Our great and glorious God in heaven. Show supremely in your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord, that in your great mercy, you've seen our greatest need. We have many needs, Father, but thank you, Lord, that you saw our greatest need was for a Savior. So we praise you, Father, for our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you, Lord, it is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. And all I need this morning is to catch a glimpse of him, a fresh glimpse of him, his glory, and his kindness to us. Grant us this into your presence, we pray. Holy Spirit, come, magnify Jesus Christ. We pray, Father, that being as little of our hearts and voices in song, as we open Your Word, as we hear Your Word preached. In all of these things, Father in Heaven, may You give honour and glory, may You be pleased with our gathering today, and may we be transformed, because all of these things we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, let's turn to 120. In our reading, we're reminded of Paul not being ashamed of the gospel, and it's this great hymn. We're reminded of the greatness. Great is the gospel of our glorious God, where mercy met the anger of God's wrath. Penalty was paid, and pardon bought, and sinners lost at last were into the Lord. O let the praises of my heart be thine, for Christ is thine, that I may call him mine, that I may sing with those who dwell above, adoring, praising Jesus, King of love. 420. ♪ Great is the gospel of our glorious Lord ♪ ♪ Where will she measure the end of her story? ♪ ♪ And where does she pause day and night and morn? ♪ ♪ Has she lost her heart and loves to him abroad? ♪ ♪ O let the praises of mine sound be thine ♪ ♪ O Christ, that I may call Him mine ♪ ♪ That I may say to those who love the Lord ♪ ♪ I adore in praise Him, Jesus Christ, my God ♪ The mystery of God's greatness. Great is the work of God's own holiness. my soul, and causes me to love. O praise the Lord, who sent him in earth beyond. O let the praises of my love be thine. ♪ For Christ has died, and I need no divine ♪ ♪ And I may sing in hopes to dwell on ♪ ♪ A golden grace in Jesus' kingdom come ♪ And angels sang in joy that swilled the morn, ♪ And our world reigned with light ♪ ♪ And Jesus rose in glory and in might ♪ ♪ O let all praises of my heart be high ♪ ♪ For Christ has died and I may hold Him high ♪ Well, we're going to turn for our reading to the Gospel of Luke. Luke chapter 22 and we'll start reading from verse 24 Luke chapter 22 and verse 24 and the context here is the Lord drawing near to the cross Calvary is approaching things are tense and well let's pick it up at verse 24 and there was also a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest and he that is the Lord Jesus he said unto them the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve for whether it is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat but I am among you as he that serveth ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations and I appoint unto you a kingdom as my father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death." And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse and script and shoes, lachry, anything? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his script. And he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me. And he was reckoned among the transgressors, for the things concerning me have an end and they said Lord behold here are two swords and he said unto them it is enough well may God bless the reading of his word and give us understanding as we return to that passage a little later let's turn to 640 in our books 640 Beneath thy cross I lay me down and mourn to see thy thorny crown. Love drops in blood from every vein. Love is the spring of all thy pain. 640 ♪ I lay me down ♪ ♪ And walk to see my glory crowned ♪ ♪ Of drops of blood from Mary's womb ♪ ♪ Now is the spring of my life ♪ Which Jesus Christ shall ever say, And spread thy loving arms away. Think of thy waiting-woods, and pray, ♪ And contemplate thy woes for me ♪ ♪ The rage of Satan and of sin ♪ ♪ Offers me doubt and fear ♪ O come, Thou Cross, O come, Thou Dove, Safe guild of love beneath the shade. ♪ In death and hell shall men remain ♪ ♪ God save the Queen, His Son divine ♪ Here I shall live and live in safety. we're going to draw near to God in prayer and bow our heads and hearts and draw near to the throne of grace. Father it is an easy thing for us just to come like this and speak words and direct them heavenwards and yet Lord we know that unless there is a way into your presence then we're just speaking into the air and our words are going no higher than this ceiling but our father in heaven we want to worship you because we know that we are being heard that you are inclining your ear to hear our words and even the cries of our hearts and the sighs upon our hearts we thank you lord you are the all-knowing god and we thank you there is a way that our prayers can reach you and that you have a desire to hear us even that's a wonder in itself and all because of what we've been singing about here about the cross of our Lord Jesus about the one who came to open