I want you to think about some of the personalities in the Bible that you know well.
Don't answer out loud, but Old or New Testament.
Think, this person, that person.
With the exception of Jesus, whoever came to your mind,
they are, were flawed people, weren't they?
Just about all of the people you read about in Scripture,
I'm talking about the major ones.
Abraham, Moses, David.
The Bible lets you see how they failed God at times.
And it was serious.
It was terrible.
But God never gave up on them.
And God worked in their lives to bring them back
and to restore them to a right relationship with Him.
That's something that all of us needs to be thankful for.
When you read the Bible, you're reading about flawed, sinful, imperfect people just like us.
That's who God works in and through to accomplish His purpose in this world.
That means He can work through us.
But when we do fail Him, when we do fall,
what we need to understand is if we will come back to Him humbly,
repentant, seeking His forgiveness, He will always take us back.
He'll always forgive, cleanse us, and give us a fresh start.
Because He's in the restoration business.
I want you to turn back with me to John chapter 21,
where we've been looking at a restoration story now.
This will be the third week.
This is going to be the final week.
We've looked at how the Lord restored Peter
after his unbelievable fall
on the night that Jesus was arrested.
Peter denied that he even knew Jesus three times.
But the Lord brought him back.
And we've been studying that.
And let's look at it one more time.
John chapter 21.
Let's read this event.
It takes place.
Jesus and seven disciples
around a breakfast campfire
beside a lake.
Verse 15.
When they had finished breakfast,
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
Simon, son of John,
do you love me more than these?
He said to him,
Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
He said to him,
Feed my lambs.
He said to him a second time,
Simon, son of John,
do you love me?
He said to him,
Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
He said to him,
Tend my sheep.
He, that is Jesus,
said to him the third time,
Simon, son of John,
do you love me?
Well, Peter was grieved
because he said to him,
The third time,
do you love me?
He said to him,
Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.
Jesus said to him,
Feed my sheep.
Truly, truly, I say to you,
when you were young,
you used to dress yourself
and walk wherever you wanted.
But when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands
and another will dress you
and carry you where you do not want to go.
This he said to show
by what kind of death
he was to glorify God.
And after saying this,
he said to him,
Follow me.
Well, Peter turned and saw the disciple
whom Jesus loved following them.
That's John.
The one who also had leaned back against him
during the supper
and had said,
Lord, who is it that's going to betray you?
When Peter saw him,
he said to Jesus,
Lord, what about this man?
And Jesus said to him,
If it is my will that he remain until I come,
what is that to you?
You follow me.
Two weeks ago,
we looked at how the Lord's
in the restoration business,
how he didn't let Peter stay
in that fallen condition
but brought him back.
Last week,
we looked at how the Lord's restoration
is both relational and practical.
Jesus restored Peter
to a real loving relationship with him.
That's why there's such an emphasis
on the word love.
Jesus asking him,
Do you love me?
But also,
Jesus restored Peter
to his place of leadership
among the disciples
and restored him
to the ministry
or the service
that Jesus had for him.
We spent last week
looking at that restored relationship.
Just note very quickly,
a true relationship with the Lord
is built on the foundation of love.
A true relationship with the Lord
is built on a foundation of love.
His love for us,
our love for him.
Restoring Peter to this loving relationship
with himself
was Jesus' first priority.
That's why I ask him three times,
verses 15, 16, and 17,
Do you love me?
What we see in this
is that God puts a priority
on our relationship with him.
Certainly, God wants us to obey him.
He wants us to serve him.
He wants us to do his will.
But God wants us to do that
because we love him
and we want to please him
like a little child
wants to please their parents.
Now, I said little child.
You remember when you were real little?
Three, four, five maybe?
And it was your desire
to please your parents.
You liked to get their attention.
You liked for them to watch you
because you wanted to show them something.
You were wanting to connect with them.
That's what that's all about.
You have a relationship with them.
You love them.
You want them in your life.
You want them to approve.
You want to bring a smile to their face.
God wants us to do his will.
He wants us to serve him
because we really and truly do love him.
He's our heavenly father.
And we want to bring a smile to his face
by what we do for him.
But let's move on in that passage.
Jesus did more than just restore Peter
to a loving relationship.
Jesus recommissioned him.
Let's look at it now.
