PrintToday's "Moment with Mark" (97)
26 February, 2013
"....that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up your brothers." (Luke 22:32 NLT)
Actually, I'm staying with Luke one more time. He alone provides the key issues in the prayer that Jesus prayed concerning Simon.
a. "That your faith should not fail". As with the other gospel writers, Simon (as we will call him in this context) was emphatic that he would never deny his Master. In Luke this outburst was triggered by the focus of Jesus' prayer for Simon. The idea that his faith could possibly fail just could not be accommodated by Simon's sense of loyalty.
For us, we may find the idea of ever denying our Lord offensive. But Simon's faith did fail - momentarily at least. Does this mean that Jesus' prayer for him was a failure itself? Certainly Simon's faith took a "huge hit" but he did return to a place that was even stronger than was the case prior to his denial of Jesus. We would do well to avoid being over-confident . How did Paul put it? "If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall......" (1 Cor 10:12 NLT)
b. "So when you have repented and turned to me again" Given Simon's passionate declaration of loyalty unto death, this prayer that Jesus prayed for him must have stung. First, Jesus prayed for Simon's faith not to fail. "Ouch!!" Second, Jesus prayed for Simon to experience the gifts of repentance and restoration.
c. Strengthen and build up your brothers." Jesus prayed that Simon's experience of repentance and restoration would be an example that the rest of them, having deserted and abandoned their Master could come in from the cold and, in this way, Simon could strengthen them. Actually, his denial of Jesus and subsequent restoration probably gave the other disciples hope that they too could be restored in their relationship to Jesus
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