The King Who Rose to Serve You

In this message from John 21, David Platt highlights the historical plausibility of Christ’s resurrection and the gracious salvation he offers.

Explore more content from Radical.

Transcript

Resurrection Day And The Big Claim

SPEAKER_00 0:00

You're listening to David Platt Messages, a weekly podcast with sermons and messages from pastor, author, and teacher David Platt.

SPEAKER_01 0:08

We're obviously celebrating the resurrection of Jesus today, which is no small thing. You don't know anyone else who died and came back to life never to die again. And even that claim sounds preposterous to many, which is why for 2,000 years many people have tried to disprove Jesus' resurrection. Islam teaches that Jesus didn't even die on the cross, much less rise from the grave. Yet this theory was invented by Muhammad 600 years after the crucifixion occurred. Others have claimed that Jesus' tomb was not actually empty. The disciples went to the wrong tomb. And ever since that day, everybody's been going to the wrong tomb. If only someone would check next door. Others have said the disciples were delusional, hallucinatory at best, when they claimed they'd seen Jesus alive after he died. But even the thought of resurrection from the grave was virtually inconceivable in both Greco-Roman and Jewish thought in the first century. Yet hundreds of people suddenly claimed to have seen Jesus, some of whom ate and drank with him, as we're about to see. Hallucinations don't normally eat and drink. In addition to all of that, it wasn't in these people's best interest for them to say that Jesus was alive, knowing that they could and would lose their lives for it. Pascal said, I believe the witnesses that get their throats cut for their testimony. The reality is, when you look at all the evidence for Jesus' resurrection, you realize that to not believe in the resurrection of Jesus actually requires a leap of faith. Because there's no question, even among the most secular scholars, that 2,000 years ago an entirely new faith community and movement was formed virtually overnight, and immediately hundreds of people started claiming

Arguments Against The Empty Tomb

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Jesus had risen from the dead, even when that was inconceivable to their mindset and would cost them their lives. So, how else do you explain that? The physical resurrection of Jesus is the most historically plausible explanation when you look at the facts. But even beyond the fact of Jesus' resurrection, the question still remains: why does Jesus' resurrection matter for your life or mine 2,000 years later? And why would it lead to any response in our lives? And in order to answer that question, I want to read you an eyewitness account from a follower of Jesus named John, who records what is now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after his death. And as we read it in John 21, I want to show you how Jesus' resurrection transforms five facets of your life: your unity, your intensity, your identity, your intimacy, and your destiny. So let me show you, starting in John 21, verse 1. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathanael of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said

Why The Resurrection Matters Now

SPEAKER_01 3:45

to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We will go with you. So let's pause here and think about your unity, or I should say, our unity. You look at this group of seven guys, the original G7 Summit. But this is no geopolitical gathering. And these are very different people. Simon Peter, the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth. We'll talk about him more in a minute. Next to Thomas, a doubter with all kinds of questions, and extremely slow to believe. Next to Nathaniel, who was quick to believe, on his first interaction with Jesus, he said, You're the promised king. Next to the sons of Zebedee, James and John, who's writing this, whose mom got involved one day because she wanted to make sure her sons had a special place at Jesus' table. As a coach for

