Today marks the Chinese New Year, the Year of Rooster. While I do not support the Zodiac, or superstition, we must understand that this holiday is like the New Year in America. It is a time of celebration and festivities. The fact that that it is the year of Rooster, seems perfect to me. I believe the Rooster represents a wake up call, a wake up call for every Christian to assess where their relationship stands with Jesus Christ. (Revelation 2:4-5). For this is exactly what happened to the Apostle Peter, who had wake up call. Peter had been the first one to recognize who Jesus was (Matthew 16:13-20), but this same disciple later denied Him. Peter believed He was strong in faith, and close to Christ, but his pride and unwillingness to assess his relationship with Christ almost cost him everything. The Rooster is a reminder that we must remain strong in the faith for it is the rooster that is in background crowing as Peter denies publicly his Lord. Christ is not unkind, He does warn us believers when this testing, this wake up call is coming,“Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." (Mathew 26:34), and the Apostle fulfilled this bad omen of the Alpha and Omega, "Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept." (Mark 14:72). It is ironic that in Chinese tradition the rooster is a symbol of prosperity, because in truth, for Peter it was sign of failure. He knew that when rooster crowed twice that he had denied Jesus thrice. This tale is sad, for Peter obstinately said He would not deny Jesus, "But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same." (Mark 14:31). How many of us would shout the same words of Peter and yet when persecution and personal interests begin to beset us like a horde of warriors we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed. Here is full account of Peter's denial, "Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly," (Luke 22:54-62) and "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 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. 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." (John 18:15-27).
Upon close inspection, we discover as Christian must keep confessing Jesus Christ. "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'A man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies will be the members of his own household." (Matthew 10:32-36), "There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day," (John 12:48), and "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ." (Romans 10:9-19=0). It becomes clear that as Christians there is confession of faith upon believing as attested by Paul's letter to the Romans, but then there is a need to defend and stand firm in the faith (Revelation 14:12, Matthew 24:13, Matthew 24:9-10). I do not believe our confession can be once, even with baptism, because Jesus and the Apostle Paul warn us that people will fall away from faith (Matthew 24:9-10) and that we must stand firm in the faith (Revelation 14:12). In addition the Apostle Peter warns us to stand against the devil and resist Him by standing firm in faith "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8-9). We are thus warned to give no quarter, to resist the devil who wants believers to deny before rooster crows and Second Coming of Christ! Do not give in, but stand firm in faith! This wake up crowing of rooster goes well with the Scripture, "So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober," (1 Thessalonians 5:6), "So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return," (Matthew 25:13), and "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." (Matthew 24:42).
Any moment the Rooster could crow and Christ could return (Revelation 1:7). On this Chinese New Year it is a time for each Christian to assess their relationship with Jesus Christ! For the Lord will ask us as He did Peter, do you love me? "When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19. This is often called Reinstating of Peter, and many focus on that Peter is asked three times does he love Jesus, and Peter responds yes. This is obviously to undo Peter's denial, but there is price at end that often is overlooked, Peter is going to die, and according to tradition he dies crucified upside down (St. Jerome's Assorted Writings). Here there is excitement, that there is a chance for redemption and reinstated. But no Christian should depend on getting a second chance like Simon did, because we are told it can be too late (Hebrews 6:4-6) and those who fall away from faith (Matthew 24:9-10) will come under delusion of the antichrist, " The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). The Apostle Paul admonishes us to stand firm instead, "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter." (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Here we have proof that Holy Bible, The New Testament is imperative for knowing how to stand firm for it contains the words from Holy Spirit of standing firm (see verses above).
In This Year of Rooster, take account of your walk with Christ and pay attention that you do not fall away! For Peter was so sure he would not deny Jesus publicly, but he did. We must ask Jesus Christ to help us, as He already prays for us (Romans 8:34, John 17:20-23). I do not mean to rob people of joy, but lets be serious and recount our place in our relationship with the Lord. For Jesus rebuked a church that was falling away, "But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches." (Revelation 2:4-5). I do not want to depict Jesus as terrifying master ready to reject you, on contrary He says, "And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day," (John 6:39), "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never turn away," (John 6:37), "For it is My Father's will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day," (John 6:40), "This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved [Romans 10:10] and to come to a knowledge of the truth," (1 Timothy 2:3-4), "The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent," (2 Peter 3:9), and, "and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20). We see the heart of Christ is to keep us and for us to remain saved and with Him, but as aforementioned it is possible to fall away, for Christ himself says this is possible (Matthew 24:9-10). We need to beware of the Day of the Rooster, when the devil comes to try and make Christians crow. Do not crow, but instead keep faith in Christ and stand firm to very end! We are called to keep confessing Christ and to follow him, to pick up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), and to be His disciples. So before the rooster crows, keep the True Religion and hold on to the True Redeemer! Do not give up, but walk by faith until you can say as the Apostle Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7).
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