From A Distance is a Dangerous Place to Be



From A Distance is a Dangerous Place to Be

Luke 22:54-62

Dr. Dave M. Hartson

Bala Chitto Baptist Church

03/20/05

Introduction:

Bette Midler sang a song that was real popular several years ago called “From a Distance”. The lyrics of the song went like this:

From a distance the world looks blue and green,

and the snow-capped mountains white.

From a distance the ocean meets the stream,

and the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony,

and it echoes through the land.

It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,

it's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,

and no one is in need.

And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,

no hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments

marching in a common band.

Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.

They're the songs of every man.

God is watching us. God is watching us.

God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,

even though we are at war.

From a distance I just cannot comprehend

what all this fighting is for.

From a distance there is harmony,

and it echoes through the land.

And it's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves,

it's the heart of every man.

It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.

This is the song of every man.

And God is watching us, God is watching us,

God is watching us from a distance.

Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.

God is watching us from a distance

This song tells me that from a distance everything may seem as if it is well but it isn’t. It talks about no guns, no bombs, no disease, no hungry mouths to feed all from a distance. But if you and I look closely at life we know that this is not the truth. If you and I look closely at life there is no harmony, no peace, no common band. From the distance, we can draw the wrong conclusions.

As I look out at you this morning from a distance it may look like all is well with you. It may seem like you have it all together; that you may be the perfect little family, you are the best deacon that this church ever had, you may be the sweetest child I have ever seen, you are the most caring person that I have ever met. Oh, but if I look real close at you, if I could zoom in, the picture changes. You and I are nothing like we look from a distance.

We know that to be true in our heart of heart. From a distance everything looks better. Pastors leave churches because the church in the distance looks better. Children leave home because in the distance, life on their own looks better than staying at home. Marriages break up because in the distance someone looks better than their mate.

We even try to keep God at a distance in our life. This way I don’t have to see myself for who I am. Hey, I might mess up all the time but from a distance I can believe God is OK with it. But there is a danger in keeping our distance from God and Peter will teach us those dangers this morning. But the trade off is if I don’t keep God at a distance, if I draw close to God, I will see myself for who I am. So at the end of this service, we will have a decision to make: do I stay distant from God or do I draw close to God. Do I draw the wrong conclusions because I keep God at a distance or do I see myself for who I am?

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 22:54-62 and we will read about the day that Peter followed God from a distance and the troubles that followed.

Body:

1. Don’t tell God that you are going to draw close to Him unless you mean it because you may end up in the distance after the test.

Luke 22:33 (NIV)

33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."

Luke 22:54 (NIV)

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

A. Peter makes a bold statement that whatever they do to you, Lord, they will have to do to me also.

B. And it looks like for a moment Peter is going to stay close to the Lord because as the Roman soldiers approach the Lord to arrest Him, Peter draws His sword and cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest.

C. But when Jesus heals the ear of the servants and tells Peter we will have no more of this, the next thing we see about Peter is that he is following from a distance.

D. Peter told Jesus that he would draw close to Him but when put to the test he failed. You and I are no different if we make a commitment to draw close to God don’t be surprised if we find ourselves in the distance after the test.

2. Don’t tell God that you are going to draw close to Him unless you want Him to be in charge because you may end up in the distance after God takes charge.

Luke 22:51 (NIV)

51 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.

A. Peter went from following God closely to the distance when Jesus took charge and Peter didn’t like the way He handled it.

B. Peter wanted Jesus to fight being arrested and Jesus went willingly.

C. For so many Christians this is their problem: they will follow God as long as God does the things they way. But as soon as God does something different they become disillusioned with God and they move away from Him.

D. Job’s wife becomes disillusioned when things turn against her and her husband. But Job continued to follow God.

Job 2:9-10 (NIV)

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

So, as a result of Peter’s choosing to follow God at a distance, he makes three mistakes you and I will make if we follow God at a distance.

1. If I decide to follow God from a distance, I will choose the wrong people to associate with.

Luke 22:55 (NIV)

55 But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.

A. Peter goes from pulling out the sword to slay those who come for Jesus to sitting at their campfire with those who had Jesus arrested.

B. You follow God at a distance you will choose the wrong people to associate with.

C. But you may be saying to yourself, “my friends may not be the best guys in the world but I can change them.” But the Bible says that they will change you; you don’t change them.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

D. And the best proof of that is that the very next verse a servant girl asked Peter if he was one of them and he denied the Lord. Peter acted more like them than they acted like him.

2. If I decide to follow God from a distance, I will find myself hanging around the wrong places.

Luke 22:58 (NIV)

58 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied.

A. What is so interesting to me is that after the servant girl spotted him, he didn’t leave. It says he hung around, a little latter someone spotted him. And then about an hour later someone else spots him.

B. If you hang around the wrong people, it will not be long before you hang around the wrong places.

3. If I decide to follow God from a distance, the way that I talk will change.

Luke 22:33 (NIV)

33 But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."

Luke 22:59-60 (NIV)

59 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."

60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

A. Notice not only the words that he says but the attitude that he expresses. In vs. 33 he addresses Jesus as Lord and he exhibits an obedient attitude.

B. In vs. 60, he addresses the person as “Man” and his tone is a tone of rebellion.

C. You move away from God and you will see how quickly your language changes and the tone by which you say something changes.

But our story doesn’t end there and that’s the good news. We still have vs. 61 and 62.

1. When we draw near to God, we see ourselves for who we are.

Luke 22:61-62 (NIV)

61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times."

62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

A. The Lord looked at Peter and Peter looked into the eyes of God and he melted. It says that he wept bitterly. He came close to God and he saw himself as he is.

Conclusion:

Today, we are left with a choice: do we continue to keep God at a distance or do we decide to draw close to God.

If I choose to keep God at a distance then I will associate with the wrong people, hang in the wrong places and talk the wrong way.

If I choose to draw close to God, I will see myself for who I really am and I may be uncomfortable with myself.

It is decision time.

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