"Naked"

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris, Jr.

West Fort Hood Community Chapel

Third Sunday of Easter Worship Service

Killeen, TX

18 April 2010

Big Idea: Peter’s sense of Right and Wrong was stirred-up before his Spiritual Eyes were opened.

Scriptural References: EAI (Expository; Application; Illustration); Psalm 30 – Joy comes in the morning; Job (The story of Job and his crisis); Luke 5:1-11 ESV (Peter forsake all others to follow Christ); Acts 9:1-6; 7-20 (ESV) ; John 21:1-19 ESV (Jesus and The Miraculous Catch of Fish); Matthew 28:7 (ESV) Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”; Acts 1:3 (ESV) After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God; John 15:5 (NIV) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing; Luke 5:1-11 (ESV) The Calling of the First Disciples - Peter dropped his net to follow Jesus; Luke 5: 10-11 (NIV) and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him; John 1:35-42 (NIV) This is when Peter, Andrew, James and John had originally met Jesus and Andrew told his brother – Peter – that he had seen the Messiah;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: John 21:1-8 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: John 21:1-8 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: John 21:7 ESV& John 21:7 KJV (That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea).

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John 21:7 KJV (Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that our sense of right and wrong is often stirred-up before God opens our Spiritual Eyes.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “NAKED”

VI. INTRODUCTION:

Contrary to the belief that our SENSE of RIGHT and WRONG …

… .isn’t really STIRRED-UP, until we have been CLOTHED in our RIGHT SPIRIUTAL MINDS.

*I submit to you today, as believers, our sense of right and wrong is often STIRRED-UP while we’re NAKED (defenseless and unarmed) …

“which I’m defining as that period of time … right … before God opens our Spiritual Eyes.”

It has been said, that the word “NAKED” is defined as not covered by clothing, raw, NUDE or stark-naked.

Other definitions of NAKED means devoid of customary or natural covering.

While still another definition says “NAKED” means … stripped, unclad, undressed, unarmed and defenseless.

For who can ever forget the story of Job’s Nakedness?

A good, God-fearing man who passionately loved his family and friends.

A man who God – himself – said that “there was no one else on earth like him”.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS ******

MOVE 1: Don’t you remember Job – a holy and upright man – who had fathered 10 children: …

a. … 7 sons and 3 daughters?

b. He lived in the desert land of Uz in the Middle-East; ...

c. … and was ultimately stripped naked or “raw” of almost everything he loved or possessed.

d. He lost his livestock.

e. He loss his maids and butlers (servants); and he loss his children, home, health and friends.

f. Some theologians would even argue the point that Job also loss his wife.

g. Although Mrs. Job was very much alive in Scripture;

h. when Job needed her the most – Job received ill-advised counsel from his wife.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 2: The Good Book paints a faithful to God image of Job in our minds.

a. We even witness Job falling to the ground and worshipping God in the midst of his tribulations in Job 1:19-22.

b. We hear him uttering these well-known words:

c. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

d. The enemy of Job’s faith and ours – the devil – stripped JOB NAKED, DEFENSELESS, and UNARMED.