up a new and living way into your presence and father at times we admit that all these things seem a million miles from reality we live in enemy territory a world that's hostile towards you a world that just thinks of the now and plans from the cradle to the grave and at times Lord we're so caught up in this and our problems and trials even our joys can make all these things seem like a fantasy so we're praying Lord for your spirit to come and to grant us a spirit of prayer deliver us father we pray from simply going through the motions lord how easy it would be just to come in here and uh... sing some songs hear a sermon and go home completely unchanged so we're praying father in heaven for cleansing first of all lord from all our sin lord we're sinful men and women that's what we are that's who we are and we deserve your wrath, your anger, we deserve, Lord, to have you push us further away than we could ever imagine, we deserve hell, we deserve banishment, we have no high thoughts of ourselves, Father, apart from your great grace towards us, but that is our great comfort that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And we would say with Paul that we're the worst. We know what we're really like, Lord, we put on our best show on Sundays, but we know what we're really like, the things we think, the things we say, and yet despite all that, wonder upon wonders you delight in us. We struggle, Lord, to understand that, and yet we thank you that you see us we will put our trust in your son we thank you that you see us through him and in him you see us perfected you see us washed and cleansed you see the finished product even though Lord we're going through this process of sanctification and have so far to go yet we want to rejoice Lord that you who began a good work in us will bring it to completion though we sigh over what we are or we groan we pray Lord you deliver us from any false humility because we want to see what we really are in Christ greatly beloved seated in heavenly places with him so father we thank you that we are clothed in a righteousness not our own that we are washed and cleansed and as far as the east is from the west so far have you removed our transgressions from us so we rejoice lord and we want to have a spirit of rejoicing today we want to be in the spirit on this day as john was on pat moss we we want to see things lord not as they seem to be but as they really are from your perspective and so father we want to worship you we want to praise you We lift up our hearts with thanksgiving. We thank you for all the temporal blessings that you've bestowed upon us. We thank you for our homes. We thank you, Lord, for food, for clothing. We thank you, Lord, for comfort. Lord, we are rich compared to so many in the world today. We are rich. We are wealthy. And when some in our world today, Lord, are just scrambling around, for something to eat Lord you have blessed us abundantly and so we would not be unthankful we want to thank you father we can say with the psalmist that the boundary lines for us have fallen in pleasant places we live in a lovely country and with all the faults and all the things we can see plainly wrong with us and yet Lord you've blessed us you've blessed this nation father way beyond what we deserve and Lord if we were to get what we deserve as a nation today we would be blotted out but we thank you lord you are patient we thank you for your kindness to us as a nation and so lord we thank you for all those temporal blessings as individuals and as a country and as these british isles lord who you have blessed so wonderfully over the years we pray lord for those who are in great need today father we pray especially for our brothers and sisters under great trial some suffering physically, Lord, awful things being done, and yet, Lord, they rejoice, thank you, that the greater the church is persecuted, the stronger she becomes. But we lift up the persecuted church to you. We think of those who live in fear in Afghanistan, fearing the knock on the door, unable to worship as we do today, in freedom and in comfort. pray for those in Pakistan on death row through some trumped up blasphemy charge pray that you'll give them peace Lord, a peace that passes all understanding when you come to them we pray and even set them free Father even bring about their release we pray for those widows and orphans Lord who are deprived of their carer and protector and their provider. We pray that you Lord will be a father to the fatherless and a husband to the widow and provide for them in their great need. thank you lord that has been singing about the greatness of the gospel that this is a gospel era and these are gospel days and all around the world today at this very moment the gospel has been preached and is being preached and will be preached just depending on the time zone but thank you lord that every every hour there'll be uh... the gospel preached in in our world and there'll be fruit there'll be people coming from darkness to light, and we thank you for that. Again, we do thank you, Lord, for your kindness to us. We've been thinking much of your goodness to us, Lord, in giving us such