Sermon Central
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Simon Peter's Really Bad Night Series
Contributed by Rick Stacy on Jul 18, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: 6 of 7 messages on the transformation of Simon into Jesus. This message is on the denials of Peter.
From Ordinary to Extraordinary
The Transformation Began in Amazement…
at what Jesus taught and gave to people – both healing and forgiveness
Amazement Led to Obedience…
even when Simon didn’t think it would make a difference
Obedience Grew Into Faith…
that moved Simon to get out of the boat and walk on water – for a ways
Faith Became Conviction…
that Jesus was the Messiah and the son of God – even though Simon didn’t understand about the cross of Jesus to come
Conviction Hardened Into Pride
He refused to wash dirty feet and then tried to one up Jesus and the others by offering his head and his hands. It wasn’t about washing feet but service and love.
Simon Peter’s Really Bad Night
In the next few hours we see Simon Peter’s pride lead him into some foolish statements and ultimately he came crashing down in personal tragedy. Do you remember the old saying that, “pride comes before the fall”. It’s certainly true with Simon Peter. In one night – 10 to 12 hours – the wheels came off and we end up with Simon weeping in the dark night while Jesus looks across the courtyard at him in deep sorrow. What happened? Where did Simon Peter go wrong? Why did such a promising rookie lose it so badly?
On the most important night of his life—on the most important night in history—Peter, "the Rock," sat alone in a dark corner weeping. This wasn’t common place for him. He was a strong self-reliant fisherman. He was bold! He was courageous! And now, he was completely undone. The Rock had been shattered.
Every great man or woman of God can point to a time of breaking in his or her life where a time of conflict, a time of pressure, or a time of decision transformed them from an ordinary piece of coal into a precious diamond, that is pliable in the master’s hand.
Simon’s Really Bad Night became the pivotal moment in his life.
Let’s see what happened.
Simon Peter was Proud
33 Peter said, “Everyone else may stumble in their faith because of you, but I will not.”
31 Jesus told his followers, “Tonight you will all stumble in your faith on account of me, because it is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter.’ Zechariah 13:7
32 But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter said, “Everyone else may stumble in their faith because of you, but I will not.”
34 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows you will say three times that you don’t know
35 But Peter said, “I will never say that I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
Bold Statements
Peter made some bold statements. He declared that he will not fall away, even if all would fall away, and that he would rather die with Jesus than deny Him.
Note that Jesus was addressing the disciples as a group. He predicted "All of you will fall away," but Peter substituted the word “all” for the pronoun "everyone else": "Even if EVERYONE ELSE fall away on account of you, I never will."
Peter included not just the apostles, but other disciples and the whole wide world. After this bold statement he was confronted by Jesus’ prediction that he would deny Him three times. That produces a still bolder declaration…
Simon Peter was Proud
35 But Peter said, “I will never say that I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
We see here two different negative single syllables-one is NEVER, the other is NOT- to stress his undying devotion to Jesus. Simon Peter is saying No, Never, I will not let this happen in as strong a language as he could find.
Do you recognize the pattern? Do you see the problem?
Simon Peter’s second reply is a relapse into his old carnal self, that first appeared he rebuked Jesus at the first mention of His suffering and death in Jerusalem: "This shall never (No Not) happen to you!" (Matt 16:22) when Jesus had to say, “Get behind me, Satan” to Simon.
Peter was a loyal man, but he was too proud, too cocky, and way too self-confident.
J. Oswald Sander said, "Pride is like an onion: You take off one skin and you come to another, then another still and all the while it makes you cry."
I once heard a minister say to his congregation, “you can trust me I’ll never fall into temptation…” What a foolish thing to say.
During a Pastor’s meeting, an old pastor stood up to testify to his faith.
