The Kingdom Sunday Experience
John 21:15-20
EVEN THOUGH PETER MADE MANY MISTAKES AND FAILED JESUS STILL LOVED HIM MORE THAN ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IN HIM.
I. LOVE THATS REVEALED IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION FOR RESTORATION
GOD DOES NOT HOLD GRUDGES FOR THE MISTAKE WE MAKE AGAINST HIM. HE FORGIVES US WHEN WE FALL AND FAIL ON AREAS OF OUR LIFE THAT WE WILL BE TESTED IN.
RESTORATION IS NEVER FULLY ACCEPTABLE IF FORGIVENESS HAS NOT BEEN EQUALLY EXCHANGED. FORGIVENESS WAS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE. THE FINAL ACT OF LOVE ON THE CROSS WAS HIS FORGIVENESS.
THE ACT TO FORGIVE IS FOR ONE TO REVERSE THE 2 WORDS IN FOR-GIVE AND GIVE FOR.
MATTHEW 6:14-15 If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you. 15 But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
GOD SEES FORGIVENESS AS A 2 FOLD OPERATION.
IN ORDER TO BE FORGIVEN BY GOD I MUST BE FORGIVING TO OTHERS. FORGIVE OUR DEBTS as WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS. IT'S A TWO FOLD OPERATION!
GOD DOES NOT JUST WANT TO GIVE FORGIVENESS TO YOU..... HE ALSO WANTS TO GIVE FORGIVENESS THROUGH YOU.
FORGIVENESS IS ABOUT REMOVING THE POWER OF THAT STRONGHOLD OFF OF YOU OR THAT MOUNTAIN FROM IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT YOU DON'T KEEP REPLAYING THE SITUATION AND THE RECYCLING THE PAIN OF THAT SITUATION..
YOUR FORGIVENESS DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO KEEP FOOLING WITH THEM. IT MEANS I WON'T LET WHAT YOU DID TO ME FOOL ME OR MAKE ME A FOOL IN A SUBLIMINAL WAY.
II. LOVE THATS REVEALED IN THE FORM A QUESTION FOR REVELATION
JESUS SAYS FEED MY LAMBS (THAT'S THE YOUNG)— THEN HE SAYS FEED MY SHEEP (THAT'S THE GROWN UPS).
ONE OF THE WAYS JESUS MEASURES OUR LOVE FOR HIM IS BY WHAT WE DO FOR HIS SHEEP.
FEED MY LAMBS. FEED MY SHEEP.
THAT WORD "FEED" MEANS "TO TEND, OR TO KEEP SHEEP." JESUS RECOGNIZES THAT SHEEP NEED MORE THAN FOOD. THEY ARE TO BE LOOKED AFTER AND ALL THEIR NEEDS MET WITH SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE.
SHEPHERDING BY THE SURFACE OF SCRIPTURE IS SUMMED UP INTO 5 CATEGORIES— LEADERS. PROVIDERS. PROTECTORS. CARETAKERS AND CALM DOWNERS.
SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANCES ABOUT SHEEP THAT CONNECTS US IS....
1- SHEEP NEED A SHEPHERD OTHERWISE THEY WILL FEEL FORSAKEN AND FOLLOW OTHERS BLINDLY (THAT'S WHY THE WHOLE ANALOGY OF PSALM 23 IS AN EXPRESSION OF A TRUST RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HIS SHEEP.
2- SHEEP WILL SETTLE FOR LESS THATS WHY THEY HAVE TO BE GUIDE'S AND GOVERNED. ( HE'S MAKETH ME LIFE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES SO THAT I DON'T SETTLE FOR BROWN GRASS. HE LEADETH ME BESIDE STILL WATERS SO THAT I DON'T FALL TO RAPID WATER/LEADETH ME IN THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAME SAKE/ SO I DON'T FOLLOW THE WRONG PATH)
3- SHEEP CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES VERY WELL. IT IS A MESSAGE THAT PAUL UNDERSTOOD WELL. Acts 20:28-32
ASKS PETER DO YOU LOVE ME 3 TIMES WHEN JESUS SAYS DO YOU LOVE ME HIS LOVE WAS AGAPE LOVE (WHICH MEANS ROMANTIC LOVE—SACRIFICIAL
BUT WHEN PETER RESPONDS YES LORD I LOVE YOU—— HE RESPONDS WITH PHILEO LOVE (WHICH MEANS BROTHERLY LOVE— TO BE AFFECTIONATE AND TO LIKE)
PETER DO LOVE ME? HE SAID YES LORD I LOVE YOU BUT TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT WHAT HE WAS REALLY SAYING IS YES LORD I LIKE YOU.
THATS WHAT JESUS DID. HE COULDN'T GET US TO UNDERSTAND HIM BY HIS PREACHING AS THE ANSWER SO HE SHOWED US THROUGH HIS ASSIGNMENT WHEN HE DIED FOR US.