A.     The Way leading to the Denials 

1.      The Disassociation from the Lord (vs 54; Matt 26.56) [- Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off. - While this is not the first time that the disciples had been out of their Lord’s presence, since our Lord started His earthly ministry, it is the first time that the disciples were faced with the apparent defeat of our Lord.  Up to this point they had not been confronted with the possibility that somehow the religious leaders, or the Romans could actually arrest, convict, and apparently defeat Jesus.] 

[It was Matthew who recorded,] 

[Matthew 26:56 ⁵⁶ But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. ]

[It was this disassociation, or separation from the admonishment, and encouragement of our Lord that would lead to Peter’s denials.] 

[Christian Disassociation – Christians often become disassociated from their Lord in their Christian Journey.  Some become disassociated: 

(1)   [Through disappointment – They wanted God to do something for them or give them something and they didn’t get what they wanted.] 

(2)   [Through discouragement – Some circumstance has come upon them that the Christian feels God should have protected them from (death in the family, sickness, ect…)] 

[There are many reasons why Christians become disassociated with their Lord in our day, but none of them compares to separation experienced by the disciples and Peter.  Peter and the disciples were actually and forcibly removed from the presence of their Lord.  Today Christians always remove themselves from God’s presence, because no human authority is capable of removing a child of God from the presence of the Holy Spirit in our day.  So if you feel distanced from your Lord today, it is only because you refuse to walk near unto God.  God has not left you, and no authority can remove God from you, you have distanced yourself from God.] 

[The Marks of a Disassociated Christian:] 

(1)   [A failure to Read their Bible]

(2)   [A failure to Earnestly Pray]

(3)   [A failure to be regular in Church]

(4)   [A failure to give in tithes and offerings]

(5)   [A failure to sacrificially serve God] 

[The Danger of Disassociation from God – If you have become disassociated from God or distanced from God then know that you have set yourself up for a fall.  You may even come to the point of denying the Lord who loves you and gave Himself to save you.] 

2.      The Defilement of the Lost (vs 55; Prov 13.20; 2 Tim 2.16-17; 1 Cor 15.33) [– And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. – Far too often, God’s people, all people underestimate the importance and influence of our associations.   What do I mean by our associations, I mean those who are around you at the moment.  This is none other than peer pressure working dynamically and momentarily upon our lives. ]

[Peter had walked in the presence of our Lord for the last three years.  The group of disciples slept near our Lord, they saw each others bed head when they woke up in the morning, likely noticed each others odors (bad breath among others), ate meals together, picked on each other, joked together, learned from our Lord together, and most notably held each other accountable.   People are good about recognizing friends.  We are quick and often glad to attribute our strength of character to those who we think have influenced us the most.  However, people are slow to recognize, and often deny, the marked influence of those we hardly know but are in our presence at the all important moments of decision.  Of which Peter’s denial vividly reveals for us in this text.]

[The Bible warns each of us, in no uncertain terms of the powerful influences that have, do, and will impact our lives. The Bible declares:] 

[Proverbs 13:20 ²⁰ He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. ]

[2 Timothy 2:16-17 ¹⁶ But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. ¹⁷ And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; ]

[1 Corinthians 15:33 ³³ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. ]

[Without a doubt God warns us to be careful about those with whom we associate.  Those who are around you will and are influencing you.  Some of you here have already erected a defensive wall in your mind.  You refuse to believe that just being in the presence of someone can influence your decisions and actions.  Those who refuse to hear and heed the warnings and instruction given by our Lord are the ones most likely to fall as Peter fell.  Open your hearts and minds and hear the Word of God.]

[From this passage we discover:] 

a.      The Remarkable Speed with which our associations affect us – . . . Peter sat down among them. – Peter had no sooner come into their presence when the denials began.  Most of the Gospels group Peters denial together so that one might think that one denial came right after another, its just the way the events were recorded in those Gospel records.  But the Gospel of John reveals a bit more of the dynamic of Peters denials. John wrote:] 

[John 18:16-17 ¹⁶ But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. ¹⁷ Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. ]

[Almost immediately upon entering the High Priest’s house Peter finds himself openly denying the Lord Jesus Christ.  He then goes over and sits down by the fire right in the midst of this angry, accusing crowd.  It appears that Peter is almost immediately affected by those who are around him.] 

[Child Examples - Now think for just a moment about the remarkable speed with which our associations affect us.  A child, in the presence of his parents, will be well mannered and respectful.  All it takes to turn this angelic, peaceful, esteemed presence into a Tasmanian Devil is a walk through one door, out of the room with his parents, and the entrance into another room where another terror or our culture is waiting.  But remove the terror of our culture and place another respectful, well manner child in the second room and the whole dynamic of the class is immediately transformed.] 

b.      [The Resilient Denial that our associations affect us – It seems in our day that people refuse to recognize the almost immediate influence that those in our presence have on us.  Until we recognize and admit that those who merely stand in our midst can undeniably affect how we think and act we will continue to be misguided by our associations.] 

c.       [The Resolve to be Distinctly Christian in spite of our Associations – The whole point in recognizing the influence that our associations will have upon us and our children is not that we never get around lost people.  The point is that we understand how they might affect us and our children and we decidedly resolve not to allow them to influence us in ways that would cause us to sin or deny our Lord.]   

[Parents should teach their children about the influences they will encounter in life and provide them with the kind of instruction and training that will cause them to stand, even when they are standing in the presence of the enemies of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.] 

3.      The Discouragement of the Lash (63-65; 2 Pet 3.9; Heb 12.2-3) [– And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. ⁶⁴ And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? ⁶⁵ And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. -  Another factor that contributed to Peter’s denial of our Lord was the beatings and mocking that were going on while Peter was watching in the high priest’s house.  Jesus was being severely treated right in front of Peter.  Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Lord of all creation, but He was still being persecuted right in front of Peter.   Why would such a powerful God allow Himself to be treated like that?] 

[There are many in our culture who ask this same question only with a different context.  They ask, why would an omnipotent and loving God allow all the evil we see in our World?  The answer to this contemporary question is exactly the same as the answer to Peter’s implied question.  The answer is: 

[2 Peter 3:9 ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.]

[A Biblical Answer - God endures the sinfulness and evil of mankind in hopes that all will accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and will be saved.  Jesus endured the ridicule and shame of the high priest’s house and Calvary’s Cross in hopes that all mankind might be saved.] 

[A Cultural Deception – Those who ask these questions believe that their question proves the fallacy and in consistencies of God where in reality they prove without a doubt the unconditional love of God and the inconceivable grace of God.  Jesus Christ, without the slightest doubt, had the power, authority, and resources to avoid the cross, but without the suffering of our Savior you and I would be lost for all eternity.  The Bible states:] 

[Hebrews 12:2-3 ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ]