Speaker 1: Hi and welcome to the FBC El Dorado Sermon Podcast.
Speaker 1: We hope God will use this week's message to both inspire and challenge you as you seek to walk closer with the Lord.
Speaker 1: Now join me as we listen in to this week's sermon.
Speaker 1: Good morning.
Speaker 1: Good morning, I'd like for you to go ahead and take your Bibles and turn with me to John, chapter 21.
Speaker 1: We're going to be looking in John 21.
Speaker 1: We had a great Sunday last Sunday as we celebrated the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and really appreciate all the choir did and the orchestra did to work hard in anticipation of that and all the people that worked behind the scenes for that great day.
Speaker 1: But I'm very encouraged that you're here this morning.
Speaker 1: The Sunday after Easter in Preacher World, the Sunday after pastors get psychologically prepared for the Sunday after Easter Did you all know that?
Speaker 1: Okay, easter is such a big Sunday?
Speaker 1: And then they show up the Sunday after Easter going oh boy, how many people are going to show back up?
Speaker 1: And so there's a room full this morning.
Speaker 1: I appreciate you all being here and I appreciate the spirit in the room.
Speaker 1: I walked in this morning and it just seemed like you all just really enjoyed being here and are excited about being here and worshiping the Lord, and I think that was obvious, and so I'm thankful for that.
Speaker 1: And I'll tell you, great days are ahead for First Baptist Church, el Dorado, and I'm thankful for that and thankful for the fact that you all are trusting the Lord and your search committee is actively searching for who the Lord wants to be the pastor of this church.
Speaker 1: So, again, just a privilege to share God's word with you.
Speaker 1: Today.
Speaker 1: We're going to be looking in John 21 in just a moment.
Speaker 1: Before we do that, I want to just briefly review.
Speaker 1: Obviously, last week we read a passage of scripture out of Luke, chapter 24, describing that resurrection event from Luke's perspective, and then we focused on 1 Corinthians 15 and the reasons why we can believe in the resurrection of Jesus and the significance of it, and so what I want us to do today is I want us to make a transition, and the passage of Scripture we're going to be looking at this morning it records an event that occurs between Jesus and some of his disciples, and so this is shortly after the resurrection has occurred.
Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, in a moment we're going to read a verse that tells us that what happens here in John 21,.
Speaker 1: It is the third time that Jesus will have appeared to the disciples prior to his resurrection, and so the day of Pentecost hasn't happened yet.
Speaker 1: The Holy Spirit hasn't come upon Jesus' followers yet.
Speaker 1: The question that we ask today, as we look at this passage of scripture, is this it's a unique time.
Speaker 1: I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but just imagine yourself being one of the disciples.
Speaker 1: Jesus has risen, he has appeared to the disciples, but then he goes away and they're living their life in this moment in which they're there.
Speaker 1: For the last three years they follow Jesus and he makes an appearance and he says a few things to him, and then he leaves again and they're left somewhat in limbo.
Speaker 1: What are they supposed to be doing in this time?
Speaker 1: How are they supposed to continue in their service to the Lord?
Speaker 1: And so, with that in mind, we come to John, chapter 21.
Speaker 1: And before we read it, let me just set the scene for you.
Speaker 1: We find this passage is going to describe that there are seven disciples, seven of the 11.
Speaker 1: Of course, judas is no longer with them.
Speaker 1: 11 disciples are left.
Speaker 1: Seven of them are by the Sea of Galilee.
Speaker 1: We don't know where the other four are.
Speaker 1: Bible doesn't say but it is Peter, it is James, it's John, it's Nathaniel, it's Thomas, and then there's two others that John he just says.
Speaker 1: There's two other disciples.
Speaker 1: I don't know why they didn't make the cut, I don't know why John didn't name them, but there are seven disciples that are here as this passage begins and Peter says to them I'm going to go fishing.
Speaker 1: They're right there by the Sea of Galilee.
Speaker 1: There was apparently a boat there.
Speaker 1: He says I'm going to go fishing.
Speaker 1: The other six disciples say well, we're going to go with you.
Speaker 1: And so this passage says they go fishing, they fish all night.
Speaker 1: And we're going to pick up here in verse four of John, chapter 21, where it says but when the morning had now come, jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not yet know it was.
Speaker 1: Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not yet know it was Jesus.
Speaker 1: Then Jesus said to them children, have you any food?