A true relationship with the Lord
involves committed service.
Peter was recommissioned by Jesus
to this special ministry
that Jesus had for him.
Notice how Jesus did it
in verses 15 through 17.
Each time Peter expressed his love for Jesus,
Jesus told him to take care of his sheep.
Notice that.
Feed my lambs.
Tend my sheep.
Feed my sheep.
Peter was called and gifted by the Lord
to be a leader in the early church.
He was a great preacher and teacher.
You can read through the first 12 chapters
of the book of Acts and see all that.
You see, he was a leader.
He made a difference in Jerusalem
and the outlying areas
as that new church started
and was beginning to flourish.
He was also used of God to preach.
Thousands of people believed,
became Christians under that kind of preaching.
But every Christian is gifted
to serve the Lord in some kind of ministry.
It may not be the kind of ministry that Peter had.
You know, if our relationship with the Lord is healthy,
we'll have a desire to serve Him
in the ways that He has gifted
and equipped us to serve Him.
If we have a right relationship with the Lord,
we will want to be involved in serving Him
as we are able to serve Him.
But we'll do it differently.
That's what I want to emphasize here.
Now, we're not all called to do the same thing
because we're not made the same.
We have a different gift and skill set.
You have a different gift and skill set
from the person sitting beside you
wherever you are seated this morning.
But we all should want to serve the Lord
as we can
if we really have a loving relationship with Him.
Now, if you're not involved in some kind of ministry right now,
when I say this,
the way we serve Him,
it varies.
Some people do it publicly.
Some people serve the Lord faithfully,
but nobody ever sees them.
Some people are involved every Sunday,
maybe singing in the choir,
playing an instrument,
teaching a Sunday school class.
Some people are involved less frequently
because what they are gifted and involved in,
it doesn't need to be done every week.
We're not talking about how much you serve
or anything like that.
The question now is,
are you serving the Lord
in some way
as you ought to,
not like somebody else?
If you're not,
why is it?
If you're not serving Him,
my first guess is,
the problem,
the source of the problem is,
there's something missing
in your relationship with Him.
I'm not saying that you're not a Christian.
I'm saying something is not exactly right
because if you're really
in fellowship with Him,
sensitive to His Spirit who indwells you,
aware of the gifts He's given you,
you're going to want to please Him
by doing what it is that
you know He wants you to do.
So if you're not serving Him,
what's wrong?
What needs to change?
You talk to the Lord about it
and ask Him to help you,
maybe to have a greater desire
or maybe to show you
what it is you need to be doing.
If your relationship with Him is good,
it's close,
you're going to want to serve Him
out of your love for Him.
But it may not be easy.
Now some ministries are.
Some things people are involved in
that are needed to be done,
it doesn't take a whole lot of time,
it doesn't take a whole lot of sweat,
if any.
And I'm not minimizing that.
But some Christians
are called to very difficult service
and Peter is at the top of the list
in the difficult service he was called.
See, Peter did more than just preach and teach.
He did more than just lead people
who loved him and wanted to follow him.
Peter served the Lord in such a way
that it eventually required
or led to his painful death.
And that's what verses 18 and 19
is talking about.
Look back in verse 18.
Jesus described Peter's younger days
basically as just a life of freedom.
Look at it.
When you were young,
you used to dress yourself
and walk wherever you wanted.
But Jesus describes Peter's later years
in opposite terms.
Look at it.
But when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands
and another will dress you
and carry you where you do not want to go.
Now he's not talking about,
Jesus is not saying,
Peter, when you get old,
you're just going to be old and decrepit
and people are going to have to lead you around.
That's not what he's talking about
because verse 19 tells us
what Jesus was talking about.
Look at it.
Jesus was explaining
that Peter's going to die a martyr's death.
It's a parenthetical phrase.
This he said to show
by what kind of death
he was to glorify God.
Commentators say that describing death
as a way of glorifying God
was a standard Christian way
for describing martyrdom,
dying for your faith.
They also point out that that phrase,
stretch out your hands,
in this kind of context,
talking about death,
is a reference to crucifixion.
The New Testament does not tell us
how Peter died.
In fact, the New Testament
doesn't even tell us he died.
But early church tradition tells us
that Peter was put to death
because of his faith,
that he was put to death
by crucifixion.
Now, obviously,
all Christians are not required to die
as a part of their service for the Lord.
I personally have never known
of someone who had to die
in order to be faithful to the Lord.
But thousands of people
have died in the 21st century
all because they were Christians,
they were open about their faith,
and when persecution came,
they didn't renounce the Lord.
We have all read about
Christians who have been executed
by such terrorist groups as ISIS
just recently,
recent past.
That's happening.
It's always happened
throughout the history of the world.
It is still happening.
But most of us,
unless you leave this country,
we're not going to be called upon
in all likelihood
to have to die
as a result of being faithful to the Lord.
But the Lord does call us
to be willing to die,
to have that kind of commitment to Him,
that we're willing to die
if necessary.
Jesus made it clear on many occasions,
the way that He talked to His disciples,
the way that He had talked to people
who were sort of inquiring
about what it took to be His disciple.
Jesus gave very strong statements
about what it meant to follow Him.
Look at one good example in Luke chapter 9.
And He said to all,
that is Jesus,
if anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself
and take up his cross daily
and follow me.
You see, Jesus,
He never watered down the message
that following Him
would not be costly.
Jesus never said anything
like Joel Osteen would say.
Jesus never talked about
this health and wealth,
that if you really have
the right kind of faith
and you really trust God,
He's going to make you healthy,
He's going to make you wealthy.
That's garbage.
That's trash.
That is absolutely,
100% contrary
to the teaching of Scripture
about what it means
to live as a Christian
in this world.
Some of the most godly people
who've ever lived
have suffered physically,
have suffered economically.
They've had a hard life.
And the reality is
the Bible does not promise
that it won't be that way
for you and me.
To follow Christ
requires a total commitment
to Him,
to knowing, loving, serving Him
regardless of what it takes.
How can a person do that?
How can we do that?
Well, the Apostle Paul
explains what motivates
Christians to give their life
in service to the Lord.
He's explaining himself,
he's explaining
how we can do this
in 2 Corinthians chapter 5.
Look at it.
He says,
For the love of Christ
controls us.
Christ died for all
that those who live
might no longer live
for themselves,
but for Him
who for their sake
died and was raised.
You see,
Paul was motivated
by the love
that Christ demonstrated
in dying on the cross
to pay the penalty
for his sins.
And because he knew
the Lord gave his life
for him,
because he knew
that Jesus loved him
that much,
he loved Jesus
in return.
He gave,
Christ gave his life
for him,
Paul gave his life
back.
There was love
both ways.
That's what motivated
Peter as well.
That's what will
motivate us.
us.
Having a loving
relationship
with the Lord
is the key
to faithfulness.
Some of you
have read
of a famous
missionary
named Hudson Taylor.
He gave his life
in mission service
in China.
On one occasion
he was introduced
to a group
of Christians
as a great missionary
who had given
his life
to the Orient
because he loved
the Chinese.
Well, Taylor
when he got up
to speak
he shook his head
and answered
thoughtfully
this,
no,
not because
I loved
the Chinese
but because
I loved
God.
Now,
he did love
those people
but the reason
he left home
and family
and an easier
life
was because
he loved
God
and he
believed
that God
had called
him to
serve him
in China
and so
because he
loved God
and he wanted
to please
the God
that he
loved
that's why
he did
what he
did
and we
can relate
to that.
I want you
to think
with me.
we can relate
to this idea
of doing
things
that we
don't want
to do
but we
do it
for the
one
that we
love.
