You know how terribly, terribly
important the doctrine of Holy Scripture is. You know how highly
your pastor values it and seeks to preach the doctrine of the
gospel and instruct you in it. But doctrine that is not experienced
is really meaningless and insignificant. I have no question that you who
regularly sit where you are, listening to myself, these other
men in the assembly, teaching and preaching, you believe the
doctrine of total depravity. You recognize that we all sinned
and fell in our father Adam We all by one man's transgression
became sinners, and were born dead in trespasses and in sins,
and that man is born with a depraved heart, so that none righteous
know not one, none that understandeth, none that doeth good, none that
seeketh after God." You understand that? Do you experience it? Do you know your depravity? Just how corrupt are you? Just how vile? I promise you, you haven't a
clue. Anybody here who would like for
anyone in the world to know just what's passed through your heart
today. And what you're aware of that's
passed through it is not even the beginning of the corruptions
in it. May God the Holy Spirit make
us continually to know by the experience of His revelation
and grace, the corruption of our natures, that we may hang
our souls on His Son, the blood and righteousness of Christ alone. Now to that end, I prepared this
message And I believe God has prepared me for it. Turn with
me, if you will, to Luke chapter 22. Luke chapter 22. We're going
to take one more look at Peter's great, great fall and his great,
great Savior. Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. Luke 22 verse 54, Then took they
him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house,
and Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire
in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter
sat down among them, But a certain maid beheld him
as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked at him, and said, This
man was also one with him. And he denied him, saying, Woman,
I know him not. And after a little while another
saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man,
I am not. And about the space of one hour
after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow
also was with him, for he is a Galilean. And Peter said, Man,
I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet
spake, the cock And the Lord turned and looked
upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he
had said unto him, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny me
thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly."
Truly, that which you have in your lap is the book of God. inspired word. Many would have
you to believe, many religious people would have you to believe,
it is at least in some measure a matter of human composition.
Were this book merely a book about religion, religious dogma,
and religious morality, concocted by men, it would not speak plainly,
openly, offering no excuse, giving no covering about the horrible,
horrible fall of one of the Lord's chief apostles, this man Peter. But the book of God makes no
gloss about such things. It speaks plainly about such
things, describing plainly the sin even of those who are looked
upon by other men and other believers as the chiefest among the saints
of God, exposing them as sinners whose only hope before God is
the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ and God's free,
sovereign, saving grace. What are we to learn from what
we've read? First, I think we should observe
that Peter's great fall was preceded by gradually declining steps. If you read the accounts given,
and they are given in detail by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, each
one giving slightly different details, but they are given in
detail by all of them, and they tell us of Peter's steps to demise
and tell us clearly. First, Peter displayed a terrible
terrible pride and self-confidence. The Lord had declared plainly,
you're all going to forsake me. Now you can't imagine how that
must have come across to the disciples who had forsaken all
and followed him. But the Lord said to them, you're
all going to forsake me. And Peter responded like this,
they might, but not me. I'll never leave you nor forsake
you. Pride cometh before a fall and
a haughty spirit before destruction. Let him that thinketh he standeth
take heed lest he fall. And then when the Lord Jesus
told him to watch and pray lest he enter into temptation while
he's in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter is found fast asleep. And then Peter, in crucial time,
this very, very crucial time, seems to be vacillating and indecisive. When the soldiers came with Judas
and the chief priest to arrest the Savior, At first, Peter bravely,
he must be commended, bravely, took on that Roman band of soldiers
with nothing but a fisherman's knife, attacked the servant of
the high priest and cut off his ear. And then he ran. And then he returned. And then
he followed the master to the high priest's house. But he followed
afar off. At first, he quickly identifies
with him, and then he just backs away. Follows him, but
follows him, not just a step behind, a far off, as if to take
great care that he not be identified with this man. Next we see him,
this man, Peter. who is the object of God's everlasting
love and boundless, immutable grace, mingling with the Savior's
enemies. He went to the high priest's
house and sat down among the high priest's servants, warming
himself by their fire, hoping to hide himself among them, hoping
that he would not be identified as one of these Galilean fishermen
who were the disciples and apostles of the Son of God, hoping to
be identified instead with the Lord's enemies. Imagine that. Imagine that. Doug and I had a good conversation
at the service this morning chatting about this matter of the blessedness
of the family you were talking about. Oh, what a blessing. And
the danger of taking for your companions those
who don't know our God. Evil communications corrupt good
manners. evil communications, evil companions,
corrupt good principles. And I'm going to tell you something,
it is never the reverse. Never. Never. Well, we want to see if we can't
influence folks for good. It ain't going to happen. It
ain't going to happen. That which is evil always corrupts
the better. The better never improves the
evil. Here's Peter sitting with the
Master's enemies. There he sits among godless,
reprobate men while these hellish, bloodthirsty men are engaged
in the most vile unimaginably wicked pursuit that any group
of men outside hell ever imagined. There's Peter, sitting among
them, seeking to be identified not as a follower of Christ,
but as one of them. And then finally, Utterly overwhelmed
with fear, Peter denied the Lord Jesus before
a young girl, and then again before a man. And the Lord had
told him, he said, now Peter, before the cock crows twice,
you shall deny me thrice. And Mark tells us that after
he denied him the second time, the cock crew. About an hour later, he denied
him with oaths and cursings and said, I know not the man. The wise man records these words
given either by the bride to Christ the Lord or given by Christ
to his bride. It's hard to really decide which.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for
our vines have tender grapes. These little foxes are the subtle,
less open, less known corruptions of our hearts, those corruptions
always lurking silently in the dark recesses of our vile hearts
like the fox silently hiding, waiting for the right time to
take its prey. These little foxes that would
destroy the vine, the tender vine of the tender conscience. Thank God they can't do it because
the master keeps the vineyard, but they would if they could,
and they cause great difficulty with the vine. Another thing we ought to recognize
then clearly from these verses of scripture Something we prefer
not to think about, but something we should constantly remember.
