The priestly service of Christ

Talking about rubbish, well, here is a remedy and a resource that has been prepared for us. 1 John chapter 2 and verse number 1 says, My little children, and I suppose that is an early reminder of a relationship that is warm. And that's always good when there's a rapport between the person that is delivering the information and the person that's going to receive it.

It's not always existing and I can't always use a message given to me and dismiss it simply because there is no rapport or I don't like the person or the person doesn't like me. That's not the point, but it is a valuable thing. And it's a wonderful blessing when there is a relationship of warmth that is there in which to couch correction and to be the context for the word of God to be shared with another believer.

My little children, says John to these believers at Ephesus, these things write I on to you. And in this particular passage now we're going to see the reason for the writing of the word of God. And if we are not aware of it, I'm sure it's no secret to anyone here today that the purpose of this conference and the power and purpose of the word of God is to prevent sin occurring in your life and in mine.

And so he says, if these things write I on to you that you sin not. And then it says, if any man and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father. And here is a resource that is already at work.

Here is a resource that has already been provided. It is already in play. It is already in place.

It is already in position. And here is this wonderful provision that God has made for believers in the event of sin occurring in their lives. Of course, as we learn in chapter one, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

So there is a certain realistic approach that we all need to have in our lives. And it is wonderful to note that because of this unfortunate happenstance, this unfortunate instance of sin occurring in a child of God's life, thankfully there is a power to make it happen less, but never to the extent of perfection. And as a result, there is this provision that has already been made.

If any man sin, we have an advocate before the face of the father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins. And here is a great reliable provision that has already been made, that has great weight, that has great wealth, that has great worth, and underscores and undergirds the work of this great advocate for every child of God.

So there is tremendous resources that have been put at our disposal. And oftentimes, even though we are unaware of it, it is actually something that is happening at the moment. It is actually something that is taking place on our behalf.

What is interesting to my mind is the word advocate here, is something I guess in a personal confession, I've never really become satisfied with understanding it, or knowing if I do have a right end of the stick with it. But it is a word, as you know, that is used in John's gospel to refer to the Holy Spirit. And it's the word for comforter.

And it's the word for a man or a person to be called alongside of. A person in need, who cries out for help, and there is help that is given in a timely way. It is a comforter.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit for the child of God, that the Lord Jesus would send in his absence. But here is one, who I think is not unlike the Holy Spirit, in the sense that this same term that is used here, reminds me of the fact that the Lord Jesus, while he represents me before the face of the Father, the purpose of his activity there, is so that he might come alongside of me, and he might help me in the moment of my vulnerability. He might help me in the moment of my failure.

He might help me, and he might help you in the moment of our sin. So he is one that comes alongside, in an opportune way, at an opportune moment, with the resources that is needed, to cause us either to be prevented from sinning, or in the aftermath of sin, that there might be recovery, and there might be restoration. Now, I'm not exactly sure, but I think there is some way that we can get some light on what happens here on the behalf of the believer, as a result of the role, and the representation of the Lord Jesus Christ as our advocate.

And I guess I'm linking it to the fact that the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, we know, and I think it's generally understood, that he officially did not enter into his role as priest, or his Melchizedek priesthood at the least, until it was his ascension into heaven. But at the same time, I'm not sure if everybody will agree with that, but if you'll go along with me, I would think that at the same time, there is much in the life of the Lord Jesus, and much in his labors, much in his service, and perhaps the entirety of his public service, and of his life for God on this earth, while not officially carried out as a priest, it was priestly in its character. And so I think that there is some lessons that we can learn here, from the life and from the service of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And that's what I wish to draw your attention to, just for a minute here. I would like to go to Luke's Gospel and chapter 22. Luke's Gospel and chapter 22.

And I thought that, you know, before we get to look at our passage here, that there is numerous incidents that are very appealing, and are very attractive to our hearts, as we think of repetitive references to the fact that the Lord Jesus would be marked by sympathy. And you can see that when he would touch the leper. You can see that in his compassion, whether it was compassion on the leper, compassion on a deaf man, compassion on a blind man, compassion on the widow of Nain, compassion when it comes to a city, compassion when it comes to the nation, to the city of Jerusalem, compassion when it comes to the world that is lost.

The Lord Jesus is priest-like in his sympathy towards a lost and perishing and needy race and needy group of people. The Lord Jesus is marked by, I would say, a priestly service when it comes to him in the upper room as he washes the disciples' feet. What a beautiful example it is of what the Lord Jesus is currently wishing to do to us.

