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said we're in Mark chapter 14 and we're looking at Peter and his denial of Jesus and in
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mark it split up but the only way I could think could think to paint the picture or let Mark paint the picture is to read this lengthy section so starting at 53 reading
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through the end of the chapter please bear with me but also see where Peter fits in the story of Jesus and
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his trial before Caiaphas Mark 14:53 and they LED Jesus away to the high priest and all the chief priests
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and the elders and the scribes gathered together and Peter had followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest and he was sitting with the
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officers and warming himself at the fire now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put him to death and
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they were not finding any for many were given giving false testimony against him and yet their testimony was not consistent and some stood up and began to give false testimony against him
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saying we heard him say I will destroy this Temple made with hands and in 3 days I will build another made without hands and not even in this respect was
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their testimony their testimony consistent and the high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus saying do you make no answer what is it
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that these men are testifying against you but he kept silent and made no answer again the high priest was questioning him and saying to him are
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you the Christ the son of the blessed one and Jesus said to him I am and you shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the
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clouds of heaven and tearing his clothes the high priest said what further need do we have of witnesses you have heard heard the blasphemy how does it seem to
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you and they all condemned him to be deserving of death and some began to spit at him and to blindfold him and beat him with their fists and say to him
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prophesy and the officers received him with slaps in the face and as Peter was below in the courtyard one of the servant girls of the high priest came and seeing Peter
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warming himself she looked at him and said you too were with Jesus the Nazarene but he denied it saying I neither know nor understand what you are
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talking about and he went out onto the porch and the maid saw him and began once more to say to the bystanders this is one of them but again he was denying
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it and after a little while the bystanders again saying to Peter surely you are one of them for you too or a Galilean but he began to curse and swear
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I do not know this man you are talking about and immediately a cop crowed a second time and Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him before
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a cck crows twice you will deny me three times and he began to weep let us
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pray father we do ask that you would teach us help us to understand these things help us to have a heart of of wisdom but a a heart that
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also responds to the things that the Holy Spirit would teach us through this passage and we do ask again that you would use it to build your church and to
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bring glory to your name in Christ's name we pray amen
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the attempts to harmonize the the four gospels In this passage at least to me were very difficult I I still and think that Chuck is right in his estimation of of what day it is in
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the passion week although again it's obscure and even this day what time is it how late is it we know they went to
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the Garden of Gethsemane after eating a late meal but how late is it and why does Mark leave out the one crowing of
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the rooster but gives us the second one did there were there two or and he didn't mention it or did Peter not
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notice and who are these people in one version of The Gospel there are two different Maids perhaps
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or maybe it's the same maid who are the bystanders why were they there and if it is between midnight
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and 3:00 in the morning which I believe the crowing would indicate to us why are these people here and why are the servant girls on duty
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why are they hanging out in the courtyard did someone tip them off that there's going to be an arrest tonight and it's going to be interesting because it's that Jesus the Nazarene that
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they're finally capturing and you want to be to be there and how did Peter get into the courtyard well John tells us although
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John doesn't give us his name in John 18 He says quote unquote another disciple was was known to the high priest and he talked to the servant girl who was
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acting as the doorkeeper that night and she let Peter in but that brings another question why was there not more
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commotion about Peter and John being there in the courtyard as I understand it somewhat of a level down below where
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the interrogation of Jesus was taking place some kind of a Terrace Courtyard below where the council was meeting why were they not arrested and
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tried along with Jesus but I think more importantly is a question of so what
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should the disciples have done when Judas arrived with the mob in the garden of Geth and betrayed Jesus to them and they
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arrested him and led him away to the high priest was it their duty to die with Jesus or did they do correctly by
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fleeing the issue does seem to be one of Faith but I not sure that I understand when some of the commentators and the
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SCH say that their faith failed at this point did they not believe that God would provide for them for their own
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safety and when Jesus had promised them before as they were as they were going to the Garden in between the supper and arriving at the Garden telling them the
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things that would happen and saying to them promising them but I will go before you to Galilee you will see me again
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he would die for them but I believe that they had to come to an understanding that he would die for them in order that they might live and not
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just in just in Salvation but they were the ones to carry on the ministry they were the ones who would take the message of the Gospel
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of Jesus Christ to the world and so he asked why was Peter there why did he not flee apparently with the other
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nine why was he along with John in the courtyard what what was he thinking and again many of the commentators really
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sound off on Peter and they say he's utterly foolish at this point he he's totally careless
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but we read in chap Le uh verse 54 and Peter had followed him Peter
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followed when Jesus said in Luke 22 which again is an parallel passage to this one in Mark when Jesus said to them and I do mean that them Satan has requested Ed to sift you as wheat the
