Some Final Predictions - Matthew 26:31-35

Good morning. It's so good to see everyone here today, and it's good to see a couple of familiar faces returned in our midst as well. Thank you everyone who's allowed us to become a part of your worship this morning.

As many of you know, we've been in the Gospel of Matthew, and of course we're going to return to that gospel this morning. We're going to be specifically in chapter 26, and we're going to be in verses 31 through 35 this morning.

The Shepherd, the Sheep, and the Promise of Restoration

And the title of this message is Some Final Predictions. Now, you know, it's really interesting when you're preparing for messages. I mean, obviously the scripture is the central focus of the study, but you know, the church family oftentimes really brings a component in to preparation as well.

So it's really interesting as I approach these particular passages of scripture, there was several things that kind of came to mind. And as you recall, if you remember in our previous study in Matthew chapter 26, we found that Christ on a Thursday evening before his death, he was commemorating the Passover with his disciples, and he instituted what we now call the Lord's Supper, which is a practice that we continue to observe even to this day.

You know, Jesus knew that the time was fast approaching for his earthly ministry to come to a close, and he would leave this world and go to his Father. And as he marched towards crucifixion, we ultimately see the full extent of his love.

So in the previous passage here, we saw where the evening meal would be served. The devil had already prompted Judas to betray Christ, and the events were set forth in motion that were preordained from the beginning of time.

And with that, another chapter of God's story of redemption would be written, and of course we would all be the beneficiaries thereof. In his book entitled The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, D .A. Carson, he explained the importance of God's redemptive history and the transition that we see from the Old to the New Covenant and from the Old to the New Testament, where he kind of provides us with this insight.

He said, both God's love and God's wrath are ratcheted up in the move from the Old to the New Covenant, from the Old to the New Testament. These themes barrel along through redemptive history, unresolved until they come to a resounding climax at the cross.

So now as we move one step closer here to the cross, we find ourselves at yet another event involving Christ's foremost disciple, Simon Peter, who in many ways seems to be the one that's most real and the one that we oftentimes can readily identify with.

And in this passage we see the account of Simon Peter, which is brutally honest and painfully real, and such was the case in the passage that we're in this morning. So if you turn to your place in your Bibles, let's look at Matthew chapter 26, verses 31 through 35.

Matthew records this for us. He said, then Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

But after I've been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you that this night before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.

Peter said to him, even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you. So now as we continue here in Matthew chapter 26, we will now examine some final predictions here by addressing the following two points in our message this morning.

The first point that I would like to visit with you on is a prediction of the shepherd and the sheep. This will be addressed specifically in Matthew chapter 26, verses 31 and 32. And then this will bring us to the final point in our message this morning, which is a prediction of Peter's denial.

This will be addressed in Matthew chapter 26, verses 33 through 35. You know, as we look back on Peter's life and ministry, we find it's marked with some very brash and foolish moments, as well as some moments of strength and weakness.

In many ways, we can identify with Simon Peter, even if it's from the standpoint of what he doesn't do. So with that said, let's look at the first prediction here this morning. Let's look at the prediction of the shepherd and the sheep.

You know, after the Lord's Supper here, we see two events that precede Christ's arrest here. First, Jesus predicts that His disciples would be unable to remain loyal to Him in the test that was to come that night.

And likewise, we see that Christ also would be tested ultimately in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He would show His unwavering loyalty to the Father. And while we look at Christ here prevailing in the Garden of Gethsemane, and we see this more closely in our passage kind of as an event leading up to this point, it really would behoove us to look at some of Christ's final predictions here.

So with that said, what we find in our opening verse here is a prediction of two parties now that are kind of bound by a special relationship. In Matthew chapter 26, verses 31 through 32, we find a prediction made by Christ that essentially impacts two different parties that are bound by a special relationship.

So in an effort to better understand the nature of Christ's prediction here, of course it's important that we understand the relationship of these two parties that are involved here in these opening verses.

One such aspect that we really need to keep in mind is this relationship between the shepherd and his sheep. You know, as it relates to the shepherd and the sheep, we find this to be really a recurring theme of sacrificial relationship.

Such references are found throughout Scripture. We find such references in both the Old and the New Testament, and it's a relationship that continues to characterize the relationship that we have with Jesus Christ today.

One such Old Testament reference that I've leaned on countless times over the course of my life is found in Psalms, where we read about this intimate relationship between the shepherd and his sheep. Psalm 23 tells us this, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Now this special relationship between the shepherd and his sheep also continues in the New Testament as well, where the Apostle John provides us an illustration of this sacrificial relationship here, which we read in John chapter 10, verses 7 through 10.

