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Well, let me ask a few questions.

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What was the goal of Paul and Barnabas'

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return visit to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch?

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In Acts 14, what did they return to

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go and do?

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Anyone?

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It goes on to say that Paul's next

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trip was to go see how they are.

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That would fall under the heading, but in

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Acts 14, you don't have to turn there.

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We're going to go through multiple verses real

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fast just to make an opening point.

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But they were strengthening the souls of the

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disciples.

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Strengthening the souls, not the bodies.

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They weren't helping the physical health, but the

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spiritual health of the disciples, encouraging them to

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continue in the faith.

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And what did they encourage them with?

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What was their encouraging statement?

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What did they impart specifically to those people?

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What did they say?

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Through many tribulations.

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You've got to go through to enter that

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kingdom.

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You've got to go through many tribulations.

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So Paul strengthened them how?

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Through truth.

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Right?

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Through truth.

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What was one of the reasons Paul wanted

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to visit Rome?

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In Romans 1, what does it say there?

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What was one of the reasons Paul wanted

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to go to Rome?

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"...I long to see you."

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For what reason?

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"...That I might impart to you some spiritual

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gift..." Why?

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To strengthen.

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That's the key word.

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Strengthen.

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Strengthen.

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"...To strengthen you, that is that we may

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be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both

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yours and mine."

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What was the church at Sardis?

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In Revelation, they had a good reputation, but

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they were not really alive.

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That was all they had was a good

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reputation.

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What were they told to do?

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What did they need to do to themselves

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there?

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Strengthen.

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Strengthen.

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"...What remains and is about to die, for

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I have not found your words complete in

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the sight of God, remember then what you

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received and heard."

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So how are they going to strengthen themselves?

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They're going to remember what they have seen

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and heard.

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I go through my sermon.

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It's very similar to Bobby's.

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And I know Craig was teaching the kids,

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so he missed Bobby's message in the back.

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But Bobby talks about the importance we need

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to be reminded.

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And in Craig and the Lord's Supper, near

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the end, he made the emphasis on that

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point that this is remembering what Christ has

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done.

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This is to be done in remembrance of

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Him.

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Why did Paul visit Galatia?

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It was one of the reasons.

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To do what?

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To strengthen.

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Acts 18, after spending some time there, he

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departed and why did he go on to

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another region?

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Strengthening all the disciples.

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In Ezekiel, the false shepherds are condemned because

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what was one of the things the false

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shepherds did not do?

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What did they not do to the sheep?

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To the weak?

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Yeah, you should be able to guess it

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by now.

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That's what I'm going to hit on.

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The weak you have not strengthened.

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The sick you've not healed.

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The injured you've not bound up.

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When David was in hiding, why did Jonathan

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visit him?

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To strengthen him.

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Right, very good.

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1 Samuel 23, And Jonathan saw sun rose

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and went to David at Horash and strengthened

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his hand in God.

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Right, this is a spiritual strengthening that is

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taking place through truth being imparted.

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In Revelation, they're being reminded of truth.

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Or in Acts 14, they're being told specific

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truth about suffering.

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What did Jesus tell Peter to do after

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he turned from denying Christ?

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After you turn again, what are you going

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to do?

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What mission?

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What's one of the missions I'm going to

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give you, Peter?

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Strengthen your brothers.

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Strengthen your brothers.

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And that's what I want to look at.

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So turn to Luke 22.

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I could go on with many more references

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of the Bible talking about people being strengthened.

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And you'll notice here, one of the primary

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goals behind many conversations in the Christian life

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is to strengthen believers.

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Strengthen.

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Not to hinder them.

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Not to do the opposite.

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But to strengthen them and you strengthen them

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with the truth.

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So back to Bobby's message, it's important that

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we know the truth, right?

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Or we can't strengthen.

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And you notice here, the reason behind many

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of these trips, whether it's a trip out

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into the field to talk to David or

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a trip across the sea, was to strengthen

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believers.

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There's a massive emphasis in your Bible on

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strengthening other Christians with the words that you

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share, the things that you say.

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That's a primary activity for the Christian is

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to strengthen other Christians' faith and impart a

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spiritual gift by imparting biblical truth to them.

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What I want to look at is Peter.

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Specifically, I want to consider Peter, because Peter

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is told by Christ to go and do

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this, but Peter, like us, in order to

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be in a place where he could go

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strengthen others, Peter had to go through certain

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things.

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Training, so to speak.

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He had to get a certificate to be

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able to go and strengthen others.

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And Bobby pointed out, why did Peter write

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1 and 2 Peter?

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He wrote these things as a reminder to

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them.

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He was writing these things to strengthen them.

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There's multiple things in 1 and 2 Peter

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that he said to strengthen the church that

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if he didn't go through what he went

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through in Luke 22, he would not have

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been able to write and would not have

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been able to say.

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The same thing in you and I's life.

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There are things that we are going through

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that will teach us in order that we

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will be able to strengthen others in the

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future with the comfort and strength that we

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ourselves have received from the Lord.

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So, Luke 22, we're going to find where

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Peter got enrolled in a class and we're

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going to find that after going through what

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he went through, he was in a place

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where he could go and strengthen the brothers.

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And let's look at Luke 22.

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Luke 22, let's read v.

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24 briefly just to get some of the

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context.

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A dispute arose among them as of which

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of them was to be regarded as the

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greatest.

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And so they have this whole dispute.

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Then v.

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28, Christ says to them, you are those

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who have stayed with Me in My trials.

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Now, that's not going to last for a

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lot longer there.

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Here, v.

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31, Simon Simon.

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Behold, Satan demanded to have you.

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Why?

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That he might sift you like wheat.

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But, I have prayed for you.

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Why?

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That your faith may not fail.

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What do I go do next?

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And when you have turned again, strengthen your

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brothers.

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V.

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33, Peter said to Him, Lord, I'm ready.

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I'm ready to go with You both to

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prison and to death.

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Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster

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will not crow this day until you deny

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Me three times.

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You deny three times that you know Me.

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And then just briefly, v.

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54, this is where it happens, then they

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seized Jesus, the high priest's house, and Peter

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was following at a distance.

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When they had kindled a fire in the

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middle of the courtyard and sat down together,

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Peter sat down among them.

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Then a servant girl, seeing him as he

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sat in the light, and looking closely at

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him, said, this man also was with him.

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But he denied it, saying, woman, I do

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not know him.

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A little later, someone else saw him and

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said, you also are one of them.

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Peter said, man, I'm not.

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And after an interval of about an hour,

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an hour, still another insisted, saying, certainly this

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man also was with him, for he is

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too a Galilean.

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But Peter said, man, I do not know

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what you are talking about.

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And immediately, while he was still speaking, the

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rooster crowed.

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And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

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And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord,

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how He had said to him, before the

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rooster crows today, you will deny Me three

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times.

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And Peter went out and he wept bitterly.

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Let's pray.

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Father, we all know about Peter.

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Most of us at least, we've heard about

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him.

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We've thought about him.

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We've read this passage before.

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But as Bobby taught on in the first

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hour, Lord, I pray that as I give

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these reminders, You would make something very fresh

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and real to different brothers and sisters here

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that they could see it and apply it

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in their own life.

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Lord, my hope of preaching on the importance

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of strengthening one another is to strengthen the

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saints to do that very thing, to remind

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them to do that very thing, Lord.

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And so I just ask for Your help.

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You quicken this word by the power of

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Your Spirit.

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Lord, help.

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In Jesus' name, Amen.

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So Jesus tells Peter, when you've turned again,

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go strengthen the brothers.

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That kind of implies something in Peter's life

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was preventing his usefulness in that specific area.

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At least in certain ways.

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But after he went through this trial, this

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test, he'd be more useful.

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That's vitally important to remember in the trials

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that you're going through, believer.

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God is using them to all the more

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purify you and make you like gold.

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So the first thing, I want to look

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at six things here.

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Six things.

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The first is this.

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The first step of achieving your certificate and

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being able to strengthen one another is you

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have to enroll in a class that purifies

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you more.

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You've got to get enrolled.

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You've got to get enrolled.

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Who enrolled Peter in this class?

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Who?

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Jesus?

280
00:11:09,610 --> 00:11:10,120
That's right.

281
00:11:10,180 --> 00:11:11,000
That's the right answer.

282
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Look at the text.

283
00:11:12,860 --> 00:11:16,300
Simon Simon, verse 31, Behold, Satan demanded to

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have you.

285
00:11:17,450 --> 00:11:18,760
What does that remind you of?

286
00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,460
Satan asked to have you.

287
00:11:21,700 --> 00:11:23,140
What should that bring to mind?

288
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It should bring Job.

289
00:11:25,700 --> 00:11:27,760
The ironic thing is in Job, though the

290
00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:29,560
Lord is the one who mentioned Job to

291
00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:29,960
the devil.

292
00:11:32,860 --> 00:11:34,300
And then the Lord gave permission.

293
00:11:35,580 --> 00:11:38,060
The Lord did not tempt Job.

294
00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:42,000
But He allowed the devil to do that

295
00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,260
very thing and there were purposes behind that.

296
00:11:44,340 --> 00:11:45,940
And in the same way here, the Ultimate

297
00:11:45,940 --> 00:11:49,360
One who enrolls Peter in this test and

298
00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,480
allows it to come to pass and allows

299
00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,460
it to happen, it's the Lord.

300
00:11:54,140 --> 00:11:54,840
The Lord.

301
00:11:55,100 --> 00:11:56,800
Behold, Satan demanded to have you.

302
00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,540
Now, Satan's purpose was that he might sift

303
00:11:59,540 --> 00:12:00,220
you like wheat.

304
00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,960
Ultimately, that he might violently shake you to

305
00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,200
the point where you deny Christ completely.

306
00:12:06,300 --> 00:12:10,280
As he goes on to say, Jesus says,

307
00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:12,300
I've prayed your faith may not fail.

308
00:12:12,420 --> 00:12:14,220
Ultimately, the devil wanted his faith to fail.

309
00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:16,960
His faith ultimately did not fail in the

310
00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:17,680
ultimate sense.

311
00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:18,140
It didn't.

312
00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:19,540
We're going to look at why it didn't

313
00:12:19,540 --> 00:12:19,840
fail.

314
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,400
But Satan demanded before the Lord, just like

315
00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,660
in Job 1, the Lord said to Satan,

316
00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,140
behold, all that he has is in your

317
00:12:30,140 --> 00:12:30,460
hand.

318
00:12:30,540 --> 00:12:33,540
Only against him do not stretch out your

319
00:12:33,540 --> 00:12:34,200
hand.

320
00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,160
So the Lord is the one who permitted

321
00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,800
Peter to enter into this trial.

322
00:12:39,380 --> 00:12:41,700
This did not just happen.

323
00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:46,780
Your trials, my trials, they don't just happen.

324
00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,480
It might feel like it just happened.

325
00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,760
But there's someone intricately involved in that situation

326
00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,080
to bring it about and there are purposes

327
00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,860
and something for you to do after you've

328
00:12:58,860 --> 00:13:00,300
endured through that trial.

329
00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:02,300
You don't want to lose sight of that.

330
00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,260
And amazingly here, Jesus is telling Peter in

331
00:13:05,260 --> 00:13:07,760
advance about everything that's going to happen.

332
00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,000
We often don't get that privilege, do we?

333
00:13:10,860 --> 00:13:11,740
Peter gets it.

334
00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:14,080
Jesus is saying what's going to happen.

335
00:13:14,260 --> 00:13:16,260
You'd think you wouldn't fail the test if

336
00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:18,220
you knew what was going to happen.

337
00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:21,920
But Peter, as we'll see, was proud.

338
00:13:23,140 --> 00:13:24,260
This was intentional.

339
00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,220
It was God's assignment to Peter.

340
00:13:27,020 --> 00:13:27,460
Right?

341
00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:29,520
Maybe God's giving you an assignment right now.

342
00:13:30,500 --> 00:13:33,020
As I mentioned weeks ago in this sermon

343
00:13:33,020 --> 00:13:34,480
on are you content in your local church,

344
00:13:34,580 --> 00:13:35,620
don't drop the class.

345
00:13:36,220 --> 00:13:37,760
God's given us all tests.

346
00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:40,380
Don't just move that to the side.

347
00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:41,780
If He's given it to you, take it.

348
00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:42,820
Take it.

349
00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:43,700
Learn from it.

350
00:13:44,220 --> 00:13:46,660
The Lord is directly involved in your trials.

351
00:13:47,140 --> 00:13:48,680
He's allowing you to be tested.

352
00:13:48,820 --> 00:13:50,420
That's why He can say in 1 Corinthians

353
00:13:50,420 --> 00:13:53,360
10-13, that's why Paul can say, brother,

354
00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,240
sister, no temptation has overtaken you that is

355
00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:58,200
not common to man.

356
00:13:58,460 --> 00:14:00,620
But God is faithful, and He will not

357
00:14:00,620 --> 00:14:02,980
let you be tempted beyond your ability, but

358
00:14:02,980 --> 00:14:05,780
with temptation, with the test, it's the same

359
00:14:05,780 --> 00:14:08,440
Greek word for trial, with the test, He

360
00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,480
will give you a way of escape that

361
00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:11,340
you might endure it.

