CLJ E 160731

we've been going through a series of the

miracles the signs in the Gospel of John

and we talked about how there are seven

signs in this gospel seven the number of

kind of a perfect number that God uses

to round things out and we have gone

through in these sermons all seven signs

all seven miracles but then I discovered

something there's another one right at

the end of the Gospel of John John

chapter 21 there is an eighth sign and

we're going to talk about that and I'm

going to talk about why I believe God

added an extra 1-2 this gospel for a

particular purpose something he wanted

to say to his apostles but specifically

to us through this gospel today so let's

pray as we open up the word father in

Jesus name I thank you for your the

Gospel of John I thank you for the way

you demonstrated your power through the

miracles that you did and you revealed

yourself to your people and god I thank

you that your revelation continues that

you are here today that your Holy Spirit

is here to reveal Jesus to us and to

reveal our own hearts to us in a new way

so Holy Spirit do your work speak to us

through your word today we invite you

and we pray that we would be good soil

hearts that respond to the Word of God

visit us we pray in Jesus name Amen amen

so the Gospel of John has a couple of

endings to it if you bear with me by way

of introduction at the end of chapter 20

we've got Jesus risen from the dead

appearing to marry remember the scene

Mary is there she's looking in the tomb

she sees two angels sitting where Jesus

used to lay she turns around and bumps

into some guy and she says she's crying

she thinks he's the gardener and she's

crying in a little bit angry because he

thinks they stole the body

but then the gardener says Mary and then

she knows it's not the gardener then she

knows it's Jesus Jesus then appears to

his to his apostles a little later

they're in a room with the doors closed

and locked because they're still kind of

afraid of what's going to happen and

suddenly Jesus is there like he just

appeared he the way my son would put it

he teleported into the room and boom

almost a boo and they're all like whoa

what are you doing here just his piece

and he talks to them and he eats with

them and then he has a special encounter

later he comes back because he knew that

Thomas wasn't buying it and so he came

back later he says okay you know what

Thomas needs a special visit and Thomas

touches the the wounds in his hand and

says my Lord and my god so Jesus has

appeared to the apostles he appeared to

Mary Magdalene and the story pretty much

ends at the end of John chapter 20 and

verse 30 if you're there with me and

says Jesus did many other miraculous

signs in the presence of his disciples

which are not recorded in this book but

these are written that you may believe

that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God

and thereby believing you may have life

in his name BAM seems like that's the

end right but wait a minute do it

there's another chapter what's going on

what's up with that some scholars get a

little confused about this they view

this as kind of an epilogue you ever

read a book where you read the last

chapter and then there's an extra little

part the epilogue well this chapter 21

is the epilogue to the Gospel of John

and I have a little theory I'm not going

to write a book about this and I could

be wrong but I have a little theory

about how this epilogue came to be does

anyone know how the Apostle Peter passed

away and we know how he died you ever

heard this we don't even know completely

sure some of you have heard that legend

has a church history has it that Peter

along with all the other apostles except

for John was martyred that he died for

his faith that rather than deny the Lord

Jesus he allowed himself to be killed

legend has it that he died by

crucifixion

but as they were threatening to kill him

he said I'm not worthy to die as my lord

I and church history has it that he died

upside down because he said my lord is

worth it my little theory I have a

theory that the Apostle John after that

happened remembered a prophecy that

Jesus had given and so wait a minute

Jesus predicted this and people were

there was apparently a rumor going

around that John was never gonna die

because he was so old that he was never

gonna die in John's like you know what

I'm gonna write an epilogue to my gospel

and I'm gonna tell the story of when

Jesus gave this prophecy to Peter now

again I'm just guessing I'm using my

imagination about how John wrote it but

the truth is that Jesus gave Peter a

prophecy that this was going to happen

Jesus met Peter in a special way and

this is one of my I can't keep saying

this is one of my favorite stories right

aren't they all but it's an encounter

with Jesus that is so personal so vivid

the imagery of it just hits so deeply

you can picture it so easily that I feel

like God has it there so that each one

of us would see ourselves in this moment

