pastor greg bishop

CLJ E 160814

12 in verse 12 nakul 12 12 we're just

going to read the first part of this

verse and before we read it I just want

to share a story about a young woman

that I knew a college student 20-25

years ago who was struggling with some

pretty serious issues of depression and

discouragement is anyone you don't have

to raise your hand but has anyone ever

struggled with discouragement before

well you start wondering if things are

gonna get better you start wondering

what's going on God well this person

struggled with depression and

discouragement but she was a woman of

god and she decided over the summer she

was gonna have her prayer time every

single day she was going to read the

Bible and she was going to pray and she

sought God every day every day every day

set aside time prayed meditated on the

word until she hit Romans 12 12 and she

hit these three words that changed her

life Romans 12 verse 12 says rejoice in

hope are the way the NIV has it be

joyful in hope that's our verse for

today god I thank you for your word Lord

God I thank you that those simple words

be joyful in Hope can change our lives

completely when we understand them and

Holy Spirit I pray that you is the Good

Shepherd would speak to your people

today because we are listening and I

thank you that your word has divine

power to demolish strongholds of

discouragement so we receive God your

message today to rejoice in hope speak

to us make it real to us lord I pray in

Jesus name Amen when she hit those words

she realizes she had found the cure for

discouragement and in one word the word

is hope hope that's what I want to talk

about today yesterday I was praying

about about this sermon in this text

especially in light of some of the sad

events of the week and there's

others that have happened this week and

yesterday a person who came to the

breakfast downstairs we host a breakfast

for people from the community every

Saturday and a woman came in who was

smiling with a glow that was just it was

great she was overflowing right and she

had a button on that said I am loved and

I asked her her name and she said hope

and I was like a man I feel the

anointing and I knew that this is the

message for us if you could skip ahead

with me to Romans chapter 15 verse 13

says may the god of Hope romans 15 13

may the god of Hope fill you with all

joy and peace as you trust in him so

that you may overflow with hope by the

power of the Holy Spirit isn't that an

awesome verse this verse is kind of a

crescendo of the book of Romans usually

when i think of the letter at Paul's

letter to the Romans I think of a

theological explanation of the gospel I

think of big theological words which are

very important we need to understand

them but a keyword the book of Romans I

discovered when I did my homework for

this is the word hope from beginning to

end it's the topic that the Apostle Paul

says that is the answer it is the power

of the gospel for the salvation of all

who believes may the god of Hope fill

you with all joy and peace as you trust

in him so that you may overflow with

hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

anyone here overflowing some of you are

some of you overflow with hope and I can

see it sometimes the cup starts running

a little low and we need to come back to

the god of hope to fill us up again

because we don't feel like we're

overflowing but that can be our normal

our new normal so I'd like to read a

couple other verses from the book of

Romans as we talk about this if you

could go back with me to Romans chapter

4 we're going to look we're going to

focus on the topic of hope in

in the book of Romans and you see

instant when you think of the symbol of

the Christian faith what defines us as

Christians what's the symbol that we use

as Christians nowadays usually you know

you might put it around your neck what's

the symbol across right because Jesus

died on the cross for our sins amen you

know what the symbol of the Christian

faith one of the biggies for early

Christians was it wasn't a cross because

they saw too many real crosses with

people dying on them and they're like

that's not very comforting or the a so

you know what their symbol was and a

fish was one of them and another one was

an anchor an anchor because the Bible

says that hope is an anchor for our

souls and they've done archaeologists

have done studies in the catacombs in in

Rome where Christians were hiding from

the authorities because the authorities

wanted to kill them for being Christians

and they're hiding in the catacombs are

basically underground tunnels sometimes

doors and they looked at some of the

artwork we call it ancient graffiti but

it was okay it was an underground

catacomb and there you see the pictures

that they did there and there were

pictures of anchors anchors anchors

because the early Christians knew it

doesn't matter what this world can do

against me I am anchored in hope that

was the symbol of the Christian faith

believing in hope is what we have to do

to be a Christian in the first place

don't we Romans chapter 4 and we'll

start in verse 16 the Apostle Paul has

been talking about the need to have

faith and he's talking about Abraham a

man whom in the Old Testament God had

promised would have descendants that

would become a great nation and out of

that nation become a particular

descendant who would be a great king who

would save the world God promised

Abraham kids but there was a little

problem Abraham was a hundred years old