362
00:14:11,340 --> 00:14:13,140
Why can we have such a promise like

363
00:14:13,140 --> 00:14:13,500
that?

364
00:14:13,860 --> 00:14:15,860
That there's always a way of escape out

365
00:14:15,860 --> 00:14:17,920
of the trial where you don't have to

366
00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:18,320
sin?

367
00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,400
It's because God's involved in the trials and

368
00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,640
the tests that come about in your life.

369
00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:26,520
It's not accidental.

370
00:14:26,740 --> 00:14:27,680
It is intentional.

371
00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:30,580
Don't forget that.

372
00:14:31,260 --> 00:14:32,760
Now look, it's also true.

373
00:14:33,620 --> 00:14:35,340
Not only is God involved, but we do

374
00:14:35,340 --> 00:14:36,900
have an enemy seeking to destroy us.

375
00:14:36,980 --> 00:14:39,220
Satan's intention was for Peter's faith to fail.

376
00:14:39,220 --> 00:14:40,680
We have a real enemy.

377
00:14:41,220 --> 00:14:42,340
He wants you dead.

378
00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:44,980
He is seeking someone to devour.

379
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,460
Of all people, who would write that in

380
00:14:47,460 --> 00:14:48,220
1 Peter 5?

381
00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:48,660
Peter!

382
00:14:49,980 --> 00:14:50,760
Peter, no!

383
00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:51,940
Jesus had told him.

384
00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:54,320
Someone's out to get him.

385
00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:55,780
Someone's demanding to have you.

386
00:14:55,820 --> 00:14:57,180
And he goes on later to say the

387
00:14:57,180 --> 00:14:58,760
devil is seeking someone to devour.

388
00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:01,720
We have an adversary who's like a lion.

389
00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,420
Now, I mention that, but just to balance

390
00:15:06,420 --> 00:15:08,800
it out, are there people who will often

391
00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,320
attribute happenings to Satan that have no connection?

392
00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:12,300
Sure, that's a problem.

393
00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:14,600
It can frustrate us shepherds when we hear

394
00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,300
someone say, oh, it was the devil who

395
00:15:16,300 --> 00:15:17,740
made me do it, or it was Satan,

396
00:15:17,860 --> 00:15:18,600
or it was that.

397
00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,320
It might just have been you sinning and

398
00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:21,740
you need to take ownership for that.

399
00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,020
Not attribute that to the devil.

400
00:15:25,340 --> 00:15:28,140
At the same time, you don't want to

401
00:15:28,140 --> 00:15:30,060
forget the spiritual war that you and I

402
00:15:30,060 --> 00:15:30,380
are in.

403
00:15:31,820 --> 00:15:34,800
There's a devil and he's got demons, even

404
00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,420
legions of them, and we wrestle against not

405
00:15:37,420 --> 00:15:38,260
flesh and blood.

406
00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:40,280
Don't forget that.

407
00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,720
Just because someone abused that language, you think

408
00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,720
about Satan towards the Lord Jesus Christ.

409
00:15:46,740 --> 00:15:48,980
Oh, he was out to get Christ, wasn't

410
00:15:48,980 --> 00:15:49,120
he?

411
00:15:49,260 --> 00:15:52,240
Luke 4, verse 13, after the temptations in

412
00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:54,800
the wilderness had ended, it says this of

413
00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:55,100
Satan.

414
00:15:55,420 --> 00:15:58,220
He departed from Christ until what?

415
00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:04,040
He departed from Christ until an opportune time.

416
00:16:04,940 --> 00:16:06,220
Satan is an opportunist.

417
00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:07,520
He's looking for an opportunity.

418
00:16:07,620 --> 00:16:09,100
He's not looking for an opportunity to make

419
00:16:09,100 --> 00:16:11,140
it big with money in the financial and

420
00:16:11,140 --> 00:16:11,880
the stock market.

421
00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,880
Satan is looking for an opportunity to find

422
00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:15,360
a crack in the midst of your faith

423
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,020
and get you to fall away from the

424
00:16:17,020 --> 00:16:18,460
living God, get you to have an evil,

425
00:16:18,580 --> 00:16:20,580
unbelieving heart and deny the Lord Jesus Christ.

426
00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:21,960
He's looking for that.

427
00:16:22,420 --> 00:16:23,500
He's an active enemy.

428
00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:27,220
That's point number one.

429
00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,360
You've got to get enrolled, and the good

430
00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:31,600
thing is you don't have to go sign

431
00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:31,760
up.

432
00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:32,860
God's going to sign you up.

433
00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:35,260
He's going to.

434
00:16:36,940 --> 00:16:39,300
If you're His child, He will sign you

435
00:16:39,300 --> 00:16:41,860
up for discipline at some point, and that

436
00:16:41,860 --> 00:16:44,840
will prove you are a legitimate child when

437
00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,740
you're having that rod on your back.

438
00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:51,280
I remember years ago, people said when do

439
00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,040
you have the greatest assurance of your salvation?

440
00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,800
And Brother Tim said when God is disciplining

441
00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,240
him, it's one of the times he has

442
00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:58,700
the most assurance he's a Christian.

443
00:16:59,620 --> 00:17:00,720
And there's truth to that.

444
00:17:01,700 --> 00:17:04,599
You see, God loves you enough to take

445
00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:07,000
off that sharp edge and hone you more

446
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:08,720
to make you like His Son.

447
00:17:09,660 --> 00:17:12,900
So second thing, what was Peter's attitude when

448
00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:14,020
he heard about the assignment?

449
00:17:14,700 --> 00:17:15,760
And that matters.

450
00:17:16,619 --> 00:17:18,160
Because you and I, we've got an attitude.

451
00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:19,000
We've got a perspective.

452
00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:21,079
We've got a way that we look at

453
00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:25,079
something when we hear about an assignment.

454
00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:26,859
Again, we're thinking about this because we want

455
00:17:26,859 --> 00:17:28,660
to get to the point to see how

456
00:17:28,660 --> 00:17:30,500
did the Lord refine Peter to get him

457
00:17:30,500 --> 00:17:31,900
to a point where he can strengthen the

458
00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:32,240
brethren?

459
00:17:32,740 --> 00:17:34,100
Because that's what I'm calling you and I

460
00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:34,500
to do.

461
00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,120
To strengthen one another.

462
00:17:36,260 --> 00:17:38,120
Whether it's in this fellowship meal to come,

463
00:17:38,460 --> 00:17:41,140
during the grace group, during the week, things

464
00:17:41,140 --> 00:17:43,000
happen in your life to get you to

465
00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,360
that point to more effectively strengthen people.

466
00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:47,900
So what was Peter's attitude when he heard

467
00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:48,640
about the assignment?

468
00:17:48,780 --> 00:17:52,700
Verse 33, in Luke's account, look at just

469
00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:55,980
after hearing this, what's Peter's response?

470
00:17:56,500 --> 00:17:57,220
I'm ready.

471
00:17:57,940 --> 00:17:58,640
I'm ready.

472
00:17:58,960 --> 00:17:59,360
I'm ready.

473
00:18:00,740 --> 00:18:03,360
Your statement somewhat implied that I'm not ready.

474
00:18:03,940 --> 00:18:05,880
But I want to let you know that

475
00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:06,560
I am ready.

476
00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:08,580
And what am I ready for?

477
00:18:08,660 --> 00:18:09,400
I'll make it clear.

478
00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,900
I'm ready to go to prison and to

479
00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:12,300
death.

480
00:18:15,540 --> 00:18:16,320
What an attitude.

481
00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,200
And he said this shortly after what had

482
00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:20,720
just been happening among the disciples.

483
00:18:23,140 --> 00:18:25,100
A dispute arose among them as to which

484
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:26,500
of them was to be regarded as the

485
00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:26,780
greatest.

486
00:18:28,260 --> 00:18:31,060
And Peter wanted to be very clearly known

487
00:18:31,060 --> 00:18:32,360
that he's the greatest.

488
00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,820
And if that doesn't convince you, listen to

489
00:18:34,820 --> 00:18:36,980
Matthew's account of this.

490
00:18:37,060 --> 00:18:41,580
Matthew 26-33, Peter answered him, though they

491
00:18:41,580 --> 00:18:46,340
all fall away, because of you, I will

492
00:18:46,340 --> 00:18:47,520
never fall away.

493
00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:49,220
Look, all these disciples, they're going to fall

494
00:18:49,220 --> 00:18:49,640
away.

495
00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:51,100
Not me.

496
00:18:51,580 --> 00:18:52,860
I'm better than them.

497
00:18:53,780 --> 00:18:55,500
I'm more godly than they are.

498
00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:57,700
I'm more superior than them.

499
00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:00,480
Peter's having that type of mindset.

500
00:19:02,060 --> 00:19:05,680
Though they all fall away, I will never.

501
00:19:07,180 --> 00:19:07,700
Incredible.

502
00:19:10,170 --> 00:19:10,670
Incredible.

503
00:19:10,830 --> 00:19:12,010
And what happened to Peter?

504
00:19:12,750 --> 00:19:15,890
Luke 22-56, then a servant girl.

505
00:19:17,270 --> 00:19:19,250
And I realize he wasn't just alone, it

506
00:19:19,250 --> 00:19:19,910
was just her.

507
00:19:19,990 --> 00:19:21,510
There were a bunch of troops around there

508
00:19:21,510 --> 00:19:21,930
as well.

509
00:19:22,870 --> 00:19:24,630
Sure, it wasn't a guard asking him the

510
00:19:24,630 --> 00:19:24,930
question.

511
00:19:24,930 --> 00:19:25,970
It was a servant girl.

512
00:19:27,410 --> 00:19:28,950
And he denied Christ.

513
00:19:29,670 --> 00:19:31,790
He denied Christ.

514
00:19:31,950 --> 00:19:33,790
So why did the Lord enroll him?

515
00:19:33,870 --> 00:19:36,410
I think it's safe to say the Lord

516
00:19:36,410 --> 00:19:40,230
enrolled Peter to crush him of his pride.

517
00:19:41,190 --> 00:19:42,430
To give him humility.

518
00:19:42,550 --> 00:19:44,710
And he writes about humility in 1 Peter.

519
00:19:45,070 --> 00:19:47,190
It's very interesting what he says there.

520
00:19:47,950 --> 00:19:50,010
He says God opposes the proud.

521
00:19:51,270 --> 00:19:53,030
That's what just happened in Luke 22.

522
00:19:53,730 --> 00:19:55,650
God will oppose the proud, but He will

523
00:19:55,650 --> 00:19:56,710
give grace to the humble.

524
00:19:57,330 --> 00:20:01,090
Peter saw that happening in his very life.

525
00:20:02,590 --> 00:20:05,630
Peter was not prepared for this trial.

526
00:20:05,730 --> 00:20:06,290
He wasn't.

527
00:20:06,810 --> 00:20:09,650
But Christ was preparing him through the trial

528
00:20:09,650 --> 00:20:11,890
for future tests.

529
00:20:12,130 --> 00:20:13,150
He was being made ready.

530
00:20:13,230 --> 00:20:14,150
Peter said, I'm ready.

531
00:20:14,750 --> 00:20:16,050
He was being made ready.

532
00:20:16,710 --> 00:20:17,670
And there's another point.

533
00:20:17,770 --> 00:20:19,310
You know what happens later on in Peter's

534
00:20:19,310 --> 00:20:19,550
life?

535
00:20:19,850 --> 00:20:21,970
James gets killed by the sword.

536
00:20:21,970 --> 00:20:23,470
And then what happens to Peter?

537
00:20:23,530 --> 00:20:24,250
He gets arrested.

538
00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:27,090
And if James just got killed, what's probably

539
00:20:27,090 --> 00:20:28,110
Peter's fate going to be?

540
00:20:28,190 --> 00:20:29,250
Peter's about to get killed.

541
00:20:29,750 --> 00:20:30,530
But you know what happened?

542
00:20:30,610 --> 00:20:32,630
The Lord delivered him with an angel supernaturally

543
00:20:32,630 --> 00:20:33,810
and took him out of that place.

544
00:20:34,570 --> 00:20:35,850
But Peter was ready.

545
00:20:36,410 --> 00:20:38,070
He was ready to go and die.

546
00:20:38,490 --> 00:20:39,530
James had just died.

547
00:20:39,650 --> 00:20:41,350
Peter looked like he was about to die.

548
00:20:41,670 --> 00:20:43,710
So he grew through this.

549
00:20:45,910 --> 00:20:47,750
So what was Peter's attitude here?

550
00:20:48,790 --> 00:20:49,930
Yeah, he wasn't prepared.

551
00:20:50,710 --> 00:20:51,530
He was proud.

552
00:20:51,970 --> 00:20:53,270
And you know what Peter lacked?

553
00:20:54,330 --> 00:20:55,770
He lacked a fear of the Lord.

554
00:20:56,570 --> 00:20:57,890
How do you see that there?

555
00:20:57,950 --> 00:21:00,710
He took Christ's words in a light way.

556
00:21:02,350 --> 00:21:05,210
To indicate you fear God is you take

557
00:21:05,210 --> 00:21:06,690
God's Word seriously.

558
00:21:07,090 --> 00:21:09,990
Look what Christ had just told him there.

