The Book Of Acts | Pt. 8 - The Sifting | Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer

What did God see in Simon Peter?
What does God see in me? What does see in you?
Remember: People see whats on you - hairstyle, tattoos, career, past - make a judgement about you
Difference: God sees what's in you
We have to be careful how we treat people; we see patterns not potential
You have no idea what they are carrying within them
What did God see in Simon? = He saw Peter
Jesus saw the inside of Simon - an anointed Preacher of the Gospel called Peter who would give birth to the church and nurture it
Inside each of us is this battle between Simon and Peter
There is Pastor Jackson and that other guy
One moment I am Pastor Jackson and literally 5 min later that other guy can come out; Sunday argument w/Kendra
In each of us there is this Simon Peter duality
My preaching changed when I realized I was preaching to 2 of you's. I didn't realize there were 2 of you's until I discovered there were 2 of me's
That realization is called self-awareness; the opposite of self-righteousness
Simon had self-awareness
In that boat Simon was aware of his sinfulness
Simon was not aware of his God-likeness (that's Peter)
Alright now I have brought everyone up to speed since some of you decided to go to the lake last week...
Watch this: Jesus picks Simon and says you will fish for people
Jesus knew everything and needed nothing while Simon knew nothing and needed everything
Jesus picks Peter but Jesus did not need Peter
Jesus did not need Peter's boat; He could walk on water
God does not need me!
God wants me! God doesn't need you, God wants you
The devil did not want you to hear that
God doesn't need you; He wants you
So many of us feel like we are only valuable for what others need us for
God does not need us

Peter Fails
Jesus knew Peter would fail Him and still chose him
Matthew 16:13-23
In 10 verses, he went from Simon to Peter to Satan
That's going the wrong way!
Knowing this, Jesus got in the boat anyways
Peter fails. God restores.
Can I say something that you might not like?
If Peter were alive in 2023 and would have failed God the way he did on the night Jesus was betrayed... many of you would have written him off as a minister of the Gospel
Because you're favorite YouTube preacher would have done an 11 min video exposing Peter the false prophet who denied Jesus 3 times
Can I address 1 of the biggest issues facing the Church?
The church is full of a bunch of praying mantis
Just like praying mantis eat their own so do Christians
Oh we love it when Peter fails; a good scandal makes us feel better about our Simoness
The praying mantis in the church are the quickest to claim God's grace and yet are the slowest to show it to other believers
What am I saying? Stop watching those youtube videos trying to expose every preacher that has a platform
Stop sharing that crap with others
Did he say crap? Yes that's my Peter speaking, Simon would use another word
Peter failed miserably. God restored amazingly.
Get ready for this: Why did Peter deny Jesus 3x?
Well, first of all he is still Simon but Jesus actually gives us more insight
Luke 22
Luke 22:31-32
But Jesus didn't tell him no; he allowed the sifting
Now I'm getting to the good part
Satan asked for Peter just like he asked for Job
Now let me teach here for a moment about Satan because there is a weird obsession among many with Satan and his demons
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The Sifting
Jesus allows the sifting to take place in Peter's life
He actually uses the devil to sift Simon to bring out Peter
Jesus said, "I have prayed for you."
Some are being sifted right now... Jesus is praying for you
He is allowing it for a reason
Jesus is praying that your faith would not fail
Now Peter failed 3x but he survived
Look at me: you will survive the sifting
And when you survive the sifting you will come out strengthed
It is through the sifting that Peter emerges
Just because you are being sifted that does not mean Jesus has abandoned you
He who began a good work in you is faithful
There is a reason the enemy wants to destroy you
He doesn't want Peter to come out of you
But what the devil fails to realize is he thinks he is destroying you but he is helping propel you
Listen: those in the sifting = do not stop
Judas stoped, Peter continued
I'm preaching much deeper than how you are responding this morning
Back to Luke 22
Jesus says, Simon, Simon the devil has asked for you but I have prayed for you
Luke 22:54-62
Get the picture: Peter is denying Jesus
He sits by a fire
Jesus looks at Peter in his failure and what did Jesus see in that moment
Jesus saw Acts 2:14
That verse we've been stuck on
Simon was sitting in failure
Simon was sifted
50 days later
Acts 2:14 says, "Then Peter stood up"
Peter did not stay sitting in his failure; he stood up
Some of us are sitting in our addiction right now
The devil is sifting
But Peter is getting ready to stand up
The sifting brings out the Peter
Can I give you one more thing?
Peter the old man write 2 letters
1 Peter 1:6-7