Can't Keep A Good Man Down — Westlake Bible Fellowship

0:09 Singing and the presence of Christ

Good singing. Worth coming just for the singing. Appreciate the posters. The banners. He's not here.

But he is. That expression was when they went to the tomb and they were startled with that message. He's not here. They're talking about Jesus Christ, of course. Because he's risen.

But he's also here. Because he's promised to gather us. To gather us to himself. Thus, we have come. That's what we believe.

That's what we practice. That's what we practice. One of the songs we sang just a few moments ago was about bowing at his feet. We know every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. I will ask you, when is the last time you bowed your knee to the name of Jesus Christ?

I didn't mean think about bowing. When is the last time your knee hit the ground? Maybe both of them. At the name of Jesus Christ. See, our brother Ray mentioned, we have a personal relationship as much as I love congregational singing.

Having once been in a choir, a voice strong. I have found just by experience, there are times when I sing with more engagement with the words than at other times. Sometimes it depends upon the words. Some words are more engaging for me. Sometimes my mood is off.

My mind is disengaged. But I sang anyway. And I'm reminded of the warning of Jesus Christ. You honor me with your lips. Your heart's far from me.

And that's unfortunately, I say this gently, politely, is a potential whenever we sing. We don't mean what we say. The words were precious that were up there. I couldn't, I was in the front. I don't know who's saying or not.

But I can tell you this that We don't want to honor Christ with our lips only. My parents try to teach me to be socially polite. I say try because many lessons that they gave me, I found a way to refuse. I did not practice everything they taught me. But I tried.

So there are times when you say thank you to people. Whether you mean it or not. Even at my age, I find sometimes holding a door for some person who whisked through as fast as possible without acknowledging that it was in fact me who held the door for them. And I feel, wow. I want to say to them while they're walking quickly away, you're welcome.

But that would be rude. Maybe when I was younger, I might have said that. Maybe. So there's appropriate times when you thank people. Cashiers, people who do things for you, waitress, waiter.

Somebody who goes out of their way to do something and you might really mean it, but a lot of times, let's be honest, we say thank you. Out of politeness. My father and mother did not need to teach me to feel thankful. That's just a feeling inside that comes when you realization that something just wonderful was given to me or done for me that I don't deserve but I feel just a huge amount of thanks. That's different than saying thank you, isn't it?

5:14 Worship and bowing at his feet

That causes us to fall as if we were dead at his feet and not look up until we feel as John recorded in Revelation chapter one. He laid his right hand upon me and said, fear not. That's the beginning of worship. That's the beginning. That's where we start to worship.

Once we've been reduced to face down, this is absolutely amazing, John's testimony in the Revelation chapter one. It's clearly not our text for today, but just in passing because it was brought to my attention by our dear brother Ray during the Lord's Supper. John fell at his feet when he saw him as if he were dead. When's the last time you fell like that in Jesus Christ's presence? Oh, you said.

I've never been in his presence like that. It's a personal relationship. When you knock on his door, do you go in? Do you go into his presence or not? I was rejoicing with brother Bob between meetings about that Jesus revolution movie.

Yeah, you weren't saved in that generation, brother. I appreciate the connection, but I'm sorry. It was before your time. Chuck Smith, Calvary Chapel, Lonnie Frisbee, Greg or Lori, all those brothers in that movie. There was also a musician back then by the name of Larry Norman.

I don't know if you've ever heard of him. I happened to listen to some of him on the way up here this morning. Just for fun. He has a song called Reader's Digest. These are some of the words, just a few of the words that really caused me to fall.

We laid him in the ground. Well, no. First, he says, we nailed him to the cross Then, we laid him in the ground. But we should have known you can't keep a good man down. He's not here.

He's risen but he's here. I think, need a third poster. Just a suggestion. Just a suggestion. Not in the building.

It's not that the building, we could be in the parking lot. The promise is where two or more have been gathered by me. I'll be there in their midst. He has to be because as members of his body we can't really function without a head. Did ever see a body without a head?

