Robert Morris - Abraham and Sarah
We're in a series called Divinely Human, and what we're talking about is that we're all we're all humans, we all make mistakes, but according to the Scripture, because we have become in Christ, now, the Bible says, buried with Him in baptism, raised to walk a new life, and we're part of the body of Christ, there's a part of us that's divine. We're using the Scripture 2 Peter 1:4, "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature". So, we're part takers, or part receivers, of the divine nature. And my burden for this series is that you don't see your humanity, and I'm talking about not only your frailties and your weaknesses, but even your sins, that you don't see your sins and count yourself out for being used divinely by God.
So, what I'm going to do is actually something that when I get to Heaven, some of these great people in the Bible, I'm going to talk about their humanity. So, they might get mad at me, I don't know. But I'm going to show you like Moses and his wife Zipporah, which a lot of people didn't even know her name. And you've got Abraham and Sarah, and you've got Esther and you've got Abraham, and you've got I mean, I said Abraham, you got David and you've got all these in the New Testament. We're going to know about Peter today, all these men and women who were used mightily by God, but I'm going to show you they were still humans. And not only did they make mistakes, like in the case of Moses and David, we're going to show you that even they sinned, and yet God still used them.
So, I don't want you to let the devil beat you up because you're a human, because I want you to know that the blood of Jesus covers our sins. And we can then be used to give a word of encouragement, a divine word, a word of prophecy to someone. And if you didn't hear last week, I really nailed down the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. I'd like you to listen to that message. And if you did hear it, I'd like you to listen to it again because just to humbly tell you, that's how good it was. It was very good. But it has to be nailed down in you that you're under a New Covenant and you're not under the Old Covenant anymore. So, this week we're going to look at Peter, and it's a very, very funny message because he goes back and forth from being divine to being human, to being divine to being human. Matter of fact, we're going to start with him walking on the water, which is pretty doggone divine because I'm pretty sure no one here has ever walked on water.
When I went to college, we were about 30 minutes away from our home where I grew up. I went to East Texas Baptist University and then to Criswell, to seminary there. So, I was educated Baptist. It's a great foundation for the Scriptures. But we would go home, I'd go home on the weekend because it's only 30 minutes away, and I got my clothes washed. But anyway, so sometimes some three or four guys would go with me because our home was larger and we were able to have, you know, people. And so, one time, there were three guys, so there were four of us, and it was in January, and we were sitting outside. It was a warm January evening, but we were sitting around the swimming pool. My parents had a pool. And this guy, one of the guys said, "You know, I really believe that I have enough faith that I could walk on that swimming pool". And so, we encouraged him. And we said, "We believe it, too".
We were lying through our teeth. We just wanted to see. We said, "We believe it. We want you. Go for it, man". And so, he said, he's stood on the edge, and he said, "In Jesus' name," and went straight to the bottom. It was glorious. It was wonderful. Anyway, so as far as I know, Peter is the only human other than Jesus, but He was fully divine and fully human, to walk on water. But here we go. Let's look at it. All right? Matthew 14, "Now in the fourth watch of the night", now, that's from 3 am to 6 am. They adopted, the Jews adopted Roman time. Roman time had four watches: 6 pm, the sun went down. 6 pm to 9 pm was the first watch; 9 pm to midnight, second watch; midnight to 3 am, 3rd watch; fourth watch was 3 am to 6 am, just to let you know. "Now, in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them", so, this is 3 am to 6 am, "walking on the sea".
We're going to find out later that the wind was blowing. "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, 'It is a ghost.'" Isn't that something, they believed in ghosts all the way back then? "'It is a ghost.'" And these were the disciples that we look up to, by the way, okay? "And they cried out for fear. But immediately", I love the immediatelys in the Bible. Take a time, get a Bible thing, and every time you see, and just look up every time you see, "immediately". It'll shock you how many times that we're in trouble, and immediately, Jesus shows up. So, just look it up, all right? "Immediately, Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Be of good cheer! It is I'", I want you to notice those three words, "'It is I; Do not be afraid.' And Peter answered him and said, 'Lord, if it's You...'"
