So what’s going here is that Jesus has already chosen his disciples, right? And here is Simon, who seemed to be like a reed shaken in the wind almost. Simon at this time was not as strong as other disciples were. But lets’ be honest, who’s ever at that exact point where God wants us to be right? So all of the disciples, Jesus had already gathered them around and he knew their flaws but he also knew their strengths. And to Peter, what is the very first thing that he does? First, he changes his name and he tells them that “…upon this rock I will build my church.” Well, now, who is the Rock of ages according to Scripture: Jesus, right? So the first thing that Jesus is communicating to Simon Peter is that you will rely on Me and upon Me you will build my church. Right? So that’s the very first thing that Peter is told.

So Peter gets a little boost, you know, and he says, “You know what? I will. I just need to lean…” He’s told by God, “Just lean on me and I will lead you. And then, unfortunately, Jesus…what is he doing in that verse? He’s predicting Peter’s denial. But Peter is saying, “Lord, I will not. I will not!” You know he was just told “Lean on me first” but he switches his words and says that “I will not leave you.” And Jesus tells him, “(You’re) so sadly mistaken. Before the rooster crows, you would have denied me three times.” I don’t think Peter really understood what that meant because he was so sure that he would not fail him. But how different would that have been if instead of saying “I will not fail you;” if instead of saying that Peter would have said, “Lord, with your help, I will not fail you.” So (that was) Peter’s second mistake: not trusting God enough.

So we’re seeing here that the passages are just letting us know how Jesus was working on Peter’s discipleship. Now just so that we remember, Peter was the oldest out of all the disciples. So how many of us have already had kids? Some us maybe are the younger ones in the family; we have siblings, and we have an older sibling. And what would happen – for all the mothers and fathers here, or even the siblings – whenever you did something with your older or younger sibling that you were not supposed to do, what does the parent do? When he corrects you, he automatically goes to whom? He doesn’t go to the younger baby, right? And Peter was not the only one who fell asleep, they all did. And whom did Jesus wake up first? Peter. Because he was trying to make an example like “This is just a shame! You’re the oldest one, you’re supposed to be leading, and here you are asleep. Hmmm.” So Peter is falling asleep. Now do we think that Peter was following God closely or at a distance: At a distance. And we know through Scripture that Gethsemane, this is when Jesus is praying, this is the night that he is taken away. The biggest agony in his heart and all of his friends have abandoned him essentially because he only asked the one thing of them that night is (that) “they stay up with me and pray.” And he came back and found them asleep. How sad.

If we were one of the disciples and Jesus was just seized before us, what do you think our instant reaction would have been? What would we have done? Some say we would have run. Anyone else? Would we have done exactly what Peter did? Does anyone feel like they would have stayed with Jesus all along? Some do. I see some nods. Some people say, “No, I wouldn’t have been like Peter. I would have stayed with Jesus. I would have been right there. I would have followed to wherever they had taken him.” But guess what—the Spirit of Prophecy in The Desire of Ages says that when the men came by to seize Jesus and we know that Peter did a very violent act and he cut off a soldier’s ear with a sword. But after doing that, what happened to Peter? What Peter did was that he told the rest of them “Let’s just save ourselves!” And as the leader, they all followed and they all abandoned Jesus as he was seized that night.

When Jesus was arrested, Peter’s instant reaction was to attack a soldier. Now if Peter was following God closely, if you were following Jesus closely every step of the way and trusted him wholeheartedly, did he really need a sword? He didn’t need to carry a sword if he trusted God, right? But he didn’t. Jesus was still working on him but Peter always carried a sword. Now in modern times, it would probably be a gun. And we would probably think, God, right? Walking around with a gun? But Peter was not at that point in his life where he trusted God enough. And he attacked and it says that cut off the soldier’s ear. Do we really think that Peter was aiming for the ear? I don’t think so. He was probably just going to go and wherever that sword landed probably in his head; he was willing to kill. But the Lord said no, he did not need to do that. All he needed to do was follow him.

But then Jesus is arrested and he is taken and only two of them follow at a distance and it is John and Peter. And the difference between John and Peter is that while Peter’s a little behind, John is a little ahead of him following closely to Jesus.

