The Danger Of Transitions | Luke 22:31-34

Introduction I’ve never been to prison. I don’t plan to go to prison. But there are probably some pastor’s kids in this room today, so I figured talking about prison is a fitting introduction.

I don’t know much about prison life and I’m thankful. But if I was ever incarcerated I know exactly when to escape. It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is wait for the guards to have a shift change. When a new set of guards comes in and the old ones go home, that’s when you make a break for it. That’s all there is to it. I may be oversimplifying it just a little bit, but in all the WWII POW movies my dad forced me to watch with him as a child, that’s when they tried to escape every time. A time of transition was when they did it. It was in that moment that the guards were distracted just enough that a window for escape was opened.

Transitions are opportunities for freedom if you’re a prisoner. But transitions are opportunities for failure if you’re the guard. Transitions are important for both parties. And in life, when it comes to our transitions, we’re really more the guard in the story. How we treat a transition could make us or break us.

There’s no more transitional period of life than being a teenager. This stage of life is full of transitions.

You’re transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

You’re changing physically and maturing emotionally.

You’re in or going into a stage of life where you’re doing things you’ve never done before: driving, getting a job, graduating high school, choosing a college, moving out of the house, choosing a career, choosing a mate, choosing a house, choosing a church, etc.

You are in constant transition right now, especially when you graduate high school.

And it’s exciting, but it’s also dangerous. If you’re not careful, the transitions will be the times when you let your guard down. You’re the guard in the shift change right now.

During transitions we’re distracted. We’re not paying attention. Our schedule is different. We’re not established. We’re around new people. Our parents aren’t monitoring us as closely as they used to. We’re growing up and experiencing more freedom and we think we’re ready for it, but right now is when a lot of young people let their guard down.

How you deal with this phase of life either puts you at risk for failure or sets you on the path to success. The next few years hold some of life’s biggest decisions and many of you will focus on those (college, career, mate, etc.). You’ll get lots of counsel and give lots of thought to those things and take them seriously. And you should. But there’s one area that is often neglected or maybe even discarded – your spiritual life.

Statistics are not encouraging when you start reading how many high school graduates disconnect from their spiritual life and church in the transition into adulthood. It’s well over half. Half of you in this room won’t be in church in 10 years.

And lest you think I’m being overly dramatic, the text we read is a warning from Jesus Christ to Peter right before a huge transition. All the disciples in Luke 22 were about to deal with something they weren’t quite prepared for.

Just a few verses later, Jesus Christ is arrested and put on trial to be crucified. These disciples had been following Him for over 3 years. So you have to think their pattern of life was pretty established. For over three years Jesus was there. They’d followed Him. They’d been with Him. Their daily life centered on His schedule. So when Judas betrays Jesus a few verses later and they arrest Him and take Him away so that He’s longer with them…this is a big transition.

So knowing that’s what is coming, let’s read verses 31-32 again. What was Jesus saying? There’s a major transition about to happen. If you aren’t careful, Peter, it will either make you or break you. So Jesus knew the importance of transitions.

Honestly, this transition just about breaks Peter. The presence of Christ had loomed so large in his life that everything he did was about the Lord. He’d laid down his nets as a fisherman. He left all to follow. Then suddenly, Jesus is gone, and Peter’s not ready.

Young person, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat. Meaning, he wants to take you down spiritually. He wants to render you ineffective for Christ. Ephesians 6 says we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. There are forces trying to capitalize on you in this phase of life as you transition from being a child to being an adult. He wants to attack you, destroy your spiritual life and watch you bleed out as he looks for his next victim. He wants to sift you as wheat. He wants to cut you down to nothing. Satan hates God. He hates you. And He wants nothing more than to render you useless for God. And if stats hold true, there’s a good chance YOU will be sifted.

I’m not trying to scare you, but you’re being hunted right now. I Peter 5:8 says that Satan is like “a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” The same verse says we have to be “sober” (in our right minds) and “vigilant” on guard. And guess who wrote it? Peter. Right, the same man who found himself the target of Satan the sifter in Luke 22. We better listen.

