How did Peter go from confessing, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” to saying, “Woman, I do not know Him!”? In this message we see Peter’s downhill slide into sin. The five links in Peter’s backsliding are Spiritual Pride, Self-Confidence, Satanic Attack, Spiritual Laziness, and Dead Works.
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Peter’s Downhill Slide Into Sin
Luke 22:47-62
This morning we see Peter at his lowest. In fact, it is hard to believe Peter stooped so low. Just put two of his statements together. One statement is taken when Jesus and His disciples were in Caesarea Philippi. Jesus had asked His disciples who they thought He was. Peter responded in Mt. 16:16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Then fast forward six months into the future, and we have another statement that came from the same lips in Luke 22:57, “Woman, I do not know Him.” Now, put those two side by side. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” – “Woman, I do not know Him.” It seems like the same person could not have possibly uttered both of those sayings, but he did. My question to you is, how did Peter go from boldly confessing Christ as the Son of God, to denying he even knew Him? How could Peter forsake his master, act like a coward, and be ashamed of knowing Christ? How could this happen?
The answer, I believe, lies in the deceitfulness of sin. Sin creeps up on you and takes power over you by degrees. It is almost imperceptible, but very stealthy. Believers don’t commit horrible crimes overnight. A believer does not have a strong and vibrant relationship with Christ on Monday, and then on Tuesday decide to leave his wife and children and run off with another woman. If a man falls headlong into sin, it is because he has been sliding down and away from the Lord for a period of time. It may not show up to others, but in secret he has been drifting further and further from the Lord. This fall of Peter did not happen overnight. I believe we can trace his downhill slide at least six months back.
This morning I want to trace Peter’s downhill slide into sin. Why? So that we can be warned, and make sure we don’t follow in his steps. I believe there are at least five different links in this chain of spiritual backsliding. Spiritual Pride – Self-Confidence – Satanic Attack – Spiritual Laziness – Dead Works. Let’s look at each of those links.
1. Spiritual Pride
Matthew 16:13-23. If we go back about six months, we find an extremely interesting story concerning Peter. Let’s look at it.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. 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 be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Now, what is going on here? Jesus had asked the disciples who do people say that the Son of Man is. They replied that some say He is John the Baptist, others say He is Elijah, others say that He is Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But then Jesus pressed them further and said, “But who do you say that I am?” And true to form, Peter spoke for the rest of the disciples when he said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” How did Jesus respond? He said, “Simon, son of John, you are blessed! This revelation did not come from you or any other man, it came from God in heaven! Furthermore, you are Peter, a rock, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I’m going to give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
Don’t you know that right about then Peter was flying high! What a wonderful feeling to know that you have been used of God! Peter spoke forth the truth, and then Jesus told him that God had revealed it. So, Peter starts thinking “Hey, I’m the Rock. Jesus said so Himself! I hear from God. I’ve got an inside line to heaven! And that’s not all. Jesus is giving me the keys of the kingdom of heaven. I have the authority to bind and loose!” All of that must have been pretty heady stuff don’t you think?! It’s no surprise to me, that Peter quickly begins to show signs of spiritual pride. He begins to act in a cocky way. When Jesus told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem where He will suffer and die, Peter feels he’s got to straighten Jesus out. Verse 22 says that Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him! It was as if he was saying, “Lord, I don’t want to embarrass you in front of the other disciples, but You’ve got it all wrong. Let me set you straight. It seems you have been overcome with amnesia. Didn’t you just say that You were going to build Your church, and the gates of hades would not overpower it? Didn’t you just say you were going to give me the keys of the kingdom, and that I could bind and loose. What then is all this nonsense about suffering and dying? Hey, this operation is ready to roll! We’re going to build a Monster Church! No demon can stand against us! Don’t deflate our enthusiasm by all this talk of suffering and dying!”
So, what was Peter’s error? It was spiritual pride. He really thought he knew more than Jesus! And the result was that he changed from being a spokesperson for God to being a spokesperson for the devil! Jesus told him, “Get behind Me, Satan!”
Doesn’t the same thing happen to us? God uses us, and even speaks through us, and it goes to our head. We all of a sudden start to think that we know all the answers. We’ve got a corner on the truth. The minute that happens, we become a tool in the hands of Satan. Whereas, God may have just used us, now that we are lifted up with pride, the devil can use us. When we are lifted up with spiritual pride, God can’t use us. In order for God to continue to use us, we must be humble and teachable.
