“When Things Hit the

Fan Are You Still a

Fan”MARK 14:53, 54

Paul Woodard, II

Woodland Park Church of Christ

Peter

My personal favorite mortal Bible

character.

To me, he is the most relatable

based on what‘s written.

What Makes Him Relatable to Me

Grew up a Jew (In the Church)

Walked with God‘s people

Confessed Jesus as Christ (Matt

16)

Yet stumbled multiple times

Peter‘s Resume

Cast out demons

Preaching

Healing Sick

The Great Confession

Mark 14:54

But Peter followed Him at a

distance, right into the courtyard of

the high priest. And he sat with the

servants and warmed himself at

the fire.

Do I follow Jesus at a distance?

Close enough to see him but far

enough to be comfortable?

Or am I one with Him?

So What Happened…

Like you and I, Peter ran into an intersection that He had not yet seen.

He had done well while even in the midst of some adversity but THIS

particular problem seemed unsolvable.

How many times have I conquered 20 issues but the 21st appears to be the

nail in the coffin?

I’ve convinced myself that this is the last time temptation will overcome

me?... Then it happens again.

Peter‘s Problem is Our Problem

“Even if everyone else stumbles, I won’t.”

Telling God what we will or won‘t do

Assumptions

Peter probably never assumed he‘d be questioned.

There are too many things in life that we are incapable of accounting for to assume definites.

Peter‘s 2nd Problem

Peter probably had an idea of

how this night would go.

He probably thought he‘d watch

Jesus from a distance and

nobody would notice him or

bother him

John‘s account of this story actually gives us a little more

insight.

John 18 records another disciple with Peter who was known to the

public.

And Simon Peter followed Jesus,

and so did another disciple. Now

that disciple was known to the high

priest, and went with Jesus into the

courtyard of the high priest.

John 8:15

This means what Peter feared,

another brother had already

overcome.

There are 2 truths about our biggest

fears…

1. Usually they‘re inevitable

2. They are never as bad as they

are perceived.

Peter‘s 3rd Problem

“Must” thinking

“Must”

Albert Ellis

“Irrational beliefs”

Cognition

3 Primary Irrational Beliefs

Everyone must think I am perfect or I am worthless

Everybody has to act the way I want them to, and if they don‘t it is insufferable

The universe has to give me what I want the way I want it and if it doesn’t, it is insufferable

How it Works

Foundational belief - I must be happy

Secondary beliefs and so on - In order

to be happy I must…

Must doesn‘t happen

Experience negative emotion followed

by destructive actions

The things we fear most are usually

the most inevitable.

We run from it only to run right to it.

Scriptures to Reflect On

1 Cor 3:10-17

James 4:13-17

John 4:34

Jesus adopted a mindset that had

Him to view God not only as more

important than basic necessities

but also as THE basic necessity

The point is that the only “must”

factor for a Christian is that we

absolutely MUST do God‘s will.

Back to Peter

Peter denies the Lord 3 times

The rooster crows

Then Peter remembers what Jesus

said and he weeps

When I sin, I ought to call to mind

God‘s Word and it ought to bother

me to a point that I am remorseful.

But that‘s not the End of Peter‘s saga…

This same Peter that cut ears off, ran from the challenge, and held prejudice in his heart even later

reached Spiritual perfection.

The Same Peter

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try

you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s

sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

1 Peter 4:12, 13

The idea of being a Christian is to

be like Christ

Which means ultimately, the goal

is perfection

The way we reach perfection is

through trials

My brethren, count it all joy when you

fall into various trials, knowing that the

testing of your faith produces

patience. But let patience have its

perfect work, that you may be

perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

The Gospel

The Lord gave Himself up for my sin

and was separated from His Father,

He was buried and He rose again.

He‘s asking us to conform to this

gospel Spiritually by killing the flesh

and it‘s desires, burying the old

man, and taking on His Spirit to

reach immortality in eternal life.

How Do I Access This Gospel?

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren,

what shall we do?”

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the

name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37-38

Blessed is the man who endures

temptation; for when he has been

approved, he will receive the

crown of life which the Lord has

promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12