Through Life’s Ups and Downs, Jesus Is There

Well Summit family, I hope this message finds you well. Wherever you're joining from, grab your Bible, turn to the book of Matthew is where we're going to be today. It's the first book in the New Testament. While you're already fidgeting around to get there, go ahead and buckle your seatbelt, put your tray tables in the upright and locked position and prepare for immediate takeoff because we're going to cover a lot of ground in Matthew in the next 20 minutes.

All right? We'll see the last few weekends we've been in a series going through the book of 1 Peter as Pastor JD just told you. But today we're going to pause that series but continue looking at the author himself, Peter. Pastor JD said this during week one, but most people when they start reading the Bible, they actually develop a real affection for Peter because there's just something about him that we feel like we can relate to. And the more I started looking at the early days of Peter's walk with Jesus, I just felt like in so many ways it perfectly encapsulated the emotional and spiritual range that I know so many of us are going through right now. So I'm not exactly sure who this message is for today, but I do know that I need to hear it as much as anyone. In fact, in a lot of ways, this might feel like less of a sermon and hopefully more of just an encouragement to you this week.

And let me tell you, here's why I think this is going to resonate with so many of you today. When Peter was first called as a disciple, now he goes on to do incredible things for Jesus obviously, so much of which is recorded in the book of Acts. He writes two books himself, 1 and 2 Peter.

He tells Mark what's going on in the Gospel as Mark writes. But reading about his early walk with Jesus feels a bit like being on a roller coaster. You know, one second, he's on a mountaintop with Jesus, and then quite literally seconds later, he's in the deepest of valleys. The emotional range that he experienced daily was just insane. This is a guy who had tremendously high highs and profoundly low lows. And he'd often experience both of those things in the same hour. Let me tell you, what we're about to see is not Peter at his best and worst in the early days of his ministry.

This is Peter at his normal day-to-day, which is what, in my opinion, makes his story so wonderfully human. I think it's why it makes him so relatable and relevant for us this weekend, because I think this is exactly where so many of us are right now. We're up one minute, and then we are down the next. In fact, I actually asked a question on Instagram this week, where I said, what are some of the emotions that you've been feeling over the last few weeks, both good and bad? And the responses that so many of you gave just completely affirm this reality of constant ups and downs.

Just listen to some of these answers. Another person said, I'm grateful for a slower life, and I'm incredibly thankful for the extra time with my family, dot, dot, dot. But also, I've experienced anger in times I want to strangle some people in my family. Another person almost said the same thing. They said, time with family, good. Too much time with family, bad.

Y'all tracking with this? Another person said, I felt so much anger during this time, but at the same time, I felt so much gratitude and joy. Another person wrote in and said, I've experienced anxiety and fear and exhaustion, yet I've also experienced victory and joy and excitement. Confusion and loneliness, one person said, coupled with gratitude. Another, this is one of the most telling to me, said I've never felt so lonely, yet I've never felt so close to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Another said, I've never been filled with so much anxiety, but I've also never been filled with so much peace. You see, this frustrated, lonely, annoyed, yet grateful, reflective, and full of peace.

I mean, that's a whole lot of ups and downs, right? Anybody resonate with this? I mean, if this is you, can you just testify and let some of your brothers and sisters know that they are not alone in this? I mean, even as a pastor, I'm experiencing this as much as anybody. At this very moment right now, let me tell you, I am as exhausted as I have been in a long time. Physically, emotionally, spiritually.

My wife and I already have three kids, ages five and under, and number four is due in like three weeks, so my path is not getting any lighter or easier anytime soon. Yet, even in that exhaustion right this moment, I'm also incredibly energized because of the word that I believe God has for you through me and the work that he has for me in both my job and my family. I'm fully confident right now about this sermon because I know that God's word does not return void, but I'm also a little anxious about this sermon because what if this is the worst sermon I ever preach?

All I'm trying to say is this, that if you feel that tension, if you feel this roller coaster of emotions right now, you are not alone. You may be up one second and down the next, but listen, here's the good news. God is okay with both. God is not intimidated by your ups and downs. God is on your mountaintop and God is in your valley.

And I mean that both figuratively and literally. David even said, where shall I go from your spirit, God? Where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there.

