Sifted Like Wheat

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:24-34; verses 31, 32

If you feel like you have been through a sifting process lately, there may be a reason! The devil may be on your case and for some reason or other, God has given him permission! The good news is that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father praying for you.

Always bear in mind that the Bible characters were just as human as you and I are today. There were a few who were anointed from the Holy Spirit from birth, but for the most part, they experienced all the ups and downs and disasters and triumphs that we experience. “It’s just part of life!”

Our scripture for today takes place in the Upper Room. The Last Supper was finished and they were visiting before going to Gethsemane to pray. Judas had left to betray Jesus, so He was trying to instruct the other eleven.

The disciples were between 25 and 30 years old; obviously very competitive. They got in an argument as to which one was the greatest.  We can only imagine how frustrated Jesus must have been – He had just washed their feet and tried to teach them humility!

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Jesus had many things on His mind that evening:

1.    His disciples – the 12 – including Judas

2.    His other followers – including us (John 17)

3.    His mother

4.    His own life and the suffering He was about to undergo. As He prayed in the Garden His suffering was so intense that He “sweat blood.”

And the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest!

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But we really can’t fault them for we all spend time “majoring on the minor” problems of life at times.

Jesus saw it as a “teaching moment.”

I.                A Rebuke (v 25-17)

II.              A Promise (v 28-30)

III.            The warning (v 31-34)

 

The NASB for verse 31 says, “Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat.” And it appears that God gave him permission, for when Jesus prayed for him He did not say, “And I told Satan He could not do it!” Not at all! Jesus said, "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

If this sounds familiar, there is a reason! Satan approached God in the same manner and received permission to tempt Job in the Old Testament. As one commentator noted, “Satan had better luck with Peter than he did with Job.” But I haste to add that in the long run Satan lost both battles because Job’s story has helped many, many people get through some tough times. And the change in Peter’s life was absolutely phenomenal after Pentecost… and many of us who fail God miserably are greatly comforted because we can better understand God’s redemptive love.

There is another aspect to this scripture. If you will look at verse 31, both times the word “you” is in the plural – meaning all of the disciples. However, the “you” in verse 32 is singular.

What does that mean? First, all 11 would be tempted and tried in a terrible way. (Judas had left to finish betraying Jesus.)

However, Jesus was telling Peter that he, specifically, was targeted in a major way. And as we know, Peter denied Jesus three times, just as predicted in verse 34. The psalmist wrote, “He knows our frame… we are but dust.” (Psalm 103:14)

So… if Jesus is praying for us, why do we still get into trouble? It’s because the answer to His prayer for us is conditional. It requires our cooperation. God created us with free will. We can be as close to God or as far from God as we choose. If we do not follow God’s commands, He cannot bless us as much. We can always reject God’s grace. It is an awesome responsibility!

We all fail – that is part of the condition. But today let’s remember Jesus’ challenge to Peter. “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:32b)

In order for us to walk in God’s grace we must also walk in humility. The Lord isn’t much impressed with “Know-it-alls.” Jesus said, “I can only do what the Father tells Me to do.”