and so was his wife and another problem

even when they were 30 they couldn't

have kids little problem and we see

about faith and hope in his story verse

16 Romans 4 verse 16 says therefore the

promise comes by faith so that it may be

by grace

and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's

offspring not only those were of the law

but also those who have the faith of

Abraham he is the father of us all as it

is written I have made you a father of

many nations he is our Father in the

sight of God in whom he believed and the

God who gives life to the dead and calls

into being things that are not verse 18

against all hope Abraham inho believed

and so became the father of many nations

just as it had been said to him so shall

your offspring be without weakening in

his faith he faced the fact that his

body was as good as dead and since he

was about a hundred years old and that

Sarah's womb was also dead yet he did

not waver through unbelief regarding the

promise of God but was strengthened in

his faith and gave glory to God being

fully persuaded that God had power to do

what he had promised abraham believed in

hope against all hope Abraham in hope

believed and so became the father of

many nations he believed that our God is

so powerful that he can even bring life

from death isn't that what saves us

still that our God has the power to

raise a man who died and was in the tomb

for three days the what God who who

gives life to the dead and calls things

that are not as though they were

Abraham's example shows us how faith and

hope go together if we want to be real

Christians we need to learn not just to

believe but to believe in hope okay now

I want to talk a little bit about hope

because there's misunderstandings of

hope I think hope is not wishful

thinking anyone ever thought you know

well I hope how's it going to go well I

don't know if I'm going to I don't know

if I'm going to win the game or not I

hope so I'm not sure maybe maybe not

that is not Christian Hope Christian

hope is a is called a sure hope another

thing hope is not is not blind optimism

hope doesn't mean that we are going

through hard

and we say oh well whatever it's all for

the best no big deal blind optimism no

no that's not Christian hope it is also

possible to have misplaced hope where we

hope for good hope is a positive

expectation for my future hope means I

believe good things will happen now that

is not always true is it it's possible

to have misplaced hope in the Bible it

says that no king is saved by the size

of his army no warrior escapes by his

great strength a horse is a vain hope

for deliverance despite all its great

strength it cannot save but the eyes of

the Lord are on those who fear Him on

those who hope in his unfailing love it

is possible to hope in the wrong things

it is possible to hope in governments to

hope in political leaders to hope in

armies for our future and especially

during an election year Christians need

to know yes we need to be engaged in

society because as Christians we need to

have a voice we need to think we need to

talk about issues but at the same time I

know where my hope lies and there is no

candidate there is no government there

is no even a constitution as much as I

love my country and I love my

Constitution I really do but my hope is

in another Kingdom and in another

Constitution and I'm a citizen of that

Kingdom that's not misplace our hope

it's also possible to put your hopes in

people and I never done that before and

have it not turn out so good the book of

Proverbs 11-7 says hopes placed in

mortals died with them all the promise

of their power comes to nothing people

will fail you because people are people

people are imperfect people are mortal

it's important for Christians to know

that too we can't put all our hope in

certain leaders or certain teachers as

much as we do I hope you can trust your

spiritual leaders but it's not about

putting your hope

they're your hope is in the king of

kings and the Lord of lords the shepherd

of shepherds right because people are

going to blow it people are going to

make mistakes but my hope is based on

nothing less than Jesus Christ and His

righteousness God is the one who is

reliable what else do people hoping to

find peace and optimism for their future

what else how about people's bank

account money now the Bible says

commandos were rich in this present

world not to be arrogant own or to put

their hope in wealth which is so

uncertain but to put their hope in god

who richly provides us with everything

for our enjoyment but we take nothing

into this world the Bible says and we

can take nothing out of it hope in money

is something that is a vain hope vain

means empty it's not something that's

reliable something else sometimes we can

put our hopes in false promises you ever

done that with a person a person who

promised there's one thing and does

another well there are some preachers

and teachers who give false teaching and

produce false hope in people we need to

be careful about that we could have

false hope based on false teaching The

Book of Jeremiah says this is what the

Lord Almighty says do not listen to what

the prophets are prophesying to you they

fill you with false hopes it's Jeremiah

2316 they speak visions from their own

minds not from the mouth of the Lord

they keep saying to those who despise me

the Lord says you will have peace and to

all who follow the stubbornness of their

hearts they say no harm will come to you

they might be preaching but they're

lying we don't want to have false hopes

based on someone who says it doesn't

matter what God says that's why we try

to stay so true to the Bible as much as

we possibly can because it's not about

what people think or what society

believes but it's about what Scripture

teaches and we don't want to have false

hopes we want to have a hope that is

solid and it is based on something that

is real

liable have you ever thought about we

talk about the I thought of the image of

a check when someone writes you a check

and gives you a check that is that money

or not right it's not really money but

it represents money and that's why you

get the paycheck right how about if i

wrote you a check for a million dollars

right now and give it to you right you

would say thank you very much but it's

not worth the paper it's written on

because you don't have enough money in

the bank to cover it right so you're not

going to put your hope in that check

because there's not money behind it to

make it come true right well God doesn't

bounce checks when God makes the promise

he has got the the funds in the bank to

pay for it and that is why we need to

have hope as Christians I'm not asking

us to just be optimistic and just think

positively I'm asking us to believe in

hope to put our faith in a God who is so

reliable that I know he'll come through

for me and so I can be optimistic no

matter what the circumstances believe in

hope the Bible says yet Abraham did not

waver in verse 20 of chapter 4 of Romans

he didn't waive her through unbelief

regarding the promise of God but he was

strengthened in his faith and gave glory

to God being fully persuaded that God

had power to do what he had promised he

knew that God wouldn't write him a bad

check and God won't write you a bad

check either your God is faithful the

Bible says it is impossible for God to

lie when he says never will I leave you

never will I forsake you he means it and

you can take it to the bank do we

believe in God I have the privilege as a

pastor to know people who go through all

kinds of circumstances and I have seen

people who just won't let go of their

faith and no matter what they're hopeful

not just because they're optimistic

people but because they know who God is

because God has never let them down

before

and they know God is the same yesterday

today and forever he won't let you down

today and he won't let me down tomorrow

I can be hopeful now we need to hold on

to that that's a decision we need to

make by faith to have that solid hope

and I would like if you would open with

me to or turn with me to the book of

Hebrews chapter 6 Hebrews chapter 6 a

beautiful text on hope also talking

about Abraham who was hopeful even

though it seemed impossible for God to

fulfill the promise he had made Abraham

didn't let go of hope he held on Hebrews

chapter 6 in verse 13 Hebrews 6 verse 13

when God made his promise to Abraham

since there was no one greater for him

to swear by he swore by himself isn't

that cool you ever been in court and you

say I swear to tell the truth the whole

truth doesn't matter maybe you've had to

do that you'd rather not remember you're

the states with it and then you say so

help me God right you're swearing by God

when someone is sworn in they put their

hand on the Bible they're swearing by

something greater than self so God is

taking an oath but he's like wait a min

I can't find anything greater than me so

he's like I swear by me to tell it

because God you can't find anyone

greater so he swears by himself when he

talks to Abraham and he says saying

verse 14 of Hebrews 6 I will surely

bless you and give you many descendants

in the Hebrew there's a beautiful idiom

that's blessing I will bless you that's

the way God said to Abraham in other

words i'm going to bless you upon bless

you upon bless you and I will make you

the father of many descendants you can

count on it I'm swearing by myself God

said to Abraham and after waiting

patiently because we can talk about this

later hope and waiting go together and

when here enjoy waiting right well hope

makes it a little bit easier we'll talk

about that after waiting patiently verse

15 Abraham received what was promised

verse 16 people swear by someone greater

than themselves and the oath confirms

what is said and puts an end to all

argument because God wanted to make the

changing nature of his purpose very

clear to the heirs of what was promised

he confirmed it with an oath God did

this so that by two unchangeable things

in which it is impossible for God to lie

we who have fled to take hold of the

hopes that before us may be greatly

encouraged we have this hope as an

anchor for the sole firm and secure it

enters the inner sanctuary behind the

curtain where our 4runner Jesus has

entered in our behalf he has become a

high priest forever in the order of

Melchizedek God makes promises and God

keeps those promises but we need to hold

on to hope in those promises and we

can't let go the image used look at this

with me if you would it says we who have

fled in verse 18 we who have fled to

take hold of this hope set before us may

be greatly encouraged that is using an

image from the Old Testament remember we

used to talk about the tabernacle a lot

and we had the pictures of the

tabernacle there was an altar in the

outer court a big bronze altar about

this high and it was a big one that was

sacrifice they would do the majority of

the sacrifices there and there were four

horns on the four corners of the altar

now if you were a fugitive and you had

to escape for your life and you were in

danger of being executed for something

you done sometimes they would run into

that area which shows by the way that

people had access to that people would

come into the outer court and they would

see the glory over the most holy place

but they would run into the the outer

court and they would grab the horn horns

of the altar and they would hold on for

dear life hoping that maybe they

wouldn't be executed in in the

tabernacle right there thinking well

maybe they won't kill me here so I'll

run away I will flee to take hold of the

horns of the altar and that happened

there's two accounts of that in the Old

Testament we're fugitives did that and

then if they're still sentenced to be

executed they're not executed right

there that police come in

and would grab them and try to drag them

away from the altar and the person would

hold on for dear life you ever tried to

drag somebody who's like grabbing on to

something like and and you're good to

argument there holy god you're dragging

them and then they're grabbing on to

other things you know maybe you had a

little brother little sister somebody

that you're trying to do that you tried

to drag them away from something in

there holding on right or a dog you ever

tried to get something out of a dog's

mouth and they don't want to listen to

you because they don't you know take our

commands and you're trying to grab it

and the more you grab it they're like

this is a game I like this I gotta grab

tighter and you're pulling and you're

doing a tug-of-war well that's what

would happen because people knew its

life or death I gotta hold on to this

altar and they would grab those horns

the Bible says that's the way we need to

hold on to hope we need to hold on to

hope for dear life and then it uses the

illustration of an anchor for the soul

what does an anchor do there's gonna

there's the boat there right and in the

storm and the wind's coming in the boat

could just blow out to see if it's not

anchored there will be storms there will

be wins if we're not anchored we're

going to float away we need to hold on

to hope for dear life I think of

mountain climbers who use those

grappling hooks right of course i'd

never been mountain climbing i'm not

planning on doing so in the near future

but i've seen in movies that they throw

grappling hooks right and you get it in

there and you jam it in and then you

hold on to that and you climb up in a

harness anyone do that here I don't

maybe there's some people who do you

hold on for dear life that's the way we

need to hold on to hope believe in hope

not just because you're believing in in

a fantasy but you're believing in a God

who has proven to be faithful you can

trust him his promises are true he won't

let you go he will stay with you to the

end for I know the plans I have with you

for you says the Lord plans to prosper

you and not to harm you plans to give

you a hope and a future our God is

reliable when we start believing in hope

then we can transition to the next part

of hope

that I want to talk about today stay in

Romans if you could go back to Romans

you skipped ahead to Hebrews if you

could go back to the book of Romans

chapter five Romans chapter five we're

going to see what happens next as we

hold on to hope then we stop just

holding on for dear life and we start

getting some confidence flowing through

our veins Romans chapter five starting

in verse 30 no starting in will start in

verse 1 therefore since we've been

justified through faith we have peace

with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

through whom we've gained access by

faith into this grace in which we now

stand and we boast in the hope of the

glory of God boast in hope verse 3 not

only so but we also glory it's the same

word we also boast in our sufferings

because we know that suffering produces

perseverance perseverance character and

character hope and hope does not put us

to shame because God's love has been

poured into our hearts through the Holy

Spirit who's been given to us boast in

hope I got a question for you is

boasting good isn't boasting normally

kind of bad don't you think usually

boasting is bad in fact there's some

translations that want to change this to

be rejoicing even though it's not the

word for rejoicing its boasting in fact

this same word was used the Apostle Paul

was criticizing the Corinthian saying

you guys are boasting about how smart

you are about how spiritually you are

stop boasting and be humble but then the

Apostle Paul uses the same word

sometimes saying but you know what i

boast about you sometimes because i love

to brag about you to other people you

ever brag about people you say oh boy

people are much i brag about you i mean

in a good way not you know it's like I

got amazing people in my church people

who love God and I don't know what some

people what they've been through in the

faith they have in vacanza and I show

off about this i brag about it the

Apostle Paul says in heaven there's

going to be boasting

in the people that we love and that

Jesus has saved me say just look at him

aren't they amazing what God's done and

that's good boasting that's not bad

boasting we can also boast in hope even

when we're going through sufferings I

want us to think about this a little bit

when you're boasting you've got just a

little bit of attitude don't you you

like you know we got this I got this

boasting in hope isn't boasting that I