“In the court, a fire had been kindled for it was the coldest hour of the night. Being just before the dawn, a company drew about the fire and Peter presumptuously took his place with them. He did not wish to be recognized as a disciple of Jesus. By mingling carelessly with the crowd, he hoped to be taken for one of those who had brought Jesus to the hall.” {DA 710.4}

So he sits with the same people that went and arrested Jesus because he did not want to be associated with him. And yet he was a disciple, and yet Jesus chose him and be part of the twelve. And while he’s there, we see another thing that happening.

What’s happening to Peter is that because he’s following at a distance, there are certain things that he’s doing that he shouldn’t that are not what the Lord wants us to do. And then the second thing he’s doing now is that he goes to associate with the crowd that does not believe in Jesus. And now if we put that in our own lives sometimes we hang around people that don’t believe in Jesus and that’s okay as long as we’re preaching and demonstrating Jesus in our lives. But here Peter purposely did not want to be recognized. He did not want to be associated with our Lord. Because of that, once you start associating with people that instead of uplifting them you let them kind of just suck you back and lead you far from God instead of bringing you closer to him, then you kind of start taking actions that you wouldn’t consent to before. But because this is whom you are associating with unfortunately, we tend to kind of act like those that we associate ourselves with.

“After deserting their master in the garden, two of the disciples adventured to follow at a distance the mob that had Jesus in charge. These disciples were Peter and John. The priests recognized John as a well known disciple of Jesus and admitted him to the hall hoping that as he witnessed the humiliation of his leader he would scorn the idea of such one being the Son of God. John spoke in favor of Peter and gained an entrance for him also.”

Now remember what Peter had said before: he told his master that he would not deny him. That come what may, what did he say? “I will not. I will lay my life down for you.” And the first test was a simple question: “Aren’t you one of them? Shouldn’t you be over there with them?” And he said what: “I don’t know what you’re talking about. That’s not me. I’m not with them.”

“Peter was startled and confused. The eyes of the company instantly fastened upon him. He pretended not to understand her but she was persistent and said to those around her that this was the man with Jesus. Peter felt compelled to answer and said angrily, ‘Woman, I do not know him!’ This was the first denial…” {Ellen G. White, Desire of Ages (DA) pg. 710.5}

“The disciple John upon entering the judgment hall did not try to conceal the fact that he was a follower of Jesus. He did not mingle with the rough company who were reviling his master. He was not questioned for he did not assume a false character and thus lay himself liable to suspicion…”{DA 711.1}

So out of the two disciples, we see a drastic difference. One of them (John) stood by Jesus side at all times, but Peter stood back. As a matter of fact when they got to the gates, because John did not deny him (Jesus) they let him in. But Peter just kind of stood back. So then, John had to put in a word for his brother and say, “Yeah, he’s kind of with me.” And then he’s brought in.

What a difference of character. John refused to leave Jesus’ side while Peter did not want to be associated with him even though he still believed in Christ. But he couldn’t be there with him because his actions thus far were not following Jesus closely. He was following Jesus but he was following him at a distance.

And then what happened? He gets another chance, right?

So Peter gets a second chance. Now, mind you, that the Bible doesn’t mention this but there is in the Spirit of Prophecy it says that the first time that he denied Jesus the rooster also crowed but he didn’t hear it. He didn’t hear it because he was so focused on putting up this front, on disguising himself as a non-follower of Jesus that he didn’t even hear it. But the second time he gets another chance and they ask him again, “Aren’t you with them?” You would think it’s the same question repeated – something should spark up in your head, Peter! But nothing did and he said, “I do not know him.”

“Peter tried to show no interest in the trial of his Master…”{DA 712.2}

He’s in there. Jesus is getting tormented and tortured and he’s just kind of watching but pretending to be with this crowd and not that one. But people whom he was there with knew that he was different. So there’s this conflict in Peter that he wants to follow Christ but he’s not taking action towards following him closely, so, instead, he starts walking towards God but at a distance.

“…but his heart was wrung with sorrow as he heard the cruel taunts, and saw the abuse He was suffering. More than this, he was surprised and angry that Jesus should humiliate Himself and His followers by submitting to such treatment…”{DA 712.2}

And, on top of that, he’s hurt that they’re abusing Jesus the way that they are but he’s also angry, you know, and thinking, “Why don’t you just stand up and do something about it. I know you can!” So he’s angry that Jesus is putting himself in such a predicament, putting himself in there, and allowing such abuse to happen to him.

