THE OUTRAGE OF MISGUIDED FAITH

#302                                                 THE OUTRAGE OF MISGUIDED FAITH

                                                                        Fleeing from Fickle Fires

Scripture          Mark 14:54, 66-72                                                                                 Orig. Date 8/28/1966 (4/1979)

                            John 21:18                                                                                                             Rewr. Dates 10/10/1985

Passage: Mark 14:54, 66-72; John 21:18, NIV

Mark 14:54, 66-72  54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.  66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.  “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.  68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.[g]

 69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it.  After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”  71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”  72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.[h] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice[i] you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

John 21:18  18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

Purpose: To remind my people that from time to time we need to re-examine the methods of our faith.

Keywords:                           Denial                   Discipline             Faith

Timeline/Series:               New Testament Church

Introduction

                Just a few short years ago, one of the best loved and most highly respected ministers in America was Peter Marshall.  He briefly held the position of Chaplain of the U.S. Senate.  The story of his  life, from boyhood in Scotland to his death was the subject of a Hollywood film.

                His wife, Catherine, never one to be bashful about her own Christian convictions did not reach prominence until after her husband’s death.  She became an accomplished author writing the happy reflections of two people sustained by the wonderful grace of God, and of the greater sustenance that came to her in his death.  In actual fact, more people have been blessed by the contribution of her writings than could ever have been touched by a Presbyterian minister, even the Chaplain of the Senate.

                In her book, Beyond Ourselves(1), she includes a personal manifesto.  She writes of her tragedy, and of a greater door that was opened to her through her personal suffering.  It is a personal record of her escape from grief.  Along the way, she advises what is at stake and what the potential cost may be.  She wrote, “Don’t surrender to God unless you mean it, because He may have to take some sizable chunks out of us.” 

                Simon Peter is an example of the outrage of a man’s misguided faith.  Even so, the cost of commitment is likewise outrageous.  Perhaps there is something for us to learn from the experience of Simon Peter.

I.             Physically, We See a Man Following at a Distance.  V54 “But Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.” 

                A curious man.  It had driven him into the water to walk beside Jesus.  (Matthew 14.)  When Jesus first spoke of death it roused him to rebuke Jesus.  Just before this, he takes sword in hand to defend Jesus.  Now he is torn between love for Jesus, and fear of his enemies.  Curiosity is not uncommon in the faith.  John 4 “Jesus said, ‘Except you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’”  Again, John 12, “They came not for Jesus’ sake only, but to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.”

                A complex man.  He was another with much to offer.  Under controlled circumstances he would give completely.  It is said by some that his death was the death of crucifixion in Rome.  Like many of us he needed simple answers to complex questions.  He heard the answer to John’s question (Luke 7) “Are you the One that was to come, or do we look for another?”  Though Jesus answered affirmatively, faith in that response would come ever so slowly.

                A concerned man.  He knew the anguish of the people around him.   He had seen Jesus confront pseudoreligion, and draw believable pictures of God.  He wanted to believe, but how long would it take to convince him?  Gene Bartlett’s hymn tells the story needed by Simon and most of us.  “Set my soul afire, Lord, for Thy holy word.  Burn it deep within me, let Thy voice be heard. Millions grope in darkness, in this day and hour, I will be a witness, fill me with Thy power.  Set my soul afire, Lord, set my soul afire.  Make my life a witness of Thy saving power. Millions grope in darkness waiting for Thy word, set my soul afire Lord, set my soul afire.”

II.            But Socially, Simon’s Witness was Degraded by Denial.  V67 “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”  V68 “But he denied it, saying. . . .” V70 “But he denied it again.”  V71 “I do not know this man.”

                Simon is  here accused of being a Christian.  He is honest in his denial in that he is open about it.  How often do we do the same and hide it? Faith is something to put on on Sunday, a mask to paint over our real feelings.  We grow satisfied with the bleachers of faith because the participants look uncomfortable and overworked.   

                I sometimes have genuine pity for folks who find excuses to stay away from church.  Some may be believers.  They are going to feel so out of place in Heaven, if they make it.  They  will be on edge all the time fearing that someone made a mistake and they are going to be kicked out.  And when the heavenly chorus starts to sing Amazing Grace, they are not even going to know the words.

                It is one thing to deny by word.  That can be quickly changed. We can deny our denial.  We can prove our fealty by our faith.

                But it’s a terrible thing when denial becomes so ingrained it’s worn like a badge of honor.  Jesus makes it clear that we are not free to deny Him.  He refuted the comfortable “logic” that we are free to do as we please.  Matthew 7:26 “Everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon sand.”

                It is evidently clear that there is light enough and we are responsible for denials.  John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that  light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light . . . deeds are evil.”  Misquote “better than light” division of loyalty for “rather than light” error in value judgment.

III.           Third Denial is Purgative.  Psychologically, We See a Man Disarmed by Defection.  V72 “And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’”  Matthew and Luke “wept bitterly.”

                It is when the soul is desperate that we can best encounter God.  The prodigal.  Isaiah—“Woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. . . .”  David—“Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.”

                Such desperation is the enabler of faith.  Some need such an encounter to experience forgiveness and faith.  Others grow up believing.  They can’t imagine not believing.  The occasion deepens faith and widens horizons of Christian living.

                For Simon, the experience broke him free from the traditions that bound him.  Distance would become directness.  Simon becomes a new man in Christ.  His denial becomes discipleship.  Still many  hurdles to surpass.  John 21:18 “Another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not go.”  His defection becomes death to self and life in Christ.  Singly, and in  single stages we are brought into the kingdom.  Isaiah 27:12 “You shall be gathered one by one.”  Luke 15:7 “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” –Jesus’ parable of one lost sheep.  Barabbas released (John 18:39). Cornelius dazzling in Acts 10.  There is a right thing, a right way, a right time, and a right purpose.

Conclusion

                In my first pastorate another preacher suggested to me one day that I ought to get a tent.  In my youthful enthusiasm, I thought he was complimenting me and suggesting  that I share my ministry on a wider scale.

                In a later, saner moment of spiritual crisis, the Lord convicted me that the tone of my ministry was a bit too formal and I needed to break out of it.  That may have been what my friend had been trying to tell me all the time.  From time to time, we need to take a good look at our faith and allow the Lord to take some of those “chunks” (C. Marshall) out of us.

1-Marshall, C. (1961). Beyond Ourselves. McGraw-Hill.