PRIVILEGE AND TESTIMONY

D Andrew Burr

Mark 14: 67

John 18: 25-27

It was not my thought to speak about Peter's terrible failure in this incident; it might be enough to say that he illustrates the exercise that has just been expressed. He had a sword, we know, but when he met Goliath David took his staff and went (1 Sam 17: 40); that is, he went into the matter before him in dependence; and Peter makes a terrible calamity out of self-confidence. I was just reflecting on the things that Peter's accusers say. I do not want to speak now about his language – they comment on that, his accent and dialect. But there are two things they touch upon that I want to speak about: one is that he had been with Jesus, and the other is that he was of the disciples. Because the story is so sad, we might miss the truth that these people refer to some of Peter's greatest privileges. The point that struck me is that the privileges we put our hands to, and identify ourselves with, are part of our testimony, for which each of us is individually responsible.

The first thing that I wanted to draw attention to is that they comment that he had been “with the Nazarene, Jesus”. It is commonly said that that is a name of reproach; it identified Jesus with a town that had a bad reputation, and a place that was despised. They identify Peter with Jesus in that way. What has struck me about that is that Jesus does the same: you will remember that, when He intercepts Saul of Tarsus, He identifies Himself as “Jesus the Nazaræan”, Acts 22: 8. What I think that means simply is that, if Jesus is not pleased to avoid the reproach, I cannot either. The only way in which I could possibly avoid the reproach He Himself has accepted is to deny Him altogether. Nobody wants to do that. So, as Hebrews says, we “go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach”, chap 13: 13. It is not our reproach – we have plenty of that: our sad histories bring us reproach, and we have to be humble about that; but we bear His reproach. “And thou wast with the Nazarene, Jesus”; it is a privilege, a wonderful privilege. The world would like to forget Him; they would like to consign Him to the obscurity that this town suggested to them. His disciples cling to the privilege of being identified with One thus named, and it becomes a focus of their testimony for which they are responsible. There might be all kinds of reasons why we might want to take an easier course, but I do not think the Lord would allow us to if He has not taken that easier course Himself.

The next thing I wanted to refer to is in the end of where I read in John's gospel: “Did I not see thee in the garden with him?”. This man is recalling the time that the other gospels call Gethsemane, when Peter was privileged not just to be one of eleven witnesses, but one of three. It was a very high privilege that Peter had been granted; he was not equal to it but that does not diminish the privilege: he had that opportunity to “watch one hour” with Jesus. You might say what an honour it was to be given to any of His disciples! Now, that opportunity in those circumstances has passed, as we sometimes sing – 'That night for ever past' (Hymn 246). But there are similar privileges still, one of which is to remember the Lord in the breaking of bread, and to enter into the privilege of having part in the service of God. Perhaps you would allow me to say that that is like a garden. Everything there has been ordered by God, like Eden was, Christ is at the centre of it, and it becomes a place for spiritual experience and fellowship with Him. I tremble at the idea that I might devalue such an experience, or think of it as routine, or diminished by the numbers available – something of that sort. What an immense privilege it is! You might say that Peter was not true to it but that does not alter the immensity of the privilege. Those of us who have put our hands to the breaking of bread have shared that privilege. John says, “Jesus was often there, in company with his disciples”, John 18: 2. There are some who have not broken bread for very long, but I suppose it is true that we would all have to say that we have been “often there”. And it has become part of our testimony, a testimony that we share, the privileges into which the Lord has called us.

And then we see how they talk to Peter about being with the disciples. In a sense, that might be an easier challenge, because you could be with a company that you were not fully identified with – you could be a hanger-on or a follower, not fully committed. But as far as the testimony is concerned, you are identified with it; and that is a privilege.  It comes home to me more and more in the simple circumstances in which we are, and especially those in which I find myself locally, what a privilege it is to have any with whom fellowship as we understand it can be worked out. The Lord is teaching me to value increasingly those with whom I share that privilege week by week.

But what they say to Peter is, “art thou also of his disciples?”; and that is challenging: to be identified among those who are identified with Jesus the Nazarene. It is taken account of that we belong to their company, and their fellowship. It is part of the testimony that we have that privilege, and we might say that the only way in which we could avoid the responsibility would be to surrender the privilege. As long as we maintain the desire at any level to be true to the privileges we have, then we have the responsibility.

Of course, Peter lacked the power: see what a transformation the Spirit's power made to Peter. He did not fail like this in the Acts; what power he had! What power he lacked on these earlier occasions; but we do not lack the power. We are not talking about things we have to do in our own strength, or as we have just heard with worldly tools or tools that others might lend us. We have the Spirit's power to be true to the things to which God has called us.

May He bless the word.

