Amen, while you're still standing, if you'll find in your Bibles, Luke chapter 22, verse 31. Luke chapter 22, verse 31. This morning, we'll look at the section 31 through 34, and then we're actually gonna jump ahead to verse 54, as this morning we deal with Peter's denial of Christ. And then starting next week, we'll return sort of in sequence to verse 35, as we are in Jesus' final moments before his death, this final night. So Luke chapter 22, starting in verse 31. I hear then God's word for you. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Peter said to him, Lord, I'm ready to go with you, both to prison and to death. Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day until you deny three times that you know me. Let's look over at verse 54. When they seized Jesus and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. And then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, this man was also with him. But he denied it, saying, woman, I do not know him. And a little later, someone else saw him and said, you also are one of them. But Peter said, man, I am not. And after an interval of about an hour, still another insisted, saying, certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean. But Peter said, man, I do not know what you are talking about. And immediately, when he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly. This is God's word for us this morning. You may be seated. Lord, would you open up your word for us this morning by the power of your spirit. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen. How did Peter not become Judas? Or put another way, what's the difference between Peter and Judas? Because remember we just saw Judas betrays Jesus, sells him for pieces of silver, And there's similarities here. I mean, we see Peter, as we're about to see, denies Jesus three times. He sins against Jesus. In both cases, as we see in the other Gospels, there's remorse. Judas regrets what he did. And yet, Judas is not restored. And we are gonna see Peter is restored. This isn't the end of the story for Peter. what we need to grapple with, what makes the difference between Peter and Judas. And I wanna argue that there's one half of one verse in this passage that answers that question. And we're gonna see that as we dive into the text this morning. I want you to see this morning, if you're following along in the outline, that he will hold you fast. Jesus will hold you fast. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ. We're gonna look at four aspects of this. What does it mean that he holds us fast? Number one, he will hold you fast despite failure. Despite failure. And of course, this is prominent in our text, right? We call this the denial of Peter. And you see, you know, verses 54 through 62, there's a lot of material that Luke is gonna cover, but he zooms in on this moment when Peter denies his Lord. He wants us to see something here. I believe he wants you to see that he will hold you fast even despite failure. I remember the context here. This is the final moments of Jesus. This is his final night before he would go to the cross and die for his people. We saw the Lord's Supper a couple weeks ago, this wonderful meal that we continue to share, and it's a joyful occasion for God's people, especially now. But the first Lord's Supper was bookended by betrayal. Judas goes out and betrays Jesus. At the end of the meal, Jesus reminds them that one of them would betray him. And then Calvin so helpfully showed us that that led to the disciples quarreling amongst themselves. They don't read the room. They say, who's the greatest of the disciples? That's a good question to think about. And Jesus lovingly rebukes them and yet encourages them as well, even as he prepares for his death on the cross. And his words here, I think, would have been like a bucket of water, like a wake-up call, or they should have been. You know, they're arguing about who's the greatest and probably puzzling over some of what he has just said. And he's about to tell Peter that he will deny him three times. What do we see here? In verses 31 through 34, he says, that he might sift you like wheat. It's interesting, the you here is plural, actually, at first, so you don't see that in English, but Simon summoned, Satan desired to have you, the disciples. He wanted to scatter you, the disciples. He wanted to disrupt. He wanted to make all of you like Judas. Of course, we're reading, they wouldn't know that yet, but Satan's desire, his plan, is that he would sift the disciples like wheat, and perhaps do it through Peter himself, sort of the de facto leader of the disciples. And so Jesus says, Simon, Simon, Satan demanded to have you. It's sort of a puzzling thing to think about that Satan has a desire and a plan and on some level it's being allowed to happen. You might think of Job 1-2, a text that we puzzle over, where Satan is wandering to and fro, and he gets permission from God to go and to tempt and to bring destruction on Job. We see that Christians are meant to take Satan seriously. 