The Men God Chooses and Uses: Peter, Part 3

For your wonderful holiness, we know lord that we are unholy people and yet god you are a just and holy god A god who has provided a way for us to come into your presence and we thank you for that We pray that lord today as we bow before you and listen to your words I pray that we would learn from you The scriptures that you've given to us to encourage us I pray that we leave this place encouraged today because of what we hear You say through your word we pray in jesus name. Amen Turn with you turn with me in your bible if you would to luke chapter 6 Luke chapter 6 as we continue our study in this great gospel It's been a number of weeks since we have been in luke 6 and I would Love to be able to go back and review for you All the things that we have studied up to this point in luke 6.

It's going to take us too long to do that So that's not going to happen today. We have a tape ministry You can go back pick up a cd or pick up the tapes on the ones you missed but we are looking at some great men men recorded in luke chapter 6 They are the apostles of the lord. Jesus christ the text reads as follows Luke 6 verse 12 and then it was at this time that he went off to the mountain to pray He spent the whole night in prayer to god and when day came He called his disciples to him and chose 12 of them whom he also named as apostles Simon whom he also named peter and andrew his brother and james and john and philip and bartholomew And matthew and thomas james the son of alpheus and simon Who was also called the zealot?

judas the son of james and judas iscariot who became a traitor This morning we want to again look at these men we have already looked at the moment they were chosen Then we move to look at the means by which they were chosen And then we looked at the mission For which they were chosen and now we're looking at each of these men individually the ones chosen by god and the reason we're doing that is because The scriptures paint a vivid picture of these men a picture that helps us understand them And what god did in their lives to make them the greatest of all men The kind of men that we need to emulate the kind of men that we need to follow And as we study them we will be getting to see the characteristics of their lives that god wants us To model as we study them.

The bible says these words in romans chapter 15 verse number four For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction That through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures We might have hope God gives us his word To show us how he wants to encourage us How we through his word can have the kind of hope we need from day to day By looking at these 12 men God's going to instill hope in your life We're going to look this morning at peter.

We've already looked at him in the past I can't go back and review all that we covered back in november of 2007 But I want to give you today a synopsis of this man's life Because what happens in his life happens in your life and mine every day Peter was a man with many warts Peter was a man who failed miserably and all of us can relate to failure all of us to some degree are major Failures and through peter's life. We see a man who failed and fell But a man who would rise again To great heights and god would use him in an incredible way And through his life we see how it is.

This man fell. What were the principles that led to his downfall? Because you'll see that those principles are evident in your life and mine as well And yet he learned many lessons And we have his epistles first and second peter.

We have the book of acts to show us the lessons that this man learned through all of his failure God told him when he said peter Satan has asked that he might sift you like wheat But i've prayed for you That's your strength That you your faith will not fail but that when you return you're able to strengthen your brethren Through that verse in luke 22. We begin to understand god's plan for peter Satan wanted to destroy his life But yet god says i've prayed for you and through my prayers you're going to return to your brethren And you're going to strengthen them because the lessons you learn in your failure Will be the lessons that will encourage your brothers And is it not true that the lessons we learn when we fail?

Are the lessons that stick with us the most that we might be able to encourage other people to walk with the lord And that's peter So we're going to begin with the first apostle peter We're going to go through all of them together because we want you to see each of their lives So turn with me in your bible to mark chapter 14 Mark chapter 14 We're going to look at a chapter in peter's life and the principles for them specifically That led to this man's downfall and then show you through his epistles the things that he learned That we might learn the exact same truths.

Okay Mark chapter 14. We'll pick up the narrative in verse number 27. It says this and jesus said to them You will all fall away because it is written I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered But after I have been raised I will go before you to galilee But peter said to him even though all men fall away Yet I will not And jesus said to him truly I say to you that you yourself this very night before a cock crows twice shall three times Deny me But peter kept saying Insistently Even if I have to die with you I will not Deny you and they all were saying the same thing too the very First element in your life and mine that leads to our downfall is the same element in the life of peter We're going to call it insolence Insolence the arrogance of the man We don't like to see ourselves as insolent kind of people arrogant prideful kind of people But we are Let's be honest with ourselves Peter was that way Peter saw himself as a cut above The rest of the apostles you notice that they all joined in They piped into what peter was saying peter led the way, you know, i'm not going to deny you lord Uh, i'm i'm your man and they all would join in to follow peter, but he was the one who would lead the way He was the one who believed that he was better than the rest that he was somehow A cut above the rest after all think about it.

Peter had a name change. He was simon christ called him peter John chapter 1 verse number 42 peter or simon you're now going to be called cephas. You're now going to be called Rock It would denote stability durability strength Well, peter begins to fill his oats. Well, I got a new name I got to live up to my new name. So i i'm going to be rock solid. I'm not going to disappoint anybody I'm going to be steadfast. I'm going to be someone who is immovable And I will stand strong For my lord and peter would exemplify that and so when you come to mark chapter 14, he's already had a name change He's already walked on water.

Think about it He was the only apostle to step out of the boat when a storm was present I I Laugh because here was peter in a storm on a boat wanting to walk on water and we can't get people to drive to church when it rains You know figure that and here was peter, uh, the storm was there and he saw the lord Oh bid me to come to your lord. The lord says come on out peter peter begins to walk on water. Yes, he was Would end up sinking and he would cry out lord save me But remember the other 11 remained in the boat.

So peter's already walked on water He's already had a name change. He was already been on top of mount hermone, which is the place of the transfiguration So he's already been up there and seen christ unzip his flesh and seen the glorified christ So he has had many valuable lessons. He has come a long way and now it comes to the point where christ says, you know the bible says You're all going to be scattered You're all going to flee And I will let you know that when I die i'll rise again And i'm going to meet you in galilee And peter says we're not going to deny you lord That's not us you see an arrogant man denies what god's word really does say And the word of god said it prophesied that these men closest to him would would would scatter And christ quotes that And peter denies it No No, lord You can truly count on me I am not like anybody else Now I want you to think about this how do we exemplify our insolence several ways several ways One way is our lack of of a willingness or desire to forgive others who have wronged us I'm not going to forgive them.

Why would I forgive them? Look what they have done to me They don't deserve my forgiveness. And so we harbor a bitter spirit We become more and more angry to the one that's offended us That truly is insolence arrogance and pride Another way we do that is our refusal to submit to those in authority over us You see christ was the the ultimate in submission But there's some way that we think in our own lives that We don't have to submit to those in authority over us that we're better than everybody else We don't have to do that Some children say well i'm not going to submit to my parents my parents aren't even saved Why would I submit to their authority because the bible says so?

Simple as that We have others who who don't want to stay in a marital relationship because of what the other spouse has done to them They've said nasty things to them. They've treated them wrongly and they say i'm not going to stay in a relationship like that I deserve to be treated better than that really What is that that's arrogance That somehow you deserve to be treated better than that. Maybe you do Maybe you do But for you to voice it that way Is to say look, you know what? I'm better than this I need to be treated with dignity and respect In our reality that's arrogance my friends We are slaves of the living god We are servants of christ And we tend to think of ourselves better than we need to think of ourselves Another way we do that is we we we we hold on to our money.

We don't give it to the lord Because we believe that we can do more with our money than god can do with our money So when it comes time to give to the lord, we don't give that much Why because it's my money And I don't want to give it to the lord. I want to hold on to it In fact, he gave it to me. So i'm going to keep it So i'm not going to give it much back to him And therefore that's that's arrogance That's pride. He has given you the money He's given you the gift He wants to know what you're going to do with it to whom much is given much is required the bible says Too much is given much is requested.

Well, i'm not given very much Ah, there's probably a reason you're not given very much it's because you don't give very much You see we we tend to think better of ourselves than we need to The bible says to him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls We tend to think you know what?

