Roosters & Reminders

“I assure you tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”

-Matthew 26:34

Reminders are an incredibly powerful thing. Sometimes it’s an object, sometimes a sound, sometimes a person, a gesture or a situation. Regardless of the trigger, those reminders can usher in a tidal wave of emotions, thoughts, and subsequent behaviors. Sometimes those reminders are so frequent and powerful - they dominate and destroy our lives.

Simon-Peter is one of the most well-known of Jesus’ disciples. Peter’s transparency and authenticity revealed in Scripture allow us to identify with him - even today.

After Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16:16), he was immediately rebuked by Jesus (v23) for arrogantly attempting to disrupt Jesus’ road to the Cross - the very reason why Jesus came.

The night of their final meal together (Last Supper) Jesus predicted Judas’ betrayal. Soon after Jesus explained that all his followers would abandon Him, saying “Tonight all of you will run away because of Me...” (v31). Peter vehemently objected (v33) saying, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”

Jesus responded to this arrogant boast by saying to Peter, “I assure you tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”

Then, just before daybreak, it happened. Peter was questioned - not by a soldier or death-squad, but by a little girl. It was under that fairly innocuous inquiry by a child that the self-proclaimed tough guy, the one who said he would never run, never deny, and forever endure at Jesus’ side - regardless of the opposition - denied even knowing Jesus. Then again. Then again.

Scripture tells us that upon the third denial a rooster crowed, "cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Peter recalled Jesus’ prediction. Scripture tells us that at that very moment Peter “went outside and wept bitterly” (v75).

Now imagine the perpetual reminder. Every morning that followed Peter's denial he heard: “cock-a-doodle-doo!”

Imagine how terrible a reminder to wake each and every morning for the rest your life to such a POWERFUL reminder of Jesus words... “I assure you tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”

Imagine trying to live with that overwhelming burden of shame. “I denied even knowing Him. Not once. Not twice. But three times!”

As is fitting with the eternally benevolent and gracious character and nature of God Almighty, Jesus didn’t leave it there.

Judas betrayed Jesus. Then he went off and hung himself. Peter denied Jesus. He might have been driven to the same fate - apart from God’s gracious intervention.

Peter denied Him, the Cross happened, the tomb was found empty, and Jesus was seen alive – risen from the grave! But Peter was left with a perpetually haunting *daily* reminder of his denial. It came every morning at daybreak... “cock-a-doodle-doo!”  And Peter was reminded, “I denied even knowing Him.”

Imagine reflecting back on three years of doing ministry alongside Jesus - God Incarnate - Immanuel! Imagine how weighty and unmanageable the guilt-burden Peter carried for his hubris and ignorance in arrogantly boasting: “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!”

So Peter did what any of us might do - he escaped. Peter said to his friends, “I’m going fishing.” (John 21:3).

Scripture doesn’t tell us about Peter’s motivation for going fishing - all night until dawn - but my suspicion is it might have been because there aren’t any roosters out on the water.

Daybreak came and Jesus called to Peter from the shoreline. The Bible tells us that Peter immediately plunged into the waters when he recognized Jesus’ voice. Jesus' voice had to have been the sweetest sound Peter’s ears had ever heard. The others fled like chickens, but they hadn’t boldly, and publicly, advertised their unwavering resolve to the bitter end - only to deny Him three times.

Jesus’ voice was Peter’s redemption song ushering in a sea of forgiveness and grace... and without hesitation or reservation - Peter dove in!

Jesus intervened. Jesus didn’t owe Peter. Jesus doesn’t owe any of us for that matter. But out of His gracious love - Jesus intervenes.

When we read John 21:15-17 we find that Peter’s former hubris and self-delusions of personal strength and fortitude are gone. Peter was undoubtedly shocked to discover the harsh reality of who he was as events unfolded the night following the Last Supper. Jesus held up the mirror of reality and Peter ultimately found himself to be a weak-minded, selfish, friend-betraying, and Christ-denying chicken.

That’s what a genuine relationship with Christ does – it causes us to come face to face with the ugliness of who we really are - independent of Jesus. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t leave it there. That's why He came. That's why He calls.

Following that fateful night, Peter had clearly done some serious soul-searching. Peter realize he wasn’t even a faint shadow of the hardcore manly-man he made himself out to be in the delusional recesses of his own mind.

