Today we're going to look at the second part of our study on the Apostle Peter. We're just going to look at some outlines of his life. We looked at his faith last week, or in the last section, we looked at his faith. Today we're going to think about his failures and also about how the number three seems to mark a lot of Peter's life. He is a man of much failure, as we know, and this is an encouragement to all of us. It's not outwardly perfect people who are great leaders, but those who are marked by much failure. We see this with Moses, who first failed in Egypt when he tried to deliver his people, and he killed an Egyptian, and he had to flee for his life. And we see that Simon was named Peter by Jesus, which is indicative of what Christ will make him. And whenever he was to fail, the Lord used to refer to him by his older name, Simon. He would say Simon Simon when he wanted to warn him about something. And so the negative traits of Simon Bar-Jonah had to be dealt with by the Lord Jesus to make him into Peter. Now, the number three occurs a number of times in his life.

Eyes off the Lord Jesus

First of all, three times he took his eyes off the Lord Jesus. Our first occasion was in Luke, chapter 5, verse 8, when Jesus called him to the ministry. We read these words: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8) . Whenever God calls someone to his work, whether it's the prophet Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, or any other man of God, the first thing they realize is their own sinfulness. Remember how Isaiah said, Woe is me, if I am undone, when he said his eyes had seen the King? And Peter, when he's in the presence of the Lord Jesus, says, I am a sinful man, O Lord. It's only such people who recognize their own unworthiness and sinfulness. These are the ones that God chooses. Not those who look at their families and say, My father was an evangelist, my grandfather was a Bible teacher, and I come from a great Christian family. Those aren't the people God uses. He uses those who are humble. look at themselves and say, I'm a sinful man, O Lord. I'm a sinful woman, O Lord. Those who see their own utter unworthiness are the ones whom God uses.

However, the mistake Peter made when he said those words was to depart from me. Go away from me; depart from me. You're thinking of self. He is indeed unworthy, there's no doubt. But like Moses, he was looking at himself. Moses said, I'm not eloquent. And he kept making excuses when God called him in Exodus chapter three. And the Lord became angry with him because he kept looking at himself and saying, I am not eloquent, and I am not this. And the Lord doesn't like that because it is an occupation with self. If we are occupied with ourselves and our own unworthiness, we will never be used by God. We will never want to be used by God. It is wrong to look at ourselves. It is good to acknowledge that we are unworthy and to know that we are unworthy. But self-occupation is not good. We need to be occupied with the Lord Jesus and see what He can do with an unworthy person. Not to think of ourselves at all. No thought of self should be there. The Lord Jesus should be everything. And that's why the Lord called him, despite his saying, Depart from me. He took his eyes off of the Lord Jesus, and he looked at himself, and he should not have done that. But he learned that the Lord still called him, despite his being an unworthy, sinful man.

The second time, he didn't look at himself. and take his eyes off of the Lord and look at himself. But the second time, he took his eyes off the Lord and looked at the storm in Matthew 14:30. We read these words, “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:30) . So he took his eyes off of the Lord Jesus. While he was looking at the Lord Jesus, he could do miracles. He could do something no other human being has ever done or has ever done, which is walk on water like the Lord Jesus. So he walked on the water by faith when he looked at the Lord Jesus, but the moment he took his eyes off of the Lord Jesus and began to see the wind being boisterous, he saw the storm. He was afraid and began to sink, so he began to look at the storm. He looked at the terrible, frightening storm, and he began to sink.

How often is that true of us? In fact, it's true of every single believer. Whenever trials, troubles, and storms come in life, the first thing we do is look at the storm. We initially look to the Lord; we pray to him, but as things get worse and worse and worse, we start becoming afraid and worried, and we start looking at the storm. We start losing our faith, and we stop looking. at the Lord Jesus, and we begin to sink mentally. We begin to sink as believers. You know, like Peter, we often take our eyes off the Lord. We look at ourselves and our own unworthiness and feel we can't do anything when the Lord wants to use those who are nothing. We often look at the storm.

