by Jim Mann, Ph.D.

Before Jesus’ crucifixion he gave his disciples a warning.  “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them…Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”  “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”  Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him… And he broke down and wept (Mark 14: 27-31, 72).”

Have you ever heard the Sermon of the Rooster?  No?  It’s the most powerful sermon ever…er…spoken.

The Sermon of the Rooster is God’s wake-up call in a person’s life.  In Peter’s case, it was a literal rooster, but for us, the Sermon of the Rooster is metaphorical.

Peter heard that sermon and it changed his life.  You may have heard the sermon, too.  I know I have heard it after striving and vowing in my own strength, then failing…after piously telling others how to act, then failing…after judging others, then failing.  It’s not a fun sermon to hear.

A friend told me a story over lunch the other day.  There is a guy in a pit, treading water.  Sometimes this guy feels strong and decides he can keep his head above water forever.  At other moments, he is worn out and begins to sink.  Sometimes folks look over the edge of the pit and throw him some food.  He’s fed, but he’s still in a pit.  At other times people throw him money.  He’s got money in his pocket…but still in a pit.

Eventually someone jumps into the pit with him and shows him that there’s a solid rock bottom to the pit, just under his feet.  If he could muster the bravery to stop treading water long enough, he could stand and climb out.

That’s what happened to Peter here: he hit rock bottom.  At the final refrain of the Sermon of the Rooster, I think he was finally broken.  It was at this point he finally realized what was really in him and that he needed the power of God to transform him.  He stopped treading water, hit the bottom, and let God begin to lead him out of his performance pit.

None of us want to hear the Sermon of the Rooster, but it’s one that God, by his grace, lets us hear.  Why?  Because we desperately need to hear the message of that sermon.  Hopefully, in your case, you won’t wait until you’re at rock bottom before you take the message to heart.  After we respond to the altar call, we’re a little less confident in ourselves, we boast a little less, we’re a little more humble, and a little more broken.  Then we start to understand and appreciate God’s grace.  And that’s right where we need to be for God to take our lives and change them for the better.  See you in church.

Jim Mann, Ph.D. pastors New Life Church at 1350 Milam Road East in Sanger, Texas.

Service begins at 10:00 a.m. Visit newlifedenton.org for more information.