Word in a meeting for ministry in Aberdeen ID

29th September 2022

PRIVILEGE AND TESTIMONY

D Andrew Burr

Mark 14: 67

John 18: 25-27

It was not my thought to speak about Peter's terrible failure in this incident; it might be enough to say that he illustrates the exercise that has just been expressed. He had a sword, we know, but when he met Goliath David took his staff and went (1 Sam 17: 40); that is, he went into the matter before him in dependence; and Peter makes a terrible calamity out of self-confidence. I was just reflecting on the things that Peter's accusers say. I do not want to speak now about his language – they comment on that, his accent and dialect. But there are two things they touch upon that I want to speak about: one is that he had been with Jesus, and the other is that he was of the disciples. Because the story is so sad, we might miss the truth that these people refer to some of Peter's greatest privileges. The point that struck me is that the privileges we put our hands to, and identify ourselves with, are part of our testimony, for which each of us is individually responsible.

The first thing that I wanted to draw attention to is that they comment that he had been “with the Nazarene, Jesus”. It is commonly said that that is a name of reproach; it identified Jesus with a town that had a bad reputation, and a place that was despised. They identify Peter with Jesus in that way. What has struck me about that is that Jesus does the same: you will remember that, when He intercepts Saul of Tarsus, He identifies Himself as “Jesus the Nazaræan”, Acts 22: 8. What I think that means simply is that, if Jesus is not pleased to avoid the reproach, I cannot either. The only way in which I could possibly avoid the reproach He Himself has accepted is to deny Him altogether. Nobody wants to do that. So, as Hebrews says, we “go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach”, chap 13: 13. It is not our reproach – we have plenty of that: our sad histories bring us reproach, and we have to be humble about that; but we bear His reproach. “And thou wast with the Nazarene, Jesus”; it is a privilege, a wonderful privilege. The world would like to forget Him; they would like to consign Him to the obscurity that this town suggested to them. His disciples cling to the privilege of being identified with One thus named, and it becomes a focus of their testimony for which they are responsible. There might be all kinds of reasons why we might want to take an easier course, but I do not think the Lord would allow us to if He has not taken that easier course Himself.

The next thing I wanted to refer to is in the end of where I read in John's gospel: “Did I not see thee in the garden with him?”. This man is recalling the time that the other gospels call Gethsemane, when Peter was privileged not just to be one of eleven witnesses, but one of three. It was a very high privilege that Peter had been granted; he was not equal to it but that does not diminish the privilege: he had that opportunity to “watch one hour” with Jesus. You might say what an honour it was to be given to any of His disciples! Now, that opportunity in those circumstances has passed, as we sometimes sing – 'That night for ever past' (Hymn 246). But there are similar privileges still, one of which is to remember the Lord in the breaking of bread, and to enter into the privilege of having part in the service of God. Perhaps you would allow me to say that that is like a garden. Everything there has been ordered by God, like Eden was, Christ is at the centre of it, and it becomes a place for spiritual experience and fellowship with Him. I tremble at the idea that I might devalue such an experience, or think of it as routine, or diminished by the numbers available – something of that sort. What an immense privilege it is! You might say that Peter was not true to it but that does not alter the immensity of the privilege. Those of us who have put our hands to the breaking of bread have shared that privilege. John says, “Jesus was often there, in company with his disciples”, John 18: 2. There are some who have not broken bread for very long, but I suppose it is true that we would all have to say that we have been “often there”. And it has become part of our testimony, a testimony that we share, the privileges into which the Lord has called us.

And then we see how they talk to Peter about being with the disciples. In a sense, that might be an easier challenge, because you could be with a company that you were not fully identified with – you could be a hanger-on or a follower, not fully committed. But as far as the testimony is concerned, you are identified with it; and that is a privilege.  It comes home to me more and more in the simple circumstances in which we are, and especially those in which I find myself locally, what a privilege it is to have any with whom fellowship as we understand it can be worked out. The Lord is teaching me to value increasingly those with whom I share that privilege week by week.

But what they say to Peter is, “art thou also of his disciples?”; and that is challenging: to be identified among those who are identified with Jesus the Nazarene. It is taken account of that we belong to their company, and their fellowship. It is part of the testimony that we have that privilege, and we might say that the only way in which we could avoid the responsibility would be to surrender the privilege. As long as we maintain the desire at any level to be true to the privileges we have, then we have the responsibility.

Of course, Peter lacked the power: see what a transformation the Spirit's power made to Peter. He did not fail like this in the Acts; what power he had! What power he lacked on these earlier occasions; but we do not lack the power. We are not talking about things we have to do in our own strength, or as we have just heard with worldly tools or tools that others might lend us. We have the Spirit's power to be true to the things to which God has called us.

May He bless the word.

Word in a meeting for ministry in Aberdeen ID

29th September 2022