“…In order to conceal his true feelings, he endeavored to join with the persecutors of Jesus in their untimely jests. But his appearance was unnatural…”{DA 712.2}

You can’t hide it. Once you have come to the feet of the Lord, your character starts changing. You cannot hide it. Your conscience will always tell you when you’re doing something wrong and you feel it. You’re not like the rest of them. We’re not like everyone else. Anyone who has accepted Christ and has decided to follow him, immediately, we start seeing a character change. And Peter could not hide that though he was really trying. He was trying very hard!

“…He was acting a lie, and while seeking to talk unconcernedly he could not restrain expressions of indignation at the abuse heaped upon his Master.” {DA 712.2}

Peter had a second chance. He’s feeling this inside of him. He’s having a moral conflict but he’s not doing anything about it. It’s impossible to do because he’s been following Jesus everywhere but at a distance.

“An hour had passed, when one of the servants of the high priest, being a near kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, “Did not I see thee in the garden with Him? Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.” {DA 712.3}

So what is being pointed out? “You speak differently from the rest of us. Why don’t you just kind of accept that you’re with them?”

“…At this Peter flew into a rage…”{DA 712.3}

He could not stand that comment.

“…The disciples of Jesus were noted for the purity of their language, and in order fully to deceive his questioners, and justify his assumed character, Peter now denied his Master with cursing and swearing…” Mark 14:30. {DA 712.3}

So it wasn’t enough to just say, “No. I don’t know Jesus” for the second time. “On top of that, I’m going to sware and I’m going to curse to prove to you that I am not like him. I am not like them and I do not know that man!”

Peter had gone so far at this point. And then, he still gets a third chance. But what happened?

So he went out and wept bitterly.

And now it hits him. Now all of a sudden he hears the rooster crow. Peter knows at this point what he has done. And he wept bitterly. Peter was in the same danger that Judas was in terms of denying Jesus. But difference is that Judas unfortunately went out and killed himself because he couldn’t take it anymore. Peter wept bitterly, which shows a sign of regret, which shows that there’s still time; that yes, he accepts that he went against everything that he told Jesus that he wouldn’t do. He said, “I will lay my life down for you. I will not deny you.” “ But you just did it three times, Peter.” But he regrets it and he wept bitterly.

“While the degrading oaths were fresh upon Peter's lips, and the shrill crowing of the cock was still ringing in his ears, the Saviour turned from the frowning judges, and looked full upon His poor disciple. At the same time, Peter's eyes were drawn to his Master. In that gentle countenance he read deep pity and sorrow, but there was no anger there.” {DA 712.4}

I think that that is one of the greatest things ever and I didn’t realize it until I came across that while reading that. That after cursing and swearing and saying “I do not know that man!” he looks up, he hears the rooster crowing, he looks up and whom does he see? Jesus. His eyes come in direct contact with Jesus’ eyes. And Jesus knew that this was going to happen. Are you guys familiar with the “I told you so” look? Someone comes and asks you for advice and you tell them, “If you don’t do this, this and that is going to happen” and they don’t listen, and then it happens, and then they come back to you and you’re just like “Yep. Told you so.” Sometimes you don’t even say anything. You just go “Mmm Hmm.” And I know that look a lot, because my sister would always tell me what to do. I would never listen and then I would come back and say, “You were right.” And, boy, she’s got that look down! All it takes is one nod now and I get it.

But how wonderful it is that Jesus did not give him that look! Jesus looked at him and there was no anger there. He wasn’t angry. He didn’t give him that “I told you so.” Jesus in his loving character just looked at him in understanding. Kind of a knowing that he’s human, right. He fails. But knowing that he would still be there for him and help him whenever he needed him.

“The sight of that pale, suffering face, those quivering lips, that look of compassion and forgiveness, pierced his heart like an arrow…”{DA 713.1}

So Peter is now changing. All of a sudden, that anger that he felt before, all of that front that he had “I don’t know that man!” All of a sudden, it just hits his heart like an arrow: “What have I done!”

“…Conscience was aroused. Memory was active. Peter called to mind his promise of a few short hours before that he would go with his Lord to prison and to death. He remembered his grief when the Saviour told him in the upper chamber that he would deny his Lord thrice that same night. Peter had just declared that he knew not Jesus, but he now realized with bitter grief how well his Lord knew him…”{DA 713.1}

Jesus knew it all along. Peter just didn’t know that because he didn’t follow close enough to be assured of that because he always followed him but at a distance.

