciple, go ahead and go and do what you're going to
do and do it quickly. And he left.
And then the rest he said, are we going to take communion?
And he served them the bread, said it's in my body.
Then he gave him the the drink and said this is the my blood
and my cup of my covenant. And then he says to them, he
said. Now listen.
All y'all going to desert. Me because the scripture says
they'll strike the sheep, the the shepherd and the sheep are
going to scatter. And Peter was the first to
answer. Ain't going to happen.
It's never going to happen.
Not going to do it. I am not going to do it.
I will be loyal. I am there by your side.
I am there. I'm ready to die.
I am ready to die. The rest of these, I mean.
He pointed out his brothers, the other ten that were in the room.
The rest of these, They may leave you, but not me.
I'll be right there. I'll die with you before I deny
you. Then Jesus says these words in
Luke chapter 22, verse 31. Simon.
Behold.
Why'd he call him Simon? Oh y'all.
Don't want to hear this? Why has God got to speak to your
old self? Because every time you want to
do something your way instead of his way, he'll have to start
talking to your old self. The one that's supposed to be
dead, the one that's not supposed to be alive, the one
that's supposed to be crucified with Christ, he said.
Simon, Simon Behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you
like wheat because of this issue with you in you that you want to
work out the plan. You want to tell God how you
going to live for him. You want to tell God, How you
going to do it? How you going to serve, How you
going to worship, How you going to interact with the body.
How you going to interact with the world, How you going to
interact, How you going to do stuff.
You're going to make demands on him.
You're going to tell him I'll work this, I'll do this.
This is all I'll do. Anything else?
Too much. I gave you.
I gave you my heart. Get out of my mind.
I gave you my sin. I'll keep my relationships.
Hallelujah, he says some and some, and behold, Satan has
demanded permission. This is a guy who has heard, who
has come to Jesus, who is a follower, who has revelation.
He's the Christ who knows the will of God and yet is saying
you can't, God forbid, because you're there.
Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat.
But what's Jesus say? But I have prayed for you that
your faith may not fail. That's very interesting phrase
may not fail, which tells us it could.
And there are some Peters that unless you respond today, your
faith will probably fail because you're more convinced in prayer
to try to convince God to do it your way.
Then have an ear to hear his way, because you don't want to
hear his way. You want him to bless your way.
And so you keep coming and telling him that you want it
this way and you want it this way and you want it this way.
And some of you have avoided prayer because you've heard him
say stuff that you don't want to hear, so you just kind of avoid
it all together. But you'll still come to church.
You'll still hear about Jesus, and you have revelation.
He is the Christ, and he's praying for you right now that
your faith may not fail. And when you win once, you have
what? Which means he's turned.
Peter is a person who's heard about Jesus, who's come to
Jesus, who was a follower of Jesus, who has revelation.
He's the Christ, and in this moment he's turned, he said.
I'm praying that once you turn again, strengthen your brothers.
But what does Peter say? But he said to him.
In his religious response, 'cause it sure wasn't his heart,
Lord, with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death.
And he said to Peter, the rooster will not crow today
until you have denied three times that you know me.
When the rooster crows, you will have denied me three times.
The one who heard about Jesus, the one who came to Jesus and
heard his voice, the one who answered the voice of Jesus to
come follow. The one who has revelation.
He's the Christ in his most vulnerable hour.
Even in the moment that he knows him, sitting at the table, given
the elements to him, talking about this new covenant that's
about to be enacted, he looks at him and says yourself, Interest
is so bad that Satan has demanded to sift you and it
can't stop it from happening because yourself will to do my
will is is at odds with each other.
It's it's at such odds. Yet I'm praying for you and it's
at such odds that you're ready to deny me and you'll do a three
times 'cause when the rooster crows, You gonna know then?
Jesus says to them in Luke 22, starting in verse 35, 'cause
he's some troubles coming and he knows it.
And he says to them now, when you when I sent you out without
money belts and bags and sandals, did you lack anything?
They said, did you not lack anything?
Did you? And they said no, nothing, he
said. And then he said to them, But
now say now. Whoever has a money belt is to
take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is
to sell his coat. And buy one.
For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in
Me, and he was numbered with the transgression, for that which
refers to me has its fulfillment.
They said, Lord, look, here are two swords.
And he said, it is enough. Jesus told him to get the
swords. But the swords were not for
Jesus. It was for them.