None of us know what vile corruptions are hidden deep in our hearts,
or what evil, horribly evil deeds we might commit in a moment if
the Lord God did not keep us from acting according to what
we are. I didn't say what we were. I
said what we are. What we are. I know that in me,
in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Like you and me, Peter knew he
was a sinner. On one occasion, he spoke to
the Lord Jesus these very words. Lord, depart from me, for I am
a sinful man. He understood his sinfulness
as you and I understand our sinfulness. But like us, Peter had no idea
what he really was. Have you ever, as a believer,
and you who are unbelievers, I know what's happened with you.
But you, my brothers and sisters, have you ever found yourself
in a position where suddenly you're saying things you never
dreamed you could say? Doing things you never dreamed
you could have done? How often? I have no question,
this man, Peter, never dreamed it was possible for him to turn
away from the Master and then deny Him, trembling,
trembling like a little four or five year old boy before a
dark shadow, trembling before a maid. Peter, Peter, this is
not some cowardly wimp. This is a man. A man, a hundred
percent man, bold, courageous man, he quit at the hazard of
his own life to attack that band who came to arrest the Savior.
Here he is trembling, poor young girl, denying that he knows the
Savior, then denying again, and at last, taking the oath of one. It's indescribable. And saying, I don't know that
man. He never dreamed it would happen.
Never dreamed it. We need to be constantly aware
of this fact. There is no evil in the world
that is not in us. And there is no evil thing You
or I will not do in a heartbeat if God Almighty would ever permit
us to do what we're capable of doing. Nothing. There are lots of folks, preachers,
who try to straddle the fence and try to hold to what they
consider right doctrine, and at the same time, make it palatable
to men. And I hear preachers, I read
doctrine books, theology books, and hear folks explaining doctrine
like this, and talking about total depravity. Now, when we talk
about total depravity, we do not mean to imply, and the Scriptures
do not teach, that man is as evil as he could be. Oh! That doesn't sound like total
depravity to me. Yes. Hear me, you and I are by
nature just as evil as we could be. Thank God He doesn't let us do
what we could do. But there is no evil in the world
that's not here. I can't tell you how I hate to
acknowledge that. Nothing. And there, and there,
and there. Nothing. There's nothing, nothing
that you wouldn't do right now if God just let you do it. Nothing. was a great man. Lots of folks beat up on Brother
Peter. I'd like to be half the man he was. He was a man of faith,
a man of character, a man of principle, a man who believed
God, a man who walked with the Savior, a man who loved the Son
of God. But I'm going to tell you what
he was, Mark. He was just like you and me.
He was just a man. a sinful piece of human flesh
that had been saved by God's free grace. That's all. Whether
we know it or don't, we carry within us a boundless capacity
for evil. There is no enormity of sin into
which we will not run eagerly if we are not held from the evil
that's in us by the hand of God. When we read of Noah and Lot
and David and Peter, we not only what would befall us if the Lord
left us to ourselves, we read of their outward falls, and in
reading their outward falls, we are reading what we know is in our hearts. Let us not then be too haughty. Let us not think too highly of
ourselves. And let us not sit in severity
in judgment over our fallen brethren. There's something else we need
to learn. And this passage we read teaches it as glaringly,
as forcibly, and I've read it in preparing this message more
clearly than I've ever read it in my life. Now listen to me. There is no means of grace which
will benefit your soul. without the blessing of God. No means of grace. There's nothing that will do
your soul good without the work of God's grace in your soul.