559
00:21:10,250 --> 00:21:12,210
Satan demanded to have you, that he might

560
00:21:12,210 --> 00:21:13,610
sift you like wheat, but I have prayed

561
00:21:13,610 --> 00:21:14,830
for you that your faith not fail.

562
00:21:14,870 --> 00:21:16,290
When you turn again, strengthen your brothers.

563
00:21:16,410 --> 00:21:17,970
And Peter's saying, Lord, I'm ready to go

564
00:21:17,970 --> 00:21:18,330
with You.

565
00:21:18,510 --> 00:21:19,810
It would have been much better to say,

566
00:21:19,810 --> 00:21:22,110
oh, Lord, please help me in the midst

567
00:21:22,110 --> 00:21:22,570
of this.

568
00:21:22,590 --> 00:21:23,450
I'm not ready.

569
00:21:24,230 --> 00:21:25,590
I need Your grace.

570
00:21:26,230 --> 00:21:27,610
Lord, I'm going to hold on to that

571
00:21:27,610 --> 00:21:29,870
promise that You've given me.

572
00:21:30,970 --> 00:21:35,490
Peter lacked fear of God in this place.

573
00:21:35,570 --> 00:21:37,750
He didn't take the Word as serious as

574
00:21:37,750 --> 00:21:38,090
it should.

575
00:21:38,170 --> 00:21:39,090
And who is the one to whom the

576
00:21:39,090 --> 00:21:39,630
Lord looks?

577
00:21:40,030 --> 00:21:41,710
What does Isaiah 60-60 say?

578
00:21:42,610 --> 00:21:44,070
This is the one to whom I will

579
00:21:44,070 --> 00:21:44,310
look.

580
00:21:44,370 --> 00:21:45,410
He who is humble.

581
00:21:45,410 --> 00:21:45,510
Humble?

582
00:21:47,390 --> 00:21:48,950
Is it a humble man who says I

583
00:21:48,950 --> 00:21:50,910
will never deny You and he's boasting in

584
00:21:50,910 --> 00:21:52,570
himself and saying all those others are going

585
00:21:52,570 --> 00:21:53,570
to deny You and I'm not going to

586
00:21:53,570 --> 00:21:53,970
deny You?

587
00:21:54,010 --> 00:21:55,630
That's not a humble man.

588
00:21:56,490 --> 00:21:58,450
He who is humble and contrite in spirit

589
00:21:58,450 --> 00:21:59,750
and trembles at My Word.

590
00:21:59,890 --> 00:22:02,110
Peter did not tremble at Christ's words.

591
00:22:02,470 --> 00:22:04,250
Peter did not manifest humility here.

592
00:22:04,530 --> 00:22:06,250
The Lord pulled the carpet out from under

593
00:22:06,250 --> 00:22:06,750
his feet.

594
00:22:06,990 --> 00:22:09,530
Let him fall flat on his head.

595
00:22:10,770 --> 00:22:11,370
But he grew.

596
00:22:11,470 --> 00:22:12,710
He grew to the point where listen to

597
00:22:12,710 --> 00:22:14,050
what he says in 1 Peter 5.

598
00:22:14,050 --> 00:22:15,790
Look at one of the things God brought

599
00:22:15,790 --> 00:22:17,890
about in his life that he's able to

600
00:22:17,890 --> 00:22:20,090
remind and strengthen the believers with.

601
00:22:20,410 --> 00:22:23,450
He says in 1 Peter 5, clothe yourselves,

602
00:22:23,710 --> 00:22:26,810
all of you, with humility toward one another.

603
00:22:27,610 --> 00:22:28,150
Why?

604
00:22:28,550 --> 00:22:32,010
For God opposes the proud, but gives grace

605
00:22:32,010 --> 00:22:32,730
to the humble.

606
00:22:34,030 --> 00:22:36,250
Peter learned that through experience.

607
00:22:38,460 --> 00:22:39,140
God opposed him.

608
00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:39,860
Third thing.

609
00:22:41,060 --> 00:22:42,380
Third observation here.

610
00:22:42,380 --> 00:22:46,300
The purpose of the assignment was meant to

611
00:22:46,300 --> 00:22:50,040
test Peter's faith.

612
00:22:50,580 --> 00:22:55,780
It was meant to test Peter's faith.

613
00:22:55,860 --> 00:22:58,040
Now, the enemy's purpose was for Peter's faith

614
00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,640
to fail and for him to be destroyed,

615
00:23:00,820 --> 00:23:03,340
but in the end, it only strengthened his

616
00:23:03,340 --> 00:23:04,300
faith.

617
00:23:04,980 --> 00:23:05,200
Why?

618
00:23:05,700 --> 00:23:10,020
Pride and faith don't mix and go together.

619
00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:13,440
Pride is opposed to a life of faith.

620
00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:14,100
What is faith?

621
00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,940
Faith is trust and commitment in the Lord

622
00:23:16,940 --> 00:23:17,620
Jesus Christ.

623
00:23:17,660 --> 00:23:21,160
You're committed, you're trusting, you're looking to Christ.

624
00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:22,440
It's confidence in the Lord.

625
00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:23,060
What's pride?

626
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,280
Is pride confidence in the Lord or is

627
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:26,240
it confidence in what?

628
00:23:26,820 --> 00:23:27,760
Confidence in yourself.

629
00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:30,920
That's exactly Peter's statements reveal.

630
00:23:31,260 --> 00:23:33,120
A confidence in himself.

631
00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:35,680
And through this trial, he comes out of

632
00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:36,400
it with what?

633
00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:37,860
More confidence in self?

634
00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:39,080
No.

635
00:23:40,060 --> 00:23:41,520
More confidence in the Lord.

636
00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,880
More recognizing his absolute inability to deliver himself

637
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,980
by his own power and his total essential

638
00:23:47,980 --> 00:23:50,720
need to rely upon the Lord for apart

639
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,480
from whom he can do absolutely nothing.

640
00:23:54,580 --> 00:23:57,320
Now, Jesus says here, I pray for you

641
00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:58,600
that your faith may not fail.

642
00:23:59,180 --> 00:24:00,260
Can your faith fail?

643
00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,940
Can your faith die out completely?

644
00:24:04,700 --> 00:24:07,140
I mean, momentarily, did he trust Christ and

645
00:24:07,140 --> 00:24:08,040
in that moment, he didn't?

646
00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:09,300
He didn't.

647
00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:09,860
He sinned.

648
00:24:09,980 --> 00:24:12,880
He had lacked faith because of his pride.

649
00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:15,160
Did he abandon the faith?

650
00:24:15,780 --> 00:24:17,580
No, he did not abandon the faith.

651
00:24:19,140 --> 00:24:20,680
But can you abandon the faith?

652
00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:24,040
Can you have faith for a little while

653
00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:26,360
and then at a time of testing, you

654
00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:26,900
fall away?

655
00:24:28,180 --> 00:24:29,020
Yeah, absolutely.

656
00:24:29,460 --> 00:24:31,380
Trials test what's true of you.

657
00:24:31,500 --> 00:24:33,840
It tests how you've actually received the Word

658
00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:34,220
of God.

659
00:24:34,300 --> 00:24:36,640
Luke 8.13 And the ones on the

660
00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:38,280
rock are those who when they hear the

661
00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:40,440
Word, they receive it with joy.

662
00:24:41,300 --> 00:24:43,180
But these have no root, they believe for

663
00:24:43,180 --> 00:24:45,160
a while, and in a time of testing,

664
00:24:45,500 --> 00:24:47,940
they believe for a while.

665
00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,420
In a time of testing, they fall away.

666
00:24:52,620 --> 00:24:54,480
There are people who hear the Word, it's

667
00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,500
not truly planted in the heart, there's no

668
00:24:56,500 --> 00:24:59,080
birth, there's no true salvation, and a test

669
00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:00,100
comes in their life.

670
00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:02,640
And they don't turn again.

671
00:25:03,380 --> 00:25:07,000
They turn away and abandon Christ.

672
00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,020
Hebrews 3, For we have come to share

673
00:25:09,020 --> 00:25:13,320
in Christ, if indeed we hold our original

674
00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,740
confidence firm to the end.

675
00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,780
Now how is he going to be tested

676
00:25:19,780 --> 00:25:20,040
here?

677
00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,820
The text says that he may sift you

678
00:25:23,820 --> 00:25:26,180
like wheat.

679
00:25:26,740 --> 00:25:29,980
And this refers to the last step in

680
00:25:29,980 --> 00:25:32,380
producing usable wheat that could be ground into

681
00:25:32,380 --> 00:25:32,780
flour.

682
00:25:33,500 --> 00:25:36,160
And so Satan wants Peter to not be

683
00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:36,500
usable.

684
00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,400
He wants to violently shake him where he

685
00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,400
is separated completely away from the Lord in

686
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:42,960
that sift.

687
00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:45,760
As he's being shaken violently, that he will

688
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,660
get away from that which is the wheat,

689
00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,000
that which is the good, and be removed.

690
00:25:52,100 --> 00:25:54,640
But the Lord actually uses all that violent

691
00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:56,500
shaking to purify him all the more and

692
00:25:56,500 --> 00:25:57,960
all the more prove that he is of

693
00:25:57,960 --> 00:25:58,480
the wheat.

694
00:25:59,260 --> 00:26:00,260
That he is not a tare.

695
00:26:00,260 --> 00:26:01,960
That he is not a pebble that is

696
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:03,320
caught in the midst of it.

697
00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:06,920
So Satan is wanting to shake his faith

698
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,220
to the verge of an overthrow.

699
00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:10,660
That's what the devil wants to happen in

700
00:26:10,660 --> 00:26:11,120
your life.

701
00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,880
He wants to shake you violently to get

702
00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:16,380
you to the point where your faith is

703
00:26:16,380 --> 00:26:16,940
overthrown.

704
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:18,320
Where you stop believing in God.

705
00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:20,400
Where you start doubting the faithfulness of God.

706
00:26:23,670 --> 00:26:25,070
Now how did he do on the assignment?

707
00:26:27,250 --> 00:26:27,910
How did he do?

708
00:26:28,130 --> 00:26:28,790
What happened?

709
00:26:28,890 --> 00:26:30,670
Well, the man who boldly declared his commitment

710
00:26:30,670 --> 00:26:32,810
to Christ denied him.

711
00:26:34,380 --> 00:26:36,600
You know one of the phrases that Peter

712
00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:38,440
had heard prior to this encounter?

713
00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:42,220
He heard Matthew 10.28. He went into

714
00:26:42,220 --> 00:26:46,520
this knowing Matthew 10.28. And do not

715
00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:48,480
fear those who kill the body, but cannot

716
00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:49,260
kill the soul.

717
00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:51,780
Rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul

718
00:26:51,780 --> 00:26:52,840
and body in hell.

719
00:26:53,060 --> 00:26:54,320
And Peter did the opposite.

720
00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:55,940
He did fear Him who can kill the

721
00:26:55,940 --> 00:26:56,200
body.

722
00:26:56,540 --> 00:26:58,320
He didn't fear God who can kill the

723
00:26:58,320 --> 00:26:58,620
soul.

724
00:26:59,140 --> 00:27:00,280
He feared man.

725
00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:02,480
This is a man who heard about the

726
00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:03,480
test ahead of time.

727
00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,520
Hours later, he takes it.

728
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:08,200
I mean, this is all in the same

729
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:08,860
day.

730
00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,740
Verse 34, the rooster will not crow this

731
00:27:12,740 --> 00:27:15,080
day until you deny me three times that

732
00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:15,540
you know me.

733
00:27:15,540 --> 00:27:17,080
I mean, this happens hours later.

734
00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,460
He faces the very test that Christ has

735
00:27:19,460 --> 00:27:21,760
told him about in advance.

736
00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:25,140
Look at v.

737
00:27:25,180 --> 00:27:25,600
59.

738
00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:29,600
He's already denied Christ two times.

739
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:30,700
Look what v.

740
00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:31,600
59 says.

741
00:27:32,460 --> 00:27:34,320
How's Peter doing here on this assignment?

742
00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:35,340
V.

743
00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:38,580
59, after an interval of about an hour.

744
00:27:40,180 --> 00:27:42,000
What was going on in Peter's mind for

745
00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:42,420
that hour?

746
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,800
You already denied Him two times.

747
00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:48,300
I mean, this is not like a back

748
00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:48,980
-to-back denial.

749
00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,800
It's not like I walk across the room

750
00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:52,500
and by the time I get to the

751
00:27:52,500 --> 00:27:54,060
back wall, three of you have asked me

752
00:27:54,060 --> 00:27:55,480
if I know someone and I deny all

753
00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:56,020
three of you.

754
00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:57,800
An hour.

755
00:27:58,360 --> 00:27:59,740
I mean, that must have been some of

756
00:27:59,740 --> 00:28:01,940
the longest 60 minutes of Peter's life.

757
00:28:03,020 --> 00:28:04,700
What was going on in his mind?

758
00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,780
Whatever was going on in his mind, it

759
00:28:07,780 --> 00:28:10,380
wasn't enough to convince him when this third

760
00:28:10,380 --> 00:28:12,740
question came up to finally tell the truth.

761
00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,500
And even yet still, Christ restores this man

762
00:28:18,500 --> 00:28:19,240
and uses him.

