Doubt Breeds Compromise

When it comes to the reformation one name always comes to mind, Martin Luther. Martin Luther is touted as the father of the reformation of the Protestant Church but did you know he actually carried along a mission that had begun nearly a hundred years earlier. It was actually begun by John Wycliff who was very out spoken against the corruption within the church and many of the practices of the leadership of the church.

On his heels comes a man named John Huss who is a very interesting martyr. He also fought against the the corruption of the leadership of his day. He was tried for heresy and sentenced to die for not recanting his writings and not pledging allegiance to the pope. Even as John Huss stood chained to a stake while they were piling up the kindling to his neck to burn him alive Huss refused to deny Jesus Christ. Even as the lit the fire and burned him alive John Fox writes this:

The flames were now applied to the branches, when our martyr sung a hymn with so loud and cheerful a voice that he was heard through all the cracklings of the combustibles, and the noise of the multitude. At length his voice was interrupted by the severity of the flames, which soon closed his existence.

Even as he burned he refused to deny his Lord and even sang a hymn to Jesus.

How many of us in this room can say we would do this. Now before you answer that with a very proud yes let me remind you of a man you said he would not deny his Lord and Master to Jesus' face. Remember Peter. In Luke chapter 22:31-34 we find this interaction between Jesus and Peter.

Luke 22:31–34 NASB95

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

Peter boldly came out and told Jesus he was ready to go to prison and to death. He said yes he would die with Christ and for Christ. His pride actually got the better of him and ours can sometime get the better of us also. This morning we will look at Peter once again and we are going to see this man who so boldly said he was ready to go to prison and to death for his Lord and Master spoke from his gut and when push comes to shove he does the opposite of what he claims. Peter compromises on his beliefs because he feared the world as opposed to fearing the Lord.

We are turning back to our study of the gospel of Luke this morning after a month and half break. We are in Luke 22, as we look at our text this morning I want to remind you of what has happened when we were last in this text. Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane he had just finished praying and Judas had come with a mob in the middle of the night to arrest Jesus.

Jesus at His arrest demonstrated such power over the situation and He also demonstrated the power of prayer over our lives and how it can change the way we face a situation. Jesus in the midst of being arrested showed so much peace in what was going on and in what was going to happen. As We looked at Jesus' arrest in the Garden we learned what it means to have peace. Through Jesus' response to His arrest we learned the Marks of Peace. Jesus' example for us in His peaceful response was one of, patience, compassion and surrender.

This morning we will see a contrast in Jesus' most outspoken disciple as we explore Peter's reaction and response to being one of Jesus' followers. We will see that Peter demonstrates he doubts Jesus' power over his life and this doubt leads Peter to compromise truth with a lie. We see this morning that Doubt Breeds Compromise.

Doubt Breeds Compromise

We will see this in Luke 22:54-62;

Luke 22:54–62 NASB95

Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Luke in verse 54 sets up the scene for us. We see here Jesus has been arrested and now he is being led to the house of the High Priest. His trial begins right away. But this passage is not so much about Jesus' trial as it is about Peter. Luke tells us here in verse 54 that Peter was following Jesus and find Peter is not standing by his earlier conviction when he said he would go with Jesus to prison and even to death. No, in fact he is actually protecting himself by following at a distance.

This is the beginning of Compromise. Compromise begins Detachment.

Doubt Produces Detachment.

Peter was there when Jesus was arrested in fact he was the one who cut off the ear of the high priests slave. The thing is the religious leaders who wanted Jesus out of the way didn't really care to much about taking out the disciples, they went only to arrest Jesus. The disciples, however, including Peter were afraid and they weren't afraid for Jesus' sake but their own.

Peter was afraid. He feared for his own safety and his own life. Still he was curious as to what would happen to his Lord and Master so he followed along. Peter was far enough away to feel he was safe from the mob but close enough to see Jesus. Peter's first mistake and ours as well is detaching ourselves from Jesus. This is doubting Jesus' word and His control over our lives.

