What are we worth to God

As we get closer to Easter, we stop this week to meditate on the ways in which we can be profane in God’s eyes. There are of course many obvious ways (ex. pornography, adultery, murder, deceit, etc.), but this morning I would like to address some of the more common obscure ways in which we can profane our relationship with God. In order to do this, I would like for us to examine the scripture passage which we read this morning. It is the apparent end to Peter. He had done what Jesus had predicted and denied Christ three times before a rooster would crow twice. The passage said that as the rooster crowed, Peter wept. He wept because he knew that he had let the Lord down. However, this spiral begins much sooner than what we read about today. Learning from his examples, we too can see how to proclaim Christ and not profane his name.

· Profane words

We learn in scripture that Peter is first guilty of using profane words. Being one of the chosen, he is an example … a role model. However, on one occasion we read that Peter tried to rebuke Christ (Mark 8). The outcome … Christ told Peter to get behind him. This warning was so severe, Christ actually told Satan [referring to Peter] to get behind him. One of the largest lessons which Jesus imparted on Peter that day was to trust in the Lord. Jesus had just told them what had to happen to him. He wanted to stress to Peter that these events must occur.

o How often are we the same way today?

o How often do we question what God lays before us?

o Do we truly trust in the Lord? (Pause)

· Profane attitudes

From Peter, we learn that more than words can be profane. According to scripture, Peter did not stop with just words. On another occasion, Peter proved to have a profane attitude. Just what is a profane attitude? Simply, it is having an attitude which is not in adherence to Christ’s teachings. In the case of Peter, this trouble with having an attitude takes place after Christ had died and risen. In Acts 10, we learn that Peter is having a refresher course on what we know call the Great Commission. When Jesus was being raised into heaven, he left one mandate for his followers. He said that we were to Go into all the world and make disciples of man. Peter had no problem with preaching to the Jews. However, when it came to the Gentiles, it was a different story. Acts 10 tells us of a dream which Peter had. In this dream, Peter was ordered by God to eat foods which were unclean by Jewish law. When Peter argued, God reminded him that nothing from his hands were vile. The point of this conference between God and Peter was to let Peter know that he was to also be brothers with the Gentile Christians. He was told that his disregard for them was a profane action. The strong lesson was that his disregard for the gentiles was also disregard for the Lord.

o Are we still like Paul today?

o Do we spread the Gospel to all? … or do we require a dress code, a minimum income, or a certain style of clothing?

o In what ways can we by more open and understanding in our lives?

· In Peter’s early days as a follower, one more form of profanity can be found. He was profane in his actions.

If you read Matthew 14, you will learn that Peter began with the right intentions. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, he immediately jumped out into the sea and started walking to the Lord. The positive note here is that he had faith … more faith than any of the others. However midway to the Lord, Peter suffered from what I call a lapse in faith. He became aware of where he was and started to panic and drown. In the blink of an eye, his sign of faith became a sign of insecurity. From this one action, his witness was made just a little less powerful. As witnesses for Christ, this is one of the most profane actions. As Peter did, we tell each other day in and day out that we trust in the Lord, that we believe, that we will serve with faith. Then we have one weak spell and we throw the process back a couple steps.

o Why is this profane? The largest reason this is profane is because it can damage others walks with Christ. How many people have ever said something unchristian only to worry that the person might know that you are Christian? (Pause)

It is with all these flaws that I remind you once more of this morning’s scripture. It would appear to the reader that this is just the culmination of defeat. Peter had gone throw his ministry with several mistakes … yes with even a few to come. He had tried to follow Christ and his teaching, but had stumbled almost all the way. With all of this negative ness, I want to share with you the positive message from scripture this morning. Although Peter had messed up on many occasions, Jesus Christ never once gave up on him. He trusted him so much; he gave Peter the job of founding the church. As we approach the end of this Lenten season, I urge you all to remember this fact … Jesus never gave up on Peter and he will never give up on us.

(Mowrystown) As I told the children this morning, we are like the money I showed the kids this morning. We might be clean and spotless (although that is pretty much impossible) or we may be dirty, beat up, and left to pasture, but we are still worth the same amount in God’s eyes. If we but believe, no matter what mistakes we make along the way, we know that God is with us, God is in us, God will always work thru us, and most importantly … God will save us. As we gather for our closing hymn this morning, I hope that everyone will do more than just sing a song. I hope that we will take the words to heart and know that it is an Amazing Love which God has for us … A love undeserved, but never ending.

(Buford) [Take some play money] In many ways, we are like this play money. You can get us wet, you can rip us up, you can make us dirty, even make us clean. But no matter how we appear, we are always worth the same amount in God’s eyes. If we but believe, no matter what mistakes we make along the way, we know that God is with us, God is in us, God will always work thru us, and most importantly … God will save us. As we gather at the Lord’s Table this morning, I hope that we remember that this table is for each of us. It was not made for the perfect, but for the imperfect. It is place where we can meet as one; as a group of sinners who are saved by the Grace of the Lord alone. If you would join with me this morning as we proclaim our faith and our trust in the Lord ….

Scripture References

Matthew 14: 28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"

31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Mark 8: 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."

Acts 10: 9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;

11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,

12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.

13 A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!"

14 But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean."

15 Again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy."

16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.