763
00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:21,280
The Lord is very merciful.

764
00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:26,600
And you know what He said the third

765
00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:27,820
time in the last denial?

766
00:28:27,820 --> 00:28:30,560
Well, it really captures it.

767
00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,060
In Matthew 26.74, it says, then He

768
00:28:34,060 --> 00:28:34,700
began...

769
00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:35,620
this is Peter.

770
00:28:35,860 --> 00:28:39,680
The third time, He has the most serious

771
00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,940
renouncing of Christ compared to the other two

772
00:28:42,940 --> 00:28:43,380
times.

773
00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,940
Then He began to invoke a curse on

774
00:28:47,940 --> 00:28:52,180
Himself and to swear, I do not know

775
00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:52,640
the man.

776
00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:56,840
Immediately, the rooster crowed.

777
00:28:58,260 --> 00:28:59,100
Isn't that incredible?

778
00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,460
The third time, an hour of thinking about

779
00:29:03,460 --> 00:29:03,640
it.

780
00:29:04,740 --> 00:29:06,720
And it's not like Christ is just over

781
00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:07,740
there, nothing's happening.

782
00:29:08,460 --> 00:29:10,800
Christ has just been tortured and all sorts

783
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:11,700
of things have happened.

784
00:29:11,860 --> 00:29:13,400
He's not over there sitting in a nice

785
00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:13,740
way.

786
00:29:13,860 --> 00:29:15,700
He's in suffering and pain and agony.

787
00:29:15,820 --> 00:29:17,980
You see your Lord there.

788
00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:19,580
You have an hour to think about it.

789
00:29:20,340 --> 00:29:22,820
And He denies Him a third time.

790
00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:25,400
The very thing He promised He would never

791
00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:27,880
do, I'll never deny you, He does three

792
00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:28,300
times.

793
00:29:29,340 --> 00:29:32,780
Just passive humility being brought about in this

794
00:29:32,780 --> 00:29:34,480
man who tells us to clothe our mind

795
00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,600
with humility because God opposed him because he

796
00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:38,120
was proud.

797
00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,500
God dealt with Peter here in this passage.

798
00:29:43,940 --> 00:29:48,120
Invoke a curse to anathemize on Himself and

799
00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,280
to swear, I don't know the man.

800
00:29:51,740 --> 00:29:52,860
And then what happens?

801
00:29:53,820 --> 00:29:56,160
Then the Lord turned to look at Peter.

802
00:29:56,660 --> 00:29:57,540
You see that in v.

803
00:29:57,760 --> 00:29:58,160
61.

804
00:29:58,260 --> 00:30:01,320
The Lord turned to look at Peter.

805
00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:04,820
And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord

806
00:30:04,820 --> 00:30:06,220
how He said to him before the rooster

807
00:30:06,220 --> 00:30:08,080
crows today, you've denied Me three times, and

808
00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:09,780
he went out and wept bitterly.

809
00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:12,320
You know how it is.

810
00:30:12,360 --> 00:30:13,460
You're kind of in a conversation.

811
00:30:13,660 --> 00:30:15,860
Sometimes you're talking about someone and you don't

812
00:30:15,860 --> 00:30:17,340
realize they're about to walk by.

813
00:30:17,900 --> 00:30:19,360
They kind of look at you and you

814
00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:20,980
all of a sudden feel like I shouldn't

815
00:30:20,980 --> 00:30:21,640
have said that.

816
00:30:22,980 --> 00:30:24,720
Peter had just said all of this.

817
00:30:25,620 --> 00:30:26,960
And there Christ is in the midst of

818
00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:27,520
his suffering.

819
00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:29,620
And He sees him.

820
00:30:30,460 --> 00:30:31,600
And there's eye contact.

821
00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:36,440
Look, I've been in meetings where a husband

822
00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:38,360
and a wife, one of them's confessing very

823
00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:40,520
serious sin, and it's the first time the

824
00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:41,900
spouse is finding out about it.

825
00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:43,540
And you just see when they meet their

826
00:30:43,540 --> 00:30:45,800
eyes right there just the brokenness, the hurt

827
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:47,300
of what has happened and gone on in

828
00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:47,880
their marriage.

829
00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:50,900
But here, this is Peter sinning against Him

830
00:30:50,900 --> 00:30:51,940
who had perfect love.

831
00:30:52,540 --> 00:30:54,060
Who did no wrong to Him.

832
00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:56,260
Who told Him in advance what was going

833
00:30:56,260 --> 00:30:56,800
to happen.

834
00:30:59,750 --> 00:31:00,190
Incredible.

835
00:31:01,490 --> 00:31:02,790
I mean, that's a class.

836
00:31:03,150 --> 00:31:03,890
You want to learn?

837
00:31:04,010 --> 00:31:04,610
You want to grow?

838
00:31:05,710 --> 00:31:07,110
Peter grew from this.

839
00:31:07,810 --> 00:31:09,570
He saw the graciousness of the Lord.

840
00:31:09,670 --> 00:31:11,290
He saw his own pride and arrogance.

841
00:31:12,610 --> 00:31:14,170
As Bobby pointed out in the first hour,

842
00:31:14,210 --> 00:31:15,430
at that point, Peter remembered.

843
00:31:15,790 --> 00:31:17,230
Peter remembered the saying.

844
00:31:18,010 --> 00:31:19,690
Meaning, he had forgotten it.

845
00:31:20,390 --> 00:31:21,910
I mean, this is hours later.

846
00:31:22,390 --> 00:31:24,050
You would think if you heard about what

847
00:31:24,050 --> 00:31:25,990
was about to happen when you're in the

848
00:31:25,990 --> 00:31:28,170
midst of it, and this is after he

849
00:31:28,170 --> 00:31:29,390
had waited for an hour.

850
00:31:29,770 --> 00:31:31,450
So apparently, it never came to his mind

851
00:31:31,450 --> 00:31:33,250
in the whole hour he was sitting there.

852
00:31:34,470 --> 00:31:36,550
It's after he denies Christ.

853
00:31:36,630 --> 00:31:38,090
He remembers what the Lord said.

854
00:31:38,270 --> 00:31:40,270
He didn't remember it after his two times

855
00:31:40,270 --> 00:31:41,130
of denying Christ.

856
00:31:41,310 --> 00:31:45,030
It took a third time for what Christ

857
00:31:45,030 --> 00:31:46,650
said to come and hit him.

858
00:31:50,230 --> 00:31:50,790
Incredible.

859
00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:56,180
All that you thought you would do for

860
00:31:56,180 --> 00:31:58,100
Christ, and you failed.

861
00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:00,160
You failed.

862
00:32:00,300 --> 00:32:02,400
Your spiritual plans were smashed.

863
00:32:04,820 --> 00:32:05,460
It's amazing.

864
00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,440
Fifth thing, what was the ultimate reason why

865
00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,280
he did not flunk the class like so

866
00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:16,160
many others have?

867
00:32:16,820 --> 00:32:17,780
What was the reason?

868
00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:19,240
What was the reason?

869
00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:23,620
And why did Peter's faith not ultimately fail?

870
00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:25,880
Why?

871
00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:34,600
Yeah, Jesus had in the past prayed for

872
00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:34,880
him.

873
00:32:36,300 --> 00:32:38,820
In the past, Christ had prayed.

874
00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:40,340
He knew this was going to happen.

875
00:32:41,340 --> 00:32:43,780
He says right there, He says, but I

876
00:32:43,780 --> 00:32:44,340
have.

877
00:32:44,500 --> 00:32:45,960
Verse 32, I have.

878
00:32:46,420 --> 00:32:49,520
I've prayed for you that your faith may

879
00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:50,920
not fail.

880
00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:52,420
The Lord knew what was coming.

881
00:32:53,340 --> 00:32:54,960
The Lord knew what was going to happen

882
00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,280
and He already was supplying the strength to

883
00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,120
make sure Peter made it.

884
00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,320
When did Christ pray?

885
00:33:03,460 --> 00:33:05,980
Christ had yet to pray in the garden

886
00:33:05,980 --> 00:33:06,300
here.

887
00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,600
What is this referring to?

888
00:33:11,780 --> 00:33:12,900
What do you think it's referring to?

889
00:33:13,740 --> 00:33:16,960
What prayer of Christ might this be alluding

890
00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:17,300
to?

891
00:33:18,980 --> 00:33:19,760
John 17.

892
00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:22,360
You know, in the Gospel of John, chapter

893
00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:23,740
18 is Peter's denial.

894
00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:26,560
The very next chapter deals with it.

895
00:33:26,620 --> 00:33:27,520
Listen to this text.

896
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:28,380
John 17.

897
00:33:30,860 --> 00:33:32,180
I'm praying for them.

898
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:34,640
I'm not praying for the world, but for

899
00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:35,700
them whom You've given Me.

900
00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:38,440
And again, all the disciples, they were all

901
00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:39,320
fleeing at this point.

902
00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:41,980
Yes, Christ focuses in on Peter.

903
00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,340
I'm praying for those You've given Me for

904
00:33:44,340 --> 00:33:44,860
they are Yours.

905
00:33:44,980 --> 00:33:48,080
Verse 12, while I was with them, I

906
00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:50,600
kept them in Your name, which You have

907
00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:51,180
given Me.

908
00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:53,200
I have guarded them.

909
00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,600
Not one of them has been lost except

910
00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:01,780
the son of destruction, Judas, that the Scripture

911
00:34:01,780 --> 00:34:04,260
might be fulfilled.

912
00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:06,720
Is that where that prayer is happening?

913
00:34:07,159 --> 00:34:08,199
I'll tell you, that's for you.

914
00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:09,300
That's for you and I.

915
00:34:10,060 --> 00:34:12,080
The saint of Christ praying for our faith,

916
00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:13,179
that's for you and I too.

917
00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:16,239
This isn't just something that is specific towards

918
00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:16,860
Peter.

919
00:34:16,860 --> 00:34:19,320
This is something that is happening in Peter's

920
00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:21,500
life because Peter has a great high priest

921
00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:23,600
whose name is Love, whoever lives to intercede

922
00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:24,080
for Him.

923
00:34:24,260 --> 00:34:25,860
And if you're in Christ, if you put

924
00:34:25,860 --> 00:34:28,040
your trust in Him alone for your righteousness,

925
00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:30,020
you have a great high priest who's seated

926
00:34:30,020 --> 00:34:32,540
in the heavenlies who's interceding for you, who's

927
00:34:32,540 --> 00:34:33,199
keeping you.

928
00:34:33,380 --> 00:34:35,020
You're kept by the power of God.

929
00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:36,840
I kept them in Your name.

930
00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:37,800
I've guarded them.

931
00:34:38,179 --> 00:34:39,699
Not one of them has been lost.

932
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:41,360
Peter wasn't going to be lost in the

933
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:42,179
midst of the trial.

934
00:34:42,659 --> 00:34:44,440
The Lord was guaranteeing that.

935
00:34:45,900 --> 00:34:47,500
Christ is guarding us.

936
00:34:47,639 --> 00:34:48,080
Guarding.

937
00:34:48,100 --> 00:34:49,580
That's the word of a watchman.

938
00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:51,420
Christ is your watchman.

939
00:34:51,500 --> 00:34:52,699
He's watching over you.

940
00:34:53,219 --> 00:34:54,159
He doesn't sleep.

941
00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:55,179
He doesn't slumber.

942
00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:56,620
He's protecting you.

943
00:34:56,720 --> 00:34:58,200
He's on the lookout for you.

944
00:34:58,460 --> 00:35:00,600
He's allowing things to come into your life.

945
00:35:00,860 --> 00:35:03,140
He's preventing things to come into your life.

946
00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,880
He's not giving you a test that's too

947
00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,440
difficult for whatever your grade level is in

948
00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:11,060
the spiritual realm, He's not going to let

949
00:35:11,060 --> 00:35:12,460
you be tempted beyond that.

950
00:35:12,460 --> 00:35:14,700
And as you grow, the test might get

951
00:35:14,700 --> 00:35:16,880
harder because you're going to be more mature.

952
00:35:17,300 --> 00:35:20,100
You're able to take more heat by the

953
00:35:20,100 --> 00:35:21,480
same grace, the grace of God.

954
00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:22,860
Christ is praying for us.

955
00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,580
You know what that word pray says?

956
00:35:28,910 --> 00:35:29,730
I've prayed for you.

957
00:35:30,370 --> 00:35:32,030
A lot of places that word is rendered

958
00:35:32,030 --> 00:35:32,450
begged.

959
00:35:34,050 --> 00:35:34,970
I've begged.

960
00:35:35,410 --> 00:35:36,590
I've cried out for you.

961
00:35:38,030 --> 00:35:39,730
I've asked urgently for you.

962
00:35:40,190 --> 00:35:42,230
Jesus didn't say I will pray for you

963
00:35:42,230 --> 00:35:43,430
and not go do it.

964
00:35:43,430 --> 00:35:45,430
He was telling Peter he already had.

965
00:35:46,410 --> 00:35:49,950
He already had prayed for him that his

966
00:35:49,950 --> 00:35:50,630
faith wouldn't fail.

967
00:35:50,670 --> 00:35:51,830
This is no flippant prayer.

