WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.640 Take your Bibles and turn to John chapter 21, if you would, the Gospel of John chapter 21. 00:00:10.040 --> 00:00:16.760 ! Last Sunday, we started this little mini-series, we're only going for three weeks, on coming back to Jesus. 00:00:16.760 --> 00:00:24.820 I hope it's a reminder to all of us that wherever life takes us, we can always turn and come back to Jesus. 00:00:24.820 --> 00:00:32.240 Last week, we talked about the heavy load, or the fortizo, that we carry with us. 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:40.600 And we looked at that Greek word that we find that Jesus used for yoke, and he used it for burden and load. 00:00:40.679 --> 00:00:48.840 And he says the world and even religion will place a fortizo on you, a heavy burden on you that you have to carry. 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:56.700 And instead of carrying that burden, he says exchange the burden that you place on yourself and that others place on you, 00:00:56.859 --> 00:01:05.780 and exchange it for the yoke or the fortizo that I want to put on you, because that's light, and I will help you carry it. 00:01:06.500 --> 00:01:08.120 So that's what we talked about last Sunday. 00:01:08.219 --> 00:01:16.620 Today, we're going to look at a different part of the life of Jesus, and that is found in John chapter 21. 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:21.200 So go there with me, if you would, and let's look at this together. 00:01:21.320 --> 00:01:23.000 It's a very special story. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:29.060 It's almost like a footnote that the apostle John added in at the end of his gospel record. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:36.480 And he says in John 21, verse 1, after this, after what? 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.800 After Jesus had been crucified, he had risen from the dead. 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:47.379 By the way, that's how we have hope in Jesus, because we're not praying to a dead God. 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:49.979 We're not praying to an idol that we made ourselves. 00:01:50.299 --> 00:01:56.019 We're praying to a living man who revealed himself to be God, the God-man. 00:01:56.259 --> 00:01:57.060 He came down. 00:01:57.140 --> 00:02:09.560 He was born of the Virgin Mary, left his heavenly throne, humbled himself, came to live among us, grew up around us, did many miracles, showed he was from God, said he was from God, said he was God himself. 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:13.879 John testified of that, and he testified of that himself. 00:02:14.020 --> 00:02:20.080 And then the father himself testified of that on the Mount of Transfiguration when he said, this is my beloved son. 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:20.900 Hear him. 00:02:21.300 --> 00:02:25.759 And so after all this, he allowed himself, according to God's plan, to be put to death. 00:02:25.900 --> 00:02:29.780 And then he arose from the dead by God's power three days later. 00:02:29.780 --> 00:02:33.800 And after that, he revealed himself to his disciples. 00:02:35.140 --> 00:02:36.140 And then he went away. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:47.439 As he had done so often when he was walking with his chosen 12 disciples and then the other followers that would go along with them and their troop as they traveled from town to town and region to region. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:49.819 And Jesus would perform miracles. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:50.680 He would teach them. 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:51.680 He would fellowship with them. 00:02:51.699 --> 00:02:52.979 And then he would go off for a while. 00:02:53.060 --> 00:02:53.939 He'd disappear for a while. 00:02:53.979 --> 00:02:54.520 He'd go pray. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.620 He would restore his soul with the father. 00:02:56.620 --> 00:02:59.480 And he goes and he sees them. 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:02.480 And then he goes away and he tells them, now wait. 00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:03.920 Wait for me. 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:06.900 Wait until I give you power from God. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.460 Because I've got a great plan for you. 00:03:09.980 --> 00:03:14.080 He hadn't yet given them the great commission that we read about in Matthew 28. 00:03:14.700 --> 00:03:19.259 Kind of their marching orders for God's kingdom work all around this world. 00:03:19.259 --> 00:03:23.560 But whatever it was, well, that's fun. 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:25.919 Hang on a second, y'all. 00:03:27.179 --> 00:03:29.019 These things just randomly happen. 00:03:30.699 --> 00:03:32.759 And I just got to turn the power off on that thing. 00:03:32.799 --> 00:03:33.359 And now we're good. 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:33.699 All right. 00:03:34.120 --> 00:03:37.479 Probably those of you in the front row could hear that fun buzzing sound there. 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:37.840 All right. 00:03:37.959 --> 00:03:38.459 We're good. 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:39.239 Crisis averted. 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:39.960 Listen. 00:03:42.540 --> 00:03:45.100 God had raised Jesus in power. 00:03:45.260 --> 00:03:47.180 He had come and he had appeared to his disciples. 00:03:47.320 --> 00:03:49.659 And now he told them, wait for a little bit. 00:03:49.920 --> 00:03:52.439 After he had appeared to them, man, they were blown away. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.520 Jesus, we saw him die. 00:03:54.860 --> 00:03:57.020 We knew he testified that he would rise from the dead. 00:03:57.060 --> 00:03:58.200 And he sure enough did. 00:03:58.340 --> 00:03:58.840 Look at this. 00:03:58.900 --> 00:03:59.280 Amazing. 00:03:59.860 --> 00:04:01.879 And he appeared to them in the upper room. 00:04:01.920 --> 00:04:04.580 And he shows himself at different points to his followers. 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:08.620 And then he says, wait for a little bit before I see you again. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:11.700 I'm going to give you some marching orders. 00:04:12.620 --> 00:04:13.900 So what happens? 00:04:14.939 --> 00:04:17.319 Chapter 21 of John, verse 1. 00:04:17.420 --> 00:04:23.020 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. 00:04:23.540 --> 00:04:25.080 He revealed himself in this way. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:32.900 Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathaniel from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee's sons, 00:04:32.899 --> 00:04:35.179 and two others of his disciples were together. 00:04:35.799 --> 00:04:36.659 Why were they together? 00:04:37.179 --> 00:04:40.259 Because Simon Peter had said to them, I'm going fishing, boys. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:45.560 Remember what I was doing when Jesus called me to be his follower? 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:46.639 I was fishing. 00:04:47.819 --> 00:04:51.319 Well, I've got a little time on my hands here while we wait for Jesus. 00:04:52.039 --> 00:04:54.739 I don't want to sit around and go crazy, so I'm going fishing. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:56.039 Who's coming with me? 00:04:56.459 --> 00:05:01.659 And these guys came and they said in verse 3, we're coming with you. 00:05:01.660 --> 00:05:05.560 They told him they went out and they got in the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:10.000 Of course, on the Sea of Galilee, it was the best time of night to catch fish. 00:05:10.380 --> 00:05:15.540 Best time of day to catch fish was at night, and so that was the primary practice. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:19.960 And just like what had happened before, they're out there all night. 