On the third occasion, he took his eyes off the Lord Jesus and looked at the servant. not at himself now, not at the storm, but on a third occasion, he took his eyes off the Lord and looked to another servant instead. And in this story, we see in John 21, verses 20–22, we read, “Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:20-22) . The Lord had just revealed to Peter how he was going to die and when he was going to die. When he was an old man, he'd be taken, and he'd be put to death for the sake of the Lord Jesus. He was very close to John. Peter and John were often together. We see that in the book of Acts, Peter and John went to the temple to pray, and they saw that lame man in the way. Peter and John knew each other for many years when they were in the fishing business. He was concerned. What will happen to him? If I'm going to die, what will happen to him? What was the other disciple doing? We read that he was following the Lord Jesus. He had his eyes on the Lord Jesus. What about Peter? It says turning about. Then Peter turned around. From talking to the Lord and looking to the Lord, he turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved. That's John. So he took his eyes off the Lord Jesus, put his eyes on another servant, and worried about him.

You know how often we do this? How often do believers do this? How often do full-time workers do this? We're all looking at someone else's success. Oh, look how well they're doing. Look how well the Lord is blessing them. Nothing's happening for me. And why are things going wrong for me? Why is it going well for that other person? Look how prosperous that one is! Look how well they're doing. See, God doesn't want us to look at or judge other servants and start being occupied with other servants. We are all individually servants of the Lord. We are responsible to our Lord to serve Him, in whatever way the Lord has called us to do so. We're not to be occupied with other servants, and why this and why that? The Lord said, If I will, if I will, till he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? If I want him to live till I come back again, that's none of your business. What is that to thee? It's not your business. You must follow me, he said. Follow thou me. And that's important for us to remember. We must follow the Lord individually. We must keep our eyes on the Lord and follow him in the work he has given every believer to do, whatever that work is. And not to compare ourselves with other servants. Not to criticize other servants so that we feel more important than them. Or not to think that because another servant is more useful than you are, somehow God is displeased with you. Each and every one of us has a different work to do, and we're to do it faithfully to the Lord.

Let us not take our eyes off of the Lord Jesus and look at ourselves and all our unworthiness and failures, and never do anything for the Lord. Let us not take our eyes off the Lord; look at the storms and troubles we are going through and begin to sink. And let us not take our eyes off the Lord Jesus and start worrying about other servants and their ministries instead of thinking about what God has called us to do.

Tents

The next occasion I want to think about the three—the number three that occurs in Peter's life—is in Luke chapter 9, where we have Peter and his three tents. Luke 9:33-35. It reads, “And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.” (Luke 9:33-35) . Now Matthew, Mark, and Luke mentioned the transfiguration. Matthew mentions the lawgiver first, Moses. Mark mentions Elijah first. Elijah was the servant and prophet, in keeping with Mark's gospel, which speaks about service. Elijah is said to have Moses with him in Mark's gospel. with him. Luke's Gospel speaks of them as two men. There were two men with the Lord, in keeping with his purpose of presenting the Lord Jesus as a man amongst men. See how beautifully the Gospels are designed in the way they describe every scene. Now Moses and Elijah represented the law and the prophets, which all pointed to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow. and their presence showed that God's word found its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus. And so those two men were there to show that all the Scriptures pointed to the Lord Jesus. He Himself said in Luke 24:27, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27) . So those two men were representatives of the law and the prophets, Moses and all the prophets, and the prophets were represented by Elijah. how they all pointed to Christ and his sufferings on the cross. But Peter was intelligent; he knew what the Feast of Tabernacles indicated and what the message of the Feast of Tabernacles was. He knew it pointed to the Millennium and the Kingdom, and he thought right now the Lord Jesus was manifesting his glory because now he was establishing his kingdom right now on earth. And so he wanted to make booths and tents.

He was correct in his understanding, of course, because in the millennium, that feast of tabernacles will be fulfilled. But he was wrong in his timing. It wasn't going to happen there. The Lord was only showing a glimpse of his glory and his kingdom. But the mistake he made was this: He put the Lord on the same level as the prophets. And just as the people had done, not remembering his divine glory so soon after what he said in Matthew 16 that Christ is the Son of the living God, yet in the very next chapter he puts the Lord on the same level as Moses, Elijah, and the people, making a tent a tabernacle for him, when he comes in his glory, he will sit on his throne of glory as King of kings and Lord of lords, as the King of Israel. You will not be in a tent with the people. And so the same cloud that dwelt in the tabernacle now came upon the Lord Jesus, showing that He is God tabernacling in the flesh. It's the first time this glory has been seen since Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.

