Quick! What are your favorite examples?
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I'm sure Luke 22 and Job have already come to mind. Christ' reference in Luke 22 seems to be an allusion to Amos 9:9. I think David's life, from Bathsheba forwards to Adonijah's rebellion provides another example. And there is John the Baptist imprisoned by Herod Antipas.
The first time I hear the Lord’s pronouncement to Peter, a dear woman was recounting her recent experiences caring for a dying husband. The image stayed with me because I bake.
I subsequently wrote this little piece:
“Satan Has Asked to Sift You . . .”
Weevil-infested flour isn't too appetizing or useful. Therefore, for centuries, sifting flour has been standard operating procedure for bakers. Sifting flour never changes the nature of the wheat: sifting refines coarse grain, removing impurities. So, when Christ told Peter, "Simon,
Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat," the Lord chose an analogy that even a fisherman could understand.
Sifting is Scary, But Not Optional
The Lord continued: "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32) Peter misunderstood and
challenged Christ, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." The Lord answered
Peter's boasts: "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." (Luke 22: 34 )
We understand what the Lord meant about sifting, because we know what happened to
Peter. Peter chose to sleep when Christ asked him to pray and he let fear get the better of him in
the courtyard. Yet, when we discover we are being sifted refined are we so different from Peter?
Like Peter, we enjoy a high opinion of our selves, or our testimony, gifts and abilities.
Still, Christians need sifting to become the body of Christ on earth as surely as we must sift flour
to produce wholesome bread. Therefore, Christ graciously allows our sifting, as He allowed Peter to be sifted, so that we are pure and useful for His purposes. Sifting can be simple
irritations, or bitter self-defeating disappointment.
Sifting Always Serves the Lord's Purposes, Not Our Priorities
Peter couldn't imagine denying Christ, can you?
When did you last leap to a conclusion instead of falling to your knees?
When did you rush head long into a sensitive circumstance, ignoring godly counsel?
When did you last pursue your own benign diversions -- and flee from God's assignments?
When did you fail to put to death a deep-rooted sin?
Can you see how even a devoted Christian's "flour" is weevil-infested and needs sifting?
Sifting Continues IF We Are to Grow Up
The Lord Jesus commands that we continue to sift ourselves. Where do find a sifter big enough? "The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:16 TLB)
In Matthew 5:24 and 18:15, the Lord reminds us that others' opinion of us can be a source of sifting we must not lightly disregard. The word urges us: "Check up on yourselves. Are you
really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ's presence and power more and more
within you? Or, are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren't at all." (2 Corinthians 13:5 The Living Bible)
Sifting Hurts, But Not As Much As Crucifixion
When we fail, when we experience the pain of Satan's sifting, Christ understands. He remembers pain! And He is praying for us that our faith may not fail. (See Hebrews 4:14-16) We will never be out of Christ's watch care, though Satan asks to sift us. Satan intends to harm us, but Christ uses even evil intentions to get rid of the impurities -- the propensity to willful or ignorant sin that wrecks Christian ministries. He will use Scripture, other Christians and self-examination to winnow pesky spiritual weevils. And when we have turned back, our mission is to strengthen our brothers.
Remembering the End of Sifting
The Lord's intently quiet fixed look separated Peter from what he may have thought would protect him: position and power and prestige. When Peter's eyes met the Master's silent gaze, Peter knew that although he had disowned Christ, Christ did not disown him. Christ's look
expressed grace to Peter's heart, enabling him to repent. "Power went along with this look, to change the heart of Peter, and to bring him to himself, to his right mind." (Matthew Henry's
Commentaries)
When the Lord turned and looked at Peter, that look was for Peter, yet Christ's tender
gaze is ever upon us, to restore us to our right minds. Weeping, regretting our failures is the first evidence of being in our right minds!
Peter wept bitter tears, but he turned back and strengthened his brothers because Christ had prayed for him; he turned because Christ triumphed over Satan. In his epistle to the young
church, he wrote: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." (1 Peter 1:3-6)
Deliver Us from Evil, and Lead Us Not into Temptation.
The Lord is praying for you and me that we will turn and strengthen our brothers. The Lord changed Peter into the apostle whose words continue to comfort Christians. He intends to
change us. Therefore, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-9)
©Barbara Smith June 2002
I subsequently wrote this little piece:
“Satan Has Asked to Sift You . . .”
Weevil-infested flour isn't too appetizing or useful. Therefore, for centuries, sifting flour has been standard operating procedure for bakers. Sifting flour never changes the nature of the wheat: sifting refines coarse grain, removing impurities. So, when Christ told Peter, "Simon,
Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat," the Lord chose an analogy that even a fisherman could understand.
Sifting is Scary, But Not Optional
The Lord continued: "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32) Peter misunderstood and
challenged Christ, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." The Lord answered
Peter's boasts: "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." (Luke 22: 34 )
We understand what the Lord meant about sifting, because we know what happened to
Peter. Peter chose to sleep when Christ asked him to pray and he let fear get the better of him in
the courtyard. Yet, when we discover we are being sifted refined are we so different from Peter?
Like Peter, we enjoy a high opinion of our selves, or our testimony, gifts and abilities.
Still, Christians need sifting to become the body of Christ on earth as surely as we must sift flour
to produce wholesome bread. Therefore, Christ graciously allows our sifting, as He allowed Peter to be sifted, so that we are pure and useful for His purposes. Sifting can be simple
irritations, or bitter self-defeating disappointment.
Sifting Always Serves the Lord's Purposes, Not Our Priorities
Peter couldn't imagine denying Christ, can you?
