Nine Challenges to Living Out the Resurrection
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
What a glorious morning! It is Easter Sunday morning, the time when we celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead!. It’s the morning that we stand amazed that Jesus died and rose again to free us from our sin. And that is glorious, and it should get us excited!
But there’s a problem for many people today. You see, I talk to many who claim to be a follower of Jesus, but all they can see is how badly they have failed Him. That may be you this morning, and if it is then I want to encourage you! Jesus wants to forgive you and bring you back into a relationship with Him! And if you happen to be here today and you have never placed your trust in Jesus, then He is calling you to Himself today!
Like many of us, Peter failed Jesus. You may remember the story—Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved followed the mob as they led Jesus away. They ended up in the house of the High Priest, and John was able to observe at least some of the proceedings, while Peter waited down in the courtyard.
There in the courtyard, Peter denied Jesus three times. He even cussed and cursed to prove that he was NOT a follower of Jesus. When he denied Jesus the third time, the rooster crowed and he remembered the prediction that Jesus made, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
This morning, we are going to see how Jesus brought forgiveness to Peter, just like He wants to bring forgiveness to you!
If you have studied the events of the “passion week, then you know that it was packed with emotion.
When the disciples went with Jesus to Jerusalem they had no idea of the roller coaster ride they were going to experience.
Events like:
The Triumphal Entry,
The expectation of a “new kingdom,”
Being betrayed by a trusted friend,
Watching Jesus be arrested,
Followed by Peter’s predicted denial of Jesus.
Perhaps the hardest part of the roller coaster came when they heard the crowd turn on Jesus and yell, “Crucify Him, crucify Him, crucify Him.”
Then the worst possible turn of events, they helplessly stood by while Jesus was nailed to the cross,
And they watched Him die!
Then they had spent three days, helplessly waiting for the first day of the week—
Waiting to go and properly prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
The entire time living in constant fear of the religious leaders. They really thought that any moment, they would be NEXT!
Oh, how Sunday changed everything!
They found the tomb empty!
Then, they saw the risen Savior! You can imagine how confused and unsure the disciples must have been. They were expecting Jesus to establish His kingdom here on earth, but now they were struggling to make sense out all these events!
An Angel told them (the disciples) that Jesus would meet them again in Galilee (Matthew 28:7).
There they waited.
If you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do, turn with me to John 21.
If you don’t have a Bible, there’s a Bible in the pew rack in front of you. And our passage today is on page 1687.
What We Know
What We Know
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Why did Peter and the others decide to go fishing?
I’ve heard some theologians suggest that Peter was renouncing his association to Jesus, but I don’t think that’s a good interpretation of this passage.
Think about it. It seems that Peter was filled with emotion. After all he had denied Jesus three times!
Now, not knowing what to expect, he is tired of waiting!
So Peter returned to what he knew. FISHING!
He returned to what made him feel comfortable.
He turned to what he knew!
“I’m going fishing!”
KEY 1—Jesus doesn’t always work the way we expect Him to work. So we need to be careful we don’t return to our old comfortable ways.
So seven of them went out and went fishing! They fished all night and that night they caught nothing.
KEY 2—Going back to the comfortable doesn’t always provide the comfort that we’re looking for! It doesn’t do the same thing.
Catch Anything?
Catch Anything?
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered.
Now don’t miss the emotion here.
Early in the morning, a man on the shore asks these men, most of whom are professional fishermen, if they have caught anything.
There is no way these men want to admit that they hadn’t caught anything! But, they hadn’t so they answer back, “No.”
Now look at verse 6.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the man on the shore tells them to put the net on the other side of the boat and they’ll find some fish.
Now wait a minute! We’re professional fishermen. We have fished all night, and we have had the net on every side of the boat. On the left side! On the right side! In front of the boat! Behind the boat! We’ve put this net all around the boat! How could throwing it on the other side of the boat result in a catch? It doesn’t make sense!
But this sounds strangely familiar (cf. Luke 5). So they do what the man says to do. . .
And it works! They catch so many fish that they are unable haul the net.
KEY 3—What Jesus asks us to do SELDOM (Never) makes sense to us!
It’s the LORD!
It’s the LORD!
Look at verse 7.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
John—the disciple whom Jesus loved—tells Peter, “It is the Lord!”
As soon as Peter heard this, he wrapped his outer garment around him and jumps into the water and swims to shore, and leaves the rest of them to haul the load of fish to shore.
The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
While the other other disciples follow in the boat towing the net full of fish.
They were about 100 years away from shore.
When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
When they get to shore all of the disciples meet up with Jesus.
And Jesus already has a fire going, and is already cooking fish for their breakfast. And Jesus even has some bread for them.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
The disciples bring some of the fish they just caught and have breakfast.
Verse 11 tells us how wonderful the catch was!
So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
A huge catch! 153 large fish.
And the nets were not damaged!
KEY 4—Jesus is able to do far more than we could ever imagine! But we have to put out our “nets!” We have to do what He tells us to do.
The Disciples’ Struggle
The Disciples’ Struggle
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus invites them to breakfast.
The disciples know it’s Jesus!
But to them it still seems impossible! After all they had seen Him die!
Yet, none of them asked who He was—because they already knew the answer.
KEY 5—Look for the impossible, because we serve a God who loves to do the impossible.
This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
This was the third time he appeared to His disciples. John records their first encounter with the risen Jesus in John 20:19-23. Then right after that he records their second encounter (Jn. 20:24-29).
Jesus Reinstates Peter
Jesus Reinstates Peter
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Breakfast was over, and Jesus begins to talk directly with Peter. I don’t know why, But I picture Jesus saying to Peter, “Come with me. . .” Then as they walk, ask Peter, “Do you love me more than these?
*Do you love me more than these fish?
*Do you love me more than these other disciples?
*Am I the most important thing in your life?
*Do you love me unconditionally—no matter what happens? The word for “love” that Jesus uses is agapo—that unconditional type of love!
KEY 6—We need to make sure that there is NOTHING more important to us than Jesus! And that we love Him no matter what happens!
Peter answers by saying he knows that Jesus knows all things. Then he changes the Greek word in his answer. Peter can’t say he loved Jesus unconditionally, because he had proven he couldn’t love Jesus when there was danger around—he wimped out! So,Peter answers Jesus by saying that he loves Jesus like a brother (Gk. pheleo).
Jesus accepts Peter’s answer, and gives Peter a job. He tells Peter to “Feed my lambs.” The job Jesus gives Peter, widens Peter’s ministry from being a fisher of men to being a shepherd of God’s flock—the church.
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
Jesus asks Peter a second time if he loves Jesus unconditionally.
Once again, Peter answers that he loves Jesus like a brother.
Without any condemnation, Jesus tells him to “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Jesus asks Peter a third time if he loves Him, but this time Jesus uses the same language that Peter uses. So Jesus asks Peter, “Peter, do you really love me like a brother?”
We read that Peter was grieved, because Jesus even questioned Peter’s brotherly love for Jesus.
So Peter answers— “Jesus, you know all things. So you know I love you like a brother.”
Again, without any condemnation Jesus answers, “Feed my sheep.”
KEY 7—Remember, Jesus always desires that we are honest with ourselves. We need to keep our motives in check, to make sure we are honest with ourselves! And ultimately honest with Jesus—because He already KNOWS!
A Glimpse into the Future
A Glimpse into the Future
When we come to verse 18, it is almost as though Jesus is giving Peter a glimpse into the future.
Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
Note the progression:
*When you were young:
—you dressed yourself
—and you went where you wanted to go
*When you are old:
—you’ll stretch out your hand for someone to lead you.
—and someone will dress you.
—and they will take you where you don’t want to go.
John 21:19 (NIV)
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Jesus said this to show how Peter would glorify God in his death.
Then Jesus closes by telling Peter “Follow me!”
KEY 8—No matter what we are going through we must follow Jesus. No matter what!
What About Him?
What About Him?
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
In true fashion, Peter looks around and sees John, and immediately asks Jesus, “What about him?”
You know I can’t be too hard on Peter, because that’s just like me! I’m always asking, “what about whoever!”
Now look at verse 22.
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
Jesus tells Peter, it doesn’t matter what I do with John—If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? It doesn’t matter what God is doing with others!
What is important is for Peter to follow Jesus.
KEY 9—It doesn’t matter what Jesus is doing with others. I MUST FOLLOW Jesus!
SO WHAT?
SO WHAT?
This morning, we have given you 9 keys or lessons for your life.
Key 1—Jesus doesn’t always work the way we expect Him to work.
Key 2—Going back to what is “comfortable” for us doesn’t provide the comfort for which we are looking.
Key 3—What Jesus asks us to do seldom makes sense to us!
Key 4—Jesus is able to do far more than we could ever expect!
Key 5—Look for the impossible, because we serve a God who loves to do the impossible!
Key 6—We need to make sure that NOTHING is more important to us than JESUS!
Key 7—We need to be honest ourselves. We need to keep our motives in check—serving Jesus out of love!
Key 8—No matter what we are going through we must follow Jesus!
Key 9—No matter what Jesus is doing with others, we must follow Jesus!
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper
This morning, we are going to celebrate what we refer to as the “Lord’s Supper.”
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, and If you are seeking to make Him your Lord we invite you to come to the table—the Lord Jesus’ table—and participate with us.
But before we begin, I want to remind you of Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 11.
He says that we are to examine ourselves to see if there is any sin in our lives. So for a minute I want to ask you to reflect on what was just said:
First, do you love anything more than you love Jesus? If so you need to get your priorities straight and confess your idolatry.
Secondly, do you keep returning to the same things for comfort or control—trusting in those things rather than trusting in Jesus? If so, I would again encourage you to confess this to the Lord.
Next, do you have something against your brother or sister? Then I would encourage you to make thing right before you participate with us in the Lord’s Supper.
In 1 Corinthians 11:28 we read,
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.
So, after you have examined your heart, and concluded that you know Jesus as your Savior and you are seeking to make Him, Lord of your life, we invite you to participate with us.
But if after your examination, you know that you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, or if He is not really the Lord of your life, we ask that you allow the elements to pass by.
For this is an ordinance given by our Savior and Lord and should not be taken carelessly. For 1 Corinthians 11:29-30
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
Communion!