1 Peter 5-8 says he's like a roaring lion, be ready, be awake, he's trying to devour. And yet, we know and we see that his power, his authority is all derivative and it's temporary. In John's gospel, when Judas has in his heart to betray Jesus, Jesus looks him in the eye and says, what you're about to do, do quickly. In other words, he knows. He's allowing this to happen. God uses sin sinlessly, and he does that here. And here he is, Jesus is showing that he knows this. He knows that Satan has a desire. But we might ask, is Satan's plan ultimately to prevail? Of course, we know the answer, no. But at this point of the text, it's sort of out there. He desired to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, we'll look at that more later, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Again, we'll look at that. You know, Peter is sort of puzzled. No, Lord, I'm willing to die for you. And this is the bucket of water on the face. I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day until you deny me three times. Jesus makes a prediction that could only be verified by what actually comes to pass, that Peter will deny him. It's a sure thing. Can you imagine what Peter's feeling? Peter who just said, I'm gonna die for you. And he's probably thinking, no, I'll never do this. I would never betray my Lord. The text continues, we'll see in the next few weeks, as Jesus prays in the garden, both for his own suffering, for his disciples, as Jesus is arrested and betrayed with a kiss from Judas. And then we get to verse 54, now Jesus has been dragged away, he's been seized. From here on out, he's in the hands, on a human level, of the powers that be. In this case, first with the religious leaders, the high priest and his household. And people are beginning to sort of murmur and gather at the high priest household. There's a fire that's been made. And Peter is following at a distance. It's not quite the bold words, I will die with you. He's following at a distance. He's not sure yet what's gonna happen here. And if you, you know, we just read through this text, you could see a serving girl comes up and asks Peter, are you, you know, this is one of the disciples, and he denies it. No, I'm not. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, I don't know how much reflection Peter is having in this moment, if he felt the sting of his words right then or if his fight or flight response was just keeping him going and he denies Jesus without even thinking about it, I'm not sure. But after some time, a man comes up and asks him the same thing and says, no, I'm not. I don't know him. And after about an hour, someone else comes and he denies it a third time. Luke actually softens it in Matthew. He invokes a curse, perhaps even on the Lord himself. He swears, as it were, by God, I don't know Jesus Christ. And now he does feel the sting of it. It says, at the very moment that he said these words, the rooster crowed. And only Luke records this, verse 61. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly. This would perhaps become Peter's greatest regret in his life. Even as Christians who know we belong to Christ, there's things in our past that seem to keep coming up. And I don't know, but I wonder if Peter thinks back on this, thought back on this moment often. And certainly in the moment, he was perhaps thinking of Jesus' words from earlier, those, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. So it says he went out, he leaves the courtyard, and he weeps bitterly. He weeps bitterly. Now what's the difference between Peter and Judas? Because we see in the Gospel of Matthew that Judas regrets. He throws the coins back. He has regret. He wishes he hadn't done it. and yet he's ultimately destroyed, not restored. What's the difference between Peter and Judas? Well, Peter wept bitter tears, the tears that come from the fear of losing the one whom he truly loved. He perhaps thought in that moment, have I done it? Have I walked away in such a way that I will never have Christ again, and if that's the case, I don't know what I'm gonna do. He has what we call godly grief, which leads to repentance. Judas only had worldly grief, which leads to destruction. Peter weeps these bitter tears, and we know from the rest of the gospel that this isn't the end of the story. But we know what genuine tears are versus ingenuine tears. I mean, whether you've known someone else or are familiar with the patterns of abuse that can come into a relationship, there could be a cycle of abuse, and then the person has remorse, and then they come to the person weeping and lavishing love and saying, I'll never do this again. It's only a matter of time before the cycle sort of just comes back again, the heart hasn't been changed. It could be bitter tears in one sense, but that's not the kind of tears that Peter has. These are the tears that say, I will never deny my Lord again. He looked me in the eye. I'll never be back here again. And so that despite Peter's failure, despite his sin, despite his wandering, Christ did hold him fast, as we're gonna see in just a moment. And believer, that's an assurance for you. If you belong to Jesus, even your wandering, even your sin does not separate you from him if he is holding you fast. And the tears that you weep over your sin are actually evidence that you belong to him because you hate your sin. You hate that it separates you even temporarily from fellowship with him. Those who don't belong to Christ love their sin. They hate the consequences, but they love their sin. Those who belong to Christ hate their sin, want to see it done away with. And so we see the answer. What's the difference between Peter and Judas? It's one half of one verse. It's verse 32. Satan demanded to have you. Verse 32, but I have prayed for you. but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. The gospel is wrapped up in this phrase, but I have prayed for you. This is good news, and that's the second point in your outline. He will hold you fast through prayer. If we say, what's the difference between Judas and Peter, there's many differences, but at the end of the day, it's because Jesus, the high priest, prayed for Peter, for the disciples. He begged on their behalf, as their representative, that God would not cast them away, that he would restore Peter, that he would protect him from the evil one. And if Jesus prays for something, you better believe it's gonna happen. We often use the phrase, but for the grace of God, go I. We look at Judas' story, and every Christian should say, if it wasn't for the grace of God, I would be Judas. There's nothing in me. I'm not smarter than Judas. I'm not more wise than Judas. I'm not sort of starting at a higher place of moral ability than Judas. Except for the grace of God, go