Speaker 1: And they answered no.
Speaker 1: And he said to them cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.
Speaker 1: And so they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish, were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
Speaker 1: Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus loved incidentally, that's John's signature in the letter, that's how we know this is a reference to John, the author of this gospel the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter it is the Lord.
Speaker 1: Now, when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had removed it, and he plunged into the sea.
Speaker 1: But the other disciples came in the little boat for they were not far from land, but about 200 cubits dragging the net with fish.
Speaker 1: Then, as soon as they'd come to the land, they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid on it and bread.
Speaker 1: And Jesus said to them bring some of the fish which you have just caught.
Speaker 1: Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land full of large fish 153.
Speaker 1: And although there were so many, the net was not broken.
Speaker 1: Jesus said to them come and eat breakfast.
Speaker 1: Yet none of the disciples dared ask him who are you Knowing that it was the Lord?
Speaker 1: Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
Speaker 1: Now this?
Speaker 1: This is now the third time Jesus showed himself to the disciples, after he was raised from the dead.
Speaker 1: Let's pray, lord.
Speaker 1: We invite you this morning into our presence.
Speaker 1: We thank you for the chance we have to worship you.
Speaker 1: As we read this passage of scripture, we recognize that this is the authoritative word of God, and I pray that you'll help us to gain our understanding of it and that, through the power of your Holy Spirit, we will apply it in such ways that make us more like you called to live the life you've created us for.
Speaker 1: We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1: As we look at this passage of Scripture, I really feel as though it teaches us some very important lessons.
Speaker 1: It's a moment in which, in the next few days, the day of Pentecost is going to come.
Speaker 1: The Holy Spirit is going to come.
Speaker 1: It's going to turn a page in history and how God relates to humanity.
Speaker 1: The church is about to be established and about to be begun.
Speaker 1: These men who are there in that boat that day on the Sea of Galilee, they are going to be leaders in the early church.
Speaker 1: God is going to use them mightily, and yet what we find here is that there are still some things they need to learn before Jesus ascends into heaven.
Speaker 1: And so we're going to look at this passage and we're going to see that, as Jesus, as the disciples, prepare for a life of ministry, there are some things Jesus provides for them, and the first one that I want us to see very briefly this morning, as we see this passage of scripture unfold, is Jesus, what does he provide for them?
Speaker 1: First, he provides some fish for them, does he not?
Speaker 1: We see that in this passage of scripture, we're able to see the interaction.
Speaker 1: Jesus is on the shore, the boat is out in the water, about a hundred yards from the shore.
Speaker 1: It says 200 cubits in this passage of scripture and Jesus calls out to them in verse five and he says children, do you have any food?
Speaker 1: Now a couple of observations about this.
Speaker 1: The first one is this word children.
Speaker 1: If you'll remember, a couple of weeks ago we focused on a passage in Mark, chapter 10, passage that said Jesus said whoever does not receive the kingdom like a little child will never enter it.
Speaker 1: The word for little child there in Mark 10, 15.
Speaker 1: And the word that Jesus uses here, children, is the exact same word, and so he's calling them children from the bank as he hollers to them.
Speaker 1: You know, we might think of him in terms of referring to them as lads or as boys?
Speaker 1: Boys, do you have any food?
Speaker 1: Well, the word for food here it's the only time it's used in the New Testament and it's a word primarily related to fish.
Speaker 1: It's literally something that you eat with bread, but it's usually a reference to fish.
Speaker 1: I one time had a professor in college that said this is Jesus' way of saying do you have the makings for a fish sandwich?
Speaker 1: Do you have what you need to be able to eat something?
Speaker 1: And so they reply and say we don't have any.
Speaker 1: And so that's what.
Speaker 1: That sheds light on Jesus' command there in verse six cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some food.
Speaker 1: You will find some fish, if you will.
Speaker 1: And so that is exactly what they do.
Speaker 1: We know how the story unfolds.
Speaker 1: They begin to pull the net up and it is full of fish and all of a sudden, jesus or John, excuse me, he recognizes who it is that gave him that command and he elbows Peter and he says that is the Lord.
Speaker 1: And Peter, he looks and he acknowledges yes, it is the Lord, and he puts on his coat.
Speaker 1: That doesn't make any sense to me.
Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but he put on his coat and jumps into the water.
Speaker 1: He's a hundred yards from the shore.
Speaker 1: This is Peter at his finest.
