My sermon notes for Sunday morning, March 16th. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. We provide the preaching each week through YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.
Luke 22:54–62
Intro
- Jesus is arrested and taken to high priest’s home
- Peter’s confidence is put to the test
- He wilted under pressure
- From confidence to failure
- Lessons on faithfulness, steadfastness, repentance, forgiveness, restoration
Peter wilted at the moment he should have been the strongest
- Three times. Each time is more emphatic.
- Unlike Judas who planned the betrayal Fear and worry crept into Peter’s heart
- Luke 21:34-36; He did not stand firm and stand fast
Peter’s had a misplaced confidence
- Faithfulness is not based on confidence alone
- Peter was confident he never would deny Christ. – v. 33 (Prison and death for you)
- He started well… he was following Christ.
- Yet, at the moment it came to a head… he stumbled.
Peter lacked in spiritual devotion, preparation,and diligence
- He was spiritually dry/shallow (not prayed up)
- Following Christ in his own power and ability
- His courage failed
- For us today our time in the word, our daily worship and walk.
- Our attention to spiritual detail.
Peter was broken and saw his failure
- The rooster crowed (Jesus told him it would happen
- Jesus looked
- Peter wept. As in grief.
- Ran to the tomb after the resurrection Luke 24:12
Yet, the story is not over
- Peter repented. Turned from. Learned from. Lived differently.
- John 21:1-19
- Peter and the early church changed the world!!!!!!!! Consider Church History
LESSONS LEARNED[1]
The true test of discipleship is our witness to the world, not our promises to God
- Luke 22:33; Matthew 16:16, John 6:68
- Our private life (What we say to God)
- Our public life (under the pressure to stand for Christ)
Jesus knows our weakness, and even before we fall, He has a plan to lift us back up
- Luke 22:32-34 – Jesus knows the weakness of human nature
- Repentance and Restoration
- v. 61 A look of compassion and mercy
- We do not need to hide our sin. Jesus sees us and our sin and offers forgiveness.
- His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness
- John 21
True repentance means more than feeling sorry for sin; it means turning back again and living for Christ.
- He sinned and he wept v. 62 (intense emotion)
- Tears of disappointment, shame, sorrow
- Repentance compared to remorse 2 Corinthians 7:10
- Awareness of sin
- Turning from sin (more than regret)
- Living for God. Changed life
SOMETIMES THE BOLDEST BELIEVERS ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST SINNERS.
[1] Philip Graham Ryken, Luke, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, vol. 2, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2009), 526