1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,659 If you were tuned into the news this week at all, you saw that, that 2 00:00:03,659 --> 00:00:08,070 there's a new pope in town, well not here, uh, in the Vatican town. 3 00:00:08,759 --> 00:00:12,244 Uh, Pope Leo the 14th, and he was inaugurated with 4 00:00:12,244 --> 00:00:13,364 much pomp and circumstance. 5 00:00:13,829 --> 00:00:17,669 Uh, but in between when he's introduced to the, the square there 6 00:00:17,669 --> 00:00:18,930 in the Vatican, outside of St. 7 00:00:18,930 --> 00:00:24,750 Peter's, uh, basilica there, um, before that, after he's nominated and accepts 8 00:00:24,750 --> 00:00:30,240 the position, the senior Cardinal reads one of two passages to him. 9 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,080 One of the passages is from Matthew's Gospel after Peter's confession about 10 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:35,550 Jesus being the Christ, the son of God. 11 00:00:35,550 --> 00:00:38,850 And Jesus says to Peter, you are Peter, and upon this 12 00:00:38,850 --> 00:00:40,320 rock, I will build my church. 13 00:00:40,965 --> 00:00:43,905 The other passage that is read from time to time is, is the one that is 14 00:00:43,905 --> 00:00:48,225 before us this morning, and that's this text where Jesus, in a moment of 15 00:00:48,225 --> 00:00:51,585 restoration, when Peter says to Peter multiple times, Hey, Peter, feed my 16 00:00:51,585 --> 00:00:54,465 flock, tend my sheep feed my flock. 17 00:00:55,965 --> 00:01:01,214 The problem with that is that this passage that we're coming to this morning 18 00:01:01,514 --> 00:01:03,285 isn't about the exaltation of Peter. 19 00:01:04,095 --> 00:01:06,465 It, it, it's not about the exaltation of a man. 20 00:01:06,615 --> 00:01:10,215 Rather, this passage is about elevating and exalting the grace 21 00:01:10,215 --> 00:01:15,525 and mercy of God that he uses in our lives for his own glory. 22 00:01:16,815 --> 00:01:19,005 In fact, as we get into this passage, which is gonna be John 23 00:01:19,005 --> 00:01:23,835 2115 through 17, uh, we're gonna find that God uses imperfect people 24 00:01:24,195 --> 00:01:26,025 to accomplish his perfect plans. 25 00:01:27,045 --> 00:01:30,134 God uses imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plans, and, and all of 26 00:01:30,134 --> 00:01:31,395 us should say a big amen to that. 27 00:01:32,550 --> 00:01:35,190 Because there was only one perfect person that walked the face of this earth, and 28 00:01:35,190 --> 00:01:37,740 he is currently seated at the right hand of the throne of God, waiting for the 29 00:01:37,740 --> 00:01:38,880 time he's coming back for his bride. 30 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:45,360 The rest of us, we fall into this category of fallen sinners imperfect. 31 00:01:46,020 --> 00:01:49,410 But the good news of this text is that God is in the business of using imperfect 32 00:01:49,410 --> 00:01:50,970 people to accomplish his perfect plan. 33 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:56,070 John 21, verses 15 through 17 says this, when he, they had 34 00:01:56,070 --> 00:02:00,030 finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John. 35 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,160 Do you love me more than these? 36 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:04,919 And he said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 37 00:02:05,759 --> 00:02:07,350 He said to him, feed my lambs. 38 00:02:08,038 --> 00:02:10,978 He said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 39 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:12,840 He said to him, yes Lord. 40 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,010 You know that I love you. 41 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:16,440 And he said to him, 10 to my sheep. 