Lucas 22

Lucas 22

Murray - In His life on earth, Christ began His work as Intercessor. Think of the high-priestly prayer on behalf of His disciples and of all who would believe in His name through them. Think of His words to Peter, “I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22:32)—a proof of how intensely personal His intercession is. And on the cross, He spoke as intercessor: “Father, forgive these people” (Luke 23:34). Now that He is seated at God’s right hand, He continues, as our great High Priest, the work of intercession without ceasing. Yet He gives His people power to take part in it. Seven times in His farewell discourse, He repeated the assurance that He would do what they asked. The power of heaven was to be at the disciples’ disposal. God waited for the disciples to ask for His grace and power. Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, they would know what the will of God was. They would learn in faith to pray in His name. He would present their requests to the Father, and through united intercession, the Church would be clothed with the power of the Spirit. Charles Stanley - GET UP! SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE 22:31–34 KEY VERSE: LUKE 22:31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” In Peter’s mind, it was a brave moment of standing with his Messiah. Sword in hand, Peter would do everything he could to help Jesus carve away the Roman Empire and regain Israel’s independence. Christ’s battle was not against Rome, though; it was against sin. He saw the truth of the situation, whereas Peter had a limited view. Jesus understood that in the stressful events leading up to the Crucifixion, the disciples would be filled with sorrow and confusion. Jesus knew that Peter would fail. Jesus told him, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:32). Jesus knows there will be times when you fail too. Things will arise in your life—distresses, perplexities, great pains—that will be extraordinarily difficult to stand against, and you will flounder. However, Jesus is interceding for you. He does not view you in light of your failures but whether you rise again to serve Him. Henry Liddon said, “Nothing is really lost by a life of sacrifice; everything is lost by failure to obey God’s call.” When you fall, do not be afraid of God. He always accepts you with open arms. Focus instead on His forgiveness and get up again! Lord, just as You knew Peter would fail—but would return, humbled, and serve You—so, too, You know my failings and draw my penitent heart back to You. Charles Stanley - Patience That Won’t Let Go SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 22:31–34 KEY VERSE: Luke 22:32 I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. Amy Carmichael addressed the events related in these verses: Our Lord Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith might not fail, and within a few hours his faith did fail. The more we think of those last hours of our Lord just before Calvary, the more we see every kind of trial compressed into them. It was not only that His cup was filled to overflowing with suffering, but that every variety of suffering was there. It is easy to escape from the intolerable sense of such suffering by saying, “He was God.” And where Peter was concerned, we may say that Jesus saw across to the victory that would be given. But we know, though we cannot understand it, that Christ was man, too, and the word in Hebrews says that He suffered being tempted. To suffer means to endure or experience pain, so there is no escape by that door. Is there one for whom we are praying who seems to be unhelped by that prayer? Are we suffering, enduring, experiencing the bitterness of disappointment? Our dear Lord has been this way before. We shall find Him there. He who “turned, and looked upon Peter” will give to us … His own eternal tenderness of spirit, the love that cannot be fired out of loving, the patience that will not let go. Peter did not fully understand God’s plan. Only later did he learn that God’s greatest source of strength was found in looking beyond himself and into the eyes of Jesus. Dear Lord, help me to be faithful in prayer. Give me patience that won’t let go! Blowing Away The Chaff Read: Luke 22:31-34 Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you. —Luke 22:31-32 In Jesus’ day, wheat was separated from the chaff by a process called winnowing. A person would shake the winnow back and forth, while allowing the wind to blow away the chaff. Jesus used this analogy to prepare Peter for the trauma he would face when he’d see his Master being led away to the cross. He said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). Satan would shake Peter to the core of his being in an attempt to destroy his faith. But Jesus, knowing Peter’s weakness, assured him, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (v.32). In spite of this warning and reassurance, Peter still denied that he ever knew Jesus. You might ask, “Wasn’t that a failure of his faith?” No, it wasn’t his faith that failed, but his courage. When Satan launches his attack, We must take heart and pray; If we submit ourselves to God, He'll be our strength and stay. —Sper Satan's ploys are no match for the Savior's power. Charles Stanley - Sifted for Service SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 22:31–34 KEY VERSE: Luke 22:32 I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. If you want to be greatly used of God, you must be willing to be sifted for His service. This principle is much like the process of winnowing wheat. In New Testament times that was done by threshing the grain on high ground. The chaff was blown away by the wind while what was useful remained. Peter was no exception to the winnowing process. Jesus told the future apostle: “Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32 NASB). It was the night of our Lord’s arrest. If ever there was a time Peter wanted to stand firm, that was it. Yet he ended up denying Jesus three times. What emotional pain and sorrow must have gripped his mind. But think back to Jesus’ words: “When once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” This is the hope we have in Christ; that even when we fail Him, even when He has to winnow us like wheat, He never gives up on us. By sifting your life through trials and frustrations, God brings to the surface the things that are impure. Had Peter refused to be sifted, he never would have been fit for service. If you sense God’s sifting hand in your life, submit your will to Him and allow Him to prepare you for His service. Lord, help me realize that my trials and frustrations are not without purpose. You are separating the good from the bad, the spiritual grain from the chaff. You are sifting me for service.