Promises of Danger and Development

For the Lord's prediction to come true, people will have to ask Peter if he knows the Lord in order for Peter to deny. So he's got to be around people.

And there's got to be some chickens around. If Peter's as smart as he thinks he is, at least for the next 24 hours, he's going to avoid people and chickens. Why in the world then would he go into a crowded courtyard because he thinks Jesus got it wrong? What happens when life's trials shake your faith? Jesus warned Peter about spiritual danger and failure, but also promised supernatural defense and restoration.

How does that apply to you? Today, Stephen uncovers how Jesus prepares his disciples, not just for challenges, but for spiritual growth. You'll discover how Jesus intercedes for you, even when you fail, and how he turns moments of weakness into opportunities for growth. This lesson will bring hope.

Here's Stephen. Several years ago, I was at a gas station one night. It was late. It was cold.

I was tired. And a man drove up on the other side of the pump, and I could see his wife was in the front seat, looked like the daughter in the back seat. When he got out, his little girl was asking for something from that little convenience store. And he laughed, and he said to me over the gas pump that he always tries to get out quick enough because he knows his daughter is going to ask for something. And I said, I know what you mean. My kids love the same convenience store.

They always want gum or candy or those little white powdered donuts that come six to a pack. Oh, that's for me. Well, at any rate, we chatted a little bit. And he said, well, how many kids do you have? And I said, four.

And he said, wow. I said, you want one? He said, you know, one child is really expensive.

I can't imagine how expensive four are. What do you do for a living? I hesitated. Not because my pay grade, which is wonderful. It was cold. I was tired.

It was late. And I didn't want to open the door to a conversation. I didn't want to have a pastoral on the spot counseling moment. Or, you know, get the question, you know, why does evil exist?

Something easy like that. So I just, I hesitated. But then I went ahead and told him that I was a pastor because I knew God was listening basically. And he said, where do you pastor? And I told him. And he said, you won't believe it. When we pulled in, we were just talking about wanting to visit that church.

We've been looking for a church home. Come here and meet my family. And I walked around and I said to myself and to the Lord, okay, that was a trick. That was a test.

Because now I'm happy to talk to them. And I couldn't help but think, you know, I failed in that moment to represent the Lord because it just wasn't convenient. Well, only the Lord and I knew that. What would it be like to have your failure to represent the Lord written down and then studied by millions of people for 2,000 years? Well, we're going to do it again today in the Gospel of Luke.

So Turner, would you? We're not at the courtyard scene yet, but that failure on the part of Peter actually takes place long before he reaches the courtyard. His denial begins earlier than that. So I want to kind of break this up into four or five promises the Lord gives to him and really to us as we work through this conversation. In Luke chapter 22, we've left off at verse 31.

So let's go there. Jesus is promising, first of all, spiritual danger. He says, Simon, Simon, repeated for emphasis, behold, Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat.

Now just think, don't speed on the implications of this. Simon, Satan has demanded to have you. He wants permission to come after you, to receive you, you could translate it, to sift you. This kind of reminds you, doesn't it, of Satan asking permission of the Lord to go after Job? So you have an Old Testament example.

It's the same thing in the New Testament. He's going after one of the disciples and has to have permission from the Lord. He's on a leash.

Don't forget that. He's on a leash held by the hand of a sovereign God. Luther used to say that the devil is the devil, but he's God's devil. In other words, he is under control.

But think of this. Imagine the Lord telling you, Satan has come to me and has asked me for permission to ruin your life. He might have. He might have done that yesterday for you. Jesus does not say to Peter, the devil wants to make you fail, but don't worry, you've got this. He didn't say that, does he?

No. He uses the analogy of sifting wheat and these days that would be a handheld thresher. You just wanted a few kernels, put the wheat heads in there and then shake it violently back and forth and turn it upside down and all around and then blow the chaff away. So Jesus is telling Simon Peter that the devil wants to personally, he wants personally to sift him, to shake his world, to turn it upside down. He wants to blow his life away if he can. Now the key to the conversation here is the fact that Jesus does not put a period at the end of that phrase. It's a comma.

You might want to circle the comma. Jesus isn't finished. He adds another promise here. Jesus promises supernatural defense. Look at verse 31 again. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, comma, but I have prayed for you.

That's amazing. Satan has you in his sights, but. Satan wants to destroy you, but. He wants to discredit you, but. You've got a powerful adversary, but you've got a supernatural advocate.

You've got a defense attorney. Jesus actually is using a plural pronoun here. He's including all the disciples in this comma. Now he shifts back to a singular and he says, but I have prayed for you. You could render that, but I have prayed specifically for you, Simon. Now we know from John 17 that Jesus prays for all of his disciples, and that would include you and me. Imagine then how long Jesus' prayer list is.

Your name's on it. So is mine, and he's praying for us earnestly. The reality is, though, Jesus knows every disciple will fail him. Every disciple will fall to temptation. Every disciple will speak when they should be quiet, and be quiet when they should speak. The one thing, beloved, that you and I do consistently is fail Jesus.