It was for their own self-defense because of what's
about to take place, because of the scattering.
But Peter, Oh, but Peter. So he states they've got the
source. He takes his disciples to the
guard, he said. Now Peter, John, James, y'all
come with me. Y'all, pray.
Pray. He goes off and begins to pray.
Father, if there's any other way for this cup to pass, let it
pass. But if not, not my will.
But your will be done. He comes back and what's
happening? People who want to do God's will
their way sleep. People who want to do God's will
their way sleeps. He kicks them, so to speak, and
says, what are you doing? Get up.
How come you're not praying? Staying attentive, I mean, you
have no idea what's going down. No wonder you're going to be
scattered, he said. For the spirit is willing, but
the flesh is weak. Don't yield to the flesh.
One moment. And when they had an opportunity
to perform differently because they did not recognize the will
of the Father, they slept. We start our prayer and fasting
tomorrow. Tomorrow, 6:00 PM right here for
the next seven days before our celebration of 20 years.
Monday through Sunday, we're going to be in Fasting Fast Ends
After Service on Sunday, the Spirit's willing.
Let's see how strong your flesh is because I'll see if I see you
here on Sunday tomorrow at 6:00 PM.
While he was speaking Judas, one of the 12 came.
This is after the garden because a mob shown up a large crowd
with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and elders of
the people. Now he who was betraying him
gave them a sign saying whomever I kiss he is, the one sees him
immediately. Jesus went Judas, went to Jesus,
said hell rabbi and kissed him. Man, what a religious word hell
teacher. He's not Lord in Judas's life
anymore. And Jesus said friend.
Do what you have come for. And they came and laid hands on
Jesus, and sees him. Behold one of those say, one of
those say it was you, not me. All right.
One of those who were with Jesus reached out, drew his sword, and
struck the the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.
When Jesus said, Jesus said to him, put your sword back in its
place. Now who was this?
Who was this? The one who heard about Jesus.
The one who came to Jesus and heard Jesus's voice?
The one who heard the voice of Jesus to follow him.
The one who had revelation. He's the Christ.
The one that the revelator said. This is how it's going to go
down, and I'm doing it to fulfill scripture.
Yet Peter still. Wants to take God's will into
his own hands. Peter was constantly overwhelmed
by the emotions led by those he could not control them.
Became the decision making factor of his life during Jesus
time on the planet prior to his death, burial and resurrection.
Peter was making decisions based upon emotions, based upon things
that were uncomfortable for him. He didn't want it to be uncom.
He didn't want to lose Jesus. He didn't want to be without
him. These were selfish decisions.
He was only trying to help himself.
So he's going to show the king I got you.
I told you I'm ready to die for you.
But Jesus says this concerning his thinking.
He says to him, put your sword back in its place.
For all those who what take up the sword shall What if you keep
trying to do the will of the Father your way?
You gonna die that way? But he goes on.
He says, Do you not? Do you think that I cannot
appeal to my Father and he will at once put at my disposal?
More than 12 legions of angels. What, what?
What now? This is a very perplexing
question or statement he makes in the form of a question he
just came out of the guard and praying.
If there's any other way, let this cup pass.
But if not now, he's telling Peter in this moment, do you
not? Do you think that I cannot
appeal to my father? And he will?
What at once put where at my disposal more than a Legion 12
Legion of Angels? Is there somewhere in Jesus that
he could have convinced his father let humanity go?
I'm not saying he could, but there's something about this
statement that's pretty perplexing.
Yet he sold to the will, he says.
How then will the scripture be fulfilled which says it must
happen this way? And if we remain Peters, who
heard about Jesus, who came to him, and heard him, who heard
him call and say follow, who has revelation, He's the Christ.
Why do we think we can go against his will for our lives?
And he's OK with it? Because if the Jesus you're
serving is the one who died on the cross and rose from the
grave so that when you die you go to heaven so that you can
live any way you want to on the planet because he really doesn't
care, Well, that's not the Jesus of the Bible.
That's what Paul said is a different Jesus.
That's not my king. My king says I will fulfill the
word and be fully submitted to it.
And you know what? Word.
He was fulfilling every scripture that was written about
him. So if Jesus had to yield to
everything God said about him, why do you not have to?
