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Above the Crowd
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Above the Crowd
Peter
loved Jesus, but he also loved the approval of the crowd. During the
last supper when Jesus warned the apostles that they would all forsake
Him, Peter jumped to his feet and brashly vowed that even if all others
would be offended, he would never forsake Him. Jesus replied, "This
night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." Verse 34.
Peter meant well, but he did not recognize the pride in his own heart.
Later that night when the mob came to arrest Jesus and all were
watching, Peter pulled out a sword to defend His Master. But just a few
hours later at His trial, as Peter was being mocked by the enemies of
Jesus, he denied three times that he even knew Him. Each time Peter
became more bold, until he finally denied Him with swearing and cursing
(Verse 74).
Then the rooster crowed. At that very moment, Jesus was in the judgment
hall, being beaten by the guards. Peter saw Jesus turn and look at him
with love and compassion, and it broke his heart. "And Peter remembered
the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow,
thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly." Luke
22:61, 62.
From that day forward, Peter was a different man. He no longer lived to
please the crowd, but was determined to please only God. After his
conversion, when brought before the Jewish council and threatened with
beating if he continued preaching about Jesus, Peter fearlessly
answered, "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29. Peter
forever proved his loyalty and love for Jesus when he chose to be
crucified upside down by the Roman emperor Nero rather than to deny his
Lord again. |
 1. How
does God determine whether or not we are on His side?
Matthew
7:21 . Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that ______ the will of my Father
which is in heaven.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Answer:
___________________________
Note: It
is a simple principle that our loyalties are determined by who we
listen to. If we say we are servants of God but take our instructions
from the devil or the world, we are deceiving ourselves.
 2. When
the commands of God and men conflict, whom did Peter say we should
obey?
Acts 5:29
. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to
obey ______ rather than men.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: After
Peter was converted and fell in love with Jesus, he told the Jewish
council that his first allegiance was to God. We have learned that in
the last days, the laws of the beast and the world will conflict with
the laws of God. We must choose now to obey the laws of
God--regardless of the consequences.
 3. How
do we best demonstrate our love for God?
John 8:31
. If ye continue in my ______, then are ye my disciples
indeed.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
best demonstration of a person's love for Jesus is to do His will, and
the law of God is the most perfect expression of His will (Psalms
40:8).
 4. According
to Jesus, why did the hypocrites act religious?
Matthew 6:2
. That they may have ________ of men.
Matthew 6:5 That they may be seen of men.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
Bible tells us that "man looketh on the outward appearance, but the
Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7. A genuine Christian will be
much more concerned about what God thinks of him than what the world
thinks.
 5. Is
it generally safe to follow the crowd?
Exodus 23:2
. Thou shalt not ________ a multitude to do evil.
Matthew 7:13, 14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the
gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be
that find it.
1 Peter 3:20 In the days of Noah, while the ark was a
preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved
by water.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: History
seems to indicate that the crowd almost always makes the wrong
decisions. It was the crowd that wanted to stone Moses and go back to
the slavery of Egypt (Numbers 14:4-10). It was the crowd that cried
out, "Crucify him, crucify him." Luke 23:21. And it will be the
majority--not the minority--who receive the mark of the beast in the
last days (Revelation 13:16).
 6. How
does Jesus feel when we put the traditions of men before the
commandments of God?
Mark 7:7, 9
. Howbeit in _____ do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men. ... And he said unto them, Full well ye reject
the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
Answer:
___________________________
 7. Will
true Christianity be popular in the last days?
Matthew
24:9 . Ye shall be ______ of all nations for my name's sake.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the remnant of her seed.
Revelation 13:15 And cause that as many as would not worship
the image of the beast should be killed.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: In
the last days, Satan and his followers will wage an all-out war
against God's genuine, Bible-believing children.
 8. Is
it possible to serve both God and the crowd?
Matthew
6:24 . No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate
the one, and _____ the other; or else he will hold to the one, and
despise the other.
Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: In
this battle between Christ and Satan, there is no neutral territory.
It is impossible to ride the fence as a spectator. If we are not
cooperating with Jesus, we are in fact helping the devil.
 9. Is
it safe to love a friend or family member more than Jesus?
Matthew
10:37 . He that loveth father or ______ more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me.
Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate [love less dearly]
not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and
brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be
my disciple.
Matthew 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my
Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and
mother.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: Jesus
indicates here that the best way to help reach and save our loved ones
is to put Him first in our lives. It is always a tragic mistake to put
our natural affections for family or friends before our first
obligation to our Saviour and Creator.
 10. Is
it wise to put a prosperous career or earthly treasures before Jesus?
Matthew
16:26 . For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
_____, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul?
Luke 12:15 A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
belief that happiness and security comes from a good job and nice
things is a deadly deception. On the contrary, Jesus said, "It is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich
man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25.
 11. Is
it safe to continue disobeying God's will after He has shown us the
truth?
Hosea 4:6
. My people are ________ for lack of knowledge: because thou hast
rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee. ... Seeing thou hast
forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins.
Answer:
___________________________
 12. What
will happen to those who persist in rejecting the truth?
2
Thessalonians 2:10-12 . And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that ________; because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for
this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the
truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into
the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
Scriptures teach that Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). To accept or
reject the truth in any degree is to accept or reject Jesus.
 13. Will
those who persecute God's people in the last days believe they are
doing the right thing?
John 16:2
. Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think
that he doeth God ________.
Answer:
___________________________
 14. How
did Peter describe those who have learned the truth but refuse to
follow it?
2 Peter
2:21, 22 . For it had been better for them not to have known
the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn
from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened
unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own
vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her ___________ in the
mire.
Answer:
___________________________
 15. Does
following Jesus involve some struggle and self denial?
Luke 9:23
. If any man will come after me, let him ______ himself, and take up
his cross daily, and follow me.
Answer:
___________________________
 16. Is
it safe to procrastinate or postpone a decision to follow Jesus?
Hebrews 4:7
. To day if ye will _____ his voice, harden not your hearts.
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great
salvation?
2 Corinthians 6:2 Behold, now is the accepted time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: The
best time to listen to God's voice is when you are hearing it, and the
best time to do God's will is when He is showing you His will. Satan's
favorite trap is to deceive people into thinking that they have plenty
of time to make this decision. The devil knows that the convicting
voice of God's Spirit will grow quiet if ignored. Untold millions will
be lost who were sincerely planning to follow Jesus someday in the
future, but "someday" never came.
 17. What
benefits come as a result of accepting and following the truth?
Psalms
119:165 . Great _______ have they which love thy law: and nothing
shall offend them.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free.
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the Spirit.
Answer:
___________________________
Note: Tremendous
peace, security, and freedom come into the hearts and lives of those
who receive and obey the truth.
 18. What
question did Jesus ask Peter three times?
John 21:17
. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, ________
thou me?
Answer:
___________________________
Note: This
is the most important question when it comes to a full and complete
surrender to the will of God. Do you love Him?
 19. The
truth will never be popular in this sinful world, and the crowd will
almost always take the easy road. But Jesus has shown His incredible
love for you by giving His life to pay the price for all your sins.
The Lord has a great plan for your life. This is why He has revealed
His truth to you. Will you now return that love by giving Him all your
heart, by choosing to accept Him as your Lord, and by following where
He leads?
.
Answer:
___________________________
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