From Time To Time - Part Forty Aug 25, 2024 by: John Herbert | Series: From Time to Time Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T024_20240825.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Mt 26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never [no not ever] be made to stumble.” We will continue to look at Peter and the other disciples on the night of the Lord's betrayal. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday August 25th 2024 From Time to Time – Part 40 1). Mt 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” Mt 26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never [no not ever] be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples. We had seen last time these two accounts of Peter making his boast against that which the Lord had said. And as we saw this was not just contradicting the words that came from the Lord’s mouth at the time, but also contradicting what had previously been set out in the OT Scriptures, including the Lord’s resurrection. a). That the Lord would suffer and die and be raised on the Third Day permeates all the OT, through the typology found there and that which is directly stated about it – Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. Ps 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. And Jesus also turned to the OT Scriptures, this time from Zechariah, to show His disciples what would happen the night of His betrayal - Mt 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” We would have to conclude then that either Peter, and the other disciples, did not understand what the Scriptures contained, or that he, and they, chose to ignore them being more focused on the moment, focused on the things of men, rather than the things of God. b). And this boastfulness against that which the Lord has said we have come across before with the first generation of Israel at Kadesh – Nu 14:39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!” 41 And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. 42 Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” 44 But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah. Because of the nation’s refusal to go into the land the Lord had made clear to them that they were to wander in the wilderness until all those who had rebelled against Him had died. These were the words that Moses told to the children of Israel that caused them to mourn greatly. Like it or not, this is what the Lord had said. c). But as we see from the verses we have just read, the next day the people sought to change the Word of the Lord by taking matters into their own hands. They presumed to go up to the mountain top despite what the Lord had said, and despite the warning that Moses gave to them, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. And of course it didn’t succeed, nor could it. d). And we could see a repetition of this presumptuousness at the Lord’s first Advent – Jn 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” And of course, what Moses wrote about the Lord was that which the Holy Spirit had told him to write, the God breathed Word. However, the nation’s religious leaders had chosen not to believe what God had said, spoken through Moses’ writings, just as they did with the rest of the OT Scriptures as well. And rather than believing that which God had said, they instead took matters into their own hands – Mk 14:48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? Mt 21:37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ And as we know, the consequence that came from the nation’s religious leaders’ rejection of that which God had said with regards to the offer of the Kingdom of the heavens is exactly the same as the consequence that came from the ten leaders’ rejection of that which God had said at Kadesh with regards to the earthly land of promise. e). All of those who rejected the Word of God at Kadesh would not be allowed into the land of Israel, either historically, or at the conclusion of the tribulation. This has been lost to them for all time - Ez 20:37 “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. And all those at the Lord’s first Advent who rejected the offer of the Kingdom of the heavens have lost that realm of the Kingdom for all time - Mt 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And according to what we see in Ezekiel, they will not be allowed to enter the land of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom either. f). What we see through the first generation of Israel at Kadesh and the generation alive at the Lord ‘s first Advent take us to the same conclusion demonstrating an unchangeable finality that comes to those who live in unbelief and unfaithfulness. For both generations their presumptive behavior, born out of unbelief, brought them to a terminal point from which there was no way back. And from this we are to learn that should we consistently reject that which God has revealed to us through the wisdom brought forth from above, choosing instead to walk in unbelief, thereby placing our will above His, then the Kingdom of the heavens will be lost to us. And the unchangeable finality of such continued behavior is obvious for us to see – 1 Co 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. For Peter however, and the other disciples on the night of the Lord’s betrayal, apart from Judas Iscariot, their presumptive behavior in trying to assert their will above that which God had said, did not of itself carry that same finality that we see in our previous two examples. And to understand why this same finality is not seen here, we can go back to the events recorded in Matthew Chapter 12 – Mt 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. That which Peter would speak against the Son of Man would be forgiven Peter – 1 Co 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Lk 22:28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” Lk 22:31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan by asking obtained you and your fellow disciples for himself and from my power to his, in order that he may shake you in a sieve as grain is sifted, by an inward agitation, trying your faith to the verge of overthrow. 