The first time that glory cloud was seen in hundreds of years, it came upon the Lord Jesus and came upon them that day. And all three synoptic gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—record that lovely saying from heaven. This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. Twice the father commended his son from heaven at the baptism to commend his 30 years in obscurity in Nazareth that he was his beloved son, in whom he was well pleased all those 30 years growing up in Nazareth since he was born at Bethlehem. I sojourned in Egypt, and all those years I lived in Nazareth. He was his beloved son. He was well pleased in him. And then on the mount to commend his public ministry. And so the son is God's last word to men. As Hebrews chapter 1 tells us, God has spoken to us through his son or in the person of his son in the character of one who is the son, spoken to men. So God says, Hear him; he is the prophet whom God must listen to. Just as Moses was told that a prophet would come, In Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;” (Deuteronomy 18:15) . Now Peter never forgot that experience, but he wrote these words in 2 Peter 1:17–18. “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” (2 Peter 1:17-18) . For he received from God the Father honor and glory. Yes, Peter, spoke mistakenly, spoke about three tents, when really the Lord Jesus will come and sit on his throne of glory. What a memorable experience that was, and he treasured it because it confirmed the written words of scripture.

Sleeping

Another time we read about the number three or three times in Peter's life is Peter's sleeping three times. Twice when he shouldn't be sleeping, and in Peter's life, Peter's sleeping three times. Twice when he shouldn't be sleeping, and the third time he slept in faith. When there's self-confidence, there will always follow prayerlessness and carelessness. What we need is to watch and pray. But what need is there to watch and pray if you are as strong as Peter thought he was? He felt he could handle any situation. He had brought his sword with him. To make sure no one's going to mess around. He had his sword with him, and he was with the Lord in the garden of Gethsemane. Who was going to mess with him? Luke 9.32 reminds us, “But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.” (Luke 9:32) . And so we see him sleeping. On the Mount of Transfiguration, when he should have been awake, Had he been awake, he wouldn't have suddenly been surprised, not knowing what to say and saying things he should not have said. And the father had to say to him, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him, listen to him. Peter's mistake, of course, was that he would often speak without listening.

The second time was when he was in the garden of Gethsemane. Mark 14 verses 37–38, “And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:37-38) . And so on those two occasions, we see that when Peter should have been awake, he was asleep. and the second occasion was the saddest because the Lord had asked him to stay awake with him. The Lord wanted the comfort and companionship of his apostles in the hour of his greatest distress in that garden, as he sweat as if it were great drops of blood. He wanted them with him. Couldest thou not watch one hour he pleaded with them? Yet the Lord would suffer alone in the garden of Gethsemane, separated from them about a stone's cast. wanting their prayers, wanting them to be with him. But they were sleeping. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And so carelessness follows prayerlessness. And see, we know what happened to Peter because of that.

But the third reference shows his great faith when he was sleeping in Acts chapter 12:6–7. “And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” (Acts 12:6-7) . This is quite a remarkable scene, because Peter was supposed to be executed the next day. after the Passover and after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And this was the very last minute he was rescued by the Lord. The Lord often waits until the last minute. So our faith is greatly tested, but it comes out shining as gold. The church was praying earnestly, right up to the last minute, in the house of John's mother. And there we find Peter sleeping. What would happen if we knew tomorrow we were going to be executed for our faith? We're going to be put to death with a sword. Would we not be praying? We would not be able to sleep. We'd be wanting God to give us grace so that we might die like Stephen, forgiving our enemies, and that we might be a good testimony. But Peter was so fast asleep that it says that even when the angels' glory shone in that prison, he didn't wake up. It says the angel hit him on the side. He smote Peter on the side and raised him up. And then he woke up so fast asleep that he had to be hit on the side to wake up.

What made him so peaceful? What made him sleep with such a peace that passes all understanding, hours from death? It is because the Lord had told him, as we just saw. John 21: When you're an old man, you will die, and of course that time has not yet come. Peter knew not how he would be delivered, but he knew if the Lord said he'd die as an old man, he's not going to die now, and there we see him so peacefully sleeping, resting in the word of the Lord Jesus. How wonderful to see that! The first two times he slept when he shouldn't have, but the third time he slept in faith. How wonderful an example to us when we have the word of the Lord to lean upon and the promises of God to trust in. We do not need to be fretting and worried. We can trust what the Lord has promised us.