The Apostle John records this, he says, then Jesus said to them, most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, they will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. So having an understanding of this relationship here, I think is important as we consider the second aspect, which is more prophetic in nature.

And what we see here is the specific prediction of the shepherd, how they would be struck down and the sheep would be scattered. This here is really drawn from a prophecy from the minor prophet, Zachariah, who 500 years previous to this passage being written had proclaimed that that would happen.

You know, as we consider Christ's prediction of the shepherd and the sheep, we also need to remember that the disciples at this point already knew that one of them would betray Christ. And in Matthew chapter 26, verse 31, Christ now adds a little bit more detail for us surrounding this betrayal, for he says, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night.

You know, this is an interesting statement, especially when you take a look at the Greek word usage here. The meaning of the word to stumble here comes from the translation of the Greek verb, which is a scandalizo, which means scandal in the English term, but it also really is a word definition that it means to cause the stumble, to offend, to be a disloyal.

So, what we have here in this reference is really a parallel to this denying of Christ. And of course, by that night, every disciple would ultimately abandon him. In his expository commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Daniel Doriani, he explains the significance here of Christ pointing to Zachariah's prophecy, where he basically gives us this following perspective.

He says, this would be foreseen in Zachariah chapter 13, verse 7, where the prophet says, strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. God is the agent. To strike means to kill. The shepherd is Jesus and the disciples are the sheep.

Because God has planned the salvation that requires Christ's death, Zachariah can say that the Lord of hosts will lift His sword against the shepherd. Jesus lays down His life for His sheep. But when the disciples finally foresee this mortal blow, they flee at the prospect.

So what we see here in Matthew chapter 26, verse 31, is really this somber reality of an impending betrayal and an abandonment. But thankfully, Christ does not end the conversation here because we find a silver lining behind the dark cloud.

This brings us to the fact that Christ comforts here with a promise. In Matthew chapter 26, verse 32, we see now Christ takes this dialogue with His disciples in a different direction, where He now comforts them with a promise.

And that promise, of course, is that after His death, that He would be raised once again, that He would be reunited with His flock, and that He would be their shepherd once again as He leads them to Galilee.

So in the end, death has no victory, and death has no sting. So the ending of our first point here in this message is actually ending kind of on a victorious note here. It's one of comfort for the sheep, and of course, it's one of second chances.

So there's much to consider here as we seek to apply this to our lives as well. Well, you know, as Christians, we need to recognize that our nature has a strong tendency to go astray. Whether it is the lust of our eyes or pursuing the pride of life, we are like sheep that oftentimes wander away from the shepherd through our own futile efforts of holy living or perhaps our failed attempts at self-help or trying to be good enough for God's approval.

And this, my dear brothers and sisters, is why we need a Savior. Now, in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 1, we are told that it is our nature to drift away, to reject God, to break His commandments. And this is a battle for which each one of us are engaged in with our own sin nature.

In John Calvin's Institutes, he highlights the importance of wisdom as it relates and how that wisdom is measured here in our Christian life, and he offers this perspective. He says, nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to say true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts, the knowledge of God and of ourselves.

But while joined by many bonds, which one precedes and brings forth the other, it is not easy to discern. The knowledge of ourselves not only arouses us to seek God, but also, if it were, it leads us by the hand to find Him.

But it is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself until he has first looked at God's face, and then descends from contemplating Him to scrutinizing himself. So we need to be spiritually aware of these things, because when we turn away from the Lord, we will find ourselves soon ill-equipped to engage in the spiritual warfare that swirls all around us.

So what are we to do? You know, this is why I believe that we're characterized as sheep, utterly defenseless and beyond hope apart from Christ. And what we find here is that we need to be totally dependent on the relationship that we have with Christ, because Christ is our shepherd.

Let us commune daily in God's Word. Let us not forsake the assembling together of believers. Let us understand that our prayer should be that ongoing conversation that we have with our Lord and Savior as we navigate this environment that's increasingly hostile to the things of God.

And while adversity and hardship, of course, is part of the human condition, I'm here to tell you that our lives should nonetheless be marked with a hope, a hope that we have in Christ. Christ is our shepherd.

He is a good shepherd, and He lays His life down for the sheep. What a promise. What a wonderful blessing. What so great a salvation. So when the clouds of adversity here overtake us, God comforts us, and His comfort shines more brightly.

