Sand Mountain Sermonette 43
Mark 14:72; Luke 22:31-32; Mark 14:70; John 21:15-17
Sand Mountain Sermonette 43
“You’re from Alabama!”
“Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, ‘Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.’ And he began to weep.” Mark 14:72
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen you brothers.” Luke 22:31-32
Although I visited Disneyland with my mom and her mom when I was a toddler, I had never set foot on the grounds of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, until my wife Nancy, took me there many years ago. I will never forget that day. We were standing in a long line awaiting to purchase our tickets when a lady who was directly behind us and in line with her husband kindly interrupted our conversation. Amazingly the first words out of her mouth to me were, “You’re from Alabama, aren’t you?” To which I responded, “Yes mam, I’m from Albertville, Alabama.” And then, I asked her, “Where are you from?” And she said, “Canada!” I couldn’t believe it! A lady from Canada detected my distinct accent right off the bat!
Peter followed at a distance as Jesus was brought for examination before Caiaphas the High Priest and the Jewish Supreme Court called the Sanhedrin. In the meantime, he positioned himself alongside some of the servants and the soldiers who were warming themselves by a charcoal fire in the courtyard of the high priest. And while there, Peter denied that he knew and followed Jesus three times! Addressing Peter’s third denial, Mark 14:70 reads, “…And after a little while, the bystanders were again saying to Peter, ‘Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.” In other words, there was no denying Peter’s Galilean dialect of Aramaic that was very distinct in its pronunciation differences to other dialects, as noted in the Ryrie NASB Study Bible.
There’s no doubt about it! As surely as our verbal accent gives us away, our sin nature which keeps us from God is most evident! And yet, the same Christ who would die on a cross for Peter and for you and for me, told Peter in the upper room that He would be praying for him before Peter would deny Him for He knew of the work of the enemy! And you know what? The Bible says Jesus restored Peter to service by His grace, forgiveness, and love (See John 21:15-17). Peter had a heart that yearned true repentance when that old rooster crowed the second time!
Yes! The Bible declares you are forgiven in Christ for there are no roosters in God’s Museum. The blood of Christ and the grace of God triumphs denial every time! Live free and at peace in the Lord, Alabamian, or whoever you are! Repent, return, and receive God’s blessings in Jesus! God loves you!
Pastor Louie