Facing Your Denial

John 18:15-18, 25-27

None of us are perfect.  Were perfection attainable we would not need Jesus' blood to cover our sin before God.  So any perfection you will ever have is only going to be through Jesus.

I was struggling with my sin nature and confessing this to Bill Bright, whom I was having breakfast with that morning (and since he was paying, I got to the do the talking).  Bill goes, "Okay, I am God and you are not a sinner, what do you see?" 

"You, er, God."

Now he picks up a packet of sugar and said, "This is Jesus." and held it at arms length in front of my face.

"You are a sinner.  What do you see?"

"Jesus"

"Right! And when I as God, look at you what do I see?"

"Jesus?"

"Right!"

So this lead to an interesting discussion and I have used that simple visual dozens of times through the years and explaining this very same principal to those whom ask.

David, in Psalms commented that, God uses weak people.  Let's face it, David was not exactly someone you wanted as you next door neighbor (think Uriah here if you are confused) and you sure would not have wanted him as your father (think his complete failure in judging his son!).  But, David, even in his weakness was whom God used mightily!

How did you get there?
Peter, the strong man with the sword only hours earlier, is now denying he knows Jesus, to a maid, not an official, not someone whose testimony could be used against him!  He is discouraged, his defenses are down, his is probably tired, nothing is going right.

Yet Peter is not to be defined by his failure but what he did with that failure!

So, Peter was:

• exhausted
• over confient
• under pressure
• slowly sliding into sin

God knew Peter's heart, He knows yours, it is the most precious thing He has given you.

Turning away from denial

•  the rooster - the warning , the reminder to Peter for his lifetime
• the look - Jesus looked at Peter when the rooster crowed.  Knowing ...
• the words - to restore you to the right position, not to condemn you
• the tears - led to repetence for Peter, the lack of them to Judas' death

 What can we learn?

• be humble - pride will precede your fall
• be disciplined - prayer, meditation, study, worship, confession
• be accountable - need others in order to see ourselves clearly
• be discerning - is the action worth the cost? freedom vs cost

Romans 12:2 

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.