WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.120 Had a great Thanksgiving. 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.080 How many of you would say I ate way too much food? 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:05.919 Okay, that means you did it right. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:06.719 That means you did it right. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:08.960 I asked somebody this morning, I said, How are you doing? 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:11.679 They said, I'm still full from Thursday. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:12.960 I said, Let's go. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:13.919 You're my kind of guy. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:14.320 Okay. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:17.440 But we're gonna be in a we're gonna be in John chapter number 21. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:19.039 John chapter 21. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:30.239 And years ago, there was a there was a conference for ministry leaders, and they were all gathered together, and there was this well-known speaker that everybody was super excited to hear. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:32.000 Everybody was ready to hear him. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:33.439 It's kind of like when Dr. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:35.200 John Harris comes to FCC, right? 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:36.479 I'm ready to hear him. 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:42.640 And this speaker got up on the stage and he looked across at the room. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:48.399 He said, Do you want God to use you greatly? 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:50.159 People were clapping. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:50.960 Yeah. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:53.359 Applause died down. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:55.439 He said it again, but a little bit louder. 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:58.719 He said, Do you want God to use you greatly? 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:00.719 People were clapping even more. 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:07.120 You had the the the some people were like whistling and hollering, and then you know it kind of died down. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.359 And then he asked it one more time. 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:13.680 He said, Do you want God to use you greatly? 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:16.480 This time, everybody stood up. 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:20.400 They were like, Yeah, we want God to use us greatly. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:23.040 And the applause died down. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:30.239 And then he said, Then God must break you deeply. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:36.079 And the room got dead quiet. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:55.439 What he was saying was there's this pattern in scripture where people that go the furthest with God and people that were used the greatest by God tend to be the people that God broke down. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:06.640 In fact, God often, God often, before He uses us greatly, he often breaks us deeply. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:10.719 God often does a work in us before God does a work through us. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:13.840 And you might be like, Nate, like what do you mean God wants to break us down? 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:34.639 Like that's uh a breaking work is when God awakens us spiritually to some places in our life where maybe we are dependent on ourselves, some places in our life where maybe there's pride, some places in our life where he needs to mature us and change us and sanctify us, set us apart. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:44.080 And what God will often do is God will reveal things to us and awaken us spiritually to some places because he wants to use us greatly. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:50.240 How many of you are like me and you realize that there sometimes are blind spots in your life? 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:56.240 If you weren't just raising your hand, your blind spot is your blind spot. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:09.280 And what he'll do is he'll awaken us, he'll reveal places in our lives where our trust is not in him because he wants to use us greatly. 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:13.520 We go to a place in the book of John where this happened. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:19.280 We go and talk about a guy whose name was Peter. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:21.199 Many of us are familiar with Peter. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:23.520 In fact, everybody say Peter, ready? 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:37.840 Peter, Peter, and Jesus wanted to use Peter, but Peter had some things that that needed to be worked through that couldn't go to the place that Jesus wanted to take him. 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:46.159 Peter had some heart things, and Jesus was going to break him down because Jesus wanted to use him. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:52.159 Did you know this morning that Jesus wants to use you? 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:56.800 Yes, you. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:01.199 You said, No, Pastor Nate, if you knew me, like Jesus couldn't use me. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:05.759 Like if you knew me, you'd be like, there's no way. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:06.719 No, no, no. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:09.280 Jesus wants to use you. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:11.439 In fact, this I want you to do. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:16.399 I want you to turn to your neighbor and I want you to tell them Jesus wants to use you. 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:17.439 Go ahead. 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:23.279 I want you to tell them one more time because I think they're unsure about it. 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:25.040 Okay, go ahead and tell them one more time. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:29.600 He wants to use you. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:36.720 And we're gonna go to an account in scripture where he breaks somebody down so he can use them. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:38.480 It's John chapter 21. 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:41.279 And if you're ready for it this morning, would you say amen? 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:45.040 John 21, verse number one, it says this. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:51.120 It says, After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:54.639 The Sea of Tiberias is another name for the Sea of Galilee. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.120 This is where Jesus did a lot of his miracles. 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:01.519 He did a lot of them on the Sea of Galilee or around the Sea of Galilee. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:03.360 So that's where he's at. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:06.399 And he revealed himself in this way. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:21.279 Verse number two, Simon Peter, Thomas called twin, Nathaniel from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee sons, and two others of his disciples, the disciples of Jesus, they were together. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:26.240 Verse number three, I'm going fishing, Simon Peter said. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.560 We're coming with you, they told him. 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:36.800 Now, if you're a fisherman in the room, when somebody says, I'm going fishing, you probably are like, I'm going with you. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:37.839 Let's go. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:39.920 This is exactly what happens here. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:41.439 We're coming with you. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:47.839 So they went out and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:51.519 How many of you ever gone fishing before and you have caught nothing? 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:56.240 Okay, how many of you are like me, and every time I've gone out fishing, I've caught nothing. 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:01.120 There are a few things as frustrating as sitting there. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:04.160 Okay, come on. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:06.720 I if you're like me, after like two minutes, I'm getting impatient. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.319 I'm like, something's not working here. 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:11.920 They fish all night, they catch nothing. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:32.639 What's interesting about this is they were fishing, which was their livelihood, which is what God um which is uh what they what they had done until Jesus met them on the same shore, the Sea of Galilee, and had called them to no longer go fishing, but to be fishers of men. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:36.399 Now Jesus had died, he had resurrected. 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:38.000 We talked about that last week. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:49.040 And now what they've done, instead of being fishers of men, what they've done is they've gone back to what's comfortable and what's normal and just what's kind of socially acceptable. 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:52.480 In fact, it's a good thing because that's their livelihood. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:55.040 So they're like, well, Jesus resurrected. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:07:00.319 We know that he wants us to be fishers of men, but right now we're just gonna go out and fish. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:02.399 And this is what they had done. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:11.600 They had traded the best thing, what Jesus had called them to do, for a good thing, what they were used to doing. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:17.519 Sometimes what we think in our lives is we think all of our decisions are between what's good and what's bad. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.759 Sometimes the decisions are between what is good and what is best. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:32.800 And what's happened here is the apostles have said, hey, hey, hey, we're gonna go back to fishing, even though Jesus has called us to be fishers of men. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:37.759 And what they don't realize is Jesus is about to meet them right where they are. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:44.879 And verse number four, it says this it says, When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:47.759 But disciples, they didn't know it was Jesus. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:53.600 Friends, Jesus called to them, You don't have any fish, do you? 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:56.480 That's a rhetorical question. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:59.120 No, they answered. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:04.800 And you'll find some. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:06.800 So they did. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:12.399 And they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:17.519 The disciple, the one Jesus loved. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:22.959 I always love how John includes that part when he describes himself. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:28.720 The one, the one Jesus loved. 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:33.360 He says, it he said to Peter, It is the Lord. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:47.039 When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him, free had taken it off, and he plunged into the sea, since they were not far from land, about a hundred yards away. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:52.960 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:09:00.000 And when they got out on the land, they saw uh, what are those two words? 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:02.480 They saw a charcoal fire. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:05.440 Make a note of that. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:11.279 With fish lying on it and bread. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.200 Bring some of the fish you've just caught, Jesus told them. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:23.039 So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore full of large fish, 153 of them. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:25.840 Simon Peter must be pretty strong. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:29.840 Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:32.320 Come and eat breakfast, Jesus told him. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:35.039 None of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:38.240 Because they knew it was the Lord. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:45.600 Jesus came, he took the bread and gave it to them, and he did the same with the fish. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:54.559 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:01.279 Now we get to the next section of scripture in verse 15 in a minute. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:15.120 And we're gonna see this interaction that Jesus had with Peter that was emotionally charged, that was life-altering, that changed the trajectory of Peter's life. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:21.840 Because Jesus was about to remind Peter of the calling that he had on him. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:29.200 And some of you in the room, you need to hear this is that God has a calling on your life. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:33.360 Some of you are aware of the calling that God has had on your life. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:39.519 Some of you are unaware of the calling that God has on your life, but God has a calling on your life. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:46.320 And what Peter is going to have happen to him is Jesus is going to break him down. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:53.440 So Jesus can build him up and call him into the calling that he had for him. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:57.200 And he does it around a charcoal fire. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:05.840 Does anybody remember the one other time in scripture where there is a charcoal fire? 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:06.960 And this is a hard question. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:08.399 Does anybody remember? 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:10.159 The denial. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:12.000 The denial. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:16.799 Peter had denied Jesus around a charcoal fire. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:22.799 Now, the one other time in scripture we see a charcoal fire is right here. 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:26.080 Now Peter is around a charcoal fire. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:30.320 When Peter denied Jesus, there were witnesses around. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:34.240 Now there's an in this charcoal fire, there's also people around. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:35.279 It's a public moment. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:36.960 The disciples are there. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:44.240 Around this charcoal fire where Peter denied Jesus, there was a question that was repeatedly asked. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:45.679 Do you know Jesus? 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.759 Are you a follower of Jesus? 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:54.159 Now there's about to be a repeated question that's going to be asked that Jesus asked him. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:03.759 There's these similarities between that charcoal fire and this one that's happening just a few days later. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:15.679 And here it happens, and here it goes down, and here's this emotionally charged, life-altering moment in Peter's life that literally changed his trajectory. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:18.399 It started with a question. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:20.799 Verse 15. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:30.799 Simon, son of John, do you, what's that word? 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:34.639 Do you mean more than these? 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:39.600 Now the word love here is the word agape. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:43.519 That's the word that's translated into love. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.799 Agape means completely sacrificial, completely committed. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:13:01.279 And at the Last Supper, not far before this, Jesus had stood at a sat at a table with all the disciples, and he said, Hey, hey, hey, uh, things are gonna happen. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:02.480 What are y'all gonna betray me? 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:12.720 Peter says, Hey, hey, hey, Jesus, if if all of these guys, my boys, if they deny you and they forsake you, I ain't never gonna do it. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:16.240 Me, I'm I'm never gonna do it. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:22.480 I'm committed, I'm in, I'll sacrifice everything for you. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:29.919 So Jesus says, Simon, do you have that agape love more than these? 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.600 These same disciples that were sitting at that table. 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:39.600 Peter says, You know that I love you, but Peter doesn't use the word agape. 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:41.759 Peter uses the word phileo. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:46.159 Phileo is a is a word for love that's less sacrificial than agape. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.480 It's like an affectionate type of love. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:51.279 Jesus, you know that I'm affectionate towards you. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.120 He doesn't say I have agape towards you. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.759 Because he remembers charcoal fire, charcoal fire. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:02.480 He's very well aware of this. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:08.639 He's like, he's like, I have phileo towards you, feed my lambs, Jesus told him. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:15.840 In verse number 16, a second time he asked him, Simon, son of John, do you what's that word? 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.519 He asked someone, do you love? 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:18.559 It's agape. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:25.440 Yes, Lord, he said to him, You know that I Phileo, I love you, shepherd my sheep. 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:34.559 Now, when Jesus is saying, feed my lambs, shepherd my sheep, whenever you see sheep in scripture, it's referring to the people of God. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:44.000 So Jesus is literally telling Peter, who just denied him, I want you, I have a calling for you to feed the people of God. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:48.879 If I'm Jesus, I don't know if I trust Peter enough to do that. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:56.080 He's just denied, but yet Jesus is giving him a calling, he's reminding him of his calling. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:02.240 A third time in verse 17, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:06.000 Peter, watch this word. 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:08.799 Peter was grieved. 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:14.080 This means intense sorrow. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:18.480 And when Jesus asks him this third time, do you love me? 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.519 Jesus doesn't use the word agape here. 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.840 He uses the word phileo. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.159 Jesus goes down to the level of Peter. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:33.120 And Peter, seeing all of this, is grieved in his heart. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.559 Peter's aware of his shortcomings. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:44.480 Peter's aware of his disobedience. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:49.360 Peter's aware that Jesus isn't even asking me about do I have full commitment? 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:51.120 He's not even asking me for that kind of love anymore. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:53.039 It's apparent that I don't. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:58.799 And Peter responds by saying, Lord, you know that I love you. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.879 You know everything about me. 00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:03.200 Feed my sheep. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:08.480 And what Jesus has done here is he's he's gotten to the heart of Peter. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:22.240 He hasn't just shown the love that Peter doesn't have, but he's also revealed that Peter has failed because of Peter's pride, because of Peter's self-reliance. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:29.360 And what Jesus is doing here is Jesus was doing surgery on Peter's heart. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.200 If you've ever had surgery, you know it's painful. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.879 Surgery is not a lot of fun. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:44.240 And Jesus, verse 17, takes Peter to a place where Peter's grieving. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.360 Now you might say, Why would Jesus do this? 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:54.720 I mean, why why would Jesus get him to a place where he's grieving about what he did? 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.720 Is Jesus cruel? 00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:59.840 Is Jesus being like mean here? 