Maybe not directly, but indirectly, through the medium and mode of other men and other believers and other sisters. And he can minister to our needs, and he can cleanse our feet from defilement in the daily path and of pilgrimage that we have as believers. It is priestly ministry.

So whether it is his sympathy or whether it is his service to these disciples in washing their feet, or whether in this particular case we find his statements to Peter, and that's what we're going to read about in this particular case in Luke 22, and verse number 31, is we're going to look at this particular incident. There are many other examples that could be brought to the fore, but we'll just take a look at this here for a few moments. A very familiar passage, and it's highly unlikely that I'm going to tell anybody anything new here today, but I just want to refresh your minds.

I notice in verse number 31, the Lord says, Simon, Simon. You know, I don't know for sure just what that all means, but it seems to my mind, and you might have your own understanding of it and impression of it, but it seems to my mind there is a patience that is there. And there is also a tenderness that is there.

There is also an earnestness that is there. And if you could say it's almost an entreaty in which the Lord Jesus is going to engage with Peter, and he's going to say it to him in a double way, Simon, Simon. You remember how that he would say that to Martha? Martha, Martha.

Just his understanding, just his compassion, just his tender touch, as he understands the struggle that these different individuals have or are about to have based on some misunderstandings and some confusions that they have. So the Lord says here with affection, Simon, Simon. And then he wants to give him an alert.

And he says, behold, he wants to get his attention. He wants this man to be alert. He wants this man to be aware.

And you and I need to be informed, and we need to be alert. We need to be awake. We need to be aware that there is an enemy that has sinister designs upon your life and upon mine.

And he wants to sabotage your Christian life. He wants to ruin it. And so the Lord Jesus says, Simon, Simon, behold.

This is an expression of calling to attention. Satan. I want you to notice the adversity.

That's actually the meaning of the word Satan. I didn't know until recently that that's actually a word translated in the Old Testament a number of times for Satan himself. I think it's around 17 times.

But it's actually even translated and used other times without even referencing Satan at all. And it is normally translated by the word adversary. So I think the word adversity here is what's very much upon the heart of the Lord Jesus.

And he's looking with concern upon Peter. And he understands that Peter is going to be targeted. Of course, as you know, when it says Satan has desire to have you, the word you is not singular.

It's plural. Because the designs that Satan has is not just upon a particular individual, although he might do so in a concentrated fashion, at different times, and in different ways, for different reasons. But there's hardly any believer that is outside the scope, that is outside of the survey of this adversary of our soul.

And the Lord Jesus is cognizant about that. And the Lord Jesus is concerned about that. And, of course, he wants Peter to be concerned about it as well.

Simon, Simon. A word of affection. Behold.

An alert. An awakening. To get his attention.

Satan. That's the adversary. Hath desired.

Hath desired. He's asking. Now, I'm not sure I can wrap my mind around this little part, but I don't know who he asked.

Does Satan need permission to launch a particular assault against you and me? If so, could we understand then, if so, could we understand that just as there is no trial that can come across the path of any child of God, without our Heavenly Father knowing, without our Heavenly Father administrating the correct measure, just at the right measure, the right moment, the right manner, the right motive, everything, so without making God complicit with evil in any way, shape, or form? If I'm understanding this, and I appeal to my fellow believers here and brethren and those much more knowledgeable than I am in the Scriptures to help me with this, is it also correct to understand that even temptations, that come our way, there's a certain element in which they cannot happen without Heaven's permission. Now, lest we think that sounds strange and confusing, let us remember this, that in its purest form, for the person of the Lord Jesus, temptation was pure trial. So it's not fully outside of the scope of trial when temptation comes your way.

But whatever we take it, and however you want to put this twist on this particular passage, Satan, it says, hath desired, has demanded you, he's demanded to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. And this tells us his particular aim, this tells us his particular ambition, this tells us his particular action. I've always heard this, I think most of what we know we borrow from others anyway, we've learned from others.

I think, I don't remember ever when I first heard this, but I like it, and that it says, he doesn't desire that he may sift you as chaff, he's desiring that he might sift you as wheat, because Satan, or Simon, or Peter, was a real believer, a real child of God. So I've always kind of liked that, that's kind of always been my default way to understand this. Not so terribly long ago, I understand that they call this an idiomatic expression, that is sort of akin to the idea of picking somebody apart, and it's not something with just some kind of little trivial activity, it's actually with the intent of destroying the person, of completely dismantling the person.

So you can see that there is no limit to the evil intention and design that this adversary has for you and for me, that he may sift you as wheat. He wants to completely dismantle, he wants to completely destroy you. But I have prayed for thee.

That's singular. He's not just, doesn't mean, I didn't pray for the rest, Peter, but I did pray for you, because you're my favorite, you know. I don't really care what happens to the others.

No, his advocacy is universal within all those who belong to the Lord. But his advocacy here, he's underscoring it to Peter, I have prayed for thee. So prior to this conversation, the Lord Jesus had already prayed.

I don't know how often he prayed. I don't know if it was a one-off. But I can assure you that today, the advocacy of the Lord Jesus, on your behalf, before the Father, interceding for you, is both personal, I have prayed for thee.

And it is also plentiful, and shall I say, even perpetual. And it's also prior to the fact. It's in advance.

So you can see that God takes this whole business of failure in your life and mine, he takes it very seriously. And this is no sudden knee-jerk reaction. Oh, oh, next five minutes, you're going to be tempted.

Next five minutes, Satan's going to do something and trip him up. This is something that's measured, and it's meaningful, and it's motivated, and there's no evil design. It's entirely beneficial.

It's preventative. And he actually says, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. He doesn't want Peter to become unanchored.

I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. The word fail is the word from which we get the word eclipse. He doesn't want any kind of a, any shadow, even temporarily, to come across the path of Peter's trust in the Lord.

I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. And, you know, what's interesting is that this was not a complete collapse in the life of Peter, but it was a lapse. But it wasn't a lapse of faith, it was a lapse of courage.

We've often been told that it wasn't his faith that failed, it was his courage that failed. And, of course, we're all a little gun-shy to go after Peter too heavy-duty because of the fact that most of us have likely not been in a position where we thought our life was at risk if we identified as a Christian, or that we thought our liberty was at risk, death or jail, or both. So we've got to be a little sympathetic to him.

This is quite a substantial test he's going to find himself in. But I want you to also notice that the Lord Jesus is not under any misunderstanding or misguided thinking. The Lord Jesus has complete confidence in his advocacy for Peter that it's not only going to be something like we saw in 1 John 2 and verse 1, My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not.

It's not only going to be preventative, but it is also going to be restorative. And we know that because he says when thou art converted, when you turn back. So this is a great encouragement because the Lord Jesus is looking ahead into the future and it's almost like he's telling him there's going to be recovery and there's going to be recuperation.

And there is not only going to be a return on your part when you are converted, but there is actually going to be a return to reinforce and to aid. So he leapfrogs ahead after the failure to tell him that there's going to be recovery and actually to give him instructions beforehand what to do when he has recovered. When you are converted, strengthen your brethren.

And he's not saying to him, the reason I'm allowing you to sin and the reason I'm allowing you to fail is so that you're going to be the stronger as a result. You're going to be the more effective in your ministry and service and help to your fellow believers. There's never any justification.

There's never any rationalization that is actually adequate or acceptable for sin. But it tells us that there is somehow here, out of this situation, the Lord Jesus is so capable that in his advocacy, that is not only to plead before the Father, but also to see this person and to come alongside. You know something? When Peter failed, he didn't call the Lord to come to his side.

But the Lord was a paraclete. And the Lord is the comforter. And the Lord is the advocate.

And he comes at that moment. And he comes alongside of Peter. And so he says, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Now we have the assessment of Peter in verse number 23. It's a self-assessment. And what is interesting here, as one particular commentator pointed out, I thought it was interesting how it was put.

Sadly, good intentions in a secure room after good food are far less attractive in a darkened garden with a hostile mob. So in the comfort of this particular conversation with the Lord, assuming that they're still in this upper room here at this point, comfort, secure environment, everything looks good. And we're all very perhaps enthused and very committed believers at this moment.

And we can maybe take on the world. But there is a caution here. There's an advisory that is being given.

There is a warning that's being implicit in this. Here's a man. And unfortunately, at this point in his pilgrimage, Peter's intentions and self-assessment vastly outstrip his personal strength.

And the Lord Jesus then tells him, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. So what's going to happen? Well, we all know the sequel to the story. And we know how Peter is up there and he's denying the Lord in front of this maid.

