Recalculating (When Plans Change) Repenting of Things We Thought We’d Never Do :31-35

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Good morning. We are three weeks into a series that we are calling, “Recalculating,” it’s about ​ ​ what to do “When plans change.” Which couldn’t come at a better time. Because pretty much ​ ​ everybody’s plans have changed these last couple of weeks, changes that look like will remain in place for the coming month at least. I know when we planned this sermon series we planned on preaching it to a full house, in Church, every Sunday. But plans “changed.” And a little ​ ​ “recalculating” had to be done. And it looks like we will not be meeting in the Church building ​ all month. Now, thank the Lord that we can still meet online. And we want to thank all those who have worked overtime making that possible. Especially Jeff, and Blake, and Drew. Thank you.

And if you’re watching online, would you just text in a hearty, “Amen!” Or say, “Thank you,” to ​ ​ ​ ​ Jeff, and Blake, and Drew. They’ve gone the extra mile this morning to provide us the opportunity to actually respond to the service this morning. And they truly deserve our thanks.

Please, would you do that? Right now. It’s not the same as “being there,” that’s true. We look ​ ​ forward to the day when all this is over and we can meet together as a Church again. But until then, would you help me thank these fellows, for providing this online experience?

Even those of you who are watching from other Churches, because your Church is not able to provide such an online experience, would you thank these fellows too?

And those of you who are watching from another state, I know we’ve got some of my Wv family benefitting from what these fellows are doing for them, too. Thank you gentlemen. Thank you.

Now this coming Easter weekend we have an extra treat waiting on us. Everyone is invited to a “drive by” greeting underneath our Church portico where cars can be driven through, and ​ drivers can roll down their window and receive…

● A heartfelt, yet socially distant, Easter greeting, ● Communion supplies for their family, ● An “Easter In A Box” kit for your kids, ​ ​ ● And a special Easter gift we want to give you.

We will have an elder or a staff member waiting for you under our Church portico from 3 and 6 PM this , and between 9 and noon Saturday morning to greet you. Nobody will be allowed to get out of their cars, and there will be no physical contact. But you will receive what we believe will help you truly celebrate Easter with your family.

And we plan to have a very special Easter Morning Worship service online at 10:15 next Sunday! We plan to record that service outside in front of our crosses and empty tomb! Weather permitting, of course. But we plan to have an Easter service that you will be proud to invite all

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your family and friends to attend with you, online, without anyone having to leave their living room!

Now, all this took a little bit of “recalculating.” This is not how we “planned” to celebrate ​ ​ ​ ​ Easter this year. But sometimes “plans change.” And when they do, sometimes a little ​ ​ “recalculating” is necessary. Sometimes it becomes necessary to… ​

➢ Release the Illusion of Self-Control ➢ And Restore Command & Control to Him Who Is In Control of It All!

That’s what we’ve been learning in this series. How we’re going to get through this.

● By staying in, ● and doing what we can, yes.

➢ But also by RELEASING this ILLUSION that we’ve got this. ​ ​ ​ ​ ➢ And by RESTORING our CONFIDENCE in the fact that God’s got this for us. ​ ​ ​ ​

Now this morning we’re going to change gears a bit. And we’re going to talk about “Repenting ​ of Things We Thought We’d Never Do.”

● Up to this point we have talked about the need to do a little “recalculating” because of ​ ​ things that have happened to us, outside of our control. ● This morning we are going to talk about the need for doing a little “recalculating” ​ because of things that we have done to ourselves.

And specifically for the consequences we have brought upon ourselves because of our sin. And let’s start right off by saying...

I. Never Underestimate Our Ability to Sin

That’s what Peter did. Peter thought he’d be the exception. Instead, he proved to be the rule.

Matthew 26:33 ...“Though they all fall away because of you (Peter said) , I will never fall away.” ​ ​

But he did, didn’t he.

Matthew 26:34 said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

And in response…

Matthew 26:35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

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But before the night is through, they will all desert Him. And Peter will find himself…

Matthew 26:69 ...sitting outside in the courtyard (of the high priest house where Jesus was on trial for His ​ life). And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ​

Matthew 26:70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.”

★ That’s one.

Matthew 26:71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Matthew 26:72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.”

★ That’s two.

Matthew 26:73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.”

Matthew 26:74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed.

Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And (Peter) he went out and wept bitterly. ​ ​ ​

Why? Peter wept... because Peter did... what Peter thought... he’d never do. Ever been there? Peter wept... because Peter did... what Peter thought... he’d never do. That ever happen to you? Peter was “the Rock!” Jesus Himself said so! Peter was the first to get Jesus right. And to ​ ​ state Who Jesus was so simply, and so correctly, that believers all over the world have been parroting Peter’s words ever since. You probably said them too. When you said, “I believe that ​ Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” you were parroting Peter’s words. Words ​ that were so right, & so well spoken, words that so well defined Who Christ was that...

Matthew 16:17 ...Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell ​ ​ shall not prevail against it.

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Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Jesus said to Peter!), and whatever you ​ ​ bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

That’s the kind of faith and stock Jesus put in this man! This... Rock! The cream of the crop when it came to listening to heaven! The cream of the crop when it came to doing what heaven wanted done! But the problem came when Peter forgot…

● that he was still human. ● And only human! ● With every inclination to sin as any other man.

The best of us have that. I used to pray that the Lord would let me preach like a certain preacher I had put high up on a pedestal. NOW I PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL HELP ME FINISH NOTHING LIKE HIM, NOW THAT HE HAS FALLEN!