968
00:35:51,970 --> 00:35:53,870
This is an urgent begging before God the

969
00:35:53,870 --> 00:35:56,190
Father by the one Person you want praying

970
00:35:56,190 --> 00:35:58,610
for you, and it's the Lord Jesus Christ.

971
00:36:00,350 --> 00:36:01,770
And He is praying for you.

972
00:36:01,870 --> 00:36:03,450
John 17, Luke 22.

973
00:36:03,450 --> 00:36:05,410
We've got promises here for the Christian.

974
00:36:05,910 --> 00:36:07,990
He's the one who's going to sustain you.

975
00:36:08,350 --> 00:36:10,090
He's the one who's going to help you.

976
00:36:10,410 --> 00:36:12,750
Those whom you have given Me...

977
00:36:14,450 --> 00:36:16,810
You think about some, they frame a personal

978
00:36:16,810 --> 00:36:19,230
letter from someone on their wall.

979
00:36:19,350 --> 00:36:20,590
They put their degree on their wall.

980
00:36:20,690 --> 00:36:21,670
But say you get a letter from the

981
00:36:21,670 --> 00:36:22,970
President and you put it on the wall.

982
00:36:23,530 --> 00:36:25,950
People come in and they see that President.

983
00:36:26,390 --> 00:36:27,890
Assuming there's a President you like.

984
00:36:28,170 --> 00:36:30,070
That President, he wrote you a letter.

985
00:36:30,450 --> 00:36:32,390
I've got a personal letter from the President.

986
00:36:33,190 --> 00:36:34,030
And they frame it.

987
00:36:35,250 --> 00:36:37,310
Brethren, you take this verse, you take these

988
00:36:37,310 --> 00:36:38,830
verses, and you go frame them on your

989
00:36:38,830 --> 00:36:38,970
wall.

990
00:36:39,050 --> 00:36:41,330
You've got a personal letter from the Lord

991
00:36:41,330 --> 00:36:43,390
Jesus Christ, the one who ever rules and

992
00:36:43,390 --> 00:36:45,050
reigns, and He's praying for you that your

993
00:36:45,050 --> 00:36:46,110
faith may not fail.

994
00:36:46,370 --> 00:36:47,650
He is your Great High Priest.

995
00:36:47,730 --> 00:36:48,630
He will sustain you.

996
00:36:48,690 --> 00:36:49,490
He will keep you.

997
00:36:49,750 --> 00:36:50,730
He will guard you.

998
00:36:51,470 --> 00:36:55,310
There's great reason to have confidence in Him.

999
00:36:55,390 --> 00:36:56,750
This is what we want to remember.

1000
00:36:59,170 --> 00:37:01,490
So, why did He not flunk?

1001
00:37:01,530 --> 00:37:03,310
The ultimate reason is the Lord.

1002
00:37:04,310 --> 00:37:05,210
It's the Lord.

1003
00:37:05,850 --> 00:37:07,150
But there's a second thing here.

1004
00:37:09,630 --> 00:37:10,450
He turned again.

1005
00:37:11,810 --> 00:37:13,010
Peter had to turn again.

1006
00:37:13,370 --> 00:37:16,070
It says there, when you've turned again, Peter

1007
00:37:16,070 --> 00:37:18,130
had to turn again.

1008
00:37:18,270 --> 00:37:20,050
And where do we see him turning again?

1009
00:37:20,110 --> 00:37:22,350
Verse 62, He went out and wept bitterly.

1010
00:37:23,030 --> 00:37:25,210
Right there, He didn't go out and hang

1011
00:37:25,210 --> 00:37:27,110
Himself like Judas did and take the money

1012
00:37:27,110 --> 00:37:28,390
back with a world of grief.

1013
00:37:28,590 --> 00:37:30,710
He went out and He wept bitterly.

1014
00:37:31,150 --> 00:37:34,450
He was truly ashamed of His action that

1015
00:37:34,450 --> 00:37:36,630
He had committed against the One who had

1016
00:37:36,630 --> 00:37:38,290
loved Him in such a way.

1017
00:37:38,350 --> 00:37:39,670
We've got to turn again.

1018
00:37:40,070 --> 00:37:41,930
Meaning, we've already turned at some point in

1019
00:37:41,930 --> 00:37:42,510
the past.

1020
00:37:42,950 --> 00:37:44,410
You've already turned to Christ.

1021
00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:47,190
In a moment of sin, you turn away.

1022
00:37:47,650 --> 00:37:50,090
You've got to keep turning back and following

1023
00:37:50,090 --> 00:37:52,030
Him, looking to Him.

1024
00:37:56,070 --> 00:37:58,930
And notice the certainty of Peter turning again.

1025
00:37:59,570 --> 00:38:01,790
Don't you love how Christ says it there?

1026
00:38:02,330 --> 00:38:05,570
And if you do turn again, what's it

1027
00:38:05,570 --> 00:38:05,810
say?

1028
00:38:06,570 --> 00:38:07,390
When you have.

1029
00:38:08,510 --> 00:38:11,010
You see how involved the Lord is in

1030
00:38:11,010 --> 00:38:11,890
your life, Christian?

1031
00:38:12,790 --> 00:38:13,790
When you have.

1032
00:38:14,230 --> 00:38:15,110
It's going to happen.

1033
00:38:17,500 --> 00:38:18,720
And yet, He needed to turn.

1034
00:38:19,540 --> 00:38:21,020
You don't just say, well, God's going to

1035
00:38:21,020 --> 00:38:21,800
cause me to turn.

1036
00:38:21,900 --> 00:38:23,880
No, you've got to turn when you sin.

1037
00:38:28,450 --> 00:38:30,670
In some ways, it's like Peter was restored

1038
00:38:30,670 --> 00:38:31,730
in advance.

1039
00:38:34,740 --> 00:38:35,440
But you know what?

1040
00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:36,920
We were chosen when?

1041
00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:39,300
I chose you and Him before the foundation

1042
00:38:39,300 --> 00:38:40,000
of the world.

1043
00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:42,800
God already knows.

1044
00:38:42,940 --> 00:38:45,120
I mean, the Psalmist talks about our feet

1045
00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:46,760
going somewhere and the Lord already knows where

1046
00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:47,460
we're going to step.

1047
00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:49,580
Now you can hear those truths.

1048
00:38:49,580 --> 00:38:51,100
You should find great comfort from them.

1049
00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:53,120
It shouldn't make you sit back and let

1050
00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:54,160
go and let God.

1051
00:38:54,620 --> 00:38:57,020
That's absolutely unbiblical.

1052
00:38:57,540 --> 00:38:59,800
But he had a promise from Christ in

1053
00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:01,880
advance prior to facing the trial.

1054
00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:03,940
That's exactly what you and I have, brethren.

1055
00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:06,400
You've got promises in here before you face

1056
00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:08,380
the trial from God.

1057
00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:12,460
Jesus fulfilled a certain verse, you could say,

1058
00:39:13,140 --> 00:39:14,260
through His effectual prayers.

1059
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,020
Not just John 17, but Jesus played out

1060
00:39:17,020 --> 00:39:19,920
James 5.20. Let him who knows that

1061
00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,060
whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering

1062
00:39:22,060 --> 00:39:24,480
will save his soul from death and cover

1063
00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,080
a multitude of sins.

1064
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:27,900
Christ is always bringing people back.

1065
00:39:28,020 --> 00:39:30,440
He's bringing people to Himself.

1066
00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:32,980
Back to the truth.

1067
00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:35,640
So what if you're in some darkness right

1068
00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:35,880
now?

1069
00:39:37,300 --> 00:39:39,340
What if you've turned away from Christ?

1070
00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:40,820
Turn again.

1071
00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:42,520
Turn again.

1072
00:39:42,780 --> 00:39:44,000
Don't stay where you're at.

1073
00:39:44,740 --> 00:39:47,540
Sixth thing, Peter graduates.

1074
00:39:47,540 --> 00:39:50,580
And after going through this assignment, Peter will

1075
00:39:50,580 --> 00:39:51,820
now be ready for a mission.

1076
00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:53,440
It had a purpose.

1077
00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:55,040
God was involved.

1078
00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:56,180
This wasn't accidental.

1079
00:39:56,760 --> 00:40:00,820
When you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

1080
00:40:02,260 --> 00:40:03,780
Strengthen your brothers.

1081
00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:07,960
Strengthen them in the truth, in holiness, in

1082
00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:09,480
the Word, in godliness.

1083
00:40:09,660 --> 00:40:10,600
Get them established.

1084
00:40:10,860 --> 00:40:13,340
Take away thoughts of theirs that are unbiblical

1085
00:40:13,340 --> 00:40:16,220
and take their mind captive to obedience to

1086
00:40:16,220 --> 00:40:18,180
the truth of who Jesus Christ is and

1087
00:40:18,180 --> 00:40:19,160
what the Word says.

1088
00:40:19,460 --> 00:40:21,520
Make sure their minds are filled with the

1089
00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:23,820
riches of God's goodness in the Scriptures.

1090
00:40:24,260 --> 00:40:26,060
Isn't this kind to the Lord to show

1091
00:40:26,060 --> 00:40:28,880
Peter after you've failed, He's already saying I'm

1092
00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:29,860
going to make you useful.

1093
00:40:30,300 --> 00:40:31,640
He told him that in advance.

1094
00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:34,160
That's what He tells you in advance in

1095
00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:34,900
Hebrews 12.

1096
00:40:35,180 --> 00:40:36,980
After you've been disciplined, you will what?

1097
00:40:36,980 --> 00:40:37,900
Share in His holiness.

1098
00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:39,960
So He's letting you know in advance this

1099
00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:41,120
is all going to work for good.

1100
00:40:42,860 --> 00:40:45,240
Because all things do work for good for

1101
00:40:45,240 --> 00:40:46,840
those who love God and are called according

1102
00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:47,520
to His purposes.

1103
00:40:51,130 --> 00:40:56,130
Now, this failure of fear and denial of

1104
00:40:56,130 --> 00:40:58,890
Christ and Peter then turning again and strengthening

1105
00:40:58,890 --> 00:41:00,750
the brothers, you don't want to compare this

1106
00:41:00,750 --> 00:41:02,890
to someone being a pastor and they fall

1107
00:41:02,890 --> 00:41:04,650
into adultery and they turn again and they're

1108
00:41:04,650 --> 00:41:06,590
back in the ministry a month later.

1109
00:41:07,350 --> 00:41:09,010
There's a lot of ways people will twist

1110
00:41:09,010 --> 00:41:09,590
this.

1111
00:41:10,450 --> 00:41:13,510
Peter's sin before the Lord, this act of

1112
00:41:13,510 --> 00:41:15,290
fear that all these others had made, it

1113
00:41:15,290 --> 00:41:16,130
was very serious.

1114
00:41:16,130 --> 00:41:17,950
But you don't want to compare it to

1115
00:41:17,950 --> 00:41:21,570
other certain situations and just want to reinstate

1116
00:41:21,570 --> 00:41:24,230
people right into the ministry after some serious

1117
00:41:24,230 --> 00:41:25,150
fall.

1118
00:41:25,250 --> 00:41:26,570
That's not what we're seeing here.

1119
00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:36,350
So, Jesus, after all this happens, after He

1120
00:41:36,350 --> 00:41:38,310
rose from the dead, He revealed Himself to

1121
00:41:38,310 --> 00:41:38,930
His disciples.

1122
00:41:39,070 --> 00:41:41,310
He asked Peter three times, do you love

1123
00:41:41,310 --> 00:41:41,530
Me?

1124
00:41:42,090 --> 00:41:43,070
Do you love Me?

1125
00:41:43,090 --> 00:41:44,810
And this is kind of the graduation ceremony,

1126
00:41:45,050 --> 00:41:45,290
right?

1127
00:41:45,290 --> 00:41:47,310
He's trying to see has it gotten through

1128
00:41:47,310 --> 00:41:48,130
your thick skull?

1129
00:41:49,510 --> 00:41:51,670
Are you going to make really proud, arrogant,

1130
00:41:51,870 --> 00:41:53,810
boastful, of course I love you!

1131
00:41:54,250 --> 00:41:55,910
Of course this and that.

1132
00:41:56,790 --> 00:42:00,170
Peter says in John 21, Lord, You know

1133
00:42:00,170 --> 00:42:00,590
everything.

1134
00:42:00,830 --> 00:42:01,590
And the Lord did.

1135
00:42:01,670 --> 00:42:03,010
The Lord knew about the test.

1136
00:42:03,810 --> 00:42:05,490
And the Lord knew He would deny Him.

1137
00:42:06,510 --> 00:42:07,550
Lord, You know everything.

1138
00:42:07,770 --> 00:42:08,870
You know that I love You.

1139
00:42:09,910 --> 00:42:11,370
And what did Jesus say to Peter?

1140
00:42:12,110 --> 00:42:13,130
Feed My sheep.

1141
00:42:13,690 --> 00:42:14,130
Right?

1142
00:42:14,290 --> 00:42:16,450
One way of feeding the sheep is strengthening

1143
00:42:16,450 --> 00:42:16,910
the sheep.

1144
00:42:16,990 --> 00:42:18,110
And Peter went on to do that.

1145
00:42:18,290 --> 00:42:21,890
He went on to strengthen fellow Christians.

