[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. This is the next message in our series on the book of John entitled, Jesus is God.
[0:14] All right, take your Bibles if you would and open them to John chapter 21. John chapter 21, Jesus arose from the dead and we are glad we have salvation because of Jesus dying on the cross for us and being buried and rising again.
[0:31] Here's the story. We're going to talk today about welcome back to the table. And I want you to understand just a little bit ago, it's been a little over three days ago in the passage of scripture. They were at a table.
[0:45] They were having the last supper. Peter was pretty braggadocious and he said, man, if all the rest of these guys deny you, you don't have to worry about me. I will be there with you. I will take a stand for you.
[0:56] And so Peter makes some pretty bold and brash statements. And then he denies Christ. He takes a sword, tries to protect him at first. He denies Christ. It's been three days.
[1:07] They've been to the tomb. They now know he's alive. You know, we found that out last chapter, but now Peter has gone fishing and things aren't really the best in old Peter's life right now.
[1:21] So I want you to look at Jesus inviting him back to the table. I'd just like to say this. Some of you might have started off serving God and you were really, I mean, on fire for the Lord and serving God and putting him first and, and working there.
[1:34] And maybe you have grown cold. Maybe you pulled away. I just want you to know he welcomes you back to the table. You can come back for fellowship and for service. Look, if you would, John chapter, John chapter 21 and verse one.
[1:47] And let's read that verse again. The Bible says after these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias on this wise showed he, he himself.
[1:58] Number one thing I want you to write down right now is this. Jesus is showing himself alive. Jesus is showing himself alive. Skip down to verse 14 and look what it says.
[2:09] This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples. After that, he was risen from the grave. I want you to know Jesus shows himself alive to the disciples and he shows himself alive to a lot of people because Jesus is God.
[2:27] What was John trying to prove throughout the book? What was John trying to get across to you? Jesus is the Christ, the son of God and believing you might have life in his name. Look at what revelation one 18 says.
[2:39] Revelation one 18, John, the apostle, John, the beloved will write that book. Also, the Holy spirit will use him. And in revelation chapter one in verse 18, the Bible says, Jesus speaking, I am he that liveth and was dead and behold, I'm alive forevermore.
[2:54] Amen. And have the keys of hell and death. Jesus is alive. Can you say amen right there? Jesus is alive. That's why you don't see.
[3:05] That's why you don't see crucifixes here. That's all I can think of for a second was the Spanish word. That's why you don't see crucifixes here. That's why we don't really have a lot of pictures of him dead here.
[3:18] We're not celebrating a dead God. We're not celebrating a dead Christ. He is alive. He is more alive than I am alive. He is more alive than you're alive.
[3:30] He has been dead and he has risen from the dead and he has the keys of death and hell. Look in first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse five, if you would, he clearly showed himself alive many times with many witnesses, many times with many witnesses.
[3:45] One eyewitness was never enough in a Jewish court. The Jews did not accept. He said, she said it was just against the rules. If you didn't have two eyewitnesses minimum, you couldn't have, you couldn't be a witness.
[3:58] And Jesus is alive. You can't tell whether or not I saw a bear. I have no real proof that I saw a bear. Jesus arose in the grave. He is going to prove it abundantly to everybody that he really is alive.
[4:11] Look at first Corinthians 15 five. And, and that he was seen of Cephas. That's another name for Peter. You got your Bible open there, Peter. Then of the 12. And after that, he was seen of above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part are remain under this present and some are fallen asleep.
[4:28] After that, he was seen of James. Then of all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen of me also as one born out of due time. Look at what, look at what's happening. Paul's writing a letter to the first Corinthians, to the Corinthian church, his first letter to the Corinthian church.
[4:42] And Paul says, guys, I want you to know that Jesus is alive and I can call witnesses. He said, Peter saw him. The rest of the 12 or the disciples saw him. At one time, 500 people saw him all at the same time.
[4:56] And a lot of them are still alive. Y'all want to meet him. I can tell you there are people who actually saw him and they're alive right now. Then James and the apostles. And last of all, I saw him. Jesus is alive.
[5:09] We went through John chapter one. We came all the way through John chapter 20. We watched Jesus be crucified. We watched Jesus rise again. And now we're coming to the end of the chapter. And Jesus is abundantly proven.
[5:19] I am alive. I am alive. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is paramount. It is extremely important.
[5:31] And look, if you would, at first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 14. First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 14. Look what your Bible says. If Christ be not risen, then as our preaching vain.
