Get Set, Go! Series

Let’s pray.

Father,

Open my eyes so I can see Your truth.

Open my ears so I can hear Your voice.

Open my mind so I can understand Your Word.

And open my heart so I may receive all that You want me to receive.

AMEN

Last week we took up the topic of being a leader. We are examining the challenge Jesus issued Peter and to us to be a leader.

My hope is to challenge each of you towards leadership. The definition of church leadership that I am challenging you with a little different from what you might be thinking leadership within the church is all about.

Today my definition of church leadership is people ministering to people.

These messages are not intended to challenge you to be teachers, trustees, SAB members, youth workers, worship leaders, or pastors.

What I want to talk with you about today is much broader than those things. What I want to talk about is involvement.

My intent is to help each of you within the church become involved within the body of Christ by ministering to one another.

Let’s review just a bit.

In John 21 we find an occurrence of Jesus appearing to the disciples during the time between His resurrection and His ascension to heaven.

The disciples are out fishing on the lake in a boat and they are not having any luck. Jesus appears to them and tells them to put their nets on the other side of the boat and when they did that, they caught a huge amount of fish.

It was at this point John recognized that it was Jesus on shore and tells Peter who jumps out of the boat and swims to shore to see Jesus.

Peter is eager to be with Him, even after he had denied him three times the night Jesus was arrested.

What happened next was a defining moment for Simon Peter. It was an event that would define his leadership role in the church from that moment on.

It was when Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Get ready, Get set, GO!”

Last week we looked at the first point, “Get Ready.”

We learned that if you truly love the Lord with all your heart then you will accept the challenge to be a leader in the body of Christ by ministering to others?

This is His challenge to the body of Christ; take care of each other. This is the way the church was intended to operate. It is the way they operated in the first century and there is no reason why it cannot operate the same way today.

Each person in the body of Christ needs to care for the rest of the body. We need to minister to each other.

There will be times when we need to be ministered to but Jesus is wanting us to be leaders and to lead by example and to be actively involved in ministry within the body of Christ.

Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” It was something that we all have to decide in our own lives. And if we love Jesus then we are going to do what He says.

Jesus said in John 14, if we love Him we will obey His commands and His teaching.

Jesus is challenging us to do the same thing He challenged Peter to do, take care of each other.

READ John 21:15-22

15 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.”

16 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.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”