Saved To Serve Series

SAVED TO SERVE

PSALM 119:41-48

INTRODUCTION

A. After the resurrection, Peter and others returned to their nets, fishing all night and catching nothing. When Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side, they could not haul the catch into the boat; instead, they had to drag it to shore (John 21:1-8).

B. Jesus had prepared breakfast for them, and after they had finished, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15).

1. Some believe that Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Him more than his fishing, which was not for sport, but a means of livelihood. Peter had abandoned them; would he leave them forever?

2. Interesting, but probably not the meaning.

a. Peter had boasted,” Even though they all fall away, I won’t” (Mk 14:29).

b. Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” Each time, Peter affirms that he does, and each time, Jesus tells him to feed His sheep (John 21:15-19).

C. As we serve where he sends us, let us

I. FOCUS ON GOD’S PROMISE (v.41)

A. God has given many promises, but the singular “promise” is significant.

1. It began in the Garden (Gen 3:15).

2. God’s promises from the garden to the defeat of Satan and the coming of the new heaven and earth are founded on this one. Christ himself sums up the entire span of history (cf. Rev 20:7-19, 21:1-7; Lk 24:26-27).

B. Our response to God’s promise

1. Paul says that “all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding 'Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory (2 Cor 1:20, NLT).

2. Our “Amen” is not in words only but in embracing the promise and our duty to the promise (2 Pet 1:3-11).

a. We miss Peter's point if we look at these “Christian graces” as duties to be performed. They are the natural result of our having become partakers of the divine nature, not the efforts of enslaved people to win the master’s favor.

b. We can say these are the spiritual DNA markers of a child of God.

II. TRUST GOD’S WORD (v.42)

A. These words send us once again to Peter’s writings (1 Pet 3:14-16).

1. Giving a defense to others must be done with gentleness and respect, not with sectarianism and partisanism. The term “partisan” in politics and “sectarian” in religion refer to the same mindset—a biased, emotional allegiance to another person or group, which is only a part of the whole.

2. Partisans and sectarians approach every situation as a zero-sum game—either we win, and you lose, or you win, and we lose. There is little intelligent discussion. Instead, the factions look for “talking points” that can be used against the other side. The debate often degenerates into an assault on the person rather than discussing the case's merits.

3. Such people are devoid of the Spirit of Christ and fall short of His likeness (Matt 12:18-21, Isa 42:1-3).

4. It is one thing to wave the Bible with one hand and pound the podium with the other. It is quite another to give hope of salvation to dying sinners (2 Tim 2:14-16).

III. SPREAD GOD’S WORD (v.46)

A. As a king, David would have the opportunity to teach kings.

B. Paul was commissioned by Jesus to stand before Kings (Acts 22:12-16; 27:23-25)

C. A certain disciple named Ananias, about whom we know nothing except that he was sent to Paul to baptize him, is the model for most of us.

1. The keyword for “ordinary” Christian is “opportunity.”

2. The third verse of “Follow Me” by Ira Stamphill epitomizes this point:

Oh, Jesus if I die upon A foreign field some day,

'Twould be no more than love demands No less could I repay,

"No greater love hath mortal man Than for a friend to die"

These are the words He gently spoke to me,

"If just a cup of water I place within your hand

Then just a cup of water Is all that I demand,"

But if by death to living They can thy glory see,

I'll take my cross and follow close to thee.

CONCLUSION

A. Our struggle is not with believing what the Bible says about God’s promises but the fear that we will not be found worthy of them in the end. It’s true. We are not worthy of them. That is why salvation is by grace through faith. “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9).

B. When we believe this truth, love, not fear, takes over our lives, and fear is dispelled (1 John 4:17-19).