When The Rooster Crows
(7 minutes)
The disciples are leaving their last supper with Jesus and they engage in a conversation they have been having, off and on, the entire time they've been following Him. Who's going to be the greatest? After Jesus interrupts their argument and corrects their thinking, He pulls Peter off to the side and shares some really important words with him.
"Peter, my dear friend, listen to what I'm about to tell you. Satan has obtained permission to come and sift you all like wheat and test your faith. But I have prayed for you, Peter, that you would stay faithful to me no matter what comes. Remember this: after you have turned back to me and have been restored, make it your life mission to strengthen the faith of your brothers."
"But Lord," Peter replied, "I am ready to stand with you to the very end, even if it means prison or death!"
Jesus looked at him and prophesied, "Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will deny three times that you even know me." (Luke 22:31-34)
"Jesus is telling Peter, 'You're about to go through a very bad situation, but I waste nothing.' Everything you walk through has purpose. Abba wastes nothing, even if it was your choice. Even if you were the villain in the story. Everything has purpose." (Pastor Tim)
Jesus is telling Peter that he is about to suffer, and go through one of the hardest things he will ever go through, but Jesus has prayed for him. If we're Peter this is where we start begging Jesus to go back and tell Satan to stand down. Jesus, just go back and tell him, "No!" But that's not the case. Satan had to obtain permission, but Yahweh was the One to grant it. Why? Because on the back side of this, Peter, you're going to be able to reach back and strengthen the faith of anyone who falls.
The religious leaders seized Jesus and led him away, but Peter followed from a safe distance. They brought him to the home of the high priest, where people were already gathered out in the courtyard. Someone had built a fire, so Peter inched closer and sat down among them to stay warm.
A girl noticed Peter sitting in the firelight. Staring at him, she pointed him out and said, "This man is one of Jesus' disciples!" Peter flatly denied it, saying, "What are you talking about, girl? I don't know him!"
A little while later, someone else spotted Peter and said, "I recognize you. You're one of his, I know it!" Peter again said, "I'm not one of his disciples."
About an hour later, someone else identified Peter and insisted he was a disciple of Jesus, saying, "Look at him! He's from Galilee, just like Jesus. I know he's one of them." But Peter was adamant. "Listen, I don't know what you're talking about. Don't you understand? I don't even know him." While the words were still in his mouth, the rooster crowed.
At that moment, the Lord, who was being led through the courtyard by his captors, turned around and gazed at Peter. All at once Peter remembered the words Jesus had prophesied over him, "Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will deny three times that you even know me." Peter burst into tears, ran off from the crowd, and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)
What did you believe God for before you fell? Before everything crumbled to the ground, what did you dream about? What expectations and aspirations did you carry in your heart before you messed up? Before the relationship fell apart, before you were caught up in addiction, before you realized that you weren't as strong as you thought you were, before you realized that you couldn't live up to words that came out of your own mouth...what did you believe God for before you fell?
"None of us actually walk away from serving God, we just don't serve Him like we used to. And then all of a sudden you encounter something that breaks you down. It causes you to question everything you believed about yourself." (Pastor Tim)
This is the moment that hopelessness comes in. It's one thing to have something done to you, it's a whole other thing when you're the one that failed. This is when hopelessness comes in and becomes a permanent resident. This is when we start following Jesus from a safe distance.
Abba is trying to convince us of something today that's very important - He doesn't waste anything, not even your failure that was brought about by your own doing. On your walk today, would you allow Abba to walk you back to that moment, the moment you fell? If you go back there with Him, He will show you that moments before it happened, He was there. He was whispering in your ear, "Beloved Son or Daughter, the enemy has obtained permission to come and sift you like wheat, and test your faith with the most violent storm you'll ever walk through, but I have prayed for you and I'm with you. And after all of this, when you are restored and your heart is healed, you'll be able to bring life to ruined cities, to broken families, to hopeless people. I prayed that you would be faithful to Me no matter what comes. No matter what comes. Even this will not be wasted."
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Worship: "Promises" by Joe L Barnes & Naomi Raine
Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place
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