a faithful monarch. And, Lord, how moving all the scenes have been these past days, and what devotions she inspired and what duty Lord, what an example and yet we believe Lord she had a simple faith in you and Lord she won't be standing before you as a queen but if she's in your presence it will be as a redeemed sinner and we give you thanks Lord for the example that she's been and we pray for our king now and god save our king that is our prayer that you would come in salvation to him he needs you father in heaven would you come to him we pray and grant him that salvation so full and so free and lord here we are again in a lovely part of the country we pray for ourselves as we gather here each lord of us has our needs and uh... and you know what they are father in heaven Some in need just of a word of comfort. Some downcast, Lord, need lifting up. Others in need of physical healing, a touch from yourself, and we would lift them before you today. Some, Lord, perhaps at their wit's end, Lord, you know, again as I say we put on our best front but Lord sometimes we can be in desperate need and so we just commend ourselves to you today you know us Lord and we pray you would meet us according to our need thank you for your word father thank you that we have such riches in your holy word and never will we exhaust your word no matter how much we've heard sermons and verses and read your word still lord you come by your spirit and shine light upon that word and make it live and that's our prayer today hear as we pray father grant us a sense of your presence we pray and speak personally to us and give us grace not just to hear but to respond Father hear us because all of these things we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. We're going to sing again 5-7-4 in our books. Our firmer foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word. What more can he say than to you he has said, you who unto Jesus for refuge have fled? 5, 7, 4. Full of the nation, ye saints of the Lord, His blame for your failure gave you a terrible plight. What more can he say unto you, he hath said? You will come to Jesus, your refuge and friend. ♪ May every condition in sickness repel ♪ ♪ In poverty, sin, or abandonment dwell ♪ ♪ At home or abroad, on the land, on the sea ♪ ♪ As days may be much, now lies can never be ♪ Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed. I, I am thy God, and will still give thee shade. I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand. Thou help, I, my righteous, from impotence. ♪ And through the deep waters I must seem to go ♪ ♪ The rivers of old shall not be overflown ♪ ♪ For I will be with thee my troubles to bless ♪ ♪ And sanctify to thee my deepest distress ♪ ♪ To God entitled I proudly shall lie ♪ ♪ My great self sufficient shall be I to supply ♪ ♪ But things shall not quickly I only design ♪ ♪ I trust in God still and I'm going to be fine ♪ I will not, I will not desert to his cause. As so no more hell shall endear us to shame. I ne'er will, no ne'er will, no ne'er will, no ne'er will. Well, Luke chapter 22, verse 31, these are the words of our Lord Jesus, and He said, Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. I'm convinced there's no greater life than the Christian life, and at times we have our struggles and very unusual if you don't have a struggle if you're a Christian and there is no greater life with all the things that might come to us because we're believers and indeed things are peculiar trials to believers if we've taken up our cross and following the Lord Jesus Christ then we'll know Difficulties that people who are not Christians will know and yet there's no greater life. Lovely day today. I often think of the poor old atheist When he feels thankful, he's got no one to turn to and thank. But we can wake up this morning and go, thank you, sunny today. Thank you, I've got a measure of health today. Thank you, I'm not scrambling around in the dust for some seeds to eat, to live on today. So, so much to be thankful for. And yet, having said that, there are certain times in our life where we know pressures that threatened to even break us. There are certain seasons in life, and that really is what we're going to have a look at this morning, certain seasons that we go through and we think, will I get through this? It was Robert Murray McShane, one of my heroes I must say, the Scottish pastor, Pastor in Dundee, died at 29, godly young man. But he said, a believer is known not only by his peace and joy, but also by his warfare and distress. Now, peace and joy, yes please. Warfare and distress, not so much. And yet, if we're honest, that is the way it goes, isn't it? We know peace and joy at times, but also we have to say we know something of warfare and distress. So we're realists, that's what we're saying. We are realists here today. A Christian is a realist and we have tremendous things to look forward to in the life to come, especially Yet there are particular times when we go through those times of distress. And today that's what we're looking at, especially at that verse 31. That's what we're going to use as our base, just to see that this is nothing