 back story. Most of us, right? Most of us like to see the person or the thing or the team or something someone coming back against all lies when it looks like things were bad and and probably couldn't get any worse. Maybe you yourself have felt like when you've let everyone else down, let yourself down that there's probably no coming back for this. Same thing when you watch a team who they're out of it, right? And it's a foregone conclusion that the team is gonna lose. It's a foregone conclusion that all is lost. Well, I want to give you a story, a true story from the Bible where just such an instance occurred and let's see how this worked out. When I start reading it, you'll all know who I'm talking about and how it turns out. But I want you to see something that maybe sometimes we overlook, we glance over. I'm gonna read from two passages, one in Matthew and then the other in Luke. In Matthew 26 verse 31 Jesus said to them, you will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am raised I will go before you to Galilee. Peter answered, though all fall away because of you I will never fall away. You all know how Peter is. Peter is kind of braggadocious. Peter is a guy that says and wants you to believe that my faith doesn't fail. I'm with you through thick and thin. I got this. I know what I'm doing. Now we know the story. Even when the soldiers show up to take Jesus because Jesus is there and he's surrounded by his boys, what's Peter want to do? He wants to get big and bad and pull out his sword and go to cutting folks ears off, right? But when Jesus is taken before everyone and he's by himself, he's outnumbered. There's nobody around. There's no friendly faces around. It's just the enemy. As a matter of fact, multiple enemies and they're coming at him. What does Peter do? He denies Jesus three times and he weeps bitterly when he hears the rooster crow as Jesus predicted. But I want to go further into what Jesus said when Jesus predicted that he would deny him. I want you to see something that maybe some people just don't catch. In Luke 22 31, Jesus says, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have returned, returned again, strengthen your brothers. And then of course Peter says to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day until you deny me three times that you know me. We know the story again. Big bad Peter tough in front of Jesus and we know that Peter ultimately does deny him and he weeps bitterly. Something that Peter doesn't remember though while he's weeping after he denies Jesus. And remember they're in the court. They're the opposite ends and Peter is seen by Jesus. But Peter is torn up. Peter has forgotten something that Jesus said. Something that a lot of us have missed when we read this passage. Let's go back to it and see it. Look at verse 32. He says, but I have prayed for you. First of all, Jesus said that Satan has demanded, has requested to sift you like wheat. But I've prayed for you. Wait a second, Jesus. Hold on. Wait a second. Why are you praying for me? Why don't you stop Satan from what he's doing? Surely you know I am on your team. Surely you know I'm for you. Why would you even allow this to be a possibility? When Satan has desired to sift me like wheat, why don't you just do what I do it for you, Jesus? Why don't you just say no Satan? You can't touch him. Get out of here Satan. But that's not what Jesus' response is. He says, but I have prayed for you. Sometimes you don't want someone to pray for you. You just want them to stop it, right? Don't don't offer your prayers. Fix it. And who better than Jesus to fix it to leave a situation? Matter of fact, who better than Jesus to make sure that the situation doesn't happen in the first place? After all, Jesus, I'm one of your boys. But don't miss the important part. Look again to verse 32. He says, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. So one, Jesus is after your faith. He wants to see. He wants you to prove your faith. Have you trusted in Him? Now look at what Jesus says again. He says, and when you have returned or when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Did you see that? Jesus says you're going to deny me. He tells him that later. Peter says no, but what Peter missed in that thinking that he is too tough, thinking that he stands. Remember Paul says that if any man thinks he stands, take heed as he falls. Well, Peter thought that he stood firm. But what did Jesus say? He says that he tells him that you want to deny him. But before that, he says, and after you have done this, he tells them, and when you return, return from what? Returning from your denial, returning from your falling away, returning from your forgetting about who I am, returning from you being ashamed of me, returning from letting me down. Here's what Jesus knew about Peter. Peter might be built better than you think you are. Yeah, you're going to fall, but the measure of your trust, the measure of your faith isn't in that you could not stop a fall, that you could not succumb. No, the measure of your faith is that when you're down, who do you trust? Who do you turn to? Jesus says that and when you return, strengthen your brothers. I'm going to need you, Peter. I'm going to need all that toughness. I want to show you some things about yourself, Peter. I want you to see, I want you to learn from this failure because I don't want you to think that you are invincible, but I need you to lean on me. Why am I saying this? Because sometimes when it looks like it's over, when it looks like it's just too late. No, it's not. Sometimes there's more to the story. Sometimes your resolve needs to be tested. Sometimes you need to be strengthened. As a matter of fact, what does Jesus say to Peter? When you return, do what? Strengthen your brothers. As a matter of fact, you know the rest of the story. When Jesus meets Peter again, and they're covering this whole issue, he said, tend to my sheep, feed my sheep. Why? Because we need you. And so just because it looks like you're down and out, it's not. As long as you've got a savior to turn to, as long as you've got faith in who keeps you, it ain't over. And as a matter of fact, not only it's not over, I can use you. That's what Jesus would tell you. I can still use you. You are useful. You know why you're useful? Because you're the kind of person who can identify with someone else who's been down. And you can share with them that it ain't over until it's over. It is never too late for God to use you. As long as you've got breath in your body, it's never too late. And so if you're in this position to where you have fallen or in the future, if you fall, remember, when you return, go strengthen your brothers. Amen.