Oh, brothers and sisters, beware of spiritual pride! Maybe God has used you in preaching on the streets, or leading a bible study, or witnessing door to door, or sharing the gospel at a Prayer Stop. If you are not very careful, you can let that go to your head, and find yourself in the same place that Peter was in. Oh, when God uses you, plead with Him to enable you to give Him all the glory. Ask Him to keep you humble, and dependent on Him. If you let things go to your head, you’re through. Keep looking to Him always!
2. Self-Confidence
Now, go over to Matthew 26:31-35 with me.
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, `I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.´ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee. But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.
Jesus said that all of His disciples would fall away because of Him, and then He quoted Zechariah 13:7 to prove it. However, Peter argues with the Lord. He says that even if every last one of the other disciples fell away, he would never fall away. He boldly confessed that he would be true to the bitter end. Even after Jesus told him that he would deny Him three times, he continued to argue, and said, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.”
Peter is so sure of himself, isn’t he? He is so self-confident. He is putting confidence in the flesh. He really doesn’t know the deceitfulness of his own heart. I believe that he really didn’t realize that without Christ he can do nothing.
Oh, my friends, watch out when you say, “I would never do that! I would never use TV as a babysitter! If I owned a nice home, I would never let it get dirty and run down! I would never lie or cheat on my income taxes. I would never smoke, or drink or use drugs. What does the Word of God say? 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”
Do you see how naturally spiritual pride leads to self-confidence? A true, Biblical humility will cause a person to be confident in God, but spiritual pride will cause a person to put confidence in his flesh.
3. Satanic Attack
Go back with me to Luke 22:31, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.” It was after Peter was lifted up with pride, and putting confidence in the flesh, that Satan attacked! Satan wanted to violently shake Peter, to try to destroy his faith. And the crazy thing is that Jesus permitted him to do it. Satan demanded permission to sift Peter, and Jesus granted permission. However, Jesus also prayed that Peter would be restored.
Isn’t it interesting that Satan attacked Peter when Peter suspected it least? Peter was on Cloud 9. He was speaking for God! He was receiving revelation from God. He was the Rock, and Jesus was building the church on him! He had the keys of the kingdom, and could bind and loose. No wonder he was lifted up with pride, and put confidence in the flesh. He was strutting around like some banty rooster, and that’s when Satan knocked him off his feet. Friends, Satan can’t get knock you down when you are on your knees. It’s only when you start strutting around with pride that you become one of his prime targets.
I’m sure that Peter never saw Satan’s attack coming. He thought that he was hot stuff, and that he didn’t need to be concerned about Satan. After all, he was the Rock! Little did he know. And Satan will attack us when we least suspect it. He will attack when we think we’re something special, when we think God can’t carry on His work without us. We can think that we’re so with it, and have it all together, so that we are not even aware that Satan may be about to pounce. We think we are so spiritually strong that we don’t even give the devil a second thought.
4. Spiritual Laziness
Turn over in your Bibles to Matthew 26:36-46 “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Jesus gave Peter, James and John a command – “Remain here and keep watch with Me.” Then He left them and went to a solitary place and prayed. When He returned He found them sleeping, instead of praying. So He roused them to their duty, and left again to pray. He came back two more times, and each time He returned, they were sleeping. In Gethsemane, we see the true humanity of Jesus Christ shining forth brightly. As a real human being, like us, Jesus needed their support in prayer. However, they needed to pray, not only for Jesus, but also for themselves. They would face the greatest temptation of their lives in just a few short hours. The only way they could be prepared for that temptation was prayer. Their spirit was willing, but their flesh was weak.
So often that is our problem, isn’t it? Our spirit is willing to read the Word, meditate on the Word, memorize the Word, pray and fast, but our flesh is so weak. Too often we indulge the flesh instead of following the leading of the spirit. We can become spiritually lazy by indulging the flesh instead of following the lead of the Spirit. This happens especially when we do not cultivate the spiritual disciplines, and let our body dictate to our spirit, rather than having our spirit dictate to our body. This is just setting us up for a fall!
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” We need to discipline our body and make it our slave so that it submits to God’s will, and seeks Him. When our body wants to veg out and stare blankly at the TV screen, or at video games, rouse yourself to go and seek the Lord! When your body doesn’t want to get out of bed, rouse yourself to get up and pray before work! If you want to avoid a downhill slide into sin, don’t give in to spiritual laziness. Cultivate spiritual disciplines instead!