Denying the Lord

The third time, of course, marks the failure of Peter when he denied the Lord. That's what he's famously known for when he denied the Lord three times. He went from saying, Of course cursing and swearing doesn't mean that he was saying bad words like people do, you know, dirty words and bad words. That's not the idea behind it. Cursing and swearing was Peter saying, if I'm not telling you the truth, that I know not this man that let myself be damned. He was pronouncing a curse on himself if he wasn't telling the truth. He was swearing an oath. I don't know this man. I'm swearing an oath before God. I don't know him. And I'll be cursed if I'm not telling the truth." Terrible words to say when he knew the Lord so well. The Lord told him not to follow. He said to him in John 13.36, “Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.” (John 13:36) . When he's an old man, he will die for the Lord, but not now. He cannot follow the Lord to the cross and die now. But Peter, instead of obeying the Lord, he followed. Mark 14, 54 says, “Peter followed Him afar off” (Mark 14:54) . At a distance. People sometimes say, Oh, he should not have done that. It just shows that half-heartedness. He should have followed the Lord completely. He should have been with him all the time. No, the Lord told him, you cannot follow me. You cannot follow me now. But he followed him afar off, and he got himself into danger. Now fear had made him cowardly. He was not ready for the martyrdom he boasted of; he was willing to go to prison and to death with the Lord. Backsliding was complete now. Peter now keeps company with the world. Mark 14:54. “And Peter followed Him afar off, even into the place of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.” (Mark 14:54) .

Now, when a believer starts to move away from the warm fellowship of the Lord Jesus, they start mixing more and more with unbelievers and become colder in heart, like Peter tried to warm themselves at the fires of this world. Satan got Peter exactly where he wanted him. Peter just attacked a servant of the high priest in the garden; now he's frightened and worried. Now Satan employs a woman to land a fatal blow. Matthew 26:74–75 says, “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:74-75) . His final fall was denying the Lord. He had no excuse for what he did. The Lord had warned him, but he did not listen. He spoke and spoke often without thinking or listening. And here was his downfall: And the Lord allowed it to happen—to break him completely, to break all his pride.

Peters Love for the Lord

And so we see three times now that he says to the Lord Jesus that he loves him. The next three times are in John 21. In verse 15, we read these words: Peter did love the Lord and had a desire to die for Christ but he had no right to boast his love was greater than all. This is why in his restoration the Lord will ask him three times ... “ Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” (John 21:15) . You see, he had boasted of his love, his devotion, and his loyalty; though all should be offended, he said to Jesus, yet not I. He was full of self. He was full of himself, and he was better than others; he was more zealous than others, and he loved the Lord more than others. He'll go to prison and to death. And instead of that, he denied the Lord in the most horrible way. And he was brokenhearted after that experience. He needed to learn what we all need to learn. That in our flesh dwelleth no good thing. We are all capable of doing what Peter did, but only by the grace of God. Don't think that we're stronger than the devil. Don't think that Satan sifts us; we wouldn't do what Peter does. The Lord allowed Satan to sift him. Satan needed permission first. The Lord says, Satan hath desired to sift thee as wheat, but I prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. Sometimes, when we are full of pride, the devil will be allowed to test us and humble us. And the Lord distraught Peter and gave him the opportunity around the same kind of charcoal fire—the same word in Greek—the same kind of fire the Lord made. He sat Peter around it with the apostles and now gave him the opportunity to say three times that he loved the Lord Jesus.

Peter said three times that he loved the Lord Jesus, and the Lord restored him. The third and final time is when Peter saw a vision three times in Acts 10:15–16. “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.” (Acts 10:15-16) . Peter failed far more than all the other apostles. Yet he will be restored to take the lead at Pentecost with the keys the Lord gave to all the apostles, but Peter would have the privilege of using those keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, preaching the gospel. Three thousand men plus women, of course, will be saved. And then another two thousand men were saved. And then he would open the door to the Samaritans. He'd be the one whom God used to open the door of the gospel to the Gentiles as well in the house of Cornelius. What a privilege God gave to one who failed so much to open the door of the gospel for the salvation of so many! And that vision that prepared him took away all his prejudice towards Gentiles, showing him that he was no different from them. All of us are saved by the grace of God alone. The gospel wasn't just for the Jews; the gospel was for the whole world. And God taught him that with that vision three times of those unclean animals in that great sheet.

And so we've had a brief look at Peter's life. In Part one we saw his faith. Part two: we've seen more of his failures, but what a lesson it has for us today. May the Lord bless his word. Amen.