1146
00:42:22,090 --> 00:42:25,150
He's being restated, you could say, after this

1147
00:42:25,150 --> 00:42:25,570
denial.

1148
00:42:25,710 --> 00:42:26,670
He's being restored.

1149
00:42:26,830 --> 00:42:28,330
He's being told to go on and to

1150
00:42:28,330 --> 00:42:29,310
feed and to strengthen.

1151
00:42:34,540 --> 00:42:38,000
So Christ clearly views Peter's usefulness as increasing

1152
00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:39,080
after this fall.

1153
00:42:39,180 --> 00:42:41,160
This work for good to further God's ultimate

1154
00:42:41,160 --> 00:42:43,400
purpose is not in any way justifying the

1155
00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:45,920
sin of denying Christ, but using it to

1156
00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,400
grow Peter.

1157
00:42:48,260 --> 00:42:49,760
All of it had a purpose.

1158
00:42:50,700 --> 00:42:52,000
All of it had a purpose.

1159
00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:54,880
That Peter could strengthen believers.

1160
00:42:56,860 --> 00:42:58,340
Do you see that in your life right

1161
00:42:58,340 --> 00:42:58,500
now?

1162
00:42:58,540 --> 00:42:59,560
What test are you going through?

1163
00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:02,260
Where's God testing you?

1164
00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:06,240
Don't forget, there are purposes behind that that

1165
00:43:06,240 --> 00:43:08,040
the Lord is working for your good.

1166
00:43:08,180 --> 00:43:10,680
I mean, what's the classic text that mentions

1167
00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:11,020
that?

1168
00:43:11,060 --> 00:43:13,060
That people quote from Genesis 50-20.

1169
00:43:13,060 --> 00:43:13,800
What does it say?

1170
00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:20,100
It's for you, you meant it for evil,

1171
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:21,020
Joseph is saying.

1172
00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,340
But God meant it for good to bring

1173
00:43:24,340 --> 00:43:26,380
it about that many should be kept alive

1174
00:43:26,380 --> 00:43:27,340
as they are today.

1175
00:43:27,560 --> 00:43:30,520
And the Lord meant it in Peter's life.

1176
00:43:30,660 --> 00:43:33,280
He needed more humility in order to be

1177
00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:34,720
able to save many of the things he

1178
00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:37,880
said, without which he would not have been

1179
00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:39,400
as useful as he was.

1180
00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:42,360
So when and how did Peter go on

1181
00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:43,300
to strengthen the brothers?

1182
00:43:44,060 --> 00:43:45,280
In 1 and 2 Peter, I mean, Bobby

1183
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:48,920
just basically gave a whole 40 minutes on

1184
00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:49,860
that in the first hour.

1185
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:53,560
These different things Peter was reminding them of

1186
00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:55,440
and feeding the sheep and being a good

1187
00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:57,260
shepherd to them.

1188
00:43:58,460 --> 00:44:01,400
In 1 Peter 1-7, Peter says, so

1189
00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:04,700
that the tested genuineness of your faith will

1190
00:44:04,700 --> 00:44:06,620
prove to be more precious than gold, though

1191
00:44:06,620 --> 00:44:08,660
it perishes, though it is tested by fire,

1192
00:44:08,820 --> 00:44:09,960
that it might be found.

1193
00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:11,220
That's what happened in Peter's life.

1194
00:44:11,500 --> 00:44:13,600
The tested genuineness of his faith.

1195
00:44:14,180 --> 00:44:15,600
It proved true.

1196
00:44:16,060 --> 00:44:17,760
Judas failed the test.

1197
00:44:18,340 --> 00:44:19,760
His proved to be false.

1198
00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:24,620
Peter went on to face a trial leading

1199
00:44:24,620 --> 00:44:25,080
to death.

1200
00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:26,820
I already referred to it in Acts 12.

1201
00:44:27,340 --> 00:44:29,280
He was arrested after James was killed.

1202
00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:31,080
Peter didn't deny Christ there.

1203
00:44:31,740 --> 00:44:34,640
The once fearful Peter says in 1 Peter

1204
00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:36,200
3, he says this to you and I,

1205
00:44:36,260 --> 00:44:38,980
1 Peter 3-14, but even if you

1206
00:44:38,980 --> 00:44:41,380
should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be

1207
00:44:41,380 --> 00:44:41,820
blessed.

1208
00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:44,660
Have no fear of them.

1209
00:44:45,740 --> 00:44:47,320
This is Peter saying that.

1210
00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:48,720
Nor be troubled.

1211
00:44:49,480 --> 00:44:50,380
But do what?

1212
00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:52,820
In your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as

1213
00:44:52,820 --> 00:44:55,560
holy, always being prepared to make a defense

1214
00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:56,020
to anyone.

1215
00:44:56,180 --> 00:44:58,140
Was Peter prepared to make a defense to

1216
00:44:58,140 --> 00:44:58,780
the servant girl?

1217
00:45:00,340 --> 00:45:00,820
No.

1218
00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:03,300
He lied.

1219
00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:06,380
Far from being ready to make a defense

1220
00:45:06,380 --> 00:45:07,640
to the servant girl there.

1221
00:45:08,100 --> 00:45:08,980
Do you know him?

1222
00:45:09,460 --> 00:45:10,940
Yeah, let me tell you about my Lord

1223
00:45:10,940 --> 00:45:12,240
and all that He's done for me.

1224
00:45:12,540 --> 00:45:14,080
Was that what Peter said?

1225
00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:14,540
It wasn't.

1226
00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:16,620
Peter cowered away in fear.

1227
00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:19,180
And yet here, he's telling believers now to

1228
00:45:19,180 --> 00:45:20,940
have no fear and be prepared to make

1229
00:45:20,940 --> 00:45:21,200
a defense.

1230
00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:23,640
That's the opposite of how he was.

1231
00:45:24,700 --> 00:45:26,640
And look, you can't tell people to do

1232
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,100
this if you're hypocritically not doing it in

1233
00:45:29,100 --> 00:45:30,060
your life right now.

1234
00:45:30,940 --> 00:45:33,200
Clearly, this has become evident as Peter has

1235
00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:36,180
gone on that consistently he was not a

1236
00:45:36,180 --> 00:45:36,660
fearing man.

1237
00:45:36,760 --> 00:45:38,480
He was prepared to make a defense to

1238
00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:38,900
anyone.

1239
00:45:39,740 --> 00:45:45,100
He wasn't too prepared at Galatia when he

1240
00:45:45,100 --> 00:45:46,020
cowered away there.

1241
00:45:46,780 --> 00:45:48,020
Peter had another test.

1242
00:45:48,780 --> 00:45:50,060
He feared man there.

1243
00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:51,400
He didn't do what was right.

1244
00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:52,920
He was a hypocrite right there in the

1245
00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:53,240
moment.

1246
00:45:53,720 --> 00:45:56,180
Yet God even used that for good.

1247
00:45:56,380 --> 00:45:58,580
He got another assignment there, another test.

1248
00:46:01,940 --> 00:46:04,540
In this 1 Peter 3 passage, he is

1249
00:46:04,540 --> 00:46:05,780
quoting Isaiah 8.

1250
00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:06,800
Listen to Isaiah 8.

1251
00:46:06,860 --> 00:46:09,240
Do not call conspiracy all that this people

1252
00:46:09,240 --> 00:46:10,220
calls conspiracy.

1253
00:46:10,580 --> 00:46:12,260
Don't fear what they fear.

1254
00:46:12,260 --> 00:46:13,480
Don't be in dread.

1255
00:46:14,020 --> 00:46:16,260
But the Lord of hosts, Him you shall

1256
00:46:16,260 --> 00:46:17,240
honor is holy.

1257
00:46:17,720 --> 00:46:18,960
Let Him be your fear.

1258
00:46:19,340 --> 00:46:21,520
Let Him be your dread.

1259
00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:23,780
The Lord put Peter through all he did

1260
00:46:23,780 --> 00:46:25,080
and one of the things is to bring

1261
00:46:25,080 --> 00:46:27,120
about a greater fear of God.

1262
00:46:27,240 --> 00:46:28,480
And you know what happens when you see

1263
00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:30,060
the love of God and His patience and

1264
00:46:30,060 --> 00:46:31,120
His kindness toward you?

1265
00:46:31,260 --> 00:46:33,260
That should produce a greater amount of fear

1266
00:46:33,260 --> 00:46:34,440
in your life where you don't want to

1267
00:46:34,440 --> 00:46:35,600
sin against such love.

1268
00:46:35,940 --> 00:46:37,140
You don't want to take it as a

1269
00:46:37,140 --> 00:46:39,700
flippant thing because of all that individual, that

1270
00:46:39,700 --> 00:46:42,760
person, this God has done for you.

1271
00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:45,880
So Peter now to fear of God.

1272
00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:47,400
A reverence of the Lord that he did

1273
00:46:47,400 --> 00:46:48,360
not have previously.

1274
00:46:49,460 --> 00:46:50,600
And then Peter says this.

1275
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:52,740
How is he strengthening the brothers?

1276
00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:54,740
What is he reminding them of?

1277
00:46:54,820 --> 00:46:57,420
1 Peter 5.9 He says this, resist

1278
00:46:57,420 --> 00:46:58,320
the devil.

1279
00:46:59,480 --> 00:47:00,960
Firm in your faith.

1280
00:47:01,880 --> 00:47:04,000
That's the very thing Peter didn't do.

1281
00:47:07,430 --> 00:47:08,930
He failed the test.

1282
00:47:09,410 --> 00:47:10,390
He got shaken.

1283
00:47:11,190 --> 00:47:12,390
Knowing why?

1284
00:47:12,450 --> 00:47:14,650
That the same kinds of suffering are being

1285
00:47:14,650 --> 00:47:16,990
experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

1286
00:47:17,090 --> 00:47:19,390
And they obviously knew about Peter and his

1287
00:47:19,390 --> 00:47:19,830
trial.

1288
00:47:20,170 --> 00:47:22,170
And Peter's saying your suffering is not unusual.

1289
00:47:22,690 --> 00:47:25,030
And after you have suffered a little while,

1290
00:47:25,270 --> 00:47:27,130
the God of all grace who has called

1291
00:47:27,130 --> 00:47:29,610
you to His eternal glory in Christ will

1292
00:47:29,610 --> 00:47:33,990
Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

1293
00:47:35,530 --> 00:47:36,610
Resist the devil.

1294
00:47:37,350 --> 00:47:37,990
He'll flee.

1295
00:47:37,990 --> 00:47:43,410
The devil prowls around like a roaring lion

1296
00:47:43,410 --> 00:47:44,770
seeking to whom he may devour.

1297
00:47:44,890 --> 00:47:46,070
He wants to devour you.

1298
00:47:46,870 --> 00:47:49,550
Christ prays for you that your faith not

1299
00:47:49,550 --> 00:47:49,930
fail.

1300
00:47:52,890 --> 00:47:56,960
Well, some thoughts in closing.

1301
00:47:58,820 --> 00:48:00,680
So what did Christ do for Peter in

1302
00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:01,220
Luke 22?

1303
00:48:01,340 --> 00:48:02,120
He strengthened him.

1304
00:48:04,750 --> 00:48:07,490
Paul says in 1 Timothy, I thank Him

1305
00:48:07,490 --> 00:48:08,950
who has given me strength.

1306
00:48:09,590 --> 00:48:10,030
Right?

1307
00:48:10,170 --> 00:48:11,690
Christ strengthens us.

1308
00:48:12,210 --> 00:48:13,850
Christ did not abandon Peter.

1309
00:48:14,430 --> 00:48:16,210
Christ did not get bitter at Peter for

1310
00:48:16,210 --> 00:48:17,110
denying Him.

1311
00:48:17,350 --> 00:48:19,530
Christ had an incredibly gracious response.

1312
00:48:19,730 --> 00:48:20,890
You always want to remember this.

1313
00:48:21,010 --> 00:48:23,190
Look, when some brother and sister wrongs you,

1314
00:48:24,350 --> 00:48:26,210
remember Christ's response to Peter.

1315
00:48:26,710 --> 00:48:28,810
If someone says to you, I'll never deny

1316
00:48:28,810 --> 00:48:30,550
you, and they go deny you, how are

1317
00:48:30,550 --> 00:48:31,150
you responding?

1318
00:48:31,770 --> 00:48:33,390
I hope you could say to them, well,

1319
00:48:33,450 --> 00:48:34,990
I already prayed for you that your faith...

1320
00:48:34,990 --> 00:48:37,250
No, you probably wouldn't say that because that

1321
00:48:37,250 --> 00:48:38,470
would show your view of them was that

1322
00:48:38,470 --> 00:48:39,650
they were going to fail you already.

1323
00:48:40,690 --> 00:48:41,990
You want to believe the best.

1324
00:48:42,690 --> 00:48:45,270
But Christ has a very gracious response.

1325
00:48:45,870 --> 00:48:47,070
What an encouragement.

1326
00:48:47,750 --> 00:48:50,230
If you're Peter, you're not sitting there in

1327
00:48:50,230 --> 00:48:52,210
a part of doubt and unbelief.

1328
00:48:52,350 --> 00:48:54,390
It's like, oh, part of what he remembered

1329
00:48:54,390 --> 00:48:56,390
was that he would turn again.

