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Mark 14:66-72
We’ve all been with Jesus at some point or another. You can’t deny it.
How we live once we have decided to follow Jesus will have great ramifications
I was raised in church- Sent to Sunday school, summer camp, etc. But never demanded to follow Jesus with my whole life. Jesus was always a really nice guy to talk to, not a savior to live for
The challenge put before me when I was 15 was to either spend my life crucifying Christians, or being Crucified for Christ. I chose to be crucified, and gave up my life.
I found Jesus, or he found me- But the bottom line was- I couldn’t deny Christ any longer.
Everyone on this planet knows there is a God- They might not fully understand him- but they know he exists:
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
They are without excuse! There is a God! If you’re here and you don’t know if there is a God, you know there is a God- You might not understand- or want to repent- but YOU KNOW
The psalmist said- Psalm 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
People will argue and say, “ if I had met Jesus- maybe” and I’m sorry you didn’t but Jesus doest give you an out
John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Denial of the knowledge of the law isn’t enough to get out of law breaking-
Was in VA- mph- up and down- didn’t see it- he didn’t care- got me a ticket
Here’s the truth- We must not deny Jesus Christ- WE MUST NOT
We must decide that in every area of our life, that we do not deny him
Home, work, school, neighborhood, in the marketplace- how we live says if we deny HIM
2 Timothy 2:12 If we endure,We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
And IF you’re not a Christ follower- you are denying him and your end will NOT be well
Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
You know who Jesus is- You know who God is- You HAVE been with him
As a child you heard from him, you prayed to him, and then you got around people that started filling your head with Doubt and disbelief and now you trust the newscaster more than God
We will not be a church that denies the name of Jesus. We will not.
Jesus is the ONLY way for someone to get to heaven. Not living right. The bible makes ZERO provision for those who willfully deny the salvation of JESUS
We want to receive the commendation of the church of Philidelphia in Reve 3
Rev 3:7-13 READ- 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, [f]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Many blessings await us as a church
You were also with Jesus! You must not deny! Peter denied 3 times- you do not want to deny him ONCE. If there is an area of your life where you are denying him- STOP IT
Come into the love of Jesus and REPENT
1. Do not deny your knowledge!
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. We all used it as a kid. It’s the “I didn’t know” defense
If you ‘don’t know’ we thought- we could get away with anything.
Going in basement w neighbor kid killing rats w bb gun. ‘we didn’t cover that’
Denial of knowledge 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
Peter knew exactly what she was saying to him. He knew Jesus. He knew exactly what they were saying. HE KNEW HIM. HE SPENT TIME WITH HIM Can’t deny it for one second
Peter had walked on water with Jesus and walked with him for 3 years, but NO
God doesn’t do well with people who willfully choose to deny that they know the truth-
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
God said to Israel “I will forget your children” because they lacked knowledge
What does it mean to you?
Don’t deny what you know! You know what the Bible says and what you are supposed to be doing or not doing. If you’re SAYING you don’t know- you are LYING
Psalm 34:12-13 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
Its like tithing, or serving, or fellowshipping, or anything else- You KNOW you’re supposed to be doing it- you KNOW it but you pretend and DENY that you do- Don’t deny your KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge in Christ is very important to live this life- gain it! Walk in it!
Proverbs 24:5 A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
Knowledge is power. But only if that Knowledge is the knowledge of GOD- What good is it if you know a bunch of worldly knowledge and you don’t know the things of God?
Here’s what I love about Peter- he came around! He failed miserably- but he came BACK in 1,2 Peter
2 peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter is saying- man- GROW in the knowledge of Jesus- if You DO you wont fall away!
Knowledge brings COURAGE-
1 peter 3: 13-17 READ “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled
Denial of Association
69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.” 70 But he denied it again.
Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
2 Timothy 2:12-13 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
If you’re going to deny- DENY
Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being [a]abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
1 peter 4: 12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 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. 14 If you are [e]reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. [f]On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a [g]busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this [h]matter.
Denial of confession
And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” 71 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
Proverbs 25:26 A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
2 peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
But are you denying by the way you live?
1 john 3:4-9 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Reflection and Repentance
72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.
Psalm 120:1 In my distress I cried to the Lord, And He heard me.
Psalm 119:145 I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes.
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
1 peter 2: 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
2 peter 3: 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [d]burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.