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. And here's where we get rolling because the word of encouragement I want to give you today from the Bible is that if you love God and are called according to his purpose, then you can cling to this promise that even in all your ups and downs, that Jesus is prayerfully, Jesus is patiently, Jesus is powerfully and passionately pursuing you, and he will never let Satan destroy your faith and bring you to ruin. There are three words I want you to remember today.

If you remember nothing else, three words I want you to remember. Jesus is there. Jesus is there. When you're full of peace, Jesus is there. When you're wracked with anxiety, Jesus is there. When you're full of joy and gratitude, Jesus is there. When you're overwhelmed with confusion and loneliness in Christ, Jesus is there. When you love your neighbor well during this quarantine, Jesus is there. When you snap at your spouse in this quarantine, Jesus is there. Can somebody just give me a digital amen right now and say Jesus is there. Jesus is with you. Those of you who feel like you're in heaven right now enjoying this quarantine, Jesus is there. And those of you who feel like you're in Sheol right now, Jesus is there. Now, listen, I know you didn't come to hear a spiritual TED talk today. You came to get fed by the word of God. So let me show you why I believe this is true from Scripture. In fact, take a look at this real fast.

We're going to put this graph up. This is what we're about to march through, event by event. What you're seeing here, these are all the events of Peter's early life defined as ups and downs. But the one thing that you're going to see that remain constant for Peter was how Jesus was there for Peter when he was up and how Jesus was there for Peter when he was down and how ultimately he promises the same thing for you. Jesus prayerfully, patiently, powerfully and passionately pursues you. All right.

This plane is about to take off. Do you find the book of Matthew? You ready?

Let's do this. Matthew chapter four. We're going to begin in verse 18.

That's what it says. It says, While walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

So immediately they left their nets and followed him. Now, you see this? This is the ultimate spiritual high for Peter. He's starting his ministry with Jesus on a high.

And as it should be, I mean, he's been chosen. He's been called out, given a purpose by Jesus himself. It's no wonder that later on, Peter would open his letter by saying, Peter, I'm an apostle of Jesus Christ.

He's been given a new identity right there on the spot. Peter is called and Jesus is there. Salvation is the ultimate spiritual high. But listen, his journey with Jesus is just beginning. So skip on over to Matthew chapter 14 is where we're going to be next. Matthew chapter 14. This is a pretty famous story.

The next few are going to be pretty famous that we look at. Let me give you some context here. Jesus has just got done feeding the five thousand.

He wanted to have some alone time. So he sent the disciples into a boat and said, Hey, I'll meet you on the other side of the lake. Well, they get about four miles offshore. A huge storm comes up. Now, remember, a lot of these guys are fishermen, so they know how to navigate a storm.

But they're scared enough. They can't move. So Jesus is like, Let me go bail them out again. So he starts walking.

He starts coming to them. And all of a sudden, one of the disciples starts seeing something. And they say, they look over at another one. They say, Hey, did Jesus say how he's coming? And the other one's like, No, not really. He just said he'd meet us.

Why? And he looks back and he says, Well, because he's coming. And so they look up, they realize it's Jesus. And then this is the interaction that they have right here, beginning in verse 28. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. And Jesus said, Come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. Now, listen, sometimes I think we gloss over miracles in the Bible way too quickly.

We're too used to them. So let's slow down for a minute here and state the obvious. Humans don't walk on water. Regardless, this is shortly after Peter begins to follow Jesus. So he's just riding the spiritual high.

I mean, let's not. Yeah, sure, he goes on to sink. But let's not forget that Peter was the only one with enough faith to step out of the boat. He steps out. He's gotten saved. Now he stepped out. Like, I mean, he's riding this high and Jesus is there.

It's fantastic. You've got to imagine how Peter's feeling at this point. He's excited. He's faith filled.

He's full of all. But let's keep reading the next verse. Verse 30. But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me. And Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, Oh, you of little faith. Why did you doubt?

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Now, listen, doubt creeps in. Fear begins to rear its head. Peter begins to sink. There is a dip in his faith that comes one verse after he's riding the spiritual high, one verse after he's on the mountaintop. But again, do you see it? This is the pattern we're going to see over and over. Jesus was there in his up and now Jesus is there in his down. And not only is he there, but Jesus is close enough to reach out his hand and take hold of him when he's down.