Every dawning day that relenting shrill... that perpetual reminder came a new... “cock-a-doodle-doo!” The piercing, ceaseless, constant, endless, enduring and incessant reminder: “I denied even knowing Jesus.”

So Peter went fishing. Maybe it was to clear his head or maybe it was to fall back on something familiar and comforting. Whatever the reason - after spending the whole night out there - come daybreak Peter didn’t have so much as a single fish to show for it. Undoubtedly, Peter, the professional fisherman, was feeling utterly defeated. He might have even said to himself, “Man, I can’t even do this right!”

Maybe Peter was feeling lost and alone. Maybe the thing that always brought comfort and joy (fishing) was now a new source of frustration and defeat. But just then... Peter heard Jesus! Peter heard that sweet voice of redemption, and there was nothing in the universe that would deter him. There was no thought of political correctness. No pause of what the neighbors or his employer might think. All Peter knew was that he had to be with Jesus!

Maybe Peter recalled Jesus’ words, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Maybe he remembered watching the woman pour expensive perfume on Jesus' feet and washing them with her own hair and tears. Maybe. But what we know with all certainty is this: the arrogant and delusional Peter was gone - crucified with Christ and no longer alive.

Moments later when Jesus asked, “Do you love (agape) me?” Peter dared not respond in hubris or arrogance. All Peter could do was answer honestly, “You know that I admire (phileo) you.” Peter wasn’t boasting about his undying love or fidelity, but rather -as a man who had come face-to-face with the ugliness of himself- he simply told Jesus the truth. Peter, with empty hands and an open heart, told Jesus that all he was capable of on his own was mere pathetic admiration - and it absolutely wrecked him.

Before that fateful night, Peter really thought and truly believed he loved Jesus. As it turned out (as is the case with all of us), Peter realized when it was going to cost him something - he couldn’t even muster the courage and admit to even knowing Jesus.

Loving Jesus means the same for us as it did for Peter. It’s not about being hardcore, tough, or resolute in an emotional moment. It’s not about puffing out your chest or drawing a sword and jumping in front of God to protect or defend Him. Jesus, God, doesn’t need our protection or boasting. Jesus never asked us to defend or protect Him. He never will.

Jesus simply told Peter, “Feed my sheep.” That’s the reminder Jesus left for all of us. That's not some role reserved for priests, pastors, evangelists, or missionaries. That’s the universal mundane simplicity of what loving Jesus looks like. "Feed my sheep."

Independently, none of us are tough enough, none devout enough, and certainly none holy enough. That’s why Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Each day, just before daybreak, Jesus calls. Each day, just before daybreak, we all have a new opportunity to either be like the old Peter, the old self - in denial of our inability to do anything of any value apart from Christ –OR– to be like the new Peter, the new self - vividly aware of our own flaws, failures, and insufficiency after have come face to face with the ugliness of who we truly are as sinners before the light of the gospel of Truth shines.

Peter never again spoke the words “I love (agape) you” to Jesus. Instead, Peter allowed himself, and his life, to be spent walking with Jesus to faithfully and tangibly express it. "Feed my sheep."

Because of that encounter with Jesus - just before daybreak - I’m certain the sound of roosters never bothered Peter again.

So what is that constant reminder of failure in your life? What is the liar, the accuser, the adversary and enemy of God - what is Satan using to push you toward hanging yourself, like Judas, rather than listening for the sweet voice of Jesus?

Jesus is still singing that sweet redemption song to each and every one of us. Even you. Even now. Our sin is great. His love is greater. Jesus still intervenes in the lives of those who drop the act, dive into His grace and allow our lives to be poured out for Him and His eternal glory by feeding His sheep.

That's the reminder Jesus left you with.

Blessings!

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

RIFLEMAN FIRST

One of the inevitable truths about the “behind the scenes” of every church is that they’re all broken. Yes, yours is broken too. This isn’t a slam. It’s simply a fact that will remain unwavering until Jesus returns.

