“Be Restored”
John 21:15-17
Introduction: Two Sundays ago we looked at Acts 3 where it told the story of the lame man at the gate of Beautiful. If you remember the man had been lame from birth and had lived a life depending upon the kindness of others. Just when he thought it was going to be a normal day Peter and John came on the scene. They said, money we don’t have but what I do have I give to you. They shared the message with the man and his life was transformed dramatically. Peter was a man that led a life on the edge of his seat. He was a man that understood through tempering of his faith where he stood in the Kingdom. But it took a lot of circumstances and learning to get him to that place.
1. – God Has called you from that life.
Read Luke 5:1-10
But what of us who were broken and made lame by sin. And by the mercy of the Lord were made whole again. What about us who have found places in our life where we are still feeling a brokenness in our faith and relationship with the Lord. What of us you are still having God put the pieces back together. In reality we are all being put back together.
I would like to continue the story of What made Peter who he was in the Lord. If you remember from Sundays past we saw in Luke 5 where on a normal fishing expedition he comes face to face with the Savior. He is told, go to the deep water and wait for a catch. Later Jesus tells him, “now you will be a fisher of men”
2. –We think we are strong on our own. When our faith is in ourselves rather than God.
Read Luke 22:31-34
Later In Luke 22 Peter the man who had walked with the Savior during his ministry is at the Passover table and tells the Lord, “I would even die for you”. Jesus rebukes him and tells him that you will deny me.
3. –When we fail it doesn’t surprise God. Each time we refuse His presence we fall farther away.
Read Luke 22:54-62
Not much later Just as Jesus predicts it happens. Peter has had the highs of being called to a higher purpose for the Lord, and seeing great things happen. He has thought of himself as indestructible and the Lord has rebuked him. And now he finds himself face to face with people that have included him with the Lord’s disciples. What will he do. He does what many of us do. We feel defeated. We are broken. Peter refuses knowing the Lord that he said he would die for. Not once, not twice, but three times. What? Can this be. A man who was on fierce as a lion made as meek as a lamb in asking if he knows Jesus.
You can almost see Peter hiding behind a stone wall and each time he is asked and refuses Jesus he steps farther and farther away. We are the same. We can feel like we are on top of the world and then when we least expect it our faith is tested and we fail. But here is the good news story. God doesn’t leave us like that. He doesn’t leave us broken. He takes care to put us back together so we can have a purpose. Did you hear that? God doesn’t leave us broken. He repairs our spirit!
4. –God wants to restore us to continue in service to Him.
Read John 21:1-17
Jesus repairs that tender relationship. Do you love me? Jesus has a sit down with Peter and says, “I know what you did”. In spite of your failures I have some work for you to do. The fingerprints of God are all over you. You are His creation and He is the only one who can piece us back together. We are fragile and we don’t always live up to what God wants for us but praise God we aren’t left that way. God wants to restore us in a big way.
Conclusion: We all struggle. When we refuse to turn the channel on the television. Refuse to turn our eyes away from a beautiful person. When we make excuses not to fellowship with other believers at chapel, When we refuse to ask God to help us understand our place in the Kingdom. In all these things we refuse Jesus as Peter did. But, just like Peter we can find restoration through Jesus. Jesus wants to meet you here in this place. Like Peter next to the campfire, he resides here with you now. When he wits here and asks, “Do you love me?” How do you respond. Do you love Him? Do you love Him more than the TV, the magazines, the world? Say yes today and receive his restoration.
