I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of John. John chapter 18. This passage
of Scripture that I'd like to deal with, verses 15 to 18, actually
begins the account of when Peter denied the Lord. three times. I'm not going to go through the
entire denial when he denied him three times. I'd like to
look at the first denial when he did exactly what the Lord
was going to say. Let's read John 18, verses 15
to 18. And Simon Peter followed Jesus,
and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto
the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace of the
high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple,
which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that
kept the door and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel
that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this
man's disciples? He saith, I am not. And the servants
and officers stood there who had made a fire of coals, for
it was cold. And they warmed themselves, and
Peter stood with them and warmed himself. You know, whenever the Lord comes in mercy,
compassion, and power to one of His own, to an object of His
mercy, He gives them a new heart. He gives them something that
they did not have before. He gives them a new nature. Scripture refers to it as a new
man, a new creation, created in righteousness, holiness. It is a holy man. There's a holy man that is imparted
into a believer. And that new man, that new creation,
the scripture reveals, cannot sin. That which is born of God sinneth
not. It sinneth not. Neither can it
sin, because it's born of God Almighty. It's not created like the first
creation when we were brought into existence in this world
and that old nature of Adam that has come through the veins of
every man, every woman since the fall. This is conceived by
God Himself. But that new nature that is born
from above and sinneth not is one that strives against the
old nature. There's a war that's going on. There's a battle that's going
on. And that battle that is going on has been revealed in these
scriptures strives one against the other. They're contrary. There's no mixing of them. The
nature with which we were born, that old man doesn't change. Not one thing
is changed about the old man. There's nothing That old man
is not reformed, he's not getting better, he'll never get better.
That is that body of death that Paul prayed, who shall deliver
me from this? Now I began to to think on that
just a few minutes ago while I was sitting here. Brother Pat
was reading and I thought on that old nature
versus that new nature. And this question came across
my mind. Why? Why would the Lord leave
an old nature in a believer? Why would we continue to go through
this world and struggle and strive? He could
have, and you know this, he could have just upon conversion, just
obliterated that old nature, wouldn't have been there anymore,
been perfect, holy, righteous people. There'd be no need to walk by
faith. We wouldn't sin at all. There'd
be no need for mercy. That's what you were reading
about. His mercy endureth forever. And Almighty God has left that
old man there. This is not by accident. God
Almighty who made man, who created man out of the dust and breathed
into him the breath of life. has made us and kept us just
exactly the way we are. And we're walking through this
world right now, sojourners, pilgrims, struggling. And that new man sees exactly
what's going on in himself and owns the fact talking about his
old man, the new man says this concerning the old man, which
is me, same me, O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver
me from the body of this death? And that new man that sees that
old man and acknowledges him and admits what he is, That old
man doesn't admit to anything. And that's the only one that
I can see in me. That's the only one that I can
truthfully say, I see that one. Which of you that know him would
say, oh I can see the new man in me. And I see at least in
this part, this part of my walk, where I have not sinned. I'm
telling you, this is what I see, Mitch. Sin is mixed with all
I do. Now, I'll start with my notes. Peter, the Scripture says in
verse 15, Now the Lord has been betrayed.
Peter's already taken off, he's taken that sword and cut Malchus'
high priest ear off. The Lord's healed him. And the
scripture says, and Simon Peter followed Jesus. So did another
disciple. That disciple was known unto
the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace, It went
into the palace, I'm sorry, of the high priest. Simon Peter
followed Jesus. The Lord revealed, my sheep hear
my voice, I know them, and they follow me, but oh how weak is our following. But the Don
Fortner called me last night We were just chit-chatting for
a minute. I had commented on a message that he preached in
Ashland yesterday morning. We got to talking about the weakness
of a believer. I was telling him what I've told
you many times. I told him, I said, Don, I don't know anything about prayer.
I said, I find myself so frail. I said, I'm 66 years old. And
I said, my life, relatively speaking, I don't know how long I have.
I don't have very long. I know that. And I said, I see
myself so frail, so feeble. I was going over my notes this
morning, and I thought about that very thing. as I read the
account of what happened to Peter. Peter followed Jesus but oh in that following how
frail He was. Every believer will admit this. To will is present with me. I want to follow Him. I want to be consistent. I want
to walk after Him. I want to be that which I ought
to be. My conversation. But I want to
show you something about Peter's following. Hold your place right
there. Turn to Matthew 26. Matthew 26. Peter, the Scripture says, followed
the Lord Jesus. He followed Him. Matthew 26,
verse 55 to 58. Let me show you what happened. This is how Peter followed Him.