I mean a living body, besides a horror movie. Without the head, we don't move. Anyway, let's pray, then we'll begin. Father, we thank you for your goodness to us, shown to us in the person of your beloved son, our great savior, our great shepherd of the sheep, our king, our soon coming king of kings. We thank you for him.

Without him, we can do nothing, and so gathered to him now, we humbly acknowledge that except your spirit speaks to us individually, That we would be free from distractions and thoughts of this planet for just a few moments to hear your voice. That we would not harden our hearts. That we would listen to you. Not to man, to you, to know that you're speaking to us, and it's your desire that we would hear you. And thus we have come as individuals, thankful that you know each one of us, the hairs on our head numbered by you.

You know the thoughts, intents of our heart. You know our condition. You know our profession. You know, Lord, who we are. We don't need to testify to you about what's in us.

You know us. Therefore, you and you alone can speak to us. Into your hands thus, we commit our time. In Jesus Christ precious name, amen. I'll read from the Bible.

10:14 Reading from the Gospel of John

Anybody need an extra Bible, you can use mine. Now, pages fall out sometimes but you're welcome to use it. You don't have any chair Bibles, right? Or pew Bible, I guess, but here it's chair Bibles, you know? Because not everybody has a bible, I can see that.

But that's quite alright, I guess. If you listen where you could Bluetooth my iPad up to that screen. There's nobody up there. Never mind then. I'll read slowly.

Does anybody want a bible that doesn't have one? Very good. So the New Testament, Old Testament, right? So, they're wearing the New Testament, four gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were in John.

John has 21 chapters but we're in chapter 20. I will read two verses from the twentieth chapter of John to set this the background. And then I'll read the first 17 verses of John 21. And I will read from the New International Version. So, the exact wording might be different from the copy that you have or translation that you have which is quite alright.

Verse 19 of John 20. On the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. The evening of the first day of the week, you know, today is the first day of the week even though most calendars say it's the last day of the weekend. Today is the first day of the week. Verse 26, same chapter.

One week later, his disciples were in the house again And Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked. Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. You see clearly from these two verses, a week of time. One was the first day of the week, that day being the actual day that we call Easter, which pop quiz.

When did we celebrate Easter? Ago. Two Sundays ago. Thank you. Somebody's paying attention.

Not afraid to be wrong. That was a pretty easy one though. So two Sundays ago, the world celebrated Easter coordinated by the spring equinox, I guess. Or by the day of Passover. One or the other usually.

Jewish calendar. But in these two verses in John 20 verse 19 verse 26, a whole week of time. Time words are crucial in my opinion if you want the details of Jesus Christ. The details. Because the details are so rich and given to us by the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.

So we should know some details. Details. He's risen. He's not here. In the morning, in the evening, he's with them.

On the first day, the very first resurrection day, that day, verse 19, on the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together, Jesus showed up with a message. Peace. Peace. Their world was turned upside down. That's what Jesus Christ does.

He he he turns people's worlds upside down. But once it's righted, then he has a clear message, peace. He doesn't like anybody to be at war with him. He would rather be at peace with you and have you sense peace in his presence. That's just who Jesus Christ is.

Hallelujah. He he he didn't come to make us be at war. One week later, so last week, what did you celebrate? If two weeks ago, you celebrated here at this location on Hilliard Avenue in Westlake, you celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You got posters up to prove it.

What did you celebrate last week? Again. Resurrection. How do you not? We start every first day of the week and our very first gathering was a remembrance of showing forth his death because he's alive.

So we have to show his death because people will forget that he actually died. He actually died. And he physically rose from the dead and he's physically coming back and they physically saw him and it was to his physical body that this very Thomas that we're talking about in verse 26 of John 20, he said, put your fingers right in my side. He had a gaping wound that didn't bleed anymore. I I know.

I know you don't want to believe that. Hard to believe. I know. Usually wounds get scabs. Stitched up.

