New Life Begins When Jesus Has RISEN

With Easter we think of springtime, colored Easter Eggs, and chocolate bunnies.

We all go to church all dress up. Little girls wearing their pretty little dresses that match mom’s and the guys were what mom tells them too.

Easter is a great day, a fun day, a day with family gatherings, enjoying our love for ones, being together.

We eat, we hang out, and we dig into our Easter baskets. I’m sure we have family plans right after service.

This moment is more then a reason to gather and dress up and wait for the Easter Bunny and eat candy… This is the day we celebrate our risen Savior Jesus Christ!

It’s easy to think of this day as another day on our religious calendars. Today is so much more, this is the moment in history… this is the day where New Life in Christ begins because Jesus is ALIVE!

Jesus paid it all, HE conquered death, and when we put our full faith in Jesus that same power that raised Jesus from the dead, now lives in me and you.

This new life is for all who believe in that truth!

As a church we are going through the Book of Acts and I think it would be fitting to talk about the New Life Peter received through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ.

Peter was with Jesus through out HIS entire ministry. Early on, when Jesus called Peter, James, John, and Andrew were out on an unsuccessful day of fishing.

They didn’t catch a thing that is until Jesus showed up. Jesus simply told them to move the nets into the deep water, they obeyed and they caught the catch of a lifetime.

In Luke 5 it says that they caught so many fish that their nets began to tear.

Luke 5:8 ESV

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Jesus told Simon Peter, “Don’t be afraid, from now on you will be fishers of men.”

Luke 5:11 ESV

11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Jesus gave Peter the invitation that would change his life forever.

Peter was a loyal, bold and often outspoken follower of Jesus. Peter talked a big game and sometimes his mouth wrote checks his body couldn’t cash.

At the last supper, when the disciples were arguing with one another about who is the greatest. Then Jesus said to Peter…

Luke 22:31–34 ESV

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

Peter thought he was invincible. Peter talked a big game but when everything happened Peter folded.

Jesus was arrested, on trial before the High Priest and the Jewish leaders, and in that moment he denied Jesus.

Peter knew this moment for Jesus would one day come. Jesus made it crystal clear. HE often mentioned things like…

Jesus reminding HIS disciples HIS plan…

Luke 18:32–33 CSB

32 For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked, insulted, spit on; 33 and after they flog him, they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.”

Peter and the rest of the disciples herd Jesus say this so many times but they didn’t understand.

They thought, yeah that’s not going to happen, let’s not talk about that Jesus… besides… Jesus, how is that possible. Why would they arrest HIM, beat HIM, and then kill HIM?

But now in Jerusalem, Peter was living this very moment. Peter was warned of his denial as well.

It says that Peter was questioned by a servant girl, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!” But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”

Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed.

Luke 22:61–62 ESV

61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

Peter saw everything Jesus predicted play right before his very eyes. Jesus was arrested, wrongfully convicted, flogged, beaten, spat upon, and then crucified.

Peter promised to be strong, courageous, and faithful but Peter failed, he denied Jesus.

If only he could take back those words. Peter thought those were the last words Jesus would hear him utter… words of denial spoken in fear.

Peter was more concerned about preserving himself then defending his faith in Jesus.

And he would have to live for the rest of his life knowing that he denied knowing Jesus.

But, Jesus did mention that in 3 days HE would rise from the grave.

So three days later, Early Sunday morning, Mary went to the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid and she discovered that there was no body. So, at her amazement she came back and told Peter and John. In vs 3 it says that…

John 20:3–10 NLT

3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.

Peter saw the empty tomb but instead of looking for Jesus, he went home.

I’m sure the guilt and the shame were gnawing in his conscience. How could I face Jesus after what I did?

So Peter went back to what he did before… fishing and that’s when Jesus showed up.

Jesus first went to Mary, then to the other disciples, but Jesus made a special trip out to the place where it all began… the Sea of Galilee at Peter’s fishing spot.

John 21:2–8 ESV

2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

So after another unsuccessful night of fishing, Jesus showed up and everything changed.

Casting there nets on the other side of the boat they pulled in 153 fish back to shore without tearing the nets.

So they enjoyed breakfast with Jesus just like days gone by, but this was resurrected Jesus.

I’m sure Peter thought, why would Jesus want to be with me… the one who denied knowing HIM. I’m sure Peter felt like a failure but Jesus didn’t see Peter as a failure.

VIDEO

Jesus turned Peter’s life upside down.

Jesus, intentionally went to Peter to have an important, life-changing conversation.

John 21:15–19 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter who was full of guilt and condemnation but Jesus showed him nothing but love and forgiveness.

Jesus showed Peter that HE has the power to resurrect new life after death.

Jesus came to forgive… to restore… and to resurrect those things that were once dead.

Even after Peter denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus asked Peter 3 times, do you love me, and Peter responded with Yes, you know I love you.

Jesus said then feed my sheep, feed my lambs, and this is how you are going to die Peter.

Peter had to make a choice, Jesus is calling us to make a choice.

Jesus is asking, “Do you love me?”

Peter had to accept Jesus’ love and to respond to HIS love by obeying HIM and trusting HIM.

Jesus still loved Peter and wanted to reestablish that relationship that was broken.

The resurrected Jesus showed up to demonstrate that even death could not separate us from the love of God.

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus came to resurrect those things that are dead in our life.

We can start today… we don’t have to wait until our life is all cleaned up…

You many be thinking… I can’t follow Jesus… I’m not good enough… I’ve made too many mistakes… There are so many others who are better then I am.

The Bible is full of failures just like Peter… Failures who Jesus used to do incredible things for HIM.

Why would Jesus choose me?

You’re right, none of us will ever be worthy to follow Jesus. But Jesus’ invitation that changed Peter’s life is for us as well.

Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, went to the cross, conquered death, so we can live the New Life following Jesus today.

Romans 5:8 CSB

8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus still says, follow me.

Don’t let your past hold you back… We don‘t know what our future holds but we can follow Jesus, walk with HIM, we can trust that no matter what happens in life Jesus holds my future beyond this earthly life.

History tells us that Peter would one day die because of his faith in Jesus. Yet, he had no regrets in following Jesus.

John 11:25 (NLT)

25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us… we must simply believe.

We rno longer have to live in death, guilt, failure, in sin, in regret. Today, we celebrate Jesus who conquered death to restore us, forgive us, to love us, and to resurrect our faith.