And the minute we want to, God forbid, the will of God, then
the king who's seated at the right hand of the Father is
saying, get thee behind me, Satan.
In essence, he's trying to get you to recognize, quit taking
that thought. That thought brings death.
That thought will kill you. That thought is not my best.
That thought is not where I want you to go.
That thought, I'm praying that you will get rid of that
thought, get back in the will, he said.
I'm praying for your faith. Faith comes by hearing and
hearing from the word of God. I'm praying, Peter, that you
will yield to my word and believe it.
So in your life, it's when I'm praying and when you decide I
will do your word no matter what, then go strengthen your
brothers. Because as I am, so are we in
the earth. Matthew 26 starting in verse 57.
Y'all doing all right. And those who had seized Jesus
led him away to the high priest, where the scribes and the elders
were gathered together. But Peter say Peter was
following him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high
priest and entered in and sat down with the officers to see
the outcome. Now the chief priests and the
whole council kept trying to obtain fault false testimony
against Jesus so that they might what?
Put him to death? Boy, the religion wants to kill
the king. Religion wants to kill the king.
Religion wants you to think he's only a savior.
Religion only wants you to think that all he can do for you is
save you from hell. Religion wants you to think that
you're a sorry center. You're no good.
And even once you're born again under grace, you're still a
sorry center and can't do nothing and never do nothing and
always be pursued by the enemy. And you'll really never amount
and just be glad that you getting in, because that's
that's all he's done. Religion wants to kill the king.
Religion always wants to sell you short of your identity of
who you are in Christ, of your sonship, of who you are.
Religion always wants to kill the king.
Now the chief priests, they were trying to put him to death,
verse 60, and they did not find any even though many false
witnesses came forth. But later on two came forward
and said This man stated, I am able to destroy the temple of
God and to rebuild it in three days.
The high priest stood up and said to him, Do you not answer
what is this that these men are testifying against you?
But Jesus kept silent, and the high Priest said to him, I
assure you. By the living God that you tell
us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.
And Jesus said to him, you've said it yourself.
None the less I tell you, After you will see the Son of Man
sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds
of heaven. Hallelujah.
You'll see. You know what that tells me?
That tells me that all those
when Jesus left the planet, they saw him go.
Up. They saw the first ascension of
Jesus. They saw it when the disciples
were watching him in Acts chapter one when he left.
Guess who else saw him? Don't.
Know. Then the high priest Torres
Robus said he is blasphemy. What furthermore further need do
we have of witnesses? Behold, you have heard the
blasphemy. What do you think?
And they answered, he deserves death.
Then they spat in his face, beating with his fists, and
others slapped him and said prophesied to us.
You cries you king, Who is the one who hit you?
And guess who's watching the whole thing?
Watching them rail accusations at him, talk bad about him
running down character assassination, talk gossip, lie,
cheat about the whole guy. Then when he testifies of
himself a good report of exactly who the father said he is for
this and my beloved son, in whom I'm well pleased.
Then they begin to beat him in the face, spit on him, slap at
him, and all the while Peter. Who heard about Jesus?
Who came to him and heard his voice?
Who heard his voice call him to follow?
Who had revelation? He's the Christ.
Boy. There's many people in sitting
in churches all over the place saying, oh, I love my Jesus.
Yeah, you love him so much you can't hardly come to church.
Love him so much you can't hardly read the Bible.
Love him so much you can't come to corporate prayer.
'Cause those sacrifices are way too much.
In fact, Jesus should just be thankful that you asked him to
be their Lord. My God.
Man, what? Mamby, Pamby.
Christianity. There is out there, right?
Not with my king. Watching the whole thing, Peter
watching the whole thing. Oh, it's easy to say You'll do a
lot for Jesus. I mean, we can't even do it in
air conditioned environment. Can't even do an air conditioned
environment. I mean, there's already one who
has the ability to dictate your life called your work.
Yet if you are the one who reigns, why is your employment
dictating when you get to come to church?
And if you're self-employed, how is it that you can't rain enough
to know Wednesday nights, my night to go to service and I
refuse to let myself go any further?
That would hinder my ability to come our own Sunday, for that
matter, I understand there can be isolated incidences.
I don't have a problem with that.
Because you know what? Anyone can sin and mess up and
blow it. Jesus reprimands the one who
practices. You've got to ask yourself the
question, how committed and how many times are you?
