Finding Grace: Embracing Our Past Through Christ

 

Summary

In our shared human experience, we all have moments from our past that are embarrassing or even shameful. While some of these moments become stories we laugh about, others are so painful that we wish we could erase them from our history. Simon Peter, one of Jesus' closest followers, had such a moment, and he shared it with us to convey a powerful truth: there is a place to take our shame and pain, and leave it safely. Our past may remind us, but it does not have to define us.

The story of Jesus, as told by Simon Peter and documented by John Mark, is a testament to this truth. Jesus came not just to die for our sins, but to reveal the true nature of God. He showed us that God is like Him—compassionate, forgiving, and loving. This revelation was difficult for many, including Peter, to grasp. Yet, it is the core of the good news that Jesus preached: the kingdom of God has come near, and we are never far from it.

As Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem, He faced opposition from religious leaders who sought to trap Him. Despite their efforts, Jesus remained steadfast, revealing His identity as the Messiah in a way that was unexpected. His arrest and subsequent trials were marked by betrayal and denial, even from Peter, who denied knowing Him three times. Yet, in these moments of human failure, Jesus' purpose was fulfilled. He bore our sins on the cross, creating a new covenant between God and humanity.

The crucifixion was a moment of horror and glory. While it seemed like defeat, it was the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. Jesus' refusal to save Himself was the means by which He saved us all. His death tore down the barriers between God and man, inviting everyone into a relationship with the Father. Peter's story is a reminder that no matter how far we fall, God's grace is sufficient to restore us.

Key Takeaways:

- The Weight of the Past: We all carry moments of shame and regret, but like Peter, we can find a place to leave them. Our past may remind us, but it does not have to define us. Jesus offers a safe place for our burdens. [01:29]

- Revelation of the Father: Jesus came to show us what God is truly like. He is not distant or harsh, but compassionate and loving. Understanding this changes our perception of faith and draws us closer to God. [03:18]

- The Power of Denial and Redemption: Peter's denial of Jesus is a powerful reminder of human frailty. Yet, it also highlights the depth of God's grace and forgiveness, which is available to all who seek it. [13:20]

- The Significance of the Cross: Jesus' crucifixion was not just a historical event but a divine act of love. By not saving Himself, He saved us, breaking down the barriers between God and humanity. [18:38]

- The Invitation to Believe: The message of Jesus is simple yet profound. The kingdom of God is near, and we are invited to repent and believe. This belief is not just about eternal life but understanding the nature of God as revealed through Jesus. [23:40]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Embarrassing and Shameful Moments
[01:04] - Simon Peter's Story
[02:00] - The Gospel of Mark
[02:42] - Jesus' Central Message
[04:19] - Journey to Jerusalem
[05:11] - The Last Supper
[06:08] - Peter's Denial
[07:34] - Jesus' Trial
[09:26] - The Question of the Messiah
[10:20] - Jesus Condemned
[13:53] - Jesus Before Pilate
[16:29] - The Crucifixion
[19:31] - Darkness and Forsakenness
[21:18] - The Temple Curtain Torn
[23:40] - The Good News of the Kingdom

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Mark 14:66-72 - Peter's Denial of Jesus
2. Mark 15:33-39 - The Crucifixion and the Tearing of the Temple Curtain
3. 1 Peter 2:24 - "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross..."

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Observation Questions:

1. What was Peter's reaction when he was recognized as a follower of Jesus, and how did he respond to the accusations? ([12:33])

2. How did the religious leaders and soldiers treat Jesus during His trial and crucifixion? ([10:37])

3. What significant event occurred at the temple when Jesus died, and what might it symbolize? ([21:18])

4. How does Peter describe the purpose of Jesus' crucifixion in his letter? ([20:15])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. Why might Peter have chosen to share the story of his denial, and what does it reveal about his understanding of grace? ([11:53])

2. How does the tearing of the temple curtain relate to the new covenant that Jesus established through His death? ([21:35])

3. In what ways does the crucifixion demonstrate both the horror of human sin and the glory of divine love? ([17:15])

4. How does Peter's personal experience with Jesus' forgiveness and restoration shape his message to others? ([23:21])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a moment from your past that you wish you could erase. How can Peter's story of denial and redemption encourage you to find healing and forgiveness? ([13:39])

