REDEEMED FROM DEVASTATING FAILURE

SESSION 5 REDEEMED FROM DEVASTATING FAILURE The Point God can redeem us from even our worst failures. The Passage Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 The Bible Meets Life I ve thought a lot about failure in recent years. The topic has felt very personal for me lately. My mom died suddenly in 2010. Just 18 months later, my dad also drew near to death. He d been sick for years, but now the end had finally come. He was taken to a hospice home, and I stayed with him constantly except for a critical few hours. Thinking he would live a few more days, I slipped out of his room while he was sleeping in order to attend a banquet. He died while I was gone. I wanted to be with him when he breathed his last but I wasn t. I regret my decision to leave, but there s not a single thing I can do to change it. We all struggle with failure. Thankfully, Peter s life shows us that we re not doomed to live in the regret of our failures. The Setting Jesus and His disciples had shared the Passover meal (see Luke 22:14-38). During the meal, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of His disciples. Peter had boldly pledged to go with Jesus to both prison and to death, to which Jesus responded by predicting Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. Later that night in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed and arrested (see vv. 39-54). Despite an initial display of boldness in cutting off the ear of the high priest s slave (see v. 50; John 18:10), Peter, along with the rest of the disciples, abandoned Jesus and fled. But Peter followed the mob at a distance as they took Jesus to the high priest s house. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 125

What does the Bible say? Galilean (Luke 22:59) Galilee was a region in the northern part of Israel. Jesus was from Nazareth and Peter from Bethsaida, both towns in Galilee. Nazarene (Acts 4:10) A term referencing Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus; Nazareth was located in the region of lower Galilee about halfway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. Cornerstone (Acts 4:11) The Greek words translated cornerstone are literally head of a corner and can refer to the first stone or to the final stone in a building project. Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 Luke 22:54 They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. 55 They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56 When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, This man was with Him too. 57 But he denied it: Woman, I don t know Him! 58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, You re one of them too! Man, I am not! Peter said. 59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, This man was certainly with Him, since he s also a Galilean. 60 But Peter said, Man, I don t know what you re talking about! Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times. 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. Acts 4:8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, Rulers of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man by what means he was healed 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead by Him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11 This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it. 13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. 126 Session 5

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Question #1 on page 99 of the PSG: What s one of your favorite comeback stories? Notes Note: This does not have to be a personal comeback story for your group members. They can also talk about true and fictional stories in the broader culture. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Supplement Question #1, above, by playing a video clip of a comeback moment from a popular movie or TV show. Examples would include the final fights in one of the Rocky movies, the final football game in Rudy, the footage of the U.S. hockey team defeating the Russian team in the 1980 Olympic Games, and so on. Note: To the best of your ability, make sure to play video clips that will not offend or unnecessarily distract your group members. GUIDE: Direct group members to The Bible Meets Life on page 100 of the PSG. Introduce the theme of struggling with failure by reading or summarizing the text or by encouraging group members to read on their own. GUIDE: Call attention to The Point at the top of page 100 of the PSG: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. ENHANCEMENT: Use Pack Item 9, No Other Name, to provide a visual supplement as your group studies Jesus power to redeem even our failures. PRAY: Transition into the discussion by thanking God for the forgiveness you have received throughout your relationship with Him. Pray that you and the members of your group will learn from the example of Peter as you study God s Word. TIP: Additional ideas for your group are available at biblestudiesforlife.com. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 127

15 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Luke 22:54-62 54 They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. 55 They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56 When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, This man was with Him too. 57 But he denied it: Woman, I don t know Him! 58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, You re one of them too! Man, I am not! Peter said. 59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, This man was certainly with Him, since he s also a Galilean. 60 But Peter said, Man, I don t know what you re talking about! Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times. 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. GUIDE: Direct group members to read the first paragraph on page 102 of the PSG in order to learn some background about Peter as an individual. Note: You can also use the first paragraph on page 129 of this Leader Guide to briefly summarize the events leading up to Peter s presence in the courtyard after Jesus arrest. READ: Luke 22:54-62 on page 101 of the PSG. Read the text out loud or ask a volunteer to do so. ALTERNATE QUESTION: When have you felt like you let God down? DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 102 of the PSG: How do you typically respond when you feel like you ve let someone down? Note: Make sure group members know they don t have to talk about specific details in their history. You are looking for their responses, not their mistakes. DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 102 of the PSG: What are some ways we deny Jesus today? TRANSITION: We ve seen Peter at his worst. When we fast forward to the Book of Acts, however, we can see him at his best. 128 Session 5