42 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,220 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 43 00:02:20,970 --> 00:02:24,270 Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? 44 00:02:24,795 --> 00:02:27,465 And he said to him, Lord, you know everything. 45 00:02:27,675 --> 00:02:30,225 You know that I love you. 46 00:02:30,734 --> 00:02:33,255 Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. 47 00:02:34,395 --> 00:02:37,605 The, the scene before zooms in on, on Jesus and Peter, but 48 00:02:37,605 --> 00:02:39,195 let's not forget the context. 49 00:02:39,765 --> 00:02:41,415 The disciples remember were on the shore. 50 00:02:41,415 --> 00:02:42,525 They had been out fishing. 51 00:02:42,525 --> 00:02:43,515 They had caught nothing. 52 00:02:43,575 --> 00:02:46,005 They had then caught a big hall of fish after Jesus said, throw 53 00:02:46,005 --> 00:02:46,845 the net on the other side. 54 00:02:46,845 --> 00:02:47,775 They came back to the shore. 55 00:02:48,075 --> 00:02:49,305 Jesus had a charcoal fire. 56 00:02:49,305 --> 00:02:51,825 They're all sitting down around, they're having some breakfast with Jesus. 57 00:02:52,980 --> 00:02:58,440 It's in that moment in front of everybody else there that Jesus turns to Peter. 58 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:00,780 This is important for us. 59 00:03:01,589 --> 00:03:05,190 Peter, remember, is the, the one that had boasted so much during the 60 00:03:05,190 --> 00:03:08,489 three years of Jesus earthly ministry about, about his allegiance to Jesus. 61 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,250 Jesus, if everybody else denies you, I'm never gonna deny you. 62 00:03:11,250 --> 00:03:15,269 Peter was the one in the garden when the, the whole Roman cohort 63 00:03:15,510 --> 00:03:17,310 wa was there to arrest Jesus. 64 00:03:17,804 --> 00:03:20,565 Peter was the one that that pulled the sword and was ready to go to war and 65 00:03:20,565 --> 00:03:24,704 cut off the ear of the high priests servant in order to defend Jesus. 66 00:03:26,804 --> 00:03:32,445 But then Peter was the one who denied Jesus, not once, not twice, 67 00:03:32,445 --> 00:03:36,644 but three times the third time, even as the Synoptics record for us 68 00:03:36,644 --> 00:03:39,404 calling down curses upon himself, saying, man, if this isn't true, 69 00:03:41,894 --> 00:03:43,095 then may all these things happen to me. 70 00:03:45,780 --> 00:03:47,370 And so Jesus turns to Peter. 71 00:03:48,150 --> 00:03:50,940 Yet, what we need to understand about Peter at this point is that this is 72 00:03:50,940 --> 00:03:52,530 not the Peter of the Book of Acts. 73 00:03:52,740 --> 00:03:54,900 This is not the Peter of the earlier gospels. 74 00:03:55,079 --> 00:03:56,550 This is the Peter of defeat. 75 00:03:56,550 --> 00:03:57,900 This is the Peter of failure. 76 00:03:57,900 --> 00:04:01,440 This is the Peter of of grief and shame and humiliation. 77 00:04:02,070 --> 00:04:08,220 This is the Peter who's sitting there saying, I don't deserve to be here, and 78 00:04:08,220 --> 00:04:10,019 this is the Peter that Jesus turns to. 79 00:04:11,370 --> 00:04:11,850 He says, Peter. 80 00:04:13,110 --> 00:04:15,480 Do you love me more than these? 81 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:17,610 More than what? 82 00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:19,890 There's three options here. 83 00:04:21,209 --> 00:04:24,030 Option one, do you love me more than the fish and the nets and the nets and 84 00:04:24,030 --> 00:04:25,380 the boats and all this fishing stuff? 85 00:04:25,380 --> 00:04:25,890 Do you have Peter? 86 00:04:25,890 --> 00:04:28,170 Are you willing to follow me instead of going back fishing? 87 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:30,930 I don't think that's what Jesus was after here. 88 00:04:31,740 --> 00:04:34,800 Second option is, Hey Peter, do you love me more than you love 89 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,420 these disciples that are here? 90 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,280 Peter probably would've said yes to that. 91 00:04:42,810 --> 00:04:46,169 But what ratchets it up to this final level is I think what Jesus was 92 00:04:46,169 --> 00:04:49,140 actually saying here is, Peter, do you love me more than they love me? 93 00:04:50,429 --> 00:04:52,830 Do you love me Peter more than they love me? 94 00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:55,289 And you think, well, that's weird. 95 00:04:55,979 --> 00:04:57,750 Why would Jesus ask Peter that question? 96 00:04:57,750 --> 00:05:02,370 Does he want all of us to love him to that same full blown amount? 97 00:05:02,669 --> 00:05:05,669 Does he, doesn't he want all of us to be equally devoted to him? 98 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:08,010 And the answer is, is yes. 99 00:05:08,010 --> 00:05:10,109 But we, again, this is where remembering. 100 00:05:10,515 --> 00:05:11,745 Peter's past comes into being. 101 00:05:11,895 --> 00:05:15,015 This is where we have to remember that, that this is a personal savior 102 00:05:15,015 --> 00:05:17,835 who is going after Peter because of what Peter needed in that moment. 103 00:05:18,465 --> 00:05:22,575 Peter, very publicly, in Matthew 26, right in front of everybody else, as 104 00:05:22,575 --> 00:05:26,355 I alluded to just a moment ago, in front of these same disciples, had 105 00:05:26,355 --> 00:05:31,185 told Jesus, Hey Jesus, they may all fall away, but I'm not going anywhere. 106 00:05:31,875 --> 00:05:33,195 You and me are, are are. 107 00:05:33,255 --> 00:05:34,215 We're ride or die. 108 00:05:34,215 --> 00:05:35,505 I'm with you, Jesus, all the way. 109 00:05:37,755 --> 00:05:41,820 And, and so very publicly, Peter had kinda lifted himself up above everybody 110 00:05:41,820 --> 00:05:46,800 else and they then, very publicly Peter had fallen probably harder 111 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,810 than any of the others, minus Judas. 112 00:05:50,580 --> 00:05:55,409 See, the other disciples ran, but Peter not only ran, he also denied him. 113 00:05:56,909 --> 00:06:00,810 And so here with the other disciples in earshot, Peter is asked this question 114 00:06:00,810 --> 00:06:02,610 because Jesus is moving towards Peter. 115 00:06:03,195 --> 00:06:07,815 Who had denied him that public way three times to, in an act of great mercy and 116 00:06:07,815 --> 00:06:13,035 grace, give him three opportunities to openly declare his love and allegiance 117 00:06:13,185 --> 00:06:17,895 and devotion in front of these others because Jesus had a purpose. 118 00:06:17,895 --> 00:06:21,855 For Peter, I talked about the Peter of the book, of Acts. 119 00:06:22,275 --> 00:06:25,185 Peter's gonna go just kill it with planting churches. 120 00:06:25,785 --> 00:06:27,825 He's gonna be one of the leaders of the early church. 121 00:06:28,169 --> 00:06:32,130 He's gonna be preaching the gospel so powerfully that thousands of people 122 00:06:32,130 --> 00:06:33,960 are gonna be coming to faith in Jesus. 123 00:06:34,830 --> 00:06:37,619 And yet, first Peter had to be restored in the eyes of those 124 00:06:37,619 --> 00:06:38,609 that he was gonna help lead. 125 00:06:39,780 --> 00:06:41,280 And so that's what Jesus is doing here. 126 00:06:41,789 --> 00:06:43,770 But let's talk about love for a second. 127 00:06:44,489 --> 00:06:47,520 Jesus asks Peter, Hey Peter, do you love me? 128 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,979 Peter says, Lord, I love you in the English text. 129 00:06:49,979 --> 00:06:50,520 That's what it is. 130 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,289 That's what it says in the Greek. 