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so again that's the Bible study in South Surrey 7:30 this Tuesday our Bible study once again is Wednesday 7:30 p.m. up in the fellowship hall and then thirdly the we're going to be having a church picnic so an email will be coming out for that this week I think and that's the the date for that church picnic will be Saturday September 16th so you can mark that on your calendars and an email will be forthcoming with with a little with some more details on that so that's September 16th in Saturday September 16th the church picnic well let's uh let's turn in our Bibles to Psalm 103 our call to worship will be reading of Psalm 103 from verse 1 to verse 14 Psalm 103 beginning in verse 1 the Word of God a psalm of David bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from destruction who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the Eagles the Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed he made known his ways to Moses his acts to the children of Israel the Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in mercy he will not always strive with us nor will he keep his anger forever he has not dealt with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities for as the heavens are high above the earth so great is his mercy toward those who fear him as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us as a father pities his children so the Lord pities those who fear Him for he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust amen well let's stand and sing together we're going to sing Psalm 103 picking up from that verse 14 where we just left off Psalm 103 in your Trinity Psalter verses 14 to 22 [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] let us pray Heavenly Father our glorious God we come to you now in prayer rejoicing that once again on the Lord's Day Sabbath we can as the saints of Christ gather together in this place we just rejoice and pray yet again we would hallow your name in this place we do pray God that you would give us that measure of grace that you would give us the Spirit of Christ that from our hearts we might cry out with great honor to you great praise to you that you might be exalted here upon the praises of this gathered assembly we just rejoice in the Freedom and the Liberty that we have to so gather we thank you that we can unmolested by the government and those of our own nation we can gather together freely in this place with full bibles to rejoice and Father Son and Holy Spirit and to sing the praises of Amazing Grace oh do impress upon us the the high honor that it is to be here to worship you are trying in God and to rejoice in the many blessings the many provisions that you've poured out upon us and your love and your mercy and in your grace we rejoice in all of those things and we rejoice we rejoice most highly in that gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior we thank you that you did send him in the fullness of the times born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who were under the law we thank you for that precious biblical truth that Christ Jesus came into this world the sinners to save for we know that we could not save ourselves we know that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God and yet you did send your son to come into this world having taken upon himself our humanity yet without sin so that he might save his people from their sins we rejoice in that precious gospel Christ obedient to the law in the stead of all those who believe Christ dying upon Calvary's cross taking upon himself the curse that was due us that we might have the forgiveness of sins we rejoice in the fact that he rose again the third day that he now having been exalted to your right hand ever lives to make intercession session for us that he rules and he reigns over his enemies that he subdues the hearts of his elect bringing them to himself we just sing the praises of our blessed Savior we thank you as we heard this morning in the morning hour we rejoice in the fact that God has sent the Spirit of Christ into our hearts crying out Abba Father we thank you for that spirit of adoption we do pray that you would help us to have that measure of the spirit rejoicing and the graces of the gospel rejoicing in our triune God on this day of worship and Sabbath rest and we do pray once again God that you would receive all honor and that this would not simply be the case here in this church but around the world that you're gathered Saints would sing your praises and that by your grace you would bring more sinners to yourself through the preaching of the gospel the power of the Holy Spirit that a multitude of newly redeemed tongues this day would sing the praises of Father Son and Holy Spirit we do pray for those unable to join us Lord God whether they're sick or or traveling whatever it may be do watch over them the strengthen your ailing Saints strengthen those with disease and illness and just uplift them heal them in body and strengthen them in spirit we do pray for all who are traveling that you would watch over them and protect them and help them to enjoy at times of refreshing and recreation and we do pray that you would bring them back to us in due time and we do pray Lord that you'd be with any and all who are struggling spiritually as well just lift them up or store them back to the joy of their salvation we pray that you would lift them up from out of the miry pit of despair or whatever it may be and plant them back on those high places where the joy of their salvation is returned and they sing the praise is enjoying the countenance in the favor of God we do pray that you would be with the government those who rule over us since we are called in your Holy Scriptures to pray for Kings and those who are in authority we do so now and we pray for those who rule throughout the world that you would cast down those who would seek to continue to propagate wickedness and favor abominations in the land and we do pray that you would raise up those who would exercise righteousness who would act sighs of proper justice and throughout the world we pray that your people would cry out for this that your people would often be in prayer those who rule over us would do so with proper justice we do pray Lord God that you would do a mighty act of salvation in the land we know that hearts are not changed and conditions and situations of the nations are not changed by law and legislation but they're changed by the power of the gospel attended by the the efficacious power of the Holy Spirit so we do that pray that your gospel would go forth that your gospel would be preached throughout the nations and that Lord God by your grace and for your glory you would bring many forth from the darkness of sin to life and light in Christ Jesus our Lord and God that throughout the earth your name would be vindicated we do pray that you would strengthen those who are persecuted for the Gospels sake that you'd be with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world just strengthening them Lord God in the face of opposition and in the face of tyranny do be near to them and cause them to be able to look away from their persecutions and look with eyes of faith upon the risen Christ and find in him much confidence we do pray that you'd be with us now then in worship we rejoice again and the opportunity to gather here we pray that you'd be with Pastor Butler as he preaches your word I just do give him aid in this pulpit to preach well the things of your word to us we do pray that we would hear from our God this morning and that we would be equipped that we would be strengthened that we would be given what we need to rejoice all the more in the gospel of saving grace and to go into an upcoming week where we might live for your glory sake and once again God we pray that the proclamation of the gospel and the worship of the triune God this morning would be unto the salvation of sinners so lord any who came in to these two doors outside of Christ and in unbelief we pray once again that you would by your grace bring them forth from the darkness of sin to life in Christ Jesus that by grace they may be saved and that they may sing along with each and every one of the gathered Saints here this morning hallelujah what a savior and we pray in the name of that Savior our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand and sing again as a church this time in your larger Trinity hymnals will