2. DOOR OF SIN DOOR TO NOAH’S ARK DOOR OF PASSOVER DOOR OF HOPE Previously Looked At:

3. the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.” DOOR TO DENIAL (Jn. 18:12-18) THE DOOR TO DENIAL IS SEEN IN THE WAY PETER FOLLOWED JESUS LUKE 22:54, “Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.”

4. Following Afar Off IS ALWAYS THE FIRST STEP OF APOSTASY –IN THE COURTYARD PETER WAS WARMING HIMSELF WITH THE WORLD RATHER THAN BEING NEAR HIS LORD (Jn. 18:18)

5. Do We Follow Afar Off? DO WE LEAVE JESUS AT THE DOOR OF OUR HOUSES WHEN WE GO TO WORK, SCHOOL, VACATION, ETC.? DO WE LEAVE JESUS AT THE CHURCH BUILDING WHEN WE GO HOME? –HOW DISTANT ARE WE FROM CHRIST? –WOULD THE WORLD RECOGNIZE US AS DISCIPLES?

6. HOW WOULD WE ANSWER? IF ASKED IF WE WERE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS? –“I AM NOT” (Jn. 18:17) –“I AM HE” (Jn. 18:5, 6, 8) JESUS WAS STRUCK IN THE FACE (v. 22) PETER STRUCK OUT PRESENTED AS IF PETER AND JESUS WERE BOTH ON TRIAL

7. LUKE 22:31-34 31 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." 33 But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." 34 Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."

8. OVERCONFIDENCE (a sign of weakness) COMMITMENT EXPRESSED DOESN’T EQUATE A FIRM FAITH WE CAN FALL LIKE PETER DID “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12)

9. SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS TODAY: I’M GONNA BE A LEADER FOR CHRIST –BUT TOO EMBARRASSED TO TEACH FAMILY AND FRIENDS? I’LL FOLLOW THE LORD REGARDLESS OF ANYONE ELSE –BUT THEN RARELY FOLLOWS THE LORD TO REGULAR WORSHIP?

10. SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS TODAY: SOME SAY, “I’LL FOLLOW JESUS TO THE CROSS [DEATH]” –BUT REFUSE TO FOLLOW HIM TO THE WATER TO BE BAPTIZED AS HE COMMANDED (Mk. 16:15, 16)?

11. PETER SINNED (cf. Matt. 10:33) SORROWED OVER IT (Lk. 22:62) SURVIVED SATAN’S SIFTER –RESTORED TO CHRIST (Jn. 21:15-19) –BECAME A PILLAR (Gal. 2:9) –DIED GLORIFYING GOD (Jn. 21:18, 19)

12. THE DOOR TO DEATH (Acts 5:1-11) "Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out" (Acts 5:9)

13. THE DOOR TO DEATH (Acts 5:1-11) WAS A DOOR WAY OF DEATH BY DECEPTION –ANANIAS CONSPIRED WITH WIFE TO APPEAR TO GIVE MORE THAN WHAT THEY DID –LIED TO THE SPIRIT (GOD) BUT GOD IS NOT DECEIVED ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WERE SHOWS THE SEVERITY OF SIN

14. WARNING! DOING A GOOD WORK IN THE WRONG WAY OR MOTIVE IS SIN WE ONLY DECEIVE OURSELVES

15. DECEPTION & DEATH OFTEN LINKED TOGETHER –EVE WAS DECEIVED (2 Cor. 11:3); GAVE TO HER HUSBAND; THEY DIED! –“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44)

16. TODAY THE MASSES ARE DECEIVED IN RELIGION, BUT: –IT IS NOT BECAUSE GOD LIED TO THEM: “God is not a man, that He should lie...” (Num. 23:19) –IT IS NOT BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS TOO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND: “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4)

17. TODAY THE MASSES ARE DECEIVED IN RELIGION, BUT: –IT IS NOT BECAUSE MEN WERE BORN SINNERS: “Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes” (Eccl. 7:29)

18. TODAY THE MASSES ARE DECEIVED IN RELIGION BECAUSE: –man’s imagination is evil from youth (Gen. 8:21) –people do not prepare their heart to seek God (2 Chron. 12:14; Matt. 6:33) –people do not rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15)

20. AN OPEN DOOR “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name’” (Rev. 3:7, 8)

21. An Open Door THE DOOR WAS OPEN THE DOOR WAS GIVEN BY GOD –WE OUGHT TO VIEW ALL DOORS OF ADVANCEMENT AS BEING “OF THE LORD” –ALL REAL GROWTH COMES FROM HIM

22. LITTLE STREN GTH (v. 8) PHILADELPHIA HAD “LITTLE STRENGTH” BECAUSE THEY WERE SMALL –BUT THEY WERE FAITHFUL TO THE WORD OF GOD EVEN IF WE HAVE “LITTLE STRENGTH” GOD CAN DO WONDERS FOR US IF WE REMAIN FAITHFUL!

23. LOOK AT WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE! CONVERSIONS RESTORATIONS A MEMBERSHIP –RESPECTS THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURE SUFFICIENT FACILITY FREE WRITING OPPORTUNITIES IN NEWSPAPER WEB SITES POWERPOINT SYSTEM

24. WE CAN EXPECT MORE OPEN DOORS –MUST BE WILLING TO WALK THROUGH THEM MORE CHALLENGES –MUST REMAIN FAITHFUL “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27)

25. KNOCKING AT THE DOOR REVELATION 3:19, 20

26. LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS REPENT REKINDLE REOPEN THE DOOR FOR CHRIST

27. Proverbs 20:13, “Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.” OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE GOODNESS OF GOD Romans 2:4, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

28. WILL YOU DINE WITH THE LORD BY OBEYING? 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. JOHN 14:22, 23