Congregants and congregations that deny this fact are quite simply delusional. They are the ones who end up drinking fruit punch kool-aid because their logic, reason and common sense are willingly surrendered to a charismatic nutjob. They have nothing in common with either the men of Issachar “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chron 12:32) or the Berean Jews who “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

There are some factors that unquestionably contribute to this malady. Some of these can be avoided or at least minimized when we are proactive and make ourselves aware.

One of these is what I refer to as the “Rifleman First” mentality. This is simply an analogy, so try not to get hung up on the reference to the United States Marine Corps or the concept of soldiers. Even Jesus taught using analogies referring to soldiers, so I feel like I’m in good company here.

General Alfred M. Gray, 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, said, “Every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary.”

The point is that within churches today there is no “Rifleman First” mentality. Our church pastors, staff, and employees are not ambassadors of the gospel and evangelists “first and foremost,” with all other conditions being secondary. Instead, our churches are riddled with insecure attention-seeking youth pastors, dynamic egomaniac preachers, executive CEO-type pastors, and worship arts pastors. We’re busy balancing budgets, crunching numbers, creating spreadsheets, sending emails...

But when is the last time someone set foot in the door of your church because the senior pastor, youth pastor, or worship pastor invited them? Better yet, when is the last time one of the pastors of your church set out to invest in someone outside the church that wasn’t part of a program or project?

We are only a “big deal” in our own minds - to the home crowd, the regulars, the givers, and those spiritually stagnant zombies we’re marketing to, begging to get involved, and carefully extracting a tithe from.

If your church closed the doors today - would anyone in the community even notice? I’m not talking about the regulars who have become tragically comfortable with their feeding tubes. I’m talking about the kind of people that Jesus sought out on a daily basis - the lost, the hurting, the broken, the marginalized, the ignored and the invisible.

Are those the kind of people who need an appointment to see the senior pastor? Are those the kind of people who get turfed off to volunteers and interns because he’s got a sermon to prepare for? A nice clean and dynamic sermon prepared from the sterility of his office or personal library and delivered from the pristine pulpit - completely disconnected from the lepers, prostitutes, junkies, atheists and the lost sheep of the community.

Rifleman First: A lover of the enemies of God because they have never -EVER- lost touch with this raw reality: that’s who they were before Jesus’ grace rushed in.

Rifleman First: A courageous ambassador of Jesus Christ because in light of the gospel everything else is counted as refuse and loss in comparison.

Rifleman First: A broken hearted relentless prayer warrior who still has family and friends who don’t know Jesus.

Sadly, today we’re not looking for Riflemen First. Instead, churches are full of some crazy specialized titles:

Director of Children’s Music

Pastor of Family Ministries

Technical Arts Director

Pastoral Care Pastor

Pastor of Assimilation

Keep your fancy titles for church-hopping staff members who are constantly looking to move ahead and make a little more bank.

Instead, give me a group of men and women who are Riflemen First. Give me a team of relentless ambassadors of Christ and outrageously unashamed evangelists. And by the power and presence of God Almighty - we’ll transform any community, any city, any continent and bring the love, grace, and truth of Jesus Christ to ends of the earth and straight to Hell’s front door!

Knock! Knock!

Who's there?

I’m a Rifleman First.

What are you?

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisicple.com

BY THEIR FRUIT

Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.  -Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus sometimes spoke in parables. The word parable comes from two Greek words: para (alongside, e.g. parallel lines), and bole (life), and it means a comparison or analogy. Parable literally means alongside life. Jesus told stories (parables) with origins rooted in things that people could understand.

Jesus rarely used witty, comical, or entertaining stories about His life to illustrate the gospel. You’ll never find that in Scripture because Jesus didn’t come to gather sermon groupies and boost Sunday attendance. Jesus came to bring us from death to life, i.e. to reveal (John 17:25-26) and glorify (John 17:1) the Father.

When we become followers of Christ by grace through faith, not by works so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9), the evidence of that new birth, regeneration, and in fact, resurrection to walk in newness of life is exactly that - radically supernatural transformation. It does NOT merely boil down to moral discipline, e.g. no swearing, no drinking, no drugs, no gambling, church on Sundays, daily quiet times, etc. Producing moral dead people is not what Jesus came for and it is certainly not what he taught, preached or died for.