5. Dead Works
Look at John 18:8-11 with me, “ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”
Notice that Peter is still arguing with Jesus about going to the cross. Jesus told the authorities that He was ready to go with them, but just let the disciples go their way. Malchus was probably the first person to step up to Christ. When he does, Peter is thinking, “No Lord, this isn’t the plan. Remember we’ve got to build the church. Remember, the gates of Hades won’t overpower it. I can’t let this happen!” Peter is fighting when he should be submitting, because he was sleeping when he should have been praying. If Peter had been awake in prayer, he would have overheard Jesus agonizing over whether he would have to drink the cup. He would have understood that Jesus had to drink the cup. The cross was God’s plan for His Son. However, he was still fighting against the cross. He was unwilling to submit to Christ’s Word.
My question to you is, do you keep the Lord busy putting on ears that you cut off? We think we are doing the right thing, but it is actually the wrong thing. We can be so busy swinging our swords, but we are out of the will of God. Why do we end up acting in the flesh? Because we don’t pray, and don’t listen to God’s Word. If we don’t maintain communion with the Lord, we are bound to swing our swords in the flesh and do lots of damage. We just create a whole lot of messes that Jesus has to clean up.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about doing a lot of “good things” that the Lord doesn’t really want us doing. I have been part of a church where the people were so busy doing “good things” that they had no time for the Lord! They were in church Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. On top of that they were leading Bible studies one or two nights a week, and then going to an evangelistic concert of film on Friday night. Their families were not strong, and their own walk with the Lord suffered. What was going on? We were serving the Lord in the flesh. Hebrews 6:1 talks about repentance from dead works. I believe “dead works” are works performed in the power of the flesh. These are works that don’t come from God’s Spirit in us, but rather our own flesh.
Let’s admit it. It is very tempting to do good works in the power of the flesh. Why do we do this? I think we often do it because we crave attention, approval, and admiration from others. We do it for the same reason that the Pharisees were doing it – to be noticed by men. And when we try to do good or serve the Lord in the power of the flesh, how difficult it is! But when we serve the Lord out of joy and communion with Him, how natural and easy it is! Paul said in Philippians 3:3, “for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”
Conclusion
Did you notice how one sin leads to another. Our problem starts with spiritual pride, which leads to self-confidence. The devil takes advantage of our blinded condition, and attacks us. When Satan attacks, we find ourselves being spiritually lazy, because we feel we don’t need the spiritual disciples – we’ve got it all together. All of this leads to dead works. With our communion with God broken, we continue to do religious things, but they are dead. We are busy but barren. We are diligent, but dead. We are not listening to Christ.
In Peter’s case, all of this finally lead him to deny the Lord three times. Peter ended up doing something he couldn’t believe he would ever do. In John 18:5 it says, “And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.” Now, look down at verse 25, “Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” Did you notice that Judas was standing with Christ’s enemies, and later Peter does exactly the same thing. Peter had outwardly taken the same position as Judas. Now, this didn’t happen overnight. It had been building for over six months. Peter would never have believed you if you told him he would lie to a girl to save his skin. Peter was proud of his courage and boldness. After all, he was the one who drew his sword to defend Jesus. But he had at last hit rock bottom.
Guard Yourself Against the First Signs of Sin. My friends, sin is deceitful. It will lie to you! It looks great at first. It looks enticing, and fun. That illicit sexual relationship, the drinking, the drugs. But if you take the bait, it will hook you. Sin leads to more intense forms of sin. At first that sin is fairly easy to resist, but if you give in to it, it becomes harder and harder to resist. Sin is like leprosy. It just keeps on spreading. So, when you see sin rearing its ugly head in your life, deal severely with it. Cut off the right hand of sin! Pluck out the right eye of sin! Don’t let it deceive you, and trap you, and enslave you!
If You are Far from God, Repent and Return. Peter did. When Jesus looked at him, he went out and wept bitterly. He repented. Christ restored him, and used him greatly on the Day of Pentecost to preach and see 3,000 souls saved. If you are far from God, and doing your righteous deeds in the power of the flesh, in order to be seen of men, you need to repent this morning. You need to get alone with God, and do business with Him. Turn from dead works, and serve the living God!
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