Doctrine: Reconciliation (John 21)

NEW LEADERS:

Thank you for continuing to pray with me and also recommend potential leaders for Revelation. I cannot even begin to tell you how valuable each of you has been in this process. I read, listen, and pray over every recommendation and I’m so excited that God has called 2 new leaders to our circle today.

Tiffany Boreing- GL

Megan Peters- PSCL

NEW SATELLITE:

And as our leadership circle grows…so does BSF.

I told you about a month ago that we were praying for God to open up an opportunity for a satellite discussion group on the East side of Cincinnati.

Well, God has provided a host church in Batavia at The Crossing Church for a satellite group to meet.

While this satellite will not be directly connected to our class- we are always excited when God grows BSF in our area.

So- on May 9, at 7 pm there will be an informational meeting at the Crossing.

Next year the hope is that they will meet on Thursday mornings at 9:30

The heart is that women who have never done BSF before would have a place to go and study God’s word.

We are asking that you and class members would join us in prayer and also tell friends to go and find out about BSF..as you know- a personal invitation is the best invitation.

We are going to announce this to the class tomorrow and I will post the information in the announcements on slack as well so that you have all the information.

DOCTRINE:

Brain researchers have found that sight, sound, taste and smell have the ability to conjure up vivid memories and provoke strong emotions from earlier experiences.

the smell of coffee…cedar…and pot roast all take me back to some of my favorite and most comforting childhood memories.

but some things…trigger memories I would prefer to forget.

like the Chinese food that gave me food poisoning 9 years ago

…or the song that was playing the night I watched years of friendship dissolve in what felt like an evening….all due to broken relationships…with no reconciliation in sight.

In our scripture this week…Jesus re-creates a memory that I’m certain Peter would love to forget….and turns it into a memory that he most certainly would want to remember forever.

Our doctrine this week is reconciliation—a process where 2 parties at odds with each other are brought back together.

- The disciples had deserted Jesus + Peter had denied Him 3 times.

- But Jesus left heaven…came to dwell among his people…died…and was resurrected so that you and I could be reconciled to God.

so that the relationship could be restored..

and so that the two parties would no longer be at odds with each other.

So to REMIND them of the reconciliation that was now possible because of his death on the cross, Jesus takes the first step.

he goes to the beach.

he moves towards the disciples as he re-creates the night where the relationship broke.

he longs to restore not only a painful memory…but a broken relationship.

What happened in John 21 was far more than a friendly fish fry at the beach for the disciples and a pep talk for Peter—it was reconciliation.

God’s love can reconcile even the most bitter enemies, but the story of the Bible..the gospel is that God didn’t have to forgive us…he could justly and rightly condemn us for all eternity because of our sin…but instead…he comes to us….forgives us…dies for us…restores us..and invites us into fellowship with him for all eternity.

That’s the powerful LOVE of God.

Your reconciliation to God and fellowship with Christ cost Jesus his life and he did it to restore you to himself..

If we as a Christian community truly believe in reconciliation, then it’ll change how we interact with others. If it doesn’t, then we’ll look like the rest of the world—divided + bitter.

Even within our Christian circles, there are often a lot of people “at odds” with one another. And sadly, the truth is…there’s not a lot of reconciliation happening.

Are you willing to take the first step?

Is their a broken relationship in your life that God is asking you to move toward and pursue reconciliation?

While reconciliation is not always possible in every situation…

as believers…God appoints us to be agents of reconciliation, equipped with His Spirit and the gospel.

– Your leadership in BSF and interactions with people in your church, family, neighborhood, or workplace position you to invite others to know God and turn to Christ for salvation- to invite them into a restored relationship- a reconciled relationship- with Christ.

– How is God using you as His agent to spread the good news of the gospel?

– Whom might you walk with as they seek reconciliation to God or others?

Take a minute and share a request with the leader next to you…maybe this is an opportunity for you to ask a leader to pray that God would soften your heart or equip you to pursue reconciliation in a broken relationship today.

so share your request and in a moment we will pray together.