Can't put your finger in a wound. Yeah. You... This is where the spear went in, Thomas. You weren't there.

But this is where the spear went in. Put your hand right in here if you can't believe until you touch me. So you got one reason why you sit here today and you can't believe in Jesus Christ? You don't think he knows what that is? If you sit here this morning and you refuse to believe in Jesus Christ for whatever reason that you can concoct and decide that this is why I refuse to believe Jesus Christ knows about it, he's gonna deal with it.

Period. I can't deal with it because you haven't told me what it is. If you did, I could deal with it, I think. But he can because he knows exactly what you're thinking about as you listen to these words. He knows.

16:50 Doubting Thomas and the disciples' reasons for absence

That's the story. Thomas missed verse 19, but he was there for verse 26. People have all kinds of reasons why they can't be here. I get that. I understand that.

Really, I do. I'm not harshly judgmental, mildly judgmental, but not harshly judgmental about people who refuse to attend. All the time insisting that they wanna follow Christ. Christ never led anybody not to be in the meeting, ever. He led you to another meeting.

When he gathers his body, he doesn't say, you're the finger, you don't have to be there today. You're the foot, don't bother showing up. I don't need you. That's just not how Jesus Christ is. You have your...

People have their own reasons why they don't attend or regular in attendance. Period. That's just how people are. Nobody's gonna invade their privacy space and demand an answer as to why. But Jesus Christ will.

If you don't believe me, wait. Every knee will bow. Every knee will bow. John's gospel chapter 21 then. Afterwards, verse one, Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the Sea Of Galilee.

It happened this way. Simon Peter and Thomas, Nathaniel from Canaan in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, James and John, and two other unnamed disciples were together. I'm going out to fish, Simon Peter told them. And they said, we'll go with you. So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, friends, have you any fish? 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. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved, which was John, said to Peter, it's the Lord. As soon as Simon Peter heard him say it's the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him for he'd taken it off and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish for they were not far from shore about a 100 yards. When they landed, they saw a fire burning coals there with fish on it and some bread.

And Jesus said to them, bring some of the fish you have just caught. Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of great large fish, a 153. But even so, many, the net was not torn. And Jesus said to them, come and have breakfast.

None of the disciples dared to ask him, who are you? They knew it was the lord. Verse 13, Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. Now, this was the third time. Third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? Yes, lord, he said. You know that I love you. Jesus said, feed my lambs. Again, Jesus said, Simon, son of John, do you love me?

He answered, yes, lord. You know that I love you. Jesus said, take care of my sheep. The third time he said to him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? And Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, do you love me?

And he said, Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you. And Jesus said, feed my sheep. You've heard this. You've read this.

You studied it. You might even heard me labor in it. I want to, this morning, consider it from a different angle. Alright? We all know that the three questions Jesus asked Peter weren't really the same.

Different words used for love, responses by Peter, one a comparison. I mean, they're just different. But I want you to consider the the wonder of Jesus Christ being alive and having a conversation with a disciple. This disciple was exactly where Christ wanted him to be. I know I've worked with young people for many years of my life trying to counsel them on their desire, their professed desire to follow Jesus Christ.

22:41 Making disciples and practicing his commands

Because Jesus Christ said, if you're going to make disciples, you have to teach people to practicing. To practicing. Practice what? Practice everything I've taught you. He didn't say, you need to teach people to believe things.

That's what we're good at, teaching people to believe the right things because we think once we have them one theologically, then obviously their feet will fall in step. Sometimes true, sometimes not true. To follow, to make disciples is hard work, in my opinion. My fifty some years of trying to make disciples. Right?

Hard work. It starts with simple questions. I use the W question. Who, what, where? In this particular account, it's in reverse.

Peter was where Christ told the disciples to be. Now, the first two appearance of Christ that we read from John's gospel are going to be in Jerusalem. Probably in the upper room where he had the last supper. Probably. But understanding Passover in connection to the feast of unleavened bread, which started the same day but the Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days, the first day being a high Sabbath, the last day being a high Sabbath, then you would realize that the Jews who came from Galilee for the Passover didn't leave for seven days.