so read this with me if you would John

chapter 21 let's read the epilogue to

the Gospel of John afterward in John 21

jesus appeared again to his disciples by

the sea of Tiberias and it happened this

way Simon Peter Thomas called didymus

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee the sons

of Zebedee and two other disciples were

together I'm going out to fish Simon

Peter told them and they said we'll go

with you so they went out got into the

boat but that night they caught nothing

verse 4 early in the morning Jesus stood

on the shore but the disciples did not

realize that it was Jesus he called out

to them friends haven't you any fish

no they answered he said throw your net

on the right side of the boat and you

will find some and when they did they

were unable to haul the net in because

of the large number of fish then the

disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter

it is the Lord as soon as Simon Peter

heard him say it is the Lord he wrapped

his outer garment around him for he

taking it off and jumped into the water

the other disciples followed in the boat

towing the net full of fish for they

were not far from the shore about a

hundred yards when they landed they saw

a fire of burning coals there with fish

on it and some bread and Jesus said to

them bring some of the fish you've just

caught Simon Peter climbed aboard and

dragged the net ashore it was full of

large fish 153 but even with so many the

net was not torn jesus said to them come

and have breakfast none of the disciples

dared ask him who are you they knew it

was the Lord Jesus came and took the

bread and gave it to them and did the

same with the fish this was now the

third time Jesus appeared to his

disciples after he was raised from the

dead and when they had finished eating

jesus said to Simon Peter Simon son of

John do you truly love me more than

these yes Lord he said you know that I

love you jesus said feed my lambs again

jesus said Simon son of John do you

truly love me he answered yes Lord you

know that I love you and jesus said take

care of my sheep the third time he said

to him Simon son of John do you love me

and Peter was hurt because Jesus asked

him the third time do you love me and he

said Lord you know all things you know

that I love you jesus said feed my sheep

I tell you the truth when you were

younger you dressed yourself and went

where you wanted but when you are old

you will stretch out your hands and

someone else will dress you and lead you

where

you do not want to go jesus said this to

indicate the kind of death by which

Peter would glorify god and then he said

to him follow me Peter turned and saw

that the disciple whom Jesus loved

that's John writing the gospel good

self-esteem was following them and Jesus

was the one who would lean back this was

the one who had leaned back against

Jesus at the supper and it asked him

Lord who is going to betray you and when

Peter saw him he's asked Lord what about

him and jesus answered if I want him to

remain alive until I return what is that

to you you must follow me because of

this the rumor spread among the brothers

that the disciple would not die but

Jesus did not say that he would did not

die he only said if I want him to remain

alive until I return what is that to you

and this is the disciple who testifies

to these things and who wrote them down

we know that his testimony is true Jesus

did many other things as well if every

one of them were written down I suppose

that even the whole world would not have

room for the books that would be written

amen what a story huh the story about

how Peter became a disciple who was all

in for Jesus all in I want a title I

would title the sermon that all in

there's a great book by mark batterson

all in I just love the title you know

I'm sure it's a good book too i mean

i've read parts of it it's great but the

title is really good you know all in for

Jesus this is the story about how heart

becomes all in it's a bit of a struggle

because for many of us we feel that if

I'm not all in a hundred percent we feel

like we're hypocrites sometimes as

people are getting ready to get baptized

they struggle with that they think you

know what I don't know if I'm ready to

get baptized I still have problems and

we wonder am I really fully devoted to

Jesus or not I'm still in process that's

what this chapter is all about look at

how it begins we we learn about how

Peter

is a person we know from previously that

has been broken that has blown it in a

big way I believe a heart that is all in

is usually a heart that has been broken

at some point is usually a heart that

has failed at some point Jesus appeared

to all the Apostles and he appeared to

Mary individually and appeared to Thomas

individually and I could only imagine

Peter thinking you know thank God that

Jesus is back but it's never gonna be

the same not after what I've done what

am I gonna do now let's go fishing yeah

anyone want to go fish in its summertime

