REDEEMED FROM DEVASTATING FAILURE

GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Refer to the picture (PSG, p. 126) as you lead the group to respond to Question #1: What s one of your favorite comeback stories? GUIDE: Direct attention to The Bible Meets Life (PSG, p. 127). Acknowledge that when we ve lived a long time we certainly can reflect on plenty of failures in our lives. SAY: But no matter how we have failed in life, we don t have to live a life filled with regret. GUIDE: Introduce The Point (PSG, p. 127): God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Explain that we can learn much from the apostle Peter; though he failed miserably, he found that he could rely on God s power to move beyond his failure to a life of boldly serving Jesus. SESSION 11 REDEEMED FROM DEVASTATING FAILURE The Point God can redeem us from even our worst failures. The Bible Meets Life We often have good intentions to do the right thing, but we falter when the time comes. This is particularly devastating when it comes to our plans regarding the Christian life, making us hesitant to serve again. I tried before and I failed miserably. Who am I to think I can serve God? We can all learn from Peter. Peter failed, yet he learned to rely on God s power to boldly serve Him. The Passage Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 The Setting Jesus and His disciples had shared the Passover meal (Luke 22:14-38). During the meal, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of His disciples (vv. 21-23). 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 (vv. 31-34). Later that night in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed and arrested (vv. 39-54). Despite an initial display of boldness in cutting off the ear of the high priest s slave (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. 126 Session 11

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. STUDY THE BIBLE Luke 22:54-62 10 minutes GUIDE: Set the context for the focal passage by summarizing the information in The Setting (p. 126). (ENHANCEMENT: Pack Item 9: Passion Week in Jerusalem. Use this map to note Jesus movements leading up to His crucifixion. Note locations 1-4 that relate specifically to this session: 1. Jesus shares the Passover meal with His disciples. 2. Jesus retires to Gethsemane with His disciples. 3. Jesus is arrested. 4. Jesus is taken to the house of Caiaphas for a preliminary hearing.) KEY WORD: Galilean (v. 59) Galilee was a region in the northern part of Israel. Jesus was from Nazareth and Peter from Bethsaida, both towns in Galilee. We have all denied Jesus. Verse 54. Luke detailed that Jesus was brought to the high priest s house. The house was possibly the residence of both the high priest Caiaphas and the high priest Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. All four Gospels record that Peter was following at a distance. John indicated in his Gospel SUGGESTED USE WEEK OF MAY 15 127

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. READ: Invite a volunteer to read Luke 22:54-62. SUMMARIZE: Over time, Peter became convinced Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God (Matt. 16:16), but along with the other disciples, he remained confused over what that meant. They expected Jesus to be a military Messiah who would exercise strength and power over the Romans and restore Israel as a nation. When Jesus predicted that His followers would abandon Him, Peter boasted that he would never abandon Jesus. He said he would even die for Jesus (Mark 14:27-31). On the night Jesus was arrested, it looked like Peter was going to be true to his word when he attacked and wounded the high priest s slave Malchus, but Peter then fled along with the rest of the disciples as Jesus was taken away (Matt. 26:56). that another disciple (presumably John himself) also followed behind (John 18:15). Despite his show of bravado in attacking and wounding the high priest s slave Malchus, Peter had fled along with the rest of the disciples after Jesus arrest (Matt. 26:56). However, Peter managed to regain his composure and now was following Jesus and the arresting party right to the high priest s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the temple police to see the outcome (v. 58). Verse 55. 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. The fire in the courtyard was needed because the evenings are cool in springtime in Jerusalem. Peter was there to stay warm (Mark 14:67; John 18:18). Peter was also there to get information about Jesus situation. However, he obviously did not anticipate the questions he was about to be asked. Verse 56. All four Gospels mention this unnamed woman, a servant (Matt. 26:69; Mark 14:66; John 18:16-17). The servant girl saw Peter sitting by the fire. She looked closely at him. The servant girl most likely had noticed Peter in the recent company of Jesus. After examining Peter closely, she declared to the group, This man was with Him too. It is impossible to know the motives behind the girl s question, whether she was being confrontational or just making an observation. Verse 57. Peter s response to the servant girl s declaration was a denial. Woman, I don t know Him! Interestingly, in none of these dialogues was Jesus mentioned specifically by name. The assumption among those involved apparently was that the recent events in Jesus life were already known to the group in the courtyard. Peter was an impulsive individual. It was Peter who, when Jesus asked His disciples, who do you say that I am? responded You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:15-16). But this same man shortly thereafter rebuked Jesus for predicting His rejection, suffering, death, and resurrection (vv. 21-23). It was Peter who also boldly proclaimed to Jesus, I m ready to go with You both to prison and to death! (Luke 22:33). Peter found it easy to speak boldly around the disciples, but harder to do so in a hostile environment. 128 Session 11