sing for 27 that's for 27 and the second tune let's stand and sing together [Music] New Testament scripture reading you can turn with me in your Bibles to mark 12 mark chapter 12 beginning in verse 1 mark 12 beginning in verse 1 once again the word of God then he began to speak to them in parables a man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it dug a place for the wine VAT and built a tower and he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country now at vintage time he sent a servant to the vine dressers that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vine dressers and they took him and eat him and sent him away empty-handed again he sent them another servant and at him they threw stones wounded him in the head and sent him away shamefully treated and again he sent another and him they killed and many others beating some and killing some therefore still having one son his beloved he also sent him to them last saying they will respect my son but those vine dressers said among themselves this is the heir come let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours so they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do he will come and destroy the vine dressers and give the vineyard to others have you not even read this scripture the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief Cornerstone this was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in your eyes and they sought to lay hand on him but feared the multitude for they knew he had spoken the parable against them so they left him and went away then they sent to him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to catch him in his words when they had come they said to him teacher we know that you are true and care about no one for you do not regard the person of men but teach the way of God in true is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not shall we pay or shall we not pay but he knowing their hypocrisy said to them why do you test me bring me a Denarius and I that I may see it so they brought it and he said to them whose image and inscription is this they said to him Caesars and jesus answered and said to them render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are gods and they marvelled at him then some Sadducees who say there is no resurrection came to him and they asked him saying teacher Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies and leaves his wife behind and leaves no children his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother now there were seven brothers the first took a wife and dying he left no offspring and the second took her and he died nor did nor did he leave any offspring and the third likewise so the seven had her and left no offspring last of all the woman died also therefore in the resurrection when they rise whose wife will she be for all seven had her as wife jesus answered and said to them are you not therefore mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God for when they rise from the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are likely but are like angels in heaven but concerning the dead that they arise have you not read in the book of Moses in the burning bush passage how God spoke to him saying I am the God of Abraham the god of Isaac and the God of Jacob he is not the god of the dead but the god of the living you are therefore greatly mistaken amen well just very briefly among many other things Christ here defends the Word of God and he defends what truly is the hope of the gospel that God is the god of the living the hope of the gospel is intimately connected to the resurrection of the Dead here these Sadducees who deny who say there is no resurrection verse 18 are trying to test Christ and Jesus closes this discourse by saying they are deceived not only do they deceive themselves but they deceive others in teaching that there is no resurrection remember that Paul teaches us if there is no resurrection then we are of all men the most pitiable our faith is empty our preaching is empty and we are liars but Paul says but there is the resurrection of the Dead Christ has risen and he is the firstfruits of all those who will rise and hear Christ defends this wonderfully saying have you not read in the book of Moses that God spoke to him saying I am the God of Abraham the god of Isaac and the God of Jacob he is the god of the living and because of that truth we have the greatest hope of hopes that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved and on that glorious day or at our death we will be taken up with him just like the dying thief and on that great and final day we will have the glorious resurrection of our bodies as well but we have this living and abiding hope in our God in His Christ and in the glorious reality of his resurrection in our future resurrection because of his will let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for the truth of the Scriptures we rejoice in this in these words of our Lord Jesus Christ we do pray that you would impress upon us the glory that it is to believe in the god of the living we thank you that we have the hope the Blessed hope of the resurrection of the Dead that because Christ is risen so all who are in him will one day be risen and live with him ever after we thank you for the Blessed truth and in the hope of the gospel we do pray Lord God that your people here this morning would rejoice in it and we pray Lord God that those presently in unbelief would by your grace and for your glory be brought forth to believe in such a hope and to have such an abiding hope and we do pray that you'd be with us now as we continue in worship we do pray that you'd be with the South Surrey Bible study we thank you for this ongoing work we do pray that you would bless it that you would enrich it that you prosper itand that in due time Lord God we look forward to services being held there in South Surrey and we do just pray that you'd beam out with us in worship strengthen your Saints save sinners that Lord God you might receive all honor and praise and we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen our final hymn then if you'll stand one more time as a church prior to the preaching and saying that him is 4:16 we'll stand and sing that together for one six [Music] you [Music] turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 26 Matthew chapter 26 I'll begin reading in verse 57 and those who had laid hold of Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled but Peter followed him at a distance to the high priests courtyard and he went in and sat with the servants to see the end now the chief priests the elders and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put him to death but found none even though many false witnesses came forward they found none but at last two false witnesses came forward and said this fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days and the high priest arose and said to him do you answer nothing what is it these men testify against you but Jesus kept silent and the high priest answered and said to him I put you under oath by the Living God tell us if you are the Christ the Son of God jesus said to him it is as you said nevertheless I say to you hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven then the high priest tore his clothes saying he has spoken blasphemy what further need do we have of witnesses look now you have heard his blasphemy what do you think they answered and said he is deserving of death then they spat in his face and beat him and others struck him with the palms of their hands saying prophesy to us Christ who is the one who struck you now Peter sat outside in the courtyard and a servant girl came to him saying you also were with Jesus of Galilee but he denied it before them all saying I do not know what you are saying and when he had gone out to the Gateway another girl saw him and said to those who were there this fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth but again he denied it with an oath I do not know the man and a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter surely you also are one of them for your speech betrays you then he began to curse and swear saying I do not know the man immediately a rooster crowed and Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him before the rooster crows you will deny me three times so he went out and wept bitterly amen well let us pray father in heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you