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Luke 22:54-62 [Verses 54-55] After His arrest, Jesus was brought to the high priest s house. Peter had fled, along with the rest of the disciples, after Jesus arrest (see Matt. 26:56). However, he managed to regain his composure and follow the arresting party into the high priest s courtyard. Luke detailed that those in the courtyard had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. Peter was there to stay warm (see Mark 14:67; John 18:18). Peter was also there to get information about Jesus situation. He obviously did not anticipate the questions that came next. [Verses 56-57] A servant declared to the group, This man was with Him too. It s impossible to know whether she was being confrontational or just making an observation. Peter responded with a denial: Woman, I don t know Him! [Verses 58-59] After a brief time, someone else made another charge: You re one of them too! Peter responded with his second denial, Man, I am not! With his words, Peter disassociated himself from both Jesus and His disciples. About an hour later Peter was challenged again regarding his relationship with Jesus. This individual was insistent, stating, This man was certainly with Him, since he s also a Galilean. Making a bad situation far worse, Peter s accuser was One of the high priest s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off (John 18:26) earlier in the evening in the garden of Gethsemane (see v. 10). [Verses 60-62] Here was a chance for Peter to redeem himself and be courageously honest. Once again, however, he denied Christ. This time his denial came by claiming total ignorance of the situation: Man, I don t know what you re talking about! Luke did not record Peter s cursing and swearing of an oath as Matthew and Mark did (see Matt. 26:74; Mark 14:71), but he did record Peter s claim to ignorance about Jesus. In the stillness of the predawn darkness, a rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked at Peter. The Greek term used for how Jesus looked at Peter describes a direct, intense gaze. The fact that Jesus could see Peter indicates that either Jesus was being held by the soldiers in the courtyard or was being held in a place where He had a view of the courtyard. No doubt the call of the rooster rang in Peter s ears as he remembered the word of the Lord. On the previous evening, after Peter had claimed he would go to prison and die with Jesus (see Luke 22:33), Jesus had predicted, I tell you, Peter, He said, the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know Me! (v. 34). Overwhelmed with shame, guilt, and grief at his sins of denial, Peter went outside and wept bitterly. The Greek term for wept bitterly was the same used for people when the wept at a funeral for the death of someone dear to them. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 129

10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Acts 4:8-12 8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, Rulers of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man by what means he was healed 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead by Him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11 This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it. DO: Direct group members to complete the activity Hope After Failure on page 103 of the PSG. If time permits, encourage volunteers to share their responses. Listen to the song This Is Now, by Casting Crowns. The lyrics describe Peter s thoughts after denying Jesus. Use the space below to record any thoughts and emotions you experience as you listen and reflect on Peter s failure. What helps you find hope when you reflect on your own failures? READ: Acts 4:8-12 on page 101 of the PSG. GUIDE: Use the first paragraph on page 131 of this Leader Guide to set the context for these verses. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What are some of the ways God s forgiveness has made a difference in your life? GUIDE: Direct group members to read the bullet list at the top of page 104 of the PSG to learn how Peter had changed since his denial of Christ. DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 104 of the PSG: How does the presence of the Holy Spirit transform our failures and empower our witness? TRANSITION: As we conclude with Acts 4:13, we ll see how the religious leaders reacted to the boldness of Peter and John. 130 Session 5