Okay, let's stop for a moment. I want us to think about the look on Jesus' face. "It is I". "Lord, if it's You". He just said, "It is I". And if they were on the southern part of the Sea of Galilee, He said, "I is it, okay? I is it. It's I. It's me. It's me". "Lord, if it's You". Okay, that's human. That's the human part. All right? "'If it's you, command me to come to You on the water.' So, He said, 'Come.'" Now, I just think about, like Peter saying, "It's a ghost. It's a ghost". Everybody's saying, and the Lord says, "Hey, it's okay. It is I". And Peter standing here, "I'll take care of this". "Lord, if it's You, then let me, just call me to walk out there. Now just watch". And then they hear, "Come". "Excuse me"? "Yeah, come on, hot rod. Come on. Come on".
And then you can see the disciple saying, "He said come. He said come. He said come. He said come". "And when Peter had come down out of a boat, he walked on the water", that's divine, would you agree? Because we've never done that. He walked on the water, "to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid", that's human. He goes from human to divine to human to divine all through the whole message you're going to see it, "and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' And immediately, Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him and said to him, 'O you have little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased". So, the wind was blowing. "Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, 'Truly, You are the Son of God.'"
Notice, no one went to Peter and said, "Do you need a blanket? You need a towel. Hey, at least you walked on the water some. Nobody else has ever done that". I don't know if you ever thought about this. Peter is the only one in the boat wet, and he got rebuked. "O you have little faith, why did you doubt"? He's over in the corner thinking, "Hey, I tried. I'm the only one that tried". But now, I relate to Peter because Peter always kind of says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Debbie can't relate to Peter. She doesn't do that. She thinks before she speaks. I think while I speak, and sometimes after I speak, and sometimes not at all. So, I relate to Peter. So, I wonder if Peter said to himself, "I'm never going to say anything again. These lips right here will never talk again because, I mean, I at least tried, and yet I got rebuked for it". So, he might have said, "You're never going to hear me speak again".
That's Matthew 14. Let's look at Matthew 15, verse 15. "Then Peter answered and said to Him, 'Explain this parable to us.'" Watch this answer. "So Jesus said, 'Are you also still without understanding?'" That would have hurt my feelings. Are you still an idiot? Still? You? Also you? I know Jesus didn't say it like that. I'm simply saying, I've had a tendency to hear things like that. And I say something, and then someone says something, and I have a tendency to think, "You know, that was a little harsh". And I'm just wondering if Peter thought, "You're never going to hear me speak again. I can tell you that, because I actually understood the parable. I was asking for the rest of the guys". Okay, so we started in Matthew 14, then we read Matthew 15. Now Matthew 16. This is the guy that's never going to speak again. "When Jesus", verse 13, "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, 'Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?' So, they said, 'Some say John the Baptist'".
Okay, here's another time I would like to have seen Jesus' face because John the Baptist baptized him. I'm just wondering if Jesus is thinking, "Okay, John was here, I was here. John put me under the water. A lot of people say I'm John the Baptist when we were standing beside each other, and we were cousins, we played on the same Little League team". "'...some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'" Now, Simon Peter has had, he can't stand it anymore. He's got to speak. He answered and said, "'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" That's divine. That was divine. Matter of fact, Jesus tells him it was divine. "Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you.'"
In other words, that was not human. That was divine. "'...but my Father who's in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter'", you went from Simon, a little pebble, to Peter, a large boulder, "'and on this rock I will build My church'", it's the rock of the revelation, Jesus is the Son of God, "'and the gates of hell", hades is a Greek word for hell, "shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven'", now, He's speaking all of us now, but Peter could have taken it like He was speaking to him, "'and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'" So, Jesus said, "Who do you say that I am"? Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Son of the living God".
Here's basically what Jesus said. "This is a miracle". "That's a miracle that you got the right answer, Peter. That's a miracle. You couldn't do that on your own. I want you to know that". And then He talks about being a rock and getting the keys. And I'm just wondering if Peter, because of the thing that he does next. I'm just wondering if he got the big head a little bit because I've gotten the big head. Again, Debbie doesn't have to, she's Mother Teresa Debbie. I mean, her biggest sin is that she chewed too much bubble gum one day. I don't know. But I'm married to this saint, and I know I am here. I relate to this. I'm just wondering if he got the big head. I'm wondering if they're walking on the road and he's saying, "I guess you heard that I'm the rock. Jesus said I was the rock. And he said he's going to give me some keys. I don't know what they're for, but he's going to give me some keys. So, I kind of always thought of myself as the rock of the group, personally".