[5:42] And your faith is also vain. In other words, if Jesus did not rise from the dead. Then what we preach is a waste. And your faith is a waste. Jesus is alive.
[5:55] Jesus is alive. Jesus rose from the dead. John chapter, first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 17. If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain. And you are yet in your sins.
[6:05] If Jesus did not come back from the grave. If Jesus didn't conquer death. Come out of the grave. And if he's not alive again. No matter what you believe. And no matter what we preach. No matter what we teach.
[6:16] If Jesus isn't alive. You're still a sinner on your way to hell. How many of you believe he's alive? Say amen. First Corinthians 15, 19 says. If in this life only we have hope in Christ.
[6:28] We are of all men most miserable. So just let me stop. And get you to understand something. And this is what the gospel of John tells me. The gospel of John shows to me that Jesus is the Christ.
[6:39] That Jesus is the son of God. And that believing you can have life through his name. It shows me that he died in my place on the cross of Calvary. It shows that he took my sins on him. It shows that he was buried.
[6:50] It shows that he rose again. It shows the gospel. And you should know the gospel. So I want to get you to repeat the gospel with me. The gospel is that he died. Was buried.
[7:00] And rose again. See if you'll say that with me. The gospel is that he died. And that he was buried. And that he rose again. For my sins. Let's do it again. He died.
[7:11] And for my sins. Say he died for me. Amen. He died for me. He paid my sin debt. He paid your sin debt. He paid the sin debt of the world.
[7:23] His resurrection confirms. That his sacrifice satisfied the payment for our sin. And before I go on. Can I just remind you again. This is why we're meeting on Sunday morning and not Saturday.
[7:35] We're meeting on Sunday morning because every week we're celebrating this. Jesus arose the first day of the week. This is our way of sin. This is the day our Lord came back.
[7:46] This is the day our Lord arose. And we worship Jesus over that. Go with me if you would to John chapter 21 and verse 3. The second thing that you find in this passage of scripture. Is that you have more influence on others than you think.
[8:00] You have more influence on others than you think. I want to talk to you. Most of you I know pretty well. You're born again Christians. You're serving God. You want to do something for God. And often times you don't realize that your life is impacting other people.
[8:13] You don't realize the impact you're having on your children. You don't realize the impact you're having on other Christians. And look at the story if you would in John chapter 21 and verse 3. Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing.
[8:26] And they said unto him, We also go with thee. And they went forth and entered into a ship immediately. And that night they caught nothing. Peter's obviously discouraged. He plans to return to his old life.
[8:39] Not necessarily talking about going into some sinful life. But the guy who was supposed to become a fisher of men. Turns to the guys and says, Hey, I'm fixing to go fishing. And he leaves to go fishing. This isn't the best time of his life.
[8:50] He's denied the Lord three times. He's decided that the last three years of his life might have been a waste. And he's going back to the old life. He had put his hand to the plow. But he seems to be looking back. And he's just deciding what he's supposed to do.
[9:02] What Peter does is bad enough. But every one of us must consider we are influencing others. We are influencing others. Notice what happens in the story.
[9:13] Peter decides to go back to the old life. Peter decides to go back to being a fisherman. Peter decides to go back and find his boat and his nets and his old lifestyle. And when he does, others do the same.
[9:24] I want you to look here just a second. I want you to realize something. And I really want you to pay attention just a second. If you're a mom and a dad here, did you know that everything you're doing is influencing your children?
[9:35] Did you know we're a product of our home, a product of our training, and a product of our raising? Do you realize you're influencing other people? Do you realize your children know if you just come to church on Sunday morning and it's not real all the rest of the week?
[9:49] Did you know we lose a lot of kids out of church? We lose a lot of kids that grow up in church and go up through the youth girl apartment, go up through all this, and that home they know it wasn't really real. It's just what mom and dad did on Sunday morning or the services that you attended.
[10:04] Old Peter decides to go back and go fishing. He's got a problem with this, just to be honest with you. He has a little bit of a problem with getting discouraged and influencing other people. Over in the book of Galatians, chapter 2, verse 11, down through verse 14, I'm just going to tell you the story.