32 But as for myself, I made petition concerning you that your faith should not be totally eclipsed. And as for you, when you have returned to your original position with respect to your faith, stabilize your brethren. [Wuest] As we look at these verses from Luke Chapter 22, we will immediately note the promises made to the disciples, excluding Judas, in vv29-30. And with these promises in place as an encouragement, the Lord then told Peter and the other disciples that Satan had asked for them that he might shake them as wheat in a sieve. And perhaps we hear an echo from Job in Satan’s request. g). The disciples’ faith then, was to be challenged in such a way as to be brought to the verge of overthrow. They would stand on the cusp of a total apostasy that night. But the Lord had prayed for them, that despite their sifting, their faith would remain. And we can find a prayer that the Lord made just prior to His betrayal in John’s Gospel- Jn 17:6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. So, what do you think? Has Satan ever asked to sift us as wheat? Have we ever, or will we ever, be brought to the edge of the overthrow of our faith? Well, let’s be encouraged as we continue to read in John – Jn 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” The Lord has prayed for us. 2). Now, the sifting of the disciples is exemplified through Peter as the Lord uses the account of Peter’s actions to show us what could be our own. We will remember that Peter’s actions on the night of the Lord’s betrayal had been predicated by him being mindful of the things of men rather than being mindful of the things of God. And it was because of being mindful of the things of men that we find his boast recorded in the verses we looked at as we began today. It was also responsible for why he, along with James and John, was not able to watch in the Garden of Gethsemane, not even for one hour, and why he tried to take matters into his own hands by bringing out a sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant – Mt 26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” 55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Lk 22:49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. Peter striking the high priest’s servant is a result of following the wisdom from below, doing that which unregenerated man would do. What seemed right in his own eyes. And Paul addressed this very issue for us in – Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That which was taking place through the Lord’s betrayal and the events that would follow could not be addressed by wrestling against flesh and blood. This was a spiritual battle to be waged in the spiritual realm through faith, How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled……….. “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” This is where the disciples’ faith should have been found in conjunction with two pivotal moments in the Lord’s ministry. The revelation at Caesarea Philippi – Mt 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And the Mount of Transfiguration that followed – Mt 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. However, to continue with Peter as our exemplar, Peter was focused on the things of men. His boast about not stumbling, his boast about not denying, his striking of the high priest’s servant. All actions apart from faith. All actions in response to walking by sight and not by faith. All actions focused upon self. a). And it is with all this in place that we now find the disciples in Satan’s sieve about to be shaken almost to breaking point. We will continue with Peter – Lk 22:54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” 57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly. Remember Peter’s boast, “But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” The Lord had been arrested and taken to the high priest’s house, where according to Matthew He was abused. But we see Peter ‘following at a distance’. Rather than being in the house with His Lord, he instead sat in the courtyard among those who had come out against Jesus. And we might note his proximity to the fire that had been kindled. And so, the shaking begins, And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” Peter could have replied, ‘Yes’, and made good on his boast. Had he been imprisoned or even died with Christ, the promises he had been given remained. Death was not a barrier to the fulfillment of the promises – Lk 22:28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” But with his mind set on earthly things, faith in a promised future gave way to self-preservation in the present, But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” And this challenge came to Peter three times, and each time his denial was more vehement than the time before. b). Three separate denials, giving a complete denial, a complete standing away from his position as one of the Lord’s closest companions. Peter’s faith was on the edge of complete overthrow, Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And the word translated ‘looked’ is not a word that means just to look at, but a word that speaks of seeing with an absolute clarity, as if looking into Peter’s very heart. A look that we will all encounter at the Judgment Seat – Re 1:14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire……… And it is at this moment that Peter is brought face to face with the reality of his choices, Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly. And it is right here that we get the clearest and most poignant picture of the outer darkness experience for those who through their continuous unfaithfulness and disobedience will find themselves separated from the One who is the Light of the World. Just as Peter’s total denial had separated him from his Lord in the high priest’s lighted house, confining Peter to the darkness outside of the house in the company of those who sought to crucify the Christ. Aligned with the enemy rather than aligned with his Lord. c). Now, although the events in the courtyard outside the high priest’s house form a type for the Christian who will experience the outer darkness for a thousand years, the finality of it presented through the type, was not the end of the road for Peter. d). This was not Peter at the Judgment Seat, and nor will it be Peter at the Judgment Seat. Rather, this was Peter brought face to face with his prideful, arrogant self, brought face to face with his attempts to enforce his will over God’s will. This was the hand of God child training a son – Pr 3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. And no doubt we will remember that the writer of Hebrews quotes directly from this Proverb to provide encouragement for those today who will come face to face with the same stark realities as Peter did. Better now though, than at the Judgment Seat. We will continue next time if we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed. From Time To Time - Part Forty Aug 25, 2024 Speaker: John Herbert Series: From Time to Time Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T024_20240825.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Mt 26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never [no not ever] be made to stumble.” We will continue to look at Peter and the other disciples on the night of the Lord's betrayal. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday August 25th 2024 From Time to Time – Part 40 1). Mt 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” Mt 26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never [no not ever] be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples. We had seen last time these two accounts of Peter making his boast against that which the Lord had said. And as we saw this was not just contradicting the words that came from the Lord’s mouth at the time, but also contradicting what had previously been set out in the OT Scriptures, including the Lord’s resurrection. a). That the Lord would suffer and die and be raised on the Third Day permeates all the OT, through the typology found there and that which is directly stated about it – Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. Ps 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. And Jesus also turned to the OT Scriptures, this time from Zechariah, to show His disciples what would happen the night of His betrayal - Mt 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” We would have to conclude then that either Peter, and the other disciples, did not understand what the Scriptures contained, or that he, and they, chose to ignore them being more focused on the moment, focused on the things of men, rather than the things of God. b). And this boastfulness against that which the Lord has said we have come across before with the first generation of Israel at Kadesh – Nu 14:39 Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. 40 And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned!” 41 And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. 42 Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” 44 But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah. Because of the nation’s refusal to go into the land the Lord had made clear to them that they were to wander in the wilderness until all those who had rebelled against Him had died. These were the words that Moses told to the children of Israel that caused them to mourn greatly. Like it or not, this is what the Lord had said. c). But as we see from the verses we have just read, the next day the people sought to change the Word of the Lord by taking matters into their own hands. They presumed to go up to the mountain top despite what the Lord had said, and despite the warning that Moses gave to them, “Now why do you transgress the command of the LORD? For this will not succeed. And of course it didn’t succeed, nor could it. d). And we could see a repetition of this presumptuousness at the Lord’s first Advent – Jn 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” And of course, what Moses wrote about the Lord was that which the Holy Spirit had told him to write, the God breathed Word. However, the nation’s religious leaders had chosen not to believe what God had said, spoken through Moses’ writings, just as they did with the rest of the OT Scriptures as well. And rather than believing that which God had said, they instead took matters into their own hands – Mk 14:48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? Mt 21:37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ And as we know, the consequence that came from the nation’s religious leaders’ rejection of that which God had said with regards to the offer of the Kingdom of the heavens is exactly the same as the consequence that came from the ten leaders’ rejection of that which God had said at Kadesh with regards to the earthly land of promise. e). All of those who rejected the Word of God at Kadesh would not be allowed into the land of Israel, either historically, or at the conclusion of the tribulation. This has been lost to them for all time - Ez 20:37 “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. And all those at the Lord’s first Advent who rejected the offer of the Kingdom of the heavens have lost that realm of the Kingdom for all time - Mt 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And according to what we see in Ezekiel, they will not be allowed to enter the land of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom either. f). What we see through the first generation of Israel at Kadesh and the generation alive at the Lord ‘s first Advent take us to the same conclusion demonstrating an unchangeable finality that comes to those who live in unbelief and unfaithfulness. For both generations their presumptive behavior, born out of unbelief, brought them to a terminal point from which there was no way back. And from this we are to learn that should we consistently reject that which God has revealed to us through the wisdom brought forth from above, choosing instead to walk in unbelief, thereby placing our will above His, then the Kingdom of the heavens will be lost to us. And the unchangeable finality of such continued behavior is obvious for us to see – 1 Co 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. For Peter however, and the other disciples on the night of the Lord’s betrayal, apart from Judas Iscariot, their presumptive behavior in trying to assert their will above that which God had said, did not of itself carry that same finality that we see in our previous two examples. And to understand why this same finality is not seen here, we can go back to the events recorded in Matthew Chapter 12 – Mt 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. That which Peter would speak against the Son of Man would be forgiven Peter – 1 Co 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Lk 22:28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” Lk 22:31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan by asking obtained you and your fellow disciples for himself and from my power to his, in order that he may shake you in a sieve as grain is sifted, by an inward agitation, trying your faith to the verge of overthrow. 