that you've given it to us and that its profitable to us and God as we come to this passage certainly two lessons are conspicuous the weakness of disciples and the magnitude and glory of the grace of God help us to take these things home with us help us to meditate upon them help us to receive with Thanksgiving your word it sets before us a gracious God a merciful Christ a christ who forgives and who restores and who even uses Peter subsequent to this wretched denial how we thank you for the gospel and how we thank you for our acceptance with you not based upon our works not based upon our faithfulness but based upon what Christ wrought and his life his death than his resurrection we pray now for the ministry and the aid of the Holy Spirit we pray now that the Spirit of God would not only teach and encourage our hearts but would warn us and that we would receive admonition from a passage like this that we would seek by your grace to be a faithful people professing proclaiming declaring the glory of Jesus Christ in the gospel do forgive us now for our sins and for our transgressions and cause us to reflect often upon that Blessed hope of Zechariah 13 that there is a fountain open for sin and for uncleanness and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well we come to the passage of the narrative now the passion and the narrative passage in the narrative passion that is exemplary for us I have tried to take pains to show or demonstrate that we ought not to moralize the death and suffering of the Lord Jesus what he did is unique what he did on our behalf is alone we are not to say wow I should learn how to deal with my workmates in a better way just like Jesus agonized in the garden no that's not given to us for example but rather it is for us to understand to believe who Jesus Christ is to worship and adore him and stand in appreciation and thankfulness for his work on our behalf but in this passion narrative certainly we should see ourselves in Peter we are not the suffering servant but we are rather the denying disciple and when we come to this passage we ought to appreciate two things and this is our our outline first the denials of Christ by Peter in verses 69 to 74 a and then the convert a conviction of Peter by Christ so in the first half yet Peter denying Jesus and then the latter two verses you have Jesus convicting Peter for a course to restoration but let's look at the denials of Christ by Peter note the setting verse 69 it says Peter sat outside in the courtyard but we ought to appreciate the larger context in which this denial occurs it had been prophesied by zechariah cited here by jesus in chapter 26 at verse 31 remember jesus said all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike the Shepherd and the Sheep of the flock will be scattered so there's an Old Testament prophecy involved in this and as well in terms of the general or larger context we have the prediction by Christ notice in verse 34 Jesus says to Peter I say to you that this night before the rooster crows you will deny me three times we then have Peters denial of the fact that he's going to deny the Lord Jesus Christ verse 35 even if I have to die with you I will not deny you he's in fatik he is assertive he is proud he is arrogant he ought to have been dependent upon the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ we see his sluggishness in the Garden of Gethsemane Christ goes in there he's exceedingly sorrowful his soul is troubled even to the point of death and what we find are his disciples fast asleep in verses 40 43 and 45 Jesus upbraids them or rebukes them for them having fallen asleep and then we turn to the arrest narrative and there we see Peter and his impetuousness taking out a sword and cutting off the ear of the high priests servant on the one hand zealous to defend the Lord but on the other hand completely and utterly misguided we get to this we get to Jesus before the Sanhedrin beginning in fifth verse 57 and it speaks specifically concerning Peter in verse 58 he followed him at a distance to the high priests courtyard again it's not simply topography it's not simply geography it is not simply locale that's in view but rather it is a feel logical statement that Peter is following but he's at a distance this isn't going to serve him well as we move to the Courtyard now note specifically the immediate context Peter is in the courtyard while Christ is in the house of the high priest the language is clear now Peter sat outside in the courtyard this is wild Christ is inside in his trial and make no mistake about it Christ is on trial but so is Peter Christ has to answer three accusers there are false witnesses there are two witnesses and then there is Caiaphas Peter faces three accusers there's a servant girl another servant girl and then bystanders Christ in this palace confesses the good confession notice in verse 64 Christ preaches or confesses Christ nevertheless I say to you from now on you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven peter is reneging on his previous confession notice in chapter 16 at verse 16 chapter 16 at verse 16 Jesus asks ooh do men say that I the Son of Man am so they start out here some say John the Baptist some elijah others Jeremiah or one of the prophets verse 15 jesus says but who do you say that I am and now Peter answers and says you are the Christ the Son of the Living God so there he confesses the good confession Jesus before the Sanhedrin makes the good confession but Peter out in this courtyard denies his master on three occasions Davies and Allison say earlier in this chapter Judas defected later the other disciples flee now Peter retreating from his promise in verse 35 denies his Lord this is indeed the climax of the disciples failure you see brethren what we have at the end of this particular gospel record is the emphasis solely and alone upon Jesus he's not helped in the work of mediation he's not assisted in the work of mediation there are not Co mediators or those who who proffer their assistance to him Christ goes it alone Christ is solo Christ is the only unique link between heaven and earth and he is the one that that accomplishes or secures our redemption and our salvation so immediate context Christ before the Sanhedrin Peter in the courtyard but as well with reference to the immediate context note their mockery of Jesus in verse 68 it says in verse 68 prophesy to us Christ who is the one who struck you we noticed last week that the parallel accounts tell us that he was blindfolded there was this Jewish idea or expectation or perhaps tradition based on the prophet Isaiah in job eleven that Messiah wouldn't need to see in order to render just judgment the Messiah would need to wouldn't need to have that outward faculty that that ability to observe something but based on the fact that he was indeed Messiah he would be able to render the just verdict without even having seen so they probably put the blindfold on him and they're mocking him saying prophesy to us Christ who is the one who smacked you but brethren as we look at this particular passage we know that his prophecy is coming exactly true he has predicted back in verse 36 verse 34 I say to you this night before the rooster crows you will deny me three times and that is precisely what's going to happen now with reference to Peter in the courtyard now let's look at the know the denials themselves in the first place we have this first servant girl notice in 69 B and a servant girl came to him saying you also were with Jesus of Galilee now she is indeed a servant girl and as you read especially the older commentators they say things like her station or her status was really not threatening at all Lourdes Peters not facing the Sanhedrin here Peters not facing the Roman armies Peters not facing some formidable foe he's not in the Valley of Elah looking down the shaft of of Goliath the giant of the Philistine army this is a servant girl France says while it is the regular term for a female servant it is a diminutive term in form and probably carries a dismissive connotation only a servant girl now that probably offends our delicate sensitivities in the this 21st century but in the context brethren this is the point Calvin says here we see that there is no necessity for a severe contest or fort many forces or implements of war to overpower a man he says for any man who is not supported by the hand of God will instantly fall by a slight gale or the rustling of a falling leaf it doesn't take the devil necessarily it doesn't take the Roman Empire necessarily it doesn't take the Sanhedrin necessarily it doesn't take the godless atheistic University professor that puts you on the hot seat it could be a servant-girl notice the charge she says you also were with Jesus of Galilee now this is probably said derisive ly remember or insultingly remember they are in Jerusalem it's a bit of a of a party spirit between the the southerners versus those in Galilee that derision has felt even more strongly in the next denial when when they say Jesus of Nazareth it's kind of like if you ever go to the Vancouver you know we used to go there a lot for for medical purposes and and you talk to a nurse or a doctor and you'd say they'd say where are you from oh we're from Chilliwack oru a dairy farm don't know why everybody in Chilliwack has to be a dairy farmer I just didn't understand that no I think out of the 80,000 people that are in Chilliwack they're not all dairy farmers I'd be a lot of cows but one wonders if perhaps Vancouverites think of Chilliwack ian's as sort of bumpkins a little bumpkin ish a little hillbilly ish not saying all dairy farmers are that you're gonna go home and cry this afternoon and say he called us bumpkins and he'll I'm not suggesting that but there is a a provincial ISM that exists you go to England for instance in London and there's a poshness or a superior air versus those from other regions you go to New York City as an Eastern Kentuckian and you're gonna raise some eyebrows well it's the same derision here he's Jesus of Galilee he is Jesus than Nazareth uh of the Nazarene it's derisive you were with him weren't you that she's just a servant girl she really has no sort of clout or power or anything of that nature but notice what Peter says verse I do not know what you are saying now there's probably a couple of ways we could take that well it sounds a bit on I do not know what you were saying Peter saying the dialect or the accent or the talk or the language is so difficult I can't sort of follow it no it's probably I don't know what you're talking about somebody says I saw you do that I don't know what you're talking about that's the spirit in which he answers I do not know what you are saying it's evasive it is to use the language of Matthew Henry shuffling speech and most likely Peter answers this way because he doesn't want to be associated with one standing before the Sanhedrin on a capital charge Peter probably just wants to save his own skin Peter who took the sword and lopped off malthus's ear is now Peter denying the knowledge of his master in the presence of a servant girl notice it doesn't stop there actually before we move on Spurgeon says whatever the consequence of confessing Christ might have been to Peter they could not have been as bad as this base denial was it's beautiful whatever you think in your life is the consequence for denying Jesus it is never as bad as the consequence of denying Jesus we need to follow Chrysostom remember that matter Polycarp rather when he's about to be put to death recant Christ or you'll die 80 in six years if I served him and he's never let me down why would I deny him that's the attitude that we need to inculcate that we need to have in the presence of those who call upon us but no he denied it before them all saying I do not know what you were saying wasn't just to the servant girl she expresses the question of the charge he does however deny it before them all the bystanders included notice the second servant girl and all say there are differences in terms of the the particular details in the various authors of Scripture they can be harmonized they can be reconciled I just don't want to take us far afield and lose sight of the whole but notice the second one verse 71 and when he had gone out to the Gateway another girl saw him and said to those who were there this fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth if you doubt what I said earlier about Nazareth being sort of East Kentucky to a to a New Yorker remember when Nathaniel is told about Jesus in John 146 he says can anything good come out of Nazareth they're bumpkins they're hillbillies they they got these problems there but then notice with reference to the denial here and it's important that we understand again not geography for the sake of geography not topography for the sake of topography not locale for the sake of locale but Peters movements for the sake of theology look at what's happening here verse 71 and when he had gone out to the Gateway another girl saw him and said to those who were there this fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth remember after the seat a situation in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus says come my betrayer is at hand and he goes to meet the arrest party Peter is retreating a servant girl trips him up and now he withdraws from the courtyard to the Gateway but as well it's reflective of the fact that he is moving further and further away from the master himself Davies and Alison make this observation I think it's very perceptive Peters movements which taken further and further away from Jesus also add drama he is in the courtyard then he goes to the Gateway then he leaves altogether you see this is what Christ is and now Peter is departing from him so we see this geographical slash theological movement of Peter but notice specific words in verse 1772 but again he denied with an oath I do not know the man so he moves from I don't know what you're talking about sort of an evasive NASA a shuffling speech nassif what matthew henry says to a flat-out denial of the man course he knows Jesus name course he ought not to just refer to him as the man but he now ups the ante he moves from this sort of mumbling fumbling I don't know what you're talking about to a public denial of Jesus Christ with an oath a brethren I know that throughout the course of this sermon I'm going to sound a bit hard on Peter not really trying to but Peter perhaps needs a bit of that sort of treatment because I think that Peter serves as the foil for the manifold grace of God those are the two conspicuous lessons in the passage the weakness of man and the glory of God and so we need to really develop and understand what's happening here with Peter why is Peter doing what he's doing again it's probably to save his own bacon he doesn't want to be associated with this Galilee and with this Nazarene that is standing in a capital a capital trial at that particular time so Peter moves from a vague evasion to flat-out denial by even employing an oath and doesn't even refer to Jesus by name now note the third instance the bystanders of verses 73 and 74 and a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter surely you also are one of them for your speech betrays you then he began to curse and swear saying I do not know the man now the bystanders obviously are the persons standing by this reference to him being a Galilean also the other writers acknowledged this in a bit clearer language in mark and in Luke I suspect Matthew doesn't because Matthew's a Jew writing to other Jews they wouldn't need to be informed about the galilean dialect but that Eastern Kentuckian when he goes to New York gives himself away when he says how y'all doin I haven't I think met a Newfoundlander but I understand I'm sure I have I think yeah Union Gospel years ago and they talk distinctly right they pop into Chilliwack and they start talking and immediately you say you're not from around here are you I've had that and say you're not from Canada are you at the Southern California draw I don't know what it is but Peters dialect gave him away there's that scene in Judges 12 when the Ephraim I sir found out because they couldn't pronounce she couldn't pronounce the word Shibboleth they come to the fjords and the gileadite say say Shibboleth and they'd say Sybil s because they couldn't make the SH sound and so those Ephraim i'ts died as a result of that say wow that's pretty hardcore yeah they're at war with the Ephraim inés if they can't prove that they're gileadites they're gonna die like an ephraim i but the word was Shem Oh laugh they couldn't say it and Peter's Galilean you know a podunk accent or dialect gave him away so notice the bystanders say surely you also are one of them for your speech betrays you Bruner says his accusers heard a manifest Galilean saying he knew nothing about the most widely known Galilean of his time oh no I haven't heard of that one he's the most famous fellow a person right now what do you mean you haven't heard of this man you're a Galilean your speech betrays you certainly you would know this if you were being honest but Peters not being honest now note the denial he moves from evasion to denial with an oath to now denial with a curse and an oath I think at times we read this particular language we see this word swear so we believe that he dropped some of those bad words that were told as children not to say and we shouldn't say ever but you know we get that idea that he's just you know dropping these four-letter words and in the demonstrate is his seriousness in terms of no I don't know him this whole idea of of curse it probably means to invoke a curse upon himself now there's some question concerning this based on what happened you know subsequent to this in time some commentators suggest that he actually cursed Jesus because later it became the test for professing Christians in the Empire if they would curse Jesus they would be free to go if they didn't curse Jesus then they would be executed or imprisoned their what not so some suggest that's who he curse I don't believe that I believe the ESV ik renders it accurately what it says he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear but think about that for just a moment he is lying he knows that he's lying he is patently and manifestly lying we know that he's lying everybody that reads this account knows these line and he is invoking the wrath of God Almighty upon him to strengthen the case of his life you see how bad it is when we first begin down the bad or down a road that we shouldn't go who knows where we're gonna end up Owen was right if if sin at its way every lustful thought would end an absolute adultery every little thought of unbelief would it would add it and an absolute atheism you see we cannot entertain sin we can't leave the door open just a little bit for sin we can't mumble and murmur something like what what are you talking about because if we don't grab our heart if the Spirit of God doesn't subdue us we're gonna be denying our master with an oath and then denying him with an oath and with a curse upon our own heads the word used here is the same word used in Mark's Gospel anathematized it's a bit of a different brief X but it's that idea make God's wrath come upon me if I am lying about knowing him you see and Peter you get an out you get the of sin gone afoul and sin gone awry from a mumbled protest of ignorance Peter has moved to a vigorous public denial that's where we find ourselves up to verse 74 a he began to curse and swear and said our saying I do not know the man now before we move on to his conviction I just want to draw out a few observations concerning the gravity or the seriousness of this in the first place Peters experience demonstrates the gravity of his senior what is Peter's experience he was the first to be called to the Lord Jesus for the apostolic ministry he was the first to hear the master say I will make you a Fisher of men Peter's experience included hearing Christ on the Mount speak that glorious Sermon on the Mount and recognizing that he spoke not as the scribes but he spoke as one having authority he heard Christ's discourse in the missionary discourse in chapter 10 he heard Christ speak concerning the community of of Christ people in Matthew 18 he heard the prophecy at all event he heard the teaching and instruction of our Lord in it's very public settings he heard the teaching and instruction of the Lord in its private settings as Christ discourse with the disciples consider what Peter saw Peter saw amazing things didn't he and he think about who it is that's denying the master he is the one who himself walked on the water to get to where Jesus was he is the one who witnessed or one of the ones who witnessed Christ still the waves and the and the wind he witnessed Christ raised people from the dead he witness Christ take a few loaves and a few fish and feed multitudes of people he witness Christ he'll blind men he witness Christ he'll deaf men he witness Christ he'll dumb men he witness Christ cast out demons from these persons Peters experience was absolutely incredible he made the good confession in Matthew 16:16 he saw the amount of tray of Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 and as far as the Apostles go many are right to conclude that Peter was the chief among equals who stands out in the first half of the book of Acts is Peter when Jesus speaks to the disciples more often than not it's Peter James and John Peter was an eminent one among this group and now we see him bow bowing before the godless multitudes secondly the gravity of the denials are seen in the accusers the accusers just just a servant girl and again I know that's offensive in the 21st century ear but it's not when we consider the situation Jesus is standing before the highest religious political civil Criminal Court in all of Israel at the time and he makes the good confession Peter faces two servant girls and some by standards and standards and he leaned IG's on his previous confession and he actually denies his master with ODEs and curses the accusers demonstrate the gravity of the denial as well the timing the timing or the time involved notice verse 73 and a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter Luke's Gospel tells us that this was about an hour had passed how does that demonstrate the gravity sometimes we just mess up in an instant don't we hi you guys all look puzzled well some of us just mess up instantly I know that seems hard to understand if you're tracking you know what it's like and you can judge a situation I mean he blew it he made a mistake but he fixed it immediately he repented right after Peter didn't knew that an hour passed and he's still denying the master this underscores the gravity this underscores the the nature of it it was saddle it was resolved it took the span of at least an hour but as well the number of times that he denies the master again sort of like the timing in terms of our but the repetition Davies and Alan Ellis and wisely comment intent cannot always be judged when a thing is done once again sometimes sinners we do some pretty horrific things how could you ever do it I don't know I just did it please forgive me sorry don't know what came over me it's a little different than a settled resolution a little different when a man spends years hiding and cherishing a sin versus you know a one-time immediate repentant sort of thing intent cannot always be judged but when a thing is done once but this is not true of something done thrice repetition then reflects resolution and then the audience see he doesn't just deny to the servant-girl he doesn't just deny to the second servant girl he denies in the presence of them all in the courtyard bad isn't it Kelvin thinks so he says this circumstance aggravates the criminality of Peter that in denying his master he did not even dread a multitude of witnesses and then the nature of the denials themselves evasion I don't know what you're talking about to denial with an oath to denial with a curse and an oath what Peter did here brethren is bad what Peter did here brethren is sinful what we have here is something of a New Testament equivalent to second Samuel Chapter you know eleven and twelve when David king of Israel a man after God's own heart sees a woman lost after her takes or lays with her commits adultery and then in order to cover it up has her husband murdered in battle that's kind of like what we see in this passage let's look at the conviction of Peter by Christ verses 74 B and 75 note the remembrance and the remorse first the remembrance the end of verse 74 immediately a rooster crowed praise God for His goodness see sometimes people get upset children I think this happens maybe more so as teenagers you always catch me when I do something wrong isn't God good isn't God merciful what would happen if you didn't get catched you keep doing wrong you keep getting hard you keep getting alienated from all that is good and godly immediately a rooster crowed I love the way Henry describes this the crowing of a is to Peter instead of John Baptist the voice of one calling to repentance conscience should be to us as the crowing of the to put us in mind of what we had for gotten but as well the parallel account tells us it wasn't simply the rooster but it was also the look the look described this look a few weeks ago you know Jesus looked at him Luke 22 61 and the Lord turned and looked at Peter wasn't mean-mugging it wasn't I'm gonna get you that's a way to expect isn't it so this is our doctrine of God we've sinned against God so we expect him to give us the look we had that when I was growing up you always knew if mom was in a bad mood because of the look I'm sure I communicated that looked my children they're smiling now yes we know of a look you grow to appreciate when somebody is in the look mode that's what we would expect Peter just denied Jesus what is the look that Jesus would give to it it's a grimace it's a scowl it's judgement it's I'm gonna get you I think Spurgeon gets it right Peter must have looked up at the Lord or he would not have seen that look of sorrow pity love and forgiveness that the Lord gave him before he went out and wept bitterly and then Spurgeon offers very sage practical advice to us because I'm not sure that Peters the only Peter in the room this morning not sure that Peters the only man among us that has denied as Lord may not have been in a public setting may not have been with a servant girl may not have been with bystanders but it isn't any cherished sin isn't any pets in isn't any sin that we're not dealing with radically to excise from our lives a denial of the Savior isn't it ultimately young man addicted to porn it might be the case that you are right here along with Peter woman addicted to gossip or whatever it is that that tickles your fancy it might be the case that you with Peter need to look at him you need to understand that look of sorrow pity love and forgiveness Spurgeon says if any one of us has denied the Lord that bought him let him look up to him who now looks down from heaven ready to pardon the backslider praise God for verses 64 B and 75 and the subsequent written revelation concerning Peter if you do not see and appreciate the grace of God in this passage restoring Peter after what he's done you're missing the point of the narrative know what this does for Peter it's the rooster it's the look it's the remembrance and Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him before the rooster you will deny me three times there's a a rationale or a justification as to why we study sound doctrine every Sunday morning or every other Sunday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 why we have a morning service why we have an evening service and why we have a Wednesday night service it isn't so we can just be cerebral Christians Headey Christians intoxicated with the wisdom of the ages in terms of theological acuity it is to inform you of God's Word so that you might not sit against him you see the close connection between the word and recovery the close connection between the word and conviction the close connection between the word and everything good in your life you reject and resist the word you do it to your own detriment and to your own suffering oh I don't want to waste time going to Bible study I don't have the time to make it to evening service what do you have time for what is more important than what Jesus described man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God the psalmist says thy word I have hidden in my heart why that I might not sin against you it wasn't until the remembrance of the word of truth captivated Peter's heart and mind this is what promotes the road to recovery this is what produces godly repentance this is what causes the tears to start to flow up until this point he's hardened he's arrogant he is confident he is invoking the wrath of God upon his head while he is knowingly lying to persons who really don't matter don't miss the word don't skip the word don't neglect the word person say oh I'm so busy in a day I don't know how it is we can fit in everything else in our busy day except the word see brethren we'll make time for what is important to us we will make time do those things that captivate and and and and ravish our hearts we spend present we spend time in the presence of those we value in prize has it ever dawned on you if you're that busy maybe you need to take a look at your life I'm not saying don't work hard I think men should work hard that's the ratio and the Sabbath commandment we always focus on the rest and we should but brethren it's preceded by six days of work get up and work work hard work wise work diligently work much and if your life is so busy that you can't fit in some time with scripture then maybe stop not working but stop doing some other stuff stop looking at internet porn for one notch in that time being used in the Bible stop calling your girlfriend to gossip all night you just don't have time to read my Bible whoever hey did you see what happened to so-and-so or maybe just don't post one more selfie on Instagram I don't believe that all those selfies are that conspicuous that sit then there's posing they comb the hair get the background set up there's probably selfies take more time out of your day and I'm not saying I've seen yourself in as maybe some of you do need to comb your hair before you do that but we waste time like it's going out of style like there's no end to it except when it comes to going to church on a Sunday night and partaking of the Lord's Supper suddenly we don't have time I don't buy it I'm sorry I don't think others buy it as well I think at times it just reflects poor discipline poor consistency and poor faithfulness and those things are fixable I'm not here to hurt you or beat you down or say you're terrible human beings but I am saying that Peter was on the road to ruin until he remembered the word many of us might be on the road to ruin and we need to remember the word notice his remorse so he went out and wept bitterly now this is a good thing isn't it he wept bitterly because that's all argue in just a moment his weeping was not like Judas weeping but then he went out may hint that he was concerned perhaps about what is weeping might communicate to this audience in other words he hears the rooster he sees the look he goes out and weeps bitterly what happens if he weeps in their presence why is he crying why would he weep might demonstrate that he was in fact lying denying with oaths and curses the master who had bought him so last his tears betray that he really is a friend of Jesus lest his tears betray that he's actually telling lies he goes out any weeps bitterly that you get this might have not even been perfect repentance I'm gonna tell you something there ain't no such thing as perfect repentance do you know that your repentance needs to be repented of your tears need to be repented of everything we do needs to be repented of listen to John Calvin he says and by this example we are taught that we ought to entertain confident hope though our repentance be lame for God does not despise even weak repentance provided that it be sincere yes he went out yes most likely so they wouldn't be to say yes he's lying he's a friend of the Galilee and Nazarene but but brethren it's nevertheless genuine repentance and we know that the presence of remorse does not necessarily mean the reality of repentance you need to understand that just because a sinner cries over his sins doesn't mean all is well with his soul notice in 27 3 Judas his betrayer seeing that he had been condemned was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying I have sinned by betraying innocent blood we look at Esau and he he had tears Esau wasn't crying because he wanted rightness with God he was crying because he didn't get the blessings he wanted it wasn't repentance not all remorse is repentance but in Peters situation we have subsequent revelation that tells us Peter was in fact genuinely repentant notice in verse 32 of Matthew 26 but after I have been raised I will be I will go before at you to Galilee who's he said who's he addressing he's addressing the eleven notice in chapter 20 28 at verse 7 and go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and indeed he is going before you into Galilee there you will see him before behold I have told you notice in 28 1028 10 then jesus said to them do not be afraid go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me and then notice in verse 16 then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee that's Peter now Peters not mentioned after the denial in chapter 26 we don't hear Peters name again in Matthew's Gospel we do hear it again after this point in Mark's Gospel so turn over to mark chapter 4 a lark chapter 16 and I think there's a reason why we have it the way we do in mark chapter 16 look at verse 6 but he said to them do not be alarmed you seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified he is risen he is not here see the place where they laid him but go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you into Galilee there you will see him as he said to you now some of us have a conviction that Mark's Gospel is essentially Peters preaching in other words Peter preached for an audience at Rome and Mark was the recorder mark was the scribe mark was the Isaac furiously writing in his notepad and then person said can we get a copy of those notes can we see those lectures from the Apostle Peter and they circulated and they moved and they got canonical status some of us believe that so when we look at it in that light Peters preaching Peter rehearses and records to his audience that Peter denied his master three times so that when we get to sixteen seven he says but go tell his disciples and Peter it's almost as if Peter in that lecture moment says yours truly was included among them I was not left out I was not cast away he did not deny me though we are faithless he remains faithful that's this Christ that we serve and of course John 21 the epilogue to John's Gospel when Jesus has that famous interaction with Peter Peter do you love me Oh Lord you know that I love you Peter do you love me Oh Lord you you know that I love you Peter do you love me Oh Lord you know that I love you why is it three times probably reflective of the three denials and this evidences and demonstrates to us that it wasn't just the rooster it wasn't just the look it wasn't just the remembrance of the word and a perdition or add amnesia or destruction but it led to recovery it led to forgiveness it led to God's grace and in through the Lord Jesus Christ the contrast between Peter and Judas is reflected in 2nd Corinthians 7:10 for godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted but the sorrow of the world produces death Matthew Poole says on this whole account a good man may fall and that Fowley but he shall not fall so as to rise no more Oh brethren thus ends the exposition we've got two lessons first a lesson concerning disciples and secondly a lesson concerning God first with reference to the disciples we're gonna break this down a little bit don't think you're getting off too easy only two points yeah there's a few sub points so bear with me the Apostle Peters sin we spent enough time here but just highlight that it is exacerbated based on his position as a chief apostle and based upon his his experience with the Lord Jesus Christ it is demonstrated by both his geographical movements his retreat from Jesus courtyard gateway gone but through his words evasion denial by oath denial by curse and oath it is explained well in Ryle if you have Royals expository thoughts look at his treatment of this section and if I may read John Calvin's commentary on this whole narrative it is so pastoral it is so blessed it is so wonderful it is so balm of Gilead for the soul that if you've got Calvin's commentaries at home or you look them up on ccel you read that did the comments on on this narrative of Peters denial beautiful masterful but Ryle just tells us what we see leading up to this denial because it's not typically the case brethren that people just fall in utter you know you know the acts of depravity just spontaneous Elysa guy who commits adultery and it's got a pattern behind it he'd just fall there were probably steps that preceded that doesn't have to be adultery take gossip the other sin I'm picking on this morning take line pick cheating take whatever it is there's a lot of things that precipitate a great fall you stop reading your Bible you don't go to the Lord's Supper you don't go to Wednesday night I realize not everybody can do these things I realize there's providential hindrances I realize that but if you can be where the Word of God is the language of Christ suggests that you should be if man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God then you want not to absent yourself from it so these little things precipitate at times Great Falls he says that Peter exhibited self confidence self confidence I'm wedding ready to die with you Lord Peter exhibited indolence laziness in the garden of gethsemane number I quoted Brutus Brunner several weeks ago it was Peters three naps that preceded the three denials in the courtyard three naps in the garden preceded the three denials in the courtyard so his indolence his cowardly compromising verse 58 he follows but it's at a distance his venturing with evil company in the courtyard in verse 69 he should have been hanging out with these servants of a group of people that are in the in the in the process of trying to engage in a capital crap capital criminal offense of Jesus your master he goes on to say the cursing the swearing and the threefold denial typically and I said typically there are times when you know the Sun or vehement temptations comes over a man and he just gives it but if you look at the anatomy of a fall I've seen it before in terms of ministerial falls there was a lot of things that precipitated that oh yeah you start praying he didn't read his Bible he didn't preach with power he you know rehashed old sermons and all there's a lot of steps to precipitate this fall and it could be the same thing in our cases we need to take pains not to duplicate those depp's not to be self-confident not to be indolent or lazy or sluggish not to be those who compromise but by following but at a distance not to venture into evil company and certainly not to get to the point where we deny our master with curses and with with with swears and then as well in terms of general disciples in general we need to observe that the boldest and proudest confessors can can become the most pathetic deniers your heart just kind of ache when you go through this passage no no Peter no I've often thought we become narrators you know Monday morning quarterbacks when we read certain passages in Scripture we get to second Samuel 11 or yelling David don't do it David go out to battle like is the custom of kings don't send Joab in your spot don't venture up onto that roof don't take your eyes and look at Bathsheba don't send for her don't call for her don't lay with her and don't try and cover it up by having her husband executed on the field of battle you feel that when we come to this passage Peters been a mountain top man he has been the confessor part confessor he has said thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God the Lord Jesus isn't blessed art thou simon barjona for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my father was in heaven Peters seen the glory of Christ manifest on the Mount of Transfiguration he said it's good for us to be here Lord let me make three booths one for you one for Moses one for Elijah let's just stay and dwell together here forever and now he says to a servant girl I don't know what you're talking about I don't know the man with an oath I don't know the man with a curse and an oath the boldest and proudest confessors can become the most pathetic deniers the earnest defenders of the Lord before invading armies can kowtow to serve in girls non saying these things so that we'll all watch and pray so that will all take heed to what we learn in the Garden of Gethsemane when Christ is waking them up and he is telling them to watch and pray if Peter Falls in this manner we cannot say well it's never gonna happen to me well Peter said the very same thing in verse 36 or verse 35 you see that the earnest defenders of the Lord before invading armies can become deniers before slavegirls we're in the same you know spatially six or seven inches on the on the written page Peter with the sword lopping off mouth this is here ready to throw down in defense of Jesus and then before slavery what you're talking about not only do I not know what you're talking about I don't know the man oh I don't know the man cursing over the sluggish with reference to watching and praying set themselves up as potential deniers I think that is a perceptive comment by Brunner I recommend commentaries a lot Bruner's a mixed bag theologically I'm not only sure where he's at but literally and exegetically I mean he comes up with some masterful observations and I think the three naps in the garden precipitated the three denials in the courtyard is legit I think that is legit if you're gonna be sluggish if you are gonna be lazy if you're gonna sleep when the Word of God comes you're gonna sleep past the Word of God you're going to neglect it you're gonna have a much more difficult time holding your ground before the servant-girl before the bystanders before the roman armies brethren who is it that we want to identify with in Scripture it's the hero it's the man who goes out and battles Goliath it's not Saul in his arm he's hiding and cowering and fearing and wavering we want to identify with those who do not deny the Lord Jesus Christ but stand firm well there's an ethic there is precipitation there if we're going to stand fast we must precipitate it by faithfulness by consistency by discipline and then we ought to appreciate with reference to Peter in this passage the reality that the bed men are men at best the best of men are men at best and that ought to have two effects on us one it ought to promote in us a watchfulness and a prayerfulness if this best of men was a man at bat the best of men with men was men at best then what we find here is that these things can happen to us if we're not watchful if we're not prayerful but as mentioned in the last hour ought to promote charity and us toward our brethren if Peter does this brethren somebody that you love professors faith in Christ can do it too I know this is tough cuz you know immediately questions what about church discipline what about divorce what about it my husband there's what about my wife does what about what about what about what about what about oh I don't know all the answers to your what about but I know that Christians believers godly men can do some pretty miserable things and Peter's proof positive of it and so is David we can do some pretty wretched and lecherous things the judgment of charity brethren needs to be practiced by the people of God judgment of charity ought to be practiced by parents with professing Christian children how could you ever do such and such how could you ever call yourself a Christian and do such and such that could be some very difficult language to hear as a redeemed sinner and then the recognition of the necessity of the Word of God for recovery Gill says forgetfulness of God of his works of his words and of his law of his revealed mind and will is often the cause of sin and a remembrance of things is necessary to the recovery of a fallen or backsliding professor now in terms of the truth concerning God we see something about the word itself in this very passage this is a credit to Matthew that he records this isn't in to credit to mark that he records what Peter no doubt preached it's a credit to Luke it's a credit to John it's a credit to the author of second Samuel that we don't try to sanitize the Word of God by Pete by keeping the blemishes and warts of our heroes out you talk about proof for divine inspiration of scriptures I mean not only was Peter you know sort of the first among equals he was friends with these guys Matthew Mark Luke John they were buddies they loved each other but they're going to record these things in the interest of truth now in terms of harmonizing this passage with 1033 some of you may have thought of that passage Jesus says if you deny me I will deny you before my father suffice it to say I believe that there is a difference between sort of a settled practice and an occasion of weakness and Calvin says therefore he throws himself down knowingly this is Peter and after previous warnings but afterwards he obtains pardon from which it follows that he sinned through weakness and not through incurable malice that's legit I think that harmonizes well I think we ought to see and appreciate the grace of God even in the midst of a Peter denial of Christ and so finally this is where it brings us there may be believers here that have a bruised broken battered conscience because you've opened the door for sin and then you haven't shot it and it's funny about open doors they just get opened born don't they I mean I guess a good Gail comes the other way it slams the door but for the most part you open a door a little bit it keeps opening then some of you may have opened that door and some of you may continue to let that door open you know what this passage affords is the hope of the pardon of God this is a public statement and declaration of the good news of Psalm 1 thirty but there is forgiveness with thee that thou may has to be feared we see that that effect upon Peter he's restored by our Lord Jesus who is it on the day of Pentecost that stands up and brings the word he brings it with power and authority and multitudes are saved what a testimony to the Grace and to the mercy and to the kindness of our God what a testimony the power of the Christian gospel for believers if you were bruised and broken this morning take it to the Lord go to the father through the son by the Spirit plead his merit plead his mercy plead for forgiveness confess the sins that you've engaged it and you will be forgiven and then watch and pray watch and pray don't leave this particular narrative without that ringing in your ears watch and pray if Peter if Peter fell then we cannot conclude well it'll never happen to me I conclude just the opposite if it happened to Peter it most likely could happen to me I need to watch I need to pray I need to make sure I'm where the Word of God is I need to remember it I need to hide it in my heart I need to make sure that these things are fresh and clearing and always before my eyes and even then I need to acknowledge I'm under absolute dependence to the grace of God because not all that I do but it's ultimately all that God does through me Calvin says Peters fall which is here related is a bright mirror of our weakness in his repentance also a striking instance of the goodness and mercy of God is held out to us this narrative therefore which relates to a single individual contains a doctrine which may be applied to the whole church and which indeed is highly useful both to instruct those who are standing to cherish anxiety and fear this passage instructs those who are standing to cherish anxiety and fear that means watch and pray and to comfort those who have fallen by holding out to them the oh pardon that beautiful we have the hope of pardon and through our Lord Jesus Christ that's for believers if you're an unbeliever this morning witness in this passage witness and the Lord's dealings with Peter how gracious how merciful and how time our Lord Jesus is there is absolutely no reason that you could ever give as to why you wouldn't or shouldn't come to this Savior he is altogether lovely he is chief among ten thousand he is the most excellent he is the most glorious he is the most radiant he is the most blessed and beautiful and he is promised that all those who come to me I will certainly not cast out john tells us this is his commandment that we believe in the name of the son of god I think I'll braid you for doing what God says don't resist the Savior hope for pardon for your sins in this one who pardoned Peter and restored Peter and who sent Peter on a glorious mission to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ don't continue in sin and rebellion and unbelief but rather fly flee run look to Christ and live well let us pray father we thank you for your word and we thank you for the Lord's gracious and tender dealings with even Peter God as we acknowledge we have been Peter in so many instances and in so many ways and in so many times and we have found you to be a God who forgives we have found the promise of first John 1:9 to always be efficient that if we confess our sins you're faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness we have found the beauty of confessing with David in Psalm 130 there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared God our hearts desire and earnest plea is that any and all who are here this morning that are unbelievers you'd open their eyes and their hearts to behold the one set forth in this passage not the weakness of Peter necessarily but the power and the efficacy and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ may this be the lasting lesson that you impress upon the hearts of sinners today and may they by grace look live that they may know the joy of being found in Jesus Christ go with us now and help us to sanctify this day bring us together tonight that we may worship you again and we pray through Christ the Lord amen close you