Speaker 1: Peter is an instantaneous guy.
Speaker 1: He just does things on the spur of the moment, and so he leaves the fish, he leaves the net, he leaves the other six, he jumps into the water, swims the hundred yards so he can get to Jesus first.
Speaker 1: Then the other disciples come and they pull the boat up on shore, they pull the net up on shore.
Speaker 1: It says there were 153 large fish in this net.
Speaker 1: And when they get there, what do they find?
Speaker 1: They find a fire made of coals and they find bread and they find fish.
Speaker 1: And so they sit there together and they eat this meal together.
Speaker 1: Wouldn't you love to know what they talked about at that exact moment?
Speaker 1: I mean, they're not just seeing a brief moment with Jesus, they are spending a meal with Jesus.
Speaker 1: Now, the Lord saw fit not to include that he didn't have John write down the nature of their conversation.
Speaker 1: I mean I'd have been full of questions, jesus.
Speaker 1: Where did you go when you died?
Speaker 1: What was the resurrection like?
Speaker 1: I mean, I would have had so many questions and they probably did.
Speaker 1: But another alternative is they could have sat around and talked about the things that had happened these last three years as they spent time with Jesus.
Speaker 1: I mean, here they find themselves surrounded by this huge catch of fish.
Speaker 1: You know that their minds had to go back to Luke, chapter five.
Speaker 1: Y'all remember that Luke chapter five, this is before the disciples were even disciples, they weren't yet following Jesus.
Speaker 1: And Jesus had finished teaching the people and he steps into Peter's boat and he says to Peter go out and let your nets down for a catch.
Speaker 1: And Peter says Lord, we've fished all night.
Speaker 1: We haven't caught anything, but because you ask us to, we will.
Speaker 1: And do you remember how the story goes?
Speaker 1: There was such a huge catch of fish that the nets began to break.
Speaker 1: And I can't help but think.
Speaker 1: The disciples sat around here this morning in John 21 and said do you remember that time when Jesus got in our boat?
Speaker 1: I can't help but think that, as they sat there eating the bread and the fish, that one of them didn't say hey, do you remember that time up on that hillside, because it was near the sea of Galilee, they could have pointed to the hillside where they were and said do you remember that time?
Speaker 1: Jesus took those five loaves and those two, those two fish that that boy had brought and fed thousands of people.
Speaker 1: Just like he is this day.
Speaker 1: They're sitting around this fire and then there Peter sits soaking wet.
Speaker 1: Somebody, probably John, said hey, do y'all remember that time?
Speaker 1: That matter of fact, it was the night after Jesus fed the 5,000, that Jesus, he walks out on the water, into the boat there and invites Peter.
Speaker 1: Peter asked if he can come and walk out on the water and Peter, his faith grows weak and he about drowns and Jesus pulls him out of the water.
Speaker 1: And they're probably reminiscing about all that had happened in these three years of ministry with Jesus.
Speaker 1: What is Jesus doing here in this passage, to cause them to have this huge catch of fish and to sit around this fire and to eat this meal?
Speaker 1: I think what Jesus is doing here, as this chapter begins, is he is reminding them they have nothing to worry about as they look to the future.
Speaker 1: They have nothing to worry about.
Speaker 1: Before Jesus got there, how much food did they have?
Speaker 1: They had no food.
Speaker 1: All right, children, do you all have any food?
Speaker 1: No, we don't.
Speaker 1: Before Jesus got there, how many fish had they caught?
Speaker 1: Zero, not a single fish, jesus shows up Instantly.
Speaker 1: We find, as the story unfolds, their nets are filled and their stomachs are filled unfolds.
Speaker 1: Their nets are filled and their stomachs are filled, and Jesus is reinforcing this notion that they are in the presence of the God who can fill their nets.
Speaker 1: Whatever awaits them, jesus can provide for them exactly what is needed.
Speaker 1: And I want you to remember today, wherever you find yourself, you may find yourself in the midst of something and you're distracted by it and you really have some tremendous needs.
Speaker 1: I want to be able for you to read this passage and affirm that the God that we serve is the God that knows your needs and he knows what it takes to provide for you exactly what is best, and we can place our faith and trust in that God.
Speaker 1: We can follow Him wholeheartedly.
Speaker 1: Faith and trust in that God, we can follow him wholeheartedly.
Speaker 1: Now, the transition from verse 14 to 15 marks a significant transition in the conversation.
