More Than I Deserve

Scripture: Mark 14:27-72

Observation: This whole scene is one of the most famous in all of scripture. You can almost imagine it on the big screen. Well, Mel Gibson did put it on the big screen and you can see that from the link below. Jesus and his disciples have just had the Passover meal, this is known as the Last Supper also famously rendered by Leonardo DaVinci. During the meal Jesus tells Peter that he will deny him three times before the rooster crows. Peter swears up and down that he will not and so do the others. Jesus then goes into the garden of Gathsemane to pray and then is arrested. He is then falsely tried by the Sanhedrin and then Peter denies him, the cock crows and Peter remembers what Jesus had said and he weeps bitterly.

Application: Why do we give Peter such a hard time? He always gets the bad rap. From the walking on water incident to this, he is known as the disciple with a big mouth and little faith. Yet, if we were to place ourselves in Peter's shoes I'm not so sure that wouldn't have been more like the unnamed disciple that ran naked through the woods. Peter atleast is so concerned about Jesus that follows the mob to see what will happen to him. The point is there is a little bit of Peter in all of us. We all at some point think that we have it all figured out and we are going to serve Jesus til the death, but when faced with it we allow our strength to take over and we fail Jesus. I know that I have denied Christ more than three times and yet Peter gets the bad name. He goes on to be one of the greatest of all the disciples and 3000 people come to know Christ as a result of his preaching. I think the point is that Jesus stuck with Peter even when Peter didn't stick with Jesus and Peter grew because of it. The can be true for us. No matter how many times we fail Christ, he is always there with us and if we allow it to, we can grow as a result and become a faithful servant. We all get more than we deserve.

Prayer: O Savior of sinners, Thy name is excellent, they glory high, they compassions unfailing, thy condescension wonderful, they mercy tender... I come to thee in thy beloved name of Jesus; re-impress they image upon my soul; Raise me above the smiles and frowns of the world, regarding it as a light thing to be judged by men; May thy approbation be my only aim, thy Word my only rule...How little have I illustrated my principles and improved my privilages! How seldom have I served my generation! How often have I injured and not recommended my redeemer! How few are those blessed through me! In many things I have offended, in all come short of thy glory; Pradon my iniquity, for it is great. Amen.

(Living for Jesus, from The Valley of Vision 1975).


More Than I Deserve:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nezWqons5AE&NR=1