71: PLAY - Moving Forward after Failure (Luke 22:28-62)

On Jan. 1, 1929 the Golden Bears of the University of California faced the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for the national championship. About halfway through the 2nd quarter, Roy Reigels, a defensive lineman for California, picked up a fumble and stood only 30 yards from scoring a touchdown. Instead, he got turned around and began running the wrong direction. His teammate chased him down and tried to turn him around when a wave of Tech players tackled him at the 1-yard line. The Bears punted from their own end zone and it was blocked for a safety.

Riegels was so distraught that his coach had to talk him into returning for the 2nd half. Roy said, “Coach, I can’t do it. I’ve ruined you. I’ve ruined myself. I’ve ruined the University of California.” The coach responded, “Roy, get up and go back out there - the game is only half over.”

He did and ended up playing very well including blocking a punt. Although they narrowly lost the game, Riegels rebounded and became the team captain during his senior year, earning All-America honors, and he helped the Bears to a 7–1–1 record during the following season.

In 1964 a similar thing happened to DE Jim Marshall who recovered fumble and ran 66 yards into his own end zone, resulting in a safety. The now much older Wrong way Roy Riegels reportedly sent Marshall a letter reading "Welcome to the club".

Sometimes failure isn’t so funny…and sometimes it’s MUCH more serious than running the wrong way in a game. Some of us have failed friends & family….many of us have failed God.

Today we’re going to learn an important lesson about moving forward after failure.

PRAY

Last week you’ll remember that Jesus transformed the Passover to demonstrate His death would begin a New Covenant with His followers. Further, he warned His betrayer was in their midst. They responded by jockeying for position to prove who was greater & Jesus quickly reminded them they were to be Led by the Lamb - serving instead of being served.

Because we have a lot of ground to cover, I will give a synopsis of some of these 34 verses and settle down on some of them.

After rebuking their pride, Jesus encourages His apostles with these words…

Luke 22:28–30 (NIV)

28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

As Jesus has just reminded the apostles to serve like He does (vss .25-27), he also encourages them that they will one day reign with Him, even judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Imagine this - a band of fisherman & a tax collector are going to judge other Jews regarding their response to Jesus the Messiah. The least become the greatest.

But before these days of HONOR there will come days of HUMILITY where the disciples of Jesus are about to go through a refining process.

Luke 22:31–32 (NIV)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked [ESV, NET, NAS - demanded] to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

The Greek pronoun 'you' is plural here, meaning Jesus says that Satan wants the opportunity to sift all of the apostles, not just Simon Peter.

Sifting is a shaking process that separates wheat from pebbles or other straw that remains in the sieve. Here it is used of Satan shaking the faith of the apostles.

It was easy for the apostles to trust Jesus when He was performing miracles and silencing His opponents, but what would happen when Jesus is arrested? Similar to the OT story of Job where God grants Satan permission to bring suffering into Job's life (Job 1:10–12, Job 2:3–7), Satan wants to shake the apostles’ faith during the difficult days to come.

But what Satan intends for evil, Jesus intends for good. Just as sifting removes unwanted impurities from grain, so these next few days of sifting will remove pride from Peter & the apostles and show them where real power comes from. Jesus assures His apostles that He has prayed for them, and specifically notes that Peter would move forward after failure, able to strengthen his brothers.

Did you know that…

BIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen OthersBIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen OthersBIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen OthersBIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen Others?

BIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen Others

Think about that for a second. Isn't it encouraging to find someone who has sinned JUST LIKE YOU…who has been forgiven & is using their story for His glory!

BIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen Others

But before Peter can be used to strengthen others, he must first experience failure resulting in humility & forgiveness. Peter isn’t ready yet.

Luke 22:33–34 (NIV)

33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Matthew & Mark give us more insight into what Jesus told the apostles at this point:

Mark 14:27 (NIV)

27 “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written [Zec 13:7]: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

In verses 35-36 Jesus reminded them that up until this point, He has protected and provided for His apostles, but now this scattering is about to take place; the physical Presence of Jesus won’t be around to protect them & they must prepare for the dark days coming.

Let’s focus on RICHNESS v. 37 for a moment

Luke 22:37 (NIV)

37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

Jesus quotes this from Isaiah 53:12. Listen to the rest of the verse:

Isaiah 53:12 (NIV)

12 …he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

So now was the time that Jesus would fulfill His purpose - the sacrifice for sinners He had just spoken of in the Passover Meal - was at hand.

