Easter 2021

Easter 2021, ROUGH DRAFT

Title - “Unexpected Triumph”

As you are turning to Luke 22 ...

Big Idea - The resurrection overcomes our greatest failures.

Luke 22:54-62

Pray

Transition to have good news you have to at first have bad news.

Here is the worst news of the day.

This should not be new news.

1.Peter failed and I have failed.

Peter was one of the greatest disciples.

-It was Peter who made great statements a out Jesus being God.

-It was Peter who took a few steps on the water when no one else would even get out of the boat.

-It was Peter at the transfiguration of Jesus.

-It was Peter in the book of Acts who gave the firs great sermon in Jerusalem and thousands came to salvation.

-It was Peter who followed Jesus after Jesus was arrested, when most of the disciples ran away and hid.

And we read this in our passage today.

Luke 22

Peter had the biggest failure of his life.

He denied Jesus 3 times.

He denied his God, his creator, his friend.

after 2 1/2 years of living with him and being taught and loved by Jesus - Peter turned his back on Jesus.

How could he ever forgive himself.

He would never forget this failure. It would haunt him.

Can I tell you - I could write a book on my failings.

Relationships failings, Parenting failings, Spiritual failings, Job failings, Academic failings, Financial failings ...

I’m not alone - I’m in good company. I’m in a room full of people, right here, who have experienced the same kinds of failures.

Questions -

What have been some significant failures in your life?

What are some of the regrets in your life that you wish you had the chance to do over.

What are the failures that haunt you?

Every single person in this room - including me - live with regrets.

Times we failed ourselves, times we failed others, times we failed God.

If we had every single person in this room come up to this mic and share their biggest regret, you would be surprised at what each person said.

-We all have big mistakes we have made.

-Some of us have hidden our mistakes well.

-Others have mistakes that are more public.

We come into church on Easter morning with our Easter outfits. Our hair and makeup are on point.

-We look like a filtered picture on instagram.

-We all have one thing in common. We all have brokenness and failure in our lives. We all live with some amount of regret.

Transition - Today we look at Peter & a mistake that would haunt Him for the rest of his life.

He denied knowing or having anything to do with Jesus.

Here is what makes this failure so terrible.

Peter was with Jesus, when Jesus told him to cast his net on the other side and his boat started to sink because he brought in so many fish.

Peter was with Jesus when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Peter was with Jesus when Jesus cleared the Temple of the money changers.

When Jesus fed the 5 Thousand.

When Jesus walked on water.

Peter saw the miracles first hand.

Peter said that he was ready to go to both prison and to death for Jesus.

When the screws were really tightened down, when it came time to stand up for Jesus, Peter denied Jesus.

Peter not only denied Jesus once, but three times.

When Jesus had a chance to honor Jesus - to stand up for Jesus, Peter worshiped the god of fear and not the God who created and loved Him.

Peter turned his back on his King when his King was most vulnerable, when His king needed Him the most.

The result,

A crushing blow of failure.

Shame that would shape his life.

Regret that would resulted in relinquishing his spiritual resolve.

Application

Haven’t we all had these.

Times in our life when we lost perspective on what was important and chose the wrong path.

Maybe for you it was a time when you allowed fear to cloud your thoughts and your paralysis to make a decision, to not act, left you in a compromised situation.

Or maybe your hurt or anger spiked so white hot it blinded you to the consequences of your actions.

Maybe your desire for attaining a goal, your lust for something or someone ...

For Peter, it was fear.

It is interesting that Peter in this situation is so singled out.

-Besides John and Judas, All the other disciples fled when Jesus was arrested.

-Judas betrayed.

-John and Peter actually followed and kept up with Jesus.

-But it was Peter who denied Jesus 3 times.

-It is Peter who is seen as the failure.

-It is Peter who was so confident that He would be the most loyal to Jesus.

-It was Peter with great regret.

1 of 10,000 reasons we believe the Bible is true is because of Peters massive failure. If you were writing a story that you desires someone to take and believe - you would not write it in such a way that one of the greatest disciples - one of the closest ones to Jesus who Jesus trained and poured his life into - would fail Jesus when Jesus needed him the most.

-This shows how much of a failure Jesus was in his choosing his followers and training his followers. If you wanted to get people to believe your story, Peter would have stepped forward as a hero or tried to save Jesus from torture and became a martyr.

-Peter’s embarrassing failure is only included, because its true - it’s what actually happened.

-No one is trying to cover up.

Transition - Thursday Night, Jesus was arrested and betrayed, He was sentenced to a torturous death,

Jesus died a torturous death on Friday.

He was beaten, mocked, and scorned.

He was whipped within an inch of his life and forced to carry his cross to the place of execution.

Finally, he was striped naked, laid on the cross, and 9 inch nails were driven through his hands and feet.

The cross was erected.

Jesus died on that Cross.

He willingly shed his blood to make a payment for sin.

He willingly shed his blood to pay for our sinful spiritual failures. Pause

But Sunday was coming.

On Sunday - the greatest event in human history took place.

The resurrection.

Jesus, the God Man, showed his power over sin, Satan, death, & hell.

He was raised from the dead.

There is nothing more powerful than the power of God - not even death.

There is nothing more powerful than the love of God - not even your failure.

You see ...

II. The Resurrection changes everything.

Luke 24:1-12

Story Tell - The Resurrection story

On Sunday the woman went to the Tomb.

The stone was gone. Jesus body was gone.

At the tomb, the angels ask the woman, Why are your looking for the living among the dead. Jesus of Nazareth is not hear, He is risen.

*** Read verses 3-9***

The woman go and tell the disciples.

Peter and John hear the news and race to see for themselves.

At the tomb, Jesus is gone. His grave clothes are there, but He is gone.

- They aren’t really sure what happened.

Later, While the eleven disciples are gathered eating together - Jesus shows up in the midst of them.

He appeared before them.

After his resurrection he would eventually appear to more than 500 people.

The disciples world was rocked - Jesus was alive.

This would just be the beginning of the effect of the resurrection.

Through the Power of the Resurrection we see ...

III. The Resurrection brings Restoration -

John 21:15-17

Later several of the disciples (including Peter) were together on the Sea of Galilee fishing. They were still trying to figure this resurrection thing out.

A man yelled to them 100 yards from the shore, “have you caught any fish?” “No”, they said.

They had been fishing with nets all night.

The man said, “throw you net on the other side.”

They did. When they pulled their net, they had so many fish they couldn’t get them in the boat.

-It hit Peter - That’s Jesus.

Peter jumped in the water and swims to shore to see Jesus.

When the disciples get there dragging the net. There is Jesus with a fire built.

After eating a breakfast of fish and bread Jesus says this to Peter

Read verse 15-17.

Feed my lambs, Tend my sheep, Feed my sheep.

Jesus was saying to Peter. I’ve been the spiritual shepherd to the sheep. Now I am handing my staff over to you.

Peter, You lead spiritually. Peter, you minister to the sheep. Peter, you have a significant roll to play in my Kingdom.

The resurrection is the foundation not only for salvation, but also “RESTORATION”!

There are some in this room right now who have allowed the voices of the past to hold you back.

The voice of the RESURRECTED is your voice of the now and the future.

Jesus is saying this, Go forth and minister in my name. I am not done with you.

I want you to see something we skipped over earlier.

Luke 22:31-32,

(x2) And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 

Jesus knew that Peter would fail.

When you have turned back to me again - get on with the work of ministering to others.

Despite Peter’s failing, Jesus saved Peter, loved him and gave Him a purpose.

Christ follower - Before you were saved, Jesus knew not only that you would have bad days, but that there would be times in your life that spiritually you would be a hot mess.

-He saved you any way. He is calling you back to His purpose right now.

-Will you say “Yes” to Jesus and rejoin Him in your daily walk?

-Will you say “Yes” step into ministering to those that He has placed before you?

If you are not a Christ Follower, The Bible tells us that due to your unforgiven sin that you are far from God.

It is the death and payment for sin of Jesus - on the Cross,

and the Resurrection that happened for you.

-Jesus right now is inviting you to begin a relationship with God.

-You have to fully trust that Jesus paid the price for your sin.

-Turn your life over to God to follow Him.

-Will you say “Yes” to Jesus and in faith follow Him right now.

Jesus is raised from the dead & Jesus changes everything.