Jesus Restores and Redeems

Introduction

LaFayette Baptist Family, while you are turning in your bible’s there is something very very important that I need to tell you. Hear me now, listen closely, this is most important thing *give a gospel presentation*

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. I ask these things for your glory and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

You may be wondering why we jumped forward 2 chapters, the reason is 2 fold, first is that in times recent and times a little further back we walked through chapters 19 and 20 together. The second is, as it is our last Sunday together, it only seemed appropriate to finish out this Gospel, The Good News According to John.

In those chapters, Jesus was beaten, blooded, and mocked in the most cruel and evil way then forced to cary His own cross to the place of execution. Great big nails were driven through Him and with Him pinned the Roman device, the cross was lifted up to suffer and die. Jesus' death would come quicker, much quicker than most. Darkness would descended onto the earth suddenly as the sin of the entire world was placed upon Him, and finally He breathed His last. Then, the vail the separated God and man, both literally and figuratively, was torn in two! Darkness and Evil had thought it had won! Jesus’ body, was taken to a tomb, and laid there, only to be discovered missing 3 days later as praise The Lord Jesus indeed was very much alive!

Jesus would appear to His disciples (His followers/students) several times before todays text, casting aside all forms of doubt and unbelief. Now they knew that He, Jesus was and is who He says He is, Lord God almighty, come to us in the flesh. The God-Man. The Messiah, The Savior of the World. The Spotless Lamb who died for you and for me.

Now, in today’s text, we see John’s final account of the last time He saw Jesus with the other disciples. Here is the last time John chooses to record before He ascends back up to Heaven. In this text, we see redemption, sweet sweet redemption, as only the Savior can give. Redemption, that though not deserved, was freely given because of God’s great mercy and grace. Jesus here serves as an example for us, a reminder of something we can easily forget, something that is easy to take our eyes off of if we insulate ourselves to far away from the world. Here it is, we need to Know and truly believe that Jesus restores even the most fallen of sins and sinners. So, let’s jump in and From the text, I want you to see and then do these actions yourself in your christian walk, because Jesus Restores and Redeems.

Message

The first action to see and do is to: Rush to Jesus 1-8

21 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.[a] He revealed himself in this way:2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”[b]), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together.3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 “Friends,”[c] Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered. 6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did,[d] and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8 Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards[e] away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish.

So, here we see another example of Jesus appearing to His disciples. It took place on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias, which is another name for the Sea of Galilee. As you can see, it happened with several of the male disciples, Peter, Thomas, Nathan, James and John, and 2 other unnamed disciples. Keep in mind, Jesus had told them to wait for a little while, but in the meantime they were back home. They needed to eat, and so did their families, so to provide these men got about what they knew how to do in order to provide until made to move. So, being fishermen they got about fishing. And, wellllll, it hadn’t been a very good night for them. What does the text say they caught?____________ Then, in a very familiar scene to what had a happened in the first few chapters of this gospel, someone from the shore calls out to them, “Hey , did you catch anything?” No. Well, cast you net on the other side of the boat and you'll find some fish. They did this and found a huge catch! John, realizing what was going on and who this was call’s out, It is the Lord! It is Jesus! Peter, excited and impulsive, throws all His cloths on and jumps into the water to begin swimming to Him! The other disciples, taking a calmer approach, got the fish caught and came to Him in the boat, dragging along the net full of fish.

You know, when I was writing this point this week, I almost put, “run to Jesus.” But then I thought that was a bit silly, as their was very little running involved. I could have put “Swim to Jesus” I suppose, but I guess I would only advise that in a real crises……. But, did you see what Peter did here, he rushed, He didn’t even think about it. (Maybe He should have). He was walking around dressed in what today we might call his undersight, and instead put his nice outer clothes on, to only jump in the water, because He wanted to present Himself to Jesus as quickly as possibly!

Brothers and sisters. How quickly do we rush to Jesus? Do we even rush to Jesus. Or, and I’m speaking to and about me as well. Do we rush to something or someone else? Maybe you rush to your ability to gain control or influence over a situation, because you are uncomfortable with God having control. Maybe you turn to drugs, alcohol, screen, and lewd image addiction because you are running away from something. Perhaps you try to earn as much or as much influence as you possibly can, because you don’t want to be seen as irrelevant in a world that is quickly passing you by. Whatever your situation may be. Instead of turning to that sin, instead of turning towards that vice that is keeping you in the same place making the same mistakes. Do this instead, rush to Jesus and Know and truly believe that Jesus restores even the most fallen of sins and sinners. You know that that sin you are holding onto has you caught in a vicious, angry, hateful cycle, that is only taking away from your peace and joy. So then, throw it aside, stop believing the lies that Satan our enemy is whispering into your ears. Run away from, as fast as you can, and instead rush to Jesus, ask Him for forgiveness (and He will) and let the Holy Spirit empower you to overcome (and He will)! You can do this.

This takes us to

The next action to see and do is to: Follow Jesus 9-19

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11 So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared[f] to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,[g] do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. 17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

With a fire ready to go, Jesus charged them to bring some of the fish they had caught. Peter went to help bring the net ashore, and found it full of both large fish and a large catch, and unlike the time before, this time the net held. Knowing who they were with, the disciples all ate comfortably and had breakfast. Then, comes the moment, the moment of Jesus addresses Peter, who before though he had said he never ever would deny Jesus, denied him 3 times during his biggest time of need. So then, one for each time, Jesus asks Peter, Do you love me? Well then, Feed my lambs, Shepherd my sheep, Feed my sheep. On the last time, Peter was grieved, Jesus you know everything! You know that I love you, I know I messed up! Peter was broken. Jesus, knowing the truth, as Peter had said, knew that Peter did indeed love Him, this formerly proud but now humble man was now ready to be used for God’s kingdom unlike ever before! Jesus tells the man who formerly abandoned him at the sign of trouble, a time will come late in your life that you will be tied up and carried away and killed for my name's sake. So then, Peter follow me. Peter had been redeemed and restored, forgiven.

Have you ever followed the wrong path before? Maybe this was at a park or natural tail. Let me ask you something, What happens when you follow the wrong path? You wind up in the wrong spot. Let me tell you a story. One time a friend were walking a nature trail at montgomery bell state park. Recently a storm had rolled through and knocked lots of trees over. So, a detour was made on the wood trail path. About a week before, I had walked this trail, and felt pretty confident that if we traveled the marked detours we would wind up in a spot near where my truck was parked. Well, little did I know, that in that week chainsaw crews had come through and changed and altered the path, so now, the detour got you back onto the original path very quickly. Well, me and my friend were too busy talking for me to really realize something was wrong, but we did notice that it was getting dark quickly, and in the distance we heard thunder. Well, about the time I thought we should be at my truck, instead we found ourselves (guess where) in a graveyard, which I knew to be VERY far away, with the quickest way back my truck was to turn around, and by the way we had been walking for an hour and half and it was now raining! Following the right trail, and following the right person is very important. Unfortunately for my friend, both selections were bad here!

So, here in stands the question. Who or what do you follow? And why do you do so? Now, we all the know the Sunday Schools (Jesus, because He is Lord) or something like that, and yes that is correct. But, is that really the answer for you? Or, is their something, some person, some idea, or some fear that is followed much more than Jesus. Look at what Jesus called Peter to do here. To go into a life that would be difficult and the end would lead to his arrest and killing. Peter knew this, yet still he chose to follow Jesus. Why would he do this? Well, clearly, Peter knew that Jesus is King, God, Messiah, Savior, Lord. And nothing else other than serving Him, and doing His will really has any matter in life. Everything else, no matter how noble or good someone else might say it is, is of absolutely no consequence, matter or concern, unless Jesus says it is. So then, where are you waising time. What is the waisted effort, what needs to be adjusted? Where is Jesus saying follow me, but you refuse? Know and truly believe that Jesus restores even the most fallen of sins and sinners. Do this, and walk with confidence where once you were to timid to shy to act, do so and find that you will not refuse Jesus.