new. When we turn to the Scriptures we can see this is the Christian experience that will come to all. But especially here we're looking at Peter, Simon Peter, and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But there's a lovely but here. But I have prayed for you. Well, those are the verses. So, a time of distress, but how God comforts us in those times of distress. So, sifting, I guess that's the word. If we're going to look at one word, it is sifting. The believer being sifted. So, we're going to have a look at sifting's peril. Sifting's pain and Sifting's prayer in this passage here. Sifting's peril then, first of all. This is a time of spiritual danger. The whole context here, it is a time of danger, a great heaviness but spiritual danger for those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. When is the event? Well, as I said earlier, it's leading up to the cross, it's coming to the climax of the Lord's earthly ministry. And what a ministry that was! God incarnate comes into the world, His peerless teaching his miracles, his displays of authority in calming storms, in raising the dead and yet he's heading for the cross this is why he came and yet the whole atmosphere here is one of tension and it is a particular time of danger and darkness if we look at verse 53 the Lord says when I was with you, he's speaking to the disciples, when I was with you daily in the temple you did not try to seize me, sorry these are his enemies, the Pharisees, but this is your hour, he's turning to his enemies now, this is your hour and the power of darkness, notice that, in a sense it's the enemy's time it's a time of darkness and a darkness that indeed could be felt by followers of the Lord Jesus Christ here so that's the context here all through the Lord's life he's been anticipating this. Imagine all through those years, what did he understand as a child? We don't know, there were silent years, aren't there? Where we're told little glimpses, we see the Lord appearing as a 12 year old at the temple. We know he worked as a carpenter, but was there a weight upon his heart? there's an anticipation that he's heading for the cross and of course that would have been increasingly aware and certainly when he entered into those years of ministry he began to get focused three years of ministry but now he's coming to the very climax of that ministry where he's going to die upon the cross for our sins and it's a time of darkness a time of tension for the disciples and we have to realize that don't we that we're living in enemy territory aren't we this world is not our home we we feel increasingly that we're we're strangers we're pilgrims in this and indeed doesn't it seem even darker doesn't it seem to be that as the weeks go by it seems a darker and darker place and God's laws have been thrown out, even the language is being changed. We once thought we knew what marriage meant, but even the word marriage has lost its meaning now. There was a time, not so many years ago, when you used the word marriage. Oh yes, a man and a woman. We know what that is. But when it comes to gender, sexuality, the language is being changed. Truth doesn't mean what it used to mean. You know, if you go to a foreign country, they use a different language and you feel you're a stranger here. You know, I feel... and that's how we feel in Britain, isn't it, at the moment. A different language is being used. We feel increasingly we're strangers here. We don't belong here. The days are getting darker. We're feeling more uncomfortable. We're feeling, I don't belong here. So this is a time of darkness and the believers are aware now that there is something strange happening. There's a darkness that can be felt and as I say there are particular times, and this is what we're looking at now, there are particular times of stress and pressure, seasons of darkness. Now when we look at that great epistle to the church, Ephesians, Paul draws to a close, doesn't he? The Apostle Paul draws to a close in chapter 6 speaking about our enemy and he says well we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities against the cosmic powers of this present darkness against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places so Paul is saying wake up don't be surprised by this you know, it is par for the course it is the enemy's territory we're living in and there are particular seasons of darkness therefore take up the full armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all things to stand firm seasons of pressure they come to churches There are particular seasons in the life of a church where it seems that there's a great darkness comes, great battles being fought. Do you know that? Have you felt that? This isn't the Hailsham Conservative Club, is it? I don't think so, is it? Well, there's nothing wrong with that, but they won't have battles that you have here, do you know? The devil has an interest in what's going on here. Do you realize that? You don't think, oh well, we're a little fellowship of believers, we're nice people. But sometimes all hell is let loose. This is light shining in the darkness. This is where