The reason I think he got the big head is because what he does next. All right? Look at verse 21. "From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed [but watch this], and be raised the third day.'" This is the whole gospel He's telling them. And He says, "Yes, I'm going to be killed, but I'm going to resurrect. I'm going to rise from the grave. It's the greatest thing that's ever happened. It changes all of mankind". Okay, tells him the gospel. Verse 22. "Then Peter took Him aside and begin to rebuke Him", you have to be feeling pretty good about yourself to rebuke Jesus, "saying, 'Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!' But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan!'" That would have hurt my feelings, too. "'You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.'"
Okay. Divine. You're the Christ, the Son of the living God. That's divine. Rebukes Jesus; that's human. Are y'all following me? We're talking about someone that's a hero in the Bible, and he should be a hero to us. I'm just telling you, do not discount yourself. Do not count yourself out of being used by God because sometimes you're like Pastor Robert and you're an idiot. Because I've done this. I've done these things. I still say stupid things to this day. And you think to yourself, "I should be smarter than this by now. I should be more mature in Christ by now, and yet these things keep happening". And I can just see him taking Jesus, Jesus saying, "Now listen, guys, we're going to go to Jerusalem. I'm going to be delivered to the Chief Priest and scribes". This is, by the way, about the third time that He's told them. He told them four that I know of, separate times. And He's telling them, "And I'm going to be crucified. I'm going to die". He told them, "I'm going to be killed, but I'm going to rise from the grave on the third day".
And I can just see Peter. "Lord, can I speak to You just a minute? Lord, when you speak like this, You know, I understand, because, You know, I'm the rock. But the other guys, they get discouraged. They're not on the same page as You and me. You know"? And then Jesus just saying, "Get behind me, Satan! You don't know anything about the things of God". And then walks away. I mean, I would think, "Okay, I was just trying to help, And then you call me Satan. You changed my name from Simon to Peter, and now Satan. I want to go back to Peter. I can tell you one thing. Never going to hear anything out of these lips again. These lips right here will never move again". He made it six days without talking.
We started in 14, 15, 16. Now we're in Matthew 17, "Now after six days", that's how long Peter made. He made six days, "Jesus took Peter, James and John, his brother", that's John's brother James, "led them up on a high mountain by themselves". Now, I wish I could preach a whole message on this next statement, matter of fact, just one word, "and He was transfigured before them". Let me just tell you what happened. He literally, somehow, just let His divinity shine through. He's 100% human and 100% divine. He just let His divinity shine, because watch what happens. "His face shone like the sun", you ever tried to look at the sun straight on? "And His clothes became as white as the light". He becomes fully God, basically in front of them. "And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him".
Moses has been dead 1400 years, I'm just estimating, Elijah, 800 years. There's Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, and Jesus is transfigured. His figure changed in front of them. He became God. I mean, what a moment! But I'm wondering if Peter, who'd been quiet for six days when they're walking up the hill, because, see, Jesus probably said, "Okay, I have a special mission, and I can't take all of you. I can only take a few of you. James, why don't you bring your brother John and Peter, in the back. Peter, Peter, I want you to come to". So, they're walking up the hill, and Jesus might have been walking beside James. I'm just using my holy imagination, or my human imagination, one of them, and Jesus and James are talking, and Peter's with John. And Peter says, "I think He remembered that I'm the rock, and that I got them keys. I got some keys, I tell you. I don't know anything about them yet, but I got them keys. You know, I'm going to forgive that whole Satan thing. He's under a lot of stress. I'm just going to forgive Him for that".
And they get to the top, and He's transfigured. Here's the reason why. I just want you to notice three words. They've actually been in almost every passage, but I wanted to bring them out right now because I just think it's funny. Jesus is talking to a guy that's been dead 1400 years named Moses who's pretty doggone important in the Bible, and Elijah, who's been dead 800 years. And Jesus is transfigured before them. And the three of them were talking with each other. It doesn't say any of them were talking to Peter. Watch the next three words. "Then Peter answered". Okay, who asked him anything? That's why I want to know. Who asked Peter what his opinion was? And watch what he says. And said to Jesus, "Lord, it's a good thing that I'm here. It's good that we're here. If You'd like, let us make three churches, three denominations. One for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah".
That's the stupidest statement that's ever been said in the Bible. Do you know why it's so stupid? Oh, by the way, would y'all like just one of those little, just like something to think about? Okay, so Elijah prayed that it wouldn't rain. We read the scripture last weekend, and it didn't rain. Moses turned water in the blood and brought plagues on the earth. Is that right? Have you ever heard about the two witnesses in Revelation that are killed and lying in the streets and then they rise? You ever heard about those? Okay, let me just give you something to think about. It's just fun. Revelation 11:6. These, it's talking about two witnesses, "have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy", sounds a lot like Elijah, "and they have power over waters to turn into blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire", sounds a lot like Moses.