00:05:20.300 --> 00:05:23.680 If you remember back in Luke chapter 5, they were out all night and they caught nothing, 00:05:23.840 --> 00:05:27.580 and then Jesus comes and brings in a great catch of fish to them. 00:05:27.960 --> 00:05:29.480 Well, same thing happened here. 00:05:29.580 --> 00:05:30.360 They were out all night. 00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:31.060 They caught nothing. 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:33.860 When daybreak came, verse 4, Jesus stood on the shore. 00:05:34.080 --> 00:05:38.180 But the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:40.220 So they were far enough away from the shore. 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:43.680 They could see a figure out there, but they couldn't tell that it was Jesus. 00:05:44.620 --> 00:05:49.080 Probably wouldn't have even occurred to them at that moment that this was when he would reappear to them. 00:05:49.079 --> 00:05:56.319 But this guy on the shore says, friends, Jesus called to them, you don't have any fish, do you? 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:01.120 He said, no, they weren't biting tonight. 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:07.199 And then he says, cast the net on the right side of the boat and you'll find some. 00:06:07.840 --> 00:06:14.240 Now look, in hindsight, we get to read that and we get to say, well, obviously that's Jesus, right? 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:17.960 These guys didn't have the benefit of knowing how that story would end. 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:27.939 And so what Jesus had done before when he brought in the great multitude of fishes that we read about years before had spread like legend. 00:06:27.939 --> 00:06:32.980 It was almost urban legend in the minds of some. 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:40.459 And for some, it was the greatest story, the greatest miracle that they couldn't believe Jesus had actually done. 00:06:40.540 --> 00:06:43.379 And so they think, haha, yeah, very funny guy on the beach. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:47.360 We'll put our nets on the other side and then all the fish are going to come in, right? 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:58.000 But then probably somebody said, well, what if we just did it? 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:00.720 What if we just went ahead and tried? 00:07:01.580 --> 00:07:05.939 Maybe the Holy Spirit of God moved them too in some way. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:11.319 But regardless of why they did, they went ahead and did. 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:14.100 They didn't know yet that this was Jesus. 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:20.960 They went ahead and they put their net back in the water on the other side of the boat from where they had had it before. 00:07:23.060 --> 00:07:29.200 And it says they were unable to haul it back in because of the large number of fish. 00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:33.840 So all night long, when the fish were supposed to be biting, nothing came in. 00:07:34.460 --> 00:07:39.040 And then Jesus performs one last mighty miracle for them. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:44.340 Going back to the beginning when he called them. 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:47.560 Meeting them in that ordinary space. 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:49.300 And that's number one. 00:07:49.379 --> 00:07:52.180 If you're taking notes in the outline you received this morning in your bulletin, 00:07:52.900 --> 00:07:56.140 Jesus meets you in the ordinary. 00:07:56.820 --> 00:07:59.460 The disciples were doing exactly what made sense. 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:00.140 They were waiting. 00:08:00.280 --> 00:08:00.879 They were working. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:03.080 They went back to their normal routine. 00:08:03.180 --> 00:08:04.360 There was nothing wrong with that. 00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:10.780 I've heard preachers get up and preach, well, they should have been out there preaching about Jesus and said, well, Jesus didn't tell them to do that. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.680 He actually told them to wait. 00:08:14.460 --> 00:08:16.259 So they weren't doing anything wrong. 00:08:16.840 --> 00:08:24.420 But right there in the middle of a normal work day, the morning after a long night of work, Jesus appears to them. 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:28.860 And it reminds us that Jesus is the God of the ordinary. 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:33.279 You could almost say this was an ordinary miracle because he had done it before. 00:08:33.980 --> 00:08:34.960 This was repetitive. 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:38.139 Something he had done before with them. 00:08:38.560 --> 00:08:40.240 And what was their reaction? 00:08:41.340 --> 00:08:45.759 They were unable to haul in the net because of the large number of fish. 00:08:45.860 --> 00:08:47.879 And then the disciple, the one Jesus loved. 00:08:48.060 --> 00:08:52.019 By the way, John loves to throw that little side note in there in his record. 00:08:52.340 --> 00:08:54.340 I'm the disciple that Jesus loved. 00:08:54.460 --> 00:08:56.240 Just in case any of y'all were wondering. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:59.340 He says to Peter, it's the Lord. 00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:02.560 And Simon Peter argues with him. 00:09:02.820 --> 00:09:03.600 He says, no, it's not. 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:04.320 No, he doesn't. 00:09:04.740 --> 00:09:11.799 Instead, he tied his outer clothing around him because he had taken it off while he was fishing, this outer robe. 00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:16.320 He ties it around him and he jumps into the sea and he swims to shore. 00:09:16.419 --> 00:09:17.159 He wades to shore. 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:19.440 They were not far from the land, about 100 yards away. 00:09:19.700 --> 00:09:22.980 And the other disciples brought the boat in, dragging the net full of fish. 00:09:23.580 --> 00:09:26.080 And then we'll get to the rest of the story in just a moment. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:30.299 But we see the heart of Jesus, that he is the God of the ordinary. 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.340 I'm so glad that God is the God of the ordinary. 00:09:33.560 --> 00:09:39.580 John 1.14 reminds us that Jesus came to dwell among us. 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:47.200 Sometimes we get this idea that God is waiting for us to come to him. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:50.759 The reality is God comes to us. 00:09:51.480 --> 00:09:52.460 You know why? 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:54.960 Because we can't get to him. 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:57.900 We can't make it to him. 00:09:59.020 --> 00:10:02.460 In our hearts, we rarely even want to get to him. 00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:06.019 Because we are sinful. 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:09.940 We're full of pride. 00:10:10.139 --> 00:10:12.500 We're full of self-exaltation. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:15.620 We lift ourselves up above God and everyone else. 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:19.000 God has to come to us. 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:21.160 He has to captivate our hearts. 00:10:21.379 --> 00:10:23.320 He has to arrest our attention. 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:27.500 And he does that all throughout the scriptures. 00:10:27.900 --> 00:10:31.640 That's how he dealt with his people, the Israelite people in the Old Testament. 00:10:31.860 --> 00:10:33.140 He would always come to them. 00:10:33.280 --> 00:10:34.460 And their hearts would wander. 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:36.240 And sometimes they would physically wander. 00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:39.340 But in their worship, they would wander far away from him. 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:41.900 And he would always come back and bring them back. 00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:44.440 And the prophets would write about it in the Old Testament. 00:10:44.700 --> 00:10:48.480 Man, it's awesome to go back and read through those prophetic books in the Old Testament. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:55.620 You know, you've got your Lamentations, your Jeremiah, your Isaiah, your Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. 00:10:55.680 --> 00:10:57.600 You read through these Old Testament prophets. 00:10:57.940 --> 00:11:04.879 And they talk so often about God's cry that my people have wandered far away from me. 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:12.139 And God always came back to them and brought them back to him. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:14.680 He does that to us continually. 00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:21.959 He comes back and meets us in the ordinary of our regular lives in Clay County, Texas. 00:11:22.699 --> 00:11:26.919 He came back not to the temple to meet with these guys. 00:11:27.500 --> 00:11:30.059 He came back to their work day. 00:11:31.019 --> 00:11:34.199 He came back and met them in the middle of their everyday life. 00:11:34.239 --> 00:11:36.539 And that's where Jesus meets us. 00:11:36.839 --> 00:11:40.939 But John 1.14, the word, who is the word? 00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:41.419 Do we know? 00:11:41.419 --> 00:11:44.679 Well, let's say it with a little more confidence. 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:45.439 Who is the word? 00:11:46.179 --> 00:11:47.079 Yes, he is. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:47.539 You're right. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:48.620 That's the right answer. 00:11:48.740 --> 00:11:50.259 Jesus is the word of God. 00:11:50.419 --> 00:11:54.759 So if you say, I love the word of God, usually people are talking about this, right? 00:11:55.740 --> 00:11:57.299 You know who the word of God is? 00:11:57.659 --> 00:11:58.059 Jesus. 00:11:59.599 --> 00:12:03.120 This word points us to the word, Jesus. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:11.940 So the word became human, became flesh, bone, blood, cells, DNA. 00:12:12.460 --> 00:12:16.620 He became human and made his home among us. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:20.179 Can we just stop and think about that for a second? 00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:27.839 If we just took a quiz right now, a little pop quiz on a Sunday morning and said, where is God's home? 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:29.159 What would y'all say? 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:32.559 Come on, be honest. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:35.419 Don't try to get theological now that you've got some context to it. 00:12:35.479 --> 00:12:37.899 Where would you have said if we said, where's God's home? 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:39.919 Heaven. 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:41.379 Heard a lot of heavens, right? 00:12:41.939 --> 00:12:42.319 Yeah. 00:12:42.699 --> 00:12:43.659 I mean, that's where we think. 00:12:43.719 --> 00:12:44.000 Yeah. 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:48.079 It's where the realm of God, you know, it's heaven, right? 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:48.160 Right? 00:12:49.259 --> 00:12:52.020 Jesus came and made his home among us. 00:12:53.680 --> 00:12:58.020 God's spirit now has taken up residence in us. 00:12:58.660 --> 00:13:00.360 God's home is us. 00:13:00.500 --> 00:13:01.759 It is with us. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:07.520 We read in the end of Revelation about God coming down to live with us. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:12.620 The new Jerusalem, the holy city coming down to earth to live with us. 00:13:12.620 --> 00:13:18.899 God has reconciled his perfect creation that he started with way back in Genesis. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:21.440 This is going to be my home. 00:13:21.580 --> 00:13:26.560 This is going to be the people with whom I have fellowship and then sin ruined it all. 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:26.980 Right? 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:30.980 But now it's going to be restored. 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:34.519 God's home is with us. 00:13:34.659 --> 00:13:38.980 So the word became flesh and made his home among us. 00:13:39.700 --> 00:13:41.860 That was a little picture of what's going to come. 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.700 He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. 00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:46.120 We have seen his glory. 00:13:46.659 --> 00:13:48.620 And you can't handle the glory of God, right? 00:13:49.019 --> 00:13:55.460 Moses couldn't handle the glory of God on Mount Sinai when God passed by and he just saw a glimpse of his robe. 00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:57.300 And couldn't handle the glory. 00:13:57.379 --> 00:14:02.539 Anytime in the Old Testament when you see this pre-incarnate appearance of God on earth, 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:05.100 they can't handle the sight. 00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:06.480 They can't handle the encounter. 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:11.139 But we have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:14:11.860 --> 00:14:17.460 We get to see what it looks like when he makes his home on earth. 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:21.259 The glory of the Father's one and only Son. 00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:26.500 So Jesus comes to find you in your everyday life. 00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:28.160 It's what he does. 00:14:30.660 --> 00:14:32.440 Sometimes you think you've wandered far. 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:35.880 But there ain't no mountain high enough. 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:42.180 There ain't no valley low enough to keep him from getting to you, all right? 00:14:44.420 --> 00:14:47.360 It just feels wrong to put those words to talking about God. 00:14:47.400 --> 00:14:48.040 But that's all right. 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:54.400 I think the point stands there is no place that you can run to hide from God. 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.800 The psalmist wrote about that. 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:57.880 Where can I go to get away from God's presence? 00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:58.519 I can't. 00:14:59.299 --> 00:15:01.320 He can find me anywhere, and he does. 00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:02.679 But that's a good thing. 00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:03.980 That is a good thing. 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.299 He comes to us. 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:08.299 We don't have to leave our life to find Jesus. 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:10.379 He's already come to find us in it. 00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:14.539 He meets us in the nothing times. 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:16.519 The average times. 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:20.120 The mean times. 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:23.320 He comes to find us in everyday life. 00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:24.759 And then he invites us into friendship. 00:15:25.299 --> 00:15:27.100 Number two, he invites us into friendship. 