Scripture: John 21:15-17

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

John 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

a. Matt. 26:33-35-Jesus told Peter he would deny him three times.

Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all [men] shall be offended because of thee, [yet] will I never be offended.

Matthew 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Matthew 26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

b. Matt. 26:69-75-Peters denial of Christ

Matthew 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

Matthew 26:70 But he denied before [them] all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

Matthew 26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another [maid] saw him, and said unto them that were there, This [fellow] was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

Matthew 26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

Matthew 26:73 And after a while came unto [him] they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art [one] of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Matthew 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, [saying], I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

1. Peter refused to believe that he could ever deny Christ. "Though I should Die"

2. He had good intentions, his desire was to serve Christ always.

3. He had done great things with and for Christ.

4. But what Happened?

a. He was a man after Gods own heart

Samuel-1 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.

b. He had done great and mighty things for God.

1. Killed Goliath I Sam 17:25-53.

2. Made king over tribe of Judah, and also later over Israel

c. David fell to lust and temptation in II Sam. 11, 12.

a. You probably never have had this problem have you?

b. Maybe your job, or school does not put pressure on you because you're a Christian.

c. When were in Church on Sunday and we can feel Jesus presents and in the company of our brothers and sisters in the Lord we are ready to cut ears off for Jesus.

d. But come Monday many times like Peter we allow those people around us to influence us and get us down spiritually.

1. But remember we cannot be of this world and please God.

a. Touch not the unclean thing.

Corinthians-2 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Corinthians-2 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

Corinthians-2 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Corinthians-2 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,

Corinthians-2 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2. Expect to be hated by this world for his name sake.

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

3. You are not to have any fellowship with darkness.

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].

a. A lot of Christians have fellowship with non-believers and then wonder why they have trouble serving God.

b. God told us to love the sinner, to witness to the sinner, to help anyone in need, but we are not to fellowship with them.

c. We are to withdraw ourselves from them.

Thessalonians-2 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

4. That fellowship may include a so called Christian that is causing division in the church.

a. Mark them, which cause division, and avoid them.

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

1. There busy gossiping, about people in the church, the pastor and what he is doing wrong, and also questioning why you believe the way you do and arguing about your belief even in the face of sound doctrine.

a. Man is tempted by his own lust.

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

b. Be filled with the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Matthew 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out [his] hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

a. Peter was the one that struck the soldiers ear and cut it off. Part of our problem is trying to handle our pressures in life physically and not spiritually.

b. When Peter was with Jesus it was easy to act out with such boldness but when he was not with Jesus it was a different story.

c. We have to see how Jesus handled his pressure.

d. Not physically but spiritually.

e. He said he could have called twelve legions of angels, but he didn't, why?

f. Because he was looking at the bigger picture.

g. You can only defeat the enemy spiritually, he had to go through the crucifixion to gain power over evil.

h. When Satan attacks us we must handle his attack spiritually and not physically because the physical can not hold up to the attacks of Satan.

a. Lovest Thou Me.

b. Feed my Sheep.

c. Jesus is not concerned about the failures but about what we are going to due in the future.

d. Don't allow the devil to beat you over the head any longer come back to Jesus and do what he has called you to do. Feed his Sheep.