SESSION 5 REDEEMED FROM DEVASTATING FAILURE The Point God can redeem us from even our worst failures. The Bible Meets Life What does a devastating failure look like? Sportscasters might mention the Buffalo Bills. After all, they lost the Super Bowl in 1991 and 1992 and 1993 and 1994. For others, devastating failure is defined by something far more personal. Peter s life shows us, however, that we are not doomed to live with the regret of our failures. The Passage Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 124 SESSION 5
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 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. 54 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. 8 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. Peter 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 (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. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 125
ENGAGE (15 MINUTES) GET INTO THE STUDY ENGAGE: Begin the session with one or more of the Engage Options on the next page. (This is optional. If you d rather skip the Engage Options, just begin with the first discussion question.) SAY: Everyone deals with failure in life. However, Peter s life shows us that we are not doomed to live with the regret of our failures. Instead of hiding from our failures, we should face them and be honest about them. Then we should repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness. We can confidently go to God with our failures, knowing that Christ s sacrifice on the cross redeemed us from even our worst failures. DISCUSS: Ask students, What s one of your favorite comeback stories? ITEM 11 Leader Pack: Consider showing students the Redeemed poster at this time. GUIDE: Call attention to The Point. God can redeem us from even our worst failures. READ: Read and summarize The Bible Meets Life for your group (p.110): What does a devastating failure look like? Sportscasters might mention the Buffalo Bills. After all, they lost the Super Bowl in 1991 and 1992 and 1993 and 1994. Others would use far more serious examples: The resignation of an American president in 1974. The explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. For others, devastating failure is defined by something far more personal: Not getting into the college of your dreams. Not making the team. Losing a friendship. Failure has been very personal for me. My mom died suddenly in 2010. Just 18 months later, my dad also died. He had been sick for years, but when the end was near, he was taken to a hospice home. I stayed with him constantly, but thinking he would live a few more days, I slipped out of his room while he was sleeping 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. Peter s life has shown us, however, we are not doomed to live with the regret of our failures. PRAY: Transition into the session by praying that students would understand that Jesus has freed them from living in past sin and failure. 126 SESSION 5
Engage Options YY Lead with Action Guide students to participate in a game of Jenga. Lead students to play several rounds, and encourage them to keep going and not give up. Say, Just as it is hard to keep the blocks from falling, it is hard to keep it together at times in our walk with Christ. When we fail, we may be unsure of where to go from there. But, we must remember that Christ is there to pick us up when we fail. It is what we do with our failure that helps us grow with Him. YY Lead with Atmosphere As the session begins plays denim blue jean patches all over the room, bring out a pair of jeans with worn-out knees. Point out to students that being on our knees in prayer should wear out our jeans just like these jeans! Say, We need to constantly be in prayer, kneeling before God and acknowledging Him as Lord. No matter our failures, we must come to Him because He is there to forgive us and still chooses to use us. Our jeans should need the patches all around you. YY Lead with Media Search the Internet for the music video Beauty for Ashes by Shane and Shane. Provide the lyrics for students to read as the video plays. After the video say, No matter your failures, you can always know that Christ s sacrifice on the cross erased those from your life. FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS: Play giant Jenga which can be made after consulting the Internet for plans using precut pieces of 2x4 lumber. After playing a full game say, Just as it is hard to keep the blocks from falling, it is hard to keep it together at times in our walk with Christ. When we fail, we may be unsure of where to go from there. But, we must remember that Christ is there to pick us up when we fail. It is what we do with our failure that helps us grow with Him. NOTE: Always make sure you preview any clip you show students and ensure that it is appropriate for your church and ministry. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 127
IMPART (10 MINUTES) STUDY THE BIBLE The Point: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, This man was with Him too. But he denied it: Woman, I don t know Him! After a little while, someone else saw him and said, You re one of them too! Man, I am not! Peter said. About an hour later, another kept insisting, This man was certainly with Him, since he s also a Galilean. But Peter said, Man, I don t know what you re talking about! Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 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. And he went outside and wept bitterly. LUKE 22:54-62 128 SESSION 5 LUKE 22:54-62 DISCUSS: Begin by asking students, How do you respond when you feel like you ve let someone down? READ: Direct a volunteer to read Luke 22:54-62. GUIDE: Read and summarize the following section for students. Peter was a rough-and-tough, blue-collar worker from Galilee, in northern Israel. He worked around boats, nets, and fish. He had a temper and usually made big promises. Peter was rough around the edges, but Jesus saw the leader he would become. Jesus hand picked His ministry team. Peter, known as Simon, quickly took the lead. Over time, he became convinced Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God (Matt. 16:16), but he remained confused over what that really meant. Peter wanted Jesus to exercise power as a military leader to restore Israel. READ: Enlist a few students to read the following (p.112): When Jesus spoke of His disciples abandoning Him, Peter quickly spoke up. He brashly declared that even if everyone ran away, He would never leave (Mark 14:27-31). Bold and brash, Peter would soon eat those words. Hours later, Jesus was arrested. The Messiah who had been so brilliant and persuasive when challenged, now stood silent before His accusers. Peter could see his desires of earthly power vaporize like a mist. Everything was happening so fast, and Peter must have been confused and fearful. The man who had quickly drawn a sword earlier in defense of Jesus was cowering in front of a small group. Loyal Peter denied even knowing Jesus. Three times. SAY: When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered Jesus words. Immediately, Peter wept bitterly with remorse. Peter felt like a devastating failure.
Commentary 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 (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 (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. 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 (v. 10). TIP: When talking to students about failure, be sure to handle the conversation with grace. Always speak the truth in love. [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 (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, Jesus had predicted that Peter would deny Him. Overwhelmed with shame, guilt, and grief at his sins of denial, Peter wept bitterly. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 129
IMPART (10 MINUTES) STUDY THE BIBLE The Point: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, Rulers of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man by what means he was healed 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. This Jesus is the stone rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. 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. ACTS 4:8-12 ACTS 4:8-12 DISCUSS: Ask students, When have your ever feared letting God down? READ: Guide a volunteer to read Acts 4:8-12. GUIDE: Spend time emphasizing that Peter was restored and empowered by Christ because of God s forgiveness. The same forgiveness is available to us all. In Acts 4, we see a completely different Peter. What changed? YY Restored. After Jesus resurrection, He spent 40 days with His followers (Acts 1:3). During that time, Jesus talked with Peter along the shore of the Sea of Tiberias and called Peter to express his love for Him by feeding His sheep (John 21:1-19). Peter had failed three times, and three times Jesus called him right back to serve Him. YY Empowered. Jesus didn t leave Peter alone. The very Spirit of God was now living in Peter, empowering him to feed the sheep and proclaim Christ. READ: Direct a couple of volunteers to read the following section (p.113): Peter s transformation from failure is clear in Acts. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and he now spoke boldly about Jesus with those who had sought Jesus death. When asked how he and John had healed a lame man, Peter wanted them to know exactly how God did it, and he held nothing back (Acts 4:7). Peter now proclaimed Jesus boldly. If Jesus can take a broken man like Peter and empower him for ministry as a witness of the gospel, then He can do the same thing with you. Repenting and receiving God s grace will transform your worst moments into your greatest testimony. If someone came to Peter and said, I don t think God would forgive me because of what I ve done, he surely would have said, You think that s bad? Let me tell you what I did. SAY: No failure is greater than the grace and purpose of God. DO: Discuss the following, List two ways we can we move from denying Jesus in our daily lives to living for Him in those situations. 130 SESSION 5
Commentary ACTS 4:8-12 [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 (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 a 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 (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. TIP: Plan to connect with students this week outside of group. [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 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
IMPART (10 MINUTES) STUDY THE BIBLE The Point: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. 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. ACTS 4:13 ACTS 4:13 READ: Guide a volunteer to read Acts 4:13 to the group. SAY: Peter and John healed a man lame from birth. When Peter proclaimed Jesus, the religious leaders had nothing to say in response. They did notice three things about Peter and John: 1. They were bold. 2. They were untrained and uneducated. 3. They had been with Jesus. It was clear to the Jewish leaders that Peter knew Jesus. The leaders knew about Jesus, but Peter knew Him. His words, his actions, his boldness all reflected Jesus Himself. DISCUSS: Ask students, How does understanding that God is not holding your past mistakes over your head change your perspective of Him? READ: Ask a few volunteers to read the following section (p.114): Imagine Peter telling his story. He denied his Savior, and just days later Jesus lovingly restored him on the shore of Galilee, calling him to a life of ministry, mission, and witness. But this really isn t a story about Peter at all; it is a story about Jesus His forgiveness, His grace, and His power. You also have a story of your own encounter with Jesus Christ. Your life is unique to you, and it contains unexpected turns, failures, defeats, and regrets. God will use the specific elements of your story to touch people s hearts and point to the grace and power of Christ in your life. Your failures can lead you to greater faith when you experience the forgiveness of Jesus. Tell your story all of it and let the Holy Spirit use your witness to bring others into the kingdom of God. DO: Guide student to complete the Action Point. 132 SESSION 5