131 00:06:52,289 --> 00:06:53,669 There's two different words that are used here. 132 00:06:54,090 --> 00:06:56,940 Peter says, or Jesus asked Peter, Peter, do you agape me? 133 00:06:56,940 --> 00:06:59,820 Do you love me with a divine fatherly, selfless, sacrificial 134 00:06:59,820 --> 00:07:02,219 love, Peter says, Lord, I fello you. 135 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,190 I love you with a brotherly, warm, affectionate love. 136 00:07:06,090 --> 00:07:12,630 Second time, Peter, do you agape me with this divine, selfless love? 137 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:17,940 Peter says, Jesus, I filet owe you with this brotherly, warm, affectionate love. 138 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:20,550 Third time, Peter, do you filet owe me? 139 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,460 Do you love me with this warm, brotherly, affectionate love? 140 00:07:23,460 --> 00:07:25,650 Peter says, Lord, you know all things. 141 00:07:27,030 --> 00:07:27,510 And that's true. 142 00:07:27,510 --> 00:07:29,190 Jesus knew the answer to these questions. 143 00:07:29,730 --> 00:07:32,070 He's drawing Peter out into confessing this. 144 00:07:33,180 --> 00:07:34,800 Peter says, Lord, you know I love you. 145 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:35,460 I filet you. 146 00:07:36,030 --> 00:07:39,000 Now, there's been a lot of angst filled on the significance of this. 147 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,650 Some see a massive significance here, and maybe there is a significance that Jesus 148 00:07:43,650 --> 00:07:46,140 is, is, is saying, Hey, do you agape me? 149 00:07:46,140 --> 00:07:48,900 And, and Peter's not wanting to, to measure up to that level 150 00:07:48,900 --> 00:07:50,130 because he feels the shame. 151 00:07:50,940 --> 00:07:52,860 He's saying, Lord, I, I, I filet owe you. 152 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,540 And so finally, Peter says, Jesus says, do you even filet owe me Peter? 153 00:07:58,380 --> 00:08:01,650 Maybe o others though, have even argued the opposite. 154 00:08:01,650 --> 00:08:06,060 That, that Jesus is, is suggesting with this agape love, kind of this frozen 155 00:08:06,060 --> 00:08:10,350 chosen, you know, divine, sterile love that that is the love of God. 156 00:08:10,350 --> 00:08:14,130 And, and Peter saying, Peter, Jesus, I, I love you warmly, affectionately, I'm 157 00:08:14,130 --> 00:08:17,610 like a, almost like Peter's trying to ratchet it up when he's responding here. 158 00:08:19,125 --> 00:08:22,785 I am gonna suggest to you this morning that, that I don't know that we need 159 00:08:22,785 --> 00:08:27,015 to press the distinction between these two words here, rather, I think what 160 00:08:27,015 --> 00:08:30,914 Jesus is doing and what John's trying to capture is Jesus is just trying to get 161 00:08:30,914 --> 00:08:33,284 Peter to say, Lord, I'm all in with you. 162 00:08:33,465 --> 00:08:35,775 I love you holistically. 163 00:08:35,775 --> 00:08:37,635 I am fully devoted to you. 164 00:08:38,325 --> 00:08:41,414 And I think this is more of a stylistic preference of John than it is anything 165 00:08:41,414 --> 00:08:42,975 to overly press on the distinction. 166 00:08:42,975 --> 00:08:44,054 Here's a few reasons why. 167 00:08:44,325 --> 00:08:48,015 Uh, number one, this conversation between Jesus and Peter was actually not in Greek, 168 00:08:48,015 --> 00:08:49,575 but in a different language altogether. 169 00:08:50,115 --> 00:08:53,895 They would've been speaking Aramaic with one another, and so Jesus wouldn't 170 00:08:53,895 --> 00:08:56,655 have actually said, Peter, do you agape mean whatever that is in Greek, 171 00:08:56,655 --> 00:08:57,795 however you would pronounce that right. 172 00:08:58,725 --> 00:09:00,195 He would've been speaking Aramaic. 173 00:09:00,195 --> 00:09:03,795 I don't know Aramaic, so I'm not here to speak that to you this morning, but 174 00:09:03,795 --> 00:09:07,935 these words would not have been there in the original verbal interaction there. 175 00:09:08,145 --> 00:09:12,105 The second reason why I think it, it, we don't need to overly press the distinction 176 00:09:12,105 --> 00:09:17,385 here, is there are other different words in this same interaction here that we 177 00:09:17,430 --> 00:09:18,825 don't press the same distinction on. 178 00:09:18,855 --> 00:09:23,685 For example, he uses, John does two different words for the word no in this 179 00:09:23,685 --> 00:09:26,085 text when Peter says, you know, Lord. 180 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:30,960 He uses the word ginosko, which is an intimate, personal, relatable knowledge. 181 00:09:31,470 --> 00:09:34,890 And then he also uses the word oda, which is you have an a comprehension, 182 00:09:34,890 --> 00:09:39,150 you have an understanding of me, but we don't press that in our distinction. 183 00:09:39,630 --> 00:09:42,150 Second, there's another different set of words here, and that is the, 184 00:09:42,150 --> 00:09:43,800 the word for the word flock or sheep. 185 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:49,590 He uses arnia in the Greek and proba lambs and sheep and, and we're not 186 00:09:49,590 --> 00:09:52,410 gonna press the distinction there to try to figure out, okay, who are the 187 00:09:52,410 --> 00:09:53,730 lambs and who are the sheep in the fly? 188 00:09:54,630 --> 00:09:56,760 Third, he uses two different words for the word, for the 189 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:58,980 concept of shepherding, intending. 190 00:09:59,430 --> 00:10:03,390 When he says feed it, it, it's a word that can mean to tend or to shepherd. 191 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,510 And then he uses another word, porno, which which means to, 192 00:10:06,510 --> 00:10:08,460 to actually shepherd, intend. 193 00:10:09,330 --> 00:10:10,770 And we don't press the distinction there. 194 00:10:12,630 --> 00:10:14,910 So the first reason why is they were speaking aramic. 195 00:10:14,910 --> 00:10:17,610 The second reason why is there's other variances in and distinctions there. 196 00:10:17,850 --> 00:10:19,650 The third reason why though, is when you look at the whole of the 197 00:10:19,650 --> 00:10:22,800 gospel of John, John uses these two words for love intermittently. 198 00:10:23,775 --> 00:10:24,734 Here's some examples of that. 199 00:10:24,734 --> 00:10:29,655 In John 3 35 it says this, the father loves Agapao Agape, the son, and 200 00:10:29,655 --> 00:10:31,185 has given all things into his hand. 201 00:10:31,785 --> 00:10:33,915 The father's love for the Son Agapao there. 202 00:10:33,915 --> 00:10:38,655 John five 20, though the father loves this is Philo, the father loves the son and 203 00:10:38,655 --> 00:10:40,484 shows him all that he himself is doing. 204 00:10:40,484 --> 00:10:43,604 So the father's love for the son is described both as agape 205 00:10:43,604 --> 00:10:45,584 and Philo by John in the gospel. 206 00:10:46,064 --> 00:10:48,584 But you know, the thing that was really the nail in the coffin for me was. 207 00:10:49,035 --> 00:10:53,025 That when John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, 208 00:10:53,385 --> 00:10:56,355 he flip flops these, these words and uses them intermittently. 209 00:10:56,745 --> 00:11:00,615 And so in John 13 23, 1 of his disciples whom Jesus loved, there's agapao. 210 00:11:01,245 --> 00:11:01,995 That's by John. 211 00:11:01,995 --> 00:11:05,865 Now notice John's making, not making an ex distinction here, aside from just 212 00:11:05,865 --> 00:11:07,454 saying he's the one that Jesus loved. 213 00:11:07,454 --> 00:11:09,074 That was how he identified himself. 214 00:11:09,824 --> 00:11:13,395 But then later on in John 22, so she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other 215 00:11:13,395 --> 00:11:14,895 disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. 216 00:11:14,895 --> 00:11:15,615 There's philo. 217 00:11:16,694 --> 00:11:20,444 And so John uses these two terms for himself as the one whom Jesus loved. 218 00:11:20,625 --> 00:11:21,795 He uses them intermittently. 