Luke tells us in verses 38-41 that Jesus took His disciples to the Mount of Olives - the place they had been staying each night - and told them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” Then Jesus knelt down and prayed this:

Luke 22:42 (NIV)

42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

April of last year (2014) we studied ‘The Most Powerful Prayer’ - where Jesus prayed Your will above mine. So I won’t re-teach that right now, but I encourage you to pick a copy up OR listen ONLINE.

Although Dr. Luke’s version of Gethsemane is much more brief than Matthew & Mark’s more detailed accounts, Luke mentions a couple of unique facts about Jesus’ time of prayer.

Luke 22:43 (NIV)

43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus returns to prayer in anguish over what was coming. Some think that Jesus was actually sweating blood - a near-death condition called hematodrosis - I used to teach this, but I’m not sure there is textual warrant for this. This is a simile, describing how Jesus' sweat was LIKE large drops of blood as it pooled on his skin and fell to the ground.

Jesus was sweating profusely, wrestling in prayer, while His disciples were asleep. Jesus woke them to pray that they not fall into temptation…when a crowd of men led by Judas approached. Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek and

Luke 22:48–51 (ESV)

48 …Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.

Just GUESS who THAT was…according to Jn. 18:10, it was Simon Peter. Just as he had earlier said, Simon Peter WAS willing to give his life up for Jesus, but Jesus quickly stopped the violence and did the incredible…HEALED one who had come to arrest Him.

Kent Hughes writes:

Jesus at the very moment of his arrest, with blood on the ground and steel in the air, reached out to one of his enemies and healed him. Jesus is ever full of compassion. His act prophesied that his arrest and death would provide forgiveness and healing for those who would come to him.

The Romans weren't involved yet…look who is…

Luke 22:52–53 (NIV)

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

The religious elite who had been looking for their chance to kill Jesus, they ones who paid off Judas, bring the temple guards and take Jesus away…

Luke 22:54–55 (NIV)

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.

The high priest was very wealthy and the courtyard was the large area shared by the hight priest and the rest of his family. So while Jesus is being questioned, Peter waits outside with many others.

Luke 22:56-58 (NIV)

56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

Peter has now denied that he knew Jesus 2 times. Jesus said he would do it 3 times…

Luke 22:59–62 (NIV)

59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Max Lucado theorizes about what took place with the apostles in the last few hours from the Passover meal to the Gethsemane arrest.

By morning they will bury their heads in shame and look down at their feet in disgust. And when they do, He wants them to remember how His knees knelt before them and He washed their feet. He wants them to realized those feet are still clean.

And just days later the resurrected Jesus approaches Peter and asks, 2 times “Peter, do you love me?” - “Feed my lambs…take care of my sheep.” And then…

John 21:17 (NIV)

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

Now why do you think Jesus asks Peter about this 3 TIMES?

And how could Jesus use Peter for such a huge task after such a HUGE failure?

Do you think Peter ever denied Jesus again? Nope.

BIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen Others

Isn’t it true that past failures often the result in life lessons that never fade? Isn’t it true that God has used many of our past failures to show us where our HOPE should really be?

3 Responses to Failure:

Stay Stuck in your past. It’s like your stuck in quicksand. You slowly sink deeper and deeper, yet you refuse to ask for help. Others fall in, but you can’t help them…because you’re stuck in the same thing they are stuck in.

Silently Sidestep your past. You ask God to forgive you and He has…but what if others don’t? So rather than fess up to your sin and seek restoration with others, It’s just easier to crawl into your shell and pretend it never happened. Never bring it up and run whenever someone else does. OR….

Strengthen Others. Yes, you sinned against Jesus. Yes, He has forgiven…and YES He has restored…and now you can use what you have learned to strengthen others!

Who can best strengthen others who have denied Jesus…how about those who have denied Jesus and returned to find His forgiveness?

Who can best strengthen others who have - you name the sin - sinned sexually, abused drugs, slandered, cheated, divorced…how about those who have disobeyed Jesus in that area and returned to find His forgiveness?

You see…

BIG TRUTH: God uses Restored Sinners to Strengthen Others

Trust Jesus with your past & give Him your future.

Seek a restored sinner for help: prayer support, practical application, & accountability

Be willing to let God use YOUR STORY for His GLORY.

PRAY

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