
A. Sermon Slides
Slide 1:
Following at a Distance
Mark 14:27-31, 53, 54, 66-72
Slide 2:
Mark 14:27–31, 53,54, 66-72 (ESV)
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.
And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Slide 3:
Both Jesus and Peter are “on trial” = being sifted under pressure
Slide 4:
Witness = “martyria”
7 times in this section
Slide 5:
Asking questions of the text:
1) How badly did Peter fail?
2) How was he restored?
3) What does all of this mean for us?
Slide 6:
The Failing of Peter step by step:
A) Uber-confident in his own ability
Slide 7:
“Even though they all fall away, I will not.”
Slide 8:
But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.”
Slide 9:
The Failing of Peter step by step:
A) Uber-confident in his own ability
B) Follow at a distance
“And Peter had followed him at a distance”
Slide 10:
The Failing of Peter step by step:
A) Uber-confident in his own ability
B) Follow at a distance
C) Finally, the spectacular failure
Slide 11:
1) “I neither know nor understand what you mean.”
Slide 12:
2) “But again he denied it.”
Slide 13:
3) But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.”
Slide 14:
Call down curses and to swear
“Anathematizo kai omnyo”
Slide 15:
3) Peter curses Jesus
Slide 16:
How was Peter restored?
Slide 17:
John 21:15 (ESV)
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Slide 18:
John 21:17 (ESV)
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Slide 19:
The meaning for us
Slide 20:
“Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us”
John R. Stott
Slide 21:
Romans 8:33–34 (ESV)
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Slide 22:
Luke 22:31–32 (ESV)
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Slide 23:
1 John 1:9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B) Group Discussion
1) Read Mark 14:27-72 out loud in your group. What emotions come to the surface? What is Mark telling us about Peter? What questions do you have about the text? Where do you see yourself or God?
2) Talk about these steps and how much you recognize them in your own life:
1) Uber-confidence in your abilities (especially to not sin greatly)
2) Follow at a distance (at work or in our hobbies/neighborhood)
3) Sin in an embarrassing and painful way
3) How was Peter restored back to Christ? Remember that before John 21, there is Luke 22 .
4) Why do you think Jesus made Peter the leader of the church that He was building? In what way does Peter’s failure communicate to all how this church would be built? And finally…is this how we build churches today? What has been your experience?
5) Why is it helpful emotionally to think of God’s justice saving us, and not solely His great mercy?
6) Prayer and praise