Verse 58. After a brief time, someone else, not described by Luke, made another charge. You re one of them too! It is only from Peter s response, Man, I am not! that we know the second speaker was a man. With his second denial, Peter disassociated himself from both Jesus and His disciples. Peter s denials became progressively more vehement. Why he should have felt the need to deny being a disciple of Jesus is not immediately apparent. After all, John had just been admitted into the high priest s courtyard with Jesus without incident (John 18:15). It may have been that Peter, unlike John who was acquainted with the high priest, was not accustomed to associating with the rich and powerful. Peter s fear of being identified with Jesus may have been due in part to the hostility of the religious leaders toward Jesus. Perhaps the unfamiliar setting he found himself in played a role in causing him to lose his nerve as well and come out with a cowardly denial. Whatever the reason or reasons may have been, Peter s actions demonstrated that the Lord knew Peter better than Peter knew himself (Luke 22:31-34). Verse 59. About an hour later Peter was challenged again regarding his relationship with Jesus. Another individual was insistent, stating, This man was certainly with Him, since he s also a Galilean. Matthew s Gospel indicates that the individual picked up on Peter s Galilean accent. You certainly are one of them, since even your accent gives you away (Matt. 26:73). Galilee was a region in the northern part of Israel above the hill country of Judah, and was divided into two parts, upper and lower Galilee. Jesus was from Nazareth, in lower Galilee. Peter s hometown was Bethsaida, a city on the northeastern side of the Sea of Galilee (John 1:44). 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 (18:26) earlier in the evening in the garden of Gethsemane (v. 10). However, Peter managed to regain his composure and had followed Jesus and the arresting party to the house of the high priest. The man who had drawn a sword in defense of Jesus gave in to his fear and denied even knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. DISCUSS: Question #2 (PSG, p. 129): What are some ways we deny Jesus today? Verses 60-61. 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! This type of denial amounted to the same thing as the previous denials. Luke did not record Peter s cursing and swearing of an oath as Matthew and Mark did (Matt. 26:74; Mark 14:71), but he did record Peter s claim to ignorance about Jesus. In the stillness of the predawn darkness came the shrill, unmistakable sound. A rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked at Peter. The Greek term used for how Jesus looked 129

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. GUIDE: As a lead in to discussing Question #3, acknowledge that most of us can remember a time when our fathers or mothers cast a familiar look at us and we knew we had disappointed him or her. DISCUSS: Question #3 (PSG, p. 129): How do you typically respond when you feel like you ve let someone down? (Alternate: When have you felt like you let God down?) TRANSITION: Acknowledge that we have all denied Jesus in one way or another. But that doesn t mean that God will no longer use us. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 4:8-12 10 minutes GUIDE: Use the Bible commentary 1 to set the context for the focal passage. 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 (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). Verse 62. Overwhelmed with shame, guilt, and grief at his sins of denial, Peter went outside and wept bitterly. The Greek term Luke used for the phrase wept bitterly suggests intense emotion and was used to describe how people would weep over someone s death. Peter s was a weeping that recognized the bitter effects of sin. Peter s concern for comfort and safety had led him in the end to brokenness. 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. 130 Session 11