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:28.419 That's where we left off. 00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:31.940 When they got to land, Simon Peter's first. 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:33.519 He's the impetuous one. 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:34.639 He's the bold one. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:37.919 He's the acting on instinct guy, right? 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:45.080 We see that throughout the description of Simon Peter's time with Jesus and how God matured him and grew him up. 00:15:45.320 --> 00:15:46.980 But he still has this personality. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:48.180 Are you kidding me? 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:49.419 That's Jesus out there? 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:50.360 Well, of course it is. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.299 He brought the fish in. 00:15:51.459 --> 00:15:52.479 Man, I got to go see him. 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:53.479 And he jumps out of the boat. 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:54.939 He's not going to help bring the boat in. 00:15:54.979 --> 00:15:56.240 He's not going to help bring the fish in. 00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:57.579 He's going to go see Jesus. 00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:59.059 And there's nothing wrong with that attitude. 00:15:59.299 --> 00:16:00.939 But he gets out there, and he's first. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:01.939 And then the other guys come. 00:16:01.979 --> 00:16:02.699 And what do they find? 00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:08.979 They saw a charcoal fire there with fish lying on it and bread. 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:11.219 You know what they didn't see? 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:16.139 They didn't see a prayer circle set up or a church service set up. 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:22.460 They didn't see Jesus ready for them to come and have a holy time of worship. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.600 Jesus came to have breakfast with them. 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:29.840 I love that. 00:16:30.060 --> 00:16:34.639 It's one of my favorite things that I read about Jesus. 00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:38.220 It reveals so much about his personality. 00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:40.860 His personality. 00:16:40.860 --> 00:16:49.360 It reveals so much of the human side of Jesus and how much he identifies with us. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:17:01.300 He knew in that moment those guys' biggest need before he could teach them, speak to them, share whatever was on his heart with them. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:02.960 They were hungry. 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:08.920 They might have even crossed over into that dangerous territory of being hangry. 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:14.140 You and I never get there, right? 00:17:15.900 --> 00:17:17.340 These guys have been working all night. 00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:20.140 Not only had they been working all night, but they hadn't caught anything. 00:17:20.840 --> 00:17:23.319 So they maybe probably weren't in the best frame of mind, right? 00:17:23.380 --> 00:17:25.120 It was an unsuccessful night out fishing. 00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:27.259 Well, then they get this incredible miracle. 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:28.600 And here comes Jesus. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.440 So that's great. 00:17:29.620 --> 00:17:30.740 They got the dopamine hit. 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:32.839 But that hunger is going to sit back in real quick. 00:17:32.920 --> 00:17:36.740 And Jesus anticipated their needs just like he does for us. 00:17:37.019 --> 00:17:40.640 I'm reminded of a verse where it says sometimes we don't even know what to pray for. 00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:45.900 When we pray to God, we don't even always know the best thing to pray for. 00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:48.920 But Jesus prays on our behalf. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:52.980 Because he anticipates what we need before we need it. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:56.359 He anticipated what they would need. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:58.259 And what does he say to them? 00:17:58.259 --> 00:18:06.460 Jesus says back in verse 5, the first word he spoke to his disciples, friends. 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:09.839 He called them friends. 00:18:13.980 --> 00:18:16.519 How many of you remember a worship song that came out? 00:18:16.740 --> 00:18:17.920 It's been quite a few years now. 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:19.440 It said, I am a friend of God. 00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:20.440 He calls me friend. 00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:21.359 Anybody heard that one? 00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:21.839 Yeah. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:24.379 I am a friend of God. 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:25.319 He calls me friend. 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:31.559 That comes from scriptures where God calls man friend. 00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:32.599 He did it with David. 00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:36.500 He did it with his disciples right here. 00:18:37.439 --> 00:18:44.480 There are times when we see God himself have a friendship with his created beings. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:47.039 It's a weird thing to think about. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.599 But that's how he sees us. 00:18:50.159 --> 00:18:57.779 He sees us as something, someone he wants to have a genuine friendship with. 00:18:58.119 --> 00:18:59.799 I love the word relationship. 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:02.559 But relationship is a broad term. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.200 You can have good relationships, bad relationships. 00:19:06.159 --> 00:19:09.339 You have a relationship with the people that you like the worst. 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:11.399 It's not a good relationship. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:17.759 But Jesus wants to have a friendship with you. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:22.019 He wants to be your friend. 00:19:22.679 --> 00:19:25.599 Who is the friend who sticks closer than a brother? 00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:28.559 Think about it for a minute. 00:19:28.939 --> 00:19:31.480 Who is the friend who sticks closer than a brother? 00:19:31.579 --> 00:19:31.959 Who is he? 00:19:32.619 --> 00:19:33.379 He's Jesus. 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:35.400 We learn that from the scriptures. 00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:40.180 From the word that points us to the word of God. 00:19:40.860 --> 00:19:41.340 Jesus. 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:45.240 So who are your best friends in your life? 00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:51.860 Guys, you're supposed to say your wife right then. 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:53.960 Wives, you're supposed to say your husband. 00:19:55.320 --> 00:19:56.720 Kids, you're supposed to say your parents. 00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:57.540 I don't know. 00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:00.620 I'm your dad, not your friend. 00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:03.339 Well, there's probably some truth to that. 00:20:04.179 --> 00:20:07.059 But look, we have friendships. 00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:09.699 Some of us are blessed with close friendships on this earth. 00:20:10.219 --> 00:20:14.359 But regardless of whether you have close friendships with other human beings, 00:20:15.379 --> 00:20:17.599 Jesus is a friend to you. 00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:21.379 And if he's not a friend to you, it means you're not his child. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:27.959 You may not feel the friendship, but it's because you've been ignoring him. 00:20:27.959 --> 00:20:29.959 It's because you've been running from him. 00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:33.000 He is ready to be a friend to you at any moment. 00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:33.919 And guess what? 00:20:34.019 --> 00:20:37.359 Even while you've been running, even while you've been trying to hide, 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:41.500 he has still remained a faithful friend to you. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.319 He's still been blessing you in ways that you probably aren't even aware of, 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:48.500 aren't even always able to identify in the moment. 00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:51.279 But in hindsight, who was it? 00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.219 I just heard somebody. 00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:52.919 Was it this morning? 00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:54.300 Somebody said the... 00:20:54.300 --> 00:20:55.759 No, I think it was last night. 00:20:55.800 --> 00:21:00.400 I think it was Cindy who spoke at the Bank of the Deacons banquet last night 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:08.640 who said our vision is always much clearer in the rearview mirror than it is out the windshield. 00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:09.720 Wasn't that Cindy? 00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:10.640 I think it was Cindy. 00:21:10.840 --> 00:21:11.519 Yes, that was you. 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:12.400 That was so good. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:20.900 We can always see far more clearly how God worked in the past than we do in the moment usually. 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.320 And that's what God is. 00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:26.200 He's a faithful friend even when we don't see it in the moment. 00:21:26.780 --> 00:21:29.060 So what should we do? 00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:31.839 John 15, 15. 00:21:32.379 --> 00:21:33.599 Jesus reiterates this. 00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:35.859 He says, I no longer call you servants. 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:37.139 This was six chapters earlier. 00:21:37.679 --> 00:21:42.639 I no longer call you servants because a servant doesn't know his master's business. 00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:45.079 Strictly a business relationship, right? 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:46.579 Master and servant. 00:21:46.859 --> 00:21:47.619 I'm your employer. 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:48.980 You're my employee. 00:21:50.059 --> 00:21:52.139 He said, instead, I have called you... 00:21:52.139 --> 00:21:52.759 What's that word? 00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:53.940 Friends. 00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:58.480 For everything that I have learned from my father, I have made known to you. 00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:01.819 Y'all, he's not holding any mysteries back from us. 00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:05.319 He's being open and honest. 00:22:06.659 --> 00:22:12.079 He's saying everything that my father has revealed to me, I have revealed to you. 00:22:14.919 --> 00:22:15.899 That's incredible. 00:22:16.679 --> 00:22:24.019 We get the fullest picture of God that we can handle right now through Jesus Christ. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:28.179 That means you've got to go and read what Jesus had to say. 00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:34.039 That means you've got to open up Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and you've got to read what Jesus revealed. 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:36.220 Because that's what we need. 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:37.740 That's what we need to hear. 00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:44.319 When you read through the rest of the scriptures, Genesis to Revelation, you read them through the lens of Jesus. 00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:49.059 God is revealing himself to us in the person of Jesus. 00:22:49.059 --> 00:22:56.440 We can learn everything that we need to know about God when we read the scriptures through the lens of Jesus Christ. 00:22:56.940 --> 00:23:00.899 So he says, I've revealed all this to you because you're my friends. 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.919 I want to be a friend to you. 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:05.799 God is many things to many of us. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:10.179 Unfortunately, I wouldn't put friend high on that list. 00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:11.180 God is one of us. 00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.180 God is one of us. 00:23:12.180 --> 00:23:17.220 Because it's hard to think of him in that way because we don't see his physical body with us anymore. 00:23:17.860 --> 00:23:23.000 But if we remember that his physical body did come down and was with us. 00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:28.980 And now his spiritual presence is with us everywhere. 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:32.119 And he left us this love letter. 00:23:32.619 --> 00:23:34.839 He left us this instruction manual. 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:43.259 He left us this valuable record of his life and all these other historical records that point us to him. 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:47.420 Then we see the foundation is laid for a friendship. 00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:51.359 But there's got to be some participation on our part. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:53.599 We've got to pursue him. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:58.439 Just like any other relationship, any other friendship, we have to pursue him. 00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:04.199 So everything that he's learned, he's revealed to us because we are his friends. 00:24:04.299 --> 00:24:05.099 What does this tell us? 00:24:05.399 --> 00:24:10.799 Jesus is more interested in having friends than employees or even volunteers. 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:14.500 Now churches are more interested in having volunteers. 00:24:15.379 --> 00:24:15.939 Trust me. 00:24:17.379 --> 00:24:21.119 Ask Megan, does she need friends or volunteers? 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.119 In the children's ministry. 00:24:22.959 --> 00:24:23.359 Both. 00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:23.879 There you go. 00:24:23.899 --> 00:24:24.859 That's a great answer. 00:24:25.739 --> 00:24:28.319 I was going to say in her spiritual moments, she would say friends. 00:24:28.439 --> 00:24:31.519 In her reality check moments, it's like give me some people, man. 00:24:31.639 --> 00:24:33.779 I see some bodies in those classrooms. 00:24:34.479 --> 00:24:35.239 You don't like me? 00:24:35.299 --> 00:24:37.919 That's okay if you'll volunteer for a Sunday. 00:24:38.719 --> 00:24:38.899 No. 00:24:39.099 --> 00:24:41.000 Look, the reality is we do want both. 00:24:41.179 --> 00:24:45.219 We do want to have relationships with the people who serve here at this church. 00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:50.960 Jesus is more interested in having friends than having worker bees. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:59.180 If you are his friend, you're going to find yourself doing the things that are important to him. 00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:02.519 You're going to find yourself caring for those children. 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:07.220 You're going to find yourself investing in the next generation in the youth department. 00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:18.500 You're going to find yourself using the gift and the talent that God gave you up here in the choir, in the music program, up on the sound deck that nobody thinks about until something goes wrong. 00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:27.100 By the way, those people up there, they get so little appreciation when everything goes according to plan, but everyone notices when anything goes off. 00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:29.339 And most of the time, it's not even their fault. 00:25:29.600 --> 00:25:31.660 It's a technology failure of some sort. 00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:40.480 But you're going to find yourself doing the things that help God's kingdom work because you care about him. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:43.140 And then you won't burn out so fast. 00:25:44.360 --> 00:25:50.380 Then you won't get bent out of shape when you don't get the appreciation or people don't pat you on the back and say, what a good job you're doing. 00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:51.920 Because you're not doing it for them. 00:25:52.080 --> 00:25:54.340 You're doing it because you love your friend. 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:56.759 And he cares about this stuff. 00:25:56.759 --> 00:26:02.980 So you're going to help him in any way you can and help his people, help his body, help his church. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:06.160 But Jesus is more interested in friendships. 00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:08.980 Say, I've been serving this church for a long time. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:13.660 Have you been serving Jesus for that time out of a spirit of friendship? 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:16.519 Or has it been motivated by something else? 00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:20.839 And this leads us to 1 Peter chapter 5. 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:22.960 Give all your worries and cares to God. 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:24.500 Cast all your cares upon him. 00:26:24.500 --> 00:26:24.779 Why? 00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:27.500 Because he cares about you. 00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:28.420 Why? 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.599 Because you're his friend. 00:26:31.339 --> 00:26:32.680 He wants to be your friend. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:34.119 He is your friend. 00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:36.440 Whether you recognize him as that or not. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:39.720 And this leads us to the last point. 00:26:41.460 --> 00:26:44.079 Jesus restores you with kindness. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:46.180 Where we left off. 00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:46.880 Breakfast time. 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:48.380 Verse 10. 00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:52.380 Jesus says, bring some of the fish you've just caught, Jesus told them. 00:26:52.380 --> 00:26:56.580 So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore full of large fish. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.440 153 of them. 00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:00.780 I love that they gave us the exact number. 00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:03.220 Those guys got in there and counted. 00:27:04.360 --> 00:27:05.300 153 fish. 00:27:06.140 --> 00:27:09.220 Even though there were so many, the net did not break. 00:27:09.760 --> 00:27:10.720 It did not tear. 00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:12.440 What does Jesus say? 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:14.860 Come and pray with me. 00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:16.500 Come and worship. 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:19.280 Let's have a holy time together. 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:21.099 What does he say in verse 12? 00:27:24.899 --> 00:27:26.359 See, y'all don't have your Bibles open. 00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:27.759 If you had your Bibles open, you would know. 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:29.720 John 21, 12. 00:27:29.819 --> 00:27:30.519 What does he say? 00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:33.059 Come and have breakfast. 00:27:33.299 --> 00:27:33.920 I love it. 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:37.240 The overt spirituality of this, right? 00:27:37.879 --> 00:27:39.480 Come and have breakfast, boys. 00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:41.259 I got food ready for you. 00:27:42.299 --> 00:27:44.559 None of the disciples dared ask him, who are you? 00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:47.419 That boat is, that ship has sailed. 00:27:47.579 --> 00:27:48.919 You know, we're past that point at this point. 00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:50.159 Everybody knows who he is. 00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:51.980 They knew it was the Lord. 00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:55.579 Jesus came and he took the bread and he gave it to them and he did the same with the fish. 00:27:55.859 --> 00:28:00.179 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:02.419 Then he gets into the other stuff after breakfast. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:07.659 But y'all, can we just stop at breakfast and finish our time here? 00:28:07.660 --> 00:28:12.640 Remember, Jesus had the fire burning. 00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:14.320 He'd already been cooking. 00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:21.960 He doesn't ask for a report on how they'd been spending their time since the last time he saw them. 00:28:23.120 --> 00:28:26.420 He says, come and have breakfast. 00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:29.480 Turn to Hebrews chapter 4, would you? 00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:35.140 The author of Hebrews, we're not 100% sure who the author of Hebrews was. 00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:36.519 A lot of people think it was Paul. 00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:39.759 Some people think others. 00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:41.759 It's hard to exactly identify. 00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:46.799 It was certainly one of the apostles who knew Jesus very well. 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:51.960 But regardless, the author of Hebrews says, we have Jesus. 00:28:52.099 --> 00:28:53.660 Verses 14 down through 16. 00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:55.720 We're not going to read the entire passage for sake of time. 00:28:55.720 --> 00:29:01.319 But we have Jesus who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. 00:29:04.700 --> 00:29:09.539 He is able to have sympathy for your weakness. 00:29:10.360 --> 00:29:12.480 He knows my weak areas. 00:29:13.420 --> 00:29:15.600 And he doesn't sit there and shake a finger. 00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:17.640 He doesn't mock. 00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:18.680 He doesn't criticize. 00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:20.140 He sympathizes. 