J.C. Ryle's Devotional Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke. Section 129. Simon Peter. Luke Chapter 22, Verses 31-38.

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not. And when you are converted, strengthen your brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both into prison and to death. And he said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before that you shall thrice deny that you know me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse and script and shoes, lacked you anything? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now he that has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip. And he who has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me. And he was reckoned among the transgressors. For the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

We learn from these verses what a fearful enemy the devil is to believers. We read that the Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. He was near Christ's flock, though they saw him not. He was longing to accomplish their ruin, though they knew it not. The wolf does not crave the blood of the lamb more than the devil desires the destruction of souls.

the personality activity and power of the devil are not sufficiently thought of by christians this is he who brought sin into the world at the beginning by tempting eve this is he who is described in the book of job as going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it this is he whom our lord calls the prince of this world a murderer and a liar This is he whom Peter compares to a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. This is he whom John speaks of as the accuser of the brethren. This is he who is ever working evil in the churches of Christ. catching away good seed from the hearts of hearers, sowing tares amid the wheat, stirring up persecutions, suggesting false doctrines, and fermenting divisions.

The world is a snare to the believer. The flesh is a burden and a clog. But there is no enemy so dangerous as that restless, invisible, experienced enemy, the devil. If we believe the Bible, let us not be ashamed to believe that there is a devil. It is a dreadful proof of the hardness and blindness of unconverted men that they can jest and speak lightly of Satan. If we profess to have any real religion, let us be on our guard against the devil's devices. The enemy who overthrew David and Peter and assaulted Christ himself is not an enemy to be despised. He is very subtle. He has studied the heart of man for six thousand years. He can approach us under the garb of an angel of light. We have need to watch and pray and put on the whole armor of God.

it is a blessed promise that if we resist him he will flee from us it is still a more blessed thought that when the Lord comes he will bruise Satan under our feet and bind him in chains James 4 7 and Romans 16 20

We learn secondly in these verses one great secret of a believer's perseverance in the faith. We read that our Lord said to Peter, I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail. It was owing to Christ's intercession that Peter did not entirely fall away. The continued existence of grace in a believer's heart is a great standing miracle. His enemies are so mighty and his strength is so small. The world is so full of snares and his heart is so weak that it seems at first sight impossible for him to reach heaven. The passage before us explains his safety. He has a mighty friend at the right hand of God who ever lives to make intercession for him. There is a watchful advocate who is daily pleading for him, seeing all his daily necessities, and obtaining daily supplies of mercy and grace for his soul.

his grace never altogether dies because Christ always lives to intercede for him Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 if we are true Christians we shall find it essential to our comfort in religion to have clear views of Christ's priestly office and intercession Christ lives and therefore our faith shall not fail let us beware of regarding Jesus only as one who died for us let us never forget that he is alive forevermore Paul bids us to especially remember that he is risen again and is at the right hand of God and also makes intercession for us Romans chapter 8 verse 34 the work that he does for his people is not yet over he is still appearing in the presence of God for them and doing for their souls what he did for Peter his present life for them is just as important as his death on the cross 1800 years ago Christ lives and therefore true Christians shall live also

We learn thirdly from these verses the duty incumbent on all believers who receive special mercies from Christ. We read that our Lord said to Peter, So, when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up your brothers. It is one of God's peculiar attributes that he can bring good out of evil. He can cause the weakness and infirmities of some members of his church to work together for the benefit of the whole body of his people. He can make the fall of a disciple the means of fitting him to be the strengthener and upholder of others.

Have we ever fallen and by Christ's mercy been raised to newness of life? Then surely we are just the men who ought to deal gently with our brethren. We should tell them from our own experience what an evil and bitter thing is sin. We should caution them against trifling with temptation. We should warn them against pride and presumption and neglect of prayer. We should tell them of Christ's grace and compassion if they have fallen. Above all, we should deal with them humbly and meekly, remembering what we ourselves have gone through. Well would it be for the Church of Christ if Christians were more ready to do good works of this kind. There are only too many believers who in discussion add nothing to their brethren. They seem to have no Savior to tell of, no story of grace to report. They chill the hearts of those they meet rather than warm them. They weaken rather than strengthen. These things ought not so to be. The words of the Apostle ought to sink down into our minds. Having received mercy, we faint not, we believe, and therefore we speak. 2 Corinthians 4.1.13

We learn lastly from these verses that the servant of Christ ought to use all reasonable means in doing his master's work. We read that our Lord said to his disciples, he that has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his bag, and he that has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.

It is safest to take these remarkable words in a proverbial sense. They apply to the whole period of time between our Lord's first and second Advents. Until our Lord comes again, believers are to make a diligent use of all the faculties which God has implanted in them. They are not to expect miracles to be worked in order to save them trouble. They are not to expect bread to fall into their mouths if they will not work for it. They are not to expect difficulties to be surmounted, and enemies to be overcome, if they will not wrestle and struggle and take pains. They are to remember that it is the hand of the diligent which makes rich. Proverbs 10, 4.

We shall do well to lay to heart our Lord's words in this place. and to act habitually on the principle which they contain. Let us labour, and toil, and give, and speak, and act, and write for Christ, as if all depended on our exertions. And let us never forget that success depends entirely on God's blessing.

To expect success by our own purse and sword is pride and self-righteousness. But to expect success without the purse and sword is presumption and fanaticism.

Let us do as Jacob did when he met his brother Esau. He used all innocent means to conciliate and appease him. But when he had done all, he spent all night in prayer. Genesis 32 verses 1 through 24 you