"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." (Luke 22:31-34.)

This scene occurred in the upper room at the last Passover Jesus celebrated with the apostles. He said that he "desired to eat this Passover with them before he suffered." (12:15.) From the bread and wine served in the Passover meal, he instituted the Lord’s Supper whereby disciples could remember what he did on the cross for lost mankind. It was a sad occasion and serious.

Jesus had two apostles, Judas and Peter, who were about to do something very serious against him that very night. One was going to betray him altogether.

"But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to inquire among them-selves, which of them it was that should do this thing." (Luke 22:21-23.)

The second apostle, Peter, would deny even knowing the Lord three times before the rooster would crow. (verse 34.) This would happen even though Peter said boldly and confidently, "Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death." (verse 33.) All of the disciples joined in and agreed with Peter. "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." (Matt. 26:35.)

In addition to the problems associated with Judas and Peter, the text also shows that there was strife among all the apostles about whom would be the greatest among them. (Luke 22:24.) Jesus had taught them much, but there was so much more that they needed to understand about the Kingdom and also so much more maturity that they would need to do the Lord’s work after he left. Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth and to bring to remembrance all things that Jesus had taught them.

The words Jesus spoke to Peter, "When thou art converted, strengthen the brethren," are the ones for our message today. These are challenging words to any Christian. But note to whom these words were addressed.

Peter, Judas and all the apostles had been baptized, probably by John the Baptist. They had, therefore, received a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4.) They had since then listened to John when he pointed all his disciples to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1:29, 36.) They had faithfully followed Jesus for the past three years. They had left their work as fishermen and tax collectors to follow Jesus. They suffered much for the decision that they made concerning Jesus. Many did not understand their decision; the Jewish leaders put pressure on those who were disciples of Jesus. These apostles were not lukewarm, indifferent disciples. But they were human beings with weaknesses common to all men. They struggled with some of the same issues that trouble us. Sin and temptation were just as powerful then as now. Being with Jesus did not mean that they were immune to it.

Imagine these twelve chosen men being told by the Lord just before his crucifixion that one would betray him and another would deny him. They were exceeding sorrowful and began to ask him, "Lord, is it I?" (Matt. 26:22.) Satan desired Peter that he might sift him like wheat. Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail him. Jesus, no doubt, prayed for all of his disciples.

Note the power of the words, "When thou art converted." Peter, of course, had been converted by the preaching of John the Baptist and baptized by him. But there is a sense in which conversion is an ongoing process. Peter needed to make some more changes in his heart and life. So did Judas and all the other apostles. So do we! It takes a lot for disciples to fully surrender to the Lord and his Kingdom.

The word, converted, is the same as the one used in Acts 3:19—"Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out." It means to twist about or change directions. It means to change your mind and decision. There is a real sense in which when we first obey the Gospel we have made the initial decision to change, but certainly not the last one. We must keep on allowing the Gospel to change us. It is not all over at baptism.

David needed to be converted. . . again. He pleaded for forgiveness and cleansing. He asked God to "restore him to the joy of thy salvation. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee." (Psalm 51:12-13.)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." (John 12:24-26.)

"For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." (Phil. 2:20-21.) Many in the churches at Corinth, Ephesus, Laodicea, and others needed to be converted. John wrote that "a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy." (Rev. 3:4.)

If the apostles, Peter and others, needed to be converted at the end of three years in the presence of Jesus, how much more do we need it! Last Sunday, our message was about the need for the lost to be converted and what we can do to fulfill our mission. Today, this text says that we need to be converted. But why do we need to be converted? Here are some valid reasons.

to irritate. He wants to cause you to crumble into chaff and dust. He wants to shake you at the very foundations of who you are and what you profess. I am convinced that in life every disciple is going to be shaken and tested. We need the continual process of conversion and maturity so that we will not fail when our faith is tested.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9.)

Satan wanted to test Job and provoked God into allowing it to happen. Satan made some statements about God’s servant Job that God knew was not true. He claimed that Job served God only because of what he was getting and that if God withheld his blessings, Job would curse him to his face. (Job 2:5.) Everything was taken from Job, his family and possessions. Job’s wife encouraged Job to give up and curse God. Job in the midst of his suffering said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." (Job 13:15.)

I believe that every disciple of Jesus will be fully tested and proved. Everyone in Scripture certainly was tested. Think about Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Job, Jesus, and the apostles. James wrote, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4.)

Because there are tares always among the wheat. There have always been unconverted people among God’s people. Jesus told a parable about a farmer sowing good seeds in the field, but while they slept an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. When the crop came up and saw that there were wheat and tares, the disciples asked Jesus what they should do. They wanted to go immediately and pull up the tares. Jesus replied, No, lest you pull up the wheat in the process. Let them grow together until the harvest. Then the reapers will come and gather the tares into bundles and burn them. The wheat will be gathered into the barns. (Matt. 13:24-30.)

In ancient Israel, the people of God were always hindered by "the mixed multitude." We see them first when the Israelites left Egypt. "And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle." (Exodus 12:38.) Later, when the captives were released from Babylon to return to Jerusalem, some of the Babylonians and inter-married went up with them. "Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude." (Nehemiah 13:3.) The mixed multitude was a constant thorn in the side of the Israelites. They had Egyptians with them and in the Promised Land they failed to completely to drive out the Canaanites.

Judas was but another example of the mixed multitude among God’s people. He loved money and was covetous. Jesus said that he was a thief and cared not for the poor. He was the treasurer for the apostles and Jesus! (John 12:6.) This is why he was tempted by just thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus. The Bible condemns covetousness severely. It says that covetousness is idolatry. (Col. 3:5, Eph. 5:5.) The last passage says that an idolater has no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Jesus said that no man can serve two masters—the two that he named were God and mammon, or riches. (Matt. 6:24.)

"The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:41-42.)

These passages should not in any wise be used to cause the wheat to be unduly concerned about its fate. The wheat will be gathered into the barn; the tares will be burned. The reapers know the difference between the wheat and tares. They may look much alike while they are growing, but when the harvest comes one has grain and the other does not!

Because the flesh is difficult to put to death. "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (Gal. 5:16-17.) "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom. 8:12-13.)

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. But they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom. 8:5-8.)

In the Scriptures, flesh does not refer to the physical body and its normal, rightful desires. But rather it refers to the sinful, carnal desires of the mind. It stands in opposition to the Spirit and spiritual things. This is the reason why Jesus said to Peter, When thou art converted, strengthen the brethren. Even followers of Christ need to be reminded that they do not owe the flesh anything. It must be put to death. There is nothing more difficult than crucifying the flesh. People had rather crucify Jesus than to crucify the flesh.

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Gal. 6:14.)

Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail him. Jesus prays also for us that we will not fail when we are tried. Jesus showed confidence in Peter by changing his name from Simon to Cephas, or rock. At first, Peter was unstable and unpredictable. He became a very reliable and dependable disciple becoming an elder as well as serving as an apostle. He was married and raised a family in the faith. Peter was converted and was able to strengthen the brethren by his example of faith and stedfastness.