The Challenge
God’s grace must define who you are, not the shame you hold onto.
Summary
Passage – Mark 14
Introduction – Brent starts by telling a memory from 18 years ago he took with his wife to Dairy Queen, where he and his wife jumped the line and budged in front of several other people. At first he didn’t realize what he did but then, after someone said something, he stayed ahead of all the others. Brent explains in a comical way how he is feeling shame over his actions. How the Dairy Queen logo now makes him feel shame.
Brent points out how events in our life can impact us for the rest of our life — no matter how big or how small. The impact if these events affect drastically change our perspectives and feelings.
Focusing on Peter – Then Brent describes the situation Peter experiences at the fire in the courtyard outside Jesus’ trial. This is the moment when Peter denies his relationship with Jesus. Brent explains that Peter does a complete denial of Jesus. The servant girl again seeks Peter and confronts him. Then a group of people start to question Peter. When “Peter calls down curses on himself” it means he takes a legal oath, claiming with all certainty that he did not know Jesus.
When Peter is asked “you were with Jesus?” this is our modern day equivalent of being asked “don’t you go to church?” Or when Peter was asked “aren’t you a Galilean?” is the modern day equivalent ,”aren’t you a Christian?”
Focusing on shame – Then Brent examines what Peter must have felt after the rooster had called, when Peter saw Jesus on the cross, and then when Jesus was dead in the tomb. Peter would have believed that this is how his relationship had ended with Jesus. He felt immense shame.
“The difference between guilt and shame is very clear – in theory. We feel guilty for what we do. We feel shame for what we are.” – Lewis Smedes (Book: Shame and Grace)
Focusing on God’s forgiveness and grace – Peter’s biggest life.moment, his rejection of Jesus, God turns this moment into something that glorifies God. And that this moment in Peter’s life is told in each gospel and is used a great example of God’s forgiveness, grace, and love.
Shame can be turned into a magnet to draw others to Christ – Because of Jesus’ sacrifice our shame will no longer define who we are. No matter how worthless we might feel, God loves us as we are. God accepts us for who we are.
The wrong idea about God’s grace – The devil wants us to think that God cannot accept or love us until we change first. We must rid ourselves of our own shame, and make ourselves worthy of God first. This is totally wrong.
…But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. (Romans 5:20)
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 8:39)
Shame vs. God’s Grace – Let God’s grace define who you are, not the shame you hold onto.
About the Speaker
Brent Chapman is the lead pastor at SouthRidge Church in Langley. As a young man he was a painter–the kind that painted walls not canvass. Then God tapped him on the shoulder and changed the direction of his life forever.
About the Mark Series
The Mark Series was started in January of 2013 with the purpose of learning about the man who claimed to be God’s son. This series of messages will cover Jesus’ life, his values, his teachings, his actions, and his claim to be the saviour.