Speaker 1: We find verse 15, it says in this passage it says now, when they had eaten breakfast, jesus said to Simon Peter so up to this point it's been an interaction between the disciples and Jesus.
Speaker 1: Now Jesus is going to focus all of his attention on Peter himself.
Speaker 1: And so we find that Jesus has a question for Peter in the second half of verse 15, where he says Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?
Speaker 1: And Peter says Lord, you know that I love you.
Speaker 1: And Jesus says feed my lambs.
Speaker 1: Isn't that fascinating that in the, in the presence of these other disciples, jesus would focus on him and say do you love me more than these other disciples do, peter?
Speaker 1: Peter says Lord, you know that I love you more than these other disciples do.
Speaker 1: And Jesus says feed my lambs.
Speaker 1: And then look in verse 16, and verse 16, he says that a second time, simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?
Speaker 1: And he said to him yes, lord, you know that I love you.
Speaker 1: And then he said tend my sheep.
Speaker 1: And then we get to verse 17,.
Speaker 1: It says and he said to him a third time Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?
Speaker 1: What happens to Peter this time?
Speaker 1: It says Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time do you love me?
Speaker 1: Peter is very sorrowful in this moment that Jesus asked him this question the third time.
Speaker 1: And the question comes to us why?
Speaker 1: Why is he so grieved by being asked this third time?
Speaker 1: Well, we get a glimpse into the answer, I believe, in terms of do y'all remember what they're sitting around here?
Speaker 1: As they're visiting with Jesus, as they're finishing up breakfast, they're sitting around a fire of coals.
Speaker 1: All right, that was the description that is found here, earlier in this passage.
Speaker 1: There's only one other place in the New Testament where a fire of coals is referenced, and it's in the gospel of John.
Speaker 1: And you back up to John, chapter 18, verse 18, where it describes people sitting around a charcoal fire.
Speaker 1: If you will, and it just so happens, peter was sitting around that fire of coals as well.
Speaker 1: But in that moment, in John 18, you know what Peter was doing.
Speaker 1: He was denying Jesus.
Speaker 1: How many times?
Speaker 1: Three times.
Speaker 1: That night, so long ago, or just a few days ago, excuse me, thursday.
Speaker 1: That Thursday night, a few days ago, peter was denying Jesus around this fire.
Speaker 1: Now he finds himself sitting with Jesus around the same kind of fire and Jesus asks him three times Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?
Speaker 1: And when he got to the third time, peter understood the point that Jesus was making.
Speaker 1: He was bringing back this memory, this painful memory of these three times that Peter had denied the Lord Jesus what Jesus provides here for Peter is forgiveness.
Speaker 1: He provides restoration for this man.
Speaker 1: Peter was going to be a leader in the early church.
Speaker 1: He, in just a little while, was going to hold a very prominent position within the early church as people began to follow Jesus.
Speaker 1: And it was very important, in this exact moment, that Jesus, in the presence of these other disciples, addressed this great, this great sin that Peter had committed, and that was to deny Jesus.
Speaker 1: You remember there was nobody more fired up about defending Jesus than Peter was.
Speaker 1: Lord, we're not going to let that happen to you.
Speaker 1: We're going to go to our death for you.
Speaker 1: Do you remember when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, what Peter did?
Speaker 1: He drew his sword and tried to presumably kill a man who was coming to arrest Jesus.
Speaker 1: He has a terrible aim.
Speaker 1: He misses and he cuts off his ear.
Speaker 1: Peter's zealous.
Speaker 1: He wants to do zealous things for the Lord.
Speaker 1: And then, just a few hours later, the whole thing came unraveled and the wheels came off, and he's denying that same Lord.
Speaker 1: He was going to fight to the death for he was going to once again hold a position of prominence in the early church.
Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, he is going to be the leader in the early church.
Speaker 1: Jesus needed to restore him and he needed to restore him in the presence of the other disciples, and that is what happens here Now.
Speaker 1: I'm certain that before we get to this episode, jesus had already forgiven Peter.
Speaker 1: I'm certain he'd already expressed his sorrow over this, but it was in this moment that Jesus publicly restores him and addresses the sin that Peter had had committed.
Speaker 1: And I say to you this morning, if you find yourself sitting here, if you're watching online and you consider yourself to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you are living in sin, you need to be reminded.
Speaker 1: First of all, it keeps you from living the life God intends for you.
Speaker 1: God has a life that he's created you to live, and if I'm living in my sin and I'm not willing to address it and I'm comfortable with it and I'm unrepentant over it, god cannot use you in the way he has created you and designed you to be used.
Speaker 1: But the God that we serve is so good and gracious.
Speaker 1: It says in 1 John 1, verse 9, if you confess your sin, god is faithful and just and will forgive you your sin and cleanse you of all unrighteousness.
Speaker 1: Aren't you so thankful that there's nothing you could ever do that is so bad?
Speaker 1: God is unwilling to forgive you and to restore you to a position of usefulness.
Speaker 1: What Peter did was pretty bad.
Speaker 1: That ranks way up there in terms of of terrible sins.
Speaker 1: If you will, and Jesus restores him here on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, peter's going to play an important role in the days ahead.
Speaker 1: He has been forgiven.
Speaker 1: So this passage of Scripture reminds us that even in those moments when the net's empty, jesus can provide exactly what's needed.
Speaker 1: He provided fish for the disciples.
Speaker 1: Jesus provides forgiveness for Peter.
Speaker 1: He provides restoration.
Speaker 1: He addresses that spiritual need.
Speaker 1: And then the last thing I want to draw your attention to this morning is that Jesus provides focus.
Speaker 1: He provides focus.
Speaker 1: After this communication that Peter has with Jesus and Jesus asking him if he loves him, we come to verse 18.
Speaker 1: Jesus isn't done.
Speaker 1: He has something else to say to Peter.
Speaker 1: Verse 18, jesus says Assuredly I say to you, when you were younger you girded yourself and you walked where you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.
Speaker 1: The future doesn't sound good for Peter as he hears this coming from Jesus' mouth, as he's just affirmed his love for Jesus.
Speaker 1: Jesus has some hard words for this man.
Speaker 1: We come to verse 19.
Speaker 1: When we get to verse 19, we find Peter's providing some commentary on what Jesus has just said in verse 18.
Speaker 1: It says this Jesus spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God.
Speaker 1: So by the time Peter excuse me, by the time John writes these words, we know that by the time he writes the gospel, peter has already lived, he's already suffered, he's already been arrested and, ultimately, he has already been executed for the cause of Christ.
Speaker 1: That happened in the mid-60s, about 30 years after Jesus' ministry.
Speaker 1: It's interesting to note, though, if you were to take out John's commentary from verse 19, and you were to see how the second part of verse 18 ends.
Speaker 1: It says when you're old, you will stretch out your hands which is a euphemism to crucifixion, incidentally Another will gird you, carry you where you do not wish.
Speaker 1: Follow me.
Speaker 1: Just think about how that would have landed on his ears.
Speaker 1: You're going to get old, you're going to suffer.
Speaker 1: Ultimately, you're going to give your life for me.
Speaker 1: Follow me, follow me.
Speaker 1: Jesus is calling Peter to focus Back in Luke 5, the original call, as Peter was there on the Sea of Galilee, surrounded by fish, and that first huge catch of fish, jesus says to the disciples.
Speaker 1: He says to Peter and Andrew, james and John, in that passage he says from now on you're going to catch men.
Speaker 1: And there in Luke 5, 11, it says they pulled their boats up on the shore and they forsook all and they followed Jesus.
Speaker 1: Jesus is returning to that original call and he once again is telling Peter Peter, park the boat and follow me.
Speaker 1: Oh, peter.
Speaker 1: Peter does not disappoint us because we find once again in verses 20 and 21, he's having a difficult time understanding what Jesus is saying.
Speaker 1: It says then, peter, turning around, he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following Again, that's John.
Speaker 1: He spends the rest of verse 20 describing who this disciple is and then you come to verse 21.
Speaker 1: It says Peter, seeing him, seeing John, said to Jesus but Lord, what about this man?
Speaker 1: Peter has just heard from the lips of Jesus you're going to suffer mightily, you're going to give your life for me, but follow me.
Speaker 1: But oh, misery loves company, does it not?
Speaker 1: All Peter can think about is he sees John over there and he says but Lord, what's going to happen to this man?
Speaker 1: Is he going to get arrested?
Speaker 1: Is he going to suffer?
Speaker 1: Is he going to die too?
Speaker 1: What's Jesus' response?
Speaker 1: Verse 22.
Speaker 1: What's Jesus' response?
