A fellow had just been hired as the new CEO of a large corporation. The retiring CEO met privately with him and presented him with three numbered envelopes. "Open these if you run up against a problem you can’t solve," he advised. Six months later, sales took a dramatic downturn, so the young CEO took out the first envelope. Inside was a slip of paper that read, "Blame your predecessor."
So, he called a big press conference and laid the blame on failed previous leadership. Remarkably, sales began to improve. A year later, the company experienced another dip in sales. So, he opened the second envelope and read the short message on another slip of paper: “Reorganize." He reorganized and the company quickly rebounded. However, it once again fell on difficult times several months later. Exhausted, the CEO went to his office, closed the door, and opened the third envelope. It read, "Prepare three envelopes."
If you’ve never failed or don’t think you’ll ever fail, you can stop reading now. You would probably enjoy reading fiction instead. The question is not “Will I fail?” but “What will I do with my failure?”
As Jesus and His disciples walked away from the Upper Room dinner together, He predicted that failure was right around the corner. He announced, “You will all fall away, for it is written ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered’” (Mark 14:27). Jesus wasn’t being a pessimist or a fatalist, but a realist. He knew the human condition well.
He still does.
Jesus knows your temptations, your inclinations, your distractions, your preferences, and your weaknesses. He knows your “tomorrow” as well as your “yesterday.” And He still loves you.
Quoting prophecy from Zechariah 13, Jesus predicted that the shepherd would be slain, and his sheep would scatter. Of course, He was speaking of His imminent suffering and subsequent abandonment by His disciples. This was the eleventh time in Mark’s Gospel that Jesus predicted the end. The time was drawing near. And His followers would fail.
PATHWAY TO FAILURE
Not surprisingly, Peter responded first, “Even if all fall away, I will not” (14:29). Though he was quite resolute in his commitment, he reveals two flaws that are sure to lead to failure in any follower of Jesus. The first is pride.
Peter put himself above the other disciples, self-assured that there was no possibility of him falling. Even after Jesus revealed that Peter would deny his Savior three times before the rooster crowed, Peter insisted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you” (14:31). Pride is believing that we won’t fail…that we can’t fail. It’s over-confidence and self-confidence, thinking that we have enough strength, smarts, or spiritual maturity to avoid failure. But ironically, it’s the person who thinks they’re most invincible who proves most vulnerable. Pride precedes many problems (Proverbs 16:18) and it’s when we think we’re invincible that things come crashing down (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Fear is the second flaw that leads to failure. Fast forward to Peter in the shadows outside of Caiaphas’ house while Jesus faced harsh interrogation inside. Peter was approached three times by various people who claimed to see the fisherman among Jesus’ followers.
“I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about!” Peter shot back (14:68). We can almost hear the panic in his voice. His problem is no longer that he thinks too much of himself (pride) but that he thinks to little of Jesus (fear). He has lost confidence in Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and God. His survival instincts kick in to protect himself, his family, his business, his reputation, his life. A lack of faith leads to fear and fear is a short step away from failure.
RISE ABOVE THE FALL
Fortunately, Jesus not only predicted Peter’s failure, but also prepared for Peter’s restoration. Immediately after the warning of falling away, Jesus said, “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee” (14:28). Notice that Jesus looked forward to His post-resurrection plans and Peter was in them! When Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered sin, fear, injustice, pride, darkness, death, and more. And Jesus’ overcoming victory would become Peter’s overcoming grace.
It was as if Jesus were telling Peter, “When you fall, you can get back up because I will get back up.” Luke records Jesus’ encouragement this way, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32). It was a moment of pre-grace, preparing Peter to rise above the fall.
The One who knows our weakness has made a way for us to return, no matter what we’ve done.
Abraham faltered in faith regarding God’s promise of a son. Moses got angry and struck a rock. David committed adultery. Peter would end up denying Jesus before the morning light. But failure was not the final word in any of their lives.
It doesn’t have to be the final word for you.
The way back is simple: Confess, Change, Celebrate. To confess is to admit. Peter didn’t downplay his denial. He didn’t make excuses. He didn’t wallow in embarrassment. After the rooster crowed, he broke down and wept (14:72), conceding that he had failed. Confession is getting humble and honest with God about what God already knows about you. And confession is good. “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
Confession leads to change, or repentance. The word means “to change direction.” It doesn’t help to just say “Ooops.” Recovery includes a resolution to go a different way. Both Judas and Peter failed Jesus during the final hours. Judas slipped into self-loathing, but Peter realized his failure and returned to faith. Peter’s bold sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2) is a beautiful picture of a person who has rediscovered grace, has left his sin behind, and is living a changed life.
The final step in recovery is to celebrate. The devil wishes to keep you beaten down, ashamed and defeated by your sin. But Jesus has fully paid the price for every wrong thing and gives you a new start. Celebrate that you are forgiven and free, that God can use your failure for a greater good, and that absolutely nothing can separate you from the love of God that is found in Jesus (Romans 8:35-39)!
In his book, Pleasing God, R.C. Sproul notes,
We remember the classic of Christian literature written by John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress. The pilgrim is the Christian who moves toward heaven. His progress is made slow and cumbersome by the weight he carries on his back. He faces obstacles at every turn. He is threatened by the Slough of Despond and tripped up by the likes of Mr. Worldlywise. Bunyan understood the temptations and pitfalls that stand in the path of every Christian. But he also understood two vitally important truths about the Christian life: We are pilgrims, and we make progress.
Progress is not just making right choices at every turn but turning around in the right direction whenever we fail. Everyone fails. But Jesus makes it possible for pilgrims to still make progress and live beyond their past.
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See also the "How to Be a Failure" sermon from the "King Jesus" sermon series about the Gospel of Mark.