Untitled Sermon

Reconciled back to the father

intro

Hello everyone, I am:

A youth pastor in Hillsboro

An aspiring Pickleball players

about to be married

You can call me Mr. Abby.

Honor where honor is due:

Kathy

Krystal

Staff

Yourselves

My parents

My grandparents

My beautiful fiancé

Brandon

Peter is brought back to relationship with Jesus and given a fresh purpose

Revelation 12:11 ESV

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Turn with me to John 21

John 21:15–17 ESV

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.” 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.” 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.

Today I am on assignment from the Lord, to say: No matter what you have done, no matter who you are, how you’ve disqualified yourself there is reconciliation, redemption, and relationship waiting for you.

Today’s message is titled: Do you love me?

Pray

Before we unpack this passage we need to understand a little of the context:

Post resurrection: A time of ambiguity for the disciples (They didn’t know what was next)

Filled with fear

A seemingly loss of hope

Jesus had made himself known to some of his disciples

but he had appeared then disappeared.

Seven of the disciples had returned to their original trade before they had encountered Jesus

returning to the very thing that they were called away from out of fear.

Why Did Jesus ask Peter this three times?

Luke 22:54–62 (ESV)

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 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.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

I think a lot of us have felt a shame similar to this:

Where we’re caught in the act

Ruthie story

She tucks her tail, lowers her head and retreats

I think a lot of us based on the relationships we’ve had with people in out lives, would see this look between Peter and jesus, and would think Jesus is angry, Jesus feels betrayed.

I don’t believe that to be the case: I think this look between peter and Jesus is filled with compassion, filled with grace

As a result of his shame, Peter tucks his tail, lowers his head, and retreats, taking him away from the very person who came to save him, came to love him, came to forgive him.

Today I came to say: There are some of you in here that have let your sin, your past decisions, the life you’ve lived, cause you to untuck your tail, lift your head, and retreat from the very person that came to save you.

You need to lift your head, you need to untuck that tail, you need to stop disqualifying yourself from relationship with Jesus.

share story of my life:

I had chosen to seperate my self from Jesus

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:1 ESV

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Ephesians 2:13 ESV

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

2 Timothy 1:6–7 ESV

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Ending: Come to the river