Sifting
This week is on Luke 22:31-34:
These verses come before Jesus was carried off to be crucified. They are talking about the future and he mentions to Simon that Satan has asked for permission to test them. So Jesus is like "When you realize you've failed the test and become stronger from it, go help everyone else be strong too." But Peter is like "Naw man, I got this." So Jesus tells him exactly what will happen, so that it's no mystery.
Most of us hate the idea of being tested. We don't want to know where we're weak, because we associate weakness with failure and failure with punishment. But that's not the relationship Jesus has with us. Satan asked to test Peter like wheat and Jesus said OK, knowing he'd fail. If we had a friend who would be punished if he failed a test, would we sign him up for it? How about if we knew the test would change his life for the better?
Jesus said that the test would sift them like wheat. Sifting removes impurities. It separates the big from the small. You have to sift wheat and winnow wheat from chaff in order to end up with a good product. That's how Jesus describes this test. It's not a pass/fail test, like we're used to in modern schools, but more of a placement test, like what are we working with here?
From the test, Simon finds out that he's not the man he thought he was, but that he is fully loved by God anyway. That hardens his resolve. He goes from being a spiritual boy to a spiritual man. He discovers that Satan's test can't separate him from God. Even when he fails he still wins.
From the perspective of Satan, Peter is lots. Satan is like the bitter old woman at the end of the block who calls the neighborhood association if your grass is an inch too long or if you leave your garage door open by accident during dinner. In Satan's mind, he's caught Peter, and he will be rejected by God for his weakness. Instead, Peter is more free than ever and still every bit as loved by God. Peter's success rate in testing doesn't matter very much, but Peter's understanding of who God is matters very much. God knows what will happen and loves us anyway.
When we are in times of being tested, we shouldn't stress about it. Even if we fail, it only means that we've learned something new. Testing makes us stronger. Either we see that we've grown and become better Christians or we see how weak we are and how fully God's love covers the gap. It's win win! That's not to say that we shouldn't try hard to do the right thing, but that if our best isn't good enough, we're still good enough to be treated like the best.
Be welcome to being tested and tried. Some early Christians used to seek out situations where they knew they'd be weak, because they knew the situation would make them stronger. If they died, they'd be with Christ and hardship would be over, but if they lived, they'd have a better idea of who they were and who God was.
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of 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.”
But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
These verses come before Jesus was carried off to be crucified. They are talking about the future and he mentions to Simon that Satan has asked for permission to test them. So Jesus is like "When you realize you've failed the test and become stronger from it, go help everyone else be strong too." But Peter is like "Naw man, I got this." So Jesus tells him exactly what will happen, so that it's no mystery.
Most of us hate the idea of being tested. We don't want to know where we're weak, because we associate weakness with failure and failure with punishment. But that's not the relationship Jesus has with us. Satan asked to test Peter like wheat and Jesus said OK, knowing he'd fail. If we had a friend who would be punished if he failed a test, would we sign him up for it? How about if we knew the test would change his life for the better?
Jesus said that the test would sift them like wheat. Sifting removes impurities. It separates the big from the small. You have to sift wheat and winnow wheat from chaff in order to end up with a good product. That's how Jesus describes this test. It's not a pass/fail test, like we're used to in modern schools, but more of a placement test, like what are we working with here?
From the test, Simon finds out that he's not the man he thought he was, but that he is fully loved by God anyway. That hardens his resolve. He goes from being a spiritual boy to a spiritual man. He discovers that Satan's test can't separate him from God. Even when he fails he still wins.
From the perspective of Satan, Peter is lots. Satan is like the bitter old woman at the end of the block who calls the neighborhood association if your grass is an inch too long or if you leave your garage door open by accident during dinner. In Satan's mind, he's caught Peter, and he will be rejected by God for his weakness. Instead, Peter is more free than ever and still every bit as loved by God. Peter's success rate in testing doesn't matter very much, but Peter's understanding of who God is matters very much. God knows what will happen and loves us anyway.
When we are in times of being tested, we shouldn't stress about it. Even if we fail, it only means that we've learned something new. Testing makes us stronger. Either we see that we've grown and become better Christians or we see how weak we are and how fully God's love covers the gap. It's win win! That's not to say that we shouldn't try hard to do the right thing, but that if our best isn't good enough, we're still good enough to be treated like the best.
Be welcome to being tested and tried. Some early Christians used to seek out situations where they knew they'd be weak, because they knew the situation would make them stronger. If they died, they'd be with Christ and hardship would be over, but if they lived, they'd have a better idea of who they were and who God was.
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