am so optimistic I'm boasting that my

god is so big that I just know it's

gonna work out I'm boasting about how

great my god is I'm boasting that even

though I am as good as dead right now my

god gives life to the dead and calls

things that are not as though they were

I can boast about that i can start being

a little hopeful attitude confidence

courage let not the wise man boast of

his wisdom the bible says or the strong

man boast of his strength but let the

one who boasts boast about this that he

understands and knows me says the Lord

who exercises righteousness goodness and

compassion on earth I know the king of

kings and because of that I don't care

what anyone else tells me we got a

little bit of attitude going on but

that's good attitude that's an attitude

that says you're not going to tell me

otherwise right the Apostle Paul had

this attitude when he was brought to

trial and he would come to trial and

they would say Paul or they call him

Saul still saw why are you preaching

this you know wrong teaching about Jesus

and he said you know what I've got

nothing to apologize for i am standing

here on trial because of my hope in the

resurrection my hope for israel that you

said you love he says i'm not afraid

that's why he wrote to the Corinthians

saying because we have such a hope we

are very bold hopeful people are people

who have faith and hopeful people are

confident people resilient people

sometimes even I would dare say a bit

cocky because they know if God is for me

who can be against me and there is a

boasting that comes in that is a good

thing the Apostle Peter says that we

should

always be prepared to give an answer for

the hope that we have people saying why

are you so optimistic you know it's

because of my god and I'm not afraid to

say it he's proven to be reliable in my

life and I've learned to trust him and

that's why I'm hopeful about the future

now it doesn't mean we pretend

everything is going well when it's not

okay sometimes we think faith means i

have to lie about how bad i might feel

at the moment that's not biblical the

Apostle Paul says we are hard pressed on

every side but not crushed perplexed but

not in despair persecuted but not

abandoned struck down but not destroyed

he said we do not lose heart though

outwardly we are wasting away yet

inwardly we are being renewed day by day

for our light and momentary troubles are

achieving for us an eternal glory that

far outweighs them all so we fix our

eyes not on what is seen but what is

unseen because what is seen is temporary

but what is unseen is eternal and I'm

going to boast about it I'm going to

take it to the bank and I'm going to be

unbeatable unstoppable unbreakable even

when not down I can get up again because

my god is with me I love that some of us

are a little too polite it's time to

start boasting boasting in hope because

your God is not going to let you down

now sometimes though hope involves

wading through the hard painful

situations and there's something else

that we do sometimes as we hope as we

wait and it's not a pleasant word but

it's a word that goes together with hope

if you go ahead with me to Romans

chapter 8 22 there's another side to

this Romans 8 verse 22 it says we know

that the whole but wait i'm going to

start up again in verse 18 there's hope

i consider that our present sufferings

are not even worth comparing with the

glory that will be revealed in all of us

that's boasting in hope for the creation

we

because hope means I was waiting the

creation waits in eager expectation for

the children of God to be revealed for

the creation was subjected to

frustration the world is frustrated

right now the world is not the way it's

supposed to be okay there are bad things

that happen that shouldn't have happened

the creation is subjected to frustration

not by its own choice but by the will of

the one who subjected it in hope that

the creation itself will be liberated

from its bondage to decay and brought

into the freedom of the chill glory of

the children of God hope that one day

this world will be liberated from its

misery and it's groaning and we brought

into the glorious freedom of the

children of God but for now look at this

it says in verse 22 we know that the

whole creation has been groaning

groaning in hope groaning as in the

pains of childbirth right up to the

present time not only so but we

ourselves who have the firstfruits of

the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait

eagerly for our adoption to sonship the

redemption of our bodies for in this

hope we were saved but hope that is seen

is no hope at all who hopes for what

they already have but if we hope for

what we do not yet have we wait for it

patiently hope often and sometimes

involves groaning but it's okay because

it's part of the waiting the comparison

here is childbirth anyone ever groaned

in Java River screamed anyone ever you

know express themselves because it hurts

as you're waiting but what motivates

women over the millennia to go through

that groaning the hope of the new life

on the other side if we are going to

learn to hope we're going to have to

learn sometimes too grown in the pain

we're going through but it's hopeful

groaning because we know on the other

side there's freedom and there's life

and I'm going to get through

this and there will be new life on the

other side groaning here but hope on the

other side hope gets us through the word

for hope in Spanish is the same word for

