“WITH JESUS IN ‘FAITH UNIVERSITY’ ” or “DISTRACTIONS THAT LEAD TO DEFEAT”
TEXT: Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
THESIS: To show Jesus’ lessons on faith to the Apostle Peter.
INTRO.: A. Jesus’ ministry to His disciples could have been properly designated a school of faith. His mission was to teach them to trust Him. It was the hardest lesson for them to learn.
ILLUS.: The one area that pleases the Lord most in our lives as believers is simple faith – trusting the Lord. It is the one area where we probably fail most & could please Him most.
B. Let’s visit Jesus’ University of Faith or “FAITH UNIVERSITY” & single out one student named Peter to watch his progress & the Teacher’s plan to develop his faith. Peter is probably the one among the Apostles we can most readily identify with...unfortunately...
I. LESSON #1: BEWARE THE DISTRACTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES: (THE MOST COMMON DISTRACTION) Mt. 14:27-31
👀Peter had his eyes on the wind & the waves...
A. The Student Followed His Teacher’s Example: v. 28,29
1. Peter was an anxious & willing student. v.28 2. Peter was a courageous & affectionate student.
B. The Student Became Distracted By The Circumstances: v.30
1. Peter had enrolled in the Faith 101 course and did so well at first because of his love & courage, but took His eyes off Christ & manifested cowardice & unbelief.
ILLUS.: There is a principle here: what you do in a moment of strength & trust, don’t undo in a moment of weakness & unbelief. What you tie in an invitation at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, don’t untie in a situation at the prompting of the flesh or the world or the devil.
2. Peter had allowed the circumstances (wind & waves), over which the Lord had control, to move him to unbelief.
ILLUS.: The Lord has control over YOUR circumstances too! That cancer, that heart problem, that marital problem, that wayward child, that job situation, that...?
🙏You need to get your eyes back on the Lord & off the circumstances!
C. The Student Is Rebuked by The Teacher for Failing The Test: v.31
1. Peter was not rebuked for lack of love or courage, but for lack of faith. 2. Encouragement: Even though Peter’s faith failed, Jesus took His weak student with Him safely into the boat...He didn’t let him drown! 3. Peter is an example here of MINISCULE FAITH, but this lesson occurred early in his enrollment in JESUS’ UNIVERSITY OF FAITH.
II. LESSON #3: BEWARE THE DISTRACTION OF SELF: (THE MOST DEFEATING DISTRACTION) Mk.8:31-33
👀Peter has his eyes on himself...
A. The Student Misunderstands The Teacher’s Lesson: 1. Jesus is not talking about martyrdom here but sacrifice & salvation! a. Peter fails the lesson misunderstanding that the “Captain of (our) salvation must be made “perfect thru suffering.” Heb.2:10 b. He fails to grasp that Christ’s Kingdom is not a temporary & human Kingdom, but an eternal, spiritual & supernatural Kingdom.
2. Jesus is speaking of Himself as the long awaited Passover Lamb of God. 3. Jesus is not only speaking of murder at the hands of unbelievers, but His prophesied death as a part of God’s plan. 4. Jesus is not only speaking of His coming death, but His victory over death: “...and after 3 days rise again!” v.31b
B. The Student Rebukes His Teacher: v.32
1. He is responding with zeal w/out knowledge. 2. He is responding with misdirected courage & misstated affection.
ILLUS.: Peter loves His Teacher, but questions His will! How many of us do likewise at times? We claim love & loyalty to Him, but when trouble threatens us, we forget to ask if this trouble or trial may be a part of His will for us. We simply fail to trust Him, & instead trust our instincts & ourselves & fail the test of faith in simply placing our trust in Him.
C. The Student Is Rebuked By His Teacher: v.33
1. Peter proceeds from faith (“Thou art the Christ” v.29) to failure (“and Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him...” v.32b)!
2. Peter is rebuked for allowing selfish motives & a foolish trust in himself to thwart God’s will
3. Peter is rebuked for allowing Satan to use him & Satanic concepts to distract him; the “Rock” becomes a “devil.” Jamison, Faucett & Brown say: “Jesus (here) shakes off the serpent coiling around him” as he uses Peter to detour Jesus from His mission. 4. Peter is suffering from a MISPLACED FAITH... in himself!
TRANS.: Peter has had many lessons & has passed some & failed others, like most of us. Hopefully he has learned not to focus on circumstances, or on self, but he has another lesson to learn...to keep his eyes off others. This lesson comes after Christ’s resurrection...
III. LESSON #2: BEWARE THE DISTRACTION OF OTHERS: (THE MOST DANGEROUS DISTRACTION) Jn. 21:18-23
👀Peter had his eyes on John...
A. The Student Wants To Learn More Than He Needs To Know:
1. Peter asks questions about God’s secret will & neglects God’s revealed will for himself: “feed (v.17) & ... follow” (v.19)
ILLUS.: How many times have I seen stunted Christians because they want to know the deep mysteries of God or the “secret things of God” (Deut.29:29) instead of concentrating on the things God has revealed & wants us to do!
Deut.29:29 29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
2. Peter was more concerned about God’s will for John, than God’s will for himself. 3. Peter had just been rebuked for his lapse of faith & was lovingly being restored by His Teacher, & in the next breath, he gets sidetracked, because of his concern for that which was none of his business!
B. The Student Misunderstands The Teacher’s Intent:
1. Jesus is addressing Peter’s death (v.18,19), & Peter misses the lesson, as a result he could have had a wrong view of his suffering & death, instead of accepting it as God’s will.
QUOTE: Mt.Henry: “When trouble comes we are apt to fret the more at the grievances of restraint, sickness & poverty, because we have known the sweets of liberty, health & plenty. But we may turn it the other way: ‘How many years of prosperity have I enjoyed more than I deserved...And having received good, shall I not also receive evil?’”
2. Though the Teacher’s instructions are simple: “feed & follow”, Peter is distracted because his eyes are on someone other than the Lord. 3. The Teacher’s intent is to get his student back on track, not to get Peter sidetracked by His remarks about John. (v.21,23) 4. Peter has a bad case of MISDIRECTED FAITH!
CONCL.: Peter has been “WITH JESUS IN FAITH UNIVERSITY.” We have seen his faith tested & how Jesus taught him lessons about... ⭐the distractions which destroy faith: ⭐the distraction of circumstances, ⭐the distraction of self & ⭐the distraction of others.
👉You too are enrolled in JESUS’ FAITH UNIVERSITY. Have you learned to keep your eyes on the Lord & trust Him? Or do you still have misguided faith, misplaced faith or misdirected faith?
🙂Peter has graduated from JFU. ❓Where are you in this school of faith?!