Peter knew how well the Lord knew him “…and how accurately He had read his heart, the falseness of which was unknown even to himself.” {DA 713.1}

Peter couldn’t even believe that of himself. He wouldn’t think that he would ever have done that to Jesus. But unfortunately, that’s kind of what happens to us sometimes. We think we know. We come here every day, we talk to others but if we’re not living an active faith in the smallest or greatest of ways, we tend to do things that we wouldn’t agree to if our faith would just be active, if we would just follow Jesus more closely than what we are.

Jesus did not give Peter the “I told you so” look. He was compassionate, merciful, and loving. At this time, we can only imagine how Peter felt. What thoughts were running through his head?

The Spirit of Prophecy goes into that.

“A tide of memories rushed over him. The Saviour's tender mercy, His kindness and long-suffering, His gentleness and patience toward His erring disciples,--all was remembered. He recalled the caution, "Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat…”{DA 713.1}

Remember what we said at the beginning? Simon was kind of sifting - just kind of going back and forth - and Jesus knew that. Jesus knows our character, he knows our hearts and he told him “Just lean upon me. Lean upon the Rock and it will all be okay.” That’s the reason he changed his name to Peter.

“…: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” Luke 22:31, 32. {DA 713.1}

Before we even ask, the Lord already knows what we need. And isn’t that wonderful! Sometimes we think we know what we need and we pray but the Lord says “No. That is not what you need right now actually.” And he helps us, and before we come to him, he’s already thinking about us.

“He reflected with horror upon his own ingratitude, his falsehood, his perjury. Once more he looked at his Master, and saw a sacrilegious hand raised to smite Him in the face. Unable longer to endure the scene, he rushed, heartbroken, from the hall.” {DA 713.2}

Peter just could not take it anymore. Everything is hitting him. His conscience comes back. He remembers everything that he had said that he wouldn’t do and he realizes that he has done exactly what he said he wouldn’t (do). And he rushed out of there, like Judas rushed out of there. But where did Peter go that night? What did he do? He didn’t care. He just ran. But let’s find out where Peter ended up.

“He pressed on in solitude and darkness, he knew not and cared not whither. At last he found himself in Gethsemane…”{DA 713.3}

-- That same place where he had fallen asleep. His heart just kind of led him there. He just ran out not knowing what to do with himself and he ended up at Gethsemane.

“…The scene of a few hours before came vividly to his mind…”{DA 713.3}

It’s kind of like when we finally realize that we’ve done something bad, everything comes back to you and we start thinking, “I should have done that differently.” But we were too blind to see at that time. Because if we’re not following Jesus closely and we find ourselves walking far from him we will lose all the great lessons and we will miss them. But Jesus has to show us.

“…The suffering face of his Lord, stained with bloody sweat and convulsed with anguish, rose before him. He remembered with bitter remorse that Jesus had wept and agonized in prayer alone, while those who should have united with Him in that trying hour were sleeping. He remembered His solemn charge, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” Matt. 26:41. {DA 713.3}

Another lesson that Jesus was trying to show Peter. Pray. Because if we do not pray for us to follow closely, we will fall into temptation; we will do those things that we do not wish to do.

“…He witnessed again the scene in the judgment hall. It was torture to his bleeding heart to know that he had added the heaviest burden to the Saviour's humiliation and grief…”{DA 713.3}

So Peter’s thinking, “You know, you’re being hurt, your’re being tortured! But I am the one that caused you the greatest grief!” And it’s true. Jesus took the pain. He took all the physical abuse but what hurts him more is our denial and not the physical pain that he went through – because he willingly did it for us.

“…On the very spot where Jesus had poured out His soul in agony to His Father, Peter fell upon his face, and wished that he might die.” {DA 713.3}

The same thought that Judas had now came to Peter. And these are disciples – men who followed the Lord wherever he was preaching! But sometimes, as it happens to us, we think we’re following closely, but their faith was inactive. And with an inactive faith we know through the gospel they couldn’t even perform the miracles because they lacked the faith even though they had the Father right there with them. And they couldn’t because of the lack of practice.