waiting you know that los que hablan

español esperar hope and wait it's the

same thing in Spanish there's a reason

for that because if you're hoping for

something you don't have it yet you're

waiting for it and sometimes that is a

painful waiting even youth grow tired

and weary and young men stumble and fall

but those who hope in the Lord they will

have renew strength they will soar on

wings like eagles run and not grow weary

walk and not be faint as I was doing my

word study on the word hope in the Bible

the word hope is used an awful lot in

the book of Job anyone know the story of

the book of job where everything went

wrong where he suffered in so many

different ways he lost everything he was

physically sick there's a lot of

groaning in the book of Job and he

struggles with hope he's like I feel

like I'm looking for hope and I just

can't find it until finally he comes to

the point where he says you know I know

that my redeemer lives and I know that

in the end he will stand on the earth

and after my skin has been destroyed yet

in my flesh I will see God even if I

don't get through this I still have hope

because as Christians we believe that

there's more than this life even in

death Christian's can be hopeful where O

death is your is your staying where is

your is your pain we are more than

conquerors through the one who loves us

we believe in something called the

resurrection that Jesus rose from the

dead and we also will rise again and

have a new life the Apostle Paul said if

only for this life I have hope in Jesus

I should be pitied above all people

because I am one dumb guy because

Christians if you're going to be a

Christian it's going to involve some

suffering in this life

and you know this is a problem because

sometimes we encourage people come to

Jesus and you'll be happy right in this

life which is true in this life you come

to Jesus there are some problems that

will go away that you can conquer

there's happiness in this life there's

all kinds of beautiful things but

there's more than that sometimes when

God calls us and we follow him it

involves suffering and sacrifice the

Apostle Paul says if I fought while

beasts in Ephesus with no more than

human hopes what have I gained if the

dead are not raised let us eat drink and

be merry for tomorrow we die what's that

phrase Yolo Yolo you only live once so

just live it up now cuz this is it see

Christians have hope that there's more

than this life so it's worth it to push

through because I know on the other side

there's glory Christ in you the hope of

glory it enables us even to grown

through pain in childbirth knowing that

that baby will be born my new self will

be born on the other side Jesus will hug

me there and Jesus himself did this as a

human being the Bible says that when he

was in the Garden of Eden in the Garden

of Eden huh I think he was there trying

to help Adam and Eve not do what they

did but anyway when Jesus within the

Garden of Gethsemane before the cross

and he was saying father if there is any

way for this cup to pass for me please

let it be but this is not what I will

but your will be done in the Bible says

for the joy set before him Jesus endured

the cross scorning its shame and then

sat down at the right hand of God I

believe that Jesus saw the glory that

would come after he saw that he would

live again and he saw that a lot of his

spiritual brothers and sisters would

live again because of him I think he saw

you and me and said it's worth it for

the joy that is set before me I'll

endure this for a little while because

then I'll sit down at the right hand of

God that's hope

we as Christians need to be willing to

know that there is a glorious future for

us and that we know that in all things

God works for the good of those who love

him and who have been called according

to his purposes you ever heard someone

say well it's all for the best it's all

for the best no not necessarily there's

some things that are bad that shouldn't

have happened but for a Christian if you

are called according to his purposes and

love God then all things work together

for our good now what does that good

mean it means for those God foreknew he

predestined to be conformed to the image

of his son God wants to make you look

and shine like Jesus and he's going to

use everything to make that happen and

you will shine with glory one day and we

can know whatever happens God is going

to work it in for that glorious future

that waits for me what should we say in

all in response to all this if God is

for us who can be against us we can

boast we can rejoice in hope says he who

didn't spare his own son but gave him up

for us all how will he not also along

with him graciously give us all thing

who shall separate us from the love of

God now who shall separate us shall

trouble or hardship or persecution or

famine or nakedness or danger or sword

no I am convinced that in all of these

things we are more than conquerors

through him who loved us neither death

nor life nor Angels nor principalities

neither the present or future nor

anything else in all creation can

separate you from the love of God that

is in Christ Jesus you can groan but you

can groan hopefully knowing that there

is glory on the other side we can

rejoice in hope hopeful people are happy

people hopeful people have a happiness

that overflows because nothing can snuff

it out and I've seen this I have visited

enough hospital beds of hopeful men and

women of God who even though they're

suffering their hope is not snuffed out