That’s the problem with idols. But that’s also the problem with pedestals. Especially when we ​ ​ ​ ​ put ourselves on them. It only makes the distance further, and the pain all the greater, when we fall. Not if we fall, but when.

Peter thought that could never happen to him. But Peter was wrong. As is everyone, and anyone, who underestimates his, or her, ability to sin.

● Cain never thought he’d kill his brother Able, but he did, didn’t he. ● David never thought he’d sleep with another man’s wife, but he did, didn’t he. ● Judas never thought he’d take his own life, but he did, didn’t he. ● And Peter truly thought he’d never deny Christ, but he did, didn’t he.

Three times! Just like Christ said.

Even after Jesus warned him! Think of that! Even after Jesus warned him! Peter simply corrected Him. And Peter, who has to have the last word, assured Jesus, that even if everyone else deserted Him, not him! Not him.

Peter was willing to throw every other believer under the bus. But not him. Not him.

Peter had put himself on too high a pedestal. And what does say to anyone who would do such a thing?

1 Corinthians 10:12 ...let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he (What?) fall. ​ ​ ​

How much better might Peter have been served had Peter...

Luke 5:8

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But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees (like Peter did up in Galilee when ​ ​ ​ Peter first met Jesus), saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ​

That’s what we all are. Sinful men, and sinful women, woefully underestimating our ability to sin.

Now, that’s the bad news. Let me tell you the good news this morning. Just as we should never underestimate our ability to sin, we should...

II. Never Underestimate God’s Willingness to Forgive

What was it that the old man, John Newton, the author of “Amazing Grace” said before he died ​ ​ at the age of 82?

“Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner ​ and Christ is a great Savior.” ​ ​

And that comes out loud and clear in our text read to us this morning as Jesus prepares His followers for their fall, but also for their forgiveness as well!

Matthew 26:31 ...“You will all fall away because of me this night (Jesus said). For it is written, ‘I will strike ​ ​ the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

Matthew 26:32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

I will go before you, because I still have plans for you, I still have something to say to you up in Galilee. And what was it Jesus said to the women leaving the empty tomb on Easter morning, after Jesus is raised?

Matthew 28:10 ...Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Because Jesus was not through with those who had deserted Him, with those who had denied Him, with those who did what they thought they could never do against Him. Jesus still had something to say to them. Jesus still had plans for them. And Matthew’s ends by saying…

Matthew 28:16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

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This seemed too good to be true for some of them. Jesus was risen! And Jesus wasn’t through with them!

And the Bible says…

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

And only then did Jesus leave them.

● After they knew that they were forgiven. ● And that Jesus wasn’t through with them. ● But that Jesus had great plans for them to take this offer of forgiveness of sins to the whole world!

We had another person accept that offer of forgiveness again this week. We’ll see his baptism in just a few minutes. And we’ve seen others accept that same offer of forgiveness each week since we’ve been able to meet. I’m praying someone will receive that offer of forgiveness this week as well. And if you’re ready to receive that offer of forgiveness, or just want to know more about that offer of forgiveness, then all you have to do is click on that “Next Steps” button on ​ ​ your computer screen or digital device. You’ll be asked to give us your name and email address or phone number so that Jeff can get back with you. And you can tell us whether you’d like to…

➢ BEGIN to know more about this offer of forgiveness, or, ​

➢ if you’ve already come to BELIEVE in Jesus as God’s provision for the forgiveness of ​ ​ your sins, you’ll be offered the opportunity to be baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

➢ And if you’ve already been immersed into Christ you’ll be invited to join one of our LifeGroups where together we try to BECOME more and more like Christ, ​ ​

➢ and where we hope you eventually join us in BUILDING the Kingdom of Christ. ​ ​

But whatever you do, we encourage you, please don’t do nothing. Because you must...

III. Never Underestimate the Power of Regret

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❖ That’s what Peter did, and the Bible says, “he went out and wept bitterly.” ​

❖ Judas Iscariot went out and hung himself!

Never Underestimate the terrible, life-destroying power… of regret.

❖ Our LifeGroups that met online this week learned about a woman who carried around a lifetime of regret for an abortion she chose to have way back in college!

❖ And we learned about a man who lost $25 million of other people’s money through some foolish investments.

One of them learned how, through Christ, she could be forgiven. The other, took his own life. That’s the power of regret.

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

And we’re in the life business.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

And that’s what we pray we all to choose to have.

And God’s people said? Text that “Amen” in would you? Amen.

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I close by reminding you that all four include this story of Peter’s denial. Of Jesus’ warning and Peter’s denial. Many of the happenings in Jesus’ life, and in the life of His disciples, are only told in one, two or three of the gospels. Many of those stories are only told in the first three gospels, which are called the “synoptic” gospels. Gospels with the “same view” of the ​ ​ ​ ​ happenings in the life of Jesus and His disciples. But some happenings are so important that they are told, and retold, and retold again, and then once again told in all four Gospels. The crucifixion, for instance, told in all four gospels. The resurrection, which we’ll be celebrating next Sunday. And then there’s the denial of Peter. Jesus’ warning... Peter’s denial... The cock crowing... And Peter going out and weeping bitterly. And I believe that happening is included in all four Gospels because of how important the lessons are that it teaches. How we should…

➢ Never Underestimate Our Ability to Sin ➢ But then… Never Underestimate God’s Willingness to Forgive, either ​ ​ ➢ And… Never Underestimate the Power of Regret ​ And our prayer is that no one will do that this morning. Let’s pray...

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