Communion Message
(The cock crows)
October 13, 2002
Pastor Leighton Sheley

Would you join me as we pray together the Lord's Prayer? Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but rather with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Last week when we were together at this time we considered a story of forgiveness and redemption in the shadow of the cross. The words that we just read were written by the apostle Peter. For three years Peter had lived with the Lord; had walked with the Lord; had eaten with the Lord. He had seen the Lord perform many miracles: healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on the water, calming the storm. And yet, in the moment of trial, in the moment of testing, in the moment of temptation, he had denied a relationship with Jesus.

The story does not end there for Peter repented. The relationship was reconciled and Peter was restored, and went on to become one of the most dynamic Christians of the early church. Jesus said, before the cock crows three times you will deny me. I have often wondered why Jesus chose the cock crowing to be that trigger for Peter's memory to remind him that he had failed. Jesus could have said, Peter, when you get approached by servant girl; or he could have said Peter, when you hear the judgment of the Sanhedrin; or Peter, when you have heard I have gone before Herod; or Peter, when you see me on the cross. But Jesus said, when you hear the cock crow.

Now I have been born and raised in suburbia. My alarm clock is electronic, but the land in which Peter lived and Jesus ministry was agrarian, and their alarm clock was the cock crowing. And may I propose to you that the cock crowed on more days than just the morning that Peter denied his Lord. May I propose to you that every time that cock crowed to awaken Peter in the morning, he was reminded of his failure.

There are people and places and things that are associative with our deepest failures. We may have failed, we may have asked forgiveness, we may have grieved, and yet that person, that place, that thing will catch us and remind us that we have failed. And there's a little voice that whispers in our ear -- maybe you weren't forgiven; maybe you're not really saved.

I wonder if that voice was heard in Peter's ear morning after morning when he heard the cock crow. Why would Jesus choose the cock crowing? It's not in Jesus' nature to be vindictive. I believe that Jesus chose that cock crowing to be the alarm system for Peter's memory, not only to remind him that he had indeed failed, but also to remind him that he had repented and that he had been restored.

That's why Peter would write these words: For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Now that you have been purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

We're not redeemed with things that have limits -- there's only so much gold or silver in this world. We're not redeemed with things that are corruptible, things that can disappear, but with that which is imperishable and perfect -- the precious blood of Christ. And I believe that every morning as Peter was awakened by the cock crowing he was reminded he has been redeemed with a precious price.

And now Scriptures say at times like these we should examine ourselves to rid yourselves of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. I invite you now, if you're physically able, to join with me as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Lord, it's our desire this day that our sins might be forgiven and that we might be cleansed from unrighteousness. Lord each and every one of us come across from time to time people, places, and things that remind us of our failures; that remind us of our weaknesses. Lord may it be that they also remind us of Your graciousness and Your goodness, of Your forgiveness and Your forbearance. Thank you Lord for Your mercies which endured forever.

Thank you Lord for paying the wages of our sin, our failure, on Calvary's cross. Thank you Lord for revealing to us Your salvation. Thank you Lord for sealing our salvation with the presence and the power of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. Your word says if we confess our sins You're faithful and just and will forgiveness our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord this day we desire to be forgiven and cleansed, and as we partake of the bread and the cup we do so in remembrance of You. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup.

Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord.