Crowing Over Failure

January 25, 2009

Based on Luke 22:54-62

Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."

But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.

A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them.”

"Man, I am not!" Peter replied.

About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."

Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!”

Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Crowing over failure. Peter certainly was not crowing over failure at this particular moment. Failure was crowing over Peter.

Perhaps you know the rest of the story. Perhaps you know that Jesus restores Peter, perhaps you know the patterns of Peter’s life, perhaps you know his successes as well as his failures, perhaps you know how God used him.

Perhaps, though, you (or someone you know) are struggling with the word failure, like Peter was at that moment. When knowing that he had just let down his best friend, his God, and all of his other friends, was the overwhelming reality of his life. And he wept. Bitterly.

Some people shrug off failure like the proverbial water on a duck’s back. Others allow it to define them…or others. They seem to want to live in the failure, to be perpetual screw-ups, reliving the moment(s) of their failure, forcing others to relive failure, bowing down before failure as if it is the only thing that matters, as if failure is God’s last word to us.

For those of who don’t live in rural settings, the image of crowing over something relates more to Peter Pan than to roosters. We think of crowing over something as boastful, arrogant, brash, a mark of immaturity.

Yet Jeff painted an incredible picture of Jesus redeeming even the rooster’s crow in Peter’s life, infusing that daily sound with grace, replacing memories of failure with memories of restoration, renewed hope, and purpose, as a way of reminding Peter that each new day is a new opportunity to live for God. A picture for us of how Jesus wants to restore even the very reminders of our failures.

So…

Where have you failed?

Have you faced the reality of your failure, as Peter did? Owning responsibility for our behavior, for our failures, opens the door to forgiveness. (Luke 22:52-64)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9

Have you spent time with Jesus, reconciling your relationship with Him? (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:4; John 21)

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.—Psalm 103:11-13

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.—Hebrews 4:15, 16

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.—Revelations 3:20

Have you been reconciled to those who were impacted by your actions? Are there steps you need to take to be reconciled with others who have been wounded by your failure? (Peter reconnected with the other disciples. See John 20 and 21.)

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God….Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”—Matthew 5:9, 23, 24

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.—James 5:16

Are you ready? Ready to move on? Ready for God to redeem your failures? To restore your life? To recast even the memory of your failure?

"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.”—Isaiah 43:18, 19

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.—Lamentations 3:22, 23

Are you willing to offer the same forgiveness, reconciliation, human encouragement, restoration, and hope to others who have failed?

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”—Matthew 18:21, 22

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."—Mark 11:25

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.—Philippians 2:1-4

To view the worship celebration related to this Next Step, visit http://www.touchandchange.com/artman/publish/article_1588.shtml

Half Time Talk

Based on Acts 1

What’s your favorite halftime speech? Was it one you heard as a player on a sports team? Maybe a scene from a sports movie comes to mind.

Halftime talks come right in the middle of the game. Whether your team is up or down, you’ve been struggling to achieve a goal, to win, and there’s more to come. You aren’t done yet, this is just a brief break in the action to help you catch your breath and regroup before heading into the next phase of the game.

Acts 1 is that halftime place between Jesus’ victory on the cross and the viral spread of His message through the followers He commissions to go back onto the field. They’ve experienced tremendous things as they walked with Jesus—miracles that defy human explanation; teaching that amazes, astounds, and confounds human logic; and love and forgiveness that creates an intimacy they’ve never known before.

After Jesus’ amazing and seemingly unbelievable resurrection from the dead, they’ve spent 40 days in His presence. It’s been a time unlike any other they’ve ever experienced. As Jesus points them to the future, He promises them power from on high, supernatural power, the ability to do even more than He has done.

Now comes the bombshell—He’s leaving. He won’t be with them in person as they move out of the locker room and back onto the field. Initially, they misunderstand.

“So, is it time, then? Are you calling the game? Is it time for the post-game party?”

No, that’s not the plan. The game will continue. With the score unchangeably in their favor, they need to go out and play, giving it all they’ve got, confident that they will prevail.

Where are you in the game of life, in the struggle to live out your faith in God in the midst of your personal circumstances?

Are you sitting on the bench, waiting to get in the game? Maybe you’re dirty and bruised, limping a bit. Maybe you’ve had some great plays and you can’t wait for more. Maybe you’re tired, even discouraged.

Halftime is a time to pull aside and hear what the coach has to say. He’s committed to you, he knows your strength and ability, and he has a game plan. He wants to motivate you for what’s to come, to get you re-energized so you can give it all you’ve got until the very last second of the game.

Discouragement always steals hope, energy, focus, and courage. Discouragement is never from God, it is a tool used by the enemy of our souls to cause us to doubt God’s love and ability to work in and through us.

Jesus had times of discouragement and fatigue that caused Him to turn to the Father for the encouragement He needed to keep going. Because He received encouragement from God, He was able to pass on that same encouragement to His disciples.

What tends to discourage you?

I’ve always enjoyed the fact that the word courage is at the heart of the word encouragement. When I am encouraged, I find the hope and resolve to move forward, to commit myself anew, and to see the possible steps I can take to move ahead as I envision a future characterized by life and hope.

How does encouragement affect your ability to live life?

How does God encourage you when you’re discouraged?