the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached. There's something special going on. When you gather to meet, this is no ordinary gathering. This is where Jesus Christ is worshipped. if only you could get rid of that church, if only you could get rid of those believers, Hellisham would be a better place, wouldn't it? I don't think so. So, you're a pain in the neck. You're just a... if only we could get rid of those Christians, what nuisances they are! Now, people might not say that, but there's a struggle, there's wrestling going on here. and there are particular times where that's felt. Now there are seasons of blessing, there are seasons of quiet, there are seasons of rest, God is so good you know it isn't all pressure but there are particular times when it seems like all hell is let loose against the local church. Now I don't know, I don't know your situation here I've been in churches long enough to know that at times you're pressing against, or something is pressing against you and certain circumstances are brought about and there's a devilish feel about it. You know there's something supernatural going on, there's an awful tension and pressure and opposition that is more than flesh and blood but then there are seasons of personal pressure and this is more to the context here really when we look at Simon there is a peril here for him personally such is the darkness and such is the pressure upon him that his very faith is at risk here is this man who thinks he's so strong and yet the Lord is warning him Simon, Simon Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat so maybe I can speak to you as an individual Christian and just ask do you know those times when there's just something going on and you can't, maybe you wouldn't think, well it's not the devil, it seems a bit dramatic, doesn't it? But there are certain times when there is a pressure on you that is demonic a demonic, satanic pressure upon your faith temptations coming to you various ways and that's why we think we're so strong, we see this in Peter so clearly Yet the strongest saint at these times could feel as weak as a kitten. So Jesus is warning Peter here that, and of course we know Peter, he was headstrong wasn't he? We all have our weaknesses, we all have our Achilles heels. But Peter was headstrong. He was a strong man. And he's going to be a leader. But sometimes our strengths can be our weaknesses, can't they? Peter was much too self-confident, much too self-reliant, and that will be his greatest weakness. But actually, it's wider than just Peter. this is plural, the you here is plural Satan has asked for you so Satan would sift all the disciples not just Peter at this time they all would feel the darkness they would all feel this peril this time of danger and so there's a warning to all of them not just Peter but of course it is Peter who is the one who's going to get into trouble through his overconfidence. So that's sifting's peril then. Particular times of danger in the church and also for us as individuals. So, do you recognize them? That's the question. Are we alert? Are we on our guard? Because that's the problem at times because we're caught off guard by this. it happens to something else, to someone else, or to another church, but are you aware that this could happen to you? If it's not happened yet, then it might well do. But the siftings pain them, we see next here, because the Lord reminds them that they have a very vicious enemy. And you you would think that the devil would be a little kinder, maybe perhaps on older people or kids or something, you know, but there is the vilest enemy that's pitched against us here. We can't imagine just how wicked this personal intelligent devil is and that's what we see in scripture he's no pussycat this is a vile spirit who is completely opposite to God he's completely opposite diametrically opposed to all God is and does God is love this is pure hatred God is light this is darkness So you take anything that God is, any attribute of God, this is the complete opposite here. God is the creator. Satan is the destroyer. He's a polyon. We see this, don't we? Right at this moment, we look around the world, we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ this morning. And we look at Nigeria, just reading Open Doors, that seeks to support persecuted Christians. Last year, that is 2021, in Nigeria, 5,898 Christians were killed. 5,898 followers of Jesus Christ were killed. So in some countries the devil is the destroyer. He destroys, he physically destroys. Now we know that's not just in Christians, but it's not just in Christians. If he could, the devil would destroy every human being. Every human being made in God's image. Look at our country here. See the number of lives destroyed by drink, drugs, sex. The devil doesn't mind. It's odd he can destroy body and soul. That's his aim, of course. So this is the destroyer. but especially he's pitched against the church. We see this so clearly in Revelation, don't we, where we're shown the curtains drawn aside and the devil is furious, his time is short and he's pitched against the church, his special focus is upon the church of Jesus Christ. So he wants to