Peter seemed like an ideal candidate to stand up for Jesus Peter had excellent credentials

Peter seemed like an ideal candidate to stand up for Jesus Peter had excellent credentials Peter had excellent perception

Peter seemed like an ideal candidate to stand up for Jesus Peter had excellent credentials Peter had excellent perception Peter had considerable courage

Yet, Peter denied Jesus A lack of full understanding seems to have led to Peter’s denial – he did not understand the need for Jesus’ death.

Yet, Peter denied Jesus Matthew 16:21-23: “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’”

Peter highlights our need for God’s work

Like Peter, we struggle to see our need for God’s work

Like Peter, we struggle to see our need for God’s work Straightforward legalism

Like Peter, we struggle to see our need for God’s work Straightforward legalism Subtle spiritual self-reliance

The faithfulness and grace of God’s work

The faithfulness and grace of God’s work John 18:11: “So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?’”

The faithfulness and grace of God’s work John 18:19-21: “The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, ‘I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.’”

The faithfulness and grace of God’s work “…when not another human being stood with him [Jesus], their Lord nevertheless continued in the Father’s plan to save them,” Craig Keener

Fix your eyes upon the Savior Our legalism crumbles when we fix our eyes on his holiness.

Fix your eyes upon the Savior Our legalism crumbles when we fix our eyes on his holiness. Our motive for growth increases as we fix our eyes upon his mercy.

Fix your eyes upon the Savior Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Fix your eyes upon the Savior Our legalism crumbles when we fix our eyes on his holiness. Our motive for growth increases as we fix our eyes upon his mercy. Our capacity for growth is fueled as we fix our eyes on his glory.

Fix your eyes upon the Savior 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Fix your eyes upon the Savior Our legalism crumbles when we fix our eyes on his holiness. Our motive for growth increases as we fix our eyes upon his mercy. Our capacity for growth is fueled as we fix our eyes on his glory. Our love for him increases when we remember that new struggles are met with his same old grace.

Fix your eyes upon the Savior Ro. 7:21-24: “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”