right some of you would you want to go

right I know you do let's go fish it got

nothing else to do let's go fishin and

the other guys say this is so real the

other guys say okay we'll come I you

know the Gospel of John is very

philosophical but it's also very

practical this these are historical

accounts John was there and they're like

you know what we don't know what to do

let's go back to what we used to do

let's go fishing and Peter had a long

night to think about things anyone ever

had a long night to think about things

may be thinking a little too much about

thing maybe some memories come back that

you would rather just erase I could just

imagine Peter fishing all that night and

remembering the haunting memory of his

failure and after he had insisted that

he would never deny Jesus remember that

at the Last Supper Jesus says this very

night you all will fall away on account

of me Peter responds saying even if

everyone else falls away on account of

you I never will I'm all in for you

Jesus Jesus says truly I say to you this

very night before the rooster crows you

will deny three times that you even know

me how does Peter respond

is he humble does he say okay Lord now

no Peter response he declares even if I

have to die with you I will never disown

you and all the others say the same have

you ever insisted with bravado god I'm

all for you all in and then within 24

hours Peter it must have been haunting

to him the memory the memory of that

night in the garden remember when Jesus

was praying and he sweating blood father

if it's possible to take this cup and he

asked the Apostles stay here with me and

watch and I imagine Peter remembering

himself falling asleep and waking up and

there's Jesus's face saying to him

couldn't you even stay awake an hour to

pray with me then he's shaking his head

the Spirit is willing but the flesh is

weak isn't it then the memory of when

the guys came to arrest Jesus and Judas

kisses and remember the moment Judas

kisses him and and their swords and

there's torches and they arrest Jesus

and Peter remember what Peter does now

he gets brave for a minute he takes out

his sword and thwack cuts off the ear of

one of the temple guards we even know

his name his name was anyone know his

name John tells us Malkis poor Malkis

got his ear cut off he's just doing his

job bad job but he was doing his job

you're cut off Jesus rebuked Peter Peter

put your sword away the one who lives by

the sword will die by the sword he

touches that man's ear and bam puts it

back on peter then imagines remembers

they take him off to trial there's a

courtyard where he could see Jesus in

the distance and he gets in but it's a

cold night so he's warming himself by

the fire and then some people come

around and say hey wait a minute weren't

you one of them remember what Peter says

no I never never met him he goes to a

different place a different fire he's

warming himself in that dark night and

one of the servant girl comes up wait a

minute you were with him he says no I

tell you I wasn't with them

and then someone else's wait a minute we

recognize your accent you got the accent

you got the Boston accent you were with

them and then he starts calling down

curses on him Bridger governor I wasn't

with him I never knew him and then Jesus

looks him right in the eye and the

rooster crows remember that that night

when Peter went off by himself and just

wept and wept and wept and what all

those memories that must have been

haunting Peter all night thinking about

his failure thinking about how when

Jesus says you are Simon but from now on

you will be called Peter Cephas which

means rock and on this rock I'll build

my church he's like some rock denying

him three times what now what now then

out of the morning it's been all night

you ever been up all night and then you

see the sun starting to rise but it's

still dark and there's a guy on shore

hey guys you caught anything nothing

throw your net on the other side why not

they throw the net out and then they

start feeling all the fish in the net

flopping around biggies apparently

flopping around and I could just imagine

as Peter was pulling in that net with

the others that he flashed back to

another day three years ago you remember

the miracle don't you three years ago

Peter was cleaning the nets and Jesus

asked if he could use his boat and sit

in the boat and teach the crowd that was

on the shore and Peter there listening

to him and then Peter says Jesus says to

Peter why don't we go out fishing and

Peter gives him a smart aleck answer you

remember Lord we've been fishing all

night and we haven't caught anything and

then he says but because you say so

we'll do it you know what I imagine I

imagine him rolling his eyes okay

whatever look I wish you would just

stick to your religious teaching let me

do the

fish in here all right but okay let's

humor him these religious guys need to

know but whatever they go out they catch

the huge catch of fish all these fish

they miraculously catch the net were