[10:21] Peter came down from Antioch, and Paul stood up and to his face said, you are doing wrong. What happened is Peter came down from Antioch, or came to Antioch, and he comes down there, and he's eating with the people, and he's spending time with the people, and then some Jews come down, and when these Jews come down, Peter decides he's not going to mix with these Gentiles like he had been mixing with them, and it gets so bad that Barnabas, who is Paul's right-hand man, who's the guy that got Paul really back on, got him into the ministry, Barnabas gets carried away with Peter's influence, and Barnabas also decides to quit having the right kind of fellowship with those brothers.
[11:03] In other words, Peter influenced people to go back to fishing when they ought to have been looking for Jesus to serve him. Peter influenced even Barnabas to quit doing what he ought to have been doing.
[11:15] Would you consider your testimony and how you're influencing people? I just really want you to think about this a second. Would you consider your testimony and how you're influencing people? They see what you do, and they figure that it must be good, and they do the same thing.
[11:30] They watch you. They know what you do. They do it. Your children are learning what's important from you. Your children are learning what's important from you. Now listen to me.
[11:41] If you're chasing a dollar, your kids are going to learn to chase a dollar. And if you've learned how to chase a dollar and still keep church a little bit in there, believe me, they're going to chase a dollar, and they're going to let church slide out of there.
[11:51] You say, I love Jesus, and I'll be at church as much as I can as long as my job doesn't interfere with it. Your kids are watching everything you're doing. Your kids are more influenced by you than you think. There are other people more influenced by you than you think.
[12:04] We influence people. You're in your church attendance. You're giving. You're praying. You're Bible reading. You're activities. They influence other people.
[12:15] They influence other people. Now hang on. I'll make you mad. I don't usually do that, but here it comes. Boy, you're real careful about them watching certain movies, aren't you? But you're not real careful about showing them that church comes first.
[12:26] You're real careful about who they hang around with, but you're not real careful about being in the book every day. You're real careful to protect your kids, but you're not showing them the right way.
[12:38] They're learning how to live. They know what to do because they see that in you. And by the way, this is not legalism. It's reality. We are one generation from being pagans.
[12:55] Do you ever consider that at least two times in history, the entire population on the planet knew God, loved God, and served God. Adam and Eve knew God.
[13:06] Adam and Eve had coats of skins put on them. Adam and Eve knew what it was like to be forgiven. Adam and Eve knew, but it was only five chapters later. Or really three chapters later before it's blown and the whole world is wicked, except for eight people.
[13:22] And then God destroys the entire world and eight people are left. And those eight people all know God, but it doesn't take long. Do you realize that when you look around the world and say there are very few people around the world that know God, they did know God and they rejected God, but it was parents and people way back there.
[13:37] Could I just say to you that I think your most important ministry is your family. Do not teach them right values. Give them a living example. Do not teach right values.
[13:51] Give them a living example. It's not so much what you say. Talk is cheap. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.
[14:01] You're influencing people everywhere you go. You say, Brother Austin, boy, that's really not your normal way of... Brother Peter here is just really messed up.
[14:12] I mean, Peter says, hey, I think I'll go fishing. And I just go back and go fishing. Now, this is a guy supposed to be a fisherman. This is a guy that will never deny Jesus. This is a guy that takes a sword and cuts off Malchus's ear. This is the guy that is always a spokesman.
[14:24] And this is a guy that's gone out and is not ready to serve Jesus at this time. And he's influencing others. Now, I am not the oldest guy in the world, but I have been in the ministry for what...
[14:40] I've been preaching for 43 years. Now, I've been full-time ministry since I was 19. So, I don't know how many years that is. 40. 39.
[14:51] 39 years, I guess. Almost. And I'll just tell you, your example does more than you think it does. And I am alarmed at the way we have let that slip in our Christian lives.
[15:05] When I die, when they put me in a casket, I don't want my kids to say, I'm not sure Daddy loved Jesus. I don't want my kids to say, I'm not sure Daddy...
[15:16] I want them to say this, man, Daddy, if the doors were open, Daddy was there. I want them to say this, Daddy didn't tithe. Daddy did a lot more than tithe. I want them to say, Daddy loved Jesus every day of his life. I want them to say that there was an example given to them about serving Jesus.
[15:30] That ought to be your goal. And I influence other people. There are other people watching my... every move. They know what I'm doing. They know what I'm not doing. They're watching you too. They know what you're doing.
[15:42] They know what you're not doing. Take your Bible if you would and go to John chapter 21 verse 3 again. By the way, when you go out on your own, you will not have good success. I love this story.
[15:54] John chapter 21 verse 3. Peter said, I go fishing. And they said, we'll go with you. Look at the last two words in verse 3. And they caught nothing. Verse 4. But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore.
