"Christ Our Reedeemer"

Luke 22:31-34

a. Indeed, Satan has asked for you: Jesus was aware of a spiritual battle behind the scenes. Peter was no doubt ignorant of the fact that Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat – Satan wanted to completely crush and defeat Peter.

i. Apparently, Satan wanted to do much more against Peter than the Lord would allow. Satan could not do whatever he wanted against Peter, but he had to ask God for permission.

ii. “Satan desires that in the sifting process ‘no wheat shall remain’, but that all (like Judas) will be blown away like chaff.” (Geldenhuys)

b. But I have prayed for you: Satan did not completely crush Peter, but that had nothing to do with Peter himself. It was because Jesus prayed for Peter.

i. It is both wonderful and moving to remember that Jesus prays for His people, protecting us from Satan (Hebrews 7:25, Revelation 12:10). Surely there are many times that we would have perished, but Jesus prayed for us and protected us.

Hebrews 7.25 (KJV) 25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

That your faith should not fail: Peter’s faith would falter but not fail. Jesus did not see the temporary lapse that was to come as a failure of faith, because He knew that Peter would return to Him.

i. In the Christian life, we may falter, but we must never fail. If we have denied Jesus in some way, then we must return to Him immediately.

Weak moments is not a failure- Peter denied the Faith Denied knowing Christ. Jesus had to tell him youre getting up from this.

Faith Def: persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

I am persudaded by this great Gospel.

ii. And, having returned, we must turn our focus towards helping others – when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. The one who returns after faltering isn’t necessarily to be excluded or encouraged to become self-focused – but they should reach out and strengthen the brethren.

d. Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death: Peter did not consciously lie here; rather he was unaware of both the spiritual reality and the spiritual battle that Jesus could see. Peter merely looked to how he felt at the moment, and at the moment he felt pretty brave.

i. Relying on how you feel at the moment is not a stable foundation. Peter felt brave at the moment, but would soon be intimidated before a humble servant girl, and deny to her that he even knew Jesus.

ii. “It is sometimes easier to bear a great load for Christ than a small one. Some of us could be martyrs at the stake more easily that confessors among sneering neighbors.” (Maclaren)

e. I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me: Jesus told Peter the truth about himself and the situation not to discourage him, but to let him know there is a spiritual reality and a spiritual battle that he is unaware of, but that Jesus knew well.

i. “Was it not well that Peter should know how weak he was; that he might become truly penitent and converted?” (Meyer)

ii. “Fitzmyer catches the sense of the prophecy – Peter’s ‘triple denial will come so quickly that a cock will not even be able to crow twice.'” (Pate)

#1 Luke 22:31-34 satan desires to have you

#2 Deut. 28:15-30 Cannot be fullfilled by you

a. If you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God: The covenant’s aspect of the choice was a sword with two edges. Obedience would carry great blessing, but disobedience would carry terrible curses.

b. All these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Like the blessings for an obedient Israel, the curses for a disobedient Israel would be inevitable.

c. All these curses: The rest of the chapter is almost overwhelming. “Actually, a logical analysis of the chapter is almost impossible, since the final aim was not to be logical but to build up a vivid impression by presenting picture after picture until the hearer could see and feel the import of the preacher’s words.” (Thompson)

#3 Christ reedeems: Gal. 3:10-13

#4 Romans 13:10-11 Love is the fullfillment