Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Opening - Lead with a Story!
Wonder - How the Friend of the Girl blew off the other girl...
Main Idea - When the Pressures of Faith Push You Around, Where will You Stand?
Transition - Peter, John and all the disciples were under a tremendous amount of pressure as their Lord faced the cruel realities of the Cross.
We are often unsympathetic with the disciples.
We can tend to be a bit judgmental and prideful when it comes to this significant event in history.
In our heart of hearts we think, “I wouldn’t have bailed on Christ like they did.”
“If I were there I would have stood by him to the bitter end!” Really?
Maybe you would have?
As for me, knowing my track record with Jesus…well, lets just say that He’s been far more faithful to me than I’ve been to Him over the course of my Christian walk!
In this passage we see yet another vignette the takes us one step closer to the most important event in human history.
And it this part of the story we see an unenviable situation that Peter and John are put in.
The focus is on how Peter handles the time that was predicted about him.
You remember what Jesus told Peter that he would do.
Jesus said it would happen and now we are in the beginning stages of seeing it unfold.
And in the unfolding there are two questions that emerge.
Two questions that we, as followers of Christ should grapple with.
Two questions that should cause us to have less of a judgmental spirit with Peter and the disciples.
So take the text with me this morning as you consider when the pressures of Faith push you around, where will you stand?
The first question is...
1.
Will you Stand for Truth or Linger in Curiosity?
(Vs 15-16)
We’ve all been there.
The moment of truth comes, the point of action (whatever it is) is at our door and indecisiveness and passivity take over and rule the day!
*Pic of guy popping the question...
How many times have guys determine to pop the question to their girlfriend only to come up with a thousand reasons why “now is not the best time.”
And everyone of those reasons trails back to fear!
Look at verses 15-16...
Explain -
The first thing we see in this part of the story is that “Simon Peter followed Jesus”
It is interesting to see the manner in which Peter followed Jesus.
We get a clearer picture with the synoptics...
Matt.
26:58; Mark 14:54; Luke 22:54
Do you see the common denominator?
“At a distance.”
Gone is the brash, bold Peter who clumsily lopped off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the High priest.
No longer was Peter willing to take on the cohort of Roman soldiers.
Instead of the raw, unashamed, unpolished courage of Peter the bold, we now see amore subdued, timid version of this fisherman.
One where He is getting his bearings in very unfamiliar circumstances.
One where He is getting his bearings in very unfamiliar circumstances.
One where curiosity of what will happen is taking precedents over rescuing his Rabbi from certain death.
In fact, what we see here is the insidious nature of self-preservation creeping in.
Peter is becoming more concerned about saving His skin!
One where curiosity of what will happen is taking precedents over rescuing his Rabbi from certain death.
In fact, what we see here is the insidious nature of self-preservation creeping in.
Peter is becoming more concerned about saving His skin!
What is also interesting is to see the next phrase, “Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple...” Who is this other disciple?
None other than John himself.
He never refers to himself by name.
He often refers to himself as...
, , and , ).
, and , ).
and , ).
Why does John not refer to himself by his name?
Well, a very special reason...
, ).
I think it is because he was so taken aback with the glorious reality that Jesus loved him...The God /man loved John!! John never got over this fact.
It so moved him that this is how he would rather be known in his writings…
).
Probably a better reason is because he was taken aback with the glorious reality that Jesus loved John.
The God /man loved John and John never got over this fact.
It so moved him that this is how he would rather be known in his writings…
Imagine, “Hello, my name is Jesus loves me!”
In this situation, John, as he is writing this account about Peter’s betrayal, wants everyone to know that he was right there with Peter and failed too.
So why does John include himself in this narrative when the other gospels don’t?
First, to tell the truth...
Second, to fill in the gaps from the synoptics...
Third, to let people know, Peter wasn’t alone in this denial process.
After all, he was the one who brought Peter into the courtyard!
He put him in a very challenging situation!
By the way, the text says Peter and John followed Jesus.
Check out the map.
They followed Jesus to the High Priest’s courtyard.
*Show map*
Keep in mind, this was not in the temple, but on the other-side of the temple.
This is the palace that Annas (the lifetime high priest) and Caiaphas (the current, functioning high priest) both lived.
Probably one in one wing of the palace and one in the other.
So I hope you get the picture...
The high priest “lived in the Hasmonean palace on the west hill of the city, which overlooked the Tyropoeon Valley and faced the temple.
It is possible that Caiaphas and Annas lived in the same palace, occupying different wings bound together by a common courtyard.”
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 514.
So I hope you get the picture...
Moving through verse 15 and into 16 do you see anything else that is significant?
Take a look again...
The text says that John is in the know!
Somehow, he has a relationship with the High Priest (either Annas or Caiaphas).
And He went in to gain permission for Peter to enter the courtyard as well.
Until that permission was granted, Peter needed to stay outside the courtyard...
Theories—such as, that John was a distant relative, or that his father’s firm delivered fish to the highpriest’s palace (the view of Nonnus, an Egyptian scholar, about 400 A.D.)—are nothing but guesses.
It is important, nevertheless, to bear in mind the fact as such (that John was known to the highpriest).
Eventually, John was able to get Peter cleared with the powers that be and so he joined John in the courtyard.
Why is all of this detail necessary and significant?
How does it fit into the main idea of the text?
Because in this vignette, we see the stage being set for Peter’s denial.
He is not there on a rescue mission.
He is not there to stand with Jesus and be martyred for his faith in the messiah.
John isn’t either.
They are they as bystanders waiting to see what will happen to their Lord.
Don’t get me wrong, this must have been a very confusing time for these boys.
Knowing the right thing to do in these tense situations can be confusing at best.
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