That puts them in the same upper room from one week to the next of John 19 or John 20 verse 19 and verse 26. But John 21 starts with them in Galilee. That's an 85 mile walk to the north side of the Sea Of Galilee from Jerusalem if you go through Samaria. They probably went through the Jordan Valley path just to avoid the Samaritan. They were grouchy, those Samaritans.

They were grouchy. Territorial, let's say that. But it's clear from Matthew's gospel and Mark's gospel that both prior to his crucifixion and post resurrection, the angel's message and Christ's message himself was, I'm gonna go before you into Galilee. I'll see you there. I'll see you in Galilee.

I'll see you in Galilee. So he had full intention to go to Galilee. Feast of unleavened bread ends, the disciples go back to Galilee. That's presumptive. I can't tell you what day they left.

I can't tell you what day they got there But let's just for fun. Just for fun. I'm just calling it fun. I say today, this third week now since he rose, this third weekend, this third first day of the week, these disciples are gonna have a conversation with Jesus Christ. It's the third.

Right? It's the third. And that's this week on our calendar, isn't it? That's why this passage for me is appropriate because at some time in this week, Jesus Christ had a conversation with some disciples who were right where they're supposed to be by his instruction. But they're also where he understands them that they are in a condition of being failures.

They're in a condition of being obedient partially but what are they occupied with? What are they occupied with? Based on what we see displayed in those verses, we have Peter who's gonna go fishing. Well, let me ask you. If you remember, what did Christ tell Peter when he first called him to be a disciple?

Follow me. I will make you a fisher of men. You'll catch men not fish. In Luke in John 21, it appears to me that Peter is trying to catch fish again. He's trying to catch fish again.

He's back. Oh, by the way, my father's favorite tie. It's got a little fish on it. I had to wear it. I had to wear Peter is the one who writes in the second book, dogs return to their vomit.

Sows that are washed return to the mire. So, I asked myself, being so much similar in my character that I sense Peter was. I haven't spoken to him. I read his book and I read the accounts that God has given me of Peter and I think, you know what, I am so much like this guy. Impetuous.

Just go. Jump. Go. Jump out of the boat. Yeah.

I just goofy things. Yeah. Is this a dog going back to his vomit? You know, because they they're going to fish all night. Why?

You can't sleep? You can't sleep? And so what? Man, I'm going give Peter the benefit of the doubt. Me, giving somebody the benefit of the doubt.

Choosing a high road with him for a second. You know, maybe he really wanted to be an encouragement to the other six disciples. And I'll just encourage these guys. They're close by. You know, because I love them and they're like me.

They're in the same condition I'm in. And that is knowing nothing at this point. Back to doing what I know, and that is catching fish. Trying to catch fish anyway. And so, I look at that and I say, how many times in my life as a Christian have I just been like, wow, I'm like back to the mire.

Dog to the vomit. Dogs eat their own vomit. Do they have a sense that why they vomited is because it's poisonous or bad for them? No, they eat it anyway because still smells good. And that's in the Bible.

I mean, that's Proverbs. That's Solomon who's saying that. The sow saying is a Jewish saying but you know, it's a sow that is washed. Sow didn't wash himself. Somebody else washed the sow.

Wanted them to be clean. And then didn't feel good being clean, so I had to go get dirty again. And so, and this is what Peter's teaching in the second letter, in the second chapter about people who pretend that they're Christians, that they... But they eventually go back to how they were and I'm thinking, is this in Peter's heart? Does he have a realization, Peter, that you have gone back to what you were before Christ called you?

29:59 Fisherman or fisher of men

I can't answer that. You know. I mean, I can see Peter even using distraction. Let me distract the fact that our lives are totally confused, turned upside down by the realization that the guy we followed for three years rose from the dead. Knocked our socks off, we still can't get over it, and he appeared to us, and he told us to touch him, and everything.

