WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:01.439 Alright. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.400 Well, let's get into the message, huh? 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.400 We've been talking about disciples, the 12 that Jesus chose. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:11.119 And we've hit on a few. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.320 And today we're gonna hit on maybe the most popular one. 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:16.079 And that's Peter. 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:20.320 Peter is the most famous of the 12, but he's also the most human. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:24.480 He is the first to speak and the first to step out of the boat. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:34.240 He is the first to uh confess Jesus is Christ, but also the first to deny him when the pressure hits. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.200 This is Peter. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:42.880 Now, when I talk to you about Peter, you need to be examining your own life and see how you kind of fit into this story. 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:46.240 Because Jesus chose all of these people very intentionally. 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:52.399 There are these moments in my life that I found that I could be on a high at church, especially at church camp. 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:57.679 Um, growing up in Arkansas, we would have church camp, and Brooke could tell you as well. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:00.880 Our church camp weeks were just crazy. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:03.600 We had the most impactful hardcore preaching. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:14.640 I mean, I'll never forget uh Brother Mahaney's daddy, uh Nick Mahaney's daddy, Brother Mahaney, he was preaching one night about the pits of hell and he was just preaching. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:16.560 You gotta think Pentecostal, charismatic, right? 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:21.599 Like he's preaching, and he has outside of the tabernacle at the time, we didn't know it. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.079 He had people lined up with trumpets. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:30.959 And at the 60-minute mark, he said that when the clock hits zero, the Lord's returning. 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:34.799 And if you're not ready, you're not gonna make it. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:40.480 And he's preaching, man, and everybody's on edge, like, dude, I gotta get to that altar. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.239 Like, I don't want to wait. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:54.879 And what they didn't know is that when that clock hit and those horns outside were going to sound, they didn't know that the train across the street was going to be coming through at the very same time. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:09.039 And so when that clock hit, dude, and those horns and that train went off, you saw young people jumping over the pews, trying to get to the altar. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:11.199 It's one of the greatest things ever. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:14.479 And I'm not talking like 20 kids, we're talking like 600. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:15.120 Okay? 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:25.919 And so there's this moment, and then when we would go home from camp, Brooke, you know, you would be on a Holy Spirit high, like, I'm never sinning again. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:28.960 This is great, I'm never messing up again. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:40.319 And then a week or two that that high kind of comes down, and you kind of find yourself like well, Jesus was exciting for a little while. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:43.039 Church was exciting for a little while. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:52.560 And there were these Sundays that I would grow up and I would feel like I would be ready to go to heaven on Sunday nights, but I'd find myself in hell on Monday evening. 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:54.080 You know? 00:02:54.719 --> 00:03:00.159 Going back to what Paul talked about, the things that I know I should do, uh, I don't, and the things I shouldn't do, I do. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:04.639 The dumb stuff, the things I say, and Brooke looks at me and she's like, Why would you say that? 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:06.240 I'm like, because I'm an idiot. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.120 You know, those moments. 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.599 And what we find is this is a lot like Peter in this story. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:19.520 His story is not a highlight reel of spiritual success, it's a raw record of bold faith. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:24.719 He had bold faith, crushing failure, and surprising restoration. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:33.680 If you've ever felt like you were walking on water one moment and sinking in the next, Peter's life is for you. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:35.039 It's for you. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:43.759 Because if I think that if we really think and and we're honest with ourselves, we like to come in here on Sundays and pretend like it's all together, don't we? 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:46.000 We are the best at that, you fakers. 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:47.759 That's what we do. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:58.879 We come in here and we're buttoned up and and and we're we act like we got it together, and and for one day, give me two hours of the week that I can just look perfect to everybody else. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:04.639 Because while we have fake highlight reels on Facebook, we also have fake church attendance. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:10.960 And that happens a lot because we don't want people to talk about us or think something differently about us. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:16.560 And and I wonder if our life was depicted in the Bible just like Peter's was. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.040 I wonder what people would say about us. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:21.439 I wonder what they would think about us. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:27.439 The reality is, if we're honest, is that we we don't even know what we're doing. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:36.480 We're just trying to make it through another season, another hardship, another lesson, another moment in life. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:05:08.639 And the sooner we can talk to ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit into our lives to tell us that we cannot make it in this life on our own, but only through the saving power of the Holy Spirit and that of which Jesus Christ came, only then will we realize that life is doable and it can be joyful and we can be glad and we don't have to live a defeated, fake life. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:12.879 So now we look at Peter and it says it like this. 