Scripture Reading – John 21:15-19
WELCOME: Happy 2 weeks after Easter and welcome to Central Church of Christ, a people called out by God to Show His Love, Tell His Story, and Be His Family. Today we hit the fourth of a message series from the Bible called, “Celebrate Jesus.” In this series we will walk each Sunday from Easter (Apr 4) to Pentecost (May 23) through an exciting Bible timeline of the appearances of Jesus to the church.
And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”
Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”
And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. (Mark 14:26-31)
Peter “went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” (Luke 24:12)
He’s Alive – by Don Francisco
“…something strange had happened there, but just what, I did not know.
John believed a miracle, but I just turned to go.
Circumstance and speculation couldn’t lift me very high.
‘Cause I’d seen them crucify Him and then I saw Him die.
Back inside the house again the guilt and anguish came.
Everything I’d promised Him just added to my shame.
When at last it came to choices – I denied I knew His name.
And even if He was alive… it wouldn’t be the same.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyPBVwOCYmM
“Children, haven’t you any fish?” – John 21:5
“No,” they answered.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” – John 21:6
Back when Jesus first met Peter and James and John he said to Simon Peter, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. (Luke 5:4-6)
“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’” (Luke 5:8)
“Even though THEY all fall away, I will not.” (Matthew 26:33)
The Bible talks about that kind of mindset in II Corinthians 10:12b
“When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
Remember when Adam and Eve were in the garden? They ate of the tree they shouldn’t have eaten of and then they “heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they (pause) HID from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8
1 John 1:9 says “If we CONFESS our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from unrighteousness.”
If you don’t love Jesus… nothing else matters.
Jesus once said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15
1st John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us…”
“… and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”