The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Word Made Playing with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, pastor Tony is teaching in the book of John. Please open your Bible to John chapter 18 verses 12 through 27.

Tony Clark: In verse 15 it says that Simon Peter followed Jesus. Oh, I love what Matthew says in Matthew 26 in verse 58 he said that Peter followed Jesus from a distance. Oh, this is key here. And maybe this describes you. Lately, you've been following Jesus, but it's been from a distance. How close are you with Jesus today? I love what Oswald Sanders, that great Christian author had to say on this subject. He says you are as intimate with God today only as you choose to be. Oh, just think of where you are right now. Look at where you are right now with the Lord.

Look how close you are with the Lord. You chose to be there. You chose that. That's where you chose to be. Well, I feel far away from the Lord. You chose to be there. You chose to be far away. You are as intimate with God today only as you choose to be. It's your choice. All of us have 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Well, we all have that. It's what you do with that. How close would determine how close or how far you are to God. You choose that. Well, you don't understand, you know, I get there the kids and there's the this and there's You're not the only one with kids.

Oh, so now kids cause us to backslide? Is that what it is? I know some some parents when they tell me, yeah, you know, we're we we are pregnant. That's the term today that couples use today. Dude, stop it. Cut it out. She's pregnant. Oh, you know, I gained weight with Cut that foolishness out and get to the gym. Stop. She's pregnant. Okay. And And then it's funny because when they tell me they think I'm excited. I am. Okay, God bless you. Got a new addition to the family. But I know I'm not going to see you or that baby till he going to kindergarten.

Cuz some of y'all Oh, y'all don't like Y'all don't like that? That's okay. It's still true. I had to get I had to get on Facebook to some folks and say, you know what, is it going to be kindergarten before I see y'all again? You know, with What the babies cause us to backslide? Is that what it is? Are we serious? You are as intimate with God as you choose to be. The choice is yours. Well, pastor, you don't understand. I I'm raising three kids. My I'm on grandkids now. You're as intimate with God as you choose to be.

I get on I get on my kids same way. Same way as that. Nobody's exempt from this thing now. You are as intimate with God as you choose to be. And so just look at where you are with the Lord. Look at where you are. You chose to be there. Well, see, but here's the thing. You're still coming to church, but it's occasionally. You read your Bible, but it's, you know, it's here or there. But it's all from a distance. Your heart is far from God. No one knows because outwardly you're still doing the right things.

But it's from a distance. So if you are in this condition, here's the thing. There is good news. There's good news. You can draw closer to Jesus starting today. The Bible says draw near to God, he'll draw near to you. It's a simple thing. I'm not going to get up here and say, here it is, 30 days of how to draw close to God. It's so You don't need a some 30 day plan. You can draw close You You doing it by being here today. You draw near to him. Here draw near to you. So verse 15 says that Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple, which refers to John, the author of this gospel.

Oh, this shows me that when we follow the Lord at a distance like Peter, watch this, we take other people with us. And this is why verse 15 said and so did another disciple. Oh, it has been rightfully said if you want to know the temperature of a home or a temperature of the church, stick a thermometer in the leader's mouth. We always take other people with us. Men, single parents, if you are cold or lukewarm in your walk with the Lord, so will your family be as well. Why? Because as a leader, we take other people with us.

It said Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. We take other people with us. Why do you think You heard me say many times, everything stands and falls on leadership. Why do you think every time a company goes down when another company comes in and buys it, the first thing they do is fire the CEO? You say, well, why do why do they do that? Because they figured It's because of you. Your leadership, this company went down. So you're the first one to go. See you. Everything stands and falls on leadership. Man, I don't want to go home, man.

My family, man. Everything stands and falls on leadership. Man, you don't know my old lady back home and you know The Bible says that the woman is the glory of the man, meaning that the woman reflects what the man is doing to her. I can always tell when a man is treating his woman right. I can see it on her face. I say he's treating you right, isn't he? Oh, yes, he is, pastor Tony. How you know? I can always I can always tell. And the opposite is true too. I can go up and I can see a woman I can say, I'm praying for you guys.

Thank you, pastor Tony. Thank you. Because he's treating her like mess. And it's showing. It's showing. Everything stands and falls on leadership, man. We want the leadership. We want the responsibility. What we got to take it. We got to take the responsibility. That means the spiritual responsibility as well. Stop depending on your your wife and your woman, your girl to be the spiritual leader dragging you around to church. Stop. Be a man. If you going to be a man, be a spiritual man, not only bringing home the bacon, but the Bible as well. Awesome men need to hear that.

That's a little too tough for you. You thought you was coming to get a little resurrection message and and and We We throw that in, but, you know, I I'm just And ladies, please stop settling for these guys that you know don't have a spiritual ounce in them. Stop doing that. Oh, somebody needs to hear this today. You need to hear that's okay. It's tough, but it's still right. And the thing is is that you can stop settling for these guys and Why do you know but he But pastor Tony, he said he Stop. Stop.