[16:06] But the disciples, they didn't know it was Jesus. And Jesus said, hey guys, you caught anything? You got any meat? You got any fish there we could have some meal with? And they said, no. Now, Peter turned back to his own ways and his own work before Jesus.
[16:20] I don't really think he went... He didn't lose his salvation. Definitely didn't lose his salvation. I don't think he went back to sinful ways. But I mean, this guy made a career change. This guy made a career choice.
[16:32] The Holy Spirit had called him out and separated him to the work. And now he's back to fishing. Jesus had just died and been buried and rose again. And Peter's not really up to it. He's attempting to do what he's done all of his life.
[16:44] The Lord apparently doesn't let things work out like they would have to show Peter and the boys that when you step out of God's will, they will not go so well. These guys were expert fishermen.
[16:55] They knew what they were doing. Yet they caught nothing. Don't forget Jesus has called them to serve him and that he would make them fishers of men.
[17:07] I want you to know that if you step out and some of you may have already done so. If you step out of where you know God wants you, if you step out of the race that God has given you to run and the ministry God's called you to and it's not preaching and it's not pastoring necessarily, but the life that God has called you to live, if you step out of that, you might even have success for a while.
[17:25] The Bible says in Hebrews 11, 25, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. So when you step out and do wrong, you might enjoy it for a while and you might have success for a while, but it's going to bite you in the end.
[17:41] You cannot walk away from serving God if you're a born again Christian and expect there to be no consequences. Can I get an amen there? Thank you for the two amens.
[17:53] Guys, as a Christian, you can rest assured that serving in the flesh or doing it your own will will not bring lasting results. Here's a wild story. Peter says, guys, I think I'll just go fishing.
[18:09] They said, hey, we'll go with you. Been three years probably since they've been fishing, but they know what they're doing. They come from a family of fishermen. They owned boats and nets and had other fishermen that worked for them.
[18:22] They knew what they were doing, but they stepped out to go do what God didn't have in mind for them to do. And somehow the Lord decided to make sure they would not enjoy success.
[18:34] That's what I mean. He's got a story here for us. And the day you made that dollar your God and the day you decided just tack church on as something you could work in when you could work it in and things seem to really be going good and your house is doing good and your money is doing good and your car is doing good and everything's doing good and your life's just going really like the way you want it to go.
[18:56] Just let me tell you, it may take weeks. It may take months. It may take years, but your influence and your fleshly work will bring disastrous results in your life.
[19:09] No, you won't lose your salvation, but you cannot serve God in the flesh. Chapter 21, verse 6. Chapter 21, verse 6.
[19:19] When Jesus steps in, there's great success. I love the story. Verse 6, it said, He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship and you shall find. They cast therefore and now they were not able to draw it in for the multitude of fishes.
[19:32] Jesus comes back and He reminds them where they need to be and what they need to be doing. He starts by showing them His power and His ability to give them success. He says to them, and by the way, you know, they had to think back and remember all they'd seen him do.
[19:45] They had to think back and remember the time a fish brought money in its mouth. They had to remember the other times that He told them to cast the net on the other side. They had to remember the time He fed people with fish. They had to remember, man, this is Him.
[19:55] And He says, Cast the net on the other side. They've been working all night long. Now, I don't know how wide the boat was, but I doubt it was a destroyer. I doubt it was carrying big aircraft. I imagine it was a relatively small boat compared to a destroyer.
[20:09] And so I don't know how many feet, 10 feet, 20 feet. They throw their net over here and they try to fish and all night long they've been fishing. And He says, Hey guys, throw your net on the other side and see what happens. They throw the net on the other side.
[20:19] A hundred and fifty-three fish, very large fish, get in the net. They cannot hardly get the fish out of the, out there. There's a miracle because they thought that that many fish would break the net and they get the fish back to land.
[20:32] I want to just tell you something. Every Christian in this room, you were made for a purpose. Your life has a reason. It's not about just getting a wife and the kids. You are not one step above on the evolutionary ladder.
[20:46] It's not your job to get you a nest, get you a spouse, have you some kids, get old, live together and die. That's not it. You're a born-again Christian. God has a plan for your life. You're a born-again Christian.
[20:56] God has a plan for your life. Just like you had a plan for Peter's life and just like you had a plan for the apostles' life, it was get in the job, do what you were made to do. Your purpose is to bring great glory to God.
