Luke
22:31 (ESV)
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like
wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when
you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Failure does not mean disqualification
from ministry. What matters is what follows the failure. Jesus says to Simon
Peter, “You are going to fail me. Then you are going to strengthen your
brothers.” How is that possible? Shouldn’t a failure be strengthened by his
brothers rather than the failure strengthening his brothers? Shouldn’t the
failure be chastised, convicted, or corrected by his brothers? Shouldn’t the
failure be taught a lesson about abandoning his faith? How can Jesus possibly
mean that after Peter fails Jesus he will be given a responsibility of
ministry? Failure does not mean disqualification from ministry. What matters is
what follows the failure.
When hardness of heart, rebellion,
or an unwillingness to acknowledge one’s sin follows failure then the failure
leads to more failure. When brokenness and transparent honesty with God follows
the failure then ministry can follow. That is why John wrote, “If we confess
(agree with God) our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Agreeing with God about our sin leads to
ministry.
How can that be? In John 21 Peter
meets Jesus after the resurrection. He is happy to see Jesus, but he is
uncertain about his own faith and future. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he
loves Jesus. Three times Peter hedges his answer. Three times Jesus gives him a
ministry. Earlier Peter has confidently said, “I’ll follow you to death.” Now
Peter knows himself better. He knows his own failure. He can’t say, “I love you
with unfailing, self-sacrificing love.” He doesn’t trust himself. That is the
very kind of person God wants to use. He is not looking for the cocky,
self-confident, “Just show me the task and I’ll do it” kind of people. He is
looking for the one who in weakness and humility trusts not himself, but Jesus
alone.
That is what the cross is about.
That is what the resurrection is about. That is what grace is about. The
problem is that we give those words and concepts lip service, but we don’t
really believe them. We somehow believe that one failure disqualifies us or others
from service. We wallow in self-pity and regret rather than running to Jesus.
We insist on proof of dependability and faithfulness before entrusting someone
with ministry. We give lip service to the cross and the resurrection, but we fail
to understand their power to transform broken lives.
The resurrection is about new
life. Romans 6 says that we are raised with Christ to newness of life. 2
Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” What is
interesting is the verse that follows. Verse 18 goes on to say, “All this is
from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry
of reconciliation.” The resurrection makes all things new and equips, empowers,
and employs us for ministry. Failure is not a disqualification to ministry, it
is a prerequisite. A person cannot be made new in Christ until they have first
recognized that they are failures. Failing is a prerequisite to ministry. Trust
God to do in and through you what you are totally incapable of doing yourself.
That is the power of the resurrection. God is looking for people who in
weakness and humility trust not themselves, but Jesus alone.
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