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:21.279 We find Peter in this moment in a boat, it says it, Lord, if it's you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:23.600 Now remember, this is in the middle of the story. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:27.199 I'm not starting with where Peter actually began his relationship with the Lord. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:28.480 I've preached on that before. 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:32.720 If you want to talk more about that, I'll gladly buy you coffee and we can sit down and talk. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:44.000 But in this moment, they are on a boat and the Lord's done ministry, and now there's a storm, and there's this huge storm, and they see Jesus and they think he's a ghost. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:49.040 And the disciples are like, Wait, is that is that Jesus? 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:53.120 And Peter said, Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water. 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:58.959 Now I think Peter's a little crazy because my first instinct wouldn't have been like, Hey, God, can I do that too? 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:02.160 I would have been in awe, I would have been amazement. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:05.120 But Jesus said, Come. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:11.040 Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:15.680 But when he saw the wind, you ever seen the wind before? 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:18.240 You've never seen the wind, you've only seen the effects of wind. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:19.279 That's all you've seen. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.040 You've never seen the wind before. 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:30.879 But the Bible says, when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me! Save me. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:39.759 I could preach another sermon on this about how when we get on the same spiritual level with the Lord, we begin to see things in the supernatural that we've never seen, and sometimes that scares us. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:50.639 But it's in this moment that Peter is now walking on the water with Jesus, and to be able to walk on the water with Jesus, you have to be living in a spiritual level that you've never lived in before because human beings just don't walk on the water. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:07:04.720 But it's in this moment that he's walking and he sees things that maybe he's never seen before, and he begins to sink because he takes his attention off Jesus, because he's more afraid of the storm and the supernatural things that he wasn't familiar with than he was keeping his eyes on Jesus. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:08.000 And so many times in our own lives, we see things. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:16.319 We see things and we encounter storms, things we've never seen before, things we've endured before, and we begin to take our eyes off Jesus. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:18.560 On Sunday, I was good, man. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.079 The Holy Ghost was in me. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:25.199 But on Monday, I'm freaking out because I don't know which way is right from left. 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:28.879 But all I know is that I just had to keep my eyes on Jesus. 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:37.040 And when I begin to seek, man, when I begin to seek, all I can do is say, Lord, save me. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:41.759 And immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him and said, You of little faith. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:42.800 That's a humbling moment. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:43.360 Okay. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:45.680 You of little faith. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:47.680 Why did you doubt? 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.519 You know, I don't like verse 31. 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.079 I don't like that very much. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:59.759 Because when the Lord brings me out of the water, there's these moments of like, why did I doubt? 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:01.680 I feel like he's telling me that. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:03.439 I've been with you the whole time. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:05.439 I brought you through all those other things. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:07.439 Why didn't you think I couldn't bring you through this? 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:09.839 Why do you think I was going to fail you now? 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:11.279 Why did you doubt? 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:16.079 Maybe it's because I kept looking at my circumstance instead of looking at him. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:24.000 Maybe it's I put more faith in the things that I was pursuing or trying to fix on my own than looking at him. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:25.759 How many times have we done that? 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:27.120 We've done that a lot, haven't we? 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:28.800 You have little faith, he said. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.199 Why did you doubt? 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:32.879 This is Peter's life. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:40.720 And you know, Peter, Peter is intriguing because Peter is the only disciple who got out of the boat. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:47.759 You know, I would have been a little mad if I was the one that had faith, Brother Jeff, and I get out and then he embarrasses me and all of my friends. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:49.919 Like, dude, I got out of the boat. 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:53.840 I walked on what they didn't walk on water, and you're calling me of little faith? 00:08:54.399 --> 00:09:01.360 So many times in our relationship with the Lord, we want to compare our relationship to other people's relationships. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:03.279 And we have to stop doing this. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:05.919 This is not your walk and their walk. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:08.240 This is your walk and the Lord. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:12.399 Not everyone in this room is on the same spiritual level that you may be on. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:15.440 Not everyone may be on the same path that you were on. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:16.639 Quit comparing. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:20.399 The question is not whether they got out of the boat and you did. 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:25.279 The question is why did you quit looking at him when you decided to get out of the boat? 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:30.240 This is a personal, personal, personal relationship. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:34.399 This is a personal, personal, personal relationship. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:41.840 And so many times I hear Christians talk about other Christians or other people or why don't they come to church or why don't they do this? 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.759 Why do you quit looking at Jesus? 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:47.279 Because every time you talk about them, you ain't looking at him. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:49.519 Let's get it clear. 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:55.440 Let's set the record straight because you can't look at Jesus and hate your neighbor at the same time. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:57.360 Let's set it straight. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:01.600 You can't look at Jesus and talk bad about somebody across the aisle from you. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:03.519 We can't do it, church. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:04.960 There's no way. 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:07.200 Why did you doubt? 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:08.639 Well, you don't know what they've done. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:09.679 You don't know what they're doing. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.399 You don't think God can't fix what's going on? 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:14.240 You're doubting. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:16.559 Quit doubting. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:18.399 You're doubting God. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:19.600 He can fix it all. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:20.559 He can change it all. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:21.360 He can do it all. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:22.960 He can give you back tinfold. 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:27.679 And maybe he would if you'd quit looking at that and start looking at him. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:29.840 We got to be the church that God calls us to be. 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:32.320 And I gotta tell you, he tells me to pray for my enemies. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:36.080 And I do, and I love them, and I want to treat them with the best kindness that I can. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:41.600 But I hope also he does a work in their heart that restores everything that's ever been stolen from me. 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:49.679 At some point, we have, we have to, we have to keep our eyes on Jesus. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:51.200 Now listen, listen, listen. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:11:00.559 Later, when Jesus asked the disciples who they said he was, the same guy that that began to sink is the same guy that knew it. 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:04.639 Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:06.559 Peter, how do you know that? 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:07.840 How do you know that? 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:09.200 But you were sinking. 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:10.639 How does that happen? 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.360 Jesus replied, Blessed are you, son. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:15.679 Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:21.759 For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my heavenly father, by Father in heaven. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:24.960 This was presented by him to have this kind of understanding. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.720 This takes this takes wisdom. 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:31.840 This was this was revelation because everybody else didn't know who Jesus really was, but they were walking with him. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:36.080 But it was it was it was Peter who had the revelation. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:38.960 And see, this is what we need to understand about Peter. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:39.519 Okay? 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:42.000 We need to understand this about Peter. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:47.919 He was someone who was willing to be outspoken when nobody else would. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:56.720 See, and because of that, in verse 18, Jesus said, I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church in the gates of Hades. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:00.000 Hell will not overcome it. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:01.919 So this is a promise. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:03.519 Somebody say promise. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:05.200 This is a promise. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:13.120 So Jesus gives a promise, and he tells Peter that you are the rock, and upon this rock, upon this rock, Jesus is the rock. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:14.080 Peter is the small rock. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:15.840 Petro means small rock. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:16.559 And okay. 00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:18.960 He says, Upon this rock, I will build my church. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:22.720 Peter, Peter, I'm gonna give you the keys to the kingdom. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:23.840 You're gonna build. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:24.720 This is a promise. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:33.679 The same guy that sinks, the same guy that doubts, the same guy whose faith is questioned is also the same God into which Jesus is saying, I'm gonna build my church through you. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:35.600 Through me, but through you. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:38.080 And this is what we find out about Peter. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:43.679 Peter was willing to risk looking foolish in order to get closer to Jesus. 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:46.720 He was willing to look foolish. 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:48.960 He was willing to get out of the boat. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.440 He was willing to be the outspoken one. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:57.039 He was willing to be whatever it took for him to get close to Jesus. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:03.679 And at some point in our lives, we have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get close to Jesus. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:07.600 I don't know what your situation is, I don't know where you're at. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:18.000 I don't know what you're going through, but at some point you have to be willing to look foolish in order to get closer to Jesus. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:19.360 You have to. 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:25.679 Faith that stays in the boat never experiences the power of Jesus on the water. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.840 I need you to understand that with me. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.320 You say, Well, it doesn't make sense, Tyler. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:31.600 Why would I do that? 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:33.759 Because it's the way God works. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:36.480 Why would I why would I jump? 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:38.639 People say, Well, when I see it, I'll believe it. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:39.519 No, no, no, no, no. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:40.720 This is the kingdom of God. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:45.200 You have to, you have to believe it, and then you'll see it. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:47.279 This is this is backwards. 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:50.159 We don't build a fire until we get the food. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.960 We build the fire knowing that the food's gonna come. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:55.919 This is the kingdom of God at play. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:14:01.919 We don't we we we don't wait for the other person to make the next move, we make the first move. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:06.480 We don't wait for our enemy to apologize, we step and apologize. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:08.480 We step up to the plate. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:09.039 Why? 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:12.960 Because I need to look foolish so he can look great. 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:16.240 I need to look lower so he can be big. 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:24.720 I need to decrease so he can increase because faith that stays in the boat never experiences the power of Jesus on the water. 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:35.679 You can't stay in your habits and doing things the way you've always done, thinking that you're gonna experience his power the way that he moves on the water, because he's not going to come and just to you, you have to meet him too. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:38.159 At some point, you have to do it. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:40.559 Jesus is still saying, Come. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:42.159 He's still saying come. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:48.080 He's still saying come to people who are willing to leave the safety of everything that they have and can't control. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:53.120 You want to be able to control everything, you want it to make sense to you, you want it to work for you. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:54.879 But listen to me this morning. 00:14:55.200 --> 00:15:03.120 Peter understood that for his life to be blessed, he had to step out. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:05.519 He had to step out. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:07.039 He had to step out. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.519 At some point, you and I have to step out. 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:14.320 Peter, what are you doing, man? 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:16.559 You've never walked on the water. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:18.000 Why would you do that? 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.120 Why did you think that you could stay on and not drown? 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:27.279 And you know, I hear so many stories about people who said that I thought I was doing what God wanted me to do, but I began to sink. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:30.320 I don't question whether you're doing what God had called you to do. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.039 I question whether you kept your eyes on Jesus. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:37.440 Because it's not that you didn't have the faith to get out of the boat. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:41.679 It's maybe you didn't have the faith to keep your eyes where they were supposed to be. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:51.519 So often we get obsessed with obsession and greed and and everything else that we forget who actually called us out of the boat in the first place. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:56.960 See, your faith doesn't have to be perfect to walk on water, it just has to be willing to step out. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:00.799 And this morning we need to be willing to step out. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:05.679 Now, here's another portion that we find, Peter. 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:10.960 And the same mouth that confessed Jesus as a Christ later denied him three times. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:15.120 Now, remember when I just made you say the word promise, Jesus had a promise. 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:15.600 Amen. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:16.639 This is the truth. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:18.559 Jesus has a promise for your life. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:20.159 He has a promise for your life. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:22.879 Whether you realize it or not, he has a promise for your life. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:33.120 That's when when I talk about forgiveness and how we operate as Christians to one another, you have to remember that the same person that you may consider your enemy is the same person that Jesus has a promise for their life over. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.879 Isn't that crazy? 00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:40.480 And that's why Jesus tells us the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:43.440 Because if you do that, you'll love your neighbor as you love yourself. 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:47.679 Because you can't love him with everything that you have and not love your neighbor as yourself. 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:48.960 It's just impossible. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.320 It's an impossible equation. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.679 Well, Pastor, you don't know what them. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:53.200 I know what he did. 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:57.120 He got on the cross and bled out and suffocated on his blood for you, and you should be dead. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:58.240 That's what I know. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.879 Want another argument? 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:06.400 When Satan gets, we get biblical. 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:09.599 When Satan gets historical, we get biblical. 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.759 It's the only thing that I know to do. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:12.960 And here we are. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:20.160 And Peter now was given a promise that he would be the one into which Jesus would build his kingdom up on small rock, big rock. 