Title: Peter's Loud / Matthew 26:3-35,
Contents
Compared to Japanese people, Koreans seem to belong to a hot-blooded group. It is said that when something happens, they start off with anger without thinking about the back. They are kind and polite, but they do not forget the resentment in their heart one by one and accumulate revenge and get revenge.
I'm not talking about which temperament is better now, I'm trying to say that it is the natural temperament. A person who has served as the president of a Han country would generally think that he had to choose his words, but our former presidents also show that they are hot-blooded who cannot escape the average Korean.
Regarding ex-President Kim Young-sam's exposure to his uncomfortable feelings, former President Chun Doo-hwan said in a tone that could not contain his feelings for the man who put him in prison, saying, "You shouldn't talk here and there like a fist-dog." Ex-President Kim Young-sam is not a shy person, so what kind of class
I wondered if it would come out, but if it wasn't, I slapped former President Chun Doo-hwan back as "alley dog". It is bittersweet to think that our self-portraits seem to be seen in them during the untimely 'Dog Wars'. This is because they have not been able to deviate even an inch from the appearance of ordinary Koreans who are not careful and have strong self-esteem, who speak carelessly without thinking about what will come next.
However, in today's text, although the circumstances and contents are different, we find the appearance of an ordinary human Peter, who is also of a high blood temper. Jesus foretold the cross and resurrection by telling his disciples that you will all desert me and flee, but I will rise from the dead and go before you to Galilee. At this time, Peter confidently spoke of his hasty personality and the superiority of being a master disciple.
“Even if they all forsake you, I will never forsake you.” Hearing these words, Jesus tells him that he will betray me three times before the rooster crows tonight as if it were a pity. At this time, Peter is very proud of himself and shouts out loud. “Even if I die with you, I will not deny you.” Perhaps there are similarities between the people of Galilee and the Koreans. Scholars say that the people of Galilee are hot-blooded and have a strong sense of justice. He has a lot of sensitivity, but he doesn't know how to take responsibility for his back and has a flaw in speaking easily. Peter can be said to be a very typical Galilean. Then, Peter's weakness is our weakness. Through today's text, I hope that we will discover ourselves in the image of Peter and experience the grace of the Lord who loved Peter nonetheless.
It is said that we do not have enough depth to misunderstand ourselves and evaluate ourselves honestly before the word of God according to our own experience or the evaluation of others.
Realizing that we are human beings who are not fundamentally different from non-believers and no better than other saints, we must not misunderstand that we are our own as we are based on our baseless superiority and other people's evaluations.
When Jesus relied on Zechariah 13:7 and said, “I will feed the shepherds, and the flocks will be scattered,” you should savor those words deeply, but he showed the frivolity of claiming that these words did not even reach our ears. Don't act based on your own feelings, self-assertion, preconceived notions, or opinions, but listen to the Lord, reflect on yourself, and make in-depth judgment while praying.
2. Peter was overconfident of his will.
Let's look at verses 34-35. "I tell you the truth," said Jesus, "tonight before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. Peter said to him, "Even if I die with you, I will not deny you." So said all the disciples. When Jesus heard Peter shouting and claiming that he was different from others, Jesus made him realize how fragile phosphoric acid is. What you said you would betray before the rooster crows tonight, you will betray before one night passes.
Human righteousness and humanity are commendable and must be valuable, but they are relative and cannot be absolute. However, Peter even went so far as to be overconfident of his will as absolute. The reason for saying this also seems to be an emotional statement about the Lord saying he would deny it before the rooster crows. In the book of James, we find this story. A man goes to a new city and says he will do business for a year to earn money and come to serve the church well. Mr. James advises him that life is like a morning mist, but you never know what will happen in a year. . I don't know what to do tomorrow . So, if God permits it, he said it would be right to say that it would be like this. The human will can never be absolute. The human will can never be absolute.
This is an act of reliing on one's own will rather than relying on the Lord.
Today, on the surface it seems like a great act of faith, but if you look closely, it is self-righteousness and in some cases it is an expression of one's will.
There are no absolutes in the world of creation. There is absolutely nothing for humans. That is why the Lord tells us not to swear by anything in heaven or on earth or in the world. An oath is idolatry that absolutizes creation or self-determination. The absolute exists only in God alone. In that case, we should say: "Oh Lord, I am weak. I may betray You like everyone else. But Lord, I believe that if Your Holy Spirit will come upon me and help me in my weakness, I will not betray You."
3. When Peter heard the crowing, he wept.
We have looked at Peter's loud frivolity, ignorance and irresponsibility. Peter mistaken himself for being different. Not only that, he overconfided in his will and even swore to death.
When a person shouts, the content is usually poor. He gets scared and shouts out because he is afraid that someone will see and point out his flaws. This is evil and good, not a problem, but a limitation of phosphoric acid. They exaggerate and shout to hide their weakness. But usually such loud noises and exaggerations come to light sooner or later. Peter was discovered before the night had passed. He said he didn't know Jesus three times. Not in front of a Roman soldier or official, but twice in front of a maid, and once in front of a stranger who was next to him, a total of three times he said he never knew Jesus.
The number three is a perfect number, which means that it is completely and completely denied. It wasn't a momentary mistake, it wasn't that he said he didn't know the Lord with words that came out of fear, he completely denied that he didn't know Him. Peter, who confidently said he would never deny it, turned into such a person in just a few days. It is a scene that shows the tragic failure of Peter, who mistaken himself for a great person and relied on his own determination and ability. The more we rely on ourselves, the greater and faster we fail.
“In Matthew 26:75, Jesus remembered that Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times,” so he went out and wept bitterly. Hearing the sound of the chickens reminded me of the word of the Lord. And he showed his absurd overconfidence and arrogance. I thought I was at least different from a human like Judas Iscariot, but I found myself not having anything different from Judas Iscariot. He was so ugly and disgusting that he couldn't stand it. He went outside and wept. I was so ashamed of myself that I cried and cried before the Lord.
I used to look so proud and proud of myself, but now I can't be so ashamed and humble, so I struggled and cried. God saw his tears. It was because of his weeping repentance that Peter later received the power of God in Mark's upper room at Pentecost. One must cry out loud before God, it is the awareness of one's powerlessness. When a child's wrongdoing is revealed and there is no way to make an excuse, he cries and cries. But after weeping, the Lord sees those tears, forgives them, and opens the way. So, the tears of saints turn into tears of dignity.
Then, after the Lord was resurrected, Peter first went to Galilee and led the disciples along the way and remembered the promise he had made, so he couldn't help but weep even more.
The tears that the Holy Spirit makes us cry are tears of repentance and tears of thanksgiving. When is the happiest time for the saints? I am happiest when I shed tears of repentance that the Holy Spirit moves me, and when I shed tears of emotion as I have been forgiven and accepted by the grace of the Lord.
Now we must cry. The Lord suffered a lot on a rough cross for me, but there are times when we can't sleep in anger because we can't overcome even a small wound to our pride. Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for you and your children. The Lord went up the road to Golgotha carrying a heavy cross. Have we ever wept for our families and our children? If there is no love in the world and the church laments that there is no love, but our hearts are cold and no one has ever been touched by the love of Jesus because of me, we should weep, thinking that I am a fake. However, if you are in a hurry, you must repent and cry because you are a selfish selfish person who says you do not know Jesus.
It is said that those who mourn are comforted. After weeping for ourselves, we must shed intercessory tears for our neighbors and society. Let your tears become an oasis in a world like the desert! There, the palm tree of blessing and grace will bear fruit.