Lessons on Failure

Luke 22_54-71
6/1/08
“Lessons on failure”

Main Idea
I. In this chapter Luke has been relating to us instruction Jesus gave to His disciples and some failures on their part.
A. He instructs them concerning observation of communion after His departures, what true greatness is like, how Satan desired to sift Peter, and concerning the importance of prayer in the face of temptation.
B. Concerning failures:
1. He predicts His betrayer, and His prediction comes to pass with betrayal by Judas.
2. We read how they argued amongst themselves about which of them should be considered the greatest.
3. And Jesus had predicted that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster had crowed twice that day.
a. Now we come to the fulfillment of that prediction.
II. Peter's Denial.
Luke 22:54-62 (NKJV)
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.
55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.
56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
A. After they arrested Him they took Him to the house of the High Priest in this case that is Caiaphas.
1. John's gospel account tells us they took Him first to the house of Annas who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who had previously been high priest.
B. And we are told that Peter followed at a distance, probably outside the glow of the torches so as to not be recognized.
1. Then in the courtyard he sat down among them (the servants of the high priest and the temple guard’s really Levitical officers in charge of the temple)
a. Peter is attempting to avoid detection by fitting in with them, looking like one of them.
2. Three times in the course of Peter's time there in the courtyard he is confronted and accused of being associated with Jesus, and each time he denies knowing Him, just as Christ had predicted.
a. On the third occasion immediately upon his denial Jesus turned and looked directly at Peter and Peter remembered Jesus' prediction and went out (left the courtyard) and wept bitterly.
(1) Undoubtedly it was a knowing look, like when we get caught red handed in something shameful, how it must have stung Peter to recognize the reality of his failure and the knowledge that Jesus, whom he loved, was aware it had come to pass.
(a) We know that the scriptures declare:
Luke 8:17 (NKJV)
17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
i) We know it intellectually, but we don't take it to heart so much of the time.
(2) Peter "went out and wept bitterly" he burst into tears and was crying audibly as a baby cries but as an expression of mourning and grief, it was a cry of bitter sorrow... and is an indicator of genuine repentance.
(a) Peter's life subsequently demonstrates the reality or fruit of repentance.
Luke 3:8 (NKJV)
8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
C. Some practical or pertinent lessons for you and I.
1. First Jesus was not caught by surprise at Peter's failure and He chose him anyway, and included him in His inner circle!
a. Jesus was working on Peter's restoration even before he failed:
Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV)
31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

After the resurrection we read

Mark 16:6-7 (NKJV)
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

Just to make sure that Peter knew he was welcome and expected!

b. Jesus knows that we will fail Him, yet He has chosen us, and He willingly looks to and works to restore when we do fail.
(1) Be assured of His love for you and His willingness to accept you.
(a) Don't give up on others too quickly...
2. Secondly much has been made of Peter following at a distance, but I don't believe he was supposed to be there in the first place
a. They were to scatter, Jesus had said to those who arrested Him "if you seek Me, let theses go their way"
(1) We get into trouble when we let ourselves be in places we know we shouldn't be or we involve ourselves in activities we know we shouldn't participate in.
b. But with the idea of following at a distance, and trying to fit in and seem like one of the crowd and not be identified with Jesus we are setting ourselves up for a fall.
(1) Instead of hanging out with the other disciples gaining strength through fellowship,
(a) Peter had temporarily forsaken fellowship and was therefore weak and compromised.
(2) We need to get as close to Jesus as we can, and stay in fellowship as much as possible, yes we want to go out into the world and take the gospel, but Jesus sent them out in pairs remember.
c. Let me encourage you to practice the discipline of fellowship and let prayer be an important part of that fellowship...
III. Jesus is mocked and beaten.
Luke 22:63-65 (NKJV)
63 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.
64 And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?”
65 And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.

A. Here Jesus is in the official residence of the High Priest, a place where official business of the High Priest was conducted, one would think that is might be a spiritual place, but what we instead discover is treated in an evil manner (actually He is mistreated!)
1. Mocking and beating Him.
a. Mock - to treat with contempt or ridicule.
b. beating Him, striking Him (pictures of someone being beaten who will not defend themselves fills us with contempt because it is so disgusting)
2. They even blindfolded Him and struck Him on the face, mocking Him with the challenge to prophecy who had hit Him.
a. Truth is He knew not only who hit Him but every secret thing about them.
(1) Yet He endured it or suffered it at their unrighteous hands.
(2) What has my sin, your sin, caused Him to endure?
IV. Trial before the Sanhedrin (this is the climax of His religious trial)
Luke 22:66-71 (NKJV)
66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying,
67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe.
68 And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.
69 Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.”
71 And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
A. Traditions tell us it was illegal for them to have a trial by night (need for witnesses and pursuit of practice of integrity).
1. If you are the Christ!
2. Are you the Son of God, to which He replies YES I Am.
a. And with that they pronounce Him guilty and they are done with their investigation where in fact now the investigation should begin in earnest!!!
V. Communion: