Believe and Be Blessed
BBC BELIEVE AND BE BLESSED PT. IV JOHN 21:1-14 APRIL 22, 2007
“AFTER THESE THINGS JESUS SHOWED HIMSELF AGAIN TO THE DISCIPLES AT THE SEA OF TIBERIAS, AND IN THIS WAY HE SHOWED HIMSELF.
INTRO: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NEVER “AUTOMATIC”.
THERE IS MORE TO BEING SAVED THAN ACCEPTING CHRIST AS SAVIOR; THERE IS MORE TO OUR CHRISTIAN WALK THAN COMING TO CHURCH A COUPLE SUNDAYS A MONTH; THERE IS MORE TO BEING A CHILD OF THE KING, THAN CALLING HIM FATHER ON SUNDAY AND LIVING LIKE AN ORPHAN THE REST OF THE WEEK. THERE IS MORE TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THAN READING A VERSE OR TWO IN ORDER TO BE BLESSED…
BILLY GRAHAM SAID, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A WAY OUT OF LIFE, BUT A WAY THROUGH LIFE. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION.
EXPL: IN THE RESURRECTION ACCOUNT;
RESURRECTION SPEAKS OF
JESUS SHOWED HIMSELF TO THE DEVOTED DISCIPLE MARY AT THE GARDEN TOMB;
NEW BEGINNINGS – THE 8TH DAY, AND 1ST DAY OF THE WEEK
NEW JOY - FROM MARY WEEPING TO WORSHIPING THE MASTER
NEW PERSPECTIVE – FOR MARY HAD SEEN THE LORD.
THE DEPRESSED DISCIPLES MINUS DITYMAS THE TWIN
NEW PEACE – JESUS SAID IT TWICE…SHALOM
NEW DIRECTION – AS FATHER SEND ME SO I SEND YOU.
NEW POWER – HE BREATHED ON THEM AND THEY RECEIVED THE HS.
THE DOUBTING DISCIPLE, THE TWIN, WHO WE KNOW AS DOUBTING THOMAS. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THOMAS INCLUDE THE ISSUE OF …ISOLATION OVER ASSOCIATION: HE WAS ISOLATED SO DOUBT AND UNBELIEF CREPT IN. NEXT THERE WAS THE POSITION OF
…FEELINGS OVER FACTS; HE WAS TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN BY THE DISCIPLES AND THE WOMEN THAT THEY HAD SEEN THE LORD. BUT BECAUSE OF HIS PESSIMISTIC PERSONALITY, CYNIC CHARACTER HIS COUNTENANCE WAS BEING DARKENED BY BECOMING DISBELIEVING. BUT THANKS BE TO GO FOR
…REVELATION OVER INSPIRATION. JESUS DECIDED TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO THOMAS WHO SAY AND2 BELIEVED. JESUS SAYS TO US BELIEVE AND BE BLESSED ALL WHO HAVE NOT SEEM ME BUT HAVE SEEN THE EVIDENCE OF MY LIFE AND LORDSHIP.
WE HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS LORD; FROM THE WITNESS OF THE APOSTLES, THE WITNESS OF THE WORD AND THE WITNESS OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD.
THEN CH. 21 – WE SEE THREE EPISODES
RETURN OF THE MASTER – SERVE ME
RESTORES THE LEADER – LOVE ME
REITERATES THE TRUTH – FOLLOW ME
INTER: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FRO THE GREAT CATCH AT THE SEA OF GALILEE?
TS: AS WE LOOK AT THIS CHAPTER WE WILL FURTHER DISCOVER WHAT’S INVOLVED IN EMBRACE THIS NEW WAY OF LIFE..