2. How does understanding that God is like Jesus, compassionate and loving, change your perception of faith and your relationship with God? ([03:18])

3. Consider a time when you felt distant from God. How does the message that the kingdom of God is near and you are never far impact your current spiritual journey? ([23:40])

4. In what ways can you actively participate in breaking down barriers between yourself and others, as Jesus did through His crucifixion? ([18:38])

5. Identify an area in your life where you need to experience God's grace and forgiveness. How can you take a step towards receiving that grace this week? ([11:35])

6. How can you share the good news of Jesus' love and sacrifice with someone who feels defined by their past mistakes? ([01:29])

7. What practical steps can you take to live out the new covenant relationship with God in your daily life? ([22:14])

Devotional

Day 1: Leaving the Past Behind
In our shared human experience, we all have moments from our past that are embarrassing or even shameful. While some of these moments become stories we laugh about, others are so painful that we wish we could erase them from our history. Simon Peter, one of Jesus' closest followers, had such a moment, and he shared it with us to convey a powerful truth: there is a place to take our shame and pain, and leave it safely. Our past may remind us, but it does not have to define us. Jesus offers a safe place for our burdens. [01:29]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: What is one specific past mistake or regret that you are allowing to define you today? How can you begin to release it to Jesus and embrace the new identity He offers?


Day 2: Understanding God's True Nature
Jesus came to show us what God is truly like. He is not distant or harsh, but compassionate and loving. Understanding this changes our perception of faith and draws us closer to God. The revelation of God’s nature through Jesus was a transformative message that challenged the prevailing views of a distant and judgmental deity. By embodying compassion, forgiveness, and love, Jesus provided a living example of the Father’s heart. This understanding invites us to approach God with confidence and trust, knowing that we are loved and accepted. [03:18]

Psalm 103:8-10 (ESV): "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities."

Reflection: How does your current view of God align with the compassionate and loving nature revealed by Jesus? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of God’s true character?


Day 3: The Depth of Grace and Forgiveness
Peter's denial of Jesus is a powerful reminder of human frailty. Yet, it also highlights the depth of God's grace and forgiveness, which is available to all who seek it. Despite Peter’s failure, Jesus’ response was one of restoration and love, demonstrating that no mistake is beyond the reach of God’s grace. This story encourages us to seek forgiveness and embrace the transformative power of God’s love, which can redeem even our darkest moments. [13:20]

Micah 7:18-19 (ESV): "Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy of forgiveness. How can you open your heart to receive God’s grace and extend it to others in your life?


Day 4: The Cross as a Divine Act of Love
Jesus' crucifixion was not just a historical event but a divine act of love. By not saving Himself, He saved us, breaking down the barriers between God and humanity. The cross represents the ultimate sacrifice, where Jesus willingly laid down His life to reconcile us with the Father. This act of love invites us to live in the freedom and relationship that Jesus secured for us, understanding that His sacrifice was the bridge to eternal life and communion with God. [18:38]

Ephesians 2:13-14 (ESV): "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility."

Reflection: How does the understanding of the cross as an act of love impact your relationship with God? In what ways can you live out this love in your daily interactions with others?


Day 5: Embracing the Kingdom of God
The message of Jesus is simple yet profound. The kingdom of God is near, and we are invited to repent and believe. This belief is not just about eternal life but understanding the nature of God as revealed through Jesus. Embracing the kingdom means living in alignment with God’s values and purposes, experiencing His presence in our daily lives, and participating in His mission to bring hope and healing to the world. [23:40]

Luke 17:20-21 (ESV): "Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'"

Reflection: What does it mean for you to live as a citizen of God’s kingdom today? Identify one practical way you can embody the values of the kingdom in your community or workplace.

Quotes

We all have those embarrassing moments in the past that were so embarrassing in the moment that we were embarrassed. And then a month later, six months later, years later, we can tell those stories in public and laugh about it. For example, when I proposed to Sandra, actually she's still laughing about this, and I'm still getting over it. When I proposed to Sandra, she said I was white as a sheet, and I was so nervous that, when I asked her to marry me, she said, and I quote, "You know, you don't have to do this." And I was mortified in the moment. But of course, we can laugh about it now. [00:04:30]

There are things in our past that are so humiliating and so shameful that not only do we not laugh about it, we never speak of it, and we don't even like to think about it, moments in our past that we would all like to go back and unlive or redo. And the interesting thing about where we're going today is that Simon Peter had one of these. And the reason we know Simon Peter had one of these is because he told us about it. [00:42:11]

He wants us to know that our past may always remind us, but our past does not have to define us. So here's the good news. If you're carrying around some shameful and some painful stuff, I cannot tell you how glad I am that you've joined us today. We're actually in part seven of our series, You're Not Far. It's a story that should have died in Nero's Rome, but it didn't, it actually survived. It's the story of Jesus of Nazareth as told by Simon Peter, as dictated to and edited by John Mark. [00:89:98]

The time has come that something new has come to planet earth, that the kingdom of God has come near, which means you are never far. And the appropriate response is to repent and to believe this good news. And the good news, and this is so important for where we're going today, the good news that Jesus preached over and over and over, and the reason Peter was convinced it was good news, the good news was not that I've come to die for your sins so you can go to Heaven someday. [00:166:39]

I have come to earth so that you could know what God is like. I have come to earth to reinterpret for you what your heavenly father is like. It was one thing to believe that Jesus came from God, but the most difficult thing for Peter to believe, the most difficult thing for first-century Judeans to believe, perhaps the most difficult thing for you to believe, is that God, the father, is like Jesus. Jesus said it this way. If you've seen me, you've seen the father. [00:194:96]

And Peter tells us through Mark that, when Jesus began to preach and teach, he had a single theme that he went back to over and over and over and over. And the single theme was simply this. The time has come that something new has come to planet earth, that the kingdom of God has come near, which means you are never far. And the appropriate response is to repent and to believe this good news. [00:157:89]

And Peter tells us that, when Jesus was arrested, that everybody including Peter deserted him and fled. And this was understandable because it was over. He was clearly no king. There would be no kingdom. It was obvious in that moment that, in spite of what Jesus had taught, the kingdom of God wasn't near, and God certainly wasn't near. Now, what happens next is fascinating. And Peter gives us all kinds of detail about Jesus's trials. [06:365]

And Peter said, in that moment, I began to call down curses. And I swore to them that I did not know this man. "I do not know this man you're talking about." And in that moment, a rooster crowed. And in that moment I remembered that Jesus had predicted I would do this very thing. And then, Mark writes these words, because this is what Peter said happened. And Peter, Peter the rough-and-tough fisherman, broke down and he wept. [12:777]

In that moment, when God was most glorified, we would have been most horrified. In that moment, when God was doing for you and doing for me the unthinkable, the unimaginable, we would have turned our faces, and we would have looked away. But not the crowd. The crowd wasn't finished. The story continues. "So," they said, as they watched Jesus hanging from the cross, "You who were going to destroy the temple and then build it back in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself." [17:1040]

Jesus's desire to save others was precisely why he didn't save himself. Or to say it this way, if he had saved himself, he would have been unable to save others. If he had saved himself that day, he would have been unable to save me. If he had saved himself that day, he would have been unable to save you. But they weren't finished. Let this Messiah, this false Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and that we may believe. [18:1106]

The father withdrew from the son so that the father could draw near to us. The father withdrew from the son so that the father could draw near to you, so that you would never be far. But in the moment when this took place, nobody understood that. Jesus died alone. And then, Peter says, "I'll never forget." With a loud cry, Jesus, my Rabbi, my friend, breathed his last. And then Peter smiles, and he looks at Mark. [20:1236]

There would be no more separation between God and man. In that moment, the covenant that Jesus talked about at Passover, the covenant between God and the human race had been officially ratified. And everyone was invited to participate in it. And Peter would smile and say, "Even me. Even me who had been so disloyal to my king, even me who did not even deserve to be a part of the kingdom." And then Peter would look at Mark. [22:1327]

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