I just like just pulling the pin and throwing grenades out. "Pastor Robert said the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah". I did not. I just said, "Just think about it". It sounded a lot like them, though, didn't it? Okay, so, here we go. Moses and Elijah and Jesus are talking, and Peter speaks up, says, "Lord, it's good I'm here. Let's build three buildings, and we can start three new churches from this and all". Okay, watch Matthew 17:5. "While he was still speaking", you know that you should not be talking when the Father interrupts you. God interrupted him, the Father, "behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" Remember, He said that at the baptism, but He adds two words: "'Hear him!'" In other words, "Shut up, Peter"! This is Jesus. You're the one that said he's the Christ, the Son of the living God. Why are you talking right now? Hear him, listen to him.
All right, now we're going to jump over to John just because of this kind of a sequence of what we're going through. We've got another holy moment. Jesus is washing the disciples' feet. What a holy moment! And no one says anything, except... one of the disciples talked during the service. Wonder who that would be. And I wonder how brilliant what he said was, or how stupid what he said was, how human it was. Verse three, John 13:3, "Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God", basically, He knew His identity, "rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded".
Why would they tell us this? "Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are You washing my feet?'" "Let's see now. I've got a towel. I've got a bowl with water in it. You're the seventh one in line. I've already done six. Yes, genius, I'm washing your feet". "Jesus answered and said to him", now, I'm going to put something in that's not in the text, but I think this is the way Jesus said it, "What I am doing", this is the way I think He said it, "you do not understand now". In other words, "I wish you'd just be quiet". "...but you will know after this". Peter still can't shut up, said to him, "'You shall never wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.' Simon Peter said to Him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands in my head!'" Human, divine, human, divine, human. "Jesus said to him, 'He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean.'" In other words, "Please shut up. Just shut up, just once".
So, then there's another holy moment, but we're going to go to Matthew to find it, but it's the same context, This is the Last Supper. John 13, 14, 15, and 16. Now we're going to go to Matthew 26. It's also the Last Supper. Verse 31, "Then Jesus said to them", Jesus, "You're the Christ, the Son of the living God". "Jesus said to them, 'All of you'", does everyone see that "all"? "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for [it's in the Bible] it is written.'" It's Zechariah 13:7, If you'd like to read it. Just make a note, Zechariah 13:7. For it is in the Bible. This is why I'm telling you, all of you, this is going to happen. It's already been prophesied. "'"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", notice again, no one asked him, there's no question mark there, "answered and said to Him, 'Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.'"
I think Jesus just got sick of it and said to him, "Listen, pal..." "'Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.' Peter [digging his grave deeper] said to Him, 'Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!'" Now, here's what I'd like to say. Have you ever told the Lord that you would never do a certain sin again (I'm seeing a lot more Roberts out there than Debbies), and then you did it? Or have you ever told the Lord you would never do something, even if you didn't do it again? You just said, "I'll never do that". And then you did, and now you're ashamed. So did Peter. He said, "I'll never do that". But he did, three times. Do you know why Jesus asked him three times, "Do you love me"? Peter got it on the third one. He said, "Do you love Me"? He said, "Yes, Lord, I love You". He said, "Do you love Me"? "Yes, I love You". He said, "Do you love Me"? He said, "Lord, You know all things".
Here's what Jesus was thinking, I believe. He was thinking, "Yeah, I know you love Me, but do you know you love Me? I need you to get it through your head that even though you fail, you do love Me. Even though you're a human and you made a mistake, I know that you love Me. I know that. I know you love Me, but I need you to know you love Me. That's why I'm asking you until you get it". Now, right before He said, "All of you are going to be made to stumble". We have to go to Luke to find it, but it's right before it, if you read it in Luke. Go back and read it. Luke 22:31. "And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you". In other words, He didn't say, "But I told him, 'No,'" because He knew Peter would grow from it. He said, "'But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned'". In other words, "You will leave. You will fall. You will leave me". "'...and when you have returned to Me, strengthened your brethren.'"