You going to kick yourself later on. Stop. Everything stands and falls on leadership. Now, notice how verse 15 also says that that disciple, referring to John, was known to the high priest. Now, it is believed that John family had a fishing business called Zebedee's fish market, Zebedee being the dad, that used to sell fish to the high priest. And this is why John was known at the gate because he used to deliver fish there. Oh, verse 16 confirms this when it says then the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to her who kept the door and brought Peter in.

So he went and just said, you know what, he's Peter he's with me. You know me. You know I 'm always delivering the fish. So he he Peter he's with me. And that's how he did that. And so as Peter is coming through the door, the servant girl just kind of staring at him. Looked at him and said in verse 17, you're not also one of this man's disciples, are you? And he says, I am not. You know, I believe that it was the way that she said this man's disciple that put fear in Peter's heart that he could be arrested as well.

So he heard of No, I'm not. She probably said, you are not this man's disciple too, are you? Oh, amazing. Put fear in his heart cuz he thought he could be arrested as well. How could Peter say that he was not even a disciple of Jesus? How How could he get to that point? Oh, I forgot to mention one of the reasons why Peter only chopped off the ear of Malchus in verse 10. I forgot to mention this last week because Matthew 26 verse 40 says Peter was sleeping when he should have been praying. And Jesus told them in Matthew 26 in verse 41, watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. I just wonder if we don't find ourselves falling into temptations unnecessarily because we are sleeping rather than praying. So instead of praying, Peter was sleeping. He wakes up and sees 600 to 1,000 soldiers and rubbing his eyes and pull out his sword and and just swung. Or I believe he was going for Malchus's head, but he happened to just get his ear. And I just wonder I just wonder I just wonder if we don't fall into temptations unnecessarily because we're sleeping instead of praying. And sleeping speaks of inactivity.

It speaks of laziness. It speaks of slothfulness. And because we're too lazy to do those spiritual disciplines and we we're too slothful to come to church and we we we just we just want to chill and do nothing. And I wonder if we unnecessarily fall into temptation because we're sleeping instead of praying. I just wonder seems to be what Jesus is implying. Verse 18 says that the servants and officers who were the temple police brought Jesus to Annas. And as they were waiting on further instructions, some of them standing outside made a fire of coals and stood there for verse 18 says that it was cold outside and they warmed themselves.

And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. Oh, I have to ask us this question. When you're feeling bad and and you're feeling lonely, where do you go to get warm? If you go to the fires of this world when you're hurting, when you're lonely, when you're confused, you're going to get burned. Just ask Peter. When you're lonely, when you're confused, if you go into the arms of someone not your spouse, let me tell you something. You're going to get burned. You're going to get burned. Just ask Peter. Now, the scene is about to shift back inside to Jesus.

Oh, we will come back to Peter in verse 25. But as the officers and as these soldiers brought Jesus to Annas for examination, for them to talk to him, now the scene is about to shift back inside in verses 19 to 24. We will come back to Peter in verse 25 as he warming himself by the fire. Look what it says there in verses 19 to 24. The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and his doctrine. And Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and then the temple where the Jews always meet.

And in secret I've said nothing. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Indeed, they know what I said. And when he had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand saying, do you answer the high priest like that? And Jesus said to him, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil. But if well, why in the world did you hit me? Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest. Now, the high priest in verse 19 speaking of Annas asked Jesus about his disciples and his doctrine.

Well, they did this to try to get Jesus to incriminate himself. You have to understand that Jewish law protected someone from testifying against themselves, which shows that this was an illegal proceedings. Well, Jesus was well aware of the law said in verse 20, I spoke openly to this world. He said I always taught in the synagogues and in the temple where the Jews always meet. And in secret I've said nothing. In other words, Jesus was saying, I don't have a secret agenda. I'm not trying to hide anything. He said I spoke openly so everyone can hear it.

Then in verse 21 he says, ask those who heard what I said to them. Notice how Jesus never put himself in a position where he would incriminate himself. And this is wise counsel for us as well. If we speak openly, no one can accuse us of anything. Oh, we get into trouble when we start speaking privately and in corners and in secret in the corner of the break room and whispering and gossiping about people in dark places. That's when we find ourselves getting in trouble, not Jesus. He says, I spoke openly for everyone to hear.

Ask them what I said. Look what he says there in verses 25 and to 27. Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, you are not also one of his disciples, are you? And he denied it and says, I am not. And one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off said, did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter then denied again and immediately a rooster crowed. Now the scene shifts back to Peter warming himself by the fire that we left off in verse 18.

Now in verse 25 the people standing by the fire looking over at Peter and asked him, you are not also one of this man's disciples, are you? And he denied it and said, I am not. Then in verse 26 one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of Malchus, he said, no, dude, I I don't dude, I saw you. I saw you in the garden. Man, I Man, I saw you know you You cut off Y'all call him Malchus, we call him Mookie. But you know, you cut off Mookie's ear, man. We were there.