Now if you don't believe that, talk to your wife, your friends. Now that doesn't mean we excuse it. Jesus is not excusing Peter.

We confess it. Peter's going to take great comfort in this conversation after he dries his bitter tears. Jesus knew I was going to fail.

He prayed for me as I went through it. We've been given amazing reassurances as believers, haven't we, in 1 John 1.8, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. The truth is not in us. In verse 10, if we say that we've not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 2, 1, my little children, I'm writing these things to you. He's writing to believers, so that you may not sin.

That's our goal. But if anyone does sin, and the class condition means you could translate that, and you will. But if anyone sins, and you will, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. He is the propitiation of our sin.

That's a long word. It means satisfaction. Jesus satisfied the just demands against us by paying the penalty for us, and now he's praying for us as we go through the battle. He's praying that we'll be strengthened even through times of failure and sin. I personally believe that a source of discouragement today as a disciple of Christ is that we tend to think only of Jesus dying for us and rising for us, and we forget that he is praying for us. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 7 that he ever lives to make intercession for us.

That's a staggering thought. The Roman system of law allowed for an advocateus that gives us our word advocate. An advocateus represented their client in court, spoke on their behalf. Well, we have an advocateus. We have someone who stands with us in the courtroom of a holy Godhead, a defense attorney, and our advocate has never lost a case.

Never. Now with that, Jesus promises spiritual development. Notice again, first part of verse 32. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.

By the way, don't miss this. Jesus is not saying, Peter, I'm praying that you will never fail. No, Jesus has already prayed for Peter, and he already knows that Peter will fail. So why does Jesus tell Peter this?

I think part of it is this. Jesus doesn't pray for us because he doesn't know what he's going to do with us after we fail. He prays for us because we wonder what he's going to do with us after we fail. And he's telling Peter ahead of time that he's not going to be kicked out of the flock. The Lord knows Peter's failure is just ahead. Satan's going to gain the upper hand, and he effectively tells Simon Peter and the rest of his disciples and you and me, I'm going to represent you as your advocate.

You're my client in the court of heaven. I'm praying that even in your failure, your faith will become stronger. So he's praying that Peter's sin will lead him to greater insight and spiritual development. John Kennedy, a Scottish pastor, I love what he wrote on this text in the 1800s. He wrote, for all your guilty yesterdays, all your sinful todays, all your anxious tomorrows, Jesus promises, I have already prayed for you.

Staggering thought. Now with that, he adds this little phrase here in verse 32, and when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. The idea of turning implies repentance, though the word is not used, it's implied.

One translator says it this way, retrace your steps. When you turn and you retrace your steps. It's a good thing to remember, you're not starting over as a believer.

You're simply retracing your steps back to where you got off track. Peter, you're going to get off track, and after you have retraced your steps back home, sterizo, strengthen, gives us our word steroids, sterizo your brothers. You're going to strengthen the spiritual muscles of believers, and they're going to be as much strengthened by what you did right as much as what you did wrong. You know, all four gospels record this failure of Peter. He's got to be thanking Luke and John and Matthew for that. God wants us to know and Jesus is telling Peter your failure is not fatal.

Look again at verse 32, and when you have turned again, not if but when, strengthen your brothers. So there's this sweet prediction from the Lord that Peter still had a future and a purpose and a ministry to other believers. Now, I got to remind you if you're new in the faith, and this is the first time through this text, everything Jesus is saying to Peter is going in one ear and out the other.

He's not listening at all. And because of that, Jesus adds some more details here. He promises, number four, serious denials. Look at verse 33. Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Matthew's Gospel account reads, though they all fall away, these other disciples, because of you, I will never fall away. These other disciples don't have what it takes, but you and me, Lord, you've got it. I'm going all the way.

Prison and death if need be. You know, I think at this moment Peter's expecting a hug from the Lord in a little plastic trophy, most courageous disciple. Instead, Jesus responds here in verse 34, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day until you deny three times that you know me. Peter, you're not going to die with me.

You're going to deny me. Verse 34, notice how that begins. Jesus says, I tell you, Peter.

I think he raised his voice a little bit. I tell you, Peter, there's a rooster in your future. Now think about this for a minute. For the Lord's prediction to come true, people will have to ask Peter if he knows the Lord in order for Peter to deny. So he's got to be around people. And for a rooster to crow, there's got to be some chickens around. I know this is deep, but stay with me here. If Peter's as smart as he thinks he is, at least for the next 24 hours, he's going to avoid people and chickens.

Why? Why in the world then would he go into a crowded courtyard filled with people, a courtyard where domestic animals would be milling around as well? Why would he go there? Because he thinks Jesus got it wrong. He's failing long before he denies the Lord. By the way, there's nothing in the New Testament account that the rooster was a block away over in the next neighborhood. I have every reason to believe that this rooster is going to walk right up to Peter and let it rip, probably peck on his toes. Did you hear me? And then he's going to weep.

We'll look at that later. Now the Lord makes a fifth promise. I want to sandwich this passage in here. He promises severe difficulties, verse 35. And he said to them, when I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?

And they said, nothing. Now he's going back to that passage we studied in Luke chapter 10. He sent them out on that missions trip. They were sent out empty handed, no food, no extra sandals.