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:05.519 Doesn't Jesus care more about how Peter's doing than what Peter's doing? 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:13.279 Why doesn't Jesus just like give Peter lots of affirmation in this moment and be like, Peter, I believe in you? 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.759 Why does he take Peter to a place where Peter's grieving? 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:23.680 That seems, especially in our culture, that's a very unloving thing for Jesus to do. 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:36.559 But he loves Peter enough to break him down because he wants to use Peter in a mighty way. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:42.480 But there are things in Peter's life that cannot go to where God wants to take Peter. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:48.000 You see, Peter is up to this point is pretty cocky. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:56.400 Peter has the spiritual gift of being impulsive and reactionary and saying whatever he thinks. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:00.720 He puts his foot in his mouth very often. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.160 He has an unhealthy pride about him. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:05.599 He lacks faith. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:08.799 Jesus has rebuked him for his lack of faith. 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:20.480 And the foundation of Peter's life, at the very core, is pride, is self-reliance, is arrogance. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:26.240 And the fruit of that was denying Jesus. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:36.880 And now Jesus is asking him questions to take him down to the roots of what's really going on in his life, and he's doing surgery on Peter's heart. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:44.880 And the reason why Jesus does surgery on Peter's heart is the same reason why doctors do surgery on us. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:50.799 Doctors perform surgery not to hurt us, but to heal us. 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:54.559 Let's say you go to the doctor this week. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:01.599 Let's say you're like me and you can't remember the last time you went to the doctor, but you decided to go to the doctor this week. 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:08.240 And you go to the doctor and they run some tests and they find out that you have a tumor in your body. 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:17.680 The doctor is not gonna say, Man, you have a tumor in your body, but don't worry about it, bro. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:27.839 Uh just wake up in the morning and say five positive affirmations about yourself and watch a bunch of Tony Robbins videos. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:36.319 And let me like, I'm just gonna like give you some good vibes, and these good vibes, everything's gonna go away. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:38.079 You'll be like, what? 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:40.640 The doctor's doctor, this is what doctors do. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:43.839 Doctor's gonna be like, we gotta cut that tumor out of you, bro. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:51.039 We're gonna put a date on the calendar, we're gonna figure out all the different parts of the tumor, we're gonna run some more tests, we need to see the diameter. 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:51.920 Where is it at? 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:53.519 How can we best get to that? 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:56.240 Because you gotta get the tumor out of you. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.839 Because the tumors in you is gonna mess everything up. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:12.079 And what Jesus is doing to Peter is Peter has the tumor of pride and self-reliance and ego and all of these things in him. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:22.720 And Jesus has to get him to the point where Peter realizes this, where Peter is self-aware enough to say, Oh, I have this in my life. 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:25.680 Oh, I don't really love you like I think that I love you. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:29.279 Oh, I'm not really as committed to you as I think that I'm committed to you. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:35.039 So he gets Peter to this place where Peter is grieved and Peter repents. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:37.599 That's why he's grieved. 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.960 Now here's the thing: repentance is hard. 00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.200 In fact, it's kind of like this. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:47.440 How many of you guys, how many of you guys have, I'm curious, how many of you guys are allergic to something? 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:48.640 You guys have any allergies? 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:48.880 Okay. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:52.640 In fact, somebody wanna shout out what's what's something that that you're allergic to? 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:54.559 Walnuts? 00:20:54.799 --> 00:20:55.359 Walnuts? 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.319 Yeah, walnuts. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:57.680 What is that? 00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:58.880 Coding? 00:20:59.200 --> 00:20:59.759 Coding. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:01.839 What's that? 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.119 Pork? 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:04.240 Allergic to pork? 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:04.720 Yeah. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:05.599 Something else? 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:07.519 Glute gluten? 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:09.039 Blue cheese? 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:13.119 Dot here. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.400 Dodgers fans? 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.079 Somebody said they're allergic to Dodgers fans? 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.279 Oh no, no, no. 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:18.880 That was Raiders fans, my bad. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:26.160 Um sorry, I just, you know, it's you know a lot of us are allergic to something. 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:30.400 But I think a lot of us have an allergy that's been undiagnosed. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:39.440 In fact, there's something that you know, you've gone to the doctor, you've written some tests, they have not been able to diagnose this one. 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:50.079 And I think the allergy that a lot of us have that we don't realize is a lot of us are allergic to admitting that we're wrong. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:22:00.000 I mean, because let's be honest, we're not wrong very much, are we? 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:04.319 I mean, other people are wrong. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:08.480 In fact, if they just saw it like you saw it, then things would be way better. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:09.519 Right? 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:13.119 If they just did what what you thought they should do. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:29.440 And I mean, those times that we maybe like the one time that we are wrong, like the one time a year that we're wrong, even in those times, it's really hard to admit that we're wrong, right? 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:33.200 Man, it's uncomfortably quiet in this room right now. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:39.039 In those times, we admit that we're wrong. 00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:44.400 A lot of times, we don't even have, it's not even a genuine repentance that we have. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:48.960 It's more of like a self-centered repentance, a self-centered admittance that we're wrong. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:49.920 It's like this, okay. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:55.519 This is what self-centered repentance is it is being sorry for the consequences of our actions. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:02.720 So it's like if you have a kid, you have kids, you might tell them don't do this, and they still do it. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:05.359 And you tell them, don't do this, and they still do it. 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:07.440 You tell them don't do this, they do it. 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:09.440 You say, Okay, you're in trouble. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.880 You're grounded. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:12.960 I'm taking this away from you. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:17.680 At that point, they're like, Mom, I'm so sorry. 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:19.920 Mom, I'll never do it again. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:20.559 I promise. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:23.359 Like, I I need to, like, I need my video game. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:29.599 Like, like my YouTubers got a new video coming out, and you know, I think it's and it's like, hold on, hold on. 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.759 Why are you sorry right now? 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:36.799 Why weren't you sorry like the first two times I told you? 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:40.319 You know why? 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:47.119 Because they aren't sorry for what they did, they're sorry for the consequences for their actions. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:50.559 Now I know you have an angel as a kid, your kids never do that, right? 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:53.920 Sorry for the consequences of their actions. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:56.880 Now here's the now here's the reality. 00:23:57.200 --> 00:24:08.720 The reality is that when we have self-centered repentance, it's driven by fear and by shame and by self-preservation or trying to manage consequences. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:22.960 It's saying, okay, it's saying, like, okay, um, I snapped at this person, so I need to apologize for this because if I don't apologize for it, like that gathering of coworkers or family, it's gonna be kind of weird or uncomfortable or awkward. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:25.039 I don't want it to be weird or uncomfortable or awkward. 00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:27.599 So I'm gonna apologize because I said this. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:36.400 I'm not gonna apologize because I treated somebody outside of how God wants me to treat somebody and communicate with somebody. 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:41.200 I'm gonna apologize because of the consequences that I don't want to experience. 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:47.279 See, there's a difference between self-centered repentance and God-centered repentance. 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:52.240 God-centered repentance is when we are sorry for the action. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:59.920 And God-centered repentance flows from being loved, forgiven, and accepted by God. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:10.079 God-centered repentance says, like, I love God so much, and He has called me to live a life that's in alignment with who I am as his child. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:16.160 And when I step out of alignment of that, I repent because I've made that choice to do that. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:21.359 I'm not sorry for the consequences, I'm sorry for what I did. 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:27.359 You see, self-centered repentance runs from the consequences of our actions. 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:31.039 God-centered repentance runs to the Father. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:41.920 In this text, what happens is Peter has a God-centered repentance which causes him to grieve about his sin. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:44.400 It causes him to grieve. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:47.359 And can I say one more thing as your pastor? 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.880 Because I love you. 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:54.160 If you play with sin long enough, eventually it will burn you. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:58.480 Sin will burn you. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:05.920 And at first, it may be cool and it may be okay, and you may be like, life is better than it ever was before. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:12.240 It says in Hebrews that Moses chose to rather enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:13.839 Sin is pleasurable. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.440 It talks about how he followed God. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:21.119 And here's the reality: if we will play with sin, eventually we will get burned. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:29.279 But we don't have to do this because we have a God, we have a heavenly father that loves us, that invites us to come to him. 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:35.759 And when God says, No, I don't want you to do this, it's because he doesn't want you to hurt yourself. 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:46.960 When God is not trying to keep you from something, like God in heaven is not like, man, I want to make their life miserable. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:51.839 Man, Giovanni, I want to make your life so hard, so don't do this over here. 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:52.799 No, no, no. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:58.240 God's a good father, he's a good father that loves us and cares about us. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:08.880 And he brings Peter to this place of genuine repentance where he's grieving so he can call him up, number two, to take a step of growth. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:16.079 In verse 16, in verse 17, and I think it's verse 15 too. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:19.279 He tells him, Feed my sheep. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:21.200 Feed my lambs. 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:30.160 It's almost like Jesus says, Peter, hey, the last charcoal fire you were at, you denied me. 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:34.720 Last charcoal fire you were at, people around, you denied me. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:39.359 This charcoal fire, I'm restoring you and I'm calling you. 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:44.480 I'm restoring you and I'm calling you. 