I mean how much is it? Like very rarely do you miss
prayer, the word, attending church, serving in the local
body? I mean passionate about the
things of God? Or is it 5050 'cause I know in
the room? You heard, you came, you
followed, you have revelation, Pete.
You've seen the miracle signs and wonders.
You've even done it with your own hands.
Just like Peter, I want you to go ahead of me and I want you to
do this and say the Kingdom of God's at hand.
And they came back rejoicing, saying even the demons are
subject to us in your name. And Peter worked miracles too
and now he's watching his king that just a few moments ago,
before he was sleeping in the garden and got a little nap, was
saying I'll die with you. But yet at the barrage of all
that's going on because of self will to do his will, he's
paralyzed. Now Peter was sitting us outside
in the courtyard and a servant girl came to him and said you
two were with Jesus. But he say it, say it, say it.
He denied it before them all, saying I do not know what you're
talking about. When he had gone out to the
gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to those who
were there, this man was with Jesus of Nazareth and again he
come on, say it, denied it with an oath.
I swear I do not know this man. I swear I don't.
I don't know him. A little later the bystander
came up, said to Peter Shirley. You two are the are one of them,
for even the way you talk gives you away.
And he began to what? He jumped back into Simon fast.
He remembered his roots of a sailor, a fisherman out on the
boat, and began to start cussing F no, I don't know him.
You're full of ass. I'm not going.
To say stuff like that, you know, preachers get up and say
it to try to shock people, and that's just stupidity.
He began to curse and swear. I don't know the man, and
immediately a rooster crowed. But I love.
Just so you'll know the Luke account that after this
immediate in Luke chapter 22, when that rooster crow look what
it says in Luke chapter 22 verses 61 to 62, look what it
says. The Lord turned.
The Lord? Who hits you?
Who hits you?
Come on, get a robe.
Put it on him. Give me that crown.
Get it on his head. Yeah, come on.
Blood pouring out of his face. Crown turned and looked at
Peter. The one who heard, the one who
came, the one who followed, the one who had the revelation that
he was a Christ. You think you're safe?
We think that's because of the world.
His own disciples betrayed him once.
Who walked with him? Had church three years with him.
Three years of church greatest revival known to man.
The greatest revival known to man.
But I hear the justifiers right now in the Spirit.
Yeah, but Peter wasn't born again.
You're right, he wasn't. But why don't you read about
Dimas? Why don't you read about the
Church of Laodicea? Plenty of examples.
Plenty of examples of those in the New Covenant born again.
In fact, why don't you read Hebrews chapter 6 for those
who've experienced 5 things with the Lord, if they turn away,
can't even be renewed to repentance because nowhere in
the Bible says once you're saved you're always and to Jesus is.
One of his most trusted. His blood, his face is swelling,
looks at him. I just want you to know that
Jesus is looking at you this morning.
And Peter remember the words of the Lord and how he had told him
before? The rooster crowed.
Today yielded on me three times, and he went out and wept
bitterly in John Chapter 19. As Peter had run away, he had
taken sides with his nation. Although he was not there at
this particular moment, his absence had demonstrated his
position because he was a Jew too.
And when they were accusing him and wanted to kill him and are
crying out, crucify him and are beating on him.
And the beatings didn't stop at that meeting.
They just got worse because they took him over to the Romans And
Pilate honestly only scourged him because he wanted him to
look so bad that it would cause compassion to show up in the
religious. He said we'll.
Scourging. And then I'll put him in front
of him. Surely this religious bunch will
feel so bad for their own because there ain't nothing
wrong with this guy. And so with the whip, they
ripped his flesh out of his back, sides face.
Rick Renner's account of scourging is that as the blood
is pouring off your back, as you're tied to a post where your
back's open, they strap you around a a, a post down low like
this, right. You're on your knees and they're
and they're in a pit. And as they're striking you and
ripping the flesh out up, every time, it grabs, you know, and
pulls the flesh out that the the, the sunk place you're in is
filling with your blood. They'll throw salt in it and
then they'll come and pull that blood with salt in it and throw
it into your back. The reason why they do that is
it helps get your blood to coagulate so that you won't die
from just bleeding out. And then they bring him in this
condition in front of his own people.
And he said, Now the day of preparation of the Passover was
the six hour John, 1914 and 15. He said to the Jews, Behold your
king. And they cried out, away with
him, away with him, Crucify him, Pilate said to them, Shall I
crucify your king? And look what the chief priests
answered. We have no king but Caesar.
