Jump Start # 3571

Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.”

There are a few occasions in our Bible where Satan speaks. In Genesis three he spoke to Eve. In Job 1, he had a conversation with God. In Matthew 4, he tempts Jesus. And, here in our verse today, it seems that Satan was asking the Lord for permission to attack Peter.

Several layers of interesting thought arise from this:

First, Satan cannot do whatever he wants to do. He was limited in what he could do to Job. Here, in this verse, he must get permission before he can “sift” Peter. Is that true of each of us? Does Satan have to get the Lord’s approval before he will launch a full assault against our hearts and souls? In Peter’s letter, Satan is described as a roaring lion looking for someone, anyone, to attack.

Satan is not equal to God. Satan is limited by God. For that, we ought to be thankful.

Second, had the Lord not told Peter this, it is likely that the apostle would have never known this. The “sifting” may well be the encounters Peter faced in the courtyard while the Lord was being tried. A servant girl challenged him. Under pressure and alone, Peter crumbled. He was “sifted.” Knowing this in advance, didn’t seem to help Peter. One would think, “Ok, this is it. This is Satan trying to shake me.” But, that doesn’t seem to come up. And, it wasn’t a Roman soldier with a sword to Peter’s throat that sifted him. It was the accusations from a servant girl. Peter denied. Peter cursed. Peter crumbled.

All of this makes one wonder, the things that happen in our lives, is Satan behind that? Is he sifting us? We are not told of conversations between Satan and the Lord involving us. Maybe it’s good we didn’t know.

Third, it is also interesting that the Lord granted Satan what he wanted. He allowed Peter to be sifted. One would think the Lord would respond, “No. Keep your filthy hands off of him.” But, He didn’t say that. Instead, the Lord said, “I have prayed for you.” Jesus praying for Peter. Jesus praying for us. What a wonderful concept that is. When this life is over, I wonder if the Lord will say, “Remember that dark day in your life? I was praying for you. I was praying that your faith would be strong.”

For Peter, failing faith was common. When walking on the water, he started to sink and the Lord rebuked him for having “little faith.” His faith failed. When the disciples were on the sea, in the midst of a storm, and Jesus asleep in the boat, they became frightened and thought they were about to die. Jesus again said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Faith failed. Another time, while again in a boat on the sea, the disciples were fussing about not having enough food. Again, Jesus said, “You men of little faith”. Faith failed.

Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail, but it indicates that He thought it might. The following verse says, “…when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Turn again? Seems like the Lord knew. The Lord did know. He would say, “before the rooster crows three times, you will deny Me.” Peter would be sifted. Peter’s faith would fail. The Lord knew. The Lord allowed this.

Fourth, the Lord also knew that Peter would be useful again. A faith failed isn’t the end. Peter would turn again. The Lord knew. The Lord was patient. And, in many ways, isn’t that our story. There have been occasions when our faith has failed. We remained quiet when we should have spoke. We put a basket over our light so no one would see it. We had attitudes that do not show our best. There have been times when our faith has failed. But, we turned. We came back.

And, this is a lesson we must remember about others. We see others whose faith has failed. Don’t give up on them. Don’t toss them to the wayside. Pray for them, as the Lord did for Peter. Remind them to return, as Peter was told. Be stronger this time, as Peter would later be.

Satan was after Peter. The Lord knew it. Satan tripped Peter, but he got back up. And, so must we.

Roger

Jump Start # 3341

Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.”

In our verse today, the Lord tells Peter something that he likely had no idea about. Satan had his aim on Peter Satan wanted Peter. And, specifically, Satan asked about Peter. There are powerful things to consider here:

First, Satan had to get permission. He is limited. He can’t do anything that he wants. He has power. He is a liar. But he is not equal to the Lord. He cannot overcome the Lord. He was limited in what he could do to Job and he is limited in what he can do to Peter. He sought permission.

The “sifting like wheat” brings the idea of shaking violently and thrashing about. Satan wasn’t referring to the boat ride through the violent storm. The sifting would come through the voice of a servant girl. Jesus, arrested and led to the high priest, Peter follows. In the courtyard, a servant girl accuses Peter. This happens again. Fear. Alone. Lacking faith. The sifting of Peter was someone challenging him. It wasn’t a Roman with a sword drawn. It wasn’t the hierarchy of the Jewish power structure. It was a girl. It was a servant. That’s all Satan needed to rock Peter’s world. Three times Peter would deny.

Our greatest challenge may not be from radicals who are pushing immoral agendas. It may not be a college professor who mocks faith. Our sifting may be from a family member. It might come from a young person. Fear. Alone. Lacking faith. And, our world can be turned upside down. Thinking of how to look good, protect ourselves, the Lord we love can be denied.

Second, the Lord gave Satan permission. Easily, Jesus could have said, “No, he belongs to me.” But He didn’t. It’s amazing that Jesus would grant anything that Satan wants. Earlier, when demons begged Jesus to send them into the swine, He allowed that. Amazing that the Lord would grant what these wicked forces wanted. I’d think, ‘If you want to go into pigs, I’ll put you inside a tree.’ Or, ‘If you want to sift Peter, I’ll give you permission to eat worms.’

Maybe the Lord was counting on Peter. Maybe the Lord thought Peter could take it. But even before the sifting began, Jesus revealed that Peter would deny Him three times. He knew.

Third, the text tells us that Jesus would pray for Peter. That’s an fascinating thought. We pray to God. We pray to Jesus. But Jesus, praying for one of us? The Lord prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. He knew it could. He knew that faith was the key. And, so it is for us. A strong faith will keep us going. A strong faith will kick Satan to the curb. But when we are wavering, and when the storm clouds blow in, Satan will have his way with us. I’m praying, Jesus said. I want your faith to be strong, Jesus said.

Fourth, though Peter failed, the Lord wasn’t through with him yet. Peter would preach that Gospel at Pentecost. Peter would be the first to go to Gentiles. Peter would write two books of the N.T. He crashed, but he got back into things. I wonder if you and I find more in common with Peter than any of the other apostles. We have crashed. We wonder if our race is over. God doesn’t think so.

In our times today, Peter might have a hard time finding a place to preach. We tend to remember mistakes, especially of public leaders such as shepherds and preachers. We often ban such a one for life. Never again do we allow such a person to preach. Never again is he allowed to serve as a shepherd. Marred for life. We might tell the person that he is forgiven, but the way we treat a broken disciple sure doesn’t demonstrate it.

We allow prodigals to come home, but we keep our eyes on them. We keep them on a very short leash. We limit what they will do and for some this becomes a lifelong sentence. Forgiven, but sitting on the sidelines. Forgiven, but we don’t want you to touch anything. Forgiven, but just stay out of the way.

And, is it any wonder that those returned prodigals become to wonder if they made the right decision. They came home, but they are treated as lepers and foreigners. The stigma and isolation is enough for some to go back to the far country. It wasn’t that the far country was such a strong pull, instead, it was that home never accepted them again.

Peter was sifted. Peter was run over by the devil. Yet, the Lord was there to pick him up, forgive him and get him right back into service.

The Lord knew…

Roger