Nothing. Now, I would say nothing to minimize
the importance, the significance, and the blessedness of public
worship and the means of grace God has given us. God uses means
to save His people. By the foolishness of preaching,
it pleased God to save them that believe. God uses means, but
the means are nothing. I write folks continually, and
I make a statement that is repeated often and has been repeated often
now for better than 30 years, and is repeating more often now
than it used to be. I've been preaching the gospel
of God's grace since I was 17 years old, and I'm beginning
to find out what it is to preach the gospel of God's grace. And
I ask folks, please, pray for me. I am keenly and ever increasingly
aware of this fact. My most diligent labor My most
ardent study, my most devoted service in the preaching of the
gospel is utterly meaningless without God's blessing. Meaningless. Let's see if you
can see this. Peter was an apostle of Christ,
yet he failed. Peter had seen and had performed
great miracles. He had been present when the
Son of God raised the dead. He was there passing out five
little pieces of bread, or two little pieces of bread and five
little fish until he fed over 20,000 people with them. He had
seen miraculous things. He had experienced miraculous
things. Peter had been with the Savior on the Mount of Transfiguration. He saw the Son of God glorified
before his eyes with Moses and Elijah standing before him talking
to him about the death he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Peter
had just heard the greatest sermon any human ear had ever heard
spoken by the Son of God Himself. When you get a chance, sit down
sometime and read, at one sitting, John chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. All that took place right
now. Everything our Lord spoke in
John 14, 15, 16, in that blessed sermon, was spoken at one time,
Peter heard it. I'm talking about right before
this. Our Lord's great high priestly prayer, Peter heard it, yet he
fell. The Lord Jesus had warned him
plainly. He said, now Peter, I'm telling
you Satan desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat.
All right, that'll be all right. Nothing's going to happen to
me. The Lord says he's going to sift you, but I prayed for
you that your faith fail not. Peter kept insisting, you're
going to be all right. You don't have to worry about me. I believe
you. I trust you. I love you. I follow you. These
other fellows, they may need something, but I'm all right.
I'm all right. And the Lord said, Peter, before the rooster crows
tomorrow morning twice, you're going to die me three times.
Yet he fell. And Peter heard the cock crow.
Can you imagine what must have gone through his mind? Early
as the day began to dawn, He heard that rooster crow. He must have been terrified.
And you know what he did? He went right on, headlong, in
obstinate rebellion, pursuing his downward course of treachery,
fully, fully aware of what he was doing. So much for your ideas of what
a Christian can and can't do. So much for your notions of your
progressive holiness. So much for the teachings of
men about getting better and better and better. Peter heard
that rooster crow, Darwin, and he went right headlong doing
what he was doing. Just as if the Master hadn't
spoken in there. Terrified, but unmoved. Amid all these distinguishing
mercies, plainly forewarned as he was by Christ, Peter persisted. And Peter did all this. Do you know, Linda, can you relate
to how well we are held in check by one another's company? And we need that. We need that. Our friends and our association
with friends who believe God hold us in check in great measure.
Thank God they do. Peter was standing, Larry Chris,
smack dab in the presence of the Son of God. And it had no effect on him. Learn this then. Learn this then. The only salvation we have, the
only hope we have, is the grace of God. And the only righteousness
we have is the righteousness of Christ. And the only thing
that distinguishes you and me from anyone on this earth or
anyone in hell is the distinguishing grace of God. That's all. That's all. I recall years ago,
I actually did this without thinking too much sometimes. I try not
to do that, but sometimes I talk without thinking. as a preacher
sent in my office. He's a friend of mine. He's a
friend of mine. He made a statement sort of like that Pharisee in
Luke 18. We talked a little bit, and he said, well, I thank God
I never did touch any woman other than my wife. And I just blurted
it out. I said, did you ever have a chance? Thank God for that grace which
keeps you and keeps me from any evil. From any evil. And keeps us from what's in us. From ourselves. Oh, God, please,
don't leave me to myself for a second. Now, let's see what
we should learn about Peter's recovery. The fallen believer, whatever
his fall may be, the downward spiral of ungodliness is something from which we cannot
recover ourselves. Can't be done. Can't be done. I don't have any questions. As
I said a moment ago, Peter was terrified when he heard that
rooster crow the first time. He was terrified. He knew exactly
what he was doing. And he's fully responsible for
what he did. But he couldn't help himself,
darling. He couldn't help himself. He couldn't help himself. It's
wrong to know it's wrong. I shouldn't do it. It dishonors
God. Contrary to everything I've experienced and professed and
believed. But what can I do? My God, what can I do? And on
he goes in his treachery and denial. When he heard the second crowing
of the croc, you know what it did? The second one didn't have any
effect either. It didn't change a thing. The only thing that
changed to him is when the scripture says the Lord turned and looked
upon Peter. Oh, David Peterson, he's been looking
on you from everlasting. And then he comes and looks upon
his own in the exercise of his mercy. What a look that must
have been. Peter is over here warming himself
by the fire. among those ungodly folks, trying
to rub shoulders with them, wanting to be identified with them. Cousins, I don't know him. I
don't know the man. I don't know what your fellow's
talking about. No, I've never been with him. Never saw him
before. Don't know who he is. Don't identify me with him. No!