breaking the boat were swamped but Peter

and when he gets to shore he could care

less about the fish he comes to Jesus

and can barely even look him in the eye

and just says go away from me Jesus I'm

a sinful man he knew that he had just

wised off to the Son of God and Jesus

that don't worry about a Peter from now

on you're gonna fish for people and I

can just imagine Peter being like I

don't quite know what that means but Wow

and I can't believe it well as they're

catching the fish this time it's part

two I find that sometimes God takes you

back to those first encounters you had

with him so you remember your first love

you remember those first promises

because even though we may forget God

doesn't forget even though we may think

that we have disqualified ourselves

because we've gone the wrong way God has

not forgotten the purpose that he has

for us and he gives thats a miracle to

bring it all back to Peter and Peter

begins to realize wait a minute what's

going on here we're having a flashback

and John looks and he recognizes amiss

says it's him it's the Lord what does

Peter do here do you notice what Peter

does this is classic Peter apparently

he's fishing kind of all free and loose

right so he puts on he puts on his

garment again and he just dives into

that water and swims to shore isn't that

a beautiful image I wish I would love

some day if I become a brilliant artist

I would paint Peter swimming to shore

just coming to that Shore swimming with

all his might saying I gotta get to

Jesus a heart that is all in is a heart

that has been broken most likely but a

heart that is all all in is also a heart

that leaps at the presence of Jesus

a heart that says I gotta get to Jesus I

only want to be where you are a heart

that might be impulsive might be

imperfect might be sinful but that must

be close to him and Peter was swimming

to shore and it reminds me of other

characters in the Bible who had that

same heart to be close to Jesus remember

that woman who was famous for having Lee

led a sinful life perhaps she was a

prostitute when she heard that Jesus was

at the Pharisees house what does she do

she elbows her way in she goes right

into the dining room he gets on her face

and she starts weeping and kissing

Jesus's feet realized she gets them all

wet she dries it with her hair that's a

heart that leaps at the presence of

Jesus I think of those those Friends of

the man who couldn't walk remember Jesus

was teaching in a crowded house and they

tried to get in and they couldn't get in

and they wouldn't take no for an answer

people at the doors that you don't

understand the house is full and they

say to him you don't understand my

friend is sick and Jesus is going to

heal them yeah and they dig a hole in

the roof apparently you could dig holes

and roofs back then I don't you know

quite get it you know my roof you know

no holes in that but hopefully of it

they dig through and they lower the mat

down and Jesus when he sees their faith

forgives the man sin and heal 'some I

think of these kinds of hearts how about

the chaos he was a tax collector he was

a short man but he said you know what I

gotta see Jesus and he climbs the tree

and Jesus looks up and says akia's can I

come over today he's like you gotta be

kidding me a heart that leaps at the

presence of Jesus I think of the blind

beggar Bartimaeus who said Lord son of

David have mercy on me and everyone just

said would you be quiet you're making a

scene and Jesus sends the ushers over

they know he doesn't send the ushers the

ushers go over and shut him up and the

other Jesus is wait a minute I want to

meet this man what can I do for you

these are the hearts that Jesus blesses

these are the hearts that are all in for

Jesus not perfect hearts but hearts that

jump and his presence hearts that leap

in the kind of heart that when you're in

a boat you know the story of Peter right

he's in the boat with the apostles Jesus

comes walking on the water what does

Peter say to him lord if it's really you

tell me to come out and walk over the

water to you who does that who even

thinks about you see Jesus walking on

water some of them thought it was a

ghost some of them were freaking out

Peter's thinking hey I'd like to do that

too that's the kind of heart that is all

in for Jesus that's the kind of heart

that God calls to be a leader the kind

of heart that when Jesus appeared on the

Mount of Transfiguration I know I'm

telling a lot of stories but you know

most of these Jesus is on the Mount of

Transfiguration he's glowing remember

Moses and Elijah appeared to him and

what does Peter do he says oh it's good

that we're here I'm gonna build you

three shelters right here right now

three Tyburn ackles what were and virile

I Peter would you just be quiet you're

just babbling but he's all-in he's

all-in for Jesus may be impulsive may be

impetuous definitely imperfect but

genuine and sincere for Jesus so he

jumps in the water and he swims to shore