KEY WORDS: Nazarene (v. 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. God s Spirit empowers our witness. 1 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 of the gospel in the temple complex, Peter and John were arrested and held overnight to face trial before the Sanhedrin the following day (Acts 3:1 4:4). The next day Peter and John were put on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin (4:15), which included their rulers, elders, and scribes with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all the members of the high priestly family (vv. 5-6). They questioned Peter and John about their actions, asking, By what power or in what name have you done this? (v. 7). 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. Peter received a special inspiration that he needed for the task before him of answering the Sanhedrin, the rulers of the people and elders. Because Peter was empowered by the Spirit, he could face persecution and preach the gospel with power (see Luke 12:11-12). He put the Sanhedrin on trial by preaching the gospel to the same men who had condemned Jesus and made themselves enemies of God. Peter s actions in Acts are decidedly different than those in Luke 22. The fearful Peter had become the bold and confident Peter. The difference can be explained by Peter being an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ, being forgiven for his denials and commissioned by Jesus (John 21:15-19), and being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). Everything changed for Peter when Christ rose and the Spirit entered his life. Verse 9. Speaking with irony, Peter asked if he and John were on trial for a good deed done to a disabled man. READ: Invite a volunteer to read Acts 4:8-12. GUIDE: Note that in this passage we see a completely different Peter. Call attention to the bold print on PSG page 131. 1. Restored. Jesus had restored Peter. After His resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with His followers, teaching them more about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). During that time, Jesus called on Peter to express his love for Him by feeding His sheep. Note that Jesus did not rebuke Peter for his past failure. Peter had denied Jesus three times, and Jesus called him three times to feed His sheep (John 21:1-19). 2. Empowered. As He does for all believers, Jesus gave His Holy Spirit to Peter. He was incapable of feeding the sheep and proclaiming Christ in his own strength, as are we. (OPTION: IN ADVANCE, obtain a flashlight. Try turning on the light without the batteries installed. Then install the batteries and try again. The Spirit is the divine battery that empowers our witness.) 131

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Peter s failures were in the past. The Spirit-empowered Peter proclaimed boldly about Jesus: 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 (4:12). Emphasize the importance in our religiously pluralistic culture of proclaiming Jesus as the only way of salvation. DISCUSS: Question #4 (PSG, p. 132): How does the presence of the Holy Spirit transform our failures and empower our witness? (Alternate: What are some of the ways God s forgiveness has made a difference in your life?) TRANSITION: When we experience God s restoration, our Spirit empowered witness will never point to ourselves. It will always point to Jesus. Good deeds are often considered suspicious when jealousy and insecurity abound. The apostles had been preaching the gospel of Jesus in the seat of the power of these religious leaders. This was a wise reply. Peter was basically saying, The only thing you can possibly have arrested us for is this miracle for doing good to that poor lame man. Doing good is not a crime. Verse 10. Peter used this opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The lame man was not healed by Peter and John. He had been healed by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. The name of Jesus represented Jesus person, power, and authority. That Peter called Him Jesus Christ the Nazarene specifically identified to whom Peter was referring. 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 (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 Father Himself raised the Son from the dead. This was also included because the resurrection is the centerpiece of the gospel and because Peter wanted all the Jewish leaders to know the heavenly Father Himself was involved in the death and resurrection of His Son. The message of Jesus resurrection bears witness to the truth of the gospel. It proves that God has accepted Jesus sacrifice for sin and our sins can therefore be forgiven through faith in Christ. 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 (Mark 12:1-11), as well as by Peter in his first letter (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 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. As Jesus proclaimed, 132 Session 11

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). There is 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. Peter and the other apostles never watered down the fact that apart from Jesus there is no salvation for anyone. Our failures show us what we really are: great sinners. But that is not where Jesus wants us to focus. He wants us to look to the cross and allow our failures to show us what Jesus is: the one and only great Savior. The Greek term translated as saved is the same word used in verse 9 to describe the lame man as having been healed. The word that was used to describe the restoration of the disabled man to physical health is now used here to describe how through faith in Jesus a person can be preserved from judgment for sins and eternal death. Nothing is so offensive to the natural man as the teaching that we cannot save ourselves, that we cannot choose our own way of salvation, and that if we are going to be saved it must be solely by God in the way He has appointed through His chosen Savior Jesus Christ. 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. Our bold witness points others to Jesus. 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. These 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 (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. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 4:13 READ: Invite a volunteer to read Acts 4:13. 10 minutes GUIDE: Stress that the boldness of Peter and John could not be ignored by the Sanhedrin, whose members recognized that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Emphasize that our failures can lead to greater faith when we experience the forgiveness of Jesus. Encourage group members to share their stories as God leads, and trust the Holy Spirit to use their witness to bring others into the kingdom of God. DISCUSS: Question #5 (PSG, p. 134): How can we support one another in moving past our failures? (Alternate: What encouragement do you take from Peter s story?) DO: Invite volunteers to respond to Cut Out the Root (PSG, p. 134). 133