sift all believers but especially in the context here He's going to sift Peter. Sifting, of course, at that time was a two-stage process. The first step would involve tossing the wheat in the air, and the wind would carry away the chaff, all the unwanted bits. The wind would take away, so you'd just be left with the wheat. But the second stage would involve a sieve, and that would be used to separate what's valuable, really valuable, from what is not. Have you used a sieve at all? Any gardeners here? When I was a kid we were given a brand new council house just outside Bournemouth and my dad gave me the pleasure of helping him in the garden. It was just, it'd be in a field. They put this account of the state in the middle of a field. And so, you know, you just had to start from scratch. And so, and it was very stony. So my dad, I was put in charge of the sieve. And so he would get the shovel and I would have to shake. And the idea was to really shake so that you would just get the stones out, you know, so you'd be left with the soil. but this sim and this is the picture here that satan wants to sift you he wants to shake you there's something violent here that when the devil is given a hand to work there's something violent he shakes us he wants to shake us shake the life out of us there's no pity here now if the devil could he would so shake you that you would lose your salvation that would be his aim, wouldn't it? if only everyone could end up in hell like him but we're safe in Jesus Christ, aren't we? we're held by Jesus Christ we're in his hand no one can take us from his hand, no one can pluck us from Christ's hand, from the Father's hand, we are safe, aren't we? But the next best thing is to so shake us that our testimony is ruined. It's staggering the number of Christian leaders who have fallen, isn't it, in recent years. And I've just got back from Canada. We're visiting our daughter in Canada. next, last week. I'm a bit jet-lagged, you might be able to recognize. But, and I mean, she was just confiding in me how local leaders had fallen And it got us onto this whole subject of, we began to think about just how many high-profile preachers, pastors had fallen through various ways and means. And the devastation that, you won't know who I'm talking about, but one young man in the area where they are had fallen badly, a moral collapse. And the fallout from that, wife, children, father took his own life. I mean the fallout, when a Christian, of course the more high profile you are the worse the fallout is. And what victory Satan has when a Christian falls. So what care we must take. So what is the aim here? Well, we can see his aim is clear here in Peter's life. It's to so devastate him that he becomes an orso ran. Here is a man who has great potential. And if he should fall, if he should so ruin his testimony that he won't lose his soul, but what use would he be in the kingdom? and so it is with us brothers and sisters that the devil will seek to steal our joy our testimony, the assurance what could be worse than just you know I pray for a number of these men of form but one in particular one man I pray for he's lost everything Because he's fallen, he lost his wife, his kids. I mean, I think they're still there. I think they've been healed up, but what does he do? When your reputation has gone. Well, I don't know how you're going to work this out. Obviously, it's a weight on my heart. These Christian leaders and, you know, we must take heed. No one is safe, folks. Do you realize that? No one is safe. And the temptations were different. how Satan and the way that Satan tempted Peter well it wouldn't work with us he was self-confident and pride but the devil knows you the devil knows you he knows how to tempt you what to cause you to fall to stumble and so he's a robber isn't he the devil is a robber he's a thief and he wants to steal you of your joy and there are some believers who they're still going today but they've lost their joy haven't they? have you noticed that? you know there's no victory in their life they just they turn up for meetings and there's something there's a spark gone isn't there? do you know anyone like that? the spark has gone David in one of the psalms it says the light has gone from his eyes Maybe that's you. And in our circles if we talk about the reformed, let's talk about the reformed church now, that's us isn't it? And they can be a real morose bunch can't we? Talk about morose or it's a deep joy. But there's some, I go through Galatians at the moment in my own devotions here and Paul says what's happened to your joy? Could that be said of you? Has the devil stolen it? Has the devil deprived you of your joy? What's gone wrong? We pride ourselves in our Bible knowledge, in our theological grasp, and yet something's gone. Something's been stolen. I want to be the happiest saint living, don't you? The Lord Jesus Christ was the most joyful human being ever walked this earth. Though he was a man of sorrows, though he suffered, though he was acquainted with grief, and yet there was a joy in his life. And the Lord Jesus Christ here saying, Peter, Peter, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you. I