Mark 14:31

DISCOURSE: 1458
SELF-CONFIDENCE CONDEMNED

Mark 14:31. He spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

THE influence of example is exceeding powerful, whether it lead to good or evil. This is well known in armies; where courage or timidity beget a kindred feeling speedily, and to a great extent. In moral habits, also, the conduct of one will produce a considerable effect on others. When our blessed Lord apprised his Disciples that one of them would betray him, the diffidence of one diffused itself through all; yea, extended even to the traitor himself, who, if from no better feeling than shame, joined, at last, in that self-diffident inquiry, “Lord, is it I? [Note: Matthew 26:21; Matthew 26:25.]” On the other hand, the dissimulation of Peter drew aside the whole Galatian Church, not excepting even Barnabas himself [Note: Galatians 2:13.]. In like manner, unhappy Peter, by his characteristic self-confidence, betrayed all the other Apostles into the commission of the heinous transgression of protesting an unchangeable fidelity to their Lord, without contemplating the weakness of their own purposes, and the treachery of their own hearts. Our Lord had told them, on the evening before his crucifixion, that they would all be offended because of him that night. Peter, confident in the supposed firmness of his own resolutions, replied, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” And, on being more particularly warned that he himself would, that very night, no less than thrice deny his Lord, he, so far from relaxing his confidence, only “spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.” And such was the unhappy effect of his confidence, that every one of the Apostles caught, as it were, the contagion, and expressed themselves in the same vehement language as he: “Likewise, also, thus said they all.” Doubtless they all meant well: the resolution itself was good: but it was evil, as being made in dependence on their own strength.

To mark this distinction the more fully, I will shew,

I. The wisdom of the resolution, as conceived in their own minds—

It was a resolution worthy of the Apostles, and worthy to be adopted by every one of us.

1. Our blessed Saviour deserves it at our hands—

[What has He not done for us? — — — And what has he not suffered for us? — — — And should we be afraid to confess him? Should any consideration under heaven induce us to deny him? — — —]

2. He also requires it at our hands—

[At the very commencement of his ministry he declared, that “those only should be acknowledged as his disciples” who “denied themselves, and took up their cross daily, and followed him;” nay more; that “they only who were willing to lose their life for his sake, should find it unto life eternal [Note: Matthew 10:38.].” And what can be more reasonable than this? If He, the Lord of heaven and earth, encountered death for us, shall we think it too much to lay down our lives for him? Methinks, if we offer ourselves a sacrifice for him, it is no other than a reasonable service, which is at once our plainest duty, and our highest privilege — — —]

But the conduct of them all too certainly evinced,

II.

The folly of the resolution, as announced in their own strength—

Not one of them was able to fulfil his word—
[That very night “they all forsook their Lord, and fled:” and Peter, who arrogated to himself a greater measure of fidelity than all the others, was the very first to deny his Lord, and denied him with more blasphemous impiety than all the others together.]
And who amongst us would be more firm than they?
[“We have not in ourselves a sufficiency even to think a good thought [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:5.]:” how much less, then, can we think to maintain our fidelity towards our Lord, amidst all the terrors of a most cruel death? Through Christ strengthening us, we may undertake any thing [Note: Philippians 4:13.]:” but “of ourselves we can do nothing [Note: John 15:5.].” In truth, the more self-confident we are, the more “we provoke the Lord to jealousy,” and challenge him to leave us to ourselves [Note: Jeremiah 17:5.]. Then only can we hope to stand, when we are “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might [Note: Ephesians 6:10.].”]

Learn then, Brethren,
1.

What your duty is—

[Doubtless, this is great and arduous: nor must you, for a moment, wish to lower it. You must see that nothing under heaven should stand in competition with Christ [Note: Philippians 3:8.]. The state of every man’s mind should accord with that of the holy Apostle, when he said, “I am willing, not only to be bound, but to die for the Lord’s sake:” and if we are brought to the trial, no sufferings should move us; nor should we account our lives dear unto us, if only we may finish our course with joy, and finish the work which our blessed Lord has assigned us [Note: Acts 20:24; Acts 21:13.]

2. Where alone our strength lies for the performance of it—

[“I know, O Lord,” says the prophet, “that the way of man is not in himself; and that it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps [Note: Jeremiah 10:23.].” And we are told by the wisest of men, that “he who trusts in his own heart is a fool [Note: Proverbs 28:26.].” Be convinced of this; and know, that the more ye resemble a little child in your spirit, the more secure ye are. “When ye are weak, then is it that ye are really strong; for then shall God’s strength be perfected in your weakness [Note: 2 Corinthians 12:9.].”]