First Southern Baptist Church

Peter and Judas had many things in common.

1. They were the same in that Jesus had chosen both of them.

• Peter: Mark 1:17 Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

• Judas: John 6:70-71 Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.’ he spoke of Judas…

2. They were the same in that they had experienced some of the same things.

• They both saw all the miracles that Jesus did. They were both apart of that little church from the beginning. The both got baptized probably the same day.

3. They were the same in that they were both going to sin in next few hours.

• One was going to deny Jesus and the other would betray him.

They had many important differences.

1. They were different in that one was a true follower of Jesus and one was not.

• I am sure that the day Judas was baptized the people rejoiced just as much as when Peter was baptized. But in heaven there was a difference.

• I just imagine the day that Jesus preached his “Once saved always saved sermon” that Judas took great pleasure in it, but for no good reason. When Jesus said in John 6:39 “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” And in John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” I imagine that Judas heard those words and thought “great I’m alright then.” And Judas will have the company of many people in Hell who will have thought the same thing.

2. They were different in how their sins effected them.

• God used Peter’s sin to make him more courages in the future.

• Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

• Acts 4:19-20 but Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right tin the sight of god to listen to you rather than to God you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

• Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’

• In the end the sin of believers is even used for their own strengthening in the future. Rom. 8:28

• Judas’ sin made him hate his life enough to take it.

• Matt. 27:3-5 then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ they said ‘What is that to us? See to it yourself.’ and throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

• Peter is known for how he changed the world after Jesus rose again. His denial is but a small hiccup in a life that was lived for the glory of God.

• Judas is known for his denial and the fact that he spent time with Jesus before only makes it all that much worse.

What can we do to avoid denying Jesus?
1. Remember how serious denying Jesus is.

• Matt. 10:32-33 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

2. Don’t think to highly of ourselves.

• 13:37 Peter said, “I will lay down my life for you.”

• Matt. 26:33 Peter answered him, ‘Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.’

• 35 Peter said to him, ‘Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!’

• The first step toward denying Jesus is thinking we can handle it on our own.

• 1 Cor. 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stand take heed lest he fall.

3. Remember that the only reason we have not denied him in the past is because of His work in us.

• Luke 22:31-32 Simon, Simon, behold Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.