This doubt which produce detachment is also the first step in compromise. When a believer distances him or herself from Jesus, from His Word, His power and His control what you do is you rely on yourself to make it through the world. What is interesting is Peter in private to Jesus' face said he would follow Jesus, but what happened when the rubber meets the road, Peter followed at a distance. Why? Because he feared the people more then he feared God. That is doubt. That is having a lack of conviction and when you fear people over fearing God, when you fear what the world will do to you as opposed to what God can do to you that is doubt and the natural reaction in our walk with Jesus is to follow at a distance. Thinking well He is close enough that I can see Him but far enough that people won't attack me because of Him.

First doubt produces detachment and doubt leaves you helpless.

Doubt Leaves you Helpless

Notice that Luke records for us that Peter was alone. There is no mention of anyone with him only Peter who follows at a distance and then when he arrives in the courtyard he sits alone with the enemies of Jesus, with the accusers. Peter has no accountability, there is no one there for him to lean on when the questions arise. His sitting by the fire to keep himself warm is in fact him taking a seat with scoffers and with the wicked. He is taking a seat in the world with the world. His lack of conviction drove him to go at it alone and when we enter into the world alone we are helpless against it.

All to often as Christians we leave the church and go to our daily routine and we find ourselves alone against the world. Sometimes we need this time alone to be tested, as Peter was here but when we go into the world with another Christian brother or sister we find strength in numbers. When we doubt, when we believe we can go and sit among the world without being close to Jesus and without having a someone with us we are actually helpless. Especially when our faith is being to the test.

Solomon understood the idea of not going at it alone, look at what he says in Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 NASB95

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

It is better to go at it with another by your side. I know what you are thinking, yeah but when I go to work I am on my own. Hey I get it I understand. It isn't easy working in the world and and being in the midst of all those people who don't know Jesus and who are there talking about worldly things like going out to a club or bar or the drinking the night before. I get it. So what do you do in an instance like this. Simple you have to begin with what Jesus Peter in the garden of Gethsemane, "pray that you may not enter into temptation." Then be sure that you are not following at a distance but you are always close to the Lord and have a good Christian brother or sister pray with you and for you as you enter into the world, so that your not helpless.

This is also a good practice when it comes to evangelism. Go out into the world to share the gospel is very daunting and it is always best to do so in pairs so you can help strengthen one another. Peter here follows Jesus at a distance and he goes at it alone. Mind you this is God's plan all along it is so Peter will be sifted, tested and that may happen at times to. Peter is about to be tested and he already didn't have the best foundation for his testing. He was filled with doubt and this doubt as we are about to see caused him to compromise his beliefs. Doubt Cause Failure

Doubt Causes Failure

We see this in the interaction between Peter and those he is sitting with around the fire. Let's look at verses 56-60.

Luke 22:56–60 NASB95

And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

Notice here Peter is questioned three times concerning his relationship to Jesus, His disciples and even where Jesus is from. In verse 56 a servant-girl is sitting there and she is watching him intently the passage says, meaning she is glaring at him, it is noticeable that she is watching him, probably even to the point that if Peter's eyes caught hers it would be uncomfortable. He looks very familiar to her. She was a part of the mob of people who went out to arrest Jesus and she more than likely was close enough to see Peter cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. I don't know about you but that would be something seared into my mind.

His response is one of denial, rejection. Peter only tells the woman, I don't know Him. No other words come out of his mouth, it is a quick response because he for obvious reasons doesn't want to dwell on it. So here is Peter denying that he knows Jesus. Then as the text tells us a little while later another person who is sitting there asks another question of Peter. This person says to him, "You are one of them too!" Now it is no longer an association with just Jesus but an association with the group of disciples that followed Jesus who Peter is considered to be the spokesman for. How many occasions did Peter speak out on behalf of the other disciples and now while among the world and when it counts for him to be the spokesman what does he do, denies being one of them.

It is obvious this is a tense situation and after these first two accusations you would think he would have just moved on right. No, he sits there and about an hour later he is questioned by someone else. This time one of the people sitting there deduces that by Peter's accent he is from Galilee. The idea here is they had different dialects, it would be like if you were to have a conversation with someone from Brooklyn you would know by the way they speak they are from Brooklyn. That is what happened here.