he just swims and I was at what did what

do you think he's gonna do when he gets

there just the image of him getting to

the shore and he's just dripping wet and

there's Jesus I just love that picture

of peter just just just think I don't

know what I'm gonna even say to you but

he's there and what does he find when he

gets there he finds a camp fire that's

burning a campfire that's there waiting

for him and I think he begins to get a

glimpse of the fact that Jesus is going

to give him a second chance a heart that

is all in is a heart that has learned

that God gives us a second chance

thank God for that the campfire is there

is there anything better than the smell

of breakfast cooking tell me is there

anything better than that smell that's

just a great smell the bacon the eggs

the the hot syrup you know I come here

on Saturday mornings in the whole church

I smell the eggs and the onions just all

over I'm like yeah breakfast breakfast

Jesus is cooking breakfast I got a

little question for you where did he get

the fish in the bread for the breakfast

I mean did he go to a store and buy I

mean maybe he did I don't know but I

have a again I'm using my imagination a

lot today you guys gotta bear with me

but I just imagine he was just he could

do tricks now he's the risen Christ he

has authority over heaven and earth and

overall nature I think he just snapped

his finger and a fish jump down you know

boom yes you breakfast yeah you know and

then the bread I wonder where he got the

bread you know the devil tempted him to

turn stones into bread right and Jesus

said man doesn't live by bread alone but

by every word that proceeds from the

mouth of God but I think he said ok now

I think I would like to turn some stones

into bread I'm not going to do it when

the devil tells me I'm gonna do it when

I want to do it bang bread bread bread

start cooking start cooking some

breakfast here again what a beautiful

painting just imagine use your

imagination the shore of the lake it's

the morning sunrise the sunlights just

coming up the waves are lapping against

that sand and there's a campfire with

breakfast cooking and Jesus is just just

chillin just sitting there says why

don't you come join me you know any good

Hebrew any good Jew would have

remembered another scene in the Bible

that many of us might not think of right

away but I think most Jews would have

thought of it most people who knew the

Old Testament there was a prophet in the

Old Testament named Elijah you ever

heard of him right Elijah a great man of

God who once had this confrontation with

the profits of bail these idol

worshipping profits

and he had this big showdown with them

hundreds of them against one of him

really against his God against their God

and His God one fire came down and

consumed an offering that had been

doused with water after this amazing

spiritual power Elijah is threatened by

the Evil Queen Jezebel this is all in

the Old Testament Evil Queen Jezebel

says I'm gonna kill you and Elijah a man

of courage says oh yeah you and what

army no no you know what Elijah does he

gets afraid and he runs away terrified

for his life he runs off to the desert

he finally gets under a tree he sits

down depressed and miserable and says

Lord I'm no better than my ancestors

just take my life this great man of God

who had just had such a high now crashed

to the bottom and he was miserable and

depressed and then God made him fall

asleep and he woke up and he looked over

and there was the angel of the Lord who

i believe is actually a pre incarnate

visit of jesus but whatever the case a

heavenly angelic figure is sitting by

that fire a campfire and Elijah sees the

campfire with bread cooking over and a

big jug of cold water and the angel says

to him Elijah get up and eat and drink

because the journeys too much for you

and he eats that heavenly bread and he

goes back to sleep and he wakes up and

there's more bread and water and God

refreshed Elijah soul I wonder if when

Peter saw this fire he thought you know

what I could use a little refreshing

myself and here's the angel of the Lord

risen from the dead ready to meet me

here and give me a second chance God is

the God who meets you where you are and

gives you a second chance he got it

called Peter to fish for people and he

may have thought that it was too late

for him to ever do that again because of

what he had done but the miracle showed

him not only are you going to fish for

people but I'm going to

continue to tell you where to fish and

you're not going to catch just a few

fish you're gonna catch a lot a hundred

and fifty-three to be precise you ever

wondered why the number 153 is there

that is precisely that mini fish well I

took a couple hours and studied this and

I finally came to the conclusion that it

says that because there were a hundred

and fifty three fish in that net that's

my conclusion I think that's all it

means I think and I really worked on

this I wanted something cool I wanted

there's got to be a meaning and there's