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:26.720 But now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard and a servant girl came to him and said, You also were with Jesus of Galilee, she said. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.799 But he denied it before them all. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.799 What are you doing, Peter? 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:32.880 Hold on. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:34.559 Let's stop for a second. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:37.519 Because you guys are just looking at me like I'm crazy. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:39.759 We gotta be real about this. 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.440 Like we have to have a conversation. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:42.240 Alright? 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:46.160 The thing that I hate the most. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.240 Let me talk about my cousin just one second. 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:52.799 My cousin, when he would get mad at me. 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:55.839 And Brooke will tell you, he sent me death threats a couple years ago. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:02.880 When he would get mad at me because I wouldn't give him money for what he wanted, because he told me he needed to pay rent, but I really knew he needed to buy drugs. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.480 When he got mad at me, you know the first card they threw out? 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:08.640 Some Christian you are? 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.279 Why y'all throwing that out? 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:18.319 Stupid. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.359 Some Christian they are. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:23.119 Don't they go to Grace Bible church? 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.559 Some Christian they are. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.200 You know how stupid you're making yourself sound? 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.920 Some Christian they are? 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.440 Do you not know humanity? 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.119 Do you not understand humanity? 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:36.480 I want you to think right now about all the stupid stuff you did this week. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:37.119 Think about it. 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.400 I'll give you 10 seconds. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:41.279 Because it ain't gonna take long for you to think of something. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.000 Think about it. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:47.519 Think about the per people you talked about this week. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.480 Think about it. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:49.599 Let's just get real. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:53.200 Think about the things you did in secret that you hope nobody ever finds out. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:54.640 Let's think about it. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:56.079 Let's be real. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:57.920 Think about it. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:02.400 Think about all the things that you knew that you shouldn't have done, but you did anyways. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:04.160 Think about the argument you had with your wife. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:05.039 I'm sorry, baby. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:08.240 Think about all the things that you did that you shouldn't have done. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.079 Let's think about it. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:15.119 And now let's put that same energy toward our guilt and shame that we try to put toward others. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:16.720 Now, here we are. 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:19.359 Peter denies Jesus. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:21.359 Now this is crazy, guys. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:25.279 Because you remember before this, Peter had a conversation with Jesus. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:30.240 It was like, Jesus, just so you know, I'll never, I'll never deny you. 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.759 I'll never deny you. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:32.640 You know? 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.960 I'll never mess, I'll never mess up, Jesus. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:36.000 I'm your number one fan. 00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:37.200 I'm your number one follower. 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:38.160 Hey, I was the one. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.119 You remember Jesus? 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.680 I was the one that when you asked, Who do you say that I am? 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.519 I said you're the Messiah. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:45.359 Remember, nobody else would have known that. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:45.920 I knew that. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:51.279 And remember, you said that I could have the keys to the kingdom up on this rock, you will build your church. 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.359 I'm your guy. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.119 I'm your guy. 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:56.559 I'm your guy. 00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:07.599 And then when there's like a little bit of pressure applied, like there's just a little bit of pressure, like just a little bit, like a little bit, Peter then cracks. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:09.519 He cracks hard. 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:12.000 And he he says, I don't know Jesus. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:13.599 Who's that guy? 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.200 I don't like Jesus. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:17.440 I don't know what you're talking about, he said. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:26.000 And then he went out to the gateway where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.319 And he denied it again with an oath. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.880 I don't know the man with an oath. 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:32.640 I don't know the man. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:38.799 And after a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, Surely you are one of them. 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:41.440 Your accent gives you away. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:50.960 And then he began to call down curses and he swore to them, I don't know the man. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:58.079 Immediately the rooster crowed, I don't know about you, but this is a really bad moment for Peter. 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:00.000 Really bad moment for Peter. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:05.440 And you know, my brother-in-law, he's a cop, and he'll see people and he'll be like, Yeah, I arrested him. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:07.519 And I'm like, oh dude, that's awkward. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:10.880 He's like, No, I usually meet everybody on their worst day. 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:12.319 That's kind of true. 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:13.839 You want to know why? 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:16.799 Because we all have really bad days, man. 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:20.480 We all say things sometimes that we should not have said. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.960 We all do things sometimes that we should not have done, and we're very dumb for it. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:26.720 I'm not excusing it, okay? 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.200 There are consequences, and I understand that. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:36.799 But this idea that we live in America and in the church of thinking that you get one strike and you're out is crazy to me. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:41.759 This idea that you get two strikes and you're out is crazy to me. 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:43.440 Listen to me. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:47.920 Have you allowed God to actually do the work in the middle of your situation? 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:51.440 Or are you just keeping your eyes on the situation and not on him? 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.359 When have you prayed for him? 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:55.279 I pray for my cousin still. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:56.559 I don't talk to him. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.759 I pray for my mama still, I don't talk to her. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.839 I pray for my enemy still. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:03.200 I don't talk to them. 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.720 I wish the best for them. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:07.039 I hope God works out in their life and their souls. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.759 And I pray that God does the work that I cannot do. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:15.440 But this idea that I can look at myself in the mirror and say you're innocent and they're not is such a lie. 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:21.119 Because for every sin that's been committed against me, I have committed a hundred more against the kingdom of God. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:27.039 And at some point, we have to get real with ourselves. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:35.680 Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:45.119 And he went outside and wept bitterly because when you weep bitterly, man, you realize that what he said you would do and you said you wouldn't, you have done. 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:50.720 And when there's revelation of knowing that you have went against God, it should crush you inside and out. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:23:00.720 And here's what we know about Peter that your worst failure is not the end of your story if Jesus is still writing it. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:04.799 This is something we need to know this morning if you're here. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:07.359 I don't know what your failure is. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:16.559 I don't know what you've done, but I need to know that if you are here, Jesus is still writing your story. 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:19.759 You can still have the promise of God on your life. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:24.160 You can still be told that He's going to hand the keys to the kingdom to you one day. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:28.799 That can be true, but it can also be true that you have screwed up really bad. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:30.880 Do you understand me? 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:32.799 Because I don't think you do. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:41.920 There are people right now that God has given a promise upon their life out here, but they won't step into here because everybody knows the mistakes that they've made. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:49.680 But you need to quit looking at them and defining them by their mistakes, and you need to keep your eyes on Jesus because Jesus had a promise for their life in the beginning. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:54.720 And what they need to know is that promise is still good, even though this is true too. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:04.160 Because our worst failure is not the end, ladies and gentlemen, if we let God keep writing the story, it's just the beginning. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:07.039 And I've said this a million times. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:12.319 Your sin doesn't shock me, but your failure is not a surprise to him. 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:14.480 It's not a surprise to him. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:18.160 It wasn't a surprise to him when Peter denied him three times. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.720 He told Peter he was going to do it. 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:22.960 He told him, he told him. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:24.559 Peter's like, I ain't doing that. 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:28.559 Somehow, somehow, we think we know better than God, and we don't. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:31.039 He did it. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:39.839 And you know, even though Jesus knew he was going to do that, Jesus still told him, Hey Peter, you're still my small rod, man. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:42.000 You're still my small rock. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:44.640 I'm still gonna use you for the kingdom. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:47.440 I got a promise for you that I'm gonna use you. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:52.960 And what happened to Peter was that he had bitter tears after it because he realized. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:59.440 And I love bitter tears because bitter tears after failure are often the beginning of real transformation. 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:01.519 It's when I sit with myself. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:04.000 It's when I sit with myself. 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:14.720 You know, I don't want to make it about me, but when I preached that sermon about weight loss, I went and sat with myself, and I just cried bitter tears to God. 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:16.400 God help me. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:18.319 Because I can't do this on my own. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:23.839 I feel like a failure because I have been, because I betrayed you and I betray my family. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:28.720