I have this passage from Luke’s account of the last supper on my mind recently. This night one night was so dramatic! Lots of surprises and important details in a few short pages. It would have been terribly long and difficult for Jesus and the disciples. The evening begins.
The meal has been served, the cup and bread were given as signs of a new covenant. Jesus confers (gives) the Kingdom to this group of young men. To (Simon) Peter, who he told that he was going to be the rock on which Christ’s church is built (Matt 16:18), he said (Luke 22:31-34):
31“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
The footnote in my bible tells me that the “you” in verse 31 is plural, so it should read “Satan has asked to sift y’all”. Satan had asked to sift the group like wheat. Indeed, the group was shaken and Judas, who had given into evil was separated from the group for good.
Another interesting thing about being sifted is that is separates groups into individual parts. This group of young followers of Jesus had become a clump that was closely bonded. Sifting would have been a painful breaking apart of the group.
During that sift, Peter (the Rock on which Christ had chosen to build the Church) even denies Jesus just as Jesus told him. The disciples are broken apart, and the leader of the group denies Christ 3 times!
Sift.
When Christ restores Peter, he gives him the task of taking care of the church and feeding the his sheep. It may not be obvious to us, but it is so much easier to feed the sheep if they are together!! The disciples had been sifted, broken apart, and painful separated from each other.
Today, Christians all over the world are broken apart. Some will not have anything to do with each other. There is one true God and all of us who trust and live Him belong the same family. There are no Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, EV Free, Methodist, Reformed, Non- or Inter- Denominational churches but one (1) body of Christ that spans the globe and time. It is time to be one.
If you are following Christ, listen carefully. God builds his church by bringing together that which Satan has broken apart. That is the rock that this house is built on.
Jesus, pray for our faith that we may not fall. Bring us together for your sake. Take the sifted and baked with us how you wish. Teach us to strengthen our brothers and sisters as we turn back to you.
May the Lord’s will be done,
CWillZ
p.s. Did you hear about the guy that fell in the sifter last week?
He is fine.
Tags: Baptist, catholism, church, church leadership, church membership, denominations, discipleship, diversity, global, Jesus, Methodist, Reformed, the Kingdom
FINE… ohhh you so had me!