Now, I have a question for you. Why did Satan ask for big foot in big mouth here? Why did he ask for the guy that was always screwing up, that was always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time? You know why? Why didn't he ask for the Sons of Thunder? Why didn't he ask for the disciple whom Jesus loved? Why did he ask for the guy that was always putting his foot in his mouth? You know why? Because he knew that one day he'd get filled with the Holy Spirit, and he'd stand up and be the one that preached on the day of Pentecost and 3000 people would get saved. He knew in a way, and this is what I say, I'm not comparing myself to the greatness of Peter, but to the weaknesses of Peter. I was the kid that always talked too much, that my parents even say, my dad used to quote that scripture to me, "Son, even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps his mouth shut".
That's the scripture he quoted to me the most, because I always talk. But one day, Satan knew, and Jesus knew that I'd stand up and preach to 26 million a week on television. Just in America. And that doesn't include the other 194 stations, 194 countries, nor does it include 6500 cities every day I'm on the radio. I'm just telling you that what you see as a weakness, God can turn into a strength, that even your failures can become victories because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. See, Satan is great at seeing potential in people, and he said, "Out all those twelve guys, you know the one who's got the most potential? Peter".
Do you know who was the preeminent apostle of the New Testament? You think it's Paul? It wasn't. Paul did not become famous until mainly after his death. What he wrote when he wrote a third of the New Testament was not canonized as Scripture until the fourth century, over 300 years later. He became a little more well known in the last seven years of his life. But the preeminent apostle in the New Testament was Peter. Peter was called the Pillar of the Church. Peter worked the first miracle after the Resurrection. Peter raised the first person from the dead after the resurrection, and Peter took the gospel to the Gentiles, which is why most of us are in the kingdom today. Peter. And let me show you another scripture about Peter. This is divine right here, Acts 5:15, "so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them".
Apparently, people were getting healed from his shadow. That's really divine. Or as we say in East Texas, "That's pretty doggone divine". But I want to show you one last verse because I think it's funny. Peter gets this vision three times to go. God lets down these animals that are unclean and tells Peter to eat. And it's at lunchtime. It's at noon, the Bible tells us, and he's hungry. But he falls, he goes under this trance, and Peter says, "Lord, they're unclean". And the Lord says to him, "What I've cleansed, don't you call common". And people have quoted that. "What I've cleansed, don't you call unclean". And that's fine, but that's not what the word is. Listen to me. What Jesus has cleansed, He said, "don't you call common". He has cleansed you. You stop calling yourself ordinary because you are extraordinary because of the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. You, don't call yourself common.
And so, he goes to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and he preaches it. Boy, you can read it, Just Jesus, crucified. He died for your sins. He rose on the third day. And he's preaching. This is so funny to me. Watch this. This is seven years after he got filled with the Holy Spirit, okay? Seven years later. Watch, Acts 10:44, "While Peter was still speaking", He still talks too much, "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word". The Holy Spirit is up there with the Father and Jesus. He says, "Okay. It's great, Peter. That's great. Okay, give the invitation. They're ready. Give the invitation. I've got to go".
Even after you get saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, even when you're human, the Holy Spirit might say, "I've got to go. I'm going to minister through this person. I'm going to touch someone through this person. I'm going to give a word of encouragement through this person". And you can just be talking, and maybe even talking too much, and all of the sudden you say a scripture, and they needed that scripture. So, even though you're human, I'm telling you that you are partakers of the divine nature.
I want you to bow your heads and close your eyes. I want you to do like we do every weekend and just ask the Holy Spirit, "What are You saying to me"? And here's my real burden, and I want to get into this in this series, but my burden is for those of you that, like Paul talked about a besetting sin. In other words, a sin that we easily fall to. I think there are many of you here, I'm supposed to say this to you. You have a besetting sin in your life. You have a sin that you keep falling to that sin over and over again, and you keep counting yourself out for being used by God.
And I do want you to learn to walk in holiness. I do want you to learn to overcome that sin. I do want you to grow and mature in Christ, but shame will not help you grow in Christ. You have to believe that that sin is under the blood, and you have to get into the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to quicken His Word and allow you to mature. But even before you get total victory in that area of your life, God can still use you because He used men and women all through this Bible that still had faults and frailties and failures. So, please be encouraged that you are divinely human.
Lord, I pray that You'll take Your Word that has the power to set men and women free and set people free this weekend. And I pray, Holy Spirit, that You will use us as ambassadors for You, and You will use us as humans that can do divine things through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, amen.