Download Sermon: How To Fail Without Becoming A Failure

To Adult Teachers:
October 7 we will study Mark 14:53-72. Discussion questions are:
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What evidence is there in Mark that Peter’s denial of Jesus could be attributed to
(1) his self-reliance and (2) his lack of prayer?
What indication is there in Mark 14 that Peter’s sin of omission resulted in his sin
of commission?
a. Is it significant that Jesus announced his impending death 3 times (Mark
8:31, 9:31, 10:33); asked Peter to watch and pray 3 times; and Peter
denying Jesus 3 times?
Why did Peter cave in under the accusations around the camp fire?
How would you describe Peter when he is following Jesus at a distance in vs. 54?
Has there been a moment in your life when you have been bitterly disappointed in
yourself?
a. How did you handle the guilt?
How are the 3 accusations about Peter and denials by Peter similar? different?
How might the situation have changed if Peter had listened to Jesus and “watched
and prayed”?
What is the difference in failing and being a failure?
How have you experienced the truism: “Opportunities for telling others about
Jesus often arise out of crises.”?
Is Mark 14:62 a threat or a promise?
Sermon: How To Fail Without Becoming A Failure
Mark 14:53-72
In the course of the evening, the disciples would go from arguing over their greatness in
the kingdom to deserting their king. Jesus warned them it would happen: “This very
night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”
There were no surprises for Jesus that night. He predicted, “…the Son of Man will be
betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and
will hand him over the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill
him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34). Precisely as He had predicted
those events are happening to Jesus. He predicted that Peter would deny him three times
this very night before the rooster crowed twice (14:30).
It happened just as he said. The pack of blood-thirsty wolves came, their teeth bared for
the kill. They led away the Good Shepherd, who would lay down his life for the sheep.
The sheep, meanwhile, huddled themselves away in the cold of the dark garden.
Only two of the disciples dared to backtrack and trail Jesus. One was John and the other,
Peter. Peter, the Gibraltar of the apostles, would this night be reduced to a mere pebble
of a man. He started the evening so resolute, “I will never fall away.” He will stand
single-handedly against a mob of Roman soldiers, wielding his sward. But before dawn,
he wouldn’t even be able to stand up to the stares of a young servant girl.
What could account for so great a defection? Satan wanted to sift Peter like wheat. He
wanted to thresh his faith and beat it into the ground until the husk breaks open. He sifts
Peter by getting him to do two things: (1) Rely on himself rather than God. (2) Neglect
to pray. Peter’s self-reliance is seen in his over-confident boasting, “…even if all fall
away I will not.” His neglect of prayer is seen in his ignoring Jesus’ three reminders to
stay awake and pray. Sins of omission lead to sins of commission. Three times Peter
failed to understand Jesus’ announcement of his suffering. Three times he did not heed
Jesus’ urgent appeal to watch, stay awake, and pray. Three times he denies Jesus.
The hour is late; the night, dark and chilly. Peter has followed Jesus all the way to the
temple courtyard. He comes because Jesus would have come for him had the tables been
turned. He comes to help, not knowing what he can do. He sits, pushing his palms
against the heat, rubbing his arms. He takes from the fire its warmth and the idle
companionship of strangers small-talking the evening away. Talk around the fire
crackles with news of the Nazarene’s arrest. They point to Jesus and lay odds on his
chances. By the light of these flames, Satan will do his sifting.
A servant girl squints at Peter. Peter feels the heat of her accusation, “This man was with
him.” He begins to sweat. He asks himself, “What good would I be to Jesus if my
identity was out in the open? It would only make matters worse. And who would get
word back to the others? And where are the others? Am I the only one who cares?
Later there is another accusation – another denial – only more forceful this time. Finally,
his accent gives him away. “You’re a Galilean, I can tell by the way you talk. You must
be one of his disciples.”
He would have to think quick to get around that one. He then curses and swears,
clouding the air with uncertainty about his relationship with Jesus. His ploy seems to
have worked. But somewhere in the night a rooster stretches its neck, shakes its feather,
and crows an indictment.
Few things could make a tough fisherman like Peter cry. How ironic that a chicken
moved him to tears. He weeps for the Savior he has so miserably failed. He weeps for
himself. This fisherman, tough as sharkskin, has the conscience of homesick child. How
brutally he must have beaten himself up as he heard rooster after rooster greet the dawn.
Be hard on him if you like. Just remember, no one else had the courage to enter the
courtyard and stand within eyesight of Jesus. He failed Jesus, but he failed in a courtyard
where no other disciple dared set foot.
What are we to learn from what Mark tells us about the trial of Jesus and Peter’s denial of
his Lord?
1.
There is a difference in failing and being a failure. We understand that in areas
like sports and politics. Babe Ruth who hit 714 home runs struck out 1330 times.
He failed a lot but he was not a failure. Terry Bradshaw led his team to 4 Super
Bowls but he also threw more incomplete passes that 99.9% of the players who
ever played the game. We do not consider him a failure even though he failed a
lot. Abraham Lincoln lost eight elections, failed in business twice and had a
nervous breakdown. We do not consider him a failure. On the day Jesus arose
from the dead an angel told the women at the tomb, “Go, tell his disciples and
Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee.” Don’t you love that? Go tell this
man who failed, “You are not a failure. You are forgiven.”
2. Opportunities for telling others about Jesus often arise out of crises. At Jesus’
trial before the Sanhedrin those who spit on him, blindfold him, and strike him
with their fists, unwittingly identify him as a prophet when they shout,
“Prophecy!” At his trial before Pilate, those who put the purple robe and a crown
of thorns on him unwittingly identify him as king when they shout, “Hail, king of
the Jews!” At his crucifixion when the chief priests and teachers of the law mock
him they unwittingly identify him as Savior when they shout, “He saved others!”
At his death he is identified as the Son of God when the centurion involuntarily
exclaims, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Remember how we noticed at the beginning of this message that Jesus had precisely
predicted the events of this night. He also gave one more prediction – one that you need
to remember. He predicted, “…you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of
Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62). Never forget that
every human being will one day see Jesus as Judge. Every human being will be found
guilty or forgiven. Never forget that while it is a marvelous thing to be covered by the
blood of Christ, it is a frightening thing to stand guilty before the living God as He judges
this world.
I believe in grace. I believe in hope. I believe in the God of second chances. I believe if
Peter could be restored after denying his Lord and even cursing him, then there is hope
for others who might be guilty of the same or worse. But I also believe it is a fearful
thing to stand before God without having accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord.