Yes, I know the Pastor has studied, prayed and labored over
the Sunday sermon. He also has to come up with a catchy title that captures his
entire thought in three or four words.
The title is then, proudly displayed on the screen to hopefully focus
your thoughts and attention on the truths he is about to deliver. It works, it really does, that is, until he
gets off his notes and says something that gets my mind really working.
So Pastor Chipman is
preaching that we are never alone. Yep,
that was the title, “NEVER ALONE.” And it was a wonderful, comforting, feel-good,
love-you-Jesus message. After all, Jesus
promised to “Never leave us or forsake us,”
walk with us through the valleys, guide us through the storm and carry us when
we no longer have the strength to follow.
You see, “Never Alone” is a
very good title. Jesus is always there,
when we are bad, good, selfish, completely tuned in or unfaithful. Take Peter, for example, he was far from
perfect. Why, he even denied the Lord; THREE TIMES; even I take a breather in between
failings. Then it happened, Pastor
Chipman, I’m assuming, off his notes, said, “Are you sure you would want to
be an apostle? It might be you and your
failures we would be reading about.”
My mind began whirring. I’m sure
the sermon was a masterpiece and I’m sure I believe, I’m “Never Alone,” but I’m not sure what other deep, theological truths
I missed.
Have you ever thought what it would have been like to have
your name mentioned in the Bible? Most
of the time, it just isn’t that flattering!
Even the Heroes of Faith had failures that are displayed in “living
color” for all to read throughout eternity.
Ok, let’s look at Peter for example; what a great man of God, martyred for
his faith, given the keys to the kingdom, thrown in jail and preached the first
message of Pentecost to the Gentiles.
BUT….if you were Peter, how would you feel about everyone, 2,000 years
later, knowing all the things you would like to have long forgotten? Now it wasn’t Peter telling these
unflattering malfunction tales on himself.
Oh no, it was his friends and colleagues, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Can you imagine the fun they could have had if
YouTube had been invented?
PETER SINKS…Here’s
Peter getting out of the boat. He thinks
he can walk on water, hahaha. There he
goes, sinking into the water; good thing Jesus was there to save him, hahaha!!!
PETER CALLED SATAN…Jesus
tells the disciples that He will be killed and raised again on the third
day. Now watch Peter tell Jesus, “It ain’t gonna happen.” Listen closely, Jesus turns to Peter and
says, “Get behind me Satan; you are an
offense to me.” Oh, hahahah, Peter sure did deserve that put down,
hahaha!!!
PETER’S FEET WASHED
UNDER PROTEST…Jesus brings out a basin and towel and begins to wash the
Disciple’s feet. Peter says, “You’ll never wash my feet.” Jesus to Peter, “If I don’t wash your feet, you will have no part of me.” Now here is the best part, Peter says to
Jesus, “Then wash my feet, my hands and
my head.” Hahaha, Peter wanted Jesus
to wash his head, hahaha!!!
PETER DENIES JESUS…
This one has to be the most embarrassing;
Peter says to Jesus, “I will never
deny you. Even if I have to die with
you, I will not deny you.” (If you listen closely, you will hear all the
disciples say the same thing, but this story is about Peter) Jesus tells Peter “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” The
evening continues and along comes a damsel, a maid and others milling
around. As they begin to accuse Peter of
being with Jesus, he begins to deny that he even knows Jesus, until finally…we
had to bleep that part out; he began to curse and swear. Listen closely…”Cock-a-doodle-doo.” Can’t even laugh at this one; how
embarrassing!!!
We’ve probably all had “friends” that couldn’t wait to share
our “stupidest” moments. Some of the
finer ones have been captured and posted on Face book and YouTube or recounted
over and over by the blustering “Life of the Party” friend. You may know about
my “open mouth, insert foot” moment or watch my graceful “slip and fall” moment
but I am so thankful that my deepest, darkest secrets are known only between me
and God. Actually, God doesn’t even
remember them because He has covered the ugliness with His precious blood. If, like Peter, I continue to get up and keep
trying, one day maybe it will be said, “they marveled and took knowledge of her
that she had been with Jesus.”
Or, I may actually have the opportunity, like Peter to proclaim, “We
ought to obey God rather than men.”
Then again, I really would rather not be threatened with prison or
stoning. The point is, you are “NEVER ALONE!” Who knows what great thing God is preparing to
accomplish through you. It was big
mouth, sinking, stumbling Peter who was given the “Keys to the Kingdom.”
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