“A Mediocre Distance” By Parrish Lee July 25th,
2010
This
is the last Sunday of the month, and Brother Kenneth wanted the last
Sunday of
each month to be an open worship service, but if I could just share a
few words
this morning: This
message is from a
visiting pastor; many years ago, Pastor Hamm taught from Matthew 26. Matthew
26:33-34
…thou shalt
deny me thrice. Jesus was right there with Peter. While they were close together, Peter didn’t see any case where he would deny the Lord. The time that he was having with the Lord was better than anything he knew. The times that you are close to the Lord are sweet and precious; they make you feel strong, like there’s nothing that you can’t do. We had a prayer meeting Friday night. God was taking things out of my life. Some things got exposed, others healed, there was strength and comfort and anointing. But, getting back to Peter, Jesus knew that there was coming a time… Matthew
26:57-58
…Peter followed him afar
off… There are times when things try to attack us in the faith. The enemy will try to pluck us out of the faith. Peter had drifted away from Jesus. Pastor Hamm called that a ‘mediocre distance.’ The Bible says that the devil is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. A lion is a predator. It will watch a herd of animals until a straggler veers off from the herd. It can’t take on the whole herd, but one off by itself is easy prey. Each of us will find ourselves, at one time of another, in a situation similar to Peter’s, where we’re away from the church, or away from fellowship, and we have to choose between Jesus or the other. And maybe you don’t feel that Christianity is for you; maybe you would rather be Buddhist or Hindu, but you know what? everywhere that Jesus went, He made a difference. Either people rejoiced that He was there, or they asked Him to leave. Luke
24:34
Saying, The Lord is risen
indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. Simon, of course, being Simon Peter, the guy that denied knowing Jesus. But Jesus appeared to him before the rest of the apostles. You see, Jesus understands that sometimes you are going to wind up ‘afar off.’ I know I have. He is always ready to forgive, if you just come back to Him. Sermon notes by Pete Shepherd |
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