I'm better than the other person. I'm not going to fall in that category I'm not going to be like a peter and and i'm not going to deny my lord. I'm not that way Peter was a strong man But he was an insolent man He trusted in himself He didn't trust in his god He didn't trust in the word of god Because the lord would quote the scriptures Explain to him what would happen? He didn't believe it That's insolence The bible says certain things we say I don't believe that And that's that's the the pride of life That rises up with it.

God hates pride In fact, the bible says god resists the proud he gives grace to the humble A lot of people don't have grace in time of need because of their arrogance God resists the proud He wants nothing to do with the arrogant person because that's all a reminder of satan and his arrogance in isaiah chapter 14 In the book of ezekiel which speaks of his willing to rise above the rest he wanted to be like god And the bible says in proverbs chapter 6 that god hates the one with a proud look And proverbs 3 says that god resists the proud he gives grace to the humble Say well I'm never going to be like that.

I mean I I don't even I don't even I I i'm just i'm just I just hate myself. Anyway, so I would never be in that category Well, that's a lie Because you love yourself How do I know that the bible says that no one ever hated his own flesh Ephesians chapter 5 No one ever hated his own flesh.

Nobody hates himself We like to say we do but you don't see I can believe what you said Oh, I can believe what god said and god said no man ever hated his own flesh So you want me to believe you? or believe god See man loves himself He loves himself. He nurtures and cherishes his own self his own flesh his own body. He always does what's best for him That's insolence You see that was peter's problem. He did what was best for him even when he was fishing luke five Christ says why don't you launch out into the deep?

Well, we've already been out there lord. We've already done that Well launch out into the deep and cast your net on the other side Lord, we don't fish in the middle of the day and we've already been out there and cast our nets on one side What good would it be for us to cast our nets on the other side? As if peter would be able to tell the lord what to do But we're the same way We're the same way We tell the lord, you know, we've already done that lord I've already read through the bible in a year.

Why why would I do it again? Didn't do anything I've already read through the bible. I go to church every sunday. I give to the lord nothing changing in my life Why would I continue to do that? Because god said so God said so But see we have this insolent spirit That wells up within us That wants to rebel against authority That doesn't want to do what god says because I love myself I love my flesh I love What I can do for me And that's the first step downward and that was peter's problem I'm, not like other men In fact, i'm a cut above the rest of all the other men lord.

I'm the leader I I am the first one and in matthew chapter 10 We looked at this back in november in matthew chapter 10.

He was the first chosen. He was first in preeminence He was the leader of the 12. I'm not like them lord I am different than the other guys because i'm the leader You see none of us like to think of ourselves as insolent people None of us like to think of ourselves. We like we like to say we are sacrificial people We are givers. We we love to to give ourselves away. We we love to put ourselves in a category that we think Is really really good And we don't necessarily have an accurate assessment of our own lives Well, that was peter Remember he was with the lord every day And the lord always pointed out peter's faults He was always showing peter where he didn't measure up, but peter still believed he measured up Now somehow he would be able to rise above the rest of the men Even though it was prophesied that They would deny him He didn't believe what the word of the lord said Somehow he could overcome that He would not deny His lord the bible says in second corinthians chapter 2 verse 11 that we need not be ignorant of satan's devices Satan has some great devices See satan didn't just want to use judas He wanted to use peter Because peter was the leader If he can destroy the leader He can destroy the rest of the people See satan is always looking to destroy the leader That's why satan is always looking to destroy the leader of your home He's always looking to destroy the leaders of your church Because if he can bring them down if the man is down the home is down If the leaders of the church are down the church is down So satan has a plan for the leadership the christian leadership to somehow destroy them That they would not be able to stand and peter He was ignorant of satan's devices We can't afford to be that way We always got to be aware To him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls don't think that you're better than everybody else Don't say that won't happen to me Because it probably will That's the first step down insolence The second one is this Independence Independence Independence insolence leads to independence A prideful spirit leads to a life of autonomy Listen to this verse 32 and they came to a place named gethsemane He said to his disciples sit here until I have prayed and he took with him peter and james and john It began to be very distressed and troubled He said to them my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death Remain here and keep watch and he went a little beyond them and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were Possible the hour might pass him by And he was saying abba father all things are possible for thee remove this cup from me yet Not what I will but what thou wilt and he came And found them sleeping And said to peter simon.

