Luke 22:31 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, 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.”
A few points:
1. Jesus prayed for Peter-not that he would be saved from Satan’s grasp, that he would avoid “sifting”. Sifting purifies, removes useless weights and impurities. Instead, Jesus prayed that his faith would not fail-so Peter was about to go through some difficulties-but Jesus had prayed for him, so that the difficulties would not defeat him, but instead build his faith.
2. I imagine Jesus looking at Peter when the cock crew with love and compassion-sadness at the struggle he faced-not “I told you so”, but “I love you. I’ve prayed for you. Keep the faith”. Peter had to come to terms with the reality every one of us will eventually have to meet-His goodness and work in us is not determined by our goodness or quality of character-but based on His grace and choice. We have to have faith-we will never be perfect, but His strength is most clearly shown when our weaknesses are most evident. His grace is most visible when our imperfections are revealed. Peter did not fully understand God’s perfect nature until he was brought face-to-face with his own imperfection.
3. Though Peter thought well of himself and was stunned and heart-broken when he discovered he was not all he expected, God was not surprised. Peter failed when Jesus needed him most. Yet, Jesus never really needed Peter-Peter, though he did not yet fully understand it, needed Jesus.
So what is the main point of this story of Peter’s failure? Why is it included in the Bible? Surely it demonstrates to us that our failure is not permanent-that God knows that we are weak, and He is willing to work through us anyway.
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Proverbs 24:6
A FEW STORIES
ILLUSTRATION: The story is told that Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just could not understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson’s friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn’t they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay ’throwed.’ Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner." Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are ’throwed,’ but whether you are willing to stay ’throwed’." We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit’s power we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord’s, so there is no excuse for us to stay "throwed"!
Our Daily Bread.
YEAR FAILURES or SETBACKS SUCCESSES
1832 Lost job
Defeated for state legislature
1833 Failed in business
1835 Sweetheart died
1836 Had nervous breakdown
1838 Defeated for Speaker
1843 Defeated for nomination for Congress
1848 Lost re-nomination
1849 Rejected for land officer
1854 Defeated for U.S. Senate
1856 Defeated for nomination for Vice President
1858 Again defeated for U.S. Senate
1860 Elected President
abrahamlincolnonline.org
See if you can guess the name of the person described:
He was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. He eventually attended school at another location, but dropped out before finishing. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, he returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA. Stephen Spielberg
In 1954 Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired him after just one performance telling him, "You ain't goin' nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck." Elvis Presley
Cut from his high school basketball team. Said concerning himself, "I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Onlinecollege.org
Abraham was afraid and lied
Moses murdered a man
Samson had a problem with lust
Samuel didn’t know how to raise his children
Elijah lost his hope
David got Uriah’s wife pregnant and killed too many people
Solomon was wise in politics but a fool with his family
Isaiah was a broken man
Jeremiah couldn’t stop crying and
Peter denied Jesus three times in one night
[start accompaniment]
What about you? What is your big failure? Do you feel like it is the end? IT IS NOT. For God our ends are His beginning.
Sing “In You Alone”
Jesus is praying for you. His plan for you is for good and not for evil. Every failure and setback is designed for your good, for your blessing, to mold you into the person He wants you to be so you can do the work He has called you to do.
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
