The Monday after the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on October 21, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 22:31-38 (NKJV)
22:31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Devotion
It is terrifying to hear what Satan wanted to do to Peter. Our text says that he wanted to sift Peter as wheat, meaning that he wanted to shake Peter down so that his faith would fail. Like chaff falling through a sieve and separating from the wheat, so Peter would fall from the faith and become separated from the Church. Just as terrifying is the fact that Satan wants to do this to us! St. Peter himself records that “the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour,” (1 Pet. 5:8). Satan wants us to fall like chaff as well. He wants to shake us up and cause our faith to fail.
Our text shows that Satan can do nothing apart from God’s will. Though the devil is powerful, he cannot even begin to tempt us without God’s permission first. And though he gets permission to tempt us, he is not granted permission to overcome us. Even while our adversary is fighting against us, our Lord Jesus Christ is joined with us in the battle. He is defending us with the Word of God and interceding for us to the heavenly Father. With Christ at our side and faith by the power of His Spirit, we will not fail. Instead, after we have suffered a while, God will perfect, establish, and strengthen our faith (1 Pet. 5:10).
Collect: Lord, we beseech Thee to keep Thy household, the Church, in continual godliness; that through Thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve Thee in good works, to the glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