Are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak And again, he went away and prayed saying the same words Then again, he came and found them sleeping for their eyes were very heavy And they did not know What to answer him And he came the third time And said to them are you still sleeping and taking your rest?

It is enough The hour has come behold. The son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners arise Let us be going behold. The one who betrays me Is at hand Independence Is the second step you see peter James and john Had just heard the agony of our lord's soul He explained to them that he was deeply grieved And so he says sit here and and watch and and pray And i'll go over a little yonder and i'll be over there praying it comes back and They're asleep They're asleep and christ says to peter Simon remember we told you that when When christ calls peter simon He's calling that because that's his fleshly life When he calls him peter, that's his spiritual life.

That's his rock life, but he calls him simon because he's in the flesh He's not praying He's not keeping watch. He's asleep. And remember he's the leader of the twelve And he was the one who vehemently denied that he would ever deny his lord So he has to pinpoint peter Because he has to be able to let peter know that what is happening Is part of his downfall First there's insolence and then there is independence See peter's failure to seek god for strength and power Is a sign of independence Our unwillingness to go before our lord and pray to him demonstrates that we don't need him You can tell how much you need the lord by how much time you spend in prayer each and every day And here was a time a very crucial time in the life of our lord the eve of the crucifixion And christ says to his men watch here keep watch and pray Lest you enter into what temptation And they could not pray they could not keep awake They fell asleep You see the insolent man doesn't need to pray Because he's strong enough.

He's man enough. He's got his man card. He's off. He's off to the races. He knows who he is He doesn't need to spend time with god because he is man enough to do it himself He's man enough to manage his money. He's man enough to manage his marriage He's man enough To manage his work. He's man enough to marriage or to manage all his life so he thinks and so he doesn't spend time in prayer to god about those things because He doesn't need god in those areas And that was peter Pray are you kidding? I'm too tired to pray I mean, we've been in the upper room with our lord.

We've had dinner and and you know, he's preached a long sermon It's been several chapters of the gospels and i'm worn out I gotta get some rest lord and and the oak tree or the the olive tree right here is really kind of comfy And i'm gonna lay down right here and just take a little snooze Christ says you could not watch just one hour You could not pray just one hour How many times you ever pray for an hour Probably not very often, right?

I mean if we if the lord can get five minutes out of us, he's lucky five minutes But you see our independent spirit is demonstrated by our lack of prayer because prayer Signifies dependency I can't make it lord. I need you and peter James and john were not willing to express their dependency upon the lord That somehow they could make it without him His failure to pray would precede his denial Understand that we lose our battle before men in the courtyards Because we refuse to bow before god in our closets We lose our battle before man In our community Because we refuse to bow before god in our closets The battle was lost in the garden for peter It was really lost before that because of his arrogant spirit But his independent spirit would be a result of his insolence His unwillingness to bow before his god in prayer and ask for strength ask for guidance Ask for wisdom because they weren't prepared for what was about to happen to them They weren't prepared for all the soldiers to come marching over the kidron brook into the garden of gethsemane They weren't prepared for judas to be leading them either.

They weren't prepared for anything Because they didn't need to be prepared in their mind They were apostles They were god's chosen They were ready for battle in their mind But in all reality they were not prepared because of insolence because of independence You know, it's always hard to stumble when you're on your knees, right? And yet we find ourselves struggling to pray That's why the lord said men are always to pray and not to faint right? If you don't pray the result is You faint You don't faint if you pray If you faint it's because you're not praying If you faint if you fail if you have a hard time keeping up It's because you're not holding on to the one that you need to depend upon That's the lord god and the way you do that is through prayer And the disciples had asked the lord lord teach us to pray in luke 11 verse number one We need to know what it means to pray because we see you doing it all the time in our lord He expressed his dependence upon his father in heaven, right?

