Weekly Sermons

Let Him Who Thinks He Stands… - Matthew 26:26-25

 

Jesus confirms His death through giving the Lord’s Supper - V. 26-30

 

The Mosaic covenant was ratified with the blood of a sacrificial animal. God had made provision for His people to be forgiven of sin through the offering of the right sacrifice as a substitute to cover sins temporarily.

 

 

The New Covenant was ratified with the blood of the perfect sacrifice, Jesus the Lamb of God who doesn’t just temporarily cover sin, but who takes it away permanently (John 1:29).

 

 

Jesus emphatically states they will all stumble as He dies - V. 31-32

 

 

The word for “fall away” in verse 31 is skandalizo (G4624), which occurs 27 times in the New Testament. It can be translated as ‘stumbling block’ or ‘cause to stumble’  or ‘offended.’

 

 

“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who stands next to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” - Zechariah 13:6-7a

 

 

Peter’s inflated sense of his own strength led to his downfall - V. 33-35

 

 

Peter’s problem was that he made his faith about what he could do for Jesus in his own strength. That’s not just hard, it’s impossible! The only way to live for Christ is by faith in what He can do, not in ourselves.

 

 

Peter did what people caught up in the sin of proud self-reliance often do – he judged himself as better than others, confident he would succeed even if they all messed up!

 

 

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. - 1 Corinthians 10:12

 

 

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18

 

 

For by the grace of God given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. - Romans 12:3

 

 

Thankfully, Jesus wants to restore those who fall - Luke 22:31-32

 

 

“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.” - Luke 22:31-32

 

 

Jesus knew Peter really did have true faith and repentance, and loved Jesus more than anything, even though a good deal of what Peter believed about Jesus wasn’t what he needed to believe about Jesus.

 

The saying is trustworthy, for: “If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful – for He cannot deny Himself.” - 2 Timothy 2:11-13

 

Peter had to learn what we each have to learn – I am the kind of person who can blow it when it matters; Who would deny Christ when the heat is on. I will never get to the point where I can say, “I got it from here, Jesus!”

 

If you let God work in your life and restore you the way He did Peter in John 21, you will be the kind of person God uses to strengthen others.

 

He (Peter) went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many people were gathered together and were praying. - Acts 12:12

 

God had humbled Peter, than restored him, and then used him to help others in need like John Mark. Turn fully to or back to Jesus yourself, and let Him use you to strengthen others!