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you is plural he's not talking just to Peter and I believe he's talking to all 11 and by extension probably all his
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disciples not only at that day but in the days to come because he told them Satan has requested to sift you as wheat we know
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in another place he says in the world you we will have tribulation and this sifting of Satan is a hoping that they will turn out to be the
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mere chaff that they will be the Refuge if they throw the wheat and separate it from the useless part that these men in the garden these men like Peter
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and us would turn back and we would be walking with Jesus no more that we would no longer follow
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him but sifting means a separation but it doesn't mean separating people from people that means separating the precious from the vile the good from the
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bad AB Bruce writes the vain self-confident self-willed impetuous Simon son of Jonas from the devoted chivalrous heroic
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rock-like Peter separating that which is in him of self of his self-confidence his self-will his self-will his impetuosity from that one who would
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truly be the Rock so we do see Peter but we see Peter now as a
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sheep he is not yet ready to be a shepherd and I think when we go too far to say that his faith had
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failed I'm not sure I understand what that means because here I see that when all others saved John fell away when they did flee perhaps their faith did
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fail their courage did fail their hope did fail I don't think Peter did perhaps he
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remembered the day when Jesus was teaching about who he was saying those those very strange words to us he who
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eats my flesh and drinks my blood he is my disciple and remember what happened from that day on the scripture says many stopped following him but maybe he's
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remembering when he himself and others in with the disciples said Lord to whom shall we go you have
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the words of eternal life can it not be said don't all Christians in
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distance do we always act or respond in true concert with our profession of Faith you know when people ask you you know how are you doing you know colleagues at work how are you doing and
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maybe we've picked up that that phrase from Dave Ramsey better than I deserve but what you may think that phrase means
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at that moment may be very different from what your colleague means when you say that you may mean better than I deserve by the mercy and Grace of the
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Lord Jesus Lord Jesus Christ I have all of the blessings in the spiritual the spiritual Realms I've been given all that I need
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for life and godliness that may be truly what you mean but when you say better than I deserve he may be thinking I've seen your
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family and they're all intelligent and they're all gifted and they're all creative and they're even attractive you have better than you
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deserve is that really how we respond is that really what it what it means to follow Jesus Christ Peter knew
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his master he knew Jesus had insight into his heart into his mind into his very Soul he knew jesus'
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compassion he knew that Jesus understood him that Jesus got him because of his patience in leading him and instructing
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him and we know all those things too we we know that the Lord knows our frame that we are dust he knows our hearts he
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knows our sins he knows how we go about our lives but are we often less
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often less ready when we are tested do we respond with cowardly fill
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fear when we're called upon to exercise our duty to give a response of the hope that is within
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us or do we flee when we should Stand Fast the Temptation I think for Peter and for us is the danger of being ridiculed for being Jesus disciple when when Christ is
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admired when when Christ is exalted when when Christ is spoken of well we're often very eager to chime in
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with an amen are we not but we're in a place where Jesus is despised where he's ridiculed and
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Christians are seen as just those poor people they need that Crut to get through life do we still own
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Christ we see Peter huddled by the fire Mark is kind of interesting when he says that he was by the by the Light doesn't mention the fire but he's
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he's by the fire he's warming himself by its heat its heat but he's being exposed by its
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light this is probably Peter's own account related to Mark as I can understand it and in any case it's very unusual going on we have the maid's
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servant who again he's she's studies Peter in verse 67 it says and seeing Peter warming
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himself she looked at him that's not just repeating that she looked by seeing it it means that she saw him and
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she came face to face with him and and studied him and looked at him and then says you too were with
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the fire she recognized them perhaps in the streets perhaps she was there on that great Palm Sunday we as we call it
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perhaps she has heard her superiors speak disparagingly of Jesus the
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Nazarene or perhaps and I think this is more likely she's just trying to call attention to herself because she's not accusing him
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of anything and she's not questioning him about anything he is simply she is simply saying to him you too were with Jesus the
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mark saying I neither know nor understand what what you're even talking
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about it may be the same maid it may be as we as we see in John it may be someone else who comes to him as he leaves the situation by the fire I guess
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I picture him kind of bewildered weary uh worried agitated where he's wanting to kind of get into the Shadows moving
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out of the courtyard into what I can understand is a kind of portico a kind of doorway a porch as it's called here
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in Mark and she follows him and she says again this is one of them and he says I am
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not he denies it and then the bystanders those officers I think under
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officers literally under rowers in the scripture in the council Say by her confidence in identifying you
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surely we know that you are a Galilean everything about you says you're a Galilean the way that you're dressed and
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what we're given to believe here or see here is the way he talked his accent gave him away you're from the Galilee area you are one of
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them and then Peter responds I do not know this man you are talking talking
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sin G campel Morgan wrote when Peter denied his Lord he insulted his own intelligence Peter lied about his faith he violated his own