This is going to be a pattern in Peter's life. So let's keep reading. Matthew chapter 16.

I told you we had a lot of ground to cover. Matthew chapter 16. We're going to begin in verse 13.

This is what Jesus said. He's gathered with his disciples and he says this, Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, Who do the people say that the Son of Man is? And the disciples replied. They said, Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. But he said to them, Who do you say that I am?

And let me stop and say that's the most important question you will ever answer in your entire life. Who do you say that Jesus is? Look at verse 16. Simon Peter, always the first to speak up, replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered, And blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Peter's the first person to confess Jesus as the Christ and Jesus is like, Yes, you're right. Your eyes are being opened. And in fact, Peter, I'm going to use you as a rock in the expansion of my church. And not even hell is going to be able to stop you. Peter's back on his high.

He's the star student in the class. But here we go again. A few verses later, look down at verse 21. From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed.

And on the third day, be raised. And here's Peter. Verse 22, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke Jesus, saying, Far be it from you, Lord, this shall never happen to you. But Jesus turns and says to Peter, Get behind me, Satan. You are a hindrance to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. Peter's like, You're the Savior. He's back up. And then Jesus is like, You are Satan.

Back down. Now, I imagine some of you have had some pretty crappy lows in your Christian life. But if Jesus were to show up in your living room right now and call you Satan, let me just tell you, that is rock bottom. However, Jesus still hasn't given up.

He's still there. Because just six days later, look at Matthew chapter 17, verse one. Six days later, Jesus takes Peter, James and John, his brother, and leads them up on a high mountain by themselves. And Jesus was transfigured before them, his face shown like sun, his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good that we are here.

Random comment. He says, If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. So Peter has this bold faith. He's riding a high. He's one of the three people that gets taken up. So he's on the spiritual eyes like, Well, how do you want me to serve you, Jesus?

I'm ready to go. And then look at verse five. Peter was still speaking, which is hysterical, still speaking when behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.

Listen to him. When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. Moments later, after this bold faith, Jesus, how can I serve you?

Peter is so scared that he falls on his face in terror. You see this? He's riding a high. Now he's low. He's up.

He's down. Because then later on in chapter 17, actually, a man brings his demon-possessed son to the disciples to cast out the demon because they've been out casting out demons, doing the work of Jesus. So you got to imagine Peter's riding pretty high. He's feeling good about himself.

He's on and up and up. But then this guy brings his son to him and they can't cast out the demon. So Jesus has to do it for him. And then look, when you pick up in verse 19, after Jesus has cast the demon out, the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, Why could we not cast it out? And Jesus said to them, Because of your little faith, your little faith. So you got to imagine they think they're doing awesome things. They're riding high. Jesus says you actually have very little faith.

Now that's a low. I mean, this is starting to look like your life yet. Am I talking to anybody? Look over at Matthew chapter 26. We're getting to the end of our time here.

This is where it gets pretty serious. Jesus is telling them, Hey, here's what's going to happen to me. I'm going to have to go. I'm going to be killed. I'm going to die and then I'm going to resurrect again.

And when that happens, when they come to arrest me, all of you are going to be scattered. And then Peter answers this. Look at 26 verse 33. Peter answered him, Though they all fall away, talking about the other disciples, because of you, I will never fall away. Verse 35. Peter said to him, Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you. And all the disciples said the same. This is a moment of great faith.

Peter's back on the up and up. But now look back at verse 34. Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you this very night, Peter, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.

Just a kick in the face, right? Peter's going to deny him after he's just declaring this bold faith for him. Now we fast forward in chapter 26. Look down at verse 40. What's happening here is Jesus has gone into the Garden of Gethsemane, where he's going to be arrested, and he's asked the disciples to wait and pray. So verse 40. And Jesus came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, So could you not watch with me one hour? Now a few things to note here. First, whoever you're watching with right now who has completely tuned out and maybe even fallen asleep, I want you to nudge them real hard and give them the words of Jesus here in verse 30.