He's not exactly living up to what he thought he might. And the very same chapter, the very same day, the very same time frame, just within a few hours of this conversation. And we see it at the end.

Verse number 54, they took him and led him and brought him into the high priest's house and Peter followed the far off. That's Luke 22 and 54. And then there was the fire and Peter sat down among them.

And we know the maid speaks to him and says, this man was also with him. And he denies saying, woman, I know I'm not. Somebody else a little later says, thou art also of them.

Verse 58, Peter says, man, I am not. And then another confidently affirms of a truth, this fellow also was with him for he is a Galilean. Peter says, man, I know not what thou sayest.

Now just as I close to point out here something that's very much on the surface. A number of things that are useful as the Lord Jesus employs all the tools that are necessary to cause his advocacy to play out in the personal experience of Peter. And what happens? Well, the first thing that happens is the cock crows.

So, Peter didn't have any control over that. Then it says, the second thing was the Lord turned and looked on Peter. Peter didn't have any control over that either.

And then it says Peter remembered the word of the Lord. And that was actually the Lord's doing as we know from our little conversation that he has had with Peter. He has put his word into Peter's mind.

And now that same word is brought back by Peter's memory. The power of the word of God, sewn in the mind of a believer. A powerful potential for blessing at a pivotal moment.

And Peter remembered the word of the Lord. So what he does have control over is he could have dismissed the word of the Lord, but he doesn't. So he's open to it.

He acknowledges it. He respects it. And it says that the very next thing he did was he wept bitterly.

No it doesn't. The next thing that he did is maybe what you need to do to avoid a recurring problem of sin in your life. Remove yourself from the circumstances where it's happening.

Where the circumstances that have led to its occurrence. And the very thing that Peter does physically is found in four words at the start of verse 62. And Peter went out.

That was a very strategic step that he took. So you're responsible for managing your life, and so am I. And you're responsible as a stewardship for the administration of your life. And Peter at this point is now no longer passive.

He extricates himself and removes himself from the fire, removes himself from the warmth, removes himself from the crowd, removes himself from the circumstances in which the failure occurred because those circumstances contributed to that. They caused it. You probably don't have a lot of hope to extricate yourself from the problem if you're not prepared to make strategic moves to extricate yourself from the place the circumstances that are causing the problem to occur.

Four words, and Peter went out. He didn't go out nonchalantly. He goes out as a broken man.

Nice to see a tender conscience. Nice to see a man that is sensitive to the word of the Lord. And Peter went out and he wept bitterly.

And we know that there is another step yet because the advocacy of the Lord Jesus, the Lord Jesus is talking about a believer, a committed life. Here's a committed Lord and he's committed to advocacy. He's committed to the spiritual well-being of every single believer here today until they reach the glory.

And the Lord is risen indeed. And Heth appeared to Simon and privately don't know what happened there. That would have been an interesting conversation to hear.

And there is something profound, something serious. Something pretty significant happened right there. And then there was one more step.

Oh man. Yeah. It's pretty easy and pretty quick for failure to happen.

And sometimes the circumstances that are the fallout are pretty complex and are not necessarily resolved in one day or in one moment. And there's another situation. Simon, son of Jodus, lovest thou me more than these? Simon has said it three times.

He's grieved. This is the third time. Thou knowest Lord that I love thee more than every one of these disciples here.

Who are they anyway? No, no. He's not only a broken man, he's now, you might say, amended man. And he's moving with a big degree of carefulness and humility but sincerity.

Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. Now please don't, I've had people use this incident and Peter's experience as an argument to say that there's certain cases that are just completely an earthquake of moral and spiritual dimensions. We're not saying the advocacy of the Lord can't overcome that, but we need to take note and we need to be cautious.

And I'm just going to leave that there. But just to tell you that within this particular case and within the parameters and the level of where this happened and what happened with Peter, we can be thankful to God for a happy recovery and a man that was converted, was recovered, was restored. Why is that? Well he had an advocate right there, but because he's not right here beside us physically doesn't mean he's less there than he was with Peter.

He's our advocate before the Father, but interconnected intimately, incessantly with every child of God. An advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And so before the throne of God above we have a rich almighty friend, a great high priest whose name is love, who pleads for me and without end.

I don't have that 100% right, but you know what I'm saying? We have a great high priest. We have an advocate with the Father and thank God for his ministry that actually we're all receiving even today in these conference meetings. May God bless His Word.