like 10 different theories and people

throughout history I think the answer is

somebody counted and John was there and

they were all big ones and I think the

message being given God is saying you're

not going to lose one that I have given

you know I'm you're not gonna lose one

of them they're all gonna be there see

in the previous miracle of the catch of

the fish the Nets broke and they started

losing fish this time no nets are

breaking no they got him all somehow and

they're big ones the Bible explicitly

says they were whoppers this big he's

telling the truth he was there he's not

exaggerating this time like you know

some of us might do big fish and Jesus

said you're not gonna lose any my sheep

know my voice I know them and they

follow me and I give them eternal life

and they will never perish and no one

will snatch them out of my hand my

father who has given them to me is

greater than all and no one is able to

snatch them out of my father's hand I

and the father are one Peter you are

going to fulfill your mission every last

person that you are supposed to win for

the kingdom of God will be one for the

kingdom of God nothing will be wasted

nothing will be lost we're going to do

this together brother sisters God has a

calling for you and nothing that God has

promised can fail he is the sovereign

God he is the powerful God and he can

take broken people and still renew his

promise and his purpose and his mission

in their lives thank God

thank God a heart that is all in is a

sincere heart but not necessarily a

perfect heart now it's time for Jesus to

do business with Peter okay they've

eaten their feeling good they've had the

you know the fish in the bread and Jesus

begins a conversation with Peter right

there in front of the others and he

begins with a powerful question that I'd

like you to look at with me in verse 15

when they had finished eating jesus said

to Simon Peter Simon son of John do you

truly love me more than these that this

is going to be important because when we

have drifted away we do need to be

restored to God we need to be restored

and Jesus asked in this question Simon

son of John that's formal he's actually

saying hey Peter hey Simon Simon son of

John this is a formal commissioning

Simon son of John do you love me truly

love me and then he says something

interesting more than these that an

interesting question do you love me more

than everyone else sitting around you

right here at the breakfast you know

what he would have said before you know

what he would have said before of course

I love you more than everyone else I'm

the man I'm the rock I stepped out of

the boat I know I sucked but at least I

walked a couple steps none of them did

but this time this time Peter knows

Peter knows he's no better than anyone

else that's important that's really

important especially if we're called to

any kind of leadership because if we

think we are better than anyone then

we're no good to anyone we are all in

this together we are all sinners finding

salvation in Jesus so it's a formal

commissioning and Peter answers very

interesting he says yes Lord you know

that I love you now if it's ok I would I

would like to talk about

the Greek that goes behind this the

Bible was originally New Testament was

originally written in the Greek language

and the translations we have our

excellent but every now and then it

helps to know a little bit of the

original to understand what's going on

and if you read this if you look at the

the NIV translation it says do you truly

love me more than these and Peter answer

is yes Lord he doesn't say I love you

more than anyone it just says yes Lord

you know that I love you the reason it

says truly love me and then the second

part is not just I love you is because

there are different Greek words for love

that are being used here some of you

have heard me talk about this before one

of the words for love in greek is agape

isn't that great agape let's say that

together agape who yes love it is a word

that means that the sacrificial highest

form of committed love now when Peter

answers he uses a different word for

love he answers and says yes Lord you

know that I love you and he uses the

word filet o you know that you know the

city philadelphia feel oz filet o and

adelphi brother the city of brotherly

love right filet o is a word that is

typically used for friendship brotherly

love okay now sometimes these words can

be used interchangeably as synonyms but

sometimes there might be a nuance of

difference between them right those of

you to speak Spanish if someone says me

amore make Mahama's and the person

answers instead si tu sabes que te

quiero it's not going to do the trick

for you you're like oh I like that no

are more in Spanish kind of agape carry

love like friendship love it's like in

English if you were to say do you love

me you know you bout to do you lovin the

person says you know that I have very

warm feelings for you you know now i