He went off to pray In our for a lord Who is god in the flesh would go off to pray to express his dependence upon his father? How much more do we need to express our dependence upon our father who is in heaven? And we're just merely human beings And yet Insolence would lead To independence Independence listen leads to impatience Impatience read on verse 43 And immediately while he was still speaking judas one of the twelve came up Accompanied by a multitude with swords and clubs from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders Now he who was betraying him had given them a signal saying whomever I shall kiss He is the one seize him lead him away under guard and after coming He immediately went up to him saying rabbi and kissed him And they laid hands on him and seized him but a certain one of those who stood by drew a sword And struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear Now who was that oh john 18 says that was peter Peter peter would draw a sword And slice off the the earlobe of of the high priest's servant.

His name was malchus according to john chapter 18 But you remember the story, right? You need to understand the story that took place as these guards would come and christ would already say look They're coming to seize me. It's time for the son of man Let us go and so they go and they meet these Guards these soldiers these temple police probably somewhere between six and eight hundred in totality They come with swords. They come with lanterns. They come with knives. They come with armor To capture the prince of peace And so he meets them at the entry to the garden And as he does he asked the question according to john whom do you seek and they say jesus of nazarene?

He says I am and they all fall over backwards Well peter's standing here. He observes this he observes the power of god's word and thinks this is my chance I've got jesus with me. He speaks the word they all fall over He knows what he can do. He draws his sword. He prepares for battle. Why? Because he's got nothing to lose He's standing next to the one who who through a word speaks and they all fall over so he feels his oats He takes out his dagger He slices off the servant's ear Thinking that that this is going to promote the kingdom of god very impatient man Unwillingness to wait in fact if you read uh luke's account It says these words I'm, sorry, I think it's I think it's matthew's account Yeah, matthew's account Jesus said to him verse 52 of matthew 26 put your sword back into its place For all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword Or 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 How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen this way?

And at that time Jesus said to the multitudes Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temples teaching and you did not seize me But all this has taken place that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled Peter put away your sword Peter I don't need you Now that that's always a devastating thing to realize that the lord doesn't need you because we think god needs us He doesn't need you. He wants to use you, but he doesn't need you And you see when you are an insolent man You become an independent man An independent man becomes a very impatient man.

In other words, he wants to take matters into his own hands He can control the circumstances he can make it happen And so peter knowing that he's standing right next to his lord his lord speaks the word they all fall over he knows That right now he can win the battle. So he pulls out a sword He's ready to go to war because he wants the king to rule He wants the king to be on his throne. He thinks that maybe this is the time And if I can just pull out my sword I can lead the other guys here in the guard with me and we can fight against this army We can win we can take jerusalem and my king can rule that's impatience Because scripture must be fulfilled The lord said that to peter The scriptures must be fulfilled peter See the impatient man does things his way He never does things god's way Doesn't have time to wait for god.

God's just too slow God's not fast enough God never works in my time frame. I want it and I want it now Peter says I want the kingdom and I want it now.

I want my king in the throne now That's the way we are I want it now And because we haven't spent our hour in prayer because of our arrogant spirit we take things into our own hands Thinking that we can control the events Peter says i'm rock man. I'm the guy who walks on water I'm the guy that's the leader of the 12. I Lord, it's time to act It's time to move Let's make it happen But he wasn't willing to wait upon the plan of god to be Fulfilled Impatience is the characteristic of a man Or woman who does not want to trust his god Who does not want to wait on the lord to handle the situation?

So they take matters into their own hands totally forgetting That god's will Will always be accomplished You see there's always enough time to do the will of the father always always enough time To do the will of our father who was in heaven and that impatient spirit Would cost peter greatly Because of his insolence because of his independence and because of his impatience It all led to his impotence He no longer Had any power to accomplish anything for god why text tells us in verse number 53 Of mark 14 and they led jesus away to the high priest And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together And peter followed him At a distance At a distance Folks that one line Summarizes the downfall of many people They follow christ From a distance They don't follow him up close They follow him from a distance and maybe that's you today You're following christ from a distance.

