This years Lenten Midweek Sermons are from a series prepared by Pastor Brent Kuhlman of Murdock, NE.
“Peter! What are you doing? Tell the truth! You are the Lord’s disciple! Don’t deny it. If there ever was the time to ‘man up’ and confess Jesus as Lord, then now is the time! Look, Peter! It’s all a set up. They’ve brought in false witnesses! They’re spitting in His face. Pounding Him with haymakers. Mocking Him. Peter! Do something! Speak up man! Stand up for Jesus!”
Instead, he is offended and ashamed. Doesn’t want to be caught dead as one of Jesus’ friends. While he warms himself by the fire of wood and charcoal his inner fire of love for Jesus grows very cold! Three times when asked, “You’re one of Jesus’ disciples?” he denies it!
Outright! Bold! Daring! Audacious! Shouting! In denying Jesus! Peter the denier! With oaths and curses! “I swear to God I don’t Him!” “I’ll be damned if I ever knew that accursed man who’s going to His death! I don’t have anything to do with Him!”
And then the rooster crows a second time. A thousand roosters could have screamed themselves to death and yet Peter remains defiantly un-offended by his words and actions. Doesn’t even know his great fall into sin.
And that’s when Jesus looks at Peter. Finally, his sin hits him like a ton of bricks. He’s a lost and condemned sinner on his own. Yes, that’s right, Peter – lost and condemned sinner! He breaks down. Runs away. And weeps uncontrollably.
We too are lost and condemned sinners. Do not begin to believe that we are any better than Peter. We are Christ’s disciples. His Christians. And yet how often do we in our words and lives deny that we are Christ’s? How often are we offended by this poor, beaten, and mocked Jesus?
“Aren’t you a Christian? I thought you are baptized?” And you say: “I swear to God I’m not! I’ll be damned if you think I’m a Christian! I don’t know that Jesus! I’ve never had anything to do with Him!”
Lost and condemned sinners we are. No better than Peter. Just like with Peter the Lord Jesus gives us loads and loads of rooster-crowings as we are stuck in the mud of sin. To show us our sin. To reveal how far we have fallen. And then to lead us to repentance. He breaks our hearts. Shatters them. Tears us away from trusting in ourselves to clinging to Him.
And when He looks on He has pity -- mercy. “Poor Peter. Poor Kuhlman. Poor Reggie. Poor Alice. How they have fallen into the deep slime of sin. And they can’t get out. I’ll get them out. I’ll save them.”
Jesus, you remember, told Peter that He would pray for His disciple. So that Peter’s faith in Jesus would not cease. Even in the midst of such naked, ugly, self-absorbing sin! Peter ran away and then after the resurrection (John 21) he confessed Jesus three times just as he denied Jesus three times:
Jesus: “Peter, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
Peter: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus: “Feed my lambs.”
Jesus: “Peter, son of John, do you truly love me?”
Peter: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus: “Take care of my sheep.”
Jesus: “Peter, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter: [hurt] “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus: “Feed my sheep.”
Unlike Peter, there was Judas. He despaired of such a Jesus. Oh, he too was very sorry. The betrayal was wrong. Very wrong. He betrayed an innocent man! The God-man Jesus! He confesses his sin – but not to Jesus. And so he receives no mercy. He is thrown back on and to himself by the religious experts of the day: “That’s none of our business!” they clamor. “Take care of your problem by yourself!” Bad advice. Deadly advice. Judas did just that. Hung himself. Without Jesus and His mercy Judas remained a lost and condemned person.
Not so for Peter or for you. Oh, yes, lost and condemned persons we are. But Jesus has not abandoned us. All is forgiven. You are died for by Jesus! Good Fridayed and washed in the blood of the Lamb that takes away all sin. The world’s and yours! Redeemed. Bought back. Restored. Living in God’s favor. Forgiven sinners. All for Christ’s sake. He will never turn away from you. He will never deny you.
You are His! He’s marked you and branded you with His Name at the font. Buried you with Him into His death for all your sin. And He extends the benefits of His atoning death that counts for you when He says: “Eat this bread. It’s my Body. Drink from that cup. That wine is my body. And I promise you that your sin is forgiven.” So, as often as you come to the Supper to eat that bread and drink that wine you proclaim His death – that it truly counts for you – until He comes in glory on the last day!
And at the Sacrament of the Altar the Lord Jesus gives you the opportunity to confess. Confess what? This: “Yes, I know that Jesus! He’s the Savior! He died for me a lost and condemned person. And for you too! He’s everything! I’m nothing!”
In the Name of Jesus.