Could you not watch with me even one hour? And second, never in my life have I felt more vindicated than when I read about the disciples falling asleep when they're supposed to be praying. I'm not even sure this is a down for Peter.

It just made me feel better about myself, so I included it, all right? So keep going in chapter 26. So the guards have come to arrest Jesus. They're coming to get him. And then verse 51, Now some of you might think that's a down.

I would say that's an up. Peter is ready to defend Jesus who he believes is the Christ. He didn't want Jesus to die. He defends him. And let me ask, in a war strategy, do you try to cut somebody's ear off?

No. He was trying to cut his head off. He's ready to defend him. But then the very next verse, look at this, verse 52, When Peter gets arrested, look at verse 56, Peter thinks he's riding high. He's defending Jesus.

He's saying, I'll never leave you. And then 21 verses later, after he has said, I'll die before I deny you, he's fleeing. Verse 58, So he doesn't want to be seen. I guess you can give him maybe a little bit of an uptick because he's following Jesus, and he doesn't want to mediate down because he's following him at a distance. Jesus doesn't want followers. They're going to try to follow him at a distance.

And then this is the ultimate low. Look at verse 69 in chapter 26, This is the ultimate low for Peter. He's ashamed. He's sad.

He's angry at himself. He's weeping bitterly, but Jesus is still pursuing him. Jesus still has a plan for him. Jesus still desires to show him that even when you're down, I'm there. I'm ready to pick you up.

All you have to do is call out to me. And that's exactly what he does in John chapter 21. So flip over a couple books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. We're going to go to the end of the book of John. Jesus has died. He's been crucified. He's been buried.

He's resurrected. And one of the things, some unfinished business before he ascends into heaven. If we were to read John 21, he has this weird back and forth with Peter. Where he says, Peter, do you love me? Peter says, of course I love you. And he asks him again, Peter, do you love me? And he says, of course I love you. And then he says again, Peter, do you love me?

He says, of course I love you. See, Peter denied Jesus three times. And now Jesus is giving him three times to confess him as Savior. He's giving him three times to be restored to his Savior.

It's this beautiful act of reconciliation. So Peter, after denying Jesus, is in the ultimate low. He's in the ultimate pit of despair. And yet Jesus doesn't leave him there.

He's still pursuing him. Jesus was still there in that pit, and Jesus is there ready to restore him. It's the ultimate high again. Now, if we were to keep reading to John 21, we'd see real fast, Jesus goes on to say, all right, you're back in the fold, but actually here's how you're going to die. You're going to die by crucifixion upside down. So I imagine that knocks him down a little tick. You know, the ultimate, again, emotional ups and downs. And then Peter goes on to compare himself with John, not in a good way.

So that's a little bit down. But then Acts chapter 2, if we kept reading, Peter preaches at Pentecost and 3,000 people get saved. And Pentecost is just the beginning of what God is going to do through Peter. Because Jesus reaffirms Peter as the rock who would be instrumental in the spread of the early church, and particularly to those outside of the Jewish tradition.

He goes on to heal lame beggars. Peter goes on to preach boldly before government officials. Peter goes on to endure arrests and beatings and threats. And none of those things could dampen Peter's resolve to preach the gospel because he now knew that whatever he was going to go through, no matter how high he was, no matter how low he was, no matter on mountaintops or valleys, that Jesus was there with him. If for nothing else, Peter now knew that his lows occurred to show him that Jesus would never leave him. We track his life. You saw it. He's up.

He's down. The only consistent element we see in Peter's life is that Jesus is consistently coming to him. Jesus is consistently loving him, consistently ready to accept him, consistently by his side at every crazy turn, every high, every low, every up, every down. Jesus is there.

And it's the same for you, church. Our emotions may be all over the place during this time, but God is also all over the place in a good way. There's nowhere that you, there's nowhere that your emotions, there's nowhere that your circumstances can run to that he isn't already there and ready to sustain and uphold you.

It's like the old hymn says, ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough to keep Jesus from getting to you. Even when we're foolish, God still shows himself faithful. Even when we're up and down, God remains the same.

Even when life is unpredictable, the one thing you never have to wonder about is God's posture towards you. Even when your feelings are all over the map, you don't have to wonder where Jesus is. Jesus is there.