[21:08] You were created for the pleasure of Jesus Christ. It is amazing that when Jesus steps in that difficult, that the difficult to impossible happens. Jesus steps in.
[21:20] They can't catch fish. They've been working eight, ten hours, twelve hours. They've been trying to catch fish. Jesus steps in and says, just throw the net on the other side, guys, and I'll take care of it.
[21:30] There's no way to explain what was happening except that God had done something special. This miracle caused John to know it was Jesus. When that happened, John goes, Peter, it's the Lord.
[21:45] I know it's him. I recognize him. And they immediately, oh, Peter, he's probably down to his skivvies, you know, and he's fishing. He grabs his clothes, jumps in the river and jumps in the sea and swims back to see Jesus.
[21:59] They know who it is. Go with me to verse nine if you would. This is beautiful. Here's a divine invitation. Come and dine. Come and dine.
[22:10] Look, if you would, at chapter 21 and verse nine. And as soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid their own and bread. So they've been out in the boat and they can't catch fish, but on the shore, Jesus already has fish.
[22:23] He's got some bread. He's got a fire going and he's waiting on them. And Jesus said to them, y'all bring the fish that you have now caught. You didn't catch them until I got here, but when I got here, you did catch them.
[22:34] And y'all bring the ones I helped you catch. And Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes, 153 for all there were so many that yet was not the net broken. And Jesus said to them, come and dine.
[22:46] And none of the disciples dared to ask him, who are you? Knowing it was the Lord. Jesus is back. He is alive.
[22:58] He is all powerful and he calls them back to himself. He made preparation for them. There was a fire and bread and fish waiting on them. Jesus invites them to bring the fish that they have now caught.
[23:11] They cut, they caught them after he got involved in what they were doing, but still refers to them as a fish they caught. Invites them to come back and eat breakfast with him. They've been working all night.
[23:21] Now they're probably pretty nervous. I want you to think about it. They're probably pretty nervous. They realize how foolish it looks that they went fishing, turned back to their old job. We're out there doing that when Jesus was there.
[23:34] They might've even felt guilty, but Jesus makes no attempt to do anything but love them and invite them back. Makes no attempt but to love them and invite them back. No mention is made of their mistake, just an invitation to come and dine, an invitation to eat with him.
[23:52] He allows them to bring part of what they caught for the meal. They bring their fish that they've caught. He doesn't really need them. He's already got fish going. He's already got bread there. He's already got a fire.
[24:02] He doesn't need us to do his work. It's our privilege to participate. He allows them to bring the fish they caught, but remember they were able to catch them because of him. They're accepted back at the table.
[24:15] They're accepted back at the table. They are welcomed and loved. They are welcomed and loved. When Betty and I lived in Mexico, we lived in a city called Queretaro and that's where we went to learn the Spanish language and when we lived there, there were always jokes Mexicans made about other Mexicans and the Mexicans in Queretaro always made jokes about the Mexicans in Monterrey and they said that Mexicans in Monterrey was selfish and stingy and they always made jokes about them and so anytime at a Mexican home, by the way, if you show up about mealtime, you're going to get invited to come in and sit at the table but the Mexicans in Queretaro said, now if you were to go to Monterrey, they have two dining rooms.
[24:54] They got one to look at but they're never eating there and they got another one on the second floor and that way they can eat and if you show up, they'll just act like they're not eating now. You see, eating is a time of openness and trust and fellowship and Jesus says, man, you guys, Peter, you denied me and I've already forgiven you and you guys weren't at the cross where y'all might have been but y'all were all hiding except for John and you didn't believe I was going to come back and you weren't ready for what happened and here I am, I've come and you're out fishing and you're going back to the, I mean, three years ago I called you guys out of fishing.
[25:28] Three years ago I told you guys to come and I'll make you fishers of men and here you are going back to it and you would have thought maybe there'd have been some harsh reprimands but there are none.
[25:40] Jesus just says, hey guys, I got some fish ready. I got some bread here. I helped you catch some fish. Y'all bring some of what you got and let's sit down and eat together again.
[25:52] Remember their eating was even more close fellowship than our eating. You know, at my home we hold hands around the table. We go out to restaurant. We hold hands around the table when we pray and there's some little, there's just little things.
[26:06] Betty and I kiss after every blessing just about. We'll say the word of prayer and then for the food, thank God for the food and then we kiss there's some special things. Don't forget John laid his head on his chest.