I. We could rightly here say, but for the prayer of Christ, go I. The same Jesus who upholds the universe by the word of his power upholds his people by the word of his prayer. He prays on behalf of his people as their great high priest, and so his words to Peter, but I have prayed for you. Satan desired to have you. Your own flesh would have failed, but I have prayed for you. But I have prayed for you. During the Civil War, there was a young Union soldier who had lost his father, an older brother, in the war. He went to Washington, D.C. to see if he could get an exemption from military service so that he could go back home and help his mother and sister with the spring planting. When he approached the White House and asked to see the president, he was turned away. Totally disheartened, the soldier sat down at the park bench nearby. A little boy approached him and said, you look unhappy, soldier, what's wrong? After the soldier shared his story, the little boy took him by the hand. He led him through the back door of the White House, past the guards, and into the president's office itself. President Lincoln looked up and asked, what can I do for you, Tad? Tad said, Daddy, this soldier needs to talk to you. And the soldier was not turned away. Christian, Jesus is your great high priest. He's the beloved one of the Father. He has his Father's ear. When Jesus speaks, God the Father listens. When Jesus prays, God the Father answers. And he who has the Father's ear delights in you, loves you, holds you fast. He prays on your behalf, prays that you would not fail, prays that when you do sin, you would be restored. And that wasn't just in the past. It was, we see in John chapter 17, it's called the high priestly prayer. It's incredible if you would just go to that passage and think, what does it mean that Jesus prays for me? What does it mean that Jesus prays for me? John 17, six says, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were and you gave them to me and they have kept your word. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, that not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, so that they may be one, even as we are one. Sanctify them in the truth, your name is truth. And lest you think that Jesus there is just praying for Peter and the disciples, you're like, that's great that he prayed for them, good for them. I do not ask for these only, Jesus says, but also those who will believe in me through their word. Jesus was praying for you even then. And we know from the book of Hebrews that he continually lives to make intercession for us. We don't often think about this. What is Jesus doing now? He's prophet, he's speaking even now through the preaching of the word, but he's priest, he prays on behalf of his people. and listen to his heart in John 17. Father, I desire that they also may be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me. Jesus has the Father's ear. And this very beloved son prays on your behalf. But for the prayer of Christ, we would fail. But because of the prayer of Christ, we remain. He will hold you fast through prayer. Number three, he will hold you fast by promise. He will hold you fast by promise. There's the gospel wrapped up in that one phrase, but I have prayed for you, but verse 32 isn't done. There's two more just gospel summaries and just short little phrases. The second one is this, it's the gospel of, quote, when you have turned. Jesus says, I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. Listen to the good news of this word. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Peter, you are going to deny me. It will happen. But just as sure, when you turn again, when you turn back, I have prayed for you that you would turn back when you have turned back. We see the restoration of Peter, and of course, Luke leaves us hanging here in verse 62. He went out and wept bitterly, and we're not sure of Peter's fate until later in Luke. After the resurrection, we see in Luke 24, you know, Peter is rushing to get to the tomb. He's eager to see what has happened. Perhaps he's wrestling with what he's done and where he's at. In Mark chapter 16, we have another just gospel in miniature. when it said to the disciples, go tell his disciples and Peter that he's going before you to Galilee. How would Peter have heard that report? Peter, Peter, they said, go tell the disciples and Peter that the Christ is coming, he wants to meet you there. Peter might be thinking, and Peter? And Peter the coward? And Peter the denier? Why would he say, and Peter? Later after the resurrection, you might see Peter's wrestling as they go out to the lake and Peter says, I'm going fishing. I don't know if you've ever felt that way, either literally or, I'm returning to what I know. I don't know about what's happening. I'm wrestling with what's, I'm gonna go fishing. I know what that's about. But Jesus appears on the shore, they don't recognize it right away, but when they do, what does Peter do? He jumps out, he strips down, he swims to Jesus, eager as ever, bold as ever. He rushes into Jesus' presence, and what does Peter find there? Does he find a stern Jesus tapping his foot? Tisking? Saying, what do you have to say for yourself, Peter? No, Jesus says, come and have breakfast with me. Fish and bread, a table are spread before Peter and the others. It says Jesus came and took bread and gave it to them. And of course, that makes us think about the Last Supper. And then he says, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? And remember, he doesn't ask just once, right? He asks again, Simon, son of John, do you love me? the third time really gets to Peter. He says, Simon, son of John, do you love me? And John says, Peter was grieved because he had said to him a third time, do you love me? He said to him, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you. And yet Jesus presses in this moment, right? I just like