The words are over 100 years old but it has a modern tune
Miss Habershonnew wrote it in 1905
A new tune has revived these old words
Today to think about how Christ holds us fast
Simon Peter will deny Jesus three times and all will be made to stumble
Satan has sought to sift Peter - but Jesus has prayed for Him
He may deny Jesus but his faith will remain
He will be restored
Although at times we are faithless - Jesus is always faithful
We cannot lose our salvation - it is of grace and not of works
It is Christ at home who holds us fast and brings us to glory
We must keep our eyes upon Him but it is His obedience that brings us to heaven
Looking first at Mathew 26:31-35, then Luke 22:24-34
This is an awful hour - the hour and the power of darkness
Satan had entered Judas
Satan sought to attack all the disciples (though he marked out Peter in particular)
All the disciples fled when the soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane
How is your life at the moment?
Satan is an accuser of the brethren and puts temptation before us - at these times, Christ holds us fast
Christ prays for His own in the hour of darkness
Quote from Robert Murray McShane
Overview:
The Disciples
Peter
Ourselves
The Disciples
Mathew 26:31-35
They had celebrated an intimate Passover, but Jesus had not restricted the elements from them, even though they would desert Him and were arguing who was the greatest (Luke)
Jesus had to teach them that He who serves is greatest - Humility
They are talking about greatest but Jesus humbles them - v31
They will all be made to stumble
Has this ever happened to you?
On any previous occasion when Jesus was opposed - He was delivered - examples
Perhaps in the Garden of Gethsemane the disciples were expecting deliverance
They were not expecting Jesus to be given into the soldiers hands
Jesus would go before them - v32
Even though they would run away and Jesus would go to a cross - after His resurrection, He would restore them
Jesus prayed for the disciples - John 17:11, 15
As we come to the communion table - remember that Christ did not deny the elements to the disciples even though they would desert Him
Yes, we should examine our own heart
But, we should obey the ordinance of Communion - example
Jesus quotes a verse from Zechariah - Zech 13:7
He is predicting what will happen based on Old Testament Scripture
He understood the Old Testament and Isa 53
It is God in heaven that will strike the Shepherd
Isa 53:4,10
Isa 53:5
We are kept through Jesus' blood - cleaned from sin
Peter
Luke 22:31-34
This account is in all four Gospels - but only this account focuses on Peter
Satan is asking permission from God to sift Peter
Jesus has prayed for Peter - yes he will be shaken (like chaff), but then return to Him and strengthen the disciples
Simon Peter was a principle Apostle
He name was changed to Cephas - mean rock
He was the first to declare that Jesus Christ was the Son of God - revealed by the Father in Heaven
Jesus Christ was to build His Church on the basis of this confession
He was often headstrong but sincere
He keenly felt his sin - Luke 5
He loved the Lord Jesus with all his heart
Simon, Simon
Jesus addresses him tenderly
He acknowledges his weakness
But He has prayed for him - even before Satan had asked
His faith would remain even though he would be shaken
He was to strengthen the brethren
1 Peter 1:5 - He speaks of being kept by the power of God
Jesus predicts exactly what would happen
1 Peter 2:24-25 - He speaks of the work of Christ
Ourselves
What about us?
Our name is not Peter but Jesus' knows our name
He speaks tenderly to us
He speaks to us - He will keep us
We will be kept
John 10:27
Heb 7:25 - Jesus prays for us
Rom 8:31-34
We come with confidence and gladness because Christ keeps us
