THE ROOSTER THAT MADE HISTORY

Roosters hold special memories for me. I grew up out in the country on a farm and we always had a rooster that crowed early every morning seven days a week. He never failed to crow. He was our alarm clock. He crowed at approximately 5 o’clock every morning. He was letting us know that the night was just about over and a new day was dawning.

God has used the animal kingdom to do mighty things. He used a donkey to carry our Savior into Jerusalem. (Matthew 21:2-7) NIV He used a great fish to swallow Jonah for his disobedience. (Jonah 1:17) NIV God used a donkey to speak to Balaam. (Numbers 22:28-30) NIV Jesus and His disciples began what would be His final journey to Jerusalem. On the way they stopped in Capernaum. Evidently, Jesus had not yet paid the “temple tax.” The “temple tax” was a tax given annually by every Jewish male over 20 years of age for maintaining the temple. This “temple tax” was based on (Exodus 30:13-16) NIV It is never recorded that Jesus carried any money and so He instructed Peter to go fishing and keep the first fish he caught. Do you know what was in the mouth of that fish? There was a coin, which Peter used to pay the “temple tax” for Jesus and himself. (Matthew 17: 24-27) KJV

God used a rooster that made history. Jesus told Peter that “before” the rooster crowed three times on the night of His betrayal and arrest that Peter would deny knowing Him three times. (Matthew 26:34) KJV Pete was adamant that he would never deny knowing Christ. Now, this was just an ordinary rooster. He didn’t try to bark, sing like a bird, or bray like a donkey. Crowing was the only thing he knew to do. Jesus was arrested and brought before Caiaphas, the high priest. Peter waited outside while Christ was being spit on, hit with fists and slapped. During the night Peter was asked three times if he knew Christ and three times he said no. On the third denial, immediately the rooster crowed and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him. He went out and wept bitterly.  (Matthew 26:75) KJV

The job of the rooster was not considered in this world to be important. The rooster crowing was a common thing. We may think what little we do is a common thing and it goes un-noticed, but it doesn’t. The rooster was not ashamed. He didn’t care who heard him…. a king, a poor man, or whoever; it was all the same to him. The lesson here is that we learn that we don’t have to do what others do. We don’t have to try and be like someone else. We do what we can do because everyone is different. When we became Christians, we did not become spiritual robots

The rooster was faithful. He crowed whether he felt like it or not, in season or out of season. He didn’t care if it was raining, cold or hot weather. The job of the rooster wasn’t too popular. His job was to wake people up early in the morning. No doubt, some people may not have liked hearing a rooster crowing that early in the morning. He crowed anyway. Our job is to wake up people to sin in their lives and this is not always popular. But it’s the job God wants us to do. The rooster did his job well and left the rest to God. As Christians, we need to do what God has called us to do and don’t worry about the details. Leave the rest to God.