Self-Reliance vs. God's Grace

 

Chapter 1  Prior Chapter

Imagine the patience the Holy Trinity (God the Father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit) have during times of our spiritual blindness.

 

For example: The Disciple Peter's thinking repeatedly focused on the "here and now." Such thinking failed to take into account “God’s will” which includes a prospective throughout time of both earth and the heavens.

 

1. Matthew 14:22-33  First, let’s recognize that Peter had great trust in Jesus when He was present. None of the other disciples got out of the boat in rough seas to walk on the water.

2. Matthew 16: 15-23 Peter was fully aware that Jesus was the Messiah, yet Peter’s thought process was humanistic and failed to consider the perspective Christ was demonstrating.

3. Matthew 17:1-8  The God of the Universe even tells Peter to listen or take into account what Jesus is teaching.

4. Matthew 26: 31-35 When self-reliance motivated Peter to pledge his loyalty to Christ, Jesus informed Peter that he would deny Christ three times that same night.

5. Luke 22: 54-62 Upon the third denial, Christ looked straight at Peter. Peter left and wept bitterly. This incident brought Peter’s self-confidence to an all-time low. 

Peter’s denial was a symptom.  His recurring problem involved Peter not allowing God into his decision-making process.

Chapter 2: The Degree of God's love

 Peter messes up yet God's Grace remains firm.