A lot of
people in
this room
you have
sat up
at the
hospital
or maybe
in a home
maybe at a
hospice house
you have
sat up
with someone
who
didn't have
it all
together
and they
were trying
to take
the IVs
out of
their arm
they were
trying to
get up
out of
the bed
they did
not cooperate
but you
stayed there
standing up
part of the
night
maybe on
the edge
of the
chair
part of
the night
you stayed
there and
did all
that
not
because it
was fun
not because
you wanted
to do
that
make that
person stay
into bed
hold their
hands back
now you
didn't want
to do
that
but you
loved the
person you
were caring
for enough
to be willing
to do
that
you did
something that
was hard
you did
something that
was uncomfortable
you did
something that
caused you
great stress
not because
of anything
you got
out of
it
joyfully
emotionally
but because
you loved
the person
the parent
the grandparent
the friend
that you
were trying
to take
care of
I'm going
to guess
that some
of you
work a job
that you
don't really
like
I know
some people
work a job
that they
basically
just hate
and the
reason they
work that
job
is to make
a living
for the
people in
their home
that they
love
they don't
get up in
the morning
and go to
work because
they enjoy
what they
do
they get
up and
go to
work
because
they love
the people
that they
are going
to support
you see
we do
understand
and we
do
things in
our lives
that are
hard
that are
painful
sometimes
that we
absolutely
don't want
to do
we never
choose to
do
but because
we're
motivated
by love
for a
person
we do
whatever
it takes
and so
if we
have the
right kind
of relationship
with the
Lord
we should
be willing
to do
whatever
it takes
to be
faithful
to him
and as
we have
this right
kind of
love for
him
and put
forth that
effort
the Lord
is going
to give
us what
we need
to remain
faithful
that's what
Paul talked
about in
Colossians
chapter 1
verse 29
see Paul
talked about
he was
motivated by
his love
for Christ
Christ's
love for
him
but look
what else
he said
here
to this
verse
from the
New Living
Translation
that's why
I work
and struggle
so hard
depending on
Christ's
mighty
power
that works
within me
the Spirit
of God
lives within
us
and it's
the Spirit
of God
who gives
us the
desire
and the
ability
to hang
in there
to be
faithful
if we
want to
be
because we
love our
Lord
let's look
at one
more lesson
in this
restoration
story
sort of
switching
gears
a little
bit
here
our
Lord
calls
us
to
focus
on
the
ministry
he
has
assigned
to
us
not
the
ministry
he
has
assigned
to
others
that's
what he's
talking
about
verses 20
through 22
at some point
after this
breakfast
Jesus and
Peter got up
and took a walk
down the beach
well Peter
noticed over his
shoulder I guess
that John
was walking
along behind
them
and so he
asked Jesus
the question
look at it
Lord
what about
this man
I want you
to think
Jesus had
just told
Peter
you're going
to die
a martyr's
death
how would
you feel
when you
heard that
for the
first time
well
Peter
now
he wants
to know
what's going
to happen
to John
who also
has a close
relationship
with Jesus
you understand
what Peter
is doing
Peter
now
is
going
to compare
himself
what he's
got to do
with John
and what
Jesus has
in store
for him
but I want
you to look
at how Jesus
responds
if it is
my will
that he
remain
until I
come
what is
that to
you
you follow
me
Jesus
is being
very blunt
here
he's saying
what I have
in store
for John
is none
of your
business
makes no
bones
does he
you just
do what I
told you
that's what
Jesus
is saying
if I
want him
to stay
alive
until I
come again
you're
going to
die
Peter
but if
it's
my will
that he
stay
alive
and healthy
and well
until I
come back
what's
it to
you
you don't
worry about
him
you take
care of
you
that's
what he's
saying
in effect
Jesus
is telling
Peter
M-Y-O-B
mind your
own
business
Jesus
was not
telling
Peter
that he
shouldn't
care about
others
but he
is clearly
telling him
not to
compare
himself
or his
ministry
assignment
with other
people
this is the
lesson we need
to learn
don't we
personally
on a
personal
level
we are
tempted to
compare
ourselves
with other
people
and we
sometimes
like to
grumble
and complain
we might
say something
we might
think it
Lord
I am
trying to
be faithful
I'm trying
to live a
faithful life
I'm trying
to do
what I
know
you want
me to
do
I'm being
faithful
in my
giving
I'm being
faithful
in serving
you
but I'm
struggling
and my
neighbors
who are not
Christians
who don't
really care
about you
they seem
to be
just
having it
great in
life
no
struggles
why
is this
happening
we like
to grumble
and complain
sometimes
we like
to whine
like a
child
demanding
equal
treatment
I will
never forget
the time
when my
son David
who was
about four
or five
years old
and Michael
was two
or three
and Lisa
had them
both in