And there's more believers today in the United States for sure
that have heard of Jesus. They've come to him with
somebody, and they came to church.
Then he called out their name and they followed him.
Then they developed the revelation that he was the
Christ, yet they still let the world be their.
King. Where were you Sunday?
Had to work. Where were you?
It's Wednesday. You know what?
It was a long day. How come you're not so well?
You know, I'm kind of tired. Got to have my own family time.
When your family's going to fall apart If you're not in church, I
guess you're going to work your family your way instead of God's
way. I guess you're going to work
your promotion your way instead of God's way.
I guess you're just going to go ahead and navigate through life
because you really have another king.
It's called the world's way of living.
And then you want me to be compassionate and side and
merciful and just say, oh, it's OK Well, you know what?
You can do what you want to do. Come on, come on.
And keep denying your service to the Lord.
Because I can tell you right now, there's a lot of churches
in our county right now preaching about Jesus dying and
being raised from the dead and that you should call on him and
you should. But you should call on him to be
your king. And you need to forsake the king
of this world. Because let me tell you who your
king is after all this. And Peter has sided with this.
Matthew John, chapter 21. Jesus dies, risen from the dead,
comes out, a woman shows up not there, runs back, says Jesus is
gone. Someone's taking them.
They're like freaking out. What?
He only said he'd be raised on 3rd day, right?
OK, they run back. Peter was one that ran, walked
in there, looks gone. One of them out ran him, got
there first. They're like, perplexed.
The woman who told them came back with them perplexed.
She's crying, they leave. She's crying just in.
Just she's distraught and all of a sudden what she thought was a
gardener shows up and she's begging the gardener.
At least she thinks he is. Where's his body?
Just tell us. And then he says Mary, not his
Mama, the one who cast 7 demons out of He revealed his
resurrection first to a woman, just like he revealed he was the
Christ first to a woman. He said Mary, and she knew he
was the Christ. He said go back, tell the
disciples I'm alive, and make sure you tell Peter.
He shows up. They seem.
They're in awe. I mean, they can't even hardly
fathom it. Peter sees him, but he's
perplexed because every time he sees his king, he knows he
denied him. So he goes back to work.
He's heard. He came and heard him, he heard
his voice to follow, and he followed.
He has revelation. He's the Christ.
And now he's back on a boat. And the Lord in his resurrection
says, did you catch anything, boys?
No, throw your net on the other side.
And they did. And just like a former time, the
fish started coming and John said it's the Lord.
And Peter covered himself, comes to shore.
Jesus has already started breakfast, and as they're
sitting down after they eat breakfast, he leans over to
Peter in John, 2115 to 19. Look what he says now, he says,
Simon, Peter Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
And he said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, but
look what Jesus says. Why does Jesus say this?
Because in John 1415 he's already told him if you love me,
you'll keep my commandments, says Simon, son of John, Do you
love me more than Jesus says? You know that I love you, you
said to him. Tend my Lambs.
Second time, he says. Simon, son of John, do you love
me? And he says, yes, Lord, you know
that I love you. And he said to him, shepherd my
sheep, you're going to tell him, my lambs, because the kingdom's
here, the church is coming. There's a whole bunch of people
coming into the Kingdom. I need you to care for them.
But it doesn't stop there. You're going to have to oversee
their lives as they mature. This is a lifelong call and I'm
bringing you to. I need you to obey what I'm
saying. The third time you said, Simon,
do you love me? And Peter was grieved because he
said it the third time, Do you love me?
And he said, Lord, you know all things, you know that I love
you. And he said, 10 my sheep,
Because even as they mature in my body, they're always going to
need someone to care for, he said, Truly, truly, I say to
you, say when you were younger, you used to gird yourself
wherever you wished, wherever you want, wherever you wished.
But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hand and
someone else will gird you and bring you where you do not wish
to go. Look what it says verse 19.
Now he said these things signifying what kind of death he
would glorify God. In essence, Peter will come to a
moment that he always had a self will to do the will of God.
But there'll be another time where he will not want to do
this, but not my will. His will be done and Peter will
be crucified, but he'll say don't put me on that cross like
my savior turn me upside down. And when he had spoken this,
look what Jesus says to him. Follow me.
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