[26:16] These are special, intimate things of a meal and Jesus says, come and dine. Now I just say to you, some of you, if you're honest, you've been fishing.
[26:29] No, you haven't been in wicked sin. No, you're not caught up in porn. No, you're not caught up in adultery or fornication or homosexuality. No, you're not caught up in and lust and hate and anger and bitterness and pride.
[26:43] But to be honest, you kind of got off track. To be honest, you've kind of forgotten where God would have you. To be honest, the witness is going out of your mouth. To be honest, the joy is going out of your heart.
[26:54] To be honest, the Bible has been closed most of the week. To be honest, to be honest, you've gone fishing. And here's the beautiful thing.
[27:05] Jesus looks at him and says, hey guys, come and dine. Come on back and let's eat together. The next passage of Scripture is going to talk to Peter and you would think that he is going to just rip Peter and you're probably going to take it that way.
[27:20] But in all honesty, he's saying to Peter, feed my sheep. And you know what he's saying to Peter? You messed up, but you can still do the ministry. You messed up, but you can still do the ministry. I love you.
[27:31] Come and dine. Now, where are you today? How's your walk? How is your walk? Stop just a second. You still have time to influence your children.
[27:44] You still have time to influence others. You teens, every one of you influence other teens. Men, you influence other men. We learn from each other. We pick up each other's habits.
[27:55] We do things with each other. We learn from each other. We influence people. Jesus is risen. You have influence. Don't go fishing. But if you've been fishing, by the way, you know that didn't mean don't go fishing.
[28:09] Like, you can go fishing. Take your bass boat and go catch all you can and just bring some back and give it to Betty so she can cook it. I mean, but you could go fishing, but you know what he's saying is don't get off track.
[28:21] Do what the Lord has for you. Say, I've been kind of off. I've been kind of off, out of place. I've been kind of not doing what I should be doing. Come and dine. He waits for you right now.
[28:33] Maybe you stepped away. Why not come and dine today? Father in heaven, I love you and I praise you and I thank you and I pray, God, that you'd work here. I pray that you'd bless in the lives of our people.
[28:47] I pray, God, that you'd help us to make decisions today. If the Holy Spirit has taught us anything or showed us anything in our lives, I pray that you'd help us to humble ourselves enough to allow you to make that change in us that we would do whatever it is that you'd have us to do.
[29:01] God, I praise you and I magnify you and I thank you. Show your power and I'll give you all the praise. With every head bowed and every eye closed, you know if the Lord spoke to you, maybe it was because as you listened and you realized that you have not been using your influence like you should and you realize that you've slipped.
[29:22] maybe you ought to come and say, Lord, I want to make sure I influence my children. I want to give them a living example, not just teaching.
[29:34] Maybe, maybe you'd have to say, I have stepped away and been doing things my own way and I've not had good success because I have really been chasing the wrong things and seeking the wrong things and not seeking Jesus.
[29:49] Maybe you ought to come and say, I've been fishing. I've been away but I'm coming back today to say, Lord, I'm here to serve you. Then there might be somebody here this morning that's never accepted Jesus as your Savior.
[30:02] You don't have that personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. If you were to die, you're not sure that you'd go to heaven. But the Lord Jesus loves you and He paid your sin debt and you can be saved.
[30:12] He died for you. He loves you. The Bible says, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Bible says, the wages of sin is death. In other words, you sinned and you have and there will be punishment for sin but Jesus took your punishment.
[30:29] He took it to the cross and He died for you and He paid that debt and you can receive the gift of God which is eternal life. If you'd let me today, we would pray with you, answer your questions and help you through the Bible if you'd let us.
[30:41] I'd send a counselor to your side that would talk to you in private, no pressure, nothing about joining the church, nothing about something from us but just to answer your questions. Would you say to, hey, preacher, help me today.
[30:52] Austin, show me. Let somebody talk to me. Would you just hold your hand up and I'll ask somebody to talk to you? Would you just hold your hand up and we'll be patient and kind and talk to you and help you today in your walk with Jesus wherever you're anybody.
[31:04] You know whether or not God's dealt with your heart. If He has, you come to this altar, pray in your seat. You do what you ought to do and seek God at this moment. Father, bring honor to Your name, work in the lives of Your people and I'll give you praise for it all.
[31:19] You have been listening to Austin Gardner, pastor of Vision Baptist Church. For contact information, location, service times, or more audio and video recordings, log on to www.visionbaptist.com.
[31:33] A blood is in