But you know what, now we're back in Galilee, we were told to be, and life is back to normal. It's a drag. It's boring, it's nothing. We don't know what to do. Let's distract each other with activity.

How many Christians right now life are full? Twenty four seven. That's why they're not at the meeting because they're distracted with other activities because Jesus Christ really isn't that quite important to him. Is he? To follow his command to gather.

Excuse me? Yeah. You know, I say it again. Distracted with activity don't care what the activity is. I'm going to give Peter another reach, You know, Paul was a tent maker, right?

We know that. Acts chapter 18, he's in Corinth, meets the cool and Priscilla kicked out of Rome, famine, Claudius, all that And so he tempt makes. Why? Because he doesn't want to be a burden. He wrote back to the church at Corinth in the second letter in eleventh chapter and said, listen, I took care of myself because I didn't want to be a burden.

Let's say that Peter was really actually, get this now, I know this is really out there. This is a stretch even for me. But I gotta say it because it came to me in a sense that maybe Peter was catching fish for those other six disciples who were starving. His intentions were good. Let's go there.

He had a good intention. He wanted to be of help to the other six who were just miserable as him, but he couldn't admit that he was miserable. When's the last time he saw Peter admit that he was miserable? Other than when he was sinking and got out of the boat and started sinking and said, Lord save me. Think he was miserable then?

Yeah, I think he probably was. But nevertheless, I'm giving Peter that benefit of the doubt that maybe he had good intentions. Maybe he had good intentions, alright? You remember in the upper room, Jesus told Peter flat out Satan wants you. Not because you're you but because he knows I'm going to use you.

He's desired to have you sift you out as weak but I've prayed for you. Ain't nobody better on you praying than Jesus Christ praying. Anybody in this room who doesn't know Jesus Christ personally, I can safely tell you Satan has desired to have you instead of Jesus Christ. Because he just knows that Jesus Christ wants you. He don't care about you.

You've got nothing to offer him. You've got nothing in your repertoire of delinquent abilities, its skills, and your sinful natures that would be envious by Satan. He just wants you because he wants to deny Jesus Christ to have you. But Jesus Christ has prayed for you. How do I know that?

Because Jesus Christ said to his father in John 17, I don't just pray for these 12. I'm praying for everybody who's going to believe on me through their word. One quick prayer named every Christian. Named every Christian. That's how good and effective Jesus Christ is as a prayer.

Right? So, tells Simon, I prayed for you and when you're converted, when you're converted, when you're converted, well, hold it. If I'm there, I put my hand up. Lord, you tell me I'm not saved yet? This is the upper room this conversation.

You tell me I'm yet to be converted. Yep. Yep. Now I know that a lot of Christians don't want to hear that. I've had so many people I've mentioned this before too and they want to tell me, no, you can't say that Peter wasn't saved.

I'm not saying he wasn't saved. Of course, I know he wasn't saved because Christ hadn't died yet. Had he? His sins hadn't been removed yet, have they? Christ isn't risen yet to prove, has he?

Of course, he wasn't genuinely saved as you and I are saved by crying out to Christ to save us. He was a believer and he was a follower. He was a follower. But in the upper room said, you're going to, Jesus Christ told him, you're going to be converted and that's just such a powerful word to hear Jesus Christ to say to a person. You're going to be converted and when you are, I got a job for you.

35:16 Peter's conversion on the sea

In verse 10, bring the fish you caught. Wouldn't one of them have the courage to say, we didn't catch any fish. We fished all night and caught nothing. You gave us some fish. Because why didn't they catch anything all night?

I'm childlike. I'm so childlike because Jesus told the fish don't get in the net. Don't move. It stays perfectly still. You, 153 great fish.

Don't move. Don't move. They're on the wrong side. I'm going to have them put the net over there then you can get in. You say, I'm childlike when it comes to this universe type.