219 00:11:22,334 --> 00:11:27,135 And so when we get into this scene between Jesus and Peter, I, I'm not saying it's, 220 00:11:27,135 --> 00:11:31,155 it's necessarily off the table to press the distinction, but as I was studying 221 00:11:31,155 --> 00:11:34,214 this, and I was reading up some of the other commentaries on this too, I, I 222 00:11:34,214 --> 00:11:37,005 don't think it's necessary for us to press the distinction to get the point. 223 00:11:37,724 --> 00:11:42,104 What's the point Jesus is asking Peter, Peter, do you love me? 224 00:11:43,185 --> 00:11:43,785 Do you love me? 225 00:11:45,599 --> 00:11:48,000 Are you, are you fully devoted to me 226 00:11:51,270 --> 00:11:54,569 that that's the question that matters for us this morning? 227 00:11:57,990 --> 00:11:59,130 Peter's grieved here. 228 00:11:59,130 --> 00:12:00,540 You might say, well, why was Peter grieved then? 229 00:12:00,540 --> 00:12:02,130 Well, he is grieved because he asked him three times. 230 00:12:03,300 --> 00:12:04,800 That's what the text even says for us. 231 00:12:06,569 --> 00:12:10,349 And, and he's, he's great because he doesn't understand what Jesus is doing, 232 00:12:10,349 --> 00:12:12,060 the grace and the mercy of Jesus here. 233 00:12:13,485 --> 00:12:15,885 Mercy is this, mercy is not getting what we deserve. 234 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,415 And, and, and what Peter deserved was to be a burn mark on the 235 00:12:20,415 --> 00:12:23,415 ground after denial, number one, 236 00:12:25,485 --> 00:12:26,564 just like the rest of us. 237 00:12:28,005 --> 00:12:35,025 And, and yet what Peter got was Jesus in mercy coming to him and 1, 2, 3 times. 238 00:12:35,145 --> 00:12:36,944 Peter, do you love me Peter? 239 00:12:36,944 --> 00:12:37,425 Do you love me? 240 00:12:38,175 --> 00:12:38,834 Peter, do you love me? 241 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,760 Yeah, just like in the courtyard outside the trial. 242 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:43,320 Hey, aren't you one of his followers? 243 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:44,070 No, I don't know him. 244 00:12:44,550 --> 00:12:45,660 Aren't you one of his followers? 245 00:12:45,690 --> 00:12:46,530 No, I don't know him. 246 00:12:46,530 --> 00:12:47,310 Hey, don't you? 247 00:12:47,310 --> 00:12:48,060 I recognize you. 248 00:12:48,060 --> 00:12:48,990 Weren't you there in the garden? 249 00:12:49,020 --> 00:12:50,280 No, I don't know him. 250 00:12:50,490 --> 00:12:53,160 1, 2, 3 denials. 251 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:59,610 So in mercy, Jesus moves towards Peter to restore Peter in this moment, and, 252 00:12:59,610 --> 00:13:02,640 and the reason being is Jesus had worked for Peter in front of him. 253 00:13:03,210 --> 00:13:05,130 If Peter was gonna be who Peter becomes. 254 00:13:05,819 --> 00:13:10,439 Then this was necessary, this act of restoration and repentance was necessary. 255 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:13,829 If God was gonna use an imperfect Peter to accomplish his perfect plans for the 256 00:13:13,829 --> 00:13:15,959 church, then Peter had to go through this. 257 00:13:15,959 --> 00:13:19,229 There was a, in other words, a, an end to the means of God's mercy. 258 00:13:19,380 --> 00:13:23,010 The problem is, so often we think of mercy as an end rather than a means. 259 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,670 And so this morning I want us to, to pivot on that and begin to think of 260 00:13:26,670 --> 00:13:28,530 mercy as a means to a greater end. 261 00:13:28,875 --> 00:13:31,215 That greater end being ultimately the glory of God. 262 00:13:31,215 --> 00:13:34,005 But point number one this morning, along those lines is this, don't miss 263 00:13:34,005 --> 00:13:36,045 the purpose of God's mercy towards you. 264 00:13:37,095 --> 00:13:39,555 Don't miss the purpose of God's mercy towards you. 265 00:13:39,555 --> 00:13:40,065 This morning, 266 00:13:43,305 --> 00:13:47,715 one Timothy chapter one, the apostle Paul is writing here in verse 12 through 16. 