Where do you need encouragement right now and how do these Scripture passages encourage you to get back in the game?

John 14:16, 17

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Romans 1:11, 12

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

Romans 8:26, 27

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Romans 8:34

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Romans 12:6-8

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Romans 15:4-6

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Philippians 2:1-4

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

If you’re in need of a halftime talk, I hope you’ve found words of encouragement here, words that reinvigorate you and give you the courage you need to get back in the game.

One final word of encouragement

Great halftime speeches are meant to be remembered and shared. Ask God to send someone your way who needs encouragement, and then encourage them with the encouragement He has given you. Point them to Him, the Great Encourager.

Life’s Too Short…To be Negative!

Based on Numbers 13-14

In last week’s Next Step, we talked about combating an attitude of entitlement that, at its most basic level, believes that God owes us.

This week’s Next Step deals with another common attitude, excusing our negative attitudes and behavior by claiming “that’s just the way I am,” which translates to elevating ourselves beyond the realm of God’s ability to shape us to be like Christ, in essence, blaming God for our sinful attitudes and behavior.

Are we powerless to change our attitudes and behavior?

Thinking that we are powerless to change might hold up if Jesus simply died on the cross to forgive our sin, and then stayed dead. Then we would have forgiveness, but no hope of ever breaking free of sinful patterns that bind us.

That isn’t how the story ends in my Bible. How about yours?

In my Bible, Jesus refuses to stay in the tomb. Three days later, He actually rises from the dead to new life. Then He offers His life to us in exchange for our sin. Just as death could not hold Him in its power, sinful patterns of death have no power over us.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.—Paul, writing in 2 Corinthians 5:21

Paul says that we are not simply forgiven; we are given the righteousness of God in exchange for our sin. Christ took on our sin, accepting God’s punishment for sin on our behalf. At the same time, Jesus made His righteousness available to those who received His sacrifice on their behalf, and clothes them in God’s perfect righteousness.

Our power to live lives that reflect God’s righteousness flows from His Spirit. Writing to the Galatian believers, Paul reveals the secret to breaking sin’s hold in our lives—

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.—Galatians 5:16

To the Ephesian believers, Paul put it this way—

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.—Ephesians 4:22-24

It is possible, Paul says, to break free from the power of sin and to live changed lives that reflect new life in Christ. When we do sin, John shows us the way to move forward, reminding us that God’s response when we own up to our sin goes beyond forgiveness to include cleansing and renewal:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9

“Wait a minute,” you might say, “that’s all fine and good, but my negativity isn’t a sin. It is simply part of who I am. I see the world as it really is. I see the obstacles that other people choose to overlook. It’s my God-given nature and responsibility to point out the problems I see. My negative attitude is simply part of the discernment God gave me.”

Do you see negativity as sin? If not, what evidence can you point to in the life of Christ that negativity honors God?


As you consider the attitude you bring to life, reflect on Philippians 2:1-5 and ask yourself how your daily attitude reflects the presence of Christ in your life.



How do we overcome negativity?

The first step in overcoming negativity is to recognize it in our lives. Let’s take a look at the dictionary to help us get a clear picture of what negative attitudes and behavior looks like.

“Characterized by habitual skepticism and a disagreeable tendency to deny or oppose or resist suggestions or commands”
—"negativity." WordNet® 3.0. Princeton University. 22 Oct. 2008. .

“Lacking positive or constructive features: unpleasant, disagreeable; gloomy, pessimistic; hostile or disparaging; malicious”
—"negativity." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 22 Oct. 2008. .

Where do you tend to resist God’s power to remake you, claiming that it’s impossible for you to change?


Which of the words from the dictionary definitions of negativity could be used to describe you?


How does this negativity manifest itself in your life? Has it become habitual? In what specific situations or toward which specific people do you tend to become negative?


How is your negative attitude getting in the way of God’s ability to you us to touch and change the world for Christ?


Where does your negative attitude reveal a need for you to humble yourself before God, confess your sins, and allow Him to purify your thoughts, attitudes, and actions? Are you ready to do that?


Who do you need to confess your negativity to and ask for their forgiveness?


God will forgive our negativity, and He stands ready to remake us in the image of Jesus. However, we don’t combat a negative attitude by simply focusing on removing it from your life.

The next step in overcoming negativity is to refocus on living by His Spirit, to be made new in the attitude of our minds, allowing God’s thoughts to reshape our thoughts and the patterns of our lives. This positive focus will fill the void left by asking God to remove our negative tendencies.

Romans 12:2 echoes Paul’s thoughts in Ephesians 4:23-24, telling us that it is possible to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that our lives reveal God’s design for how life is to be lived.

Which of the following character qualities will you begin to develop in place of the negative qualities that have taken hold in you? Pick one to start with.
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control
Hope
Trust in God

You can use www.biblegateway.com to find verses in the Bible that focus on the quality that you want to develop, and meditate on those verses. Pick one and memorize it over the next week to help you focus your mind on a God-shaped positive attitude.

Finally, personal change is either enhanced or undermined by relationships.

Who encourages your tendency toward negativity? Who encourages your desire to live a life that reflects God?


How can you build more time into your life to be with people who encourage you to focus on God’s life-changing power?


Who will you encourage by your positive, God-focused attitude this week?