Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Perfection of Peter*

*Luke 22:31-38, 54-62*

 

v    CS Lewis “Mere Christianity”

 

(Jesus) warned people to "count the cost" before becoming Christians.

"Make no mistake;' He says, "if you let me, I will make you perfect.

The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for.

Nothing less, or other, than that.

You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away.

But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through.

Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life … I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect - until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me.

This I can do and will do.

But I will not do anything less.

v    I think that books like “Mere Christianity” and “Knowing God” by Packer and others like them are enduring classics because they tell the truth…

Ø     However difficult!

§        Here Lewis is talking about how God wants to perfect each and every one of us

·        That is his overriding goal

¨     To sanctify us

¨     To make us more righteous

¨     To drawing out the dross

¨     To Perfect us

v    Simply put…

Ø     That is what the Christian life is all about

§        A process whereby we become more and more like Christ

·        It has been said:

¨     “God is not so much interested in the ends but the means”

Ø     Our “ends” is guaranteed through Christ’s finished work on the cross

§        We are justified

Ø     But our “means” is what God is interested in

§        The process between here and there

 

v    And in our text today I would like to take a look at the process by which Peter is perfected

Ø     Many read the three-fold denial of Christ and see a failure

§        Yes…it certainly was

·        But if we look more closely, we to get a picture of Christ’s perfecting work!

v    Look back with me to *Luke 22:31-34*

 

*Perfection Foretold*

v    It is here that we see Peter’s Perfection Foretold

Ø     We return once again to the upper room

§        Where a fight had just broken out over who is the greatest among them

·        Peter must have been one of the ones suggesting he was the greatest

¨     For Jesus turns and addresses him specifically

 

*READ V. 31-34*

* *

v    Here we have a JOB-like experience

Ø     Remember, Satan requested to afflict JOB and God allowed it

§        Here we have the same thing going on

·        Satan asking to /sift/ Peter

 

v    This brings us to a difficult question

Ø     *Does God allow us to be tempted?*

§        JOB is a difficult book because it appears that this is the case

·        The Biblical answer is…

¨     YES!

Ø     God is sovereign and thus allows temptations in our life

§         But, we have to remember *1 Cor 10:13*

·        No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it

·        The Message puts it this way

¨     No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face.

All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it

 

v    God allows us to be tempted for a reason…

Ø     To make us more righteous

Ø     To sanctify us

Ø     To perfect us!

§        You see…

·        That was Jesus’ plan all along in Peter’s case

¨     *Look @ v. 32*

Ø     Satan may have asked to sift Peter

§        But Jesus was with him through that

Ø     Satan may have asked to tempt Peter

§        But Christ was not going to let him break

Ø     Satan had Peter’s demise in mind

§        But Jesus had Peter’s victory in hand!

v    It may look like Peter broke

Ø     He denied him!

§        But total breakage would have been if Peter had left the faith and not returned

·        And Jesus was encouraging Peter before he even fell

¨     Look what Jesus says…

Ø     “*And when you have turned back,* strengthen your brothers”

 

Ø     Jesus was not going to allow him to be tempted beyond what he could bear

§        Because Peter was one of the elect

¨     Jesus could say…

Ø     “when you have turned back”

 

Ø     That is the great and wonderful comfort found in the *doctrine of election*

§        Many say it is a cold and cruel doctrine

·        But to that I say you don’t understand it

¨     The doctrine of election as simply stated in Scripture is…

Ø     He has chosen us

Ø     We are his

Ø     And he will not let you go!

 

v    And this is the great comfort for us…

Ø     Elect children of God

§        You will go through tests and temptations

§        You will resist some

·        You will succumb to many

§        You will turn toward God some of the time

·        And you will turn away from God some of the time

¨     But know 1 thing for certain:

Ø     *You can never lose your faith*

§        Jesus *always* says to you and me…

·        “And when you have turned back…”

¨     You can never think anything that Christ cannot pardon