267 00:13:47,715 --> 00:13:51,315 He says this, apostle says, I thank him who's given me strength, Christ 268 00:13:51,315 --> 00:13:56,715 Jesus, our Lord, because he judged me, faithful appointing me to his service. 269 00:13:56,715 --> 00:13:57,705 Paul was an apostle. 270 00:14:00,195 --> 00:14:01,125 Before that 271 00:14:03,285 --> 00:14:06,795 Paul was, as he goes on to say in verse 13, a blasphemer, a 272 00:14:06,795 --> 00:14:09,435 persecutor and an insulate opponent. 273 00:14:10,245 --> 00:14:12,735 I mean, if there's anybody you would look at and be like, that is the last 274 00:14:12,735 --> 00:14:14,265 person I would pick to plant churches. 275 00:14:15,315 --> 00:14:17,055 It's Paul as Saul. 276 00:14:18,585 --> 00:14:22,395 And yet he's saying, here, God, I thank you that you judge me, faithful 277 00:14:22,425 --> 00:14:24,165 and appointed me for your service. 278 00:14:25,965 --> 00:14:26,745 Why? 279 00:14:26,775 --> 00:14:27,525 How? 280 00:14:28,020 --> 00:14:32,160 Well, Paul answers this, verse 13, he says, but I received mercy. 281 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,610 Yeah, I was an insulin opponent, but I received mercy. 282 00:14:35,610 --> 00:14:36,930 I didn't get what I deserved. 283 00:14:37,590 --> 00:14:41,340 I received mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief and the grace of 284 00:14:41,340 --> 00:14:45,120 our Lord Jesus overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 285 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,230 In other words, by His grace, I believe by His grace, I trusted by his grace, I 286 00:14:49,230 --> 00:14:51,090 repented and surrendered my life to Jesus. 287 00:14:52,365 --> 00:14:55,065 And then he goes on and says in verse 15, the saying is trustworthy and 288 00:14:55,065 --> 00:14:58,185 deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to 289 00:14:58,185 --> 00:15:00,825 save sinners of whom I am the foremost. 290 00:15:00,945 --> 00:15:04,515 So again, we might say, so then why are you being used 291 00:15:05,415 --> 00:15:07,005 to plant in pastor churches? 292 00:15:08,745 --> 00:15:12,555 Because verse 16, this I received mercy. 293 00:15:12,825 --> 00:15:13,965 Notice what he says next. 294 00:15:14,055 --> 00:15:17,685 For this reason, for this reason. 295 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,530 For Paul, the mercy of God was not an ends, but a means to a greater ends. 296 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:27,750 And the the reason Paul received mercy was that he might as, as the foremost 297 00:15:27,750 --> 00:15:31,770 Jesus Christ, might display his perfect patience as an example to those who 298 00:15:31,770 --> 00:15:33,750 were to believe in him for eternal life. 299 00:15:33,750 --> 00:15:36,060 In other words, that we might look at Paul and say, man, God, if you 300 00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:39,660 could use Paul, then why not use me? 301 00:15:41,235 --> 00:15:44,175 And also so that you can look at Paul's life and your loved one who's 302 00:15:44,175 --> 00:15:47,175 walked away from the Lord or your loved one who doesn't wanna come 303 00:15:47,175 --> 00:15:50,385 to church or your kid that doesn't want anything to do with Jesus. 304 00:15:50,385 --> 00:15:52,695 And you can look at the life of Paul and go, okay, God, if you did it with 305 00:15:52,695 --> 00:15:55,185 Paul, you can do it with him or her. 306 00:15:56,775 --> 00:16:00,855 See, God's mercy is a means not an end, and we have to not miss the 307 00:16:00,855 --> 00:16:03,075 purpose of God's mercy in our lives. 308 00:16:03,314 --> 00:16:05,655 Uh, if you've ever gone into New York City, maybe you drove 309 00:16:05,655 --> 00:16:06,585 through the Lincoln Tunnel. 310 00:16:07,725 --> 00:16:10,395 The Lincoln Tunnel goes under the, uh, the, the Hudson River 311 00:16:10,395 --> 00:16:12,