Oh, you can see him But you don't want to get too close to him And that was peter Why Because now he was at the point of impotence He was powerless How is that demonstrated? Well, let's look at it in verses 66 down through verse 72 of mark 14 This peter was below in the courtyard one of the servant girls of the high priest came and seeing peter warming himself She looked at him and said you too were with jesus nazarene But he denied it saying I I neither know nor understand what you were talking about And he went out onto the porch the maid saw him and began once more to say to the bystanders.

This is one of them But again, he was denying it And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to peter Surely you are one of them for you are a galilean, too But he began to curse And swear I do not know this man. You are talking about And immediately a cock crowed a second time And peter remembered how jesus Had made the remark to him before a cock crows twice You will deny me three times and he began To weep we come down on peter Because he denied the lord But remember the other apostles denied him as well At least he followed at a distance the other ones fled And peter Because he was so far from his lord It's it's almost like it's a play on words the insolent man the independent man in the impatient man follows god from a distance He was at a distance from his Lord.

So when it came time for courage, he didn't have it. You see, when he stood with his Lord in the garden, he could whip out his knife and cut off the high priest's servant's ear without fear because he was right next to his Lord. But when he followed God from a distance, he could not even stand up to a little girl in the courtyard who said, I know who you are. You're one of those men that followed him. No, that's not me. Wrong guy. Must be somebody else. I might look like him, I might smell like him, I might talk like him, but that's not me.

It's got to be somebody else. He was completely powerless. He had no strength left in him because he followed at a distance. He was impotent. Impotence always follows impatience. Impatience always follows independence. And independence always follows insolence. That's the way it is. This was Peter's downfall. This is what happened in the man's life. Think about it. We say, well, I would never deny as Peter denied. Let me tell you something.

Whenever you don't pray, whenever you don't spend time in prayer, you deny God as the strength of your life. Whenever you don't spend time in the Word of God, meditating, memorizing, reading, and studying, you deny God as the one who has a strategic plan for your life. Whenever you don't give your money to the Lord, you deny that God is the all-sufficient God to supply all your needs. Whenever you worry, you deny God as the sovereign ruler of your life. Don't tell me you don't deny God, because I do.

We all do. We deny Him in all kinds of ways. And we like to read about these guys and say, well, that's not me, but it is us. Yes, it is. Peter is us. He's you, he's me. Our arrogance, our pride, it ruins our lives. So we go off half-cocked, independently, trying to govern our lives, thinking we can do it. We don't even spend time talking to God about it. Why do that? I've got to get to work. I've got to make it happen. I become so impatient that I take matters into my own hands, only to realize I have absolutely no power to accomplish anything for the kingdom, because I follow God from a distance.

That was Peter. He fell. But, but. Big but. God did such a great work in his life. Remember what the angel said to the women? Go tell the disciples and Peter, Mark chapter 16, verse number 7. Go tell the disciples, go tell Peter too. Wasn't Peter a disciple? Yeah, he was. He certainly was. But the emphasis was, you know what? I'm going to restore him. I'm going to restore him. I'm going to forgive him. I'm going to use him in a great and mighty way. God made a promise. Peter, you have the keys to the kingdom.

You're going to open the door to the Gentile world, and Peter did. He did. God used him in a great way. But Peter learned his lessons. Turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter. Let me give you the four lessons that Peter learned. What he learned from his insolence. What he learned from his independence, his impatience, his impotence. And as he writes 1 and 2 Peter, he explains to us the things he learned. Listen.

From his insolence, he learned the way of humility. He learned the way of humility. Look at 1 Peter chapter 5, verse number 1.

He says, Therefore I exhort the elders among you as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. He refers to himself as a fellow elder. Not an apostle. Not Peter the Great. But as a fellow elder. Yes, he was a witness of the transfiguration. Yes, he was a witness of the resurrection. But he was also a witness of the sufferings of Christ. He reminds them that he was there when Christ suffered and did not stand for his Lord. He's a fellow elder.

And he says these words in 1 Peter 5, verse number 5. You younger men, likewise, be subdued to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourself with humility toward one another for God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble. It's like Peter's saying, Believe me, I know. I know he opposes the proud. But I do know he gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves. Humble yourselves, he says. He says, tie on a slave's apron. It's a reference back to John 13 when Christ would put a slave's apron around his body and begin to wash the men's feet.

