Last Minute Instructions

“Last Minute Instructions”

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Have you ever been getting ready to go somewhere, and someone says, before you go, I need to give you some last minute instructions?

You’re getting ready to go on a mission trip, here is what you need to know before you go.

A few years ago my son-in-law and I Zip-lined over Alligators in St. Augustine Fl. And they gave us these last minute instructions…Don’t unbuckle the strap! Like yeah… I was going to do that! Thanks!

Sometimes last minute instructions are a matter of life and death.

In these verses Jesus is going to give His disciples some last minute instructions.

Jesus is finishing up the upper room discourse; these are his last words before he walks out the door. Jesus is aware of everything that would happen to him that night; that Judas will betray him, Peter will deny him, and all the disciples will forsake him. Yet in great love he gives these last minute instructions to his disciples.

Judas has already gotten up from the table and slipped away to let the religious leaders know where they could capture Jesus in secret.

In just a few hours armed men would be on their way to arrest Jesus. Jesus is in mortal danger, he would be dead in less than 24 hours.

Not only was Jesus in danger, the disciples were in danger. They were up against the deadliest of all enemies that night; the devil himself. But they were not aware of this, which made their situation even more dangerous. Jesus knowing they were in great danger gives them some last-minute instructions, he wanted them to know these things.

What Jesus shared with his disciples then, that we need to know today?

Jesus wants you to know:

1. Satan Wants to Destroy You.

Jesus said, V:31-“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan desires to have you, that he might sift you like wheat”. This should have gotten all the disciples attention, but especially Peter’s. Jesus gave him the name Peter when he made his famous confession of the Christ in .

Peter means a rock; we would probably call him Rocky. But here Jesus used his given name and called him Simon, a name that means sand.

A name that would remind him of how weak and frail he really was. Jesus repeated Simon’s name for emphasis. Like we use our kid’s middle name when there in trouble. Mark Steven Mathes…

He was saying, Simon, Simon you really need to hear this: Satan wants to destroy you.

It is not surprising that Satan would go after Peter. After all, he was the leading disciple. Peter was the first disciple that Jesus called, the first to confess him as the Christ, and only disciple to get out of the boat and walk on water. If Satan could destroy Peter, he could destroy them all.

This is what Satan was really after: a chance to destroy all the disciples.

The devil wanted more than Judas, he wanted Peter; he wanted all the Disciples, and he wants you and me! Jesus tells Peter something he desperately needed to hear. Jesus tell Peter, Satan wants to sift you like wheat. To sift wheat means, to violently shake it, and throw it in the air, to separate the chaff from the wheat. Jesus tells Peter and the other disciples, that Satan wants to pick you to pieces, take you apart, separate you from me, and bring you down.

Satan wanted to bring Peter to ruin and leave him in pieces, and make him ineffective for Jesus!

This warning from the Lord Jesus should have put Peter on high alert, but Peter was so self-confident he didn’t understand the danger he was in.

Satan wanted to blow away Peter like he had blown away Judas.

But don’t miss the fact that Satan had to ask Jesus for permission before he could sift Peter.

V:31-“Satan has asked to sift you like wheat…

Maybe Satan said the same thing he said to God about Job. You let me have a shot at him, and he will curse you to your face.

Satan is never satisfied with one soul, or 10,000 souls, he is greedy for more souls! He wants to have you, possess you, and destroy you. He wants to keep every unbeliever blind to their sin and their need of a Savior; he wants to damn your soul to hell. Satan desires to lead every Christian into sin, and to keep them there. When you look at Satan’s activity since the beginning of time, you see that he wants to get his hands on the souls of men, and keep them from God. He slithered his way into the Garden of Eden and tempted Eve. He is the one that tempted Cain to kill his brother. He is the one that attacked Peter 5:8-“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”

Satan is always looking for someone to consume.

His demonic influence:

Satan is there in the selfish move we make to keep what we have for ourselves rather than giving it away for Jesus.

Satan is there in the ministry conflict that tempts us to quit and go somewhere else.

Satan is there in the sudden impulse to click on the link to the pornographic Web-site.

Satan is there in the secret resentment we have against someone’s spiritual leadership, whether in the home or in the church.

Satan is there in the temptation to give up on a difficult relationship.

Satan is there in the despair you feel about overcoming that sin that has entrenched itself in your heart.

Satan and his demons are always lurking in the shadows, desperately hoping that one day we will walk away from Christ completely. Do you know how much danger you are in?

When I hear the warning that Jesus gave to Peter, I think of people who have left the Church: the girl who ran away from God as soon as she went off to college. The family that decided they did not need to be in church.The man who felt so powerless against Satan that he went back to a lifestyle of sexual sin.

They are all people that Satan wanted to have, just as he wants to have us.

One of the most dangerous things in the world is to think that we are not in any danger, which is the mistake that Peter made.

2nd you need to know:

2. Jesus is Praying for You.

V:32-Read.

What chance do we have against such a powerful enemy is Satan? We have our mighty, powerful, Savior, the captain of our salvation praying for us! Jesus defeated Satan; at the cross and through the empty tomb… Jesus kicked the devil’s teeth out! And the Bible teaches me, greater is he that is in me, then he that is in the world. I’m more than a conqueror through Jesus who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Jesus knowing that Peter would fail in his faithfulness to him, and that Peter would deny that he knew him; tells Peter I’m praying for you, I’m praying that your faith does not fail.

And when you are converted, turned around strengthen your brothers.

Jesus is telling Peter, you are going to fail, turn away from me… But when it’s all said and done you will turn back to me.

At that moment Peter should have humbly said God be merciful to me. But Peter didn’t, he said,

V:33-34“ Lord I’m ready to go with you to prison and the death… And Jesus said no, Peter you will deny me three times before the rooster crows in the morning”.

As it turned out Peter was not ready to go with Jesus to prison and to the cross. Satan sifted him like wheat hoping he could separate him from Jesus, defeating him and causes him to become ineffective.

Even though Peter deny Jesus that night, he did not deny the faith forever.

Why did Peter not fall away from the faith?

Because he knew Jesus as his Savior; and Jesus did two things to protect him:

First Jesus prayed for Peter.

Second Jesus died for Peter.

This is how we are saved, and kept!

The devil is always trying to drag us down with our sins, but Jesus died in our place, and now he lives to pray for our protection. After warning Peter about what Satan would do to him, Jesus gave Peter this great promise:

V:32-“but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail”.

The word “but” puts everything that Jesus would do over against everything that Satan would try. Satan was against Peter, but Jesus was for him. Satan wanted to destroy Peter, but Jesus promised to save him.

Satan asked to have Peter for himself, but Jesus prayed that Peter would hold on to him forever. Peter was saved because he was on the Savior’s side of the sentence. He did not fall away, but returned to Jesus. Satan fails to destroy Peter because Jesus intercedes for him. Jesus is stronger.

Notice what Jesus prayed for; he prayed that Peter’s faith fail not…

He did not pray that Satan would leave Peter alone.

He did not pray that Peter would never sin.

He did not pray that Peter would be rich and have an easy life.

Jesus only prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. God in his providence would take the attack of Satan, the sin of Peter, and use it to teach Peter how he must depend upon Jesus in the days ahead. Peter would learn the limits of his own strength, and how prone his heart was to cave in to pressure. Through it all God would equip, strength and prepare Peter for his future ministry.

If Jesus prayed this way for Peter, then faith must be the most important thing for you and me.

Faith was what Satan was trying to destroy in Peter’s life.

If you’re here and you are not saved, Satan will do all he can to keep you from placing your faith in Jesus Christ. -“Therefore being justified by faith… It is only by faith in Jesus that we’re made righteous before God.

Satan will do all he can, to get you to trust in yourself, your good works, and not trust in Jesus alone.

The Bible teaches us, that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus.

If you’re here and you are a believer, Satan will do all he can to cause you to doubt the love, faithfulness and power of God.

-“Without faith it is impossible to please God”.

Without faith in God nothing we do is acceptable.

The Bible says the just shall live by faith.

Satan is always seeking to destroy and diminish your faith Jesus.

The point of Satan’s greatest attack on the believer is his faith.

That is why God has given us a shield… The shield of faith, .

The Bible teaches us that if we will live by faith, then we will be overcomers.

-“And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith”.

Jesus prayed for Peter to have a faith that sustains through life, and death.

This is the prayer that Jesus prays for all his disciples; he prays that our faith will not fail.

-“Jesus is at the right hand of God… Interceding for us”.

Take courage, no matter what you are experiencing, are going through, the Lord Jesus is praying for you! He’s praying that your faith will not fail.

He is praying about your chronic pain, that in your physical weakness you will not stop trusting in the goodness of God.

He is praying about your troubled marriage, that in your troubles you will not stop trusting in his love.

He is praying about your financial situation, that in your concern about the bills you will not stop trusting in God to provide.

He is praying about your secret discouragement, that in your night of dark despair you will not stop trusting him to lead us into the light.

He is praying about your wandering into sin that you will never stop trusting in his forgiveness.

Jesus is praying for everything that you and I need.

Jesus prayed for Peter, and Peter’s faith did not fail.

He returned to Jesus, believing that his sin of denial was forgiven. And because he had faith in Jesus, he was able to strengthen his brothers, and do a great work for Jesus in the future.

Dear child of God, you may go through troubled waters, difficult trials, and even make terrible mistakes; but Jesus Christ is praying for you.

He is praying for you to return to him, and he will forgive you and use you.

Today you need to know that Jesus is praying for you.

Jesus wants you to know:

3. Battles are Ahead for You.

V:35-36-Read.

Jesus reminds them in, V:35 about the instructions he gave him earlier in their ministry. He told them back in , to take nothing on their journey.

And God supplied all their needs, as they preached for him.