Unity Across Real Differences

SPEAKER_01 4:45

my kids' sports teams, I know these moms and dads who are convinced their son is the next LeBron James or their daughter is the next Caitlin Clark. When they are wrong. And some of you are those moms and dads. And then two other disciples, maybe Simon the Zealot or Matthew the tax collector. We don't know who, but we do know they were different. And that's part of the beauty of this scene. Because Jesus had met each of them uniquely where they were and drawn them personally to himself. Isn't that refreshing? In a world where we isolate into echo chambers filled with other people like us and we despise those people over there. Jesus had died, risen from the grave, and had taken all of that away. They were together. It makes me think of this gathering. You look around and you will see people from over 100 different countries in this church. All different backgrounds, ethnically, religiously. And here we are in Metro Washington, D.C., of all places where no one gets along. So how do you explain this? There is a unity here that only makes sense because there's an empty tomb outside Jerusalem. Different ethnicities, upbringings, perspectives, preferences, pasts, personalities. I'm more of a thinker, a rationalist. Some of you are more feelers, experientialists, some more idealistic, others more realistic, some introverted, others extroverted. And Jesus meets each of us where we are and draws us to himself. Which leads to this next word, your intensity. So the story continues. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? They answered him, No. He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish. That disciple, whom Jesus loved, which is how John refers to himself, therefore said to Peter, It is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish,

Intensity And No Neutral Option

SPEAKER_01 7:35

for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. Now what's interesting is another follower of Jesus, Luke, tells a similar story that played out one of the first times Peter met Jesus, and most every detail is the same except one. So in both stories, the guys are in a boat, they fish all night, and they catch nothing. In both stories, Jesus says, try one more time, and in both stories, the nets come up full. But here's the difference. Let me show it to you. In the first story, Peter falls on his face and says to Jesus, get away from me. I'm a sinner, and I can't be near you. But in this story, Peter straps on his clothes and turns into Michael Phelps, swimming, racing toward Jesus. Now we'll talk more in a minute about why his reaction was different this time, but for now, I just want to point out that Peter's response was intense both times. Neither time does Peter say, hmm, look at all those fish coming into the net. That's interesting. And this is so important because so many people do this with Jesus. When Jesus doesn't actually give this option to us. So many people who know anything about Jesus think he was a good teacher, a moral leader, an example to be at least considered, if not emulated. But if that's what you think about Jesus, then you're not being honest with who Jesus actually is. Because for anyone who actually listens to what Jesus says and looks at what Jesus does, you will see a man who is claiming to be God in the flesh with exclusive authority to forgive your sins and give you eternal life. And he backed it up with all sorts of miracles, culminating in rising from the dead. So when you actually hear and see Jesus, you only have two options. You either run away from him as fast as you can, or you run to him with everything you are. These are C.S. Lewis' famous words from Mere Christianity, where he writes, I'm trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Jesus. I'm ready to accept him as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who is merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg, or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon, or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He's not left that open to us. He did not intend to. And Lewis goes on to say, now it seems to me obvious that he was neither a lunatic nor a fiend. And consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that he was and is God. See us, Lewis, realize what this story is showing us. There's no middle ground here, which means follow this. For multitudes of people in the middle, you're not actually listening to or looking at Jesus. Unless you're running like mad away from him or with zeal straight for him, you are ignoring who Jesus actually is, which then leads to your identity. So watch what happens. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid on it and bread. Jesus had prepared breakfast for them. But what's super interesting is that this charcoal fire that's burning only appears one other time in the Gospels. Only one other time where we see a charcoal fire. And it was right after Jesus had told Peter that Peter was going to deny him three times. And Peter said, I will never do that. I'll follow you to prison and death. But when Jesus was arrested and in the process of being tried, Peter was in the crowd nearby, and in John 18, a servant girl at the door

Identity After Failure And Shame

SPEAKER_01 12:30

said to Peter, You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you? He said, I am not. Now the servants and officers made a charcoal fire because it was cold and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The last time Peter was standing at a charcoal fire was when Peter was denying that he even knew Jesus. And he denied him two more times. The Bible tells us that after the third time, Jesus turned and looked at Peter. And Peter ran off weeping. Can you imagine what that must have felt like? And a shame and honor culture where loyalty is everything to take the one person who believed in you more than anyone else, your friend and mentor who was giving his life for you, and you left him to die saying you didn't even know him. How would you feel about yourself? How could you ever forgive yourself? So Peter gets to the shore and he sees a charcoal fire, a clear allusion to that night. And they eat breakfast, which had to be a bit awkward. Talk about the elephant in the room or on the shore. And then watch this. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? And these could refer to any number of things, but the point is, do you love me? And Peter said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. And then Jesus asks him the same question a second time. And then a third time. Not a coincidence in light of three denials. And by the third time, Peter gets the point. He's grieved because he said to him the third time. And he says, Lord, you know everything. And there is so much in that statement, including so much that applies to you and me. He knows everything. He knows all the things you wish you had never said or thought. Or desired. Or done. And the things you most wish had never been said or thought about you. Or done to you. Which all affect our sense of identity. In a world where we look to ourselves andor others to define us. Sometimes we define ourselves based on what others say about us or think about us or desire for us or do to us. Or we say, forget everybody else. I'm defining myself based on whatever I desire, think, say, do, that's who I am. But this was Peter's problem, because he was convinced, in his own eyes and in others' eyes, that he was the one who would never compromise. And in an instant, his entire sense of identity came crashing down. And the same thing inevitably happens to all of us. To try to be true to every thought, every desire, every word, every action you or others expect of you, that's an impossible way to live. When you have competing desires and conflicting thoughts and inconsistent words and deeds. And then you're going to layer on others' desires, thoughts, words, and deeds on top of that. It's crushing and suffocating. Follow this. As long as we base our identity on what we or others think, desire, say, or do, it leads to constant busyness, exhaustion, frustration, feelings of emptiness, loneliness, anxiety, depression? Do any of these things sound familiar to you? Anyone busy? Exhausted? Frustrated? You ever felt empty? Lonely? Anxious or depressed? How many people do we need to hear who do it all and have it all say, I still feel like there's more? Like something's missing. In a world where we can do more than ever before, why are we more lonely, anxious, and depressed than we've ever been? And don't miss this. Do you know what makes this whole problem worse? Religion. And you might not expect me to say that. But think about it. Now we're gonna carry the weight of doing for God who has the bandwidth for that. And religions around the world, throughout history, tell us what we must do. Obey these certain laws, adhere to five pillars, follow this noble path, perform these good deeds. Which is why most people, when you ask them if there's a heaven, will they go there when they die? Most respond, I think so. I think based on what I do, how I live, I'm good enough. But this is where Christianity is radically different from every other thought system of the world. And it's why the good news of Jesus is the greatest news in the world. Because Christianity says you don't have to ground your identity anymore in what you can do for yourself, for God, or anyone else. Instead, you can ground your identity in what God has done for you. And on this seashore, Jesus is bringing Peter face to face with his inability to do enough. And he's saying not just to Peter, but to every single one of us, your darkest days do not have to define you. And your scars do not have to be the end of your story. Because I have done for you what you could never do for yourself. I have come to live the life you could not live, a life perfect without sin. And then, even though I had no sin for which to die, I have come to die the death you deserve to die, to pay the penalty of sin, death for you. And I have conquered the enemy you cannot conquer, death itself. You can't do that, but Jesus has done that for you. Jesus is saying to every single one of us in a suffocating world, I am offering you a source of identity that is completely unshakable and eternally secure. And you don't have to achieve it, you just have to receive it. It's free forgiveness for all your sin and guilt, redemption of all your shame and suffering, and restoration to relationship with God. Why would you not receive this gift? Heaven is not for good people, heaven is for people who realize they're not good enough. And God is gracious enough. Eternal life is for those who stop trying to find their identity through all kinds of behavior and start enjoying your identity as one loved by your creator. Which leads to this word: intimacy. So the question in the story is: do you love me? Please hear this word. Jesus did not come and live and die and rise from the grave so that multitudes of people could periodically, monotonously, tediously attend to church, read the Bible, pray, or otherwise give casual cultural lip service to God. No, Jesus died and rose from the grave so that you could experience life in love relationship with God. Is this scene not amazing? Don't let it be lost on you. Jesus did not show up on the shore and say to these guys, Here I am,