think it's a comfort here when we look that he The devil is asking for permission. I think this is a tremendous comfort, isn't it? Satan needed to ask the Lord's permission. Satan has asked to sift you. Do you remember how when Satan sifts out to bring Job down, first he had to approach God for permission. because he goes out to systematically destroy him. That's his work, isn't it? And God gives him so much space, but he sets out to systematically destroy Job. But he was given boundaries that, of course, God would use for his own ends. But what we notice here, and I did imply it earlier, he knew where to hit. And he knew the weaknesses of Peter. He knew exactly that weak spot. And surely it was painful. But let's move on because that's pretty gloomy. We have these things in balance. There's darkness. There are signs of pressure. and no one escapes and yet there was that tremendous but in verse thirty two but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail and when you have returned when you have converted to me strengthen your brethren so praise God that though Satan knows our weaknesses so does the Lord Jesus. That's a great comfort, isn't it? He loves us, He cares for us, He prays for us. Lovely verse in Hebrews, isn't it? that we didn't have a high priest who was unable to empathize with our weaknesses but we have one who's been tempted in every way just as we are, of course, without sin. Robert Moriarty, Shane, I mentioned earlier, he said this, if you've read his remains of memoirs, tremendous to read that, but he said this, if I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room I would not fear a million enemies, yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me. Jesus Christ, dear saint, is praying for you. Can you believe that? Hard to understand, isn't it? Hard to really believe? I mean, we know the truth. Oh yes, we know that. But he should actually know me? love me, care for me, pray for me the Lord Jesus Christ as our great high priest is praying for us the Lord is gracious he is faithful and he is praying but I have prayed for you these were a shaky bunch weren't they? when you look at the disciples here here's Calvary drawing near they're thinking who'll be the greatest when he's gone? what a bunch you like them? I mean here's the Lord you know going to the cross and he knows that they're vying for position and yet still he loves them and it notices every attempt to please him in verse 28 he says these are those who have continued with me in my trials notice that he recognizes that shaky as they are but you are those who have continued with me in my trials well what tremendous love and and grace Warren Weersbe the bible commentator makes a lovely point he says these men stood with Jesus in his trials he will not forsake them in theirs The Lord doesn't see us as a bunch of failures. I think we see ourselves like that, don't we? At times we think, oh, what a heap of rubbish. But the Lord doesn't see us like that. He sees us as precious saints. We are dearly loved children. We who are parents, I mean, we've had those stages when our kids, when they were small, they'll bring up a painting, I've drawn this horse for you, Daddy. And you don't say, what an absolute load of rubbish. You know, can't you draw, can't you draw heads? Can't you, can't you, can't you draw a horse? We say, well, that's wonderful, well done. You know, do you think our Heavenly Father is less kind than that, He notices your every effort to please Him. We minimize it, don't we? We look at the stuff, we see the false, we know what we're really like, but our kind Heavenly Father and our wonderful Savior, He notices every effort to please Him and it brings joy to His heart. So, what we see here, in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we need to also love and uphold those who are being sifted. This is what the church is about, isn't it? This is why we have strength, we love each other, we uphold one another through the times and, you know, thankfully we don't all go through tough times at the same time, do we? you know and there are times when we can draw alongside someone in their trial maybe this is your hour of trial now and you need someone just to draw alongside or maybe you're able to draw alongside someone and we need to be the comforters don't we and flesh and blood we thank you that God has given us a comforter we too need to comfort those in their times of distress Of course the devil's always at work seeking to separate and divide us, isn't he? That's his great work in the church to somehow mar that lovely unity that exists in the church. What other body can there be on earth than a group of men and women who belong to Jesus Christ, different backgrounds, ages, and yet there's a love for each other and so we support one another. And, you know, we live in this divisive world, don't we? You see the hatred and the... I mean, I don't know why I go on Twitter. Well, I do. I try and get the gospel out there, but... Some of the unkindnesses and... And these... Oh, we know. What a cruel... What a cruel sort of a culture we've created. That we put people on pedestals and