And Peter is saying to them, Clothe yourself with humility. Wrap yourself in humility. I didn't. I didn't. And through his insolence, he began to learn the way of humility. He would say in verse 6, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you at the proper time. He says, I was always looking to exalt myself. I was always looking to put myself up above everybody else. They were always arguing about who was going to be the greatest in the kingdom. He was always the one saying, I'm not going to be like them.

He was the one in Mark 8 who took the Lord aside and rebuked the Lord because the Lord talked about his suffering and death. And Peter says, that's not the way it's going to be, Lord. It's going to be different than that. He says, you know, you need to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God's destiny. His discipline. Because you know what? He's got a plan. And I refuse to follow that plan. You need to do that. He learned. He learned the way of humility. He says, God will exalt you at the proper time.

Peter was exalted. All you've got to do is read the book of Acts. Talk about a man being exalted. I mean, he was used in a powerful way. You read Acts chapter 1 and he made the move to replace Judas with Matthias. In Acts 2, he was a spokesman for the church of Pentecost. In Acts 3, he along with John healed the lame man. In Acts 4, he along with John defied the Sanhedrin. In Acts chapter 5, he had to deal with the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira. In Acts chapter 8, he dealt with the problem of Simon the magician.

In Acts chapter 9, he healed Aeneas and raised Orcas from the dead. And in Acts chapter 10, he took the gospel to the Gentiles. God exalted him at due time. But he had to learn to humble himself under the mighty hand of God. Folks, we need to learn to do that. The mighty hand of God is that phrase used in the book of Exodus to describe the hand of God's destiny and discipline upon his children, the children of Israel. That's the mighty hand of God. And Peter says, I've learned to submit myself to God's mighty hand.

Oh, I fought against it. I fought against it all through my ministry. But not anymore. You too need to submit to the mighty hand of God's discipline. God's destiny. He's in charge. So, through insolence, he learned the way of humility. Through his independence, he learned to walk dependently. How do we know that? First Peter 4, verse number 7, says it this way.

The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be of sound judgment, sober and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. This independent man learned to walk dependently upon his God. You've got to be people of prayer. The end of all things is at hand. That is, time is coming for it all to end. And if you want to be characterized by something because the end is near, be a person of prayer. I wasn't, but I've learned that. I've learned to walk dependently. Peter is saying to these people who are suffering greatly in First Peter, saying, Look, you need to realize that it's all going to come to an end.

But until it does, you have to depend upon God to make it to the end. And the only way you can do that is if you pray to him. He said in verse 17 of First Peter 4, Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.

Deposit your souls into the hand of the creator. Depend upon him for all things and just do what is right. Here's a man through his insolence who learned the way of humility. Here's a man through his independence learned to walk dependently with deity and entrust himself to a faithful creator. And then through his impatience, he learned to wait with certainty. He learned to wait with certainty. He says in First Peter chapter 2, or First Peter 3, these words, To sum up, verse 8, Let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead.

For you are called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For let him who means to love life and see good days, refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. And let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. Why? For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. His ears attend to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. He learned to wait with certainty. No longer was he impatient. He learned to say, look, you can't be vengeful.

You can't take matters into your own hand. You've got to return evil with good. Why? Because the eyes of the Lord are all around. His ears are attentive to your cry. And he will deal with every man in his time, in his own way. He had a hard time with that during his ministry with Christ. But he learned. He learned to wait with certainty. He learned to wait upon God, to trust Him, to hope in Him, knowing that the certainty of accomplishment would be accomplished through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

He learned to wait with certainty. Because he believed in his God. And lastly, through his impotence, he learned to welcome adversity. He learned to welcome adversity. Through his insolence, he learned the way of humility. Through his independence, he learned to walk dependently. Through his impatience, he learned to wait with certainty. And through his impotence, he learned to welcome adversity. Listen to what he says. 1 Peter 4, verse number 12. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.