32 But as for myself, I made petition concerning you that your faith should not be totally eclipsed. And as for you, when you have returned to your original position with respect to your faith, stabilize your brethren. [Wuest] As we look at these verses from Luke Chapter 22, we will immediately note the promises made to the disciples, excluding Judas, in vv29-30. And with these promises in place as an encouragement, the Lord then told Peter and the other disciples that Satan had asked for them that he might shake them as wheat in a sieve. And perhaps we hear an echo from Job in Satan’s request. g). The disciples’ faith then, was to be challenged in such a way as to be brought to the verge of overthrow. They would stand on the cusp of a total apostasy that night. But the Lord had prayed for them, that despite their sifting, their faith would remain. And we can find a prayer that the Lord made just prior to His betrayal in John’s Gospel- Jn 17:6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. So, what do you think? Has Satan ever asked to sift us as wheat? Have we ever, or will we ever, be brought to the edge of the overthrow of our faith? Well, let’s be encouraged as we continue to read in John – Jn 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” The Lord has prayed for us. 2). Now, the sifting of the disciples is exemplified through Peter as the Lord uses the account of Peter’s actions to show us what could be our own. We will remember that Peter’s actions on the night of the Lord’s betrayal had been predicated by him being mindful of the things of men rather than being mindful of the things of God. And it was because of being mindful of the things of men that we find his boast recorded in the verses we looked at as we began today. It was also responsible for why he, along with James and John, was not able to watch in the Garden of Gethsemane, not even for one hour, and why he tried to take matters into his own hands by bringing out a sword and cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant – Mt 26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” 55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Lk 22:49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. Peter striking the high priest’s servant is a result of following the wisdom from below, doing that which unregenerated man would do. What seemed right in his own eyes. And Paul addressed this very issue for us in – Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That which was taking place through the Lord’s betrayal and the events that would follow could not be addressed by wrestling against flesh and blood. This was a spiritual battle to be waged in the spiritual realm through faith, How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled……….. “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” This is where the disciples’ faith should have been found in conjunction with two pivotal moments in the Lord’s ministry. The revelation at Caesarea Philippi – Mt 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And the Mount of Transfiguration that followed – Mt 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. However, to continue with Peter as our exemplar, Peter was focused on the things of men. His boast about not stumbling, his boast about not denying, his striking of the high priest’s servant. All actions apart from faith. All actions in response to walking by sight and not by faith. All actions focused upon self. a). And it is with all this in place that we now find the disciples in Satan’s sieve about to be shaken almost to breaking point. We will continue with Peter – Lk 22:54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance. 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” 57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly. Remember Peter’s boast, “But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” The Lord had been arrested and taken to the high priest’s house, where according to Matthew He was abused. But we see Peter ‘following at a distance’. Rather than being in the house with His Lord, he instead sat in the courtyard among those who had come out against Jesus. And we might note his proximity to the fire that had been kindled. And so, the shaking begins, And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” Peter could have replied, ‘Yes’, and made good on his boast. Had he been imprisoned or even died with Christ, the promises he had been given remained. Death was not a barrier to the fulfillment of the promises – Lk 22:28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” But with his mind set on earthly things, faith in a promised future gave way to self-preservation in the present, But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” And this challenge came to Peter three times, and each time his denial was more vehement than the time before. b). Three separate denials, giving a complete denial, a complete standing away from his position as one of the Lord’s closest companions. Peter’s faith was on the edge of complete overthrow, Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And the word translated ‘looked’ is not a word that means just to look at, but a word that speaks of seeing with an absolute clarity, as if looking into Peter’s very heart. A look that we will all encounter at the Judgment Seat – Re 1:14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire……… And it is at this moment that Peter is brought face to face with the reality of his choices, Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly. And it is right here that we get the clearest and most poignant picture of the outer darkness experience for those who through their continuous unfaithfulness and disobedience will find themselves separated from the One who is the Light of the World. Just as Peter’s total denial had separated him from his Lord in the high priest’s lighted house, confining Peter to the darkness outside of the house in the company of those who sought to crucify the Christ. Aligned with the enemy rather than aligned with his Lord. c). Now, although the events in the courtyard outside the high priest’s house form a type for the Christian who will experience the outer darkness for a thousand years, the finality of it presented through the type, was not the end of the road for Peter. d). This was not Peter at the Judgment Seat, and nor will it be Peter at the Judgment Seat. Rather, this was Peter brought face to face with his prideful, arrogant self, brought face to face with his attempts to enforce his will over God’s will. This was the hand of God child training a son – Pr 3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. And no doubt we will remember that the writer of Hebrews quotes directly from this Proverb to provide encouragement for those today who will come face to face with the same stark realities as Peter did. Better now though, than at the Judgment Seat. We will continue next time if we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed.
