Bible Study - Redeemed (5) - Redeemed From Devastating Failure - Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 - May 15, 2016

Bible Study – Redeemed (5) – Redeemed From Devastating Failure – May 15, 2016

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled “Beauty from Ashes: Redeeming Your Broken Moments.”

Our focus scripture is Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13

GOD can redeem us from even our worst failures.

Our lesson today is vital for all Christians. When we do something that is contrary to obediently serving GOD, Satan moves in to claim victory. Satan immediately makes us feel unworthy and his desire is to defeat us as Christians. Christians live under GOD’S Grace and HE knows many of us will fail HIM some time in our walk with HIM. What does 1 John 1:9 reveal to us?

1 John 1:8-10:

8 If we say, "We have no sin," we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say, "We have not sinned," we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

We, as Christians, are all sinners saved by grace.

You would think a person who had physically walked with JESUS would be the last to deny HIM. Many of us say, “If only I had lived when JESUS lived upon earth.” Let’s explore!

Let’s read Luke 22:31-34: (Scripture leading up to our focus scripture.)

Peter's Denial Predicted

31 "Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.

32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

33 "Lord," he told Him, "I'm ready to go with You both to prison and to death!"

34 "I tell you, Peter," He said, "the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know Me!"

Peter was ready to fight and give his life for JESUS as we read in our next scripture.

Let’s read John 18:10-11:

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave's name was Malchus.)

11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, "Sheathe your sword! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given Me?"

Peter was ready to fight but when JESUS did not want to fight, Peter lost his will to fight. Peter was perplexed, wasn’t JESUS to be the promised Messiah Who would establish HIS Kingdom upon earth? Peter did not know that there was a higher plan at work as we read in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8:

Spiritual Wisdom

6 However, among the mature we do speak a wisdom, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

7 On the contrary, we speak God's hidden wisdom in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory.

8 None of the rulers of this age knew it, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

In our Spiritual journey, GOD often allows matters contrary to our belief system to come into our lives to get us on the right Spiritual track. It is for our good and to bring us into conformity to HIS will and purpose for our lives.

GOD keeps certain matters hidden until they have accomplished their intended purpose. Peter encountered such a mystery because he had thought that JESUS was to be a political Messiah to reign for a time upon earth. GOD had a greater plan which would be revealed later. It would be a much greater plan to defeat Satan and to establish GOD’S Kingdom in the hearts and lives of all who place their faith in HIM. Those who place their faith in HIM would be born-again into GOD’S Family and become children of GOD through the miracle of re-birth in their spirit. All who are re-born in their spirit will enter heaven and enjoy heaven in their re-born Spiritual body until they return with JESUS, at HIS second coming, to receive their New Glorified Bodies. Oh, what a day of rejoicing that will be.

This story about Peter gives hope and assurance to every Christian who has denied CHRIST. If you feel that you have denied CHRIST, GOD has not pulled away for you. HE is waiting for you to confess, repent and then HE will restore. Do not give up on HIM because HE has not given up on you! Keep this in mind as we study together.

Let’s read Luke 22:54-62:

Peter Denies His Lord

54 They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest's house. Meanwhile, Peter was following at a distance.

Notice that Peter was following at a distance. Often when we are disappointed, we keep matters at arm’s length, especially Spiritual matters. Often, when that happens we are gathering more information and are trying to understand what is going on.

55 They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them.

56 When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, "This man was with Him too."

57 But he denied it: "Woman, I don't know Him!"

58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, "You're one of them too!" "Man, I am not!" Peter said.

59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, "This man was certainly with Him, since he's also a Galilean."

60 But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times."

Talk about heartbreak. JESUS had told Peter what was going to happen and it did. What effect does the look of JESUS have on Peter? What effect does the look of JESUS have on each of us when HE turns and looks into our lives?

62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Satan intended for this to break Peter but GOD meant for it to prepare him to obediently serve HIM. Peter was broken when he realized that he had denied JESUS just as HE had told him.

When we, as Christians, think we have figured out our relationship with JESUS and we come to a situation in our lives that does not go according to our plans, we are often perplexed. We can react in many ways. We can seek truth or we can throw up our hands in unbelief. Life is a journey.

GOD allows these questionable times to come into our lives to rid us of false notions about HIS plan and purpose. That is when we should then turn to HIM for understanding. Let’s consider Peter’s reaction following this incident.