Matthew 26, 55. In that same hour said Jesus
to the multitudes, Are you come out as against a thief with swords
and staves, for to take me? I sat daily with you, teaching
in the temple, and you laid no hold on me. But all this was
done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.
Then all the disciples forsook him and fled. And they that had laid hold on
Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes
and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off
unto the high priest's palace, went in, and sat with the servants
to see the end." All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his
own way. The Scripture says in John chapter
18 verse 15, Simon Peter followed Jesus. How did he follow Him? Well, he ran first. He ran and
then the Scripture seems to relate that obviously he stopped after
a while and he turned back around. He followed Him. They all fled. Peter now comes back. And the
scripture says that he followed afar off to see what was going
to happen with the Lord as he sat with the servants. Fear caused him to follow afar
off. Grace was the reason he followed
at all, that he was still there. Peter and another disciple, and
we're not told who it was, it's just the other disciple. Went in with Jesus into the palace,
that other disciple did, and then John 18 verse 16 says, but
Peter stood at the door without. Then went out the other disciple,
which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that
kept the door, and brought in Peter. Obviously the other disciple
saw Peter. standing on the outside, spoke
to the damsel that was keeping the door. Surely, hindsight says
it would have been better if Peter would have never gone in.
You ever find yourself, you know, doing or saying something and
just, you know, why didn't I just Be quiet. Why did I go? Why didn't I just
stay where I was? But, the Lord had told him. He said,
before the cock crows twice, you're going to deny me three
times. Peter, oh, he could have stayed outside, could he not?
No. The Lord had already told him
what he was going to do. And Peter did just exactly what he
wanted to do. The Lord told him, this is what
you're going to do. This is what you will do. You will deny. Peter did what he wanted to do
and we do too. We do just exactly. So he came into the room where
the Lord was. And verse 17 says, Then said
the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Are not thou also
one of... Now listen to the way she talks. Are not thou also one of this
man's disciples? And he saith, I'm not. Obviously to this woman, the
Lord is guilty. Well, he's been apprehended.
The chief priest got him. They're pretty well related to
us. You know what all he's done. He's a troublemaker. He hangs
around with sinners. Aren't you one of this man's
disciples? No. And he walks in and immediately
he's questioned and he denies it. Now you know, it would seem
as though the Lord had told Peter, I'll read this Mark 14 30, Jesus
saith unto him, Verily I say unto you, that this day, in this night, now Peter, I'm
going to tell you what's going to happen in just a little bit,
just a few minutes from now, not long, in this night, before
the cock crow twice. You're going to deny me three
times." And this woman says to him, aren't you one of this man's
disciples? What do you think would have
gone through his mind? I'm not going to answer this
one wrong because The Lord just told me. He just told me. You're going to deny me three
times. And I'm not going to do that.
You think that that probably would have gone through his mind.
And without hesitation, he said, I'm not one of them. Brethren, we cannot We cannot
stop ourselves. We cannot not sin. To will, I just read this, to
will is present with me. I don't want to, but you that know Him, let me
ask you this, do you have such control over that old man that
you can stop him? Are you kidding me? Oh, wretched man, that's a wretched
man. I cannot control him. Let me ask you something. How easily can you control your
thoughts? I'm telling you, I am the same
wicked, evil, you have no idea the evil thoughts that go through
my mind. You have no idea the things that
I think or say. And it's as if when I do it,
I know I did it, I know I did it, and it grieves me. I can't
stop it. You say, well Marvin, you sound
like to me. You're out of control. Every one of you that know him,
agree with me. You cannot. You cannot. You're one of them. No, I'm not. This is Peter. The one that saw
him on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter witnessed the Lord. And the veil was just pulled
back. His face, his clothes shined
brighter than the noonday sun. He saw Him take five little loaves
of bread and two fish, and He fed five thousand men plus the
women and children. He raised the dead. He gave sight
to the blind. He gave hearing to the deaf. He cleansed lepers. He saw Him and knew Him. He knew Him. He knew Him. Who
do men say that I am? I, the Son of Man, am. Well,
some say Jeremiah, and some say this prophet, that prophet. Who
do you say I am? Who do you say I am, Peter? You're
the Christ. Blessed art thou, Simon, Barjona."
Flesh and blood didn't tell you that. But my Father which is
in heaven. Peter knew Him and knew Him savingly. Knew Him in reality. Aren't you
one of His disciples? No. Oh, how little we know of ourselves.
How little? He said, without me you can do
nothing. Now this little woman right here,
just not long before this, Peter was willing to take on 400 soldiers. A band. Four to five hundred,
somewhere in that area. At least 400 soldiers. And some priests and some dignitaries,
Judas, he was ready to take them on all. He took out a sword and
was getting ready to do business. And now, a damsel. A damsel. Kind of reminds me
of Ezekiel. You know, Elisha. Elisha. when
Jezebel was coming after him. He had just taken on, Elisha
had just taken on 450 prophets of Baal. And a woman said, I'm
going to get you. And he ran. This damsel says,
you're one of them. And this guy that was getting
ready to take on this little army, just a few minutes ago,
said, no. Oh, the fear of man bringeth
a snare. Let me tell you how strong we
are. Now you listen to me. a puff of smoke is mightier than
we are. Without Him, you can do nothing,
nothing. And the servants, verse 18, and
officers stood there who had made a fire of coals, for it
was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and
warmed himself. Four things I saw in that last
verse. Number one, it was cold. I'm
sure it was cold outwardly, but there's a revelation of every believer with the presence
of that old man. It's cold. Cold. Secondly, they warmed themselves. They warmed themselves. I can
do something for myself. I can provide for my need. That's
it. Thirdly, and Peter stood with them. You say, I'd never
do that. Don't kid yourself. Don't kid
yourself. Let me tell you something. But
for the grace of God, there's not one believer in this room
that wouldn't walk away right now. You'd walk away right now.
if we were not kept by the power of God through faith. If He did
not keep us, you'd quit. I'd quit and go do something
else. And I'd never step into this
pulpit again but for the grace of God. And fourthly, Peter warmed himself. It just breaks my heart Because
that's me. That old man in me, that's exactly
what I do. And my new man sees it and agrees
with what's going on. And thanks God, thanks the Lord,
that His mercy does endure. His mercy endureth, endureth
forever. In closing, I want you to just
turn to Isaiah 50. Isaiah chapter 50. In light that
scripture says that there was a fire and it was cold and they
warmed themselves and Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
Isaiah chapter 50, listen to this verse 11. Isaiah 50, 11. Behold, all ye that kindle a
fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, and walk in
the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled,
this shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. You that kindle a fire to enlighten
or warm yourself, that trust the arm of the flesh, rejecting
the light of the world, despising the glorious light of the gospel,
of God's grace, and love darkness rather than light, accomplish
yourself about with sparks which have really no heat, It really
doesn't produce all the sparks. It looks good for a second, half
a second. And walk in the light of your
fire and the sparks that you've kindled and take comfort and
satisfaction in your own works and the lives of this world's
religion. This shall you have of mine hand. This is what you
can depend upon that you're going to receive from me. You're going
to lie down in sorrow and you're going to die in your sins. But
you said, yeah, but Peter was doing that very thing. I know
it. I know he was. And but for the grace of God
that would put away the guilt of this man and this man right
here and everyone in here that knows him in truth. But for the
grace of God, we who find ourselves manifesting the same characteristics
too often, Too often. Doing the same thing too often. David, you mean King David, a
man after God's own heart that took Bathsheba, committed adultery
with her, had her husband killed, lied? What was the difference in David
and any other person that would do the same thing But apart from
the mercy of God Almighty and God choosing to show mercy to
that one, what was the difference? The grace of God. Blessed is
the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Peter was doing
just exactly what those that he stood with were doing. And God chose to show mercy to
Peter and left the others in their sin. Oh, the horror of trying to warm
myself to stand with them. Truly, if the Lord should mark
iniquity, who should stand? My friends, let me tell you something.
The only hope that you and I have is that God Almighty has chosen
to show mercy because there is no difference And any person
that knows Him and those that know Him not, outside of the
grace of God, there's no difference. We find ourselves doing exactly
the very same thing. And hate it. And hate it. Hate
it. Oh, may I be as blind Barnabas,
Jesus thou Son of David. Have mercy on me. May I be as
Peter? Peter saw the Lord walking out
in the sea there and said, Lord, if it's you, bid me come. He
said, come. Peter got out of the boat and was walking on the
water and saw the boisterous wind and began to sink. Lord, save me. And the Lord said
to him as he reached and saved him, O thou of little faith,
Wherefore didst thou doubt? Lord, today we confess our frailty and desperately, desperately
cry from a new heart, seeing that old man that is us, that
is us. Lord, have mercy on us today
for Christ's sake.