Opening Question: What is something you have done because you have been encouraged or pressured by your friends?
Peer pressure is defined as "pressure from one's peers to behave in a manner similar or acceptable to them." So, peer pressure is the strong motivation from your friends or acquaintances to act in the way they want you to act.
Peer pressure can be good, such as in those situations when our friends motivate us to give up a bad habit, like smoking or drinking. But peer pressure can also be bad - in those situations when our friends motivate us instead, to start drinking or start smoking.
Let us look at an example from the Bible. Our message is from Matthew 26:69-75. This is after Jesus, the Son of God, has been betrayed and arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin, which was a group of religious judges for the Jewish people. Simon Peter, one of the apostles and followers of Jesus, had told Jesus earlier that he was willing to die for him. He even fought back when soldiers arrived to arrest Jesus! However, later on that night, we read:
Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." But he denied it before them all, says, "I do not know what you are saying." And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those that were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth." But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you are also one of them, for your speech betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus Who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly."
So what happened here? Within a few hour, this strong Peter, willing to die for Jesus, denied him three times. In John we read a few more details that can help us understand Peter's behaviour. Starting in John 18:15:
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's [Jesus'] disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
And then a few verses below, 25-7:
Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!" One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?" Peter then denied again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Peter had put himself in a vulnerable, weak position, by being alone in the middle of officers and the servants of the high priest. Peter was looking for comfort for himself, by seeking the warmth of the fire and Peter became afraid of the people, and therefore was willing to lie.
What can we learn from this?
A. It is important for us to remember that if we are with Jesus, we are not alone. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said that He will be with us always: "And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all thigns that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."
What does this verse tell us about being alone? Jesus says that He will always be with us, and He is!
B. Peter was trying to find the comfort of men, to fit in with the world, to be like the world. However, the Bible talks about us being transformed into the likeness of God - not being conformed to this world. Romans 12:1-2 says: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
What does this verse say we need to do? We can't look to the world for answers we can only get from God.
C. Peter was afraid, but with Jesus in our lives there is nothing for us to fear. Peter himself assures of this fact, when in 1 Peter 3:13-7 we read: "And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is god? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed.
'And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.' But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Peter regretted his denial of Jesus and went on to not only believe in Jesus but also preach about Him in many cities. What did Peter learn about peer pressure, according to this verse?
It is better to follow God and face shame and ridicule from others than to be afraid and give in to what others think.
Conclusions
While some peer pressure may be good and helpful in making us reach our goals, we should reject peer pressure when it interferes with our worship to God and us living a Christian life dedicated to Him.
Verses for further study
Galatians 1:10: "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
James 4:4: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friends with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
Mark 8:38: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
John 15:18-20: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also."
Matthew 16:24-26: "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Peer pressure is defined as "pressure from one's peers to behave in a manner similar or acceptable to them." So, peer pressure is the strong motivation from your friends or acquaintances to act in the way they want you to act.
Peer pressure can be good, such as in those situations when our friends motivate us to give up a bad habit, like smoking or drinking. But peer pressure can also be bad - in those situations when our friends motivate us instead, to start drinking or start smoking.
Let us look at an example from the Bible. Our message is from Matthew 26:69-75. This is after Jesus, the Son of God, has been betrayed and arrested and taken before the Sanhedrin, which was a group of religious judges for the Jewish people. Simon Peter, one of the apostles and followers of Jesus, had told Jesus earlier that he was willing to die for him. He even fought back when soldiers arrived to arrest Jesus! However, later on that night, we read:
Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." But he denied it before them all, says, "I do not know what you are saying." And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those that were there, "This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth." But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you are also one of them, for your speech betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus Who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly."
So what happened here? Within a few hour, this strong Peter, willing to die for Jesus, denied him three times. In John we read a few more details that can help us understand Peter's behaviour. Starting in John 18:15:
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's [Jesus'] disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
And then a few verses below, 25-7:
Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!" One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?" Peter then denied again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Peter had put himself in a vulnerable, weak position, by being alone in the middle of officers and the servants of the high priest. Peter was looking for comfort for himself, by seeking the warmth of the fire and Peter became afraid of the people, and therefore was willing to lie.
What can we learn from this?
A. It is important for us to remember that if we are with Jesus, we are not alone. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said that He will be with us always: "And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all thigns that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."
What does this verse tell us about being alone? Jesus says that He will always be with us, and He is!
B. Peter was trying to find the comfort of men, to fit in with the world, to be like the world. However, the Bible talks about us being transformed into the likeness of God - not being conformed to this world. Romans 12:1-2 says: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
What does this verse say we need to do? We can't look to the world for answers we can only get from God.
C. Peter was afraid, but with Jesus in our lives there is nothing for us to fear. Peter himself assures of this fact, when in 1 Peter 3:13-7 we read: "And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is god? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed.
'And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.' But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
Peter regretted his denial of Jesus and went on to not only believe in Jesus but also preach about Him in many cities. What did Peter learn about peer pressure, according to this verse?
It is better to follow God and face shame and ridicule from others than to be afraid and give in to what others think.
Conclusions
While some peer pressure may be good and helpful in making us reach our goals, we should reject peer pressure when it interferes with our worship to God and us living a Christian life dedicated to Him.
Verses for further study
Galatians 1:10: "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
James 4:4: "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friends with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
Mark 8:38: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
John 15:18-20: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also."
Matthew 16:24-26: "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
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