then we love to knock them down. You know, this thing about, I don't want to bore you with this, but this whole thing about the queue for the Queen, and Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, if you don't know who they are, no problem. But they're a couple of presenters on TV, and they've been accused of jumping the queue, and one minute, everyone loves them, now they, we hate them. You know, we put them on pedestals, we knock them down. what a horrible people we are, what a horrible nation we are what cruelty no forgiveness is there no grace let's not be like that let's love one another from the heart as Peter puts it as he would put it as an older man Don Carson the pastor theologian he was He'd written a book about his dad. Don Carson's father always battled with a sense of failure. Don Carson's father was a pastor in Canada, and just a small church pastor. And it was called Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, so Don Carson writes this biography of his dad. and I saw him do a little clip advertising it and he was speaking tearfully, he was quite moved as he was speaking about his dad and how he battled with his sense of failure he never felt he achieved much and so he wrote this memoir just showing different qualities about his father who was almost crippled with a sense of failure but his famous son could write this about him The only people that Dad put down were those he put down on his prayer list. That's great, isn't it? Now, wouldn't that be lovely if that could be said of us? The only person they put down were those he put down on the prayer list. Well, you know, what is it to be successful? I would say that's success, isn't it? To love people like that, to uphold people like that, I would say that's pretty much a successful ministry. well that's it, here's that great warning then Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail so we know the story don't we Peter, he denied the Lord three times he was restored and went on to be the great preacher at Pentecost and a leader in the church so God gave him great grace and had great things in store for him it's quite poignant that as an older man Peter, you know when we read 1 Peter, 2 Peter it's a different Peter isn't it? a much older and wiser man now he's been humbled and we get hopefully we get kinder and we get more loving as time goes by and Peter would write as an older saint above all else love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins well the Lord is praying for us the Lord is with us he's for us and he's among us and so let us uphold each other these are dark days aren't they and how we need each other let's pray Lord, we are just staggered at your great grace to us. We ought to sing about your grace, Lord, and if we're honest, we're slow to show it at times, Father. We pray something of our Savior's grace might be in us and flow through us. We need each other, Lord. These are such dark, dangerous days. Lord, we pray you'll keep us from falling. That's our prayer. we know our own hearts Lord we know we are capable of anything so we pray that you would enable us to be kept from temptation and to put on the full armor of God and then Lord help us to uphold each other in the battle we pray because we ask this in Jesus name Amen well let's turn to number 203 in our books Is it 203? Oh, 258. 258. 258. Before the throne of God above I have a strong, a perfect plea, a great high priest whose name is love, who ever lives and pleads for me. 258. He bore the throne of America, ♪ From a strong, a perfect being ♪ ♪ A great high priest who's in His love ♪ ♪ Whoever lives and believes for me ♪ ♪ My name is written in His hands ♪ ♪ My name is written on His heart ♪ ♪ I know that quietly ♪ When Satan tempts me to despair, Tells me of the guilt within. How could I look and see him there? Who laid a hand on all my sin? Because the sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted three. The doctor just isn't satisfied. Do not come in and bother me. Do not come in and bother me. ♪ In every prison pound ♪ ♪ I am its darkness, its righteousness ♪ ♪ The great and changeable I am ♪ ♪ The King of glory and of grace ♪ ♪ One with himself I cannot die ♪ ♪ My soul is purchased by his blood ♪ Please be seated. Let's pray now as we draw around the Lord's table. We're thankful, Lord, so thankful for demonstrating your love supremely in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We wonder, Lord, at such Calvary love, such undeserved love for people like us, and thank you for that great truth, one with himself, we cannot die. Our souls are purchased by his blood. so Lord deliver us again from any sense of formality Lord we've done this so many times we've taken the bread and the wine but we pray Holy Spirit that you might give us a fresh awareness a fresh understanding a fresh thankfulness whatever it might be Lord that we might realize just the love that brought our Savior from heaven to earth and the blood that was shed for our sins and the body that was broken. We give you thanks, Lord, may we eat and drink with a broken heart and yet thankful at such love to us. Hear us, Father, we pray in Jesus' name.