Speaker 1: Verse 22, if I will that he remain till I come.
Speaker 1: What is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me.
Speaker 1: Those are powerful words.
Speaker 1: In a few days, filled with the Holy Spirit, this same Peter is going to stand in front of thousands of people and in one day, through his preaching, empowered by the Spirit, he's going to see 3,000 people become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ A greater harvest than was ever seen in the ministry of Jesus.
Speaker 1: In just a few days, in just a few days, in just a few days, peter is going to be arrested for preaching Jesus.
Speaker 1: In just a few weeks, peter is going to be beaten for preaching Jesus.
Speaker 1: In a few years, peter will be led away to his execution in Rome.
Speaker 1: Peter, in the span of time that awaits him, he's going to have physical needs, he's going to have to provide for his family.
Speaker 1: But as Jesus says these words in verse 22, it's as though Jesus is saying to him, as he thinks through, what the future is going to look like.
Speaker 1: What is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me, focus on me, jesus can provide a net full of fish anytime it's needed, In the days ahead, in the years ahead.
Speaker 1: Do you ever wonder how many times Peter thought through that Thursday night as he sat around that fire and denied Jesus three times?
Speaker 1: How many times did that scene play out in Peter's head?
Speaker 1: How many times did he think how could I have ever done that, lord?
Speaker 1: I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1: How many times did he ask again for forgiveness though he need not In this moment, knowing that he's been forgiven and restored?
Speaker 1: It's as though Jesus is now saying to him when he thinks of those things what is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me, think about what awaits this man.
Speaker 1: He knows he's going to die a martyr's death.
Speaker 1: You know how long he lives with that information Three decades, for 30 years.
Speaker 1: He lives knowing this could be it.
Speaker 1: Today could be the day that I give my life for Christ.
Speaker 1: And as he sits there and says well, what about John?
Speaker 1: Is he going to suffer that same fate?
Speaker 1: Jesus' response is what is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me.
Speaker 1: I can recall, back in the spring of 2021, our family went through a challenging time, a season we would refer to it as a crisis, to be honest with you, and it was just.
Speaker 1: There was a lot of pain, a lot of sorrow that we were experiencing, and I can remember one particular morning I was sitting alone in our living room and I don't know why I was doing this.
Speaker 1: This is not something that I normally do early in the morning, but I had my phone out and I don't know why I was doing this.
Speaker 1: This is not something that I normally do early in the morning but I had my phone out and I was scrolling through Facebook.
Speaker 1: Right, have you ever scrolled through Facebook, sad and grieved and bothered and worried?
Speaker 1: And it seems like every post that comes up is everybody else's perfect circumstances and their perfect family and their perfect vacation and all these other things.
Speaker 1: And seemingly, as I sat there in that chair and as I scrolled through, it was as though everything I saw was everyone else's perfection, their crisis-free life.
Speaker 1: And the more posts I saw, the sadder I got, the more discouraged I got.
Speaker 1: I didn't have the Bible open in my lap, I wasn't thinking about it, I hadn't read the gospel of John in a while, but as I'm scrolling, all of a sudden it was as though the Lord stopped me from scrolling.
Speaker 1: I set my phone down as I'm just thinking about my plight or circumstances, there was one verse of Scripture that came to mind, and only one.
Speaker 1: You know what it was.
Speaker 1: What is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me, and I will never forget that moment, that, as I was able to set that phone down and I was able to set down what looked like everybody else's perfect existence and perfect life to have the call renewed Don't worry about what everybody else is doing, trust me to get you through this crisis and follow me, and that's the invitation that Jesus extends to his followers.
Speaker 1: That's the invitation for you this day.
Speaker 1: Think of all your worries, think of all your sorrows, all your griefs, all your uncertainties, all your frustrations, all your hurts, all the speculation about what the future is going to look like.
Speaker 1: Or you may be looking back at some sin you committed long ago that God's already forgiven, but seemingly every day, satan brings it back up to remind you of how you failed.
Speaker 1: In the midst of all of those things, they're such a distraction to us.
Speaker 1: They cause us to veer off from living the life God has called us to live.
Speaker 1: And as I look at this passage of Scripture and as I think about where Peter found himself that day.
Speaker 1: Jesus' words still ring true today, whatever it is that is distracting you.
Speaker 1: Jesus would say to His people what is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow Me, follow Me.