Let us never forget that. Now, with these things in mind, I'd like to bring the last point in our message here as well into our consideration where we talk about this prediction of Peter's denial. You know, as we move forward into Matthew chapter 26, verses 33 through 35, we now find yet another prediction as well as two responses here from Peter.

First we find that all the disciples will ultimately fall away. Second, we see that Christ promises that He will comfort the disciples by being reunited with His flock when He is raised from the dead and He proceeds to Galilee.

And for His part, Peter would boldly proclaim that He would never fall away, which results in Christ making yet another prediction here that Peter would in fact deny Him three times. Unmoved by Christ's prediction of denial here, Peter would literally double down on his claim despite the fact that Christ already knew what was going to happen.

So there's much to learn here in these next verses for each one of us, and of course, we would be well advised to examine these verses more closely. One of the more important observations that I think that we find in this second point is Peter's haughty response.

In Matthew chapter 26, verse 33, we find a response that's typical of Peter where he impulsively says that even if the others were fallen away that he would stand true. Peter really went beyond the norms of proper discourse here where he proclaimed that even if every disciple falters, he would be certain and true that he would not fall, that he would not deny his Lord and Savior.

Peter's statement of, I will never, was quite bold, filled with hubris, a little bit of.

Pride, Denial, and the Path of Humility

Arrogance.

It really speaks to his pride. Also speaks to his lack of self-awareness, which really led him to resist the authority of Christ and what was predicted by prophecy in the Old Testament. You know, the Bible oftentimes speaks of arrogance and haughtiness and pride, and in every case we find that God condemns such behavior.

In fact, in Mark chapter 7, verses 20 through 23, we find that pride is listed right alongside the sins of adultery and murder. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 2, we see that an arrogant attitude has no concern for the things of God because as such, behavior directs all thoughts and actions towards oneself.

So, Peter really here is on thin ice and he doesn't even realize it, but you know what? Christ was not ready to end the conversation there, but rather he would make a bold prediction where we see that Christ's prediction of Peter's failure.

In Matthew chapter 26, verse 34, we also see this in Luke chapter 22, verse 34, as well as in John chapter 13, verse 38. Christ countered Peter's overconfidence with a very somber prediction, where He said, assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three.

Times.

Now, what's interesting here is Mark's gospel does record this a little bit differently. Specifically, in Mark chapter 14, verse 30, Mark records this. He says, and Jesus said to him, truly I say to you, this very night before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.

So this may cause one to question here, did the rooster crow once or crow twice, and what is significant of a rooster crowing? Now, one thing that we need to remember is in the times of Christ, roosters were quite common within towns and cities, and I might add in the case of some of our more homestead-minded couples here in this congregation, they can tell you a lot about roosters as well.

And as anyone in our congregation who has a rooster can confirm, that a rooster will crow whenever they feel like it. I mean, a rooster can crow when he senses danger, a rooster can crow when he's being challenged by another rooster in his place in the pecking order.

We find sometimes a rooster will get their days and nights mixed up, and they'll crow seamlessly spontaneously at the most inopportune time. So anyone who has chickens within our body of believers, I'm sure can nod in agreement with what we're talking about here.

So it's perfectly understandable when you think about this, that Jesus would have been precise in prophesying to Peter that a rooster would actually crow twice during the time that Peter was in fact denying him.

Another thing that we need to consider here is that Mark was a close associate of Peter. We actually see evidence of this in 1 Peter 5, verse 13. And because of this, Mark would likely have obtained his account of the gospel, his gospel, from Peter himself.

Now it seems likely that in this recounting that night, that Peter would of course mention to Mark of both crowings that took place. And so in the end, really the gospel of Mark does not contradict the other gospel accounts at all.

It just kind of adds an additional detail that's not included in those other gospel.

Accounts.

Those other gospel accounts, they mention one crowing, but what they're mentioning is the second and the final crowing here that took place by the rooster. Now when you think about it, the second crowing of a rooster in this case was the more important.

One. Why?

Because it issued the final verdict of Peter's failure here. In all likelihood, the first crowing probably happened sometime in the middle of the night with the second crowing of the rooster was probably expected closer to daybreak.

Thus Christ's prediction, it would be very grave indeed, and it would mean that Peter had those opportunities throughout the night to acknowledge and affirm his relationship with Christ rather than denying Him.

And later in Matthew's gospel, we will find that when daybreak arrived, the prediction would come to rue, and Peter would lose the opportunities to defend Christ as he claimed that he would do in Matthew chapter 26, verse 33.

