2-3-23

Luke 22:7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” 9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked. 10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished.  Make preparations there.” 13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So, they prepared the Passover.

I wonder if the disciples ever got used to Jesus. I wonder if because Jesus told them things like this on a daily basis, they grew bored with it, because it seems to me that if someone were to give me this much detail about what was going to occur and it was exactly as they stated every time, it would certainly stand out in my mind! Granted, by this time, the disciples knew Jesus pretty well. They had seen him do some incredible miracles.

Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Think of Peter in that moment. His faith is strong, he knows who he is in Christ. He knows who Christ is. Then, imagine that dark moment when he realizes that what Jesus told him happened. FEAR. We have all been in its grip. Jesus implies that it is all satans doing. Satan wants to “sift them all as wheat”, but like Job, God doesn’t let him actually take a life. He also doesn’t set them in a plastic bubble to protect them from every problem. Problems help us to grow in faith. Jesus TELLS Peter that he has been praying for him that when this happens that his faith will not fail and that he will “turn back” and his faith will strengthen his brothers. That’s how it is with us. We go through “trials” so that when we have come through them, we are stronger and we can strengthen our “brothers”.

One of the “hot” phrases of the past few years has been “Make your mess your message”. (Make your test your testimony). There is truth here. I believe that what we go through can help others when we share it. I believe we are here to edify each other. Your struggles may help someone else to see that they can make it, because you made it.

Jesus often told the people around him what to expect. In many cases, we, as the readers get to see these things happen. SO, if what Jesus says happens in all these other places, how can we think it won’t always be as Jesus says.

In John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Here it is, the biggest promise Jesus made to us. If Jesus made a promise about such a small thing as getting a room prepared for Passover, what makes us think this promise would be anything but true? Jesus is coming. “In the fullness of time”.

Come Lord Jesus.

Shirlene Peterson