Well Peter can't deny he is a Galilean so instead of denying his place of origin he simply just tries to blow it off, I do not know what your are talking about. He just tries to dismiss what the man has asked and the text tells us that no sooner did these words roll off his tongue that Peter found himself hearing the crow of a rooster. Once he heard this the memory of Jesus' words filled Peter's mind and his heart.

Peter's doubt of Jesus' power and words caused him to compromise on his convictions, instead of standing by what he said to Jesus in private now in public he turned against Jesus. He not only turned against Jesus, he sinned against Jesus by lying to save his own skin. That is what happens when you follow at a distance and go at it alone, you will wind up falling into doing what the world does.

This is compromising the truth for a lie. The truth of what God says and the true safety of following closely with Jesus no matter how bad things look. All to often this is what Christians do when they are in the church and around other believers they say what is right and once they walk out and the rubber meets the road they turn on God. They turn on Jesus because it is easier to do what the world says then it is to do what Jesus says. We need to be mindful of the fact that God has called us out of this present darkness into His marvelous light and we are no longer to live as a holy life for Him.

Listen to what David says in Psalm 143

Psalm 143:7–9 NASB95

Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.

David understands there is always the potential to fall victim to this world and he wants to always trust in God and he wants to always be taught by God how to live in this world. David also understands the only one who can protect him is God.

Paul the apostle tells the Romans this in Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Paul wants the Romans to live for God, to live for Jesus, we are to present ourselves to Him as living and holy sacrifices. This is our entire being. God wants us mind, body, heart and soul. Every bit of us is to be laid at the alter of God's mercy and be utilized by Him for His purpose not our own. The Israelites couldn't just bring anything they wanted to God to be sacrificed, it was God who prescribed the Sacrifice and instituted it and we should present our bodies as a sacrifice to God.

In verse 2 here Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of you mind. The word there for conformed provides the idea of becoming a part of it. It is like putting clay in a mold and the clay takes the shape of that mold. That is what happens when we compromise we take the shape of the world. Instead we are to be transformed the word or transformed we get the word metamorphosis from. It is becoming something new something different. Something that proves the will of God in our lives.

So Peter compromised on his beliefs and instead of following after Jesus he turned on Jesus. It was doubt that brought this compromise on doubt of Jesus' word and power and he also doubted Jesus was watching.

Doubt Exposed

Look at verse 61;

Luke 22:61 NASB95

The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”

The problem with doubt is eventually it will be exposed. You may be able to fool man which Peter didn't do so well, but you can't hide it form Jesus. You can't hide it from the one who looks into your heart and knows everything you do and think before you do it and think it.

Look at what the psalmist says in psalm 44

Psalm 44:20–22 NASB95

If we had forgotten the name of our God Or extended our hands to a strange god, Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

God knows our hearts and we can't hide from Him.

In fact as Paul teaches us it is our hearts that will be judged and the things done in secret will be brought to light.

Romans 2:14–16 NASB95

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

There is nothing that is done in secret that God doesn't see and Jesus here sees into Peter's heart and this drives Peter to break down because of the hurt he brought upon Jesus.

When we doubt, we distance ourselves from Jesus and we go at life alone and this doubt cause us to compromise on our conviction but Jesus is always watching and when we realize the failure that comes from our doubt the only thing left to do is repent. Peter does just that.

Verse 62 tells us;

Luke 22:62 NASB95

And he went out and wept bitterly.

Peter had a broken and contrite heart David understood this. In Psalm 51 David is bearing his heart before God over his sin with Bathsheba and look at what he says.

Psalm 51:14–17 NASB95

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

That is what God desires is our hearts and He wants us to turn back to Him from doubt to faith. Trust that He is in control and that no matter what man thinks of us or what man does to us God wants our hearts.

Look at what Peter tells the church in his letter to a church that was being heavily persecuted;

1 Peter 3:8–17 NASB95

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.” Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

Let's us follow what Peter says here and let us live by faith and not be conformed to the world.

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