Speaker 1: That is the invitation of the people of God.
Speaker 1: Follow Me.
Speaker 1: Let me invite you, if you would please bow your head and close your eyes.
Speaker 1: With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, I want you to know this morning that Jesus, his invitation, is as real today as it was 2,000 years ago.
Speaker 1: His invitation is as real today as it was 2,000 years ago For the Christians in this room, for those of you who consider yourselves to be followers of the Lord, jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: If you're watching online this morning, the invitation is as real as it was when he issued it to Peter and the disciples, back in Luke 5, then in John 21,.
Speaker 1: And that is the invitation is to follow Him.
Speaker 1: Don't be worried about the distractions of the world, don't be worried about the worries and the needs and the hurts, but instead Follow Jesus.
Speaker 1: That is the invitation.
Speaker 1: And this morning, as we spend time in prayer, I want to ask you to take a moment, right now and just in honesty, between you and the Lord.
Speaker 1: What is it that's distracting you from following Jesus in the way that you should.
Speaker 1: If it's sin, you have got to deal with that right here and now.
Speaker 1: The people of God can't live comfortably in their sin.
Speaker 1: You need to repent of that today and enjoy that renewed relationship, that restored fellowship with God that positions you to be of service to Him.
Speaker 1: But if you're worried, if you're burdened, if you're heavy laden, if you're hurt, if you're distracted, if you're heavy laden, if you're hurt, if you're distracted, if you're trying to compare yourself to the success of other people around you, you know what Jesus says to that.
Speaker 1: He says what is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me, just follow me.
Speaker 1: He is the God that can fill our net.
Speaker 1: He is the God who can restore us.
Speaker 1: He is the God who can see our net.
Speaker 1: He is the God who can restore us.
Speaker 1: He is the God who can see us through, regardless what the future holds.
Speaker 1: If you're here without a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, I've got to be honest with you.
Speaker 1: I can't imagine living life without Jesus, can't imagine trying to do it in my own power, in my own way.
Speaker 1: The invitation for you today is to come to a point where you realize you've tried it your way and it just hasn't fulfilled, it hasn't satisfied in the way you thought it should, and the Bible says it never will.
Speaker 1: We're all sinners.
Speaker 1: The Bible also says God loved you so much that he made a way for your sin to be paid for, and that is through Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection.
Speaker 1: Jesus took your place in dying for sin and he invites you today to accept that free gift of salvation and begin to live the life God creates you to live.
Speaker 1: In a moment I'm going to be standing down here at the front.
Speaker 1: Brian's going to be standing down here.
Speaker 1: We would love to share with you how you can enjoy the life God has created for you.
Speaker 1: The invitation for you is to follow Jesus, starting this day.
Speaker 1: It is the greatest decision you can ever make.
Speaker 1: Lord, we gather in this room today.
Speaker 1: I'm not worthy to stand before you.
Speaker 1: I'm not worthy to sing your praises.
Speaker 1: I'm not worthy to sing your word, except for the fact that, through Jesus and his death, I have been made worthy.
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for being the God who meets our needs.
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for being the God who forgives and restores.
Speaker 1: Thank you so much for being the God who fills us with purpose and invites us to follow you and the life that you want us to live.
Speaker 1: For my fellow brothers and sisters here in this room this morning, I pray that you'll speak into their heart and life today and help them.
Speaker 1: Whatever it is that's distracting them, whatever's burdening them, let them hear your words as you speak to them.
Speaker 1: What is that to you?
Speaker 1: Follow me, and for those in this room that do not yet have a relationship with you maybe they do not know what it means to have a relationship with you, lord I pray that in your Holy Spirit's power, in a way that only you can, you will draw them to yourself and give them a great understanding of their desperate need for a Savior, that today would be the day of salvation.
Speaker 1: It is in Jesus' name that I pray.
Speaker 1: Amen.
Speaker 1: I invite you to stand to your feet as we stand.
Speaker 1: If you're a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, you spend time with the Lord this morning.
Speaker 1: We don't have time to be distracted by the cares of this world.
Speaker 1: The invitation is to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.
Speaker 1: If you're ready to give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, you come down.
Speaker 1: We would love to talk with you this morning.
Speaker 1: We're not going to embarrass you.
Speaker 1: We want you to know the same Jesus, the same Savior that we know.
Speaker 1: You can begin that relationship today.
Speaker 1: As we sing, you respond, you come.