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Acts 4:8-12 The context of this story is an incident in the temple complex involving Peter and John after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The two had encountered a lame man in the temple complex and had completely healed him in the name of Jesus. As a result of the miracle and their preaching the gospel in the temple complex, Peter and John were arrested and held overnight to face trial before the Sanhedrin the following day (see Acts 3:1 4:4). [Verse 8] As Peter stood before the Sanhedrin, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. This phrase does not refer to the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit that occurs in every believer at the moment of salvation. Rather, it refers to the experience of being governed and empowered by God s Spirit. Because Peter was empowered by the Spirit, he was able to face persecution and preach the gospel with power (see Luke 12:11-12). Therefore, Peter s actions in Acts are decidedly different than those in Luke 22. The fearful Peter had become the bold and confident Peter. Everything changed for Peter when Christ rose and the Spirit entered his life. [Verses 9-10] Speaking with irony, Peter asked if he and John were on trial for a good deed done to a disabled man. Peter was basically saying, Doing good is not crime. Next, Peter used this opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The lame man had been healed by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. The name of Jesus represented Jesus person, power, and authority. Peter reminded the rulers of the people and elders that they had condemned Jesus to death and handed Him over to the Romans to be crucified (see Luke 22:66 23:5). While Peter s message was specifically for these leaders, he also had all the people of Israel in mind as well. The message of Jesus resurrection bears witness to the truth of the gospel. [Verse 11] The background for Peter s words here is from Psalm 118:22. This text was used by Jesus Himself in His parable of the vineyard (see Mark 12:1-11), as well as by Peter in his first letter (see 1 Pet. 2:7). In its original context, the stone was thought to be either the nation of Israel or Israel s king, but finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. Peter reinforced what he had said previously, identifying the Jewish religious leaders as the builders by using the word you for emphasis. [Verse 12] Peter proclaimed to the Sanhedrin, There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it. No other name refers to the exclusivity of salvation being found by faith in Jesus Christ alone. There was nothing of compromise or accommodation in Peter s preaching. As his magnificent declaration shows, he was wholly committed to the uniqueness of Jesus as the only Savior. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 131

5 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Acts 4:13 13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. READ: Acts 4:13 on page 101 of the PSG. GUIDE: Use the first and second paragraphs on page 133 of this Leader Guide to explain the term boldness in verse 13. SUMMARIZE: Highlight the main points on page 105 of the PSG: 1. If these men knew anything about Peter, they would have realized the healed beggar wasn t the only miracle standing before them. Peter had been with Jesus, and Jesus had made a difference in his life. 2. You also have a story, that of your own encounter with Jesus Christ. Your life is unique to you, and it contains unexpected turns, failures, defeats, and regrets. 3. Your failures can lead you to greater faith when you experience the forgiveness of Jesus. So tell your story all of it and let the Holy Spirit use your witness to bring others into the kingdom of God. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What steps can we take to be more honest with one another about our failures? DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 105 of the PSG: How can we support one another in moving past our failures? GUIDE: Refer back to The Point of this session: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. As time permits, encourage volunteers to share any final thoughts and questions. 132 Session 5

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Acts 4:13 [Verse 13] The boldness of Peter and John could not be ignored by the council of the Sanhedrin. The Greek term translated boldness was used in reference to the freedom and courage of a person to speak whatever he or she desired in public. Luke used the word to emphasize the courage of those empowered by God to proclaim the message of the gospel. Because of this boldness, a group of professional, trained religious leaders were amazed at these two uneducated and untrained men. The apostles words and actions and the witness of the healed man to the truth and power of Jesus left them with nothing to say (see Acts 4:14). The Sanhedrin could not deny the power of Jesus in the healing of the lame man. They also recognized that they had been with Jesus. The same is true for us today. Our bold witness will point others to Jesus. Previous Biblical Illustrator articles The Work of the Holy Spirit: A Biblical Overview (Summer 2012), Peter s Messages (Fall 2000), To Be Bold (Fall 2000), and The Life of Simon Peter (Winter 1987) relate to this lesson and can be purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at lifeway.com/ biblicalillustrator. Look for Biblical Illustrator material connected with Bible Studies for Life. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 133

5 minutes LIVE IT OUT Notes GUIDE: Direct group members to page 106 of the PSG. Encourage them to consider the following suggestions for continuing the process of allowing God to redeem their failures: > > Repent. Are you currently failing in an area in your life? Don t hide from it. Face your failure and be honest about it. Then repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness. > > Encourage. Write a note or give a call to someone struggling with failure. Talk about how God forgives us completely and desires to use us in spite of our failures. > > Share. Write down your story, including both your failures and your salvation in Christ. Tell your story in a way that does not glorify your failure but lifts up Jesus. Then take the important step of sharing your story with others. Wrap It Up TRANSITION: Read or restate the Conclusion from page 106 of the PSG: I can t go back and redo my failure at my father s deathbed. You can t go back and change any of your failures, either. Yet all of us can choose to move forward in the wonderful knowledge that God can and will redeem even our worst failures. PRAY: Conclude by praising God for His power displayed through our redemption. On behalf of your group, commit to speaking boldly for the truth of gospel, as Peter and John did so many centuries ago. 134 Session 5