But now these men were entering a new phase of missionary work; one that would require a different approach. On their first mission trip they were still in Israel, where the people of God could meet their needs. But soon they would be going into a wider world context, where they could not expect, nor should they expect the heathen to provide for their ministry. They would have to pay their own expenses, and do spiritual battle like never before.

Jesus said you will need to take some money and food with you when you go from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.

Trust God, but make sure you have the resources to do his work.

Jesus also told them, V:36-“Sell your coat and buy a sword…

There are some people that think Jesus was speaking literally; that they would need to fight bloody battles for the kingdom of God. Some people have used this verse as justification for using physical violence to advance God’s work.

Which is a good reminder of why we need good hermeneutics-sound principles for proper interpretation of the Scripture.

One of the principles of hermeneutics is to let Scripture interprets Scripture, using one clear passage to help us make sense of and unclear passage.

How do we know that Jesus was not telling them to use physical swords to advance his kingdom?

All we have to do is read the rest of the chapter. Later on that evening when Peter used his sword to cut off the ear of one of the men who came to rest Jesus, V:50. Jesus said, V:51-“no more of this… And he healed the man’s ear.

Jesus was saying no more violence, no more swordsmanship… Peter was a fisherman, not a swordsman. No more physical force in the name of God. Jesus is declaring that we do not use the weapons of this world in waging spiritual war.

-“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”.

If Jesus was not advocating armed violence; then why did Jesus tell them to buy a sword?

Jesus is using this as a metaphor, telling them to prepare for spiritual battles ahead.

Jesus in the New Testament tells us that there are spiritual battles ahead for each one of us!

And that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual. Paul gives us in , the armor of the spiritual warrior; and tells us to put it on, that we might stand against the schemes of the devil. He tells us that we are not to be wrapped up in the things of this world, that we may please him who has called us to be a soldier.

There is a spiritual battle raging for your soul, your testimony, your marriage, your children, your church, and everything that is good and wholesome. We are living in hostile territory, Satan is the Prince of the power of this world; so every day we must put on the armor of the Lord, be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, be guided by the word of God, and prepared to fight the fight of faith.

The Christian life is not a playground, is a battlefield.

Jesus doesn’t want you to be ignorant, he wants you to know that you need a spiritual sword. More than anything else, you need to be spiritually equipped with His power and armed with the sword of His Word.

Jesus wants you to know:

4. Victory is Available for You.

V:37-Read.

Everything Jesus had told his disciples before they walked out the door that night is important, they were things that they needed to know, and that we need to know.

But the most important thing Jesus said was about what he was going to do for our salvation.

He tells them everything that was said in the Old Testament, was going to be fulfilled in him. That it was him that Isaiah was talking about when he said,

The Messiah would be… V:37-“reckoned among the transgressors…

Jesus is telling them that the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah would be fulfilled in him, that he was the Messiah, the Savior.

-“he would be numbered with the transgressors”

Isaiah said in , that the Savior would be despised and rejected, that he would carry his people sorrows.

He would be wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. He said the Savior would be led like a lamb to the slaughter and would be buried in a rich man’s tomb. Jesus knew all these prophecies were about him… V:37-“Jesus said that wants written in the Scripture must be accomplished in me”.

Jesus would be convicted, sentenced to death, and executed on the cross. He was reckoned among the transgressors… Jesus died exactly the way the Scripture said he would die.

He died in the place of sinners! When the Bible says that Jesus was numbered with the transgressors, it means much more than he died between two criminals. It means that he took all of our sins upon himself and died in our place, died the death that we deserved.

-“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”.

The sinless son of God, took the place of guilty sinners, that through faith in him we might be declared righteous before God.

Because of Jesus death on the cross, and through his shed blood there is salvation, and victory available for you! In the book of Revelation, were told that we overcome through the blood of the lamb.

The way to live a victorious life, is to come to the cross, humbling our heart, remembering that our salvation was purchased by Jesus on the cross.

Our identity, the value, worth, power and victory comes to the gospel. We live the Christian life and the power of the resurrected Lord Jesus; through his indwelling Holy Spirit!

We can live a victorious Christian life, because Jesus is ever living to make intercession for us.

Jesus is both our sacrifice, and our high priest! The hope and the future of those weak men in the upper room, is the same hope and victory that we have; the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus, and the intercession of Jesus on our behalf.

Jesus wants you to know that there is victory available to you, through his word, through his shed blood, and through his prayers for you.

Every day of our life we need to remember these last minute instructions from Jesus; every day you walk out the door of your house you need to remember these instructions:

1. Satan wants to destroy you.

2. Jesus is praying for you.

3. Battles are ahead for you.

4. Victory is available for you.

Jesus was numbered among transgressors like us, so that in him we can be counted among the righteous before God.

Today, believe in Jesus work on the cross for your sins, receiving as your personal savior.

Jesus is praying for you right now, that you will put your faith in him.

Jesus is praying for you dear believer, that your faith will not fail.