My Opera"The Failed Disciple"
Saturday, September 15, 2007 3:23:02 AM
I was listening to a taped message from the 1999 Reformation Conference held at my church, Calvary Reformed Presbyterian Church, today. The topic is as written in my subject line. I had not attended this conference, as I don't believe we were members of this church at the time. In any event, I didn't recall hearing the message. So, I was expecting it to be about Judas. After all, he was probably the most obvious "failed disciple". I looked forward to hearing the speaker's view on whether Judas had really been a believer and had fallen away from the faith, or if he had only been going through the motions.
It turned out to be nothing about Judas, but about Peter. Switching gears, I started thinking about Peter's denial that he was associated with Jesus. Although I have read and heard preaching about this many times, it really hit home that any of us could fail when it comes to loving Christ. Wow. We can be really doing well, or so we think, and then be confronted with an opportunity to exalt Christ, and fail. Thankfully, God's grace will bring us back to right relationship with Him. Look at how Jesus "pursued" Peter; asking him three times if Peter loved Him. He told his disciple to feed His sheep - to put action to his proclamation of love.
I think it's really neat that in this renewed endeavor I'm trying, of listening to Biblical instruction while driving here and there, the first tape I listened to was very helpful and humbling. God is good!
Blessings,
Gwen
It turned out to be nothing about Judas, but about Peter. Switching gears, I started thinking about Peter's denial that he was associated with Jesus. Although I have read and heard preaching about this many times, it really hit home that any of us could fail when it comes to loving Christ. Wow. We can be really doing well, or so we think, and then be confronted with an opportunity to exalt Christ, and fail. Thankfully, God's grace will bring us back to right relationship with Him. Look at how Jesus "pursued" Peter; asking him three times if Peter loved Him. He told his disciple to feed His sheep - to put action to his proclamation of love.
I think it's really neat that in this renewed endeavor I'm trying, of listening to Biblical instruction while driving here and there, the first tape I listened to was very helpful and humbling. God is good!
Blessings,
Gwen
