Sermon April 8, 2018 Restoration?

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Oswald Hensley
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1 Sermon April 8, 2018 Restoration? Today we look at John 21 but before we start Chapter 21 we need to look back at Chapter 20 to get a good sense of context. John 21 takes place after Jesus has been crucified, placed in the tomb, and the tomb found open and His body found missing by Mary Magdalene. Mary goes to where the disciples are staying and tells them what she has found. John and Peter set out for the tomb. John is running...best friend...gets there first and looks in...john arrives next and goes straight in and finds the burial linens and I would guess 75 pounds of spices there in the tomb...they return to where they were staying...mary is next seen at the tomb crying and two angels appear to her then Jesus himself. Jesus that 1 st evening appears among the disciples, says to them peace be with you then shows them his hands and side. The word says They were overjoyed. Why weren't they freaked out? Tells them Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. breathes on them giving them the power of the Holy Spirit and then leaves. Then a week later appears to them and Thomas who missed the first meeting and again proves who he is and that he is in fact risen from the dead. So, this where we start Chapter 21 but before we actually do I want to review an event from Luke back when Jesus first calls Hid disciples. Luke 5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. 5 Simon answered, Master, we ve worked hard all night and haven t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets. 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus knees and said, Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man! 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the

2 catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, Don t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people. 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. They followed Him for three years... John 21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 I m going out to fish, Simon Peter told them, and they said, Peter we have more important things to think about and do now in front of us and we need to get started Nope nope nope We ll go with you. So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, Friends, haven t you any fish? No, they answered. 6 He said, Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Refer to Luke 5 7 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 had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. What!...Loaves and Fishes...

3 10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish you have just caught. 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. None of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord.13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. So, seven of the 12 are gathered and through all of this Peter has to be thinking about having denied Jesus and after meeting him on the day of His resurrection and again a week later with Thomas he has got to be wondering if he knows about his denial... How would He not since He foretold it before it happened in John 13:37 Peter asked, Lord, why can t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. 38 Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! So I want to fold together these two events... John 18:15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 You aren t one of this man s disciples too, are you? she asked Peter. He replied, I am not. John 21:15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my lambs. John 18:25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, You aren t one of his disciples too, are you? He denied it, saying, I am not. John 21:16 Again Jesus said, Simon son of John, do you love me?

4 He answered, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of my sheep. John 18:26 One of the high priest s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, Didn t I see you with him in the garden? 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. John 21:17 The third time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, Do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. -What did Jesus not say? You really blew it the other day, didn't you. I'm dissappointed in you. You are a coward. See, I told you so... Now what do we do... Aren't you better than that? John 21:17 Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Jesus isn't interested in what Peter has done but in guiding him into what he will do...to live and die for the mission for which he was created. Jesus is interested in Peter's perfection or imperfection for that matter. He isn't concerned with punishment or fairness or justice or right or couage or perseverence. He just wants to know two things: Do you love me (God) with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. Because if you do there is another commandment you need to pursue... you have got to feed my sheep...love them as you love yourself...actually love them more than you love yourself......because if you can't do the second one you you haven't done the first one...and if you didn't do the first one then you won't do the second one...because you don't know what love is......do you...know what love is? VIDEO: Ahavah ('The Bible Project' available on You Tube)

5 Jesus needs for Peter to see himself as he was created to be a lover of God and a shepherd of men and the one thing that makes us totally different than Peter is here in this box Very truly I tell you, 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. 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Which was to be crucified... Then he said to him, Follow me! So we are straight back to Luke 5 where again Peter leaves another miraculous catch of fish and follows Jesus. 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, Lord, who is going to betray you? ) Here we are straight back to John 13 moments before Jesus foretells Peter's denial. John is following along and Peter thinking that this is a good opportunity to know the future: 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, Lord, what about him? 22 Jesus answered, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me. 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 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.

6 Touched By an Angel We, unaccustomed to courage exiles from delight live coiled in shells of loneliness until love leaves its high holy temple and comes into our sight to liberate us into life. Love arrives and in its train come ecstasies old memories of pleasure ancient histories of pain. Yet if we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls. We are weaned from our timidity In the flush of love's light we dare be brave And suddenly we see that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free. Maya Angelou

The Book of John LESSON TWENTY-FOUR. John 21. Day 1 John 21:1-3 Day 2 John 21:4-6 Day 3 John 21:7-14 Day 4 John 21:15-17 Day 5 John 21:18-25

The Book of John LESSON TWENTY-FOUR John 21 Day 1 John 21:1-3 Day 2 John 21:4-6 Day 3 John 21:7-14 Day 4 John 21:15-17 Day 5 John 21:18-25 273 1 Look in His Word Feel free to underline, circle or otherwise