Saw you. You You I know it. Come on over here. I know I saw you. And Peter denied again. And immediately a rooster crowed. So here is Peter denying three times that he even knew the Lord. And after the third time, verse 27 says immediately a rooster crowed. Oh, just like Jesus told Peter in Luke 22 in verse 34 said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know me. Now, what's interesting about the crowing of the rooster is that they made a very penetrating sound.

And on top of that, they made a big mess. And so they were outlawed in the city of Jerusalem during the holy feast days. Now, how ironic that Jesus uses the crowing of a rooster for Peter because in essence he was saying, Peter, you are about to make a big mess in your life. But there's also a bright side to all of this for it was the crowing of the rooster that also signified the dawning of a new day. And yes, Peter, you blew it. Yes, Peter, you denied me three times. Yes, you made a big mess mess, but a new day is dawning.

And I'm not through with you yet, not by a long shot. And we will see Peter get restored back into ministry in John chapter 21. And this is why Paul would later write in Galatians 6:1 when he says, if you see a brother overtaken in a fault, in a sin, you that are spiritual go and restore such a one in the spirit of meekness and gentleness considering yourself. Restore, not remind. Restore, not reveal. Restore such a one in the spirit of meekness. You know why? Because that's how you want to be restored. Oh, we're restoring them next week.

We could be restoring you the following week. And you want it to be done in the spirit of gentleness. Oh, I love it. It's not on the screen. I love that word restoring the Greek language is It's an amazing word. It means to restore to its original condition. Doctors would use to describe the setting of a broken bone. Fishermen would use to describe the mending of a torn net. And soldiers would use to describe the equipping for battle. So it was an amazing word that is used. It means to bring back to his original condition.

And so you see someone that's their lives are broken. You to set them back, bring them back to his original condition, the path of God, the path of life. And this is what we're called to do. We're called to restore. Restore, not reveal. Girl, have you heard the latest news? That's not what we called to do. Restore, not remind. Oh, we do this with our children and with our spouses. We always going to remind them of their their sin and their brokenness and their failure. And ladies, you're good at this. You have a mind like an elephant.

You don't forget. Oh, you know you just did that. When did I do that? It was last Tuesday and you know it was raining outside and you know you had that blue shirt that I told you I can't stand you wearing that blue Like really? What are you doing that for? Restore, not remind. Restore, not reveal. Oh, we always want to be people that's restoring because you don't want people to remind you of your mess. You don't want people revealing to other people your junk. But how quick we are to remind and reveal when God has called us to restore.

Oh, what else happened in this trial? Well, we got to wait till next time. And we pick it up in verse 28. Now, let me conclude with this. Betrayal part two. At first we saw in part one we saw Judas betray the Lord. In part two we saw Peter deny the Lord. Peter denied the Lord because of three reasons. Number one, he was sleeping instead of praying. Remember sleeping speaks of inactivity. It speaks of laziness. Does that describe you? When it comes to spiritual things, there's an inactivity. Nothing is happening. When it comes to church and things like that, there's a laziness.

I just don't feel like it. Then if that's the case, you're sleeping instead of praying. And we need to remain in the attitude of prayer and seeking the Lord. The second reason why he denied the Lord, he was following the Lord from a distance. Maybe that's you today. Seek to draw closer to the Lord every day through prayer and and reading the Bible and church attendance just like there are there are disciplines needed for you to be in physical shape. There are disciplines needed for us to be in spiritual shape. And And these disciplines of prayer and daily prayer and reading of the word of God and coming to church, those are disciplines that's going to enable you to be where you need to be spiritually.

Or the third reason he denied the Lord, he was warming himself by the enemy's fire. Well, all you got to do is look at who you're hanging out with, who you who you're dating, who you're hanging out with. Let me tell you something. They either going to draw you closer to the Lord or further away. And look at where you are now. Could it be that you've been you're following the Lord from a distance ever since you got into that relationship? Oh, you got to ask yourself that question and deep down inside you know that it's true.

Since that relationship you've been following the Lord at a distance, no longer is is the temperature hot in your heart for the things of God now. It's just kind of lukewarm, kind of going cold. Look at who you're hanging out with. It will always tell. It will always tell. Those people will draw you closer or further away from the Lord. In God's will, we will see what happens to Jesus next time as we pick up the story in verse 28. Let's pray. Father, thank you so much for this time in your word. We pray that Lord you would do a work in the hearts of people today.

Dear God, I pray that you would draw people to you. There are those who are here who've been sleeping instead of praying. There are those who have been following you from a distance. And Lord, there are those who have been warming themselves by the enemy's fire. Once used to be warmed comforted by your presence. And now they trying to warm themselves by the enemy's fire. Oh God, I pray you draw these people to you today. And Lord, I pray for those who are here who've never repented of their sin and accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I pray that today will be the day of salvation for them that dear God that you would draw them to you by your Holy Spirit. And Lord, that you will save souls and lives and drawing them to you today. Lord, let this not just be a time that they're just paying you a guest appearance, but let it be a time that you arrest their hearts. That they would know your love and that they would experience your love even now. Draw people unto you today in Jesus's name. Amen.

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