looking Peter in the eye right at the denial. He knows that Peter has denied him three times, and so he three times reaffirms, has Peter reaffirm his love for Christ. And thus he restores him. He says, truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. When you were old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you to where you do not want to go. This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. Right, Peter said, I'm willing to die for you. And here, Jesus shows that that really was true, that really was Peter's heart of hearts. That's what God would bring about in him through the spirit, all the way to the point that one day, he would be crucified like Christ. And then Jesus says, come, follow me. Bringing us all the way back to the beginning of the gospel. Peter could have protested at this point and said, no, Lord, you don't know what I've done. I denied you three times. I ran when I should have stood. I chose safety over you when you were right there. And you don't even know my heart. I mean, that's just the words and the actions which are heinous enough, but you don't know my heart. You don't know what I've done. I can't come and follow you. I can't sit down and have breakfast with you. But it wasn't up to Peter, was it? This was Jesus' prerogative. This was his divine right to call Peter, to restore Peter. To say, come and follow me. To say, come and eat. And as if to reassure Peter, we left out one detail in those three questions. It's as if he's saying, I haven't just forgiven the past, I have purpose for you. Because every time, what does Jesus say after he says, I love you, Lord? What's the imperative Jesus gives? Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep. It's one thing, right? If you've ever had strife in your family or friends, and by God's grace, progress is being made, it's one thing to get to the point of no longer blocking the phone number on your phone. And in certain cases, I mean, extreme enough that there might be boundaries set that way, but the block comes off the phone, that is, I mean, that's grace, that's wonderful. It's a different thing to get to the point of saying, hey, can you come watch my kids for me? You see the difference? We only use those we trust. We only use those who have been fully restored. Child of God, you have not, not only have the dungeon gates been obliterated before your eyes, but you have a place in the king's chamber at his side, at the king's table. And you go out with the king in his service. And that's number four. He will hold you fast for service. There's one more, just little gospel summary in verse 32. We already said, but I have prayed. We've already said when you have turned, it's sure, and now strengthen your brothers. Peter, I have purpose for you. Strengthen your brothers. Feed the sheep. You will be an apostle in the new covenant church and the world will be turned upside down through you. And Christian, if you believe in Jesus Christ, that's true of you. He doesn't just make the slate blank. I mean, that would be grace enough to wipe away what we've done, to wipe away the sin. But He then enlists you in His service because He delights in you. David knows this in 2 Samuel 22, 20. He says, He rescued me because He delighted in me. Brothers and sisters, I will never tire of saying this to you as long as God allows me to be here. He did not save you out of mere duty, but delight. The Hebrew word there, because he delighted in me, means to delight in, to be inclined toward, to desire, to take pleasure in. He saves you because he delights in you. He saved you because he loves you. He did not offer some bare forgiveness to you so that you could stand in the corner and think long and hard about what you have done, but He restores you, gives you a new heart, enlists you in His service, welcomes you, says, have breakfast with me. As I sit with people throughout the week, no one would ever say it this way, but I feel like this question keeps coming up. You know, I know that He's forgiven me. I know that I'm justified. I just don't know if he likes me very much. For some, that might even lead you to stay away from the Lord's Supper. I want to focus there for just a moment. It's bigger than this. Certainly, we fence the table saying, if you're not a believer, don't partake. If you're loving your sin, don't partake. But the emphasis should be, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, come and eat. Come have breakfast with me. As he breaks the bread. As the wine is spread. I think of the first time that the New Covenant Church sat down for the Lord's Supper Was Peter welcome at that table? Yes, amen. Peter was welcome at that table. David would have been welcome at that table. Saul, become Paul, would have been welcome at that table. So even if you feel weak and frail, but if you're a true, genuine believer, you're welcome at that table. And so I pray that you'd hear the master's call even next week and come. Indeed, he prays that you would come, praying on your behalf. Christian, what makes the difference between Peter and Judas? It's that one little line, but I have prayed for you. Those who belong to Jesus, have him as their great high priest. He will hold you fast. through every trial, through every weakness. He will hold you fast. He wants you to know that, right? The parent at the edge of the pool trying to get their child to jump into their arms doesn't say, I'll probably catch ya. I hope I do. He wants you to know, Christian, that you're his. He will hold you fast. Let's pray. And God, we thank you for your word that it certainly convicts us of sin, but shows us the restoration that is available through Christ. I pray for those who belong to him this morning, that they would be assured, that they would know, that they would live into the reality of being Christ's. And be with us now, even as we sing and pray and fellowship. I pray this in Jesus' name.