The words of a song I heard many years ago ring in my ears today. Those words are, “I’ve had visions, and I’ve had dreams. I’ve even held them in my hands. But, I never knew that they could slip right through like they were only grains of sand…”(1). Those words have taken on a new reality over the past few weeks as I have learned of the death of a dream. The announced death of an institution that once was used by God to touch and train young men and women for service for Christ. I am speaking of the closing of Wesley College in Florence, Mississippi.
How much dirt can you buy for a thousand dollars? I had absolutely no idea, so I called a local landscape company and asked. A very friendly receptionist named Dixie estimated that a thousand dollars would buy about three truck-loads of dirt (about 54 tons); that is, if you want them to deliver it. But, if you pick it up yourself, you can get about 100 tons of dirt. Imagine loading 100 tons of dirt in the back of the mini-van! Whew! I am breaking out in a sweat just thinking about the work it would take to get the dirt home; and spread out over the yard!
Mark 14:26-31; 66-72
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, “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 will be scattered.
28 “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
29 Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.”
30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And they all said likewise.
66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”
68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.”
70 But he denied it again.
And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”[a]
71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
A lot of people consider Peter to be their favorite disciple; perhaps because he is so human and transparent. Can you think of anything more embarrassing than for our Lord to pick a series of denials in your life and then put them into the record of His Word, allowing centuries of preaching to work over the details of them?
We’ll pick up the scene just after Jesus and His disciples had shared their last meal. They concluded their time together by singing a hymn, and then they went off into the night toward the foot of the Mount of Olives, where Gethsemane was situated. Along the way small talk was exchanged between the men, intermingled with words spoken by Jesus. Please note that all four of the writers of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) recorded the account of Peter’s denial, we have chosen Mark’s account for today’s lesson.
Read Mark 6:30-34
It may surprise some to think about God genuinely caring about His creation. Much too often, He is portrayed as a God of wrath and judgment—an angry and arrogant being who sits on a throne passing judgment on people. But, God is a loving God. He loved us even when we didn’t love Him. He loved all of mankind enough to allow us the choice as to whether to serve Him or not. God is a just God when it comes to sin. But, He has provided a way for a wayward and sinful man to come back into His flock. We call it God’s Plan of Salvation (GPS!) God is a God of love, compassion and intimacy. He is a God Who cares.
One reason He cares is because He knows what we face in life. He knows this because He came to this world and became one of us, living among us for a time. God Almighty actually robed Himself in human flesh so that He might live among men and die on a cross for sinners. He knew that was the only way mankind could find redemption.
While He was here, He endured more than His share of pain, poverty and suffering. He knows what it is like to do without, to be hungry; to be lonely, and to be rejected by those that He loves so dearly. He knows what it is like to be hated. He knows what it is like to suffer pain. He knows what it is like to die a human death. Jesus walked through this world and experienced what He did so that He might better help mankind the most in our time of need—and that is every day of our lives.
Why is it that many people find Christ at some point in their life and then turn their backs on Him? How could it be that God’s “peace that passes understanding” could come into someone’s life and they simply walk away? Questions that we all face at some point or another, if we deal with people. I don’t fully understand this phenomenon, but it is a reality nonetheless.
I believe that experience will demonstrate that most backsliders do not simply wake up one day and decide to abandon their faith. Rather, it comes over a period of time as the enemy gets a larger and larger foothold on the person. Here is a progression that most backsliders follow in the path away from God:
Step 1. Pride and / or selfishness moves in. The book of Proverbs tells us, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall…” Pride to move in and takes root in our hearts. But, that usually starts slowly and subtly, conquering small parts of our heart “one chamber at a time.” Perhaps a person earns a new degree in school, or gets a super promotion at work and allows those blessings to “go to their head.” Perhaps, it is just pride that builds to destruction starting from some work or achievement at home. Whatever causes it, it is that pride that eventually causes a person to feel like a “self made” person. The importance of God in prominence in their lives then lessens as this new self-made confidence begins to grow and flourish. Sometimes, this is actually “fueled” by selfishness as well. Some people simply become like astronauts in reverse—they think the world revolves around them. That kind of selfishness causes them to put other people behind them, to put people down and to try to move themselves up the ladder of importance….no matter who they have to “step on” to accomplish it. Often, people adopt the attitude of, “this is business…” as they deal with others outside of the church. They think that gives them special permission to negate God’s Word as they deal dishonestly or deceitfully; all the while completely ignoring God and His Word as they tromp on people in the name of “it’s just business.” Any excuse the enemy can get us to use to allow us to violate God’s Word is a trick of the devil that only causes a person to fall.
Step 2. A person gets neglects the reading of God’s Word and praying. That neglect leads to a separation between God and themselves. After all, God’s Word is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path…” So, if we neglect to read His Word, we lose His light and find ourselves falling into darkness.
Step 3. We become afraid. Have you ever awakened from a bad dream thinking you are falling? There is no more helpless feeling than to be falling with nothing to stop you, and the ground looming ahead. So, when that fear sets in, people often get desperate and try things that only serve to make their bad situation worse. Fear is not from God. It is the enemy who intimidates and tries to make us afraid. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” That is from 2 Timothy 1:7. The fear that most people experience here is a fear of what others will think if they “come clean” and admit they’ve failed God. They are afraid that their good reputations will be tarnished, and that they won’t be able to face their friends again. That kind of fear is crippling, and is often as strong a sensation as falling without any way to stop.
Step 4. The world and the things in it become attractive. Satan’s lure into sin now becomes more and more appealing. After all, the person that once walked closely with God has now become self-made, has neglected God’s Word and is now afraid of confessing his sin to God because others will chide him or reject him. We all know the Bible says that “sin is pleasure for a season…” So, why not “have a little fun?”
Step 5. The last step prior to a person “jumping out of the boat” is Denial. Just as a person with a major physical illness often finds themselves in complete denial that the symptoms they feel could be anything serious until it is too late….so goes the person that is in denial that they are falling away from Christ—they are backsliding. The only way to defeat denial is to face it head on. Confront it. Drag it out of the darkness and into the light. Only then can it be seen for what it really is.
So, the exhortation for today is that we stay close to God. Read His Word and Pray….go to church, be active in the work of the Kingdom. Don’t live in a “part-time” arrangement with God that ends when the preacher says, “amen” on Sunday! Allow Christ to live in your heart. Not just let Him “look in the window.” When Christ is on the throne of your life, your future “weather forecast” will read, “Jesus will reign forever.” You will have “Showers of Blessings” in your life.
May the God of Heaven give you peace and joy in your life today!
In Our Master’s Joyful Service,
Ed Smith
Joy Christian Radio