He wouldn't let them take them, no extra clothing, no money. And the Lord is wanting them to experience his miraculous provision. But that's going to change. The Lord is still going to provide, but more subtly.

It's not going to be without experiencing difficulty as this new dispensation of the church age is about to soon begin. So Jesus is sort of alerting them to this, verse 36. But now let the one who has a money bag take it, and likewise a knapsack, a backpack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one, for I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me. And he was numbered with a transgressor.

They killed me. For what is written about me has its fulfillment. In other words, you're going to experience the same thing. I believe the Lord is describing a post-ascension, post-resurrection, post-ascension ministry. Well, just think about it. When the Lord was with them physically, they never went hungry, just break some bread and fish, come in from fishing and there it is on the fire. No disciple ever fell out of a boat during a storm. He would calm the storm. The enemies of Christ would be supernaturally restrained, but that's going to change. It's going to change. Now this sword was not for the sake of aggression.

Beloved, don't misunderstand. It's not for violence. It wasn't to save their lives from martyrdom either, which is why Jesus is going to tell Peter a little later on to put his sword up.

The sword was simply standard equipment for travelers. It was common equipment on the highway where robbers and wild animals were hiding in the shadows. And it's not going to be long before these men are traveling their world, most often by themselves. The Lord is not going to be there to miraculously protect them. They might have to fight an animal.

They might have to fight some bandits. It wasn't to preserve their lives from martyrdom, however, because we know from church history and tradition, Matthew is going to be martyred in Ethiopia. We know that Philip will be martyred in modern-day Turkey. We know that Thomas is going to make it to India, and he's going to be, he's going to be martyred just outside the city of Chennai.

I've preached in Chennai and I visited when I was there at a little chapel where they say he preached before they killed him. Jesus is simply delivering the news sort of a warning that things are going to radically change. It's going to be difficult and dangerous as they travel the world, and what they did to him will be fulfilled in them.

And by the way, to this day, 100,000 plus people around the world are killed for their faith in Christ. So Jesus is telling them essentially this, plan ahead. Don't go unprepared. Get your money together. Pack your backpack. Get some extra sandals and some clothing.

Carry a sword to ward off the animals and bandits. One author called this the disciples' defense starter kit. Now what's interesting is that the disciples missed the point. And we know that because they did a little inventory among them and they said in verse 38, look, Lord, here are two swords.

We've got two swords. Jesus said to them, it is enough, which in English you can translate it, enough of that kind of talk. You've missed the point.

You'll understand later on. Now before we leave this scene, I think we ought to ask the question and every disciple needs to answer it today. Where do you see yourself in the mirror of the Word in this conversation between Peter and Jesus? Are you defiant with the will of the Lord today? Are you arguing with the Lord? Are you resisting His authority? Are you trying to redefine His Word to suit your sin? Are you defiant? Peter is arguing with the Son of God.

Satan must have been smiling when he heard Peter tell Jesus, you're wrong. Perhaps you don't see yourself in this scene as defiant, but maybe distant. You're a believer, but like Peter you've strayed, or you're straying.

And maybe you alone know it's true. You need today to hear this invitation. Turn around. Retrace your steps back to where you once were. You're not starting over.

Go back to where you left it. Reading His Word, confessing your sin, serving, retrace your steps back home. Maybe you're discouraged today about your failures in the past, or your present situation that you're going through, or maybe as you look just ahead, the trouble that's there. Remember, beloved, you have an advocate. He's taken care of your past. He's teaching you in the present. He's going to triumph with you in the future.

And all along the way, guess what? He ever lives to make intercession for you. He's praying for you. Imagine He lives to talk to God the Father and God the Spirit about you. Robert Murray McShane, another Scottish pastor, was known for saying, if you could hear Jesus praying for you in the next room, you would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is indeed praying for you right now. I like that.

Distance makes no difference. He's praying for you today. Well, let's pray together. Thank you, Father, for allowing this conversation to be recorded in all four Gospels so we couldn't miss it. Thank you that you didn't polish the halos of saints of old.

You showed us where they failed. We find our kindred spirits here. We find examples of what to do after we have failed you, sinned against you. When we're defiant, distant, struggling with trusting you and discouraged because of it, I'm sure, Father, we would be surprised to know what's going on in the angelic world around us.

But we've been given some insight here. It should make us resist our enemy and draw near to you. Wherever you are right now, beloved, with your heads bowed, just maybe have a conversation for a moment or two with the Lord where you've seen the reflection of your own life in the Word.

Talk to him briefly. Let's set things right. Jesus turns our failures into opportunities for spiritual growth. His prayers sustain us and his promises prepare us for every challenge.

That was Stephen Davey, and this is Wisdom for the Heart. Today's message is called Promises of Danger and Development. Have you checked out the Wisdom International app yet? It's the perfect way to take Stephen's Bible teaching ministry with you wherever you go. With the app, you can follow along with the wisdom journey and Wisdom for the Heart. You can access decades of sermons, read manuscripts, daily devotionals, and Stephen's blog.

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