00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:25.100 He was tempted in every way that we are. 00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.640 But he didn't sin. 00:29:27.860 --> 00:29:29.759 So we can go confidently to him. 00:29:30.420 --> 00:29:31.740 We can get help from him. 00:29:31.740 --> 00:29:36.940 We can go confidently to the throne of God's kindness or grace. 00:29:38.360 --> 00:29:41.279 My typical translations that I use said grace. 00:29:41.400 --> 00:29:50.019 I love the God's words translation that goes back to the Greek word of this that actually has more of a kindness type of grace. 00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.559 It's a kind grace. 00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:54.679 Sometimes you can give begrudging grace to somebody. 00:29:55.619 --> 00:30:01.740 Sometimes you can give a grace from a place of haughtiness or look like I'll have grace on you. 00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:05.960 I should respond to you in this way, but I'll show grace to you. 00:30:06.119 --> 00:30:09.859 This is a grace full of kindness that we get from God. 00:30:09.859 --> 00:30:16.059 And I think sometimes that's why it's good to go back to the Greek translation and the internet today. 00:30:16.139 --> 00:30:20.219 You can do that pretty easily and see what exactly that word meant. 00:30:20.299 --> 00:30:23.259 Because sometimes we don't always have a good word in English to translate to that. 00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:34.819 But the throne of God's kindness to receive mercy from him and to find that kind grace which will help us at the right time in our time of need. 00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:37.980 This is what we get from Jesus. 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:45.480 And it shows up in such simple ways as him wanting to have breakfast with us. 00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:49.059 He knew they were cold. 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:51.339 He knew they were made of fire. 00:30:51.660 --> 00:30:52.420 He knew they were hungry. 00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:53.039 He made bread. 00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:54.220 He made breakfast. 00:30:54.860 --> 00:31:03.440 Coming back to Jesus is homecoming to a Savior who prefers to feed you rather than fix you. 00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:06.839 God's going to restore everything someday. 00:31:07.579 --> 00:31:09.180 He's going to heal everything someday. 00:31:10.299 --> 00:31:11.920 He's going to right all the wrongs. 00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:13.579 Justice will finally be on earth. 00:31:13.579 --> 00:31:15.500 God's righteousness will reign. 00:31:15.919 --> 00:31:18.179 Everything will be just right and perfect. 00:31:19.419 --> 00:31:26.139 But so often we're interested in fixing all the little things and Jesus is interested in feeding us. 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:32.439 I want to invite you to have breakfast with Jesus. 00:31:33.939 --> 00:31:36.480 Because that's what he wants to have with you. 00:31:38.220 --> 00:31:41.980 God's been impacting me with this truth recently. 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:44.759 Can I be honest with you for a second? 00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:46.000 I've been fighting it. 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:51.940 It's hard to accept the simplicity of this. 00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:54.240 I've been to Bible college. 00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.140 I've been to seminary. 00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:59.880 I'm hopefully getting ready to start pursuing a doctorate in theology and that kind of thing. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:05.240 But look, all that kind of stuff, there's use to it. 00:32:05.620 --> 00:32:06.839 There's helpfulness to it. 00:32:06.839 --> 00:32:10.079 Some of you have been teaching for many years. 00:32:10.179 --> 00:32:14.740 Some of you probably know more about the Bible or maybe have forgotten more about the Bible than I'll know. 00:32:16.679 --> 00:32:18.339 Knowledge of God is important. 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:23.319 But friendship with God is so much more impactful. 00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:31.579 When your knowledge of God grows from a place of real friendship, then it's useful. 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:35.779 Then it helps that friendship become more real. 00:32:35.899 --> 00:32:37.599 It helps it go to the next level. 00:32:38.139 --> 00:32:39.879 But you know what God is interested in? 00:32:40.379 --> 00:32:43.599 He's interested in feeding you by his spirit. 00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:47.639 He's interested in feeding you from this book that he left us. 00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:58.259 He's interested in feeding you in the quiet times in the morning, at night, in the normal, in the usual, in the boring. 00:32:58.619 --> 00:33:00.199 He's interested in meeting you there. 00:33:01.139 --> 00:33:10.879 So I want to invite you to join me in prioritizing, making it chief priority. 00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:15.720 Whether you're a child in this room, got a group of them down here with my kids and others. 00:33:16.140 --> 00:33:18.540 Whether you're a teenager, we got a group of those down front. 00:33:19.580 --> 00:33:21.240 Or whether you're something else. 00:33:22.020 --> 00:33:24.240 We'll just leave that up to y'all to determine what you are. 00:33:26.840 --> 00:33:28.820 Whatever stage of life you're in, 00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:33.620 would you consider, check your own heart and consider, 00:33:34.280 --> 00:33:37.780 how strong is your friendship with Jesus? 00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:41.200 How good of a friend are you with Jesus? 00:33:42.859 --> 00:33:46.240 I think we all know how good of a friend he is to us. 00:33:46.879 --> 00:33:48.879 But how good of a friend are you with him? 00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:56.299 Every day, every morning, he invites you to come and have breakfast with him. 00:33:56.299 --> 00:34:03.220 When I do that, it makes the rest of my day go so much better. 00:34:03.220 --> 00:34:09.699 Even if life is crazy, even if curveballs are thrown at me, 00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:11.880 I've had breakfast with Jesus. 00:34:12.380 --> 00:34:13.340 It's going to be okay. 00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:15.800 That might be a physical breakfast. 00:34:16.420 --> 00:34:18.860 It might be taking your copy of the Word of God 00:34:18.860 --> 00:34:21.619 and sitting down in the Scriptures and sitting down and reading it 00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:25.679 and having your coffee or your donut or your cereal or your oatmeal 00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:28.599 or protein-heavy breakfast. 00:34:28.699 --> 00:34:29.840 Whatever you do, all right? 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:31.960 Your shake, whatever you do. 00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:36.019 Whatever your breakfast is, can you have it with Jesus? 00:34:36.139 --> 00:34:38.320 Or maybe if it's not an actual physical meal, 00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:43.800 you can still set aside some time to go meet Jesus on the beach, so to speak, 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:45.079 at the campfire. 00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:49.360 And just reignite your friendship with him. 00:34:50.360 --> 00:34:51.079 Can we pray together? 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:54.280 Let's ask God to show us how to do that. 00:34:54.280 --> 00:35:00.920 God, you've got a room full of people here that you want to have breakfast with. 00:35:04.340 --> 00:35:06.120 You're calling us into the campfire. 00:35:10.040 --> 00:35:13.000 Maybe it's been a long night of working for a lot of people. 