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John 21:15 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” [1]

 

I.   Source

     A. Prior

     B. Parent

II. Selection

     A. Lord

     B. Legacy

III. Solution

     A. Feed v.15c

     B. Follow v.22


 

Introduction:  The theme of our recent revival messages from my perspective was changing direction of dedication.  Norman spoke of his upbringing and his success as he relied upon the things he thought he possessed inherently.  He told us of his life since his walk began with The Risen Lord.  There was definitely a rebirth.

For many of us, the revival in this church called Merry Oaks Baptist began several months prior to Norman’s coming.  I pray that the revival got a kick start when Norman came and that the revival continues in us so that there is a difference in each of us as we give Jesus the Lordship He deserves in our lives as we go forward.  The early disciples were changed when they witnessed the Risen Lord but the real revival began when they understood and received the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Peter physically walked with the Lord yet he repeatedly misunderstood what it meant to be dedicated to Jesus.  Peter must have known that people naturally gravitated to him but Peter didn’t quite know what to do his natural born leadership.  Oftentimes Peter tried his best to cast people away but try as he may, people just seemed to want to follow Peter.  Sometimes more than they wanted to follow Jesus.

Jesus certainly knew about Peter’s charisma.  Jesus is God.  He knew Peter before he was Peter.  Brother Andrew was the first to follow Jesus and Andrew brought Brother Simon to meet Jesus.  Yet Andrew was not part of the three.  He was always there somewhere but not as close as Simon.  Jesus knew that if and when Simon would finally submit, he would be the rock.  No longer known as Simon, now he would be Peter, the rock upon whose faith, Jesus would build His church.

But Peter’s faith faltered when he was put to the test.  Three times he would deny Jesus.  In John’s gospel we find that Jesus gave Peter a chance to three times repent for that denial.  Do you love me Simon more than these?  Yes Lord!  Do you love me Simon?  Yes Lord!  Do you love me Simon?  Yes Lord you know that I do love you!  Do you love Him more than these?  What are you going to do with that love?

Scripture:  The focus scripture is John 21:15.  When you have found it please rise to honor the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message: God created you.  He knows the source of you.  In other words, He knows where you have been and who you were before you realized who He was.  He knows the people He chose to bring you into this world.  He chose your parents even though some whose physical parents are not those parents that He chose to raise you.  If it were not for adoption, we could not be adopted into the family of Christ.  He knows and He makes things the way He makes things to be.

While we are on this subject, oftentimes there are those who have special needs.  For whatever reason, there seems to be more forms of autism now than at any time in my recollection.  We had one fellow down the street when we lived in the DC suburbs who would seldom leave his house.  My mom used to say that there is a fine line between genius and idiocy.

People who were mentally different were all lumped into the group of mentally retarded.  It was not until much later did we find that people with Downs Syndrome had an extra chromosome and we had no idea what autism was.  Now we know that forms of autism actually do allow some to be super smart in one area and these folks are valued instead of hidden.

Jesus knew that Peter was Simon before he was Peter.  Jesus knew that Peter’s father was Jonas or more closely translated Jonah.  No; not the guy in the big fish.  Some translate Jonas as John.  Whatever, Jesus knew who Simon Peter’s father was because Jesus chose him to be Peter’s father just as He chose yours.

Jesus told Peter by way of a question that he had to make a selection.  We all have to make that selection or decision that Jesus asked Peter to make that day.  Do you love what Jesus has given you; what He has made out of you; who he has brought into this life through you; or do you love the source of all you have, all you are, and all you are ever going to be.  Jesus said simply, Peter, “do you love me more than these?” 

In the outline I simplified it to Lord or Legacy.  We were at another church several years ago that was in the midst of a split.  It was going through what most churches go through.  The church had gone through a period of transformation or revival if you like that term better.  People were seeing different people come and old barriers were being removed.  Some did not like it one bit.  They insisted that the newcomers, if they were allowed to come, must respect their customs and ways.  If they come they will not tear down the legacy that our families have laid down!