Commentary 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 (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. TIP: Ask students for their input and opinions. Always value their answers, but never be afraid to correct error or point to the truth in the Word. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 133
IMPACT (10 MINUTES) APPLY IT TIP: Remind students how valuable they are to God and how valuable they are to you. SAY: Our past shame and failures do not keep us from Christ. They no longer determine who we are. Christ has the authority and ability to define us, and he desires to do great things through us. Make sure you take what God s Word has taught you today and apply it in your world this week. READ: Guide a volunteer to read aloud a few ways that students can take what they learned and apply it (p.115). YY Repent. Is there failure in your life? Don t hide from it. Face it and be honest about it. Then, repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness. YY Encourage. If members in your group are still struggling with past failures or with forgiving themselves, encourage them. Discuss how God forgives completely and desires to use us. You may identify specific ways God can use them in spite of their failures. YY 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. Share your story with others. GUIDE: Lead students to consider which of the three suggested responses most closely applies to them and their current circumstances. SAY: Which of these responses do you need to focus on most as you live this session out? Allow time for responses. WRAP UP PRAY: Pray for each student by name. Ask God to give them the courage to face their greatest failures and give those failures to Christ. ASK: Ask each student how they plan on living for Christ this week. GUIDE: Encourage students to use the Daily Bible Reading plan this week. Help develop an accountability plan for each student. For free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife 134 SESSION 5
To find the One Conversation for all ages, visit www.biblestudiesforlife.com. LEADER LIVE IT OUT Before the session, challenge yourself to grow with your students through this Live It Out. Fighting Failure Romans 5:6-11 Notes: Failure can be devastating to experience. People often feel haunted, weighed down, and even hopeless because of it. It s amazing that so many Christians feel this way when we have the biggest reason to never be weighed down by our failures. The Apostle Paul had the worst failures imaginable. He killed, imprisoned, and attacked Christians wherever he could find them, and yet God used him to spread the gospel all over the world. When Paul wrote this passage in Romans, God was inspiring him to write from personal experience. God doesn t wait to save us until we were successful or good enough. Jesus saved us from all the sin and failure we would ever commit, and He did it because God loves you. When we feel the weight of sin and failure, we are called to give our worries and fears to Christ, because He has already paid the penalty for our failures on the cross. When people, circumstances, and Satan remind you of your failures, you can agree with them. Then, remind them that Christ has taken your failures from you so that you don t have to live in them anymore. YY After reading this passage, make three lists. First, be honest about the failures that you struggle to overcome. Second, write down what God says about your failures and why they no longer control you. Third, write down how you will live differently as a result. ONE CONVERSATION Scripture: Luke 22:54-62; Acts 4:8-13 Topic: Redeemed from Devastating Failure Use these discussion starters to help foster a spiritual conversation with your family. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: What does a devastating failure look like? Sportscasters might mention the Buffalo Bills. After all, they lost the Super Bowl in 1991 and 1992 and 1993 and 1994. For others, devastating failure is defined by something far more personal. Peter s life shows us, however, that we are not doomed to live with the regret of our failures. STUDENTS THE POINT: God can redeem us from even our worst failures. What s one of your favorite comeback stories? How have you seen God s redemption in your life? Have a conversation around this quote: By a carpenter mankind was made, and only by a carpenter can mankind be remade. 1 Erasmus 1. Quotes About Restoration, Christian Quotes [online], [accessed 17 July 2015]. Available from the Internet: www.christianquotes.info/quotes-by-topic/quotes-about-restoration/ LIVE IT OUT If you plan to complete Fighting Failure: Help your student understand that as humans, they will fail, but failure is not something to hide from. We can face our failures in the power of Christ. Pray with your student over any failures in their lives that they are struggling to get past. Remind them of the power and victory they have in Christ. If you plan to complete Daily Reading: Take time to discuss your student s daily Scripture readings from this week. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 135