the shine with the joy of the Lord in

the midst of difficulty because they

know

redeemer lives hope is something to hold

on to hope is a powerful thing now it's

a decision we have to make if we are

going to be hopeful people it's going to

take some effort okay it's not just

going to happen you can decide to be

miserable or you can decide to hope God

even God won't make the decision for us

we need to make that decision in in

romans 15 14 15 verse 4 it says if

you're going to be a hopeful person

you've got to read your Bible you got to

read your Bible because thats the beta

it says everything that was written in

the past was written to teach us so that

through the endurance taught in the

scriptures and the encouragement they

provide we might have hope are you read

your Bible and when you read it you say

God you're the God the separated the

waters of the Red Sea maybe you can help

me today you're the same God who who

provided bread in the wilderness you can

provide for me God is the same yesterday

today and forever I can trust in you

we're gonna have to read our scripture

and know that he is the same God he has

not let you down he has not changed and

he will be faithful to you just like he

was in ages past and we need to worship

if you read the verse in Romans 15 verse

13 it says may the god of Hope fill you

with all joy and peace as you trust in

him so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit we hope

because we worship the god of hope and

though God fills us with joy and peace

it's a supernatural thing if I stay away

from worship for too long i'm going to

start letting myself get discouraged but

if you are worshipping the living god

the god of hope you are not going to

stay discouraged at least not at that

moment because god is the god of hope

and we start over flowing as we worship

Him supernatural filling psychological

health but sometimes we are going to

have to give yourself a pep talk no have

you ever had to give yourself a pep talk

you ever had to look in the mirror the

book of

arms is full of self pep talks where the

psalmist looks himself in the mirror and

says why my soul are you so downcast why

so disturbed within me put your hope in

god 4i will yet praise him my savior and

my god that verse is repeated at least

23 times in the Psalms where the

psalmist looks themselves why so why are

you so downcast put your hope in god

you're going to praise him again God's

going to lift you up but you're going to

need to tell yourself I encourage us us

to be people who encourage others to

hope if you have a friend who's

discouraged you have the power to look

them in the eye and say don't give up

God is faithful with you and maybe you

have seen the miracles that God has done

in those people's lives and you can tell

them remember when God got you through

that he can do it again don't give up

hold on keep putting your hope in god

but sometimes that friend isn't going to

be there and you're going to have to

talk to yourself you can have to talk to

your soul and say why are you so

downcast o my soul why so disturbed

within me put your hope in god I will

yet praise him I am going to get through

this and I rejoice in hope joy is a

decision joy is spiritual happiness that

comes from faith-filled hope in God joy

isn't just I'm happy because

everything's going well joy means I know

that God is alive and I trust him to do

good things for my future and so I can't

help but be joyful because I know it's

going to be okay joy is a decision that

we make to believe and put our hope in

the Living God that's a decision that

each of us needs to make if we're

willing to do that hope can be the

medicine for discouragement

discouragement is a deep pit

discouragement is something where we

just start cycling down and we start

thinking and we start hearing voices in

our mind that says it's not going to get

any better it's no good it's not going

to get better I can't face this I just

can't do it and then we need to say you

be silent in the name of Jesus my god is

faithful and I trust in him and we

replace those negative depressing

thoughts with the truth of the Living

God and even facing the grave itself we

can know that jesus said I am the

resurrection and the life the one who

believes in me though he die yet will he

live that there is a feast on the other

side there is a table spread for me in

the presence of my enemies my cup

overflows now anointest my head with oil

surely goodness and loving kindness will

follow me all the days of my life and I

will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever and ever I can hope for good in

my future because God is for me and not

against me do you really believe that

God is on your side do you really

believe that God loves you that he wants

what's best for you and even through the

hard times when you might be groaning

that you can still boast in that hope

let's be a congregation of Hope brothers

and sisters we need to be people of hope

and we need to overflow with hope to the

people around us we need to be like that

woman i met in the breakfast yesterday

who had the button that said i am loved

and she said my name's hope and i

couldn't look at her and not smile I

want us to be people who transmitted

hope to the people around them who say

we worship the god of Hope in this place

and if you come here you can know that

there is a hope for you not because of

us but because of the God that we serve

amen

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