Sermon Tone Analysis

Secular:

Ever make a mistake…

Ever make a big mistake?

When you make a large enough mistake in this society you gain a criminal record for yourself….

It is a testimony to those around you…

            1 you made a mistake

            2 it was grievous enough to involve the law

            3 there are to be lasting consequences

 

So we come to Chapter 21… the end of our Sunday Series… on The Gospel According to John…

 

Remember Peter… the intense disciple…

John 18:10 Simon *Peter* then, having a *sword*, drew it and struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave's name was Malchus.

Well he made a mistake… a big one!!

Luke 22:34 And He said, "I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied *three* *times* that you know Me."

 

Luke 22:61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter.

And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me *three* *times*."

Peter was zealous for the Lord… failed him… he made a big mistake…

 

But on the beach… the Lord gave Peter a chance…

 

Biblical:

John 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me more than these?"

He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."

He said to him, "Tend My lambs."

16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me?"

He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."

He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."

17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?"

And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.

18 "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to /go/." 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.

And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!" … 25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

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Personal:

Embarrassment… can be debilitating

            - Friends love to remind you

            Ever felt completely embarrassed…

            Show up surprised

            Publicly humiliated

 

Failure… can be debilitating

            Ever failed in grand fashion

            Didn’t meet expectation

            Slinked away

Peter was embarrassed… Peter Failed!!

 

Bridge:

I have heard Jesus described as the God of second chances…

The truth is Jesus doesn’t just call on us, give us 2nd chances to make us feel better…

Jesus calls us… to glorify his Father…

Jesus call us… to grow his Kingdom

Jesus calls us to new life…

Jesus calls us to “Feed his Sheep”

The Christian faith isn’t just a passive… personal… private… self-gratifying relationship with God.

Christian Faith… Life in Christ is an active… public… god-honouring life dedicated to the Kingdom of God.

Body:

*3 Times Peter denied Christ…*

Luke 22:54 Having arrested Him, they led Him /away /and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.

55 After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them.

56 And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, "This man was with Him too." 57 But he denied /it/, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." 58 A little later, another saw him and said, "You are /one /of them too!"

But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" 59 After about an hour had passed, another man /began /to insist, saying, "Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too." 60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about."

Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

Have you ever made a really big mistake…

62 And (Peter) went out and wept bitterly.

Denied Christ… Failed to live up to the faith you have declared…

Struggled when you should have been strong…

Not stood for Christ when he was being mocked?

Those are tough moments…

* Wouldn’t it be nice…

* If at every challenge we rose… and were steadfast

* If at every challenge our knees didn’t get weak…

* Our throat dry

* Wouldn’t it be nice if we could put Christ first?

Christian Faith… Life in Christ is an active… public… god-honouring life dedicated to the Kingdom of God.

* *

*3 Times Peter acknowledges Christ*

*Remember Christ… has been *

-          *Tried *

-          *Crucified*

-          *Died*

-          *Buried*

-          *Risen*

-          *And Appeared*

* "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me more than these?"….

"Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." "Tend My lambs."

* "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me?"… "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."… "Shepherd My sheep."

* "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me?"… "Do you love Me?" "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You."… "Tend My sheep.

* Jesus whom Peter denied three times… is asked three times… “Do you love me”.

* To you love me… unconditionally… do you love me intimately… DO YOU LOVE ME!!

* Have you ever been dating or courting… unfortunately even in Marriage… Have you ever been asked… DO YOU LOVE ME…

* At this point we are not looking for “Sure… ok I love you”

* Normally… there is something we have done… or continue to do that caused them question the genuine nature of your stated love…

* Peter’s response is more than Yes…

* Yes, Lord; You know that I love You

* Yes, Lord; You know that I love You

* Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You

* Lord by the very fact you are God… by the fact you know my heart… by the fact you were before time… and will be when time passes away… by the very fact that You know all things….

You know that I love You…

* From Peter’s clear vision of Christ… he declares his love!!

* Christian Faith… Life in Christ is an active… public… god-honouring life dedicated to the Kingdom of God.

 

*3 Times Christ calls Peter to Action*

* "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me more than these?"….

"Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." "Tend My lambs."

* "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me?"… "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."… "Shepherd My sheep."

* "Simon, /son /of John, do you love Me?"… "Do you love Me?" "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You."… "Tend My sheep.

This ministry is described in verbs, not nouns: Tend, feed, not positional…

* From a Wedding Sermon…

Love is not an emotion; love is not fleeting… love is not an airy-fairy disorienting breeze in our lives… what love is… it is a decision.