Satan has one goal – to destroy anything of God’s. Including people. Including me and you. Satan is hunting you. And like a gazelle drinking water and enjoying existence, many of you are unaware of his sifting prowess. He wants to take you out and laugh while he does it. According to Eph. 6 he’s wily (crafty) and he’s throwing fiery darts at you. Don’t underestimate him. He’s smart, he’s sneaky and he has sifted many young people who really wanted to be Five Tool Teenagers.

In our text, Jesus tells Peter, “Satan wants to take you down” and it’s like Peter doesn’t realize how crafty Satan is. He essentially says, “Satan? Ha! Lord, I’m ready to die for you.” Satan almost sifts Peter because Peter didn’t have an appropriate awareness of Satan’s sifting power. Today’s charge is this idea:

Why young people often lose their heart for God during their transition to adulthood:

I. They allow distance between them and Jesus.

A. Vs. 54 – Peter followed afar off

1. Peter has spent over 3 years by Jesus’ side. Now he’s following afar off out of fear.

2. Very often, the first thing to slip in a transition is your closeness with Christ.

3. Your schedule is different. Your deadlines are different.

4. You have more homework. You’re working a job now so you stay up later.

5. You gain some more freedom and you have more responsibilities. You’re distracted by all the new stuff.

D. A transition is the worst time to allow distance between you and Jesus.

1. You need Jesus right now more than you ever have.

2. You’re transitioning from childhood to adulthood. To this point in life, your parents have had much to do with where you go, what you say, what you watch, what you listen to, who you hang out with…your daily schedule.

3. But that’s changing. As you become an adult, those things move out of your parent’s task list & into yours. Before too long (and for many of you it’s happening in large part now), the strength of your walk with God will determine where you go, what you say, what you watch, what you listen to, who you hang out with.

4. This would be the worst time to allow distance to come between you and Jesus Christ.

5. You need Him now more than ever. But it is during this transition that many young people your age in your position with your background begin to allow distance.

E. When you’re close to Christ, everything is clearer.

1. If you’re near sighted, you know it’s hard to see things far away. The closer the clearer.

2. Same thing with your walk with God. The Closer the Clearer.

3. If you’re having trouble with your parents, it’s probably you’re not close to God.

4. If you’re having trouble surrendering your life to the Lord, it’s probably a closeness issue.

5. If you want to stick with God, you must refuse to allow distance between you and Jesus during this time of transition in your life.

6. Remember, we’re talking about space. And Satan the great sifter is waiting for it. All he needs is a sliver and you’re sifted.

F. A lion doesn’t attack the herd. He aims for the ones who are by themselves.

Three mistakes young people make as they transition to adulthood:

II. They find a circle of people that don’t follow God.

Vs. 55 – Peter sat down among them.

A. You might say, “What’s wrong with that? Jesus was around unbelievers all the time.”

1. True, but what was Jesus’ reason for sitting among the people? To reach them. To tell them about their sin and God’s judgment and God’s love.

2. Peter isn’t soul-winning. His reason for sitting down among unbelievers is to blend in. He’s hiding out.

B. In a transition, you will find yourself in a new crowd.

1. New school. New friends. New job. Some go to college and make new friends.

2. Many young people, in this time of life, find their place among a set of friends that will not help them become closer to Christ.

3. I preach a message out of Proverbs 13:20, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.

4. Your friends today indicate where you’ll be tomorrow.

5. The most important decision you can make today is who you sit down next to.

6. Some of you are warming yourself by the world’s fire right now.

7. Social media, at work, kids in youth group that aren’t doing right.

8. The circle you’ve chosen will make or break you.

D. You can’t afford to detach yourself from Christ or your church family or those that can help you spiritually.

1. Instead of detaching from your local church, plug in even more. Find a ministry, volunteer, be accountable.

2. The world’s fire seems warm, but it always burns you.

E. Be careful of being drawn in to the crowd that doesn’t care about your spiritual life.

1. They seem fun, exciting, make you laugh, but if they aren’t concerned about your spiritual life, they will play a part in you being sifted.