THE POINT God can redeem us from even our worst failures. LIVE IT OUT 5 minutes GUIDE: Emphasize The Point: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Review Live It Out (PSG, p. 135; see text to the right). Encourage each group member to follow through with one of the applications this week. Wrap It Up GUIDE: Acknowledge that our lives are unique. We each have experienced unexpected turns, failures, defeats, and regrets. But God will use our stories of restoration to touch people s hearts and point to the grace and power of Christ. LIVE IT OUT Failures come to us all, but we need not be weighed down by guilt when Jesus is waiting to offer us forgiveness and restore us to the people He desires us to be. Consider which application God is leading you to adopt this week. > > Repent. Is there failure in your life? It may have been long ago or recent. No matter when it was, lay it before Jesus today. Confess any sin. Then repent, and turn to Christ for forgiveness. Leave your guilt behind as you move forward with a renewed sense that Jesus still has work for you to do to advance God s kingdom. > > Encourage. Make note of how your fellow group members respond to Question #5 (p. 134 [PSG]). If some are still struggling with past failures or with forgiving themselves, consider sending an encouraging card. Drop by for a visit. Meet for coffee. Discuss how God forgives completely and desires to use us. Think about how you could be an encourager on an ongoing basis. > > Share. Write down your story this week, including your failures, how you came to Christ, and how He has redeemed you from past failures. Write your story in a way that does not glorify your failure but lifts up Jesus. Ask God for an opportunity to share your story before the end of the month with someone who is struggling with failure. PRAY: Thank God that we can overcome the failures in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to strengthen members to boldly proclaim Christ s love and forgiveness. 134 Session 11

ILLUSTRATOR PHOTO/DAVID ROGERS Marble street looking north in ancient Ephesus. The following excerpt is from the article To Be Bold (Fall 2000), which relates to this session and can be purchased at www.lifeway. com/biblicalillustrator. The Greek word parraysian, translated boldness, has more than one shade of meaning. It may mean freedom in speaking and unreservedness in speech. It also may mean free and fearless confidence with the added concept of cheerful courage and assurance. An accusation of boldness by the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:13) was turned into a compliment by the disciples (vv. 29-33). The Jewish Council, secure in traditional Pharisaic education, marvelled at the boldness of Peter and John whom they considered to be unlearned and ignorant men (v. 13, KJV). This marvel became the prayer of the early church: And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word (v. 29, KJV). Previous articles The Work of the Holy Spirit: A Biblical Overview (Sum. 2012), Peter s Messages (Fall 2000), and The Life of Simon Peter (Win. 1987) relate to this session and can be purchased at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator. Look for Biblical Illustrator for Bible Studies for Life. Subscribe to Biblical Illustrator at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator, or call 1-800-458-2772. SHARING THE GOOD NEWS Failure can tempt us to think that God will leave us in our hopeless state. But we can bring every failure, every sin to Jesus, and we will find His forgiveness and discover the eternal life He desires for us. Each week, make yourself available either before or after the session to speak privately with anyone in your group who wants to know more about becoming a Christian. See the article, Leading Someone to the Greatest Decision of All, on page 2 for guidance in leading a person to Christ. Remind group members that page 2 in the PSG offers guidance in how to become a Christian. Encourage believers to consider using this article as they have opportunities to lead others to Christ. > > Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid (MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesFor Life). >Grow > with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog (lifeway.com/groupministry). > > Additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesFor Life.com/blog. 135