They have a beautiful building.  The new church that split off has done what they want to do.  Yet they are still competing for people to fill their facilities.  The families are still arguing about who is right.  Do you love me more than these?  What is it that you love more than Jesus?  What is it that you will not accept so that His church can be His church?  Whatever it is that you love more than Jesus is the thing you must leave behind.  He might bring it back to be used for His glory if you put Him first but you can’t love anything more than Jesus if He truly is Lord.

Let’s look at Peter through the microscope for just a minute.  What is the setting here in this narrative?  Jesus was now the Risen Lord but Peter was now the one who had denied Jesus.  It had been close to forty days and the elephant was still in the room so to speak.  When is the hammer going to fall; that must have been in Peter’s mind.  He was so distraught that he decided to go fishing.  Sounds pretty good to me!  Standing near the water waiting for a fish is a pretty good place to be alone and think but even there, people followed Peter.  Old natural born leader Peter; the rest said if you’re going, we’re going.  Peter was a fisherman and Jesus did not change that nor did Jesus want to change that.  Remember the fish with the coin in its mouth.  Jesus won’t take away from you that which He has decided to use in you.  The decision to use it for Him though; that decision is up to you.  What do you love more?  Your legacy or Jesus?  Whichever you choose is your Lord!

Jesus gave the solution to the dilemma to Peter right there right then.  He also allowed the three times denial to become the three times affirmation of love that Peter had for Jesus.  What was it that Peter must do, that we who say we are truly disciples of Jesus must do?  We must feed the lost the truth of Jesus by offering them the love of God.  It can no longer be about following that which we think we are accomplishing for our legacy.  It can’t be about what would make those who came before me comfortable or uncomfortable.

My son-in-law was baptized in a very conservative Southern Baptist church.  A very good friend of mine was sitting beside me when my pastor friend dunked my daughter’s husband whom I am very happy to call son-in-law, son-in-Christ.  My friend whispered, “Boy if old _____ could know what’s happening right now, he’d be turning over in his grave.  You see, my son-in-law, Steve, he’s a black man.  It’s odd you know.  Our dog Buddy, when folks come over he has to size them up.  Sometimes it takes him a while.  I forget skin color.  So when that dog first saw Steve, I didn’t know what would happen.  I have heard that some dogs are like people.  Some dogs are racist.  Buddy jumped on Steve’s lap and licked him in the face.  He knew Steve was family.  After everybody left Rachael said, “I’m glad Buddy isn’t racist, I forgot to be concerned about Steve.

That day at the Baptism I turned back to my friend and said, “______ isn’t in the grave.  Where I know he is now; I know he is rejoicing like I am because where he is now is perfect.”  Where that man is now is where he is following Jesus.

Today you have a choice.  What or who do you love more?

Prayer:

Invitation: It is never easy to change what you feel is a thing that has been established by those who came before you.  This message is not a message about race only, but about anything which you might have developed hard rooted ideas about that perhaps were not based on what you imagined.

As a grandfather of mixed grandchildren, I know the challenges that society has and is more now placing on us than ever before.  Who can I date as a son of a mother of one race and a son of a father of another race?  Obama said he had to make a decision when he entered politics.  He abandoned the race of the grandparents who raised him and in this preacher’s opinion; Obama did more to separate the races than most presidents before him.  He could have chosen love but instead he chose division.  He could have shown how far race relations have come in this nation as the first mixed race president but he chose to pick sides making one race better than the other race.  We’ve had way too much of that already.

If your forefathers had fear about mixing the races or any other thing, do you truly know their motives for their ideas?  Maybe they weren’t based on hatred as you have been taught to believe.  Maybe they were afraid that society would hurt their offspring because of the hatred others have.

Before you decide not to change for the sake of a legacy, ask God to help you understand the motives of those who came before us.  You might be surprised.  You might find out how much those who came before you loved you and always will.  All love comes from God.

If you take the perfect three-fold invitation from Jesus to love and follow Him, let that be the legacy that your offspring will joyfully follow into eternity.  Feed the lost the gospel of truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  Follow Jesus and one day we will kneel at His feet with those who came before us and after us.  Decide today what you love more.  Let it be Jesus.  Decide to come to Him as we sing…

 



[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Jn 21:15). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.