2. Countless young people are drawn in by the shine and fun the world seems to offer, only to discover later that it was full of empty promises.

3. Some of you will be sifted because you sit down in a circle near where the lion hunts. Satan is circling that very fire you’re sitting next to. And you have no idea.

If you don’t want to be sifted, don’t allow distance between you and Christ, and refuse to sit down in the wrong circle.

III. Choose to be all in instead of blending in.

A. Peter is confronted three times around that fire – first by a young girl and then by two men – who all identify him as one of Christ’s disciples.

1. Read 56-60. Here’s the bold Peter who 6 verses before was hacking people’s ears off and now he can’t even admit he follows Jesus.

2. As we detach from Christ and seek acceptance with the world, we find ourselves blending in instead of being bold.

3. We lose so many young people in high school and into college. It becomes a time that young people back away from their commitment to serving the Lord or being a witness.

4. I think what we discover is that the faith they claimed wasn’t really theirs. Their parents were dragging them to church or they were just pretending.

5. The boldness leaves and they just kind of blend in to their surroundings.

6. That’s a mistake Satan the Sifter wants you to make. He wants to render you ineffective in serving the Lord.

7. Teenager, Now is not the time to blend in. Now is the time to be all in.

C. Being All In means you’re completely surrendered to Christ. (BUILDING)

1. Too many young people try to live for Christ halfway. But you can’t serve two masters. Jesus says it’s impossible.

2. All IN means:

a. There’s nothing that comes before your walk w/God

b. There’s no excuse good enough…away from church

c. There’s no task your Pastor asks…too inconvenient

d. There’s no ministry too undesirable for you to help

e. There’s no prayer meeting too early…attend

f. There’s no soul you won’t stop to witness to

g. There’s no call to Bible College you won’t accept

i. There’s no mission field too far for you to go

j. All In means there’s nothing God asks of you that’s too much for you to say yes to.

k. All In means you’re a yes person. If it’s for God…Yes.

D. You say, “That’s radical.” Maybe, but don’t forget what lengths God went to for you.

1. JC thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant and came in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man He humbled himself and became obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross!

2. So you’re okay with the God of Heaven being All In for you to be saved, but you’re not willing to be All In for Him? Something’s off with that line of thinking.

G. Young person, any Christian can blend in. And they get sifted. Because there’s a lion just watching for the one that looks weak. He’s looking for the teenager that’s not really giving his best effort. And as soon as he can, the sifter strikes.

I. But if you’ll refuse to be one of the many and be All In with Jesus Christ, not only will you not be sifted but God can use your life to make a difference and when you stand before Him He’ll say, “Well done my ALL IN servant.”

If you want to come out of this time of life unsifted…

1. Stay close to Jesus Christ

2. Be wise in choosing your circle

3. Be all in for Christ

What happened to Peter? Vs. 61-62

Peter made mistakes, but he remembered the word of the Lord and responded with repentance. That’s why, in the end, he wasn’t sifted. God’s Word took effect and Peter responded correctly.

When you find yourself allowing distance, or in the wrong circle, or not being all in, some truths you’ve heard from your Pastor or Youth Pastor or your parents will come to your mind. Listen to them. They’ll bring you back. It won’t be too late. God can reach you where you are. He doesn’t cast us off just because we fail. Now, it’s better not to find ourselves there in the first place (and that’s possible) but even if you do, if there was hope for Peter there’s hope for you too.

As a matter of fact, God allowed Peter to be the key figure in the early days of that first church in Jerusalem. Countless souls were and still are affected by Peter’s leadership and preaching. You can make that kind of difference. Unless during this transitional period of life you let your guard down and give Satan just a little bit of room to sift you. That’s all a roaring lion needs.