Expect it. Expect it. Don't look at your trial as something that is unexpected. Learn to expect it. And then, learn to get excited about it. Verse 13. But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. He says, listen.

Some fiery ordeal comes upon your life. Expect it. And not only should you expect it, but you need to get excited about it. Because you're suffering for the sake of your God. That's important. See, he learned. He learned to welcome adversity. So, through his impotence, he realized that the point of his weakness during adverse circumstances, he realized it was those times through depending upon his God he could be strong. He could rejoice. Because his God had a plan. And so, he says in verse number 15, these words.

By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer or a troublesome meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it's time for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

When a fiery ordeal comes, expect it. Then get excited about it, but always examine your life in light of it. Because if you're suffering as an evildoer, if you're suffering as a meddler, if you're suffering as a thief, well, you deserve what you get. But if you suffer for righteousness' sake, well, that is what brings glory to God and honor to Him. And then he closes with verse 19, Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.

Entrust yourself to God. Believe in Him. See, Peter learned those lessons. And that's why at the end of his life, he could die, he could die believing in his God. You know what church history tells us, that his wife was crucified first.

He stood there for three days with her, always telling her, remember the Lord, remember the Lord, remember the Lord. Why? Because the Bible says, when the Lord looked at Peter, he remembered the word of the Lord.

And so he would tell his wife while she suffered excruciating pain for the three days that she hung on a cross, remember the Lord, remember the Lord. And then it was time for him to die, but he knew that he was unworthy to die as his Lord did, so he asked to be crucified upside down. Think about it. Crucified upside down. And that's how he died. The Lord said that he would stretch out his arms in John 21, he would suffer the death of crucifixion. He says, Peter, you follow me. And Peter followed the Lord.

He knew he would die. He expected it, because God promised it would happen. But he fell to great heights. He was a man because of his insolence and independence and impatience led to his impotence, and all of a sudden God restored this man, he picked him up in John 21, recommissioned him, he learned the way of humility. He learned that way. He learned to humbly walk with his God. He would learn to walk dependently upon his God every single day through the energy of the Spirit. He would learn those lessons.

He would learn to wait with certainty upon God to fulfill his plan. He would learn to welcome adversity into his life knowing that through adverse circumstances he would grow deep in his walk with God. So how does he close the second epistle?

He closes it this way. In 2 Peter chapter 3, verse number 17. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your God lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness. Well, there's a man who knew that. Be aware. Verse 18. But instead grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Peter says be careful that you don't lose your steadfastness. I did. I did. And the way you don't do that is to grow daily in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Folks, that's why you're here today. Because the Bible says in Romans 15, verse number 4, that through perseverance and the encouragement of Scripture we receive hope.

I don't know where you're at today. I don't know what's going on in your life. I don't know how arrogant you think you are or you really are. I don't know how independent you manifest that arrogance every day. I don't know how in your life you live impatiently. But I know this, if those three things are characteristic of your life, you're a powerless person. And God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. You need to humble yourself before God, under the mighty hand of God's destiny.

Come before him and say, God, I need you to raise me up as you did Peter. I need you to take my arrogant spirit, my insolent life, and shatter my pride. Break my pride. Rip it right out from me. I need you, Lord, to cause me to fall on my knees so I might walk dependably every single day, knowing that I can't make it without you. I need you, Lord. And Lord, I want to wait for you to accomplish your will in my life, not take matters into my own hands. I can't control my family. I can't control my relationships.

I can't control things, but Lord, you can. So I give it to you because I don't want to become impotent in my spiritual walk. I want to be strong in my walk with the Lord. And so, Father, I depend upon you for all things. That was Peter. And God caused great things to happen in his life. He was the man who fell to the greatest of heights because he learned his lessons. I pray that you and I, we would learn our lessons as well. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for today and the lessons of this man, Peter, and what you did in his life.

I pray that, Lord, we would grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord by the things that we heard today. We leave this place energized because we know what we need to do, that we might walk with you every single day and not follow you from a distance, but up close and personal. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.