I'm in control things that Jesus Christ does. When be still. Hey, I'm childlike. But even Moses taught the people in Deuteronomy 26, when you bring your first fruits to the lord as an offering, you tell the lord, I'm bringing my first fruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me. That humbleness.

This is what you've given me that I'm bringing. Go bring the fish you caught. That was a test. I'm I'm sure the lord tested but let me ask you this, who counted the fish? Jesus knew the count.

He didn't need to count. Who counted? How did John know to inspire? Well, Jesus inspired John to write a 150 say, Then I'm I'm a little bit off off on the other direction with this one. I think Peter counted them.

Because he's dragging them to shore. Because why? Because that's what he went out to do, catch fish. They're pretty important to them. And they're not just little Saint Peter fish as they call them now.

They're great fish. How great? They're great fish. There was a boy who had five loaves and two fish. He fed 5,000.

These are 153 great fish. How great thou art? That god, great fish. 153. And I only say that because there are times when I'm at the lord's supper.

I'm tempted to count the fish again. Let me just count everything you've given me. I'm a fish counter. I'm keeping track everything you've given. I'll say politely as gently as I can.

Counting fish isn't worship. Not worship. Worship is how did those fish get in my net and bow down? Until he says, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.

That's worship. They eventually were counting the fish. We get to the point where we think we deserve them. And it was Peter who went and got him. And I think part of the test was I've seen if Peter identifies with their now your fish.

They're not the fish I gave you. They're your fish. Your blessings? Is that what you want to talk about the lord's supper? Come and think about me, Jesus said.

Now, we came out of time to think about you. Lord, we're thinking about how blessed we are. We're counting fish. That's just a personal editorial that bothers me sometimes because I hear so many different names of different people at the lord's supper and all I really want to do is think about Jesus Christ because that's what he told me to do. That's what he told me to do.

Jesus took the bread and gave it to him, warmed them up, had a firefelt compassion like he fed the multitudes, and then started the question, do you love me more than these? Here's the 153 great fish. Probably worth more than a month's fishing. I just gave them to you. You caught nothing all night.

Here they are. Do you love me more than he's not? I'm going to guess. That's not what Peter wanted or thought Christ was going to talk to him about. I think Peter thought this is where I'm going to get crushed for the three denials.

He's gonna bring up the three denials. You see, these other six other than John, I don't think they knew about the Niles. They weren't in the high priest's courtyard. Only John was. Only John.

In fact, it was John who incited the whole conversation with the girl he sent to bring Peter in because Peter sent or John knowing being a relative of the high priest, he sent the girl, the servant girl to the courtyard to bring Peter in so he can be warm. He's out there warming himself. Go get him. When she came and said, you're one of them. So, no, I'm not one of them.

I don't know who you're talking about. That's what started it. That John. John started that conversation. And as bad as you think Peter was for the three denials, they're only survival lies, right?

You never lied to survive? Those three denials or three lies that Peter said about Jesus Christ in order to survive. Now, I'll ask you again, have you never lied to survive? Now, I don't care how big the lie was. That's all Peter did was lie to survive.

In his mind, he was going to die and perish with Christ which he said he was willing to do. He had the lie to get out of it. I don't know who you're talking about. And I will suggest you that wasn't the greatest denial. The greatest denials when he looked at Jesus Christ in his face when Jesus Christ was saying, you're going to deny me three times and Peter looked at him and said, no, I won't.

41:27 Denying Jesus Christ

So, he went and denied, found out that he was but the reality was he did denied to Jesus Christ's face that you don't really know what you're talking about. Tell me that I'm a denier And there are many, many followers of Jesus Christ who this very moment in their life will stand in his presence when he's telling them exactly who they are and why he wants to love them to save them and die for their sins and say, I'm not that person, lord. I am not that person. No. You are that person.

And that's why I want to save you. I want to save you from you, Peter. First, hell's down the road. I'll get you from that too. I not only, I listened to Christ's salvation for the individual.

It's is greater than we know. Do you love me more than these? Peter probably wanted a hug. I don't want to talk about how I feel. This is the perfect occasion lord Jesus for you to communicate to me how much you love me.

I agree. That's what I would have been expecting. To be confronted in front of these six people, I didn't expect that and then with such a personal question but ambiguous question because you know what? You can't really see how I feel about you but you only use words. So, we sing, lord Jesus, I love you.

I love you lord and I lift my hand to worship in the body. Yeah, we say that word all the time and it's only Jesus Christ who can look down and say, sorry. What do you have to prove you love Jesus Christ? Is there anything in your life right now that you could get up and testify to other than how you feel? Let me show you how I love Jesus Christ because of this in my life would be an indication to anybody who would watch carefully that my love is for the lord Jesus Christ.

Just asking. You don't have to answer. We get to the third question and this is really the point of the message. Unfortunately, I'm already three minutes over but I'm going to continue for a few minutes for a 200 mile drive. It's worth a few extra minute.

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, do you love me? And you know the whole issue about the changing of the verbs and the word and the strength of the love words. You know that. I'm not gonna repeat on any of that, but it's worthful. First question for Peter was how painful was that?

It says you were hurt. How painful was it really? On a scale of one to 10, which doctors use all the time, tell me what's your pain level today? Would you come in complaining about pain? Is it one, is it five, is it 10?

If it's 10, you're going on medication. I mean, all that stuff. How how bad did it hurt? How bad did it hurt your feelings, Peter? Look, the only way to answer that is ask yourself.

Jesus Christ stands physically in this room and say, whatever word you're going to use to describe how you feel about him. Really? Is that really how you feel? Is that really how you feel? I mean, because the question isn't, is love there?

The question is the quality of love. The quality. Of what quality is your love? Does it include commitment? Does it include a sense of loss of self?

Peter, do you really love me? And Peter was hurt by it. And we live in a Christian world, I'm sorry to say, and I tease about it and joke about it and make light of it and forgive me. Please, I mean it. Forgive me.

We won't let ourselves be hurt. We don't have a Jesus. We don't teach Jesus Christ has the right to hurt our feelings. But he does. Being at the source of the very issue of why the pain is there is where Peter is told the same response to all three of the less than answers.

Take care of my sheep. You're not fired. You're reengaged in a mission. You're not being let go because you have the wrong answer because you're finally being honest. I'm not challenging if you're going to be a disciple.

Just be honest. Admit to yourself. You're less than you present yourself. You're less than you present yourself. Nevertheless, take care of my sheep.

What a message. Only Jesus Christ can get to the very root of how really pathetically, hypocritical we all are at times and still say, I got a job for you. Take care of my lambs. That's the savior you want. Trust me.

46:44 Jesus Christ, King of Kings

That's Jesus Christ. This beloved is Peter's conversion. That Jesus Christ promised him. I'll get to the bottom of this because I've prayed for you and he has prayed for everyone of you. He's going to get you that conversation where you're at the end of being hypocritical, phony, pretender, whatever you want to call it and be genuine because he has something for you to do and this is the kind of pain.

This hurt that Peter felt is that which brings about what? Obedience. The gospel is the gospel of obedience. If you love me, you keep my commandments. You do what I say.

Now, know there's more to the chapter, not this time. Thank you for your attention. We're talking about Jesus Christ now. Don't forget. We're not talking about the guy down the street over there.

We're not talking about the president, the mayor. We're talking about the king of kings. Jesus Christ. He's coming back. You know?

Are you ready? Close in prayer. Father, thank you for your son. Thank you for loving us. As we've heard, as we've celebrated, you tolerate so much from our nonsense.

You're so faithful to your word. We pray, Lord. They continue to manifest yourself to us as individuals and that you'd bring about the response that honors your son. We commit ourselves to you for that. Christ's precious name.

Amen.

Can't Keep A Good Man Down — John 20-21

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Can't Keep A Good Man Down — John 20-21

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