Peter felt unworthy to be a follower of JESUS after denying HIM. But GOD was not finished with Peter. If you have denied JESUS, GOD is not finished with you either.

After the death, burial and resurrection of JESUS, JESUS appeared to over 500 people. Peter was one to whom HE appeared as we read in:

Luke 24:34:

34 who said, "The Lord has certainly been raised, and has appeared to Simon (Peter)!"

1 Corinthians 15:5:

5 and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve.

It seems that JESUS made it a point to present Himself to Peter as we our next scripture.

John 21:1-17: Jesus' Third Appearance to the Disciples

1 After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed Himself in this way:

2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called "Twin"), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee's sons, and two others of His disciples were together.

3 "I'm going fishing," Simon Peter said to them. "We're coming with you," they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Peter had had it; he was going back to being a fisherman. But JESUS did not give up on him. JESUS went to him where he was working.

4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus.

5 "Men," Jesus called to them, "you don't have any fish, do you?" "No," they answered.

6 "Cast the net on the right side of the boat," He told them, "and you'll find some." So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.

7 Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around him (for he was stripped) and plunged into the sea.

8 But since they were not far from land (about 100 yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.

(Brad do you remember us cooking fish (trout) on the coals of the fire? Yum, yum!)

10 "Bring some of the fish you've just caught," Jesus told them.

11 So Simon Peter got up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish-153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

12 "Come and have breakfast," Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" because they knew it was the Lord.

13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.

14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus' Threefold Restoration of Peter

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agape), Me more than these (HE likely pointed to the fish.)?" "Yes, Lord," he said to Him, "You know that I love (phileo) You." "Feed My lambs," He told him.

[The first 2 times by Jesus (vv. 15-16) agape (Love that demands nothing in return); and phileo (Brotherly love), the last time by Jesus (v. 17) and all 3 times by Peter (vv. 15-17) phileo. Peter's threefold confession of love for Jesus corresponds to his earlier threefold denial of Jesus; Jn 18:15-18, 25-27.]

16 A second time He asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) Me?" "Yes, Lord," he said to Him, "You know that I love (phileo) You." "Shepherd My sheep," He told him.

17 He asked him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) Me?" Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, "Do you love (phileo) Me?" He said, "Lord, You know everything! You know that I love (phileo) You." "Feed My sheep," Jesus said.

When JESUS was about to ascended into heaven, HE instructed those with HIM to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit. Those waiting are listed in Acts 1:13-14:

13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14 All these were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

The Holy Spirit came as JESUS had promised and recorded in Acts 2:1-5:

Pentecost

1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.

3 And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

5 There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Guess who preached that day? It was none other than The Apostle Peter and over 3,000 people accepted CHRIST as their Savior.

When Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray, GOD gave them an opportunity heal a man who had been lame since birth in the name of JESUS. The lame man was healed and about 2,000 men accepted CHRIST as their Savior.

This upset the Jewish religious leaders and they had Peter and John arrested and hauled into religious court. Our next scripture picks up on Peter and John addressing the Jewish religious leaders in their religious court.

Let’s read Acts 4:8-12:

8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders:

9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man-by what means he was healed-

10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead-by Him this man is standing here before you healthy.

11 This [Jesus] is The stone despised by you builders, who has become the cornerstone.

12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved."

The Name Forbidden - Let’s read Acts 4:13:

13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and knew that they had been with Jesus.

Peter filled with the Holy Spirit spoke with boldness and the religious leaders were amazed. They knew that he had been with JESUS. Peter was a changed man. Faith in JESUS can change your life. Confess your sins and ask JESUS to come into your life. If you made that decision sometime in your life and did some things that disappointed GOD, confess them, repent and allow GOD to restore you.

GOD can take our brokenness and make something beautiful. Have you experienced brokenness? Do you feel that you have disappointed GOD? Confess it, repent and allow GOD to fill you with the Holy Spirit. When we confess and empty our lives of the things that hinder the Holy Spirit, we make space of the Holy Spirit to occupy more of our lives. The ultimate goal is for the Holy Spirit to occupy all of us. We are the temple of GOD and the temple must be cleansed of anything that in unholy. Confess your sins now and ask GOD to cleanse HIS temple, which is your body and to fill you with HIS Holy Spirit. Blessings!!!