Rooster that woke up Peter

Luke 22:60-62

The rooster's crow told Peter:

1. This is a spiritual wake-up call

   1. Jarred Peter's psyche

   2. Rooster did what he could – he crowed, not sing like a bird, bark like a dog

   3. Rooster was not ashamed, not embarrassed

   4. Rooster was faithful and dependable

   5. Peter needed to realize where he was – in the pig pen – asleep

   6. We drift into sin like we drift into sleep

   7. Our “rooster” might be a sermon, a friend, and elder, a wounded conscience, fear of punishment or just waking up (coming to ourselves)

2. That Jesus was still in control

   1. Jesus was betrayed, arrested, being tried

   2. Peter had seen Jesus in control – still storm, feed 5,000, deal with trick questions

   3. Jesus is still in control

   4. Our world might collapse and fall apart, but Jesus is still in control

3. A new day is dawning

   1. Some roosters crow all day, most begin at daybreak

   2. A new day – a new beginning means:

      1. Peter can be forgiven with godly sorrow and repentance

      2. Jesus has concern for the penitent sinner

      3. Failure is not always final j- God gives us another chance

         1. Fig tree – given another chance to produce figs Luke 13:6-9

         2. Zacchaeus

         3. John Mark (not ready for the work, later good for Paul)

         4. Paul (persecutor, later an apostle)

4. It is time to go to work

   1. Wake up – to get to work – day is wasting – work to get done

   2. Get back to work – daydreamers, lazy, idle, side-tracked

   3. Peter still had a lot of work to do

      1. Preach to start the church

      2. Bring in the Samaritans

      3. Bring in the first Gentile converts

      4. Show the way for erring Christians to come back

      5. Write two books in our NT

   4. A fall can become a stepping stone to greater obedience.

From article by Allen Webster, Glad Tidings of Good Things, bulletin of Jacksonville, AL