know i'm bringing back some bad memories

first of a

some of us here with that word got out

there a little sooner than the other

person was ready for but it's all good

so that's what I think that could be

going on here now we're not one hundred

percent maybe that's just different

synonyms maybe it's just they're just

mixing up the language but i wonder if

jesus is saying do you love me me ama

saga' pay and Peter saying Lord you know

that I love you tequiero filet oh I do

love you but maybe not quite like I

thought I did but I do I really do but

just not the way I thought before now

Jesus doesn't let him off the hook that

easy right Jesus asked him again but he

brings it down he says Simon son of John

and now we're down in verse oh and then

he gives them the commandment you know

that I love you and Jesus said feed my

lambs feed my lambs Peter says i love u

and P Jesus says that's all I was

looking for do the ministry that I've

called you to do God doesn't call people

with perfect love but he does call

people with sincere love it doesn't mean

we fully arrived but it means were for

real where we are and we want to serve

the Lord in Jesus i'll take you there to

start doing your job now and you know

jesus said that to Peter didn't he he

said Simon son of John went with the at

the Last Supper said Simon Simon Satan

has asked to sift you all like wheat

Jesus gave the devil permission to tempt

all the Apostles to turn away from him

to Humble them all to sift them and then

Jesus says to Peter but I prayed for you

Simon that your faith would not fail

when you have returned strengthen your

brothers I wonder if Peter was finally

getting it okay I think I get it in

other words my failure is actually part

of my preparation for what you want me

to do now because I blew it just like

everyone and you're restoring me you're

going to

me bring other people to the Savior

because I know what it is to be forgiven

I know what it is to be restored and I

can help other people find hope in you

too when you've returned strengthen your

brothers but Jesus doesn't let him off

the hook he asked him three times

doesn't he the second time Simon son of

John do you love me he doesn't ask more

than these this time because we already

know that's not the case right do you

love me and Peter says agape Jesus uses

agape again and Peter answers again Lord

you know that I que quiero that I love

you filet o then he says take care of my

sheep a third time Jesus asks him he

says Simon son of John do you love me me

quieres he uses fillet o the last time

Jesus brings it down down down to where

Peter is do you love me he asks for what

Peter can give the Bible says Peter was

sad the last time because he said do you

love for me make here ties do you using

filet o perhaps or maybe just because he

had to ask three times maybe it was just

that whatever the case Peter was sad

saying you shouldn't have to ask three

times and you shouldn't have to bring

the bar down for me the Lord you know

all things you know that I love you as

much as I can I know I've got problems i

know i've got to struggles i know it's

imperfect but all that i am is yours and

then jesus makes the amazing prophecy he

says you know when you were young you

did whatever you wanted to do but when

you're old you're going to become more

like a child you're gonna go where

someone else leads you you're going to

stretch out your hands and someone else

will dress you the word stretch out your

hands is used for crucifixion Jesus says

maybe you just loved me filet o right

now but there will come a time when you

will die rather than deny me there will

come a time when you will be so

responsive to the Lord that you'll go

wherever even places you don't want to

go you'll just say yes sir and you'll go

because you're gonna be

at the point of commitment you're gonna

be all in for me I'll get you there I

will get you there you'll be like that

horse that wild stallion that needs to

be broken that these to be trained but

when it has been trained it becomes one

with its rider and the two of them can

do anything together we will be like

that together you may just love me filet

o now and I'll take what you've got to

give but I'm going to bring you to agape

I'm gonna make You the man of god I've

called you to be and I will not give up

and I will not let go until I get you

where you're supposed to be that's the

kind of God we serve a committed God a

God who is absolutely determined to

fulfill his purpose in our lives praise

the Lord he won't give up on me he's

going to bring me to where I'm supposed

to be and every one of the fish I'm

supposed to catch all 153 of them

whoppers every one of them will be

caught and the Nets won't break because

my god is able amen now this is Jesus's

encounter with Peter but I believe that

Jesus visits each one of us individually

I really do I really do when he rose

from the dead he appeared individually

to marry he came back and did a second

visit individually for Thomas because he