He's with you. He's there when you're walking on water, and he's there when you're sinking. He's there when you're confessing his name, and he's also there when you're rebuking his name. He's there when you're betraying him in sin, and he'll be right there when you are ready to confess that sin, and he'll be ready to restore you. Now, you might say, well, if Jesus is with me, then why did I go through these pits and valleys in the first place?

That's a great question. But listen, often Jesus doesn't remove the problem in our lives. He just promises to be with us in them. And that's how, as believers, we can live and exist in this tension of ups and downs. Because we know that with Jesus, he's using everything, all the ups and all the downs, for his glory and for our good. Which means that even when you're going up and down, we're always moving forward.

Originally, I was actually going to call these things Peter setbacks. But I realize setback is not indicative of what we actually experience when Jesus is with us. See, when, with Jesus, even when life takes a downward turn, that turn is still on a forward trajectory, because it's going to open our eyes more fully to our need for Jesus. Which then, Lord willing, makes you lean more wholly on Jesus. And what greater joy can be found in life than to have your eyes open more to the beauty and the majesty and the sufficiency of Jesus.

The Savior who is sovereign, who is capable, who is powerful, and caring enough to walk through the ups and downs of life with you. See, if you don't know Jesus as Savior, then the ups and downs in life, well, that's all there is for you. The ups are just temporary highs and the downs are devastating lows.

It's just the cruel cycle of life. But with Jesus, there is meaning in times of glory and there's meanings in times of misery. As you grow in your relationship with Him, it's not that the lows disappear. It's just that your lows no longer define or defeat you.

Your lows may still be low, but they don't feel as low because you know you're not alone. Jesus is there with you. In life's ups, Jesus is there giving you a glimpse of the joy to come in eternity. In life's downs, Jesus is there opening your eyes more fully to your need for Him. This is what Peter came to understand, church, throughout his life. That he has a hope that is beyond the ups and downs of this world. It's why he writes so much about hope. It's why Peter was given the nickname later on in his life that he was the apostle of hope. Peter is instrumental in teaching us that hope isn't just wishful thinking. Biblical hope is the confidence that God's people have that God will fulfill His promises toward us.

For all of God's promises found in this book are yes and amen in Christ Jesus toward those who confess Him as Savior. The one who was always with us. The one who told the disciples when they were stuck in the storm, take heart, it is I. You know how else that can be translated? Take heart, I am.

Jesus is pointing them back to Exodus 3 and declaring, I am who I am. I am God. I've got this all under control. My purpose never fails. Whatever you need today, I am it.

So today, let me ask you, are you hurting? Be reminded that Jesus is with you. Hope in His promise to be your comforter.

You confused? Jesus is with you. Hope in His promise to be your guide. You find yourself anxious? Jesus is with you, hope in His promise to be your peace. You feeling weak? Jesus is with you, hope in His promise to be your strength. You fearful saints, fresh courage take.

The clouds you so much dread are big with mercy and will break in blessings on your head. Peter's failures didn't define him. Ours are not going to define us. Sure, there are stumbles along the path of following Jesus, but we always stumble forward toward our Savior who paid for all of our stumbles on the cross. See, Peter's story, it's not one of successes and failures. It's a story about Jesus who saves, Jesus who restores, Jesus who redeems, Jesus who never leaves us nor will forsake us.

Peter's story is not one about great faith or even great faults. It's about great grace found in Jesus Christ alone. As my brother Mike Georges often says, he says the gospel shows us that we don't have to wonder what God's response is going to be when you admit your failure and run to Him for help. Because Jesus is always going to be there to meet our hurt with hope. Let me ask you, do you have this eternal hope? Do you have the surety that Jesus is with you today? If you don't, you can use the same three words that Peter used when he was drowning.

Lord, save me. For those of you that may find yourself in the valley right now, I want you to be encouraged by the words of this poem. I told the Lord my journey's long. He said I chose the length. I told Him but I'm faint and weak. He said I'll give you strength. No matter what my words God heard while listening patiently, but what has meant the most is this. My Father walks with me. Wherever you find yourself today, up or down, Jesus is there.