So what we see here now is Christ is predicting this cataclysmic failure, and of course the cataclysmic failure, when we look at that in the life of another, it kind of prompts us to think about what are we to do with failure.

In Matthew chapter 26, verses 34 and 35, we find this final dialogue of failure in this passage, where Peter essentially doubles down on his contention that he would never deny Christ. And while this denial would in fact come to pass at some time in the future, his fate was nonetheless sealed right here, where he would find that this cataclysmic failure would start at this point in Scripture.

Where there should have been humility, we find haughtiness. Where there should have been a submission to Christ, we find really a stubborn disregard. And where there should have been a repentance for the sin of arrogance, we find a persistent pride, which would ultimately lead to downfall.

All of this, of course, should lead us to a moment of personal reflection in our own heart, where we should consider our own shortcomings, our own infirmities, the things that we could perhaps do better at.

And because failure is a part of the human experience, I think it would behoove us to know how to deal with it when it comes our way. So what do we do with failure? You know, as we look at this more closely, in Matthew chapter 26, Peter would proclaim to the Lord Jesus that he would not deny Him, even if it meant his own death.

We also see in John chapter 21, where we find Peter and some of the other disciples, if you recall, they had forsaken and turned away from their ministry, and they returned back.

To fishing.

And what happened there? They encountered yet another failure. I mean, they cast their nets, they fished all night, they labored throughout the night and did not even catch one fish, so they encountered failure there as well.

So what we do find in these passages here is that even though those who had a front row seat to Christ's ministry, those who had a front row seat to Christ's greatest miracles, those who had a front row seat to His teaching and His spiritual mentorship, they still had failure in their lives.

Now I believe this brings us to some important things that we need to consider as we navigate our walk with Christ. I think one thing that we should consider is the fact that failures will be a part of sanctification.

And as such, each one of us have time in our lives where we will indeed fail. It will not be pleasant. At many times, it'll be downright humiliating, but I'm here to tell you that it's our response to such things that really define what our walk with Christ is.

Now, make no mistake, God will use failure to basically accomplish His sovereign purpose and His sovereign plan. Of course, for us, we should respond with repentance. Of course, and when we respond with repentance, what do we find?

We find forgiveness, we find resolution, and we find growth that comes from that. And if we do not heed such lessons, we most certainly will find further consequences, we'll find further chastisement, and of course, judgment as well.

Another important thing to think about as we consider failure is that the seeds of failure oftentimes are sown long before the actual act of failure takes place. This was the case with Peter, which we see here in this passage this morning, and it remains true for each one of us today.

Oftentimes, when we find a cataclysmic failure, we will find the seed of pride at its origin. In fact, in 1 John, we see this condition being referred to as the pride of life. We see this in 1 John 2, verses 15 and 16.

John tells us this. He says, do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Now, the pride of life here can be defined as anything that is of the world that manifests itself into acts of ignorance or pretension or pride in oneself, or maybe hubris, some boasting maybe. But John makes it clear that anything here that produces the pride of life is, in fact, one who is in love with the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. In an article for the October 2008 issue of Table Talk magazine, there was an article within that little pamphlet that was entitled, A Just War.

It was written by Joel Beeky, and he characterized the gravity of pride where he said this. Listen up here. He said, he said, pride is a devastating sin and is complex. Most sins turn us away from God, but pride directly attacks God.

It lifts us above and against God, seeking to dethrone him by enthroning ourselves. So, I'm here to tell you that pride is indeed a great spiritual danger for each one of us. It's a great danger for the life of any Christian.

It took down Lucifer at the beginning of time. It took down Peter with his denial in the times of Christ, and it remains a danger for us today. Therefore, let us always be vigilant. Let us be vigilant to not allow the seeds of pride to take root in our heart, but rather let us combat this danger with spiritual humility instead.

Now, this brings us to another point that I think we should also look at as well, where we need to recognize the different faces of failure. You know, there are many faces to failure. Sometimes failure comes to us in disappointment.

Sometimes it comes through our own sin of arrogance. Sometimes it comes through, you know, the sin of a third party perhaps. Sometimes it can be a child that goes wayward and wanders away from good instruction.

Sometimes it may be a spouse that's unfaithful. But whether the failure is self-inflicted or the result of an external factor, I'm here to tell you that there are lessons of humility that can be found in those situations.

There are lessons of God's love that can be found in those situations. And, of course, there's wisdom that is possible to obtain if we seek it as well. It all comes down to the condition of our heart at the point of failure.