1330
00:48:56,690 --> 00:48:57,930
That it would happen.

1331
00:48:58,430 --> 00:48:59,930
And that he would then be useful.

1332
00:49:00,410 --> 00:49:01,330
Strengthen the brothers.

1333
00:49:04,060 --> 00:49:06,300
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1, a similar

1334
00:49:06,300 --> 00:49:06,740
idea.

1335
00:49:06,840 --> 00:49:08,700
God who comforts you in your affliction.

1336
00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:09,040
Why?

1337
00:49:09,100 --> 00:49:11,340
Why does God comfort you in your affliction?

1338
00:49:11,620 --> 00:49:12,380
Just for you?

1339
00:49:12,380 --> 00:49:13,880
Wrong answer.

1340
00:49:14,400 --> 00:49:16,320
He does it so that you will now

1341
00:49:16,320 --> 00:49:18,640
be able to comfort those who are in

1342
00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:21,480
any affliction with the comfort you received.

1343
00:49:22,300 --> 00:49:23,980
God's comfort is not just for you.

1344
00:49:24,060 --> 00:49:25,440
It's for you to go and share with

1345
00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:28,100
others, to strengthen them with the truth that

1346
00:49:28,100 --> 00:49:30,020
impacted you in the midst of your trial.

1347
00:49:31,860 --> 00:49:34,080
What did the man Christ Jesus praying in

1348
00:49:34,080 --> 00:49:34,820
the garden need?

1349
00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:38,640
I'm back to the questions where the right

1350
00:49:38,640 --> 00:49:39,780
answer is to be strengthened.

1351
00:49:41,900 --> 00:49:42,900
That's what Christ needed.

1352
00:49:42,900 --> 00:49:46,400
And there appeared to Him an angel from

1353
00:49:46,400 --> 00:49:47,760
heaven strengthening Him.

1354
00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:53,680
Christ, the man, needed to be strengthened.

1355
00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:56,300
He needed to be strengthened.

1356
00:49:57,420 --> 00:49:58,600
We need strength.

1357
00:49:59,000 --> 00:49:59,480
We need help.

1358
00:49:59,560 --> 00:50:02,080
What did Job, a righteous and blameless man,

1359
00:50:02,220 --> 00:50:03,980
what did he do in his life?

1360
00:50:04,060 --> 00:50:06,080
Those who were given bad counsel, they knew

1361
00:50:06,080 --> 00:50:07,000
something about Job.

1362
00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:08,560
You know what they said about Job?

1363
00:50:08,940 --> 00:50:11,700
Job 4, behold, you have instructed many, you

1364
00:50:11,700 --> 00:50:13,340
have strengthened the weak hands.

1365
00:50:13,340 --> 00:50:15,880
This is the blameless man in all the

1366
00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:16,120
earth.

1367
00:50:16,520 --> 00:50:18,960
And one of his activities that he was

1368
00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:22,640
engaged in was strengthening the weak hands.

1369
00:50:23,060 --> 00:50:25,720
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling

1370
00:50:25,720 --> 00:50:29,600
and you have made firm the feeble knees.

1371
00:50:30,620 --> 00:50:33,280
When a leadership transition happened from Moses to

1372
00:50:33,280 --> 00:50:35,120
Joshua, what did the Lord tell Moses to

1373
00:50:35,120 --> 00:50:35,600
go and do?

1374
00:50:35,900 --> 00:50:38,140
The Lord said to Moses to do something

1375
00:50:38,140 --> 00:50:38,880
for Joshua.

1376
00:50:39,700 --> 00:50:43,320
Deuteronomy 3, but charged Joshua and encourage and

1377
00:50:43,320 --> 00:50:44,120
strengthen him.

1378
00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:46,100
Strengthen him.

1379
00:50:46,360 --> 00:50:46,640
Why?

1380
00:50:47,020 --> 00:50:48,680
For he shall go ahead of this people

1381
00:50:48,680 --> 00:50:50,320
and he shall put them in possession of

1382
00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:51,560
the land that you shall see.

1383
00:50:51,700 --> 00:50:53,000
What are we called to do in Hebrews

1384
00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:53,820
3.13?

1385
00:50:54,760 --> 00:50:58,540
But exhort one another every day as long

1386
00:50:58,540 --> 00:51:01,060
as it's called today, so that none of

1387
00:51:01,060 --> 00:51:03,100
you are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

1388
00:51:04,460 --> 00:51:06,040
And you know what's amazing in those verses

1389
00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:06,320
there?

1390
00:51:06,380 --> 00:51:07,820
You take that one out of its context,

1391
00:51:07,960 --> 00:51:10,340
he talks about people falling away from the

1392
00:51:10,340 --> 00:51:12,180
living God by an evil, unbelieving heart.

1393
00:51:12,200 --> 00:51:13,700
When you think about your heart being hardened

1394
00:51:13,700 --> 00:51:15,780
by the deceitfulness of sin, it's not just

1395
00:51:15,780 --> 00:51:18,020
that you become some insensitive person to sin.

1396
00:51:18,420 --> 00:51:20,560
His fear is that you become an apostate.

1397
00:51:21,420 --> 00:51:23,320
The same thing in Hebrews 10 when it

1398
00:51:23,320 --> 00:51:25,960
talks about stirring one another up to love

1399
00:51:25,960 --> 00:51:26,740
and good works.

1400
00:51:26,900 --> 00:51:29,380
We're to intentionally consider how to do that.

1401
00:51:30,020 --> 00:51:31,960
What's he go on to say in context?

1402
00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:34,800
What's so important about stirring one another up

1403
00:51:34,800 --> 00:51:35,720
to love and good works?

1404
00:51:35,960 --> 00:51:37,820
He goes on to say for some, what

1405
00:51:37,820 --> 00:51:38,180
happens?

1406
00:51:38,180 --> 00:51:40,180
They go on willfully sinning after receiving the

1407
00:51:40,180 --> 00:51:40,960
knowledge of the truth.

1408
00:51:41,300 --> 00:51:42,520
They become apostate.

1409
00:51:43,540 --> 00:51:45,520
You see, your and I's need to be

1410
00:51:45,520 --> 00:51:47,760
strengthened for our heart not to be hardened,

1411
00:51:47,900 --> 00:51:49,840
to be exhorted and encouraged on a daily

1412
00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,660
basis, to be here today in this assembly,

1413
00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:55,560
it's pretty important.

1414
00:51:56,780 --> 00:51:57,620
It's pretty important.

1415
00:51:59,980 --> 00:52:01,800
We need someone to strengthen us.

1416
00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:04,920
We need to be encouraged.

1417
00:52:06,340 --> 00:52:08,880
In the wrong response, someone says, okay, I'll

1418
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:09,360
just sit back.

1419
00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:10,220
You've got to strengthen me.

1420
00:52:10,280 --> 00:52:11,200
You've got to strengthen me.

1421
00:52:11,660 --> 00:52:13,200
You guys say, come on, feed me, feed

1422
00:52:13,200 --> 00:52:13,300
me.

1423
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:14,260
I need all your help.

1424
00:52:15,380 --> 00:52:18,420
Look what it says of David.

1425
00:52:18,800 --> 00:52:22,380
1 Samuel 30, David was greatly distressed, for

1426
00:52:22,380 --> 00:52:24,120
the people spoke of stoning him.

1427
00:52:24,120 --> 00:52:25,300
That would be pretty distressing.

1428
00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:27,700
Because all the people were bitter in soul,

1429
00:52:27,920 --> 00:52:29,660
each for his sons and his daughters that

1430
00:52:29,660 --> 00:52:30,980
had been taken by the enemies.

1431
00:52:31,780 --> 00:52:32,720
What did David do?

1432
00:52:33,580 --> 00:52:37,300
But David strengthened himself in the Lord his

1433
00:52:37,300 --> 00:52:37,600
God.

1434
00:52:37,600 --> 00:52:41,840
Look, people trying to strengthen you through reminders,

1435
00:52:42,400 --> 00:52:44,100
they're trying to bring to your mind something

1436
00:52:44,100 --> 00:52:45,580
you should already know that should already be

1437
00:52:45,580 --> 00:52:46,840
on the front of your mind, but because

1438
00:52:46,840 --> 00:52:48,160
we're dull of hearing, it's not on the

1439
00:52:48,160 --> 00:52:48,860
front of our mind.

1440
00:52:49,040 --> 00:52:50,180
And they tell you that truth.

1441
00:52:50,220 --> 00:52:52,380
You take that truth, and then you go

1442
00:52:52,380 --> 00:52:53,400
to the Lord.

1443
00:52:53,600 --> 00:52:55,760
You strengthen yourself in the Lord.

1444
00:52:55,800 --> 00:52:57,460
It's no good to hear some truth if

1445
00:52:57,460 --> 00:52:58,660
you won't go and apply it.

1446
00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:00,280
If it goes out one ear and out

1447
00:53:00,280 --> 00:53:00,740
the other.

1448
00:53:02,950 --> 00:53:06,210
Just as in Acts 14, we need to

1449
00:53:06,210 --> 00:53:08,770
be strengthened by the truth.

1450
00:53:09,330 --> 00:53:10,270
By the truth.

1451
00:53:10,570 --> 00:53:12,610
We need to be strengthened with that.

1452
00:53:12,690 --> 00:53:15,730
Are you and I equipped to strengthen others?

1453
00:53:15,770 --> 00:53:18,810
If this is important, if it's constantly throughout

1454
00:53:18,810 --> 00:53:21,890
the Bible, people going and strengthening one another

1455
00:53:21,890 --> 00:53:23,870
and getting them more and more established in

1456
00:53:23,870 --> 00:53:25,810
the faith and in the truth and in

1457
00:53:25,810 --> 00:53:28,430
solid doctrine and reminding them of truths that

1458
00:53:28,430 --> 00:53:32,570
they've forgotten, if it's that important, do we

1459
00:53:32,570 --> 00:53:33,210
know the Word?

1460
00:53:33,210 --> 00:53:34,570
The Word strengthens us.

1461
00:53:35,010 --> 00:53:35,790
The Word of God.

1462
00:53:35,870 --> 00:53:36,490
The truth of God.

1463
00:53:36,590 --> 00:53:39,310
Psalm 119, my soul melts away for sorrow.

1464
00:53:40,070 --> 00:53:42,310
Strengthen me according to Your Word.

1465
00:53:42,910 --> 00:53:46,590
Or in Acts 15, Silas among others, they

1466
00:53:46,590 --> 00:53:49,070
were prophets and they went and encouraged and

1467
00:53:49,070 --> 00:53:52,270
strengthened the brothers with many words.

1468
00:53:53,410 --> 00:53:55,010
You know what that word many means?

1469
00:53:55,490 --> 00:53:56,650
You know how it could also be rendered?

1470
00:53:57,390 --> 00:53:58,450
A long message.

1471
00:54:00,050 --> 00:54:00,490
Right?

1472
00:54:00,590 --> 00:54:01,890
They went and strengthened them with a long

1473
00:54:01,890 --> 00:54:02,210
sermon.

1474
00:54:04,700 --> 00:54:06,140
I don't look at the clock when I

1475
00:54:06,140 --> 00:54:08,000
preach because it messes with my head and

1476
00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:08,740
I rush.

1477
00:54:08,780 --> 00:54:09,600
So I'm almost done.

1478
00:54:10,980 --> 00:54:14,160
But you might need a long sermon to

1479
00:54:14,160 --> 00:54:14,700
be strengthened.

1480
00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:17,140
I'm the third person getting up here to

1481
00:54:17,140 --> 00:54:18,860
remind you of something today, so if you

1482
00:54:18,860 --> 00:54:22,640
forget, then we're in trouble here.

1483
00:54:22,700 --> 00:54:23,840
You're getting another opportunity.

1484
00:54:25,400 --> 00:54:29,600
Ephesians 3 talks about being strengthened through the

1485
00:54:29,600 --> 00:54:31,120
Spirit in your inner man.

1486
00:54:31,820 --> 00:54:33,740
We need strength to comprehend the love of

1487
00:54:33,740 --> 00:54:34,120
Christ.

1488
00:54:34,440 --> 00:54:36,960
2 Timothy, you, my child, be strengthened by

1489
00:54:36,960 --> 00:54:37,280
what?

1490
00:54:37,300 --> 00:54:39,840
By the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

1491
00:54:41,200 --> 00:54:45,000
In Hebrews, after correctly understanding God's discipline, we

1492
00:54:45,000 --> 00:54:46,680
are to strengthen our weak knees.

1493
00:54:46,760 --> 00:54:48,040
That's what happens in the context.

1494
00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:49,600
He talks about God's discipline.

1495
00:54:50,280 --> 00:54:51,780
Here you understand it correctly.

1496
00:54:51,940 --> 00:54:54,460
And then he says, therefore, lift up your

1497
00:54:54,460 --> 00:54:56,560
drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.

1498
00:54:56,560 --> 00:54:59,380
So correct understanding should lead you to be

1499
00:54:59,380 --> 00:55:01,440
encouraged to strengthen your weak knees and press

1500
00:55:01,440 --> 00:55:01,780
on.

1501
00:55:02,500 --> 00:55:04,780
Hebrews 13, 9, don't be led away by

1502
00:55:04,780 --> 00:55:06,300
diverse and strange teachings.