When did you last leap to a conclusion instead of falling to your knees?
When did you rush head long into a sensitive circumstance, ignoring godly counsel?
When did you last pursue your own benign diversions -- and flee from God's assignments?
When did you fail to put to death a deep-rooted sin?
Can you see how even a devoted Christian's "flour" is weevil-infested and needs sifting?
Sifting Continues IF We Are to Grow Up
The Lord Jesus commands that we continue to sift ourselves. Where do find a sifter big enough? "The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right." (2 Timothy 3:16 TLB)
In Matthew 5:24 and 18:15, the Lord reminds us that others' opinion of us can be a source of sifting we must not lightly disregard. The word urges us: "Check up on yourselves. Are you
really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ's presence and power more and more
within you? Or, are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren't at all." (2 Corinthians 13:5 The Living Bible)
Sifting Hurts, But Not As Much As Crucifixion
When we fail, when we experience the pain of Satan's sifting, Christ understands. He remembers pain! And He is praying for us that our faith may not fail. (See Hebrews 4:14-16) We will never be out of Christ's watch care, though Satan asks to sift us. Satan intends to harm us, but Christ uses even evil intentions to get rid of the impurities -- the propensity to willful or ignorant sin that wrecks Christian ministries. He will use Scripture, other Christians and self-examination to winnow pesky spiritual weevils. And when we have turned back, our mission is to strengthen our brothers.
Remembering the End of Sifting
The Lord's intently quiet fixed look separated Peter from what he may have thought would protect him: position and power and prestige. When Peter's eyes met the Master's silent gaze, Peter knew that although he had disowned Christ, Christ did not disown him. Christ's look
expressed grace to Peter's heart, enabling him to repent. "Power went along with this look, to change the heart of Peter, and to bring him to himself, to his right mind." (Matthew Henry's
Commentaries)
When the Lord turned and looked at Peter, that look was for Peter, yet Christ's tender
gaze is ever upon us, to restore us to our right minds. Weeping, regretting our failures is the first evidence of being in our right minds!
Peter wept bitter tears, but he turned back and strengthened his brothers because Christ had prayed for him; he turned because Christ triumphed over Satan. In his epistle to the young
church, he wrote: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." (1 Peter 1:3-6)
Deliver Us from Evil, and Lead Us Not into Temptation.
The Lord is praying for you and me that we will turn and strengthen our brothers. The Lord changed Peter into the apostle whose words continue to comfort Christians. He intends to
change us. Therefore, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-9)
©Barbara Smith June 2002
Great examples. The clear teaching enunciated by Christ is that, if He did not intercede with us, we would be child's play for the devil to turn. The portion of the Lord's prayer that supplicates "...lead us not into temptation..." is a request that God not put us to a test that we cannot bear up under.
I was going to mention Job as well. Some other characters that were sustained in their faith in spite of great testing:
Abraham - when told to sacrifice Isaac
Joseph - sold by his brothers, accused of adultery
David - persecution by Saul, sin with Bathsheba, Absalom's rebellion (holding back his Lieutenants from killing Shimei who was cursing him)
Job - "Curse God and die..."
Elijah - When Jezebel was after him.
Pretty much every major and minor prophet - speaking to a stiff-necked people and being compelled to prophesy judgment to a people whose ears God had stopped. "Which of the prophets did you not put to death...?"
John the Baptist - in prison "Are you the one to come?"
Jesus - in the Wilderness and Satan's temptations.
Paul - 2 Cor 11 recounts his many sacrifices for the Gospel.
Barbara, that was definitely written by a child of God who has fist hand experience with sifting. I appreciate your wisdom. My sermon is going to focus on the aspect that you subtitle Remembering the End of Sifting.
I would caution you against showing your wisdom to such a degree here at PB because you might accidentally teach some of us men something.
I would caution you against showing your wisdom to such a degree here at PB because you might accidentally teach some of us men something.
Great examples. The clear teaching enunciated by Christ is that, if He did not intercede with us, we would be child's play for the devil to turn. The portion of the Lord's prayer that supplicates "...lead us not into temptation..." is a request that God not put us to a test that we cannot bear up under.
I was going to mention Job as well. Some other characters that were sustained in their faith in spite of great testing:
Abraham - when told to sacrifice Isaac
Joseph - sold by his brothers, accused of adultery
David - persecution by Saul, sin with Bathsheba, Absalom's rebellion (holding back his Lieutenants from killing Shimei who was cursing him)
Job - "Curse God and die..."
Elijah - When Jezebel was after him.
Pretty much every major and minor prophet - speaking to a stiff-necked people and being compelled to prophesy judgment to a people whose ears God had stopped. "Which of the prophets did you not put to death...?"
John the Baptist - in prison "Are you the one to come?"
Jesus - in the Wilderness and Satan's temptations.
Paul - 2 Cor 11 recounts his many sacrifices for the Gospel.
Great! I hadn't thought about Abraham because he actually came through his sifting with flying colors! Also, I hadn't thought of 2 Cor 11.
No problem. I think it's important to point out that I believe that "sifting us like wheat" is what Satan desires to do:
Luke 22:31-32
The idea communicated is that we would be child's play in Satan's hands were it not for Christ's intercessory work on our behalf.
Thus, I wouldn't say that Satan ever properly "sifts" a believer in the sense that Christ is talking about above. Were he to do so it would be too much for us to bear. I think it is a metaphor for apostasy.
Put another way: Judas was sifted while Peter was not.
Interesting point. You said in your previous post that Abraham was sifted in Gen 22. Do you believe that he was sifted or that Satan only desired to sift him?
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