Another action to see and do is to: Keep your eyes on Jesus 20-25

20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23 So this rumor[h] spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books[i] that would be written.

The conversation continues, imagine it. Peter and Jesus must have been walking along the bank or beach of the sea, and John must have been a little ways behind. Peter turned around, and saw His friend John (the writer of this Gospel, the epistles of John, and the one who penned the book of Revelation) and Peter asked a question. Ok, so we know that I am going to die for Jesus, I know that something is going to happen to me late in my life in service to You, but what about him? What about John? Notice what Jesus says to Peter. Essentially he says, what does it matter to, only worry about you, mind your own business, don’t compare yourself to him. You just worry about yourself and following me. Keep your eyes on me and not on others. From this, a rumor spread around that John would not die, but in the text here, John himself sets that straight, and says that in fact this was not true. John then concludes by testifying that what He had seen and written was true and that Jesus did many other things while on Earth that was not included in this record.

It can be so damaging to yourself Christian believer, to keep your eyes on others. To keep your eyes on anything but Jesus. What we have to be aware of, and yes today it is a threat to us now then perhaps ever before in history because of our access to each other from technology, is keeping an eye on others. Now, of course it is good to keep an eye of concern and love out for others. But, what really hurts us is when we have an eye out for comparison and envy. These two together seem to go hand and hand and can easily poison the brethren against one another. So, be aware, as the old adage goes, comparison is the thief of joy. Well, if this is true, does this not then sound like a tool that would be kept in the tool belt of the enemy? Of Satan? Indeed it does.

So then, what can we do to keep ourselves from looking too long and hard at others and becoming overly concerned about them, and instead keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus and His will for our life? I’m glad you asked. First of all, be aware that the sin of envy and pride lives deep within our hearts, and that all people (yourself and myself included) seem to be susceptible to it. Be aware that every person you have ever come into contact with has, is having, or will soon be having some kind of major struggle that will shake them to the core. Though they may put on an image or persona of perfection, the truth is we are all imperfect people under a perfect God. With that knowledge, you need to keep your eyes on Jesus yourself. You can and should do this by: Not forsaking gathering with believers in worship, praying and fasting regularly, being in the word regularly, and making repenting (turning away) from sin a normal and frequent part of your life. Here is the thing, every one of us in this room, and every person you have met at some time or another, perhaps even now, has not done the good job that you should. Does that mean we have sinned, yes, but here is the thing, you need to Know and truly believe that Jesus restores even the most fallen of sins and sinners. So then, run your own race, keep your eyes on Jesus, and know that if you do that, you will be just fine, as any person that is surrendered to The Holy Spirit and His leading cannot fail.

Conclusion

Beloved, Know and truly believe that Jesus restores even the most fallen of sins and sinners. There is no person to bad or to wrong, no sin bad to terrible, that the blood of Jesus cannot cover it and redeem that person. So then, do not be afraid to come before His throne, there will be found mercy and grace for every person who comes to King in faith and repentance. So then, let no earthly thing burden you any longer. Rush to Jesus 1-8. When you get to Him, and He bid you Follow Jesus 9-19, pursue Him for your whole life, remembering to Keep your eyes on Jesus 20-25; because anything pursued that has nothing to do Him, has no real lasting significance. Jesus redeems and restores, don’t be afraid to come to Him and don’t be afraid to go out for Him.

With that brothers and sisters, I want to tell you that I love you and all. And even though this is the last we will be here with you. I want to tell you that 1, We love you very much. And 2, don’t think that in mine or Emily’s mind their is any awkwardness between us, if you see us out and about, feel free to say hi, and you can still consider me a friend and resource for you.

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.