Commitment and Failure

Introduction

It takes great discipline at this time of the year to stay within budget when purchasing gifts for others. Our hearts want to be generous and we are filled with sentimental thoughts and we spend. We use a credit card and it is after the event that we get the bill. Getting the credit card statement, you realize you overspent your budget. A few dollars extra for multiple people turned into a lot over the budget and you have one thought—I don’t like those people nearly that much!

At one time or another we have all overpaid for something. We were convinced and convicted until the demand came for us to reveal our level of commitment. I really enjoy concerts. They were a big part of my life growing up in Nashville. Major acts would come to town and a bunch of us would buy tickets and go. Tickets were not very expensive then as they are now. I think I got to see Elton John in concert for about $10. But then he only had a couple of hits then. Several years ago when Glen Frey was still alive, the Eagles were coming to Memphis and I was determined that we would go. It was their Farewell Tour. When I found out the price of tickets, I became less committed. You want something until you realize it is too much.

This is true not just in terms of money but in terms of emotional and physical resources. You want that new job until you realize you have to work holidays or the work week is longer than you thought. You want that relationship until you realize that relationships require more than fun to sustain. Commitment is easier said than done. A young man that I had taught was taking on a ministry role and we chatted about his future. He was rightfully excited. I told him that there were going to be some really hard days and even a season of difficulty but the difficulty wasn’t a reflection on the quality of his work. After one of those difficult days, he called me to tell me about it and as we chatted he said, “I probably shouldn’t have come to this congregation.” Commitment is easy until it’s not.

A Short Walk

The Passover meal with all its new meaning is over. The singing of one of the psalms was customary after eating the Passover meals. Usually a psalm from 114-118 was sung. Maybe they sung Psalm 117. “Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.” Do you think as Jesus sung those words knowing the cross was just a few hours away, that he sung those words with a bit more reflection and intensity? Do you think he was concentrating on the faithfulness of God? Do you think he felt like praising God was in order?

Jesus and the disciples, without Judas, head to Gethsemane. Maybe it was thinking about the faithfulness of God and his own faithfulness that he says to his disciples—all of you will fall away tonight. Jesus uses a word that means “an object that is a stumbling block or a trap.” All of you will stumble tonight because of your connection with me. He quotes Zechariah 13:7 as proof. They will fulfill prophesy tonight. The sheep will scatter when the Shepherd is struck. Peter denies the accusation.

We’ve seen this before. Peter strongly disagrees with Jesus. There is no scenario in Peter’s mind that could result in him finding Jesus offensive. Even when Jesus tells him that he will deny him three more times tonight (he has already denied Jesus once tonight), Peter is emphatic that he is better than everyone else. There is no way he will deny Jesus (but he already did).

So What?

In such a short passage, we focus on the important and miss the subtle. Let’s start with the less subtle and move to the greater. Peter’s response is exactly what we would anticipate. Peter is committed. He has spent the last few years of his life demonstrating his commitment. He over estimates how committed he is. This is true for most of us. People never imagined denying God but then the scenario evolves and it happens. We over estimate the depth of our faith at times. Peter would have been far wiser to listen than to deny. Far better to accept than reject. Far less pride and more accepting of what the teacher was saying.

We fall into the same trap. We hear Jesus says in John 16:33 that problems are a part of this world and then we are disappointed when they appear. We hear Hebrews 13:5, that God will never leave us or forsake us and then when challenges come we wonder where God is. We hear Romans 8:28 that God is working in the lives of his people for their good but then we question God’s working and motives when things don’t turn out like we want them to. We are committed as long as things are easy and predictable but then we find our commitment wane when things are hard and unpredictable. We become like Peter in such times. Sure of ourselves and less sure about what God is doing. We all need an intense reminder of God’s faithfulness and our fickleness.

The more subtle message is found in verse 28. “But after I have risen.” The word “but” in this case is a conjunction intending to oppose the preceding words. It is similar when one says something like “you are very kind, but…” Whatever came before is negated by what comes after. The compliment is lost in the negative. In this case it is the negative that gets lost in the positive. “You will fall away, but after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Do you hear the positive negating the negative? What’s the negative? What’s the positive? They will fall away but the group will be together again later. There will be a restoring.

Here’s the point—failure is temporary. Failure has the last word if one chooses it to be the final word. In this case, Jesus is telling the disciples that their failure will not be final. Remember your failure. What does that memory do to you internally? Does it still define you? Or have you discovered that the failures of life do not define your present?

Do you think Jesus saw the cross as failure? Of course not. The world thought it was. Paul said the unbelieving world saw it as failure and weakness, but God (there is the positive negating the negative) made it a sign of triumph. There’s one more thing I want you to see. Historically, we believe that Mark wrote his gospel in Rome listening to Peter tell his stories about being with Jesus. Do you remember Mark’s own history? You remember that Mark went on Paul’s first missionary journey? And you remember that Mark left them (Acts 13:13)? You remember that his failure resulted in Paul and Barnabas separating for a second mission trip? You remember who Peter is talking to about Jesus and who is writing this gospel? Do you remember who Paul asked Timothy to get and bring to his side as he approached death (2 Timothy 4:11)?

Failure doesn’t have to define you. God gives second chances. God can take failure and turn it into triumph.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.