knew Thomas needed it he met Paul on the

road because he knew Paul needed get

whacked over and arrested right Jesus

visits us individually Peter looks over

and says what about him what about John

isn't a hilarious even now he's putting

his foot in his mouth even now he's

still he still Peter right you know what

about him and she's like what about him

you know if I want him to stay until I

return what's that to you and I think

that's part of why John wrote this

because people started thinking he was

never gonna die and I think he said wait

a minute later if that's not what Jesus

meant here's the whole story behind it

but you know he said what does it matter

to you I have a purpose for John John

had a very special purpose also his

purpose was to write these amazing

letters to be an apostle of love to be a

great teacher to receive the to be eggs

to an island where he would receive a

vision called the revelation and he

would write that down John had a very

specific purpose to now I don't know

exactly what your purpose in your

mission is but i believe you have one

from before the foundation of the earth

you were chosen in him and God has a

plan for you that only you can fulfill

that I can't do for you no one else can

do for you only you can walk in the

steps of the good works prepared in

advance for you to walk in and thank God

you will because God is able he doesn't

ask us to be perfect but he does require

that we be sincere he requires that we

say Lord with all that I have I do love

you I am jumping in the water with you I

am taking the plunge I will be all in

with you and I know you'll fulfill your

purpose for me now as I close this time

today I want to invite us to imagine

that we are at that breakfast with Jesus

on the shore and he's asking you do you

love me do you love me and it said up to

us to answer together so i invite you to

stand with me and that's close with that

with that prayer with that image in our

minds and that that commitment that God

calls us to make Jesus I thank you that

you do continue to prepare breakfast for

your people lord I thank you that you do

continue to visit your people

individually personally that you

continue to let us know that you love us

and that you won't give up on us Lord

God Oh father I pray in Jesus name Oh

God that you would visit each one here

in this place today and Lord that as you

ask us that question do you love me that

we would look you in the eye knowing our

weaknesses knowing our failures knowing

our imperfection but also knowing the

genuine love that we have for you that

we would say Lord you know all things I

love you as much as I can

Oh God we as a church Lord Jesus are

imperfect and in process but Lord there

are fish you've called us to catch and

you want to tell us where to fish and

you don't require that we be perfect or

competent or qualified you only require

that we love you as much as we can right

now it's the Lord we tell you we love

you today we love you jesus as much as

we can we want to be used by you we want

to serve you we want to feed your sheep

we want to catch your fish we want to do

what you call us to do gotta thank you

that it's never too late God is never

too late lord god I thank you that even

if we have made mistakes and we've

committed sins it is not too late the

gifts and calling of God are irrevocable

god I thank you that is never too late

like the Apostle John who was very

elderly when he received the vision of

Revelation even if we might feel like we

are we are older than some God it is not

too late Lord God you have worked for us

to do Lord God important work for us to

do as long as there's breath in our

lungs we are called to serve you and

that is what we'll do today in Jesus

name Lord God we say yes Lord and as

much as we can we say yes Lord we have

plenty of time and I'd like to invite us

to close with with worship but um you

know there is one more person that I had

a gift for and I I don't usually put a

person on the spot like this but I am

going to do that today ray I've got a

gift for you today could you could you

come forward reiki lace was baptized and

Ray Ray was baptized two weeks ago and

just all so we're celebrating housing

and he wasn't here a little while ago

but I want to give this to you and I

want to declare publicly you are a child

of the Living God ray and God has a

purpose for you and he has the plaintiff

the certificate and he has a purpose for

you and he has a plan for you and he

will fulfill their father in Jesus name

God Lord we stand with Ray not just as

ray but symbolic of all of us Lord God

Lord that you call into the waters and

you call out of the waters to serve you

Lord Jesus we bless him today and we say

his best years are yet to come that his

calling is yet to come that the good

works prepared in advance for him are

waiting for him and he will walk in

those good works because you who began

the good work are faithful to complete

it until the day of Christ Jesus amen

god bless you