Intimacy Through Love And Service

SPEAKER_01 21:55

the death conquering king, serve me. Instead, Jesus shows up on the shore, gives them a pretty good fishing tip, and then says, I made you breakfast. And he serves them. This is the greatest news in the world. Jesus rose from the dead to serve you. Right where you're sitting, to save you from your sin and to give you eternal life with him. Why would you not receive this? Which leads to your destiny. Notice that Jesus does not put Peter on a personal improvement plan here. Instead, in this moment where Peter is realizing and repenting of his sin, Jesus says, You're in charge. Feed my sheep means lead the church. And days after this, Peter, who just denied he even knew Jesus, stands up and proclaims Jesus to multitudes, and thousands of them place their faith in Jesus, and the Roman Empire starts turning upside down. You find your identity in God, and you will experience a destiny beyond what you can dream. Yet don't be deceived, because it won't be easy. Jesus tells Peter, Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. In other words, your life used to be about your plans, but not anymore. And Peter, one day, when you're old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. And this he said to show about what kind of death he was to glorify God. Stretch out your hands is a reference to crucifixion, which

Destiny That Costs Everything

SPEAKER_01 23:50

is the way Peter would eventually die for proclaiming Jesus. Tradition tells us he was crucified upside down because he told those who were crucifying him he did not believe he was worthy to die the same way his Savior did. And after saying this, Jesus said to him, Follow me. Please don't miss this. Because you know that the author of life knows better than you do what is best for your life. So you follow him as your life in this world and beyond this world. Now, Peter, God help him, turns around and sees John nearby and says, What about this man, Lord? In other words, what's gonna happen to him? And Jesus said to him, If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? In other words, stop looking at other people to compare yourself with, Peter. You follow me. And these last three words are the same invitation Jesus is giving you today. And just a moment, I'm gonna ask you to respond to that invitation by doing something you were likely not envisioning when you came into this room today. I'm gonna ask you to step out from your seat and walk to the front. If you would say, Today, I'm choosing to follow Jesus either for the first time or for the first time in a long time, or if you would say, I'm gonna be baptized as a follower of

An Urgent Call To Follow

SPEAKER_01 26:10

Jesus. And one thing that will go through your mind is what will they think? What will my wife or husband think? What will my parents or my children think? What will this or that person or group of people think? And Jesus is saying as clearly as he can, get your eyes off them and put your eyes on me. You follow me. I'm inviting you to follow me. And again, this may be your first time in church, or you may have grown up in church, maybe even called yourself a Christian. But truth be told, if you were to stand before God right now, it would be clear that you're not following Jesus as your life. And you might think, but I've still got questions. That's great. Today you can start to get them answered. This is eternally important. Don't put this off. And you might think, I don't know. The church has too many hypocrites. And that's true. At the same time, just because the medical profession has some crazy people, you don't ignore all medicine. And besides, it's part of the point today. You've probably had a few hypocritical moments in your life. So be glad Jesus loves hypocrites. That means there's hope for you too. And you might think, well, I'll do this later, but I want to warn you, there may not be a later. Not one of us is guaranteed tomorrow. You or I could die at any moment, and this opportunity will be gone forever. And even if you live for many years, you don't want to harden your heart to the voice of God speaking to you like he is right now, and you harden your heart, say maybe later, and God lets your heart harden all the more, and you never come back to this moment. Today's excuses will be tomorrow's regrets. Five minutes into eternity, what are you gonna be glad you held on to that kept you from eternal life in Jesus? Hear Jesus saying, in this moment, he knows everything about you and he loves you and wants to give you an unshakable identity based on what he has done for you and an eternal destiny that revolves around supernatural intimacy with God, starting right now. And why would you not want to make that reality public through baptism? This is a defining day for you to receive what Jesus is serving you.

SPEAKER_00 29:09

We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of David Platt Messages. For more resources from David Platt, we invite you to visit radical.net.