1503
00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:09,400
And look, as much as we try to

1504
00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:11,540
strengthen you, there's all sorts of opposition out

1505
00:55:11,540 --> 00:55:13,560
there and they're wanting to damage you and

1506
00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:14,760
do the exact opposite.

1507
00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:17,460
They're wanting to bring in diverse and strange

1508
00:55:17,460 --> 00:55:18,060
teachings.

1509
00:55:19,320 --> 00:55:21,140
But the writer says, no, it's good for

1510
00:55:21,140 --> 00:55:23,000
you to be strengthened by grace, not by

1511
00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:25,480
foods which have not benefited those devoted to

1512
00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:25,720
them.

1513
00:55:25,720 --> 00:55:27,120
You're going to have people saying you've got

1514
00:55:27,120 --> 00:55:28,060
to do this, you've got to eat a

1515
00:55:28,060 --> 00:55:30,160
certain type of food, you need to follow

1516
00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:32,200
the Hebrews Roots movements and do all these

1517
00:55:32,200 --> 00:55:33,860
things that the old Jewish people did that

1518
00:55:33,860 --> 00:55:35,620
are now shadows and they've passed away.

1519
00:55:35,840 --> 00:55:37,920
You're going to find strange and diverse teachings

1520
00:55:37,920 --> 00:55:39,280
that are not according to Christ.

1521
00:55:40,500 --> 00:55:42,220
That will not strengthen you.

1522
00:55:42,300 --> 00:55:43,480
And if you and I are teaching that

1523
00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:44,980
to others, we're not going to be strengthening

1524
00:55:44,980 --> 00:55:45,880
them ultimately.

1525
00:55:47,060 --> 00:55:48,440
We're going to be hindering people.

1526
00:55:49,040 --> 00:55:51,840
Romans 16, 25, now to Him who is

1527
00:55:51,840 --> 00:55:54,080
able to strengthen you according to what?

1528
00:55:54,080 --> 00:55:55,340
My Gospel.

1529
00:55:55,460 --> 00:55:56,260
We need the Gospel.

1530
00:55:57,160 --> 00:55:59,860
We need Christ crucified to substitutionary death.

1531
00:55:59,920 --> 00:56:00,680
His love.

1532
00:56:01,700 --> 00:56:04,680
I'm reminding you again of Peter's denial, and

1533
00:56:04,680 --> 00:56:06,060
yet it wasn't the end of him.

1534
00:56:06,800 --> 00:56:09,080
Whatever sin is in your life, you don't

1535
00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:10,140
have to quit right there.

1536
00:56:10,240 --> 00:56:10,700
Get up.

1537
00:56:10,820 --> 00:56:11,440
Turn again.

1538
00:56:12,140 --> 00:56:12,940
Follow Christ.

1539
00:56:13,120 --> 00:56:13,720
Believe Him.

1540
00:56:13,760 --> 00:56:15,380
He's praying for you that your faith will

1541
00:56:15,380 --> 00:56:15,980
not fail.

1542
00:56:16,300 --> 00:56:17,560
You've come to share in Christ.

1543
00:56:17,700 --> 00:56:19,560
If you hold fast your original confidence to

1544
00:56:19,560 --> 00:56:20,560
the end, hold fast.

1545
00:56:20,860 --> 00:56:21,660
Don't let go.

1546
00:56:27,910 --> 00:56:30,010
Is there some area in your life right

1547
00:56:30,010 --> 00:56:31,990
now that the Lord is actively dealing with

1548
00:56:31,990 --> 00:56:33,550
you in order to grow you so you

1549
00:56:33,550 --> 00:56:34,870
can minister to others better?

1550
00:56:35,990 --> 00:56:36,890
Is that happening?

1551
00:56:38,310 --> 00:56:39,690
If it is, do your homework.

1552
00:56:39,830 --> 00:56:41,190
Get done with the class so you can

1553
00:56:41,190 --> 00:56:42,070
help all of us.

1554
00:56:43,590 --> 00:56:45,390
As you reflect on your life as a

1555
00:56:45,390 --> 00:56:47,710
Christian, what falls have you had that you've

1556
00:56:47,710 --> 00:56:48,570
turned again from?

1557
00:56:49,810 --> 00:56:52,290
Did you gain humility and wisdom that you

1558
00:56:52,290 --> 00:56:54,530
are now imparting to other believers in strengthening

1559
00:56:54,530 --> 00:56:55,250
their faith?

1560
00:56:55,250 --> 00:56:57,250
Or is it something you still can't talk

1561
00:56:57,250 --> 00:56:59,150
about because there's still something going on in

1562
00:56:59,150 --> 00:56:59,570
the present?

1563
00:57:03,140 --> 00:57:03,460
Right?

1564
00:57:03,520 --> 00:57:05,060
You're still not over it.

1565
00:57:06,080 --> 00:57:08,660
On a personal level, are you strengthening yourself

1566
00:57:08,660 --> 00:57:10,140
in the Lord through the Word of God?

1567
00:57:10,340 --> 00:57:11,740
How is your devotional life?

1568
00:57:14,650 --> 00:57:16,390
Where do you and I still have remaining

1569
00:57:16,390 --> 00:57:19,050
pride and incorrectly view ourselves and we're still

1570
00:57:19,050 --> 00:57:20,230
like Peter in that way?

1571
00:57:20,850 --> 00:57:23,170
Where is there some degree of arrogance internally

1572
00:57:23,170 --> 00:57:25,170
in our heart and in our perception of

1573
00:57:25,170 --> 00:57:25,730
ourselves?

1574
00:57:26,670 --> 00:57:27,870
You know what's interesting?

1575
00:57:28,030 --> 00:57:29,430
We'll reveal that in how we speak.

1576
00:57:30,270 --> 00:57:33,710
Peter revealed his pride through his mouth.

1577
00:57:34,690 --> 00:57:36,010
Because out of the abundance of a man's

1578
00:57:36,010 --> 00:57:37,090
heart, his mouth speaks.

1579
00:57:38,230 --> 00:57:40,990
Is your primary goal behind many conversations and

1580
00:57:40,990 --> 00:57:42,890
trips to strengthen the brothers?

1581
00:57:43,730 --> 00:57:44,990
Does that even cross your mind?

1582
00:57:45,370 --> 00:57:46,950
When you go to church, when you go

1583
00:57:46,950 --> 00:57:49,090
to someone's house, when you have someone over,

1584
00:57:49,790 --> 00:57:51,810
are you thinking how can I encourage and

1585
00:57:51,810 --> 00:57:53,230
strengthen them in the Lord?

1586
00:57:53,230 --> 00:57:55,090
Does that even come on your radar?

1587
00:57:55,550 --> 00:57:56,850
It's all over the Bible.

1588
00:57:57,390 --> 00:57:59,230
I only scratched some of the references.

1589
00:57:59,430 --> 00:58:00,450
We need to be strengthened.

1590
00:58:00,710 --> 00:58:01,850
You need to be strengthened.

1591
00:58:01,990 --> 00:58:03,270
We need to strengthen others.

1592
00:58:03,910 --> 00:58:05,830
Can people say of you, I left helped

1593
00:58:05,830 --> 00:58:09,410
and strengthened in the faith after talking to

1594
00:58:09,410 --> 00:58:09,690
them?

1595
00:58:10,530 --> 00:58:13,890
Are you supporting the brethren individually or are

1596
00:58:13,890 --> 00:58:16,010
you focused on yourself?

1597
00:58:17,390 --> 00:58:18,630
Are you weak today?

1598
00:58:18,750 --> 00:58:21,270
Do you realize Christ is praying for you

1599
00:58:21,270 --> 00:58:21,770
today?

1600
00:58:22,610 --> 00:58:23,890
He will guard you.

1601
00:58:24,430 --> 00:58:25,430
He will keep you.

1602
00:58:25,590 --> 00:58:26,910
He is your Great High Priest.

1603
00:58:27,950 --> 00:58:29,910
He's already prayed for you that your faith

1604
00:58:29,910 --> 00:58:30,470
not fail.

1605
00:58:31,350 --> 00:58:33,090
And no, you can't sin that grace may

1606
00:58:33,090 --> 00:58:34,950
abound because you're new.

1607
00:58:35,310 --> 00:58:36,370
You've got a new heart.

1608
00:58:36,470 --> 00:58:37,650
You've got new compulsions.

1609
00:58:38,210 --> 00:58:39,830
You want to obey righteousness.

1610
00:58:41,510 --> 00:58:43,990
So, may Christ strengthen those who think you

1611
00:58:43,990 --> 00:58:47,590
have nothing to strengthen others with to repent

1612
00:58:47,590 --> 00:58:50,470
of your false humility and realize God has

1613
00:58:50,470 --> 00:58:53,630
given you some part in this body that

1614
00:58:53,630 --> 00:58:55,150
you would be a help and an influence

1615
00:58:55,150 --> 00:58:56,490
on others for good.

1616
00:58:56,810 --> 00:58:59,330
So take those opportunities to strengthen others.

1617
00:58:59,450 --> 00:59:02,070
It's far better than looking for opportunities to

1618
00:59:02,070 --> 00:59:02,670
tear down.

1619
00:59:03,270 --> 00:59:04,370
Do we need to make judgments?

1620
00:59:04,570 --> 00:59:05,610
We absolutely do.

1621
00:59:06,190 --> 00:59:08,230
But the far more that we are strengthening

1622
00:59:08,230 --> 00:59:10,530
one another, what a great help and encouragement

1623
00:59:10,530 --> 00:59:11,170
that will be.

1624
00:59:11,250 --> 00:59:13,070
We need to encourage one another, remind one

1625
00:59:13,070 --> 00:59:14,390
another, strengthen one another.

1626
00:59:16,470 --> 00:59:17,050
Well, amen.

1627
00:59:17,250 --> 00:59:17,670
Let's pray.

1628
00:59:21,380 --> 00:59:23,040
Father, this is important.

1629
00:59:24,060 --> 00:59:26,080
Lord, if Your Son, the Lord Jesus, needed

1630
00:59:26,080 --> 00:59:29,400
to be strengthened, because He lived by the

1631
00:59:29,400 --> 00:59:30,200
power of the Spirit.

1632
00:59:31,260 --> 00:59:32,500
Lord, He was a man.

1633
00:59:33,400 --> 00:59:34,880
A man full of the Spirit.

1634
00:59:35,940 --> 00:59:37,220
Lord, we thank You for what You've done

1635
00:59:37,220 --> 00:59:38,120
in Peter's life.

1636
00:59:38,260 --> 00:59:40,320
Lord, You took a man who was proud,

1637
00:59:41,840 --> 00:59:43,520
thought he was better than all the others.

1638
00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:47,280
Lord, what if there's people like that in

1639
00:59:47,280 --> 00:59:47,820
our church?

1640
00:59:49,540 --> 00:59:52,380
Lord, we don't want to have some thought

1641
00:59:52,380 --> 00:59:54,040
that there's no hope for someone to grow.

1642
00:59:54,160 --> 00:59:55,940
Lord, Peter, Lord, if he was a member

1643
00:59:55,940 --> 00:59:57,300
in our church and we heard some of

1644
00:59:57,300 --> 00:59:58,680
what he said, Lord, it would make Craig,

1645
00:59:58,740 --> 00:59:59,540
Jeff, and I cringe.

1646
01:00:00,860 --> 01:00:02,100
Lord, we'd be in shock.

1647
01:00:02,980 --> 01:00:04,920
And yet here, You graciously dealt with him.

1648
01:00:05,980 --> 01:00:07,480
And You didn't put him on the shelf.

1649
01:00:08,340 --> 01:00:09,500
Lord, You strengthened him.

1650
01:00:10,440 --> 01:00:12,260
You prayed for him that his faith not

1651
01:00:12,260 --> 01:00:12,640
fail.

1652
01:00:13,420 --> 01:00:15,880
And You had him turn again that he

1653
01:00:15,880 --> 01:00:16,740
could strengthen others.

1654
01:00:16,740 --> 01:00:17,620
And here he's done it.

1655
01:00:17,680 --> 01:00:21,120
1 Peter 2, what an encouragement to those

1656
01:00:21,120 --> 01:00:23,580
who are suffering as Christians in their time,

1657
01:00:23,680 --> 01:00:24,560
those letters were.

1658
01:00:25,240 --> 01:00:28,380
Lord, what reminders they contained in humility and

1659
01:00:28,380 --> 01:00:30,540
the enemy and the importance of taking a

1660
01:00:30,540 --> 01:00:32,440
stand for Christ and proclaiming Him.

1661
01:00:33,600 --> 01:00:35,220
Yet all of that was not true in

1662
01:00:35,220 --> 01:00:35,960
Peter's life.

1663
01:00:36,900 --> 01:00:39,240
At that point, in Luke 22, Lord, You

1664
01:00:39,240 --> 01:00:39,820
grew him.

1665
01:00:39,900 --> 01:00:40,920
Lord, that gives us hope.

1666
01:00:42,520 --> 01:00:44,160
Set our feet on higher ground.

1667
01:00:44,160 --> 01:00:48,100
Lord, day by day, help us.

1668
01:00:49,020 --> 01:00:50,900
We pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen.