The Ongoing Work of the Savior
Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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ILLUST - Always helping you grow
Best coaches/teachers/parents teach when you don’t realize it
Run a mile if not use backboard…
Shooting free throws after running
?? Reminder of past which turned good? The cross
The cross, foolish for a Savior - gruesome
The cross, the instrument of death gave eternal life!
READ John 21
What Does Jesus Do For You?
What Does Jesus Do For You?
Jesus’ focus in this post-resurrection appearance to the disciples
What we can learn from John’s recounting
1) Jesus Provides
1) Jesus Provides
Encouraged to not give up - try the other side of the boat - 153 fish
Jesus even cooks for them - knows they need a meal
When Jesus provides, we are humbled (or should be) - Peter is…
We do nothing to deserve His goodness, and then He is good and shows it over and over
He nourishes physically, to enable people to keep going
He offers the best spiritual nourishment, to face each day
The power of God’s Word
Not meditation, relaxation techniques, coping strategies…GOD’S WORD
(POINT) When it comes to the physical, you will be nourished to the level of health you desire
Same spiritually - you will be as healthy spiritually as you desire to be
Thus the question
“Do you love Me?” Well…?
Jesus will ask you this, over and over and over
Well…?
2) Jesus Restores
2) Jesus Restores
Then Jesus nourishes spiritually, to keep people going, people who want to keep going, keep going
The faithful walk is challenging, draining
Jesus restores
And restores, and restores, and restores
For Peter:
Three-fold denial
The charcoal fire…
Three-fold restoration
For you and me
Psalm 23 - the Good Shepherd restores my soul
Peter needed some soul-restoration - He had failed Jesus, his friends, too
How are you doing?
Could you use some restoration?
Daily?
Third crucial lesson, Jesus always there, still helping, teaching…
3) Jesus Knows How to Use Your Time
3) Jesus Knows How to Use Your Time
Emphasis on “your”
“Do you love Me?”
Here are two things that are not in human hands
Jesus’ return - Rapture, etc.
Our time on earth
So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Peter is a bit obstinate with comparing himself with John, what might happen to each and when
Jesus: “Never you mind that. What I do with someone else is for Me to decide.”
“It’s what I do with you, Peter, that should matter to you.”
“Do you love Me?”
Very human question by Peter, comparison
Peter forgets about his own personal responsibilities, how Jesus will use Peter’s talents
This could sidetrack him
Jesus answers: “Concentrate on your own relationship with Me”
Some amazing people out there, who have done and are doing amazing Kingdom work
Preachers:
Charles Spurgeon
Billy Graham
Adrian Rogers
Singers
Gaithers
Casting Crowns
Phil Wickham
Business owners
David Green
S. Truett Cathy
New Testament surrendered-to-Jesus heroes: Paul, Peter, Lydia, Phoebe, Mary, Barnabas, others
I’m no Peter
God does not ask me to be
I’m not you, you are not me
I won’t try to be you
Don’t try to be me
What ALL those heroes had in common, how we can be LIKE them - Paul tells us in 1 Cor 11:1
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
And in Phil 2:5
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
We’re not in the first century church
They imitated Christ - helping others follow and imitate Christ
We’re in 21st century Noble
Let’s imitate Christ - helping others follow and imitate Christ
CLOSE/SUMMARY
So much else John could have, or may have written. We already have plenty to work from…
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.
KEY POINTS
Who Jesus was to John
John has made that clear in these 21 chapters
Jesus is God, and there is no life apart from Him
What you need to get settled right now!
Who Jesus is to you
He offers to provide
He offers to restore
He has given you THIS time, in THIS place, for THE purpose to tell the world He is GOD!
He surrounds you with a culture and people who need to see Jesus, through you
So…Now…What Will YOU Do for Jesus?
Do you really love Him?
Yeah? Then get to work for Him…
Yahweh sent Jesus to testify of the truth, offer salvation to the world
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to launch, empower and embolden the church
Peter preaches in Acts 2, 3000 are saved, and the church is born
The church, history and future, are in God’s hands
The work of the church, is in the hands of believers now, that’s you and me.
God seems to think you are capable of managing that
God seems to think that your past failures do not define you
God seems to think that you were worth saving!
And it will get difficult, we need Jesus’ provision, restoration, making the most of the time here
Peter emphasizes this in 1 Peter 4:12-14
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
We can then live with a positive perspective
Don’t give up
Try the “other side of the boat”
Listen to Jesus!
We can rejoice that we are reviled for our devotion to Jesus
We can live without worry of how much time we have, or when this is all going to come about
It’s in GOD’s hands!
Christ has overcome anything the world can throw at us, at the church
Jesus warns over and over, stop trying to figure out WHEN, and instead focus on the WHAT
Jesus will come when He comes
You will be with Him when you will be with Him
So…
Let the greatness of Jesus impact you, and those around you
Yahweh is so good
Jesus is so good
Never take your eyes off that! It’s what you need most.
And…
Let people see Jesus’ goodness in you. It’s what they need, most, too.