MP I. DON’T GO BACKWARDS - REMEMBER THE OLD WAY OF LIFE: 1-6
REMEMBER THE CALL AT THE BEGINNING IN LUKE 5 - LUKE 5:1-10 LUKE 5:1 AND 1 IT CAME TO PASS, THAT, AS THE PEOPLE 2 PRESSED UPON HIM TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, HE STOOD BY THE LAKE OF GENNESARET, 2 AND SAW TWO SHIPS STANDING BY THE LAKE: BUT THE FISHERMEN WERE GONE OUT OF THEM, AND WERE WASHING THEIR NETS. 3 AND HE ENTERED INTO ONE OF THE SHIPS, WHICH WAS SIMON'S, AND PRAYED HIM THAT HE WOULD THRUST OUT A LITTLE FROM THE LAND. AND HE SAT DOWN, AND TAUGHT THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE SHIP. 4 NOW WHEN HE HAD LEFT SPEAKING, HE SAID UNTO SIMON, LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP, AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A DRAUGHT. 5 AND SIMON ANSWERING SAID UNTO HIM, 1, MASTER, WE HAVE TOILED ALL THE NIGHT, AND HAVE TAKEN NOTHING: NEVERTHELESS AT THY WORD I WILL LET DOWN THE NET. 6 AND WHEN THEY HAD THIS DONE, THEY INCLOSED A GREAT MULTITUDE OF FISHES: AND THEIR NET BRAKE. 7 AND THEY BECKONED UNTO THEIR PARTNERS, WHICH WERE IN THE OTHER SHIP, THAT THEY SHOULD COME AND HELP THEM. AND THEY CAME, AND FILLED BOTH THE SHIPS, SO THAT THEY BEGAN TO SINK. 8 WHEN SIMON PETER SAW IT, HE FELL DOWN AT JESUS' KNEES, SAYING, DEPART FROM ME; FOR I AM A SINFUL MAN, O LORD. 9 FOR 2HE WAS ASTONISHED, AND ALL THAT WERE WITH HIM, AT THE DRAUGHT OF THE FISHES WHICH THEY HAD TAKEN: 10 AND SO WAS ALSO JAMES, AND JOHN, THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE, WHICH WERE PARTNERS WITH SIMON. AND JESUS SAID UNTO SIMON, FEAR NOT; FROM HENCEFORTH THOU SHALT CATCH MEN.
REMEMBER THE CALL AT THE END: JOHN 15 – THEY CAN DO IT IF THEY ABIDE.
IMP: FISHING WITHOUT CHRIST LEADS TO FRUSTRATION AND FRUITLESSNESS.
TEXT: KJV LUKE 9:62 AND JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, NO MAN, HAVING PUT HIS HAND TO THE PLOUGH, AND LOOKING BACK, IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
LUKE 17:32 REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE
2 TIMOTHY 4:10 FOR DEMAS HATH FORSAKEN ME, HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD, AND IS DEPARTED UNTO THESSALONICA; CRESCENS TO GALATIA, TITUS UNTO DALMATIA.
2 PETER 2:20 FOR IF AFTER THEY HAVE ESCAPED THE POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, THEY ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED THEREIN, AND OVERCOME, THE LATTER END IS WORSE WITH THEM THAN THE BEGINNING. 21 FOR IT HAD BEEN BETTER FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE KNOWN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAN, AFTER THEY HAVE KNOWN IT, TO TURN FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT DELIVERED UNTO THEM. 22 BUT IT IS HAPPENED UNTO THEM ACCORDING TO THE TRUE PROVERB, THE DOG IS TURNED TO HIS OWN VOMIT AGAIN; AND THE SOW THAT WAS WASHED TO HER WALLOWING IN THE MIRE.
APP: DON’T GO BACKWARDS, BUT LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE
ILL: THOSE WHO LEAVE THE CHURCH
THOSE WHO LEAVE MINISTRY
THOSE WHO LEAVE THE MASTER
A LITTLE GIRL GOT HOME FROM SUNDAY SCHOOL, WHERE SHE HAD BEEN TAUGHT THE VERSE: LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GIVE GLORY TO OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. SHE ASKED HER MOTHER, WHEN SHE REPEATED THE VERSE, WHAT IT MEANT. HER MOM SAID, "WELL, IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU ARE GOOD AND KIND AND THOUGHTFUL AND OBEDIENT, YOU ARE LETTING CHRIST'S LIGHT SHINE IN YOUR LIFE BEFORE ALL WHO KNOW YOU."
THE VERY NEXT SUNDAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, THE LITTLE GIRL GOT IN A BIT OF A FRACAS WITH ANOTHER STUDENT AND CREATED SOMEWHAT OF AN UPROAR--TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER HAD TO GO AND FIND HER MOTHER TO GET HER SETTLED DOWN A BIT IN THE CLASS. HER MOTHER WAS CONCERNED WHEN SHE GOT TO THE CLASSROOM AND SAID, "SWEETIE, DON'T YOU REMEMBER ABOUT LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE FOR THE LORD BEFORE MEN?" THE GIRL BLURTED OUT, "MOM, I HAVE BLOWED MYSELF OUT."
MANY OF US HAVE DONE JUST THAT. IN OUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST, OUR LIGHT HAS GONE OUT.
MP II. DO PRESS FORWARD - REJOICE IN THE NEW WAY OF LIFE: AND KEEP DOING WHAT YOU WERE DOING V 7.-8
CONFESSION OF CHRIST – JOHN, SAID, “IT’S THE LORD”. WHEN GOD SHOWS UP IT REMINDS US TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE WERE CALLED TO DO. WE ARE TO RECOGNIZE THE HAND OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. IT REMINDS OF PETER’S CONFESSION…ON THE MT. OF TRANSFIGURATION.
SECOND WE SEE THE …
LOYALTY TO CHRIST – PETER SWIMS TO JESUS AND HELP THE OTHER DISCIPLES.
IMP. ABUNDANT LIFE OF CHRIST – DRAGGING THE NET WITH FISH AND THE COMING OF NEW BELIEVERS INTO THE FAMILY OF FAITH OF EVERY NATION AND KINDRED AND TONGUE.
TEXT: ACTS 2:41 THEN THEY THAT GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD WERE BAPTIZED: AND THE SAME DAY THERE WERE ADDED UNTO THEM ABOUT THREE THOUSAND SOULS.
ACTS 4:4 HOWBEIT MANY OF THEM WHICH HEARD THE WORD BELIEVED; AND THE NUMBER OF THE MEN WAS ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND.
GALATIANS 6:9-10 9 1 AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT. 10 1 AS WE HAVE THEREFORE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY UNTO THEM WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.
APP: MOVE FORWARD TEAM UP WITH CHRIST AND NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY.
ILL: SOMEBODY ASKED WINSTON CHURCHILL ONE TIME, "WHAT MOST PREPARED YOU TO LEAD GREAT BRITAIN THROUGH WORLD WAR II?" FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, GREAT BRITAIN STOOD VIRTUALLY ALONE AGAINST NAZI GERMANY AS IT DOMINATED THE WESTERN WORLD.
THIS WAS CHURCHILL'S RESPONSE: "IT WAS THE TIME I REPEATED A CLASS IN GRADE SCHOOL."
THE QUESTIONER SAID, "YOU MEAN YOU FLUNKED A GRADE?"
CHURCHILL SAID, "I NEVER FLUNKED IN MY LIFE. I WAS GIVEN A SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT RIGHT."
MP III. DETERMINE TO BRING SOMEONE ALONG - REALIZE THE REWARDS OF THE NEW WAY OF LIFE: V. 9-14
ILL: THE REWARD OF SERVICE IS MORE SERVICE.
FISH AND THE FELLOWSHIP: 153 FISH – IS A GREAT MYSTERY
FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION WITH CHRIST; SCENE REMINDS US OF THE LOAVES AND THE AND THE FISHES IN THE FEEDING OF THE 5000 AND THE UPPER ROOM SERVICE. THEY BRING FISH BUT JESUS ALREADY HAS FISH ON THE COAL; THE TABLE IS ALREADY SET.
IMP. WE ARE ADDING TO WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE; WE ARE INVITING THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO “COME TO THE TABLE AS GOD TAKES NOTHING AND MAKES NOTHING TO SOMETHING
TEXT: JESUS SAID, COME UNTO ME..ALL YE THAT LABOR AND OUR HEAVY LADEN AND I WLL GIVE YOU REST.
WE ADD THE FRUIT OF OUR LABORS TO THE LORD’S WORK
WE WILL NOT LOSE OUT IN OUR LABOR – NET NOT BROKEN
WE WILL SHARE IN THE FELLOWSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP
APP: INVITE PEOPLE TO CHRIST
SHARE CHRIST WITH PEOPLE– THE LIVING BREAD
ILL: MEMBERSHIP HAS IT’S PRIVLEDGES….FOR THAT WE GIVE THANKS…
ILL: CLOSE: THREE THINGS FOR WHICH THANKS ARE DUE: AN INVITATION, A GIFT, AND A WARNING. WELSH PROVERB
DISCIPLESHIP: PEOPLE AS THEY COME TO CHRIST…
PROP: EMBRACE THE EVIDENCE OF ETERNITY BY EXTENDING TO ALL AN INVITATION
COME AND FOLLOW
COME AND EAT
COME AND SEE
COME AND DECLARE
COME AND DINE
COME AND WORSHIP
COME AND SING
COME AND DIE
COME AND REST
COME AND SEE
JESUS SAID, I WILL COME AND SAVE
IF I BELIEVE THEN I WILL BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE LIVES OF OTHER AS A CO-LABORER.
PROP: EMBRACE THE EVIDENCE WITH YOUR ATTITUDE AND ACTIONS