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:50.640 And here's what someone needs to hear this morning is that God is a God of second chances. 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:55.839 God is a God of second chances. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:59.839 And some of you look at your life and you think, man, God has given up on me. 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:02.079 Man, why do I even try? 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:08.799 God is a God of second chances and a God of third chances and fourth chances and fifth chances and sixth chances. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:11.599 And if you're like me, you need even more than that. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:17.680 And God says, Listen, I see you where you are, and I want you to come back to me. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:28.720 And what God did is God was a God of the second chance that called Peter back to him and said, I have a calling, Peter, on your life for something bigger than you can imagine. 00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:34.960 Peter's like, hey, I'm going out, I'm fishing right now, like I'm trying to take care of my family, which is a very good and noble thing. 00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:36.960 Peter's like, I'm trying to work. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:39.200 I got I got these things going on. 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:44.799 Jesus says, Hey, it's time that you stop fishing for fish. 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:48.240 And I have a calling that you would feed my sheep. 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:53.519 I have a calling that for something bigger than just fishing for fish. 00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:57.599 Like you are choosing what's good, but I have something that's better for you. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:04.079 And friends, this morning, some of you, God's put a calling on your life and you're settling for just the good. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:06.319 When God says, I have something greater. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:11.440 And sometimes the calling is scary and it's uncomfortable, and you never walked down that road before. 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:22.960 But guys, guys, guys, guys, guys, the calling that God has for you is greater and it's worth more than the temporary discomfort you're gonna feel to step into that calling. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:27.519 God is a God of second chances. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:33.599 And as we end this morning, I want to talk to us for just a couple minutes. 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:40.480 I also have a little family talk about an opportunity that some of us might have to take a step of growth in our life. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:42.559 I'm gonna sit down for this. 00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:45.920 Many of you guys know our our church is growing. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:50.319 And while we're not a big church, it's been pretty cool to see this fall. 00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:54.880 Our church has averaged over 350 people a Sunday between three services. 00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:56.799 So we're a growing church. 00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:59.759 And when we look at that, we say, okay. 00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:03.119 This is stewardship that God wants us to steward. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:09.279 And when we look at this, we understand something that the first Christian church is not my church. 00:30:09.599 --> 00:30:11.440 First Christian church is not your church. 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:14.240 It's God's church that we all get to be a part of. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:23.519 And as the church has developed, you have to structure things a little bit different to support the growth that's happening. 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:33.519 So for example, when you when when as a church, when we had 75 volunteers, you could structure a certain way, and that structure doesn't support now that we have over 200 volunteers. 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:34.960 It just doesn't work. 00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:37.599 And we're we we have felt some pain points. 00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:46.079 So going into January, and some of our teams are already doing this, and many of you already know about this, but we're restructuring our serve teams a little bit. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:55.119 We're we're asking people to serve either the first, third, and occasional fifth Sundays of the month, or the second and fourth Sundays of the month. 00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:59.519 And here's what we really need across all of our teams. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:07.839 We really need some people to take a step of growth and either start serving or re-engaging in serving. 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:14.960 Because for God to use us to do what we believe God wants us to do, it's going to take everybody serving. 00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:17.119 And here's what I'm asking for our church to do. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:20.319 I literally am asking for a hundred percent of our church. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:22.960 You say a hundred percent, yep, a hundred percent. 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:29.519 A hundred percent of our church that would say, I'm going to step into serving for the next six months. 00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:39.519 That starting in January, you would say, I want to step into serving, and I want to be a part of one of these teams of uh of what God wants to do. 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:50.400 Because if you'll step onto a team, guys, that's an easy way that we get to be a part of God using us and us helping more people know Jesus and making Jesus known. 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:56.319 Second of all, we're gonna do something for men in 2026 that we haven't ever done before. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:59.680 It's gonna be called a leadership track brotherhood. 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:10.799 And here's what this is this is the purpose of this is to raise up men that will be ministry coordinators, ministry leaders, deacons, and elders here at FCC. 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:16.480 What this is gonna look like is it will happen during the growth group semesters during 2026. 00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:22.319 So we'll meet, I think 26 Wednesday nights happen on Wednesday nights, 26 Wednesday nights out of the year next year. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:25.759 And some of you men in the room, God's stirring something in you. 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:28.799 And can I just say I want to invite you to be a part of this? 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:30.240 Um, I'm gonna be leading this. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:32.480 I think there's eight of us that are part of it so far. 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:40.880 But God might be stirring something in you to lead in church and different places, and we will meet together for training, for development, for accountability. 00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:42.559