Jesus came to reveal and glorify the Father. The character and nature of the Father were revealed in Jesus through Christ’s willingness to transform from our eternal Creator - existing outside of time and space - into the tangible incarnate Son of Man. The Father’s love, patience, benevolence, kindness, grace, mercy… are all on perfect display in Jesus, His words and His works.

In John 14:8 Philip asked Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." In v.9 Jesus responded, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” That’s certainly not an apologetic for Modalism or Patripassianism (or any heresy that demands Jesus and the Father are the same person). Rather Jesus was telling Philip that there is no distinction in terms of their eternal character, nature, glory or holiness because those aspects of the Father are revealed perfectly in Jesus.

Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruit.”

Jesus didn’t ride down from heaven beaming in blinding magnificence in a golden chariot led by wondrous beasts. No. Immanuel, God with Us, chose to be born in a stinky animal pen and to die upon a blood-soaked cross in order to clearly articulate the extent to which He, God Almighty, goes for us - for you. Then He invited His friends, i.e. His disciples, to lay down rights to our own lives, pick up our crosses, and to follow in His footsteps of revealing and glorifying the Father in all that we do.

That’s what the fruit of the Spirit looks like.

The fruit Jesus was talking about - in fact the kind He produced in extravagant abundance doesn’t look like jealousy, infidelity, pornography, rage, fake smiles, gossip, golf claps, sarcastic barbs, grumbling and superficial religion. Yet that’s what the fruit of our selfish lives look like.

Paul David Tripp wrote, “The joy or complaint of your heart always shapes your willingness to trust God and to do his will.” Sadly, in fact, tragically many of us don’t even know what His will is. We memorize Scripture out of context and haphazardly administer it to self and circumstance as if the sum of God’s will were our personal safety and security.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” - Phil 4:13

Clearly, this does not include making it to a worship service or ministry opportunity when your family is in town or your favorite team is playing. But we’ll pull it out like a rabbit’s foot when our self-absorbed lives and autonomous choices lead to discontent and tragedy.

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Jeremiah 29:11

Tragically preachers and Christians take this to mean that God’s plan for my life is for me to be safe, secure, and financially independent. We even go so far as to promise God that if he would bless us with health, security, and prosperity - then we would believe and return a portion of that back to Him. As if He needs it? Why aren’t we always using our current circumstances that have been orchestrated or foreseen by God to reveal Him and bring Him glory? Did Jesus say, “Father if you would deliver me from this cross -then- I will use a portion of my life to honor you?” No. It was through His humbly glorious incarnation, life, ministry, passion, death, and resurrection - ALL OF IT - that the Father was perfectly revealed and glorified.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” -Luke 11:9

In our selfishness, we ask for deliverance from struggles rather than faith in them. We beg and pout like spoiled children for material blessings rather than praising God for the abundance of relational blessings we could never fully appreciate or exhaust. We fail to intimately identify with or actively participate in the will and mission of God, yet have the audacity to claim, “God, you tell us in Scripture that whatever we ask - it will be given.”

Jesus didn’t say we’d be known by our salvation, by our baptism, by our theology, our doctrine, or our church programs. He said we’d be known by our fruit.

Well cultivated, nurtured, fertilized trees, i.e. good trees, can’t help but produce good fruit. Trees in the contaminated soil of selfishness, rebellion, and sin are incapable of producing good fruit. Therefore, we redefine what “good” fruit is…  podcast sermons, Bible studies, small groups, committees, mission trips, Christian concerts, etc., but we never really get lost in Christ. We never really become immersed in the soil of His love and grace. We don’t really trust that God’s got this. We don’t reveal and glorify God with every day, every opportunity, every challenge, every heartbreak, every loss, every victory, every relationship, in every moment.

Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruit.”

What story does the fruit of your life tell? What kind of tree would Jesus describe you as?

Don’t lose heart. If you’re not the kind of tree producing fruit that constantly and perpetually reveals and glorifies God there is hope and His promise.

