Best of Intentions (SLIDE)
Notes
Transcript
Joke
Joke
Danny had recently passed his driving test and decided to ask his clergyman father if there was any chance of him getting a car for Christmas, which was yet some months away.
“Okay.” said his father, “I tell you what I’ll do. If you can get your ‘C’ level grades up to ‘A’s and ‘B’s, study your bible and get your hair cut, I’ll consider the matter very seriously.”
A month later Danny went back to his father who said “I’m really impressed by your commitment to your studies. Your grades are excellent and the work you have put into your bible studies is very encouraging. However, I have to say I’m very disappointed that you haven’t had your hair cut yet.”
Danny was smart and never lost for an answer. “Look dad. In the course of my bible studies I’ve noticed in the illustrations that Moses, John the Baptist, Samson and even Jesus had long hair.”
“Yes. I’m aware of that…” replied his father “… but did you also notice they walked wherever they went?”
Open
Open
Ever since I gave my life to Christ I have wanted to be the best Christian I could be. I want to show Jesus how much I love and appreciate him, I want to share the love of Jesus with anyone and everyone who will hear it. I want to live my life worthy of wearing the name CHRISTian. I think that any of us who are saved would agree that that is a place we want to be. Jesus took my sins upon himself so that I can live. Who wouldn’t want to honor that in every way possible? Unfortunately I fall short of that goal ALL THE TIME. ALL the time. I never have lived up to those expectations. We have good intentions. We love God. We love Jesus. We intend to do anything and everything we can to honor him. Peter was in the same boat. Peter walked with Jesus. Talked with Jesus. Loved Jesus. Yet Peter was just like us. IMPERFECT (slide). Today we are going to a scripture that is usually used when we celebrate Christ’s ressurection on the cross. Turn in your Bibles to Luke….
For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.
A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
The first part of Peter’s story is the first part of our story as Christians. That is…..(SLIDE)
The Me I Want To Be
The Me I Want To Be
Jesus is telling the disciples some huge news. He is going to be betrayed and by one of them!
These guys were close, the idea that one of them could do something so hanus just boggled their minds. So they began asking each other who it would be…
PREDESTENED Jesus knows exactly what is about to happen to him. While the disciples immediatley start pointing fingers and asking which of them is guilty. Jesus knew, Of course we know it was Judas.
((SLIDE)
So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.
While Jesus is telling his trusted friends that one of them will betray him an argument breaks out between them of all things on “Who the greatest among them is.”
This is not the first time in Luke that we see this type of discourse.
(SLIDE)
An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
Jesus had to remind the disciples that earthly importance did not matter. There might be people that rule down on earth, but our job is to serve. Jesus himself came down to serve not to be served. The disciples were to serve here on earth and then when they get to heaven they will see the rewards of that service. Because Jesus had already prepared a place for them there.
There are times when you want more stature than you have. You want to do great things. EXPOUND MORE
Now we get to the meat of the matter. Peter. Jesus starts to talk to the disciples.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
Simon Simon is a term of love. Admiration. To repeat someones name twice in the Jewish culture is a way to get them to understand how much they mean to the person talking and how important what they are about to say is.
Even though Jesus used Peter’s non Christian name, Jesus wasn’t just talking to Peter, he was also talking to all his disciples. There are four you’s here in verse 31 when he says “I have prayed for you” the first 2 uses of the word you are plural. Satan wanted to get in between the people that were closest to Jesus and Jesus. Satan wanted them separated. He actually got Judas. The only difference is that was Judas betraying Jesus was not Satan’s win, it was God’s plan.
Satan wanted to sift them like wheat. This was the process of separating the wheat form the chaff. He wanted to see what they were really worth. Are they all talk or would this prove their lack of faith in the person that they supposedly loved the most.
Jesus is trying to explain to them that even though they will go through this trial, He is going before them to the father on their behalf. That they may falter, but when they come back they will be on solid ground ready to help their brothers. Ready to do the hard work that will be needed when Jesus is gone and they are still on earth sharing his words with the entire world!
Enter Peter. Jesus shifts his focus to Peter. The second part of Jesus speech was to Peter. This is the version of Peter that I can relate to. Peter loves Jesus more than anything in this world. When Peter tells Jesus that he would follow him to prison or even death I have ZERO cause to believe it is not true. Peter is now the rock. He is second in command in essence. He not only believes but is certain that Jesus is the Messiah. He is the son of God.
(SLIDE)
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
I think that we could all say that this is the type of Christian we hope to be. Anything for you Lord.
Peter gets a dose of harsh reality. Jesus tells him not only is he wrong, before the night is over, when things are at their absolute worst, Peter was going to turn on Jesus 3 times. This needed to happen because it made Peter the Rock Jesus needed for the start of the church. You see it made Peter….
(SLIDE)
The Me I Am Supposed to Be
The Me I Am Supposed to Be
Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
As we see Jesus was right. The son of God knew. Peter denied the person he loved the most 3 times in the time when Jesus needed him most. At the third time Jesus looked at Peter.
Satan had done what he was allowed to do. He sifted Peter like wheat and Peter failed. When he failed He remembered Jesus words and the Bible says that Peter wept bitterly. This is not simply a tear or 2, Peter was beside himself with grief over the fact that not only did he betray the person he held so dear, he failed as the rock.
Peter and Judas are both guilty of denying Jesus. Judas knowing who Jesus was denied what he knew and sold Jesus to be murdered for money. Peter denied that he knew Jesus at all. What’s the difference? Judas left the money at the feet of the people who killed Jesus and then hung himself out of shame. Peter ended up being a pivotal leader in the new church. Both guilty, yet completely different outcomes.
So what is the answer?
The answer comes from Jesus. Look again with me at verses 31-32.
(SLIDE)
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus prayed for Peter. Judas had already given himself to Satan and now Satan had him. Judas had no hope. No faith. All he had was the despair of what he had done. After Peter had wept his tears of sorrow and had come to terms with what he had done the faith that Jesus had prayed for, that was instilled in the very DNA of Peter caught fire and he became the man that Jesus needed him to be in order to start his church. He was the sifted wheat, free of chaff and ready for his intended purpose.
Satan thought he won. Satan thought he had him. In all reality Satan just helped make Peter the man he was supposed to be.
(SLIDE)
Close
Close
This was a life altering event for Peter. In his mind he was ready to go to jail for Jesus. In his heart he was ready to die for Jesus, but when he was truly tested he failed the test. Jesus wasn’t trying to make Peter feel bad or show him he wasn’t ready. Jesus didn’t want Peter to feel like a failure. Jesus wanted Peter to realize where he was truly at in his walk. PETER WASN’T READY! BUT NOW HE WAS. Jesus wanted Peter to be able to go out without Jesus, teach people the things that Jesus taught him to teach, and eventually look fear in the face push it aside and die for Jesus. Which Peter did, not just die but he was crucified upside down because he refused to die like Jesus. Out of reverence. Because he was the wheat he was supposed to be.
As I stated earlier, as a christian I want to be the best possible Christian I can be. I want to honor Christ in every way. I want to live a life where people see Jesus in every single aspect of my life. Unfortunately I continue to fall short. Im like Peter. I have no problem saying that I would do ANYTHING for Jesus but when push comes to shove, will I.
As much as I hate it I am going to continue to fall short. Like Peter. Jesus is up in heaven interceding for me every day. And every time I fail, if I recognize my mistake and repent from it I will continue to grow into the Christian that Jesus made me to be.
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