Don't do that. And the Lord looked at Peter. Oh, that book must have spoken
volumes. I've loved thee with an everlasting
love. I told you you haven't chosen
me, but I've chosen you. My grace is sufficient for you
still. Behold, I, even I am he that
blotteth out thy transgressions. and will not remember thy sins. Peter, Peter, remember what I
told you. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God, believe also in me. For in my Father's house
are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare
a place for you, be sure I will come again, and I will receive
you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also." So clearly, clearly, this gloriously
instructive, sad passage is designed to teach us What a great, indescribably great and glorious
Savior our Lord Jesus Christ is. Truly, His glory is great in
salvation. Oh, how great is His grace. How great is His lovingkindness
His grace is unconditional. His love is free. His mercy is
everlasting. His compassion is immutable. It changes not. His forgiveness
is complete and forever. Oh, blessed. Blessed is the man
to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Now let me show you two more
passages. Now quit. You know where I'm going. Mark
16. I want you to look at it. Mark 16. Our Lord Jesus is great, great,
great in his restoring grace. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother
of James have come to the tomb. And the Lord makes himself known
to them. And in verse 7, the angel says
to them, Go your way and tell his disciples Now, if you haven't done it yet,
underscore those next two words, put stars beside them, and just
laugh your soul to death. And Peter. Peter went out and wept bitterly. He told the disciples later,
he said, fellows, I'm going fishing. And he went back to his nets,
and his boats, and his fishing. Convinced he was reprobate. Convinced
he was cast off. And the Lord Jesus says, be sure
you tell Peter, I'm going before him into Galilee, and I'll meet
you just like I said I would. And he did. Turn over John 21,
verse 50. The Lord Jesus meets his disciples.
He provides a meal for them. They dine together. And then
in verse 15, the Lord Jesus takes Peter aside. I can almost picture it. They
walk along together. He said, Now, Simon, let's have
a talk. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou
me more than these? You said you did, do you? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord,
thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
That's what I sent you to do to start with, and nothing's
changed. He saith unto him again the second
time, Simon, son of Jodas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord,
thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time.
Now you can't get this in our English translation, and that
rightfully so, because the words for love in the original are
numerous. He saith unto him the third time,
Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me. The word that is used here
is the word phileo. You're familiar with it. Philadelphia
comes in that word. Love. Simon, do you love me? And Peter was grieved because
he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he uses this
strongest possible word to speak of love. Now, Simon, I'm getting
down now to where the rubber meets the road. This is brass
tacks. I'm not talking about folks say,
well, yeah, I love him. You don't have any idea who you're
talking about. I'm not talking about just a
kind of sweet camaraderie. I'm talking about do you love
me? Is your heart mine? Is your heart mine? Is your heart
mine? And he didn't ask it so he could
be informed. He asked it so Peter could be
convinced. And Peter answers and said, Lord,
thou knowest all things. If Brother Merle looks at me
and sees my behavior, he might have some questions about that.
If Brother James looks at me and sees my behavior, he might
be dead sure I have no love for Christ. And if Brother Bob heard
what I said, he might be certain. I never knew God at all. But
Lord, now you've ripped my heart open. And you put your finger
on that which is most tender. And You know not just what I've
done. You know what You've made me
by Your grace. And You know what You've done
for me. And You know the new man You planted in me. You know
everything, Lord. Thank You. You know that I love
You. Love You because You first loved
me. Okay, Peter, this is over with. Go feed my sheep. I can see Peter now, can you? Brother Peter, yonder he is with
the glorified Son of God on the Mount of Transfiguration. Back yonder on that mount where
he and James and John saw the Master They saw his face glistening
and his garment shining with the brightness of the sun. Speaking
of his resurrection glory, which would be his when he made his
exodus, the death he accomplished at Jerusalem. Only difference now, Peter's
got the same glow. The same glory, the same honor,
the same perfection. And he lost nothing. He lost nothing. The only reason it's ever brought
up is to give praise to the Master who forgives all our transgressions. who plots out all our sins. Pastor, why are you telling us
these things so plainly? I want you ever and I want myself
ever to acknowledge our transgressions and confess our sins. Believing confident of forgiveness. Forgiveness that can never be
altered, not even by what we are and what we do. Oh then, love the Lord, you His
people, and honor His name. Amen.