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. -Psalm 145:18

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com

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ALL AUTHORITY

ALL AUTHORITY:

Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” -Matthew 28:18

All authority

Every victory is Yours

All authority

Every victory is Yours

Savior

Worthy of honor and glory

Worthy of all our praise

You overcame

Jesus

Awesome in power forever

Awesome and great is Your Name

You overcame

-New Life Worship: Overcome

In what areas of your life do you have authority? Are you a project manager, a team leader, a restaurant or business owner, a judge, a police officer, a parent or maybe a teacher? We all tend to look at our relationships as ladders or totem poles, and when we do - we see ourselves in a slot or spot with people above and below us. Often, our motivation for climbing the ladder is to minimize the number or “idiots” above, in order to bless those below with our wit, charm, and panache… not to mention the overdue pay increase that accompanies the new elevated position.

With this “around the corner” mentality, we have willingly, and strategically, placed contentment and joy like a carrot at the end of the stick of life. It’s our stick, our string, and our carrot. But what we fail to realize is that we readily make ourselves the donkeys of our own lives. The sad part is that we literally and willfully sell our souls and potential ministries into bondage for a few pieces of silver… not unlike Judas.

The primary issue is that we don’t really believe what Jesus had to say. We truly believe that we can have status, power, prestige, influence, accolades and authority apart from Jesus. Sure, we aren’t that openly honest about it, but that’s the bottom line. We’ll look at a job that pays the bills and reckon, “Jesus provided.” We say it, but we don’t tithe to the church or pass that blessing on to others. We figure, “Jesus meant this all for me” because that’s how Jesus operates (not). But as soon as the new boss comes in, whom we don’t care for or whose expectations force us out of cushy cruise-control mode… then we jump ship and reconcile it as “a sign from God” to move on to greener pastures.

We don’t like being bullied, and we’d certainly never call ourselves bullies, but when we exert authority based merely on positional, expertise, or reputational status for personal gain or profit - that’s exactly what we are. Sure, we disguise it as being “for the good of the team” or something with some real superficial appeal to it, but down deep we know it’s really just about me, myself, and I.

We know we don’t really believe Jesus because He made it crystal clear, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” I’m not a wiz when it comes to mathematics, but I can understand words like “all.” See, Jesus, God, told us that ALL authority in heaven and on earth is His. There’s no other place where authority resides. There’s not a pocket of authority on Mars, or on the astral plane, there’s not a cube of sparkly blue authority in Asgard or Valhalla. There's not a wellspring of authority under a boulder or rock somewhere.

We know this because in Genesis 49:10 it tells us, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. To whom will the obedience and tribute of the nations be.” That was a prophetic message (issued by Jacob to his son Judah) that simultaneously identified the Shiloh as God’s promised serpent crusher (Genesis 3:15), the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:3), and as a future descendant from the tribe of Judah. This “Shiloh” would be the one to whom all authority, obedience, and tribute belongs - inherent, eternal, everlasting authority. The only one to adequately fulfill that description - is God Himself.

Jesus came and lived a perfect, holy (set apart), and obedient life. Before the Cross, Jesus wanted His disciples to get it. So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant…” (Matthew 20:25-26).

Later, on the way to the Cross, He was brought before Pontius Pilate. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Then Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me unless it were given to you from above…” (John 19:9-11).

Like Pilate, we have no authority (John 15:5) except that which has been given from above. Remember, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus followed that last statement up with, “Therefore, having been brought through, disciple all nations… And in doing so, surely I am with you always, to the very end!”

Jesus, God, has all authority in heaven and on earth. He commissioned His friends with a simple (not easy) command: Disciple all nations. In humble obedience to that privileged call (as His ambassadors) we are given the greatest promise ever issued by God Almighty… “And in doing so, surely I am with you always, to the very end!”

What about you? Are you exerting authority that is exclusively sourced in Christ or are you chasing and building your own kingdom? Are you leveraging everything that God has blessed you with for the advancement of His kingdom through the promotion and proclamation of His gospel? Or, like Ananias and Sapphira, have you kept a little security stash for yourself?

All authority is His alone. There are the Pharaohs, Pilates, and Judases to whom He grants it for a season to accomplish His will. There are also the Noahs, Abrams, Davids, Pauls and Peters who willingly give up everything for Him - not in pursuit of authority to climb a social ladder or other vanishing vapors, but because they have found life - real authentic joyful eternal life - in Him alone. That fact compelled Paul to write:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

-Philippians 3:8

Jesus said it this way, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” -Matthew 16:25

Does that describe your walk and ministry?

Hear New Life Worship’s song, Overcome, by clicking HERE.

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com