What God Is Looking For Series

What God is Looking For

Series: Encountering Jesus (through the Gospel of Luke)

March 22, 2020 – Brad Bailey

Series #63 / Text: Luke 22:54-62

Note: The following message was given during the season of the coronavirus pandemic in which churches were unable to meet and were live streaming. The text follows our flow through the Gospel of Luke but includes some reference to the unprecedented change in daily lives and concerns at hand.

Intro

Welcome…so glad you are joining me in this moment.

We’ve all been in something of a “slow shock”…as the past couple weeks unfolded … and we face major change in our daily lives for a while.

Safe to say… we all sense some unsettledness… and uncertainty.

Naturally it’s a time to engage what our God may say to us.

As such…it may seem natural to venture to any number of words in Scripture.

But we have been in a LONG venture of encountering Jesus through the Gospel of Luke.

And not only do I feel a desire to see us complete this concluding section that leads us into Easter in a few weeks…. But I’m also finding that there is something here … prophetically.

In this drama… there is that which speaks to the drama of this time.

Here we have the confrontation of all powers …here Jesus speaks into the condition of human chaos.

Last week…we engaged the question of “Who is in control?”

During a time like this…it is natural to wonder…who is in control… and as we feel the loss of control in our lives… it’s not uncommon to try even harder to take control. And as the moment approached in which Jesus was going to be seized… he warned his disciples that here would be chaos.

And as we saw… that is exactly what began to play out in his arrest.

We see in that moment that everyone is making a play for control. And there in the midst…Jesus is the only one who is in control. … he is revealing there is something bigger. When most bound… he was the one in control… for he had just acknowledged that if this was indeed needed… he would accept the suffering… as the good will of God.

For all along he had known that he would bear the consequences of sn and separation of all life.

There is a virus… a spiritual virus… that of our tragic self declared independence from God…and God is providing his own life as the vaccine.

What a vital word to our souls. In this time… we can stop and realize…

Our existence is ultimately rooted in the WILL of God ….and it is GOOD.

And today… we take up another question.

What is God looking for in us?

This is a relevant question because during this time in which so much common activity is suspended… we may have more time with ourselves… less distracted…less diverted. When we don’t have the usual forms of activity that occupy us…we may face more time with ourselves… facing ourselves.

And I believe what God wants us to realize is that he is not only looking at us…but he is looking FOR us.

Today God speaks to us as we look at one of the core lives in this drama… Peter. Peter … also known as Simon Peter…. was one of the 12 which Jesus chose as his initial core disciples. One of the three closest to Jesus.

Also the one who always jumps in… speaks out…sometimes too quickly.

Peter is a proud man.

He’d been a leader among fishermen. He has never been comfortable with weakness.

When Jesus first told his disciples that he must suffer and die… Peter jumps in and says that can’t happen. He’s really saying: “I don’t do weakness.”

He’s loyal…but also proud of his loyalty. His loyalty is bound in pride.

What is Peter trusting in? His own strength.

And Luke tells us about the profound exchange that took place between Jesus and Peter. After the Last Supper… in which Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples… on the night he was arrested… Jesus said…

Luke 22:31- 34 (NLT)

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” 34 But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

And in Matthews account [1]…

Matthew 26:33,35 (NLT)

Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” …35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.