And that lack of practice, it’s so dangerous especially, you know, for Seventh-day Adventists we believe that we’re going to face all these trials and tribulations before the Lord comes. But will be able to stand if our faith today is inactive? Are we practicing a faith just based on words where we say, “Lord, I will follow wherever you may lead me I will go”? But if we’re not doing it constantly then when the huge trials and temptations come our way…you know we get upset and sometimes we stop coming to church and we just don’t want to deal with our neighbors. We are sick tired of our brothers or sisters in church. All these things that if we can get over (them) and learn to do what Christ would do in certain situations and pray for each other and lean on God instead of our own understand then we will find ourselves walking towards Jesus – but, unfortunately, at a distance.

“Peter had not designed that his real character should be known. In assuming an air of indifference he had placed himself on the enemy's ground, and he became an easy prey to temptation…”{DA 712.1}

Sometimes we all put on a disguise; we’re just like, “Well, yeah, I follow Jesus. I believe in him.” But we’re not as strong in faith and in return, we’re putting up a disguise on ourselves.

“…If he had been called to fight for his Master, he would have been a courageous soldier; but when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, he proved himself a coward. Many who do not shrink from active warfare for their Lord are driven by ridicule to deny their faith. By associating with those whom they should avoid, they place themselves in the way of temptation. They invite the enemy to tempt them, and are led to say and do that of which under other circumstances they would never have been guilty. The disciple of Christ who in our day disguises his faith through dread of suffering or reproach denies his Lord as really as did Peter in the judgment hall.” {DA 712.1}

Sometimes we suffer and we pray for others and say, “Lord, help them. We hear about destruction everywhere and the war and God please be with them.” And that’s great. Prayer is great but if we’re not doing something to help out those in need our faith becomes inactive and we put ourselves in the way of temptation. Sometimes we see brothers and sisters who don’t come to church. They may be sick or something. Wouldn’t it be nice that instead of just through prayer (that) you go and you visit them? You go and bring them some soup maybe if they’re sick – and you do something? And it is those small steps that get us exercising our faith so that we can walk closer to God and not far from him.

What is our mission today?

“Jesus had called His disciples that He might send them forth as His witnesses, to declare to the world what they had seen and heard of Him…”{DA 291.3}

Jesus wants us all to declare his name and to know that he is God and to share it with those who are starving and dying everyday for his Word!

“…Their office was the most important to which human beings had ever been called, and was second only to that of Christ Himself….”{DA 291.3}

So Christ had a very important thing to do out here, which was to teach and to lead by example. And after that, it is our turn. It is our turn to lead and create discipleships so that others may learn about him.

“…They were to be workers together with God…”{DA 291.3}

And this is reflecting on the very first thing that Jesus told Peter: “Work with me. Work upon me. Lean on me, I will guide you.”

(“…They were to be workers together with God) for the saving of the world….” {DA 291.3}

If we work together with God, it will happen.

“The Saviour knew the character of the men whom He had chosen; all their weaknesses and errors were open before Him; He knew the perils through which they must pass, the responsibility that would rest upon them; and His heart yearned over these chosen ones…”{DA 291.4}

We are the chosen ones. If we have decided to follow Christ, we have chosen to lead. But we must lead for him not at a distance but close to him. But in order for us to do that, we must have him in front of us and we must have a faith that is active.

Today’s message is, honestly, very simple: We all are disciples of Christ and we know that since the very day that we got baptized that we knew that we accepted Christ and that we would be leaving a lot of things behind (and) to lead by example. But unfortunately sometimes, that message and that mission is dismissed. Sometimes we forget about it because we haven’t been following him close enough.

The only thing I ask from all of us, and this is, and you know, the way I do it with sermons is I take something that applies to myself in that moment so you will always know what’s happening to Ali based on what she speaks about up here! I know that I have been lacking in prayer. I know that I believe in Jesus, I know that I love him. I say that I will die for him when the time comes but, honestly, I don’t think I can. I don’t think I can because my faith has to be more active. Because, like Peter, I have been following Jesus – but at a distance. And I want to help all of us lean on God first and use him so that we may follow closely so that he may lead us wherever we may need to go. And it will not always be easy but he never said it would. My favorite verse in the Bible is: “A servant is no greater than his master.” And we know of all the things that happened to him, and he still did it for us. The least we could do is just be honest with ourselves and with him and follow closer and not at a distance because he yearns for our hearts. He knows. He knows everything that we need.

So with that in mind, Please, Lord, help us all in here follow you closely and not at a distance.

Vocal Solo: “What If” (sung by: “Jess”)

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