00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:16.039 Maybe it's been long years 00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:20.119 that it feels like we've been out of your presence. 00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:27.079 You're meeting us at the beach saying, 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:27.639 Come on in. 00:35:28.420 --> 00:35:29.340 I'm ready for you. 00:35:30.219 --> 00:35:32.079 I've got exactly what you need right now. 00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:35.599 God, you meet us with kindness. 00:35:36.819 --> 00:35:38.420 That's the kind of grace you show us. 00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:39.440 You meet us with love. 00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:44.059 God, help me 00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:48.940 to make that more of a priority in my life. 00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:52.880 Meeting you first thing and having breakfast with you. 00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:56.740 Let that trickle over to my family. 00:35:57.559 --> 00:35:59.240 Let my children see a difference. 00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:00.539 Let my wife see a difference. 00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.619 Our church staff, 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:03.559 the church, 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:04.740 my friends, 00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:07.500 people I interact with every day. 00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.400 Let them see the difference 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:11.119 when I have breakfast with Jesus. 00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:13.300 God, I pray that every heart, 00:36:13.460 --> 00:36:15.200 every family would pray that same thing. 00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:18.440 Send us to you. 00:36:18.539 --> 00:36:19.680 Send us running to you. 00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:20.420 Early. 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.660 First thing. 00:36:21.820 --> 00:36:22.860 Early will I seek you. 00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:27.059 Remind us of the friendship 00:36:27.059 --> 00:36:28.320 that you desire from us. 00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:30.039 What a privilege that is 00:36:30.039 --> 00:36:31.900 to be called the friend of God. 00:36:33.380 --> 00:36:35.140 It's in Jesus' name we pray all this. 00:36:37.700 --> 00:36:38.800 Church, with our heads bowed 00:36:38.800 --> 00:36:39.579 and our eyes closed, 00:36:39.740 --> 00:36:42.260 just for our final minute or two together, 00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:45.680 I'm going to ask you a couple questions. 00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:47.280 If you would like to place your membership 00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:48.000 in this church, 00:36:48.180 --> 00:36:49.460 please come down front at this time 00:36:49.460 --> 00:36:50.019 and talk to me. 00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:51.440 I'd love to have that conversation with you. 00:36:51.800 --> 00:36:52.639 We want to welcome you 00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:55.039 into our body of Jesus followers here. 00:36:56.240 --> 00:36:57.760 If you need to give your life to Jesus 00:36:57.760 --> 00:36:58.639 for the first time, 00:36:58.980 --> 00:37:00.800 please come down and talk to me here. 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:02.860 Love to have that conversation 00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:04.800 about how God so loves you 00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:06.599 and wants to have that relationship with you. 00:37:06.679 --> 00:37:08.500 And because of his death and resurrection, 00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:09.900 you can be forgiven. 00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:11.200 You can be a child of God. 00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:14.059 If there's something else 00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:14.800 that's on your heart, 00:37:14.900 --> 00:37:15.780 this altar is open. 00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:18.940 Your pew is a great place to pray 00:37:18.940 --> 00:37:20.240 and do some business 00:37:20.240 --> 00:37:21.480 with the Holy Spirit right now. 00:37:22.059 --> 00:37:23.579 But for just a minute or so, 00:37:24.240 --> 00:37:26.480 let God speak to you 00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:28.160 as the friend that he is. 00:37:28.159 --> 00:37:28.859 that's who has that relationship with you. 00:37:28.859 --> 00:37:29.819 Let him have that relationship with you. 00:37:29.819 --> 00:37:31.359 Let him have that relationship with you. 00:37:31.359 --> 00:37:32.359 Let him have that relationship with you. 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.359 --> 00:37:32.359 00:37:32.360 --> 00:38:02.340 Thank you. 00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:20.539 While some are praying, I'm sorry, and our ladies are playing up front, if you'd like to continue in prayer, if you'd like to join us in softly singing, In My Heart, Lord, Be Glorified. Let's sing that now. 00:38:20.539 --> 00:38:36.179 In my heart, Lord, be glorified. Won't you be glorified? Same thing again. 00:38:36.179 --> 00:38:48.559 In my heart, Lord, be glorified today. 00:38:48.559 --> 00:39:01.559 In my life and in my life, Lord, be glorified. 00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:05.559 Be glorified. 00:39:06.559 --> 00:39:19.139 And in my life, Lord, be glorified today. 00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:24.679 I want to advise Josh Tiller up to close us in a final word of prayer. 00:39:24.679 --> 00:39:36.940 And as we do, as we prepare to send you home, and whatever your plans are the rest of the day, I want to send you with a blessing from the Lord. 00:39:37.159 --> 00:39:43.639 And also remind you this Wednesday evening, we're gathering for our regular Wednesday activities. 00:39:44.219 --> 00:39:45.679 We're coming up on May, y'all. 00:39:45.759 --> 00:39:48.379 It's about to get real busy, and we've got summer plans and all that. 00:39:48.380 --> 00:39:50.860 But let's prioritize our friendship with the Savior. 00:39:51.140 --> 00:39:52.559 Let's not let that drop. 00:39:52.880 --> 00:39:54.559 I think it'll make all the difference in the world. 00:39:54.660 --> 00:39:55.920 Thank you for being here this morning. 00:39:56.119 --> 00:39:58.480 If I haven't gotten a chance to meet you, I'll be in the back. 00:39:58.599 --> 00:39:59.320 Love to do that. 00:39:59.860 --> 00:40:01.220 And God bless you all. 00:40:01.320 --> 00:40:01.599 Josh. 00:40:03.180 --> 00:40:03.980 Let us pray. 00:40:05.019 --> 00:40:07.099 Heavenly Father, we just thank you for this day. 00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:12.460 Like the choir sang earlier, Lord, we just have 10,000 reasons to thank you. 00:40:13.420 --> 00:40:17.980 Most of all, as Pastor Sam reminded us today, we're just thankful that we have a God. 00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:22.800 That meets us where we're at and desires that relationship with us. 00:40:23.240 --> 00:40:26.300 Pray that we would pursue that in the same way that he pursues us. 00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:28.619 Father, just thankful for the rain. 00:40:29.400 --> 00:40:37.940 We pray for all those that had just property damage or any damage to any people during this difficult time, Lord. 00:40:38.019 --> 00:40:41.199 That you just be with them and allow us to minister to them. 00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:45.500 Just pray that you'd be with this church as we go throughout this community, Lord. 00:40:45.880 --> 00:40:47.380 That we would just be the light. 00:40:47.380 --> 00:40:50.300 We just thank you most for sending your son Jesus for us. 00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:50.740 Amen.