the bathroom
getting them
ready to go
somewhere
and in all
the confusion
she said to
David
uh oh David
I just
brushed
Michael's
teeth
with your
toothbrush
and David
quickly shot
back
well I'm
using
his
so intent
we are
sometimes
to have
everything
equal
to make
sure someone
is not
one up
on us
we say
and do
foolish
and immature
things
that happened
many many
years ago
Lisa and I
still laugh
how a little
child
would say
I'm going to
use somebody
else's
toothbrush
don't you
think
really and
truly
don't you
think God
is our
heavenly
father
looks at
some of
the things
that we
do
some of
the foolish
things that
we do
and say
don't you
think he
laughs at
us
because we
do things
just like
that
and we
don't
understand
just how
immature
how crazy
it is
you know
in our
church
ministry
if you're
involved in
the life
of the church
in some way
we can be
tempted to
think that
my gifts
and my
talents
and my
abilities
that's what's
most important
we may even
suddenly try to
minimize the
value of other
people's
ministries
their gifts
or even worse
we would never
say it
but we might
sometimes smile
when they fail
or when they
don't do so
well
whenever we
think like that
we need to
call it
what it is
it's pride
it's selfishness
it's jealousy
it's envy
whatever it is
the root cause
is sin
and you know
God hates
sin
Chuck Swindoll
helps us to see
that when we
compare ourselves
with others
or complain
about our
differences
we are really
criticizing
God
and the way
he works
look at what
Swindoll says
God's calling
is personal
and his leading
is unique
all Christians
enroll in the
same school
but our
individual curricula
is vastly
different
because we have
different needs
different gifts
and different
callings
our coursework
is tailor made
to match
we're not
cookie cutter
Christians
although we're
cut out of
the same
dough
we're not
cut out
in the same
size
or shape
as even
our closest
friends
or co-workers
we are all
predestined
to become
like Christ
that's what
it says
in Romans
8 29
the route
God takes
us to get
there however
varies
significantly
from one
person
to another
instead of us
looking around
at someone else
this morning
criticizing
or comparing
let's close
this out
by just
looking
at ourselves
how would
you describe
your relationship
with the Lord
right now
do you really
and truly
have a relationship
with Him
as your
Savior
and Lord
if you don't
do you want
one
if you do
you can have
one
if you'll
admit
your need
the fact
that you
don't have
a relationship
with God
admit your
sin
and truly
repent of it
change your
mind
humble yourself
before God
grieve over it
turn from it
and put your
trust in Jesus
that when He
died on the
cross
He died
to pay the
penalty
for the sins
you've committed
if you'll
believe that
when God
raised Him
from the dead
that was God's
way of saying
I've accepted
His sacrifice
if you'll
put your
faith in Jesus
call upon Him
to save you
He will
He'll forgive you
He'll give you
a fresh start
a new start
right now
so call on Him
now
if you have
a relationship
with Him
as a Christian
is it healthy
right now
are you really
enjoying a close
personal
relationship
with Him
if you're not
would you like
to
if there's
something that
has interrupted
broken your
fellowship with
Him
admit that to
God
confess that
come back to
Him
humbly again
trusting in
Christ
the penalty
for your
sins
has been
paid
recommit
yourself
to living
in fellowship
with Him
in obedience
to Him
do that
right now
you know
if you have
a right
relationship
with the
Lord
you're enjoying
good fellowship
just thank
Him
thank Him
for the
grace that
He's showing
you
thank Him
for the way
that He is
working in
your life
right now
final thought
final question
are you
serving the
Lord with the
gifts talents
and abilities
He has given
you
are you
serving Him
without
comparing yourself
someone else
are you
serving Him
without
complaining
if a change
needs to be
made in that
make that
ask God
how He wants
you to serve
Him
ask God
to give you
the right
attitude
but what I
want everyone
in this room
to understand
is
our Lord
is in the
restoration
business
and if you
have a
relationship
with Him
that is not
right
it can be
repaired
or if you
don't have a
relationship
it can begin
right now
either way
whatever your
need is
call upon
Him
trust Him
obey Him
let's pray
together
Father
show us
now
how we
as individuals
should respond
to Your
Word
to Your
message
give us
wisdom
give us
a desire
help us
to obey
You
as You
speak
now
let's just
all be
still and
quiet
and listen
to the
Lord
and do
what He's
telling us
to do
during the
next few
minutes
I'll be
at the
front
here
if you
would like
for me
to pray
with you
I'll be
here
I would
love to
do that
you come
but listen
to the
Lord
do what
He says
in these
next few
minutes
o
an
6
2
o
b
o