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love and I think in turn wounded his own soul but Peter was not stupid perhaps Peter's Hope was failing
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or his courage failed but I do not think that Peter ever violated his love for Jesus as many
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believe but what was his sin Jesus Deni Peter denied Jesus before
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Jesus before men when he should have confessed him before men I mean it is a sorrowful contrast is there not Jesus within the council
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chamber Peter chamber Peter without shuffling into the Shadows Jesus boldly facing accusations
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from the from the elite of the temple guard Peter hiding as gossip and rumors
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fly Jesus swearing that he is the Christ Peter swearing that he does not know Jesus at
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all when Mark says he began to curse and square swear it it wasn't just profanity what he's speaking of is that he called down upon himself
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curses that if he indeed knew Jesus that God would strike
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him and yet we see that Jesus prophecies about this night that he would be betrayed that he would be led that he would be spit upon that he would be mocked that he would be treated
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shamefully and when the shepherd was struck the Sheep would be scattered all of these things have come true the very letter of what Jesus
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spoke and Peter's fall from being first among equals is horrendous and horrendous and yet Peter
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yet Peter remembers what did Peter remember well Mark tells us first of all that he remembered when Jesus said this night before a cop crows twice you will deny
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me three me three times Peter remembered Jesus words and they came down upon him hard but I think history also tells us
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that Peter remembered when Jesus said follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men on that very first day when Jesus
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saw him and I think Peter also remembered when Jesus said to them he who would come after me must deny himself and take up his cross
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and follow me and I believe that Peter also remembered when Jesus said Simon Simon behold Satan
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has de demanded to sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail and when you have turned back strengthen your
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brothers this is the final thing thing this is where I think we meet the genuine Peter and he began to
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weep Mark does not record that poignant moment that Luke does when Jesus perhaps during the time of this inquiry they have sent him to
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the outer side of the council maybe to counsil among themselves and and Jesus looks down upon the courtyard and Peter looks up at
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him as if Jesus is saying to him with his look Peter why are you wounding yourself Peter's tears are sure evidence of his love and of his faith and of his
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confession you are the Christ Greek Scholars the phrasing that's used when
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Mark writes and he began to weep there's more to it than that it's an incomplete sentence kind of left hanging in the air for us to understand some say that he
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threw his cloak it means that he covered himself with his cloak so that he could hide the absolute weeping
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some say he is when he fixed his mind upon it when he remembered these things and fixed his mind upon them he was overwhelmed by the greatness of his sin and perhaps because he
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thought that no amount of tears and sorrow would be enough to atone for it so he wept
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I think his love for Jesus was on display he was frightened but he was following Alexander McLaren wrote Fear drove him
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drove him away love Drew him back if distance betrayed his Terror his following witnessed his bravery
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when Jesus met Peter on the beach after they came in from fishing Jesus came
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across the across the water and took Peter aside and asked him several times several times Peter do you love
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me Peter responded Lord you know that I love love love love you and here he's reminding him of when
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he were he were strengthen strengthen your brothers tend my Lambs he said Shepherd
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followed some have suggested said that Peter's Chief title would be from where he writes in 1 Peter chapter 5 that he was quote a witness of the sufferings of
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Christ this is the Peter who returned to strengthen his brothers when he wrote therefore I urge Elders among you and your fell as your fellow Elder and a
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witness of the sufferings of Christ and one who is a fellow partaker of the glory that is revealed shepher the flock of God among
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2 for you have been called for this purpose writing to the church because Christ also suffered for you leaving you as an example example so that you would follow in his
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steps it has been taken over the years particularly I don't know 15 20 25 years ago this phrase and following his steps morphed into this Insidious what would
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Jesus do but that's not what the passage means at all it's in the context of of suffering it's in the context of living for Christ daily on a daily basis
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Christians called by God and by his suff sovereignty we will be sufferers for Christ when Jesus
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prayed and told Simon Satan desires to sift you like wheat and he says I pray that your faith would not fail that's what he prayed
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that your faith would not fail he didn't pray that they would be exempt from all suffering and so we see here Peter a
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witness of Christ's suffering has become from the sheep that he was then now to be a
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Shepherd because he was a follower of Christ and he followed in his steps and I guess that's the question that I would leave with
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us I'm not sure I know all of what it means but I do believe that in reality all Christians follow Christ at a distance it doesn't mean that our faith
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fails that our love fails it does mean that we walk fearfully sometimes one man has said most men lead lives of quiet
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desperation but if we would imitate Peter as he followed Jesus we might be frightened but our duty is to continue to follow him let us
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pray our heavenly father we we thank you for these words we thank you for the example of Peter perhaps we do not relate to all that he was but father we are all human as he
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was sheep that you have called in your pasture and perhaps not of all of us called to be Shepherds but we are all called called to follow strengthen us
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teach us help us grow Us in these things that we might respond not with denials but we would own you in all situations
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in Christ's name we pray amen as amen as we come to the Lord's table this morning um just a reminder uh