You know, as we experience such things in our relationship with Christ, it is instrumental that we face such failures and overcome them. But how do we do this? I think it comes from asking ourselves maybe some basic questions.

I mean, is God shocked when we fail in our walk with Christ? And I'm here to tell you the answer to that question is an unequivocal no. In Matthew 26, verse 34, we see now it's quite clear that Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him.

Jesus predicted the denial of Peter. And, of course, we will find out in future passages that that would indeed come to pass. In Matthew 26, verse 35, we see Peter's hubris now, proclaiming that even if he had to die that he would not deny Christ.

And yet that we see here that pride in one's own abilities fall quite short apart from God. And, of course, we find that most certainly it will end in failure. This is what happened to Peter when he relied on himself rather than the relationship that he had with Christ.

Another question that we probably ought to think about, too, as we consider such things is why does failure set us back so much? You know, unfortunately, when we fail, it has a way of amplifying our shortcomings, and that, of course, is never a pleasant thing.

The Apostle Paul, of course, he gives us the following encouragement in his letter to the Philippians where we see this in Philippians 3, verse 12. The Apostle Paul said this of himself here, Not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Jesus Christ has also laid hold of me.

You know, God is always teaching us lessons, and as Paul aptly stated, each one of us should constantly and progressively and forward-thinkingly be working towards being all that Christ would have us to be.

Now, this brings us full circle back to the original question here found in this message point, and that is what do we do with failure? You know, the fact remains that as long as we are afflicted with sin, I'm here to tell you that there will be times where we fail.

But for those of us who are in Christ, I'm here to tell you that we can hold on to God's promise because God will not abandon us, especially when we realize that we need God's help for us to succeed. Let us never forget that when we are in Christ, our failures are not final.

It is God who has the final word on that, and it is the redemption story that we have in Christ that prevails over the sin condition that we ourselves are afflicted with. So if you allow me one last application, if I may, I would like for us to consider one concluding thought if we could.

You know, the Christian life should never be characterized by acting superior to others or having an arrogant attitude. Instead, I think it should be a walk, a walk that we have with Christ that reflects the image of Christ, that exhibits a humble and a compassionate and a merciful spirit.

The Apostle Paul tells us this in his second letter to the Corinthian church. We see this in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17, where Paul says,. Therefore, if any man, anyone, excuse me, is in Christ, he is a new creation.

Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. And after our salvation, what begins then? We begin a lifelong journey of sanctification. We see John 17 speaking to that in particular.

And this lifelong journey is characterized by a slow death of self. Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 30. And of course, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can choose humility over arrogance.

We can choose selflessness over selfishness. We can certainly choose meekness over pride. Regrettably, each one of us struggle with sin, but that does not mean that our salvation and our faith is not real.

I'm here to tell you that the presence of the struggle itself is often evidence of spiritual presence of faith and a relationship with Christ, not the lack of it. Discouragement is oftentimes our greatest enemy when we're dealing with such things as failure.

But I'm here to tell you that sanctification is a process. It's often slow. It can be difficult. But it is always, always guided by God's grace. Thankfully, I'm here to tell you that we do not have to be saved by our own perfection, but by Christ's perfection instead.

So let us, what do we do if we want to pursue holiness? What do we need to do? If we want to deal with and overcome failure, what do we need to do? We need to learn to keep repenting. We need to learn to keep confessing sin.

The path to holiness is through those two things. So as we repent, as we confess, as we bring our hearts and our struggles and our needs before our Lord and Savior, we need to keep on pursuing holiness.

And we need to always trust that he who has begun a good work in us will bring it to completion one day, the day of Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Dearly Father, Lord, I come to you. Lord, a broken vessel and desperate need of restoration.

Lord, each one of us are afflicted with sin. Each one of us need the good shepherd who will lay their life down on our behalf. Lord, thank you so much for being there alongside us every step of our journey.

As sanctification can be difficult, as it can be hard. Lord, I just ask that you give us the strength. Lord, that you give us the encouragement to press ahead. Lord, I just want to pray that you be with our church family here.

Lord, each one of us in this room deals with something. And I ask, Lord, that when we find that in our lives, when we find maybe the seeds of pride in our heart, Lord, that we will identify that, that we will confess that, that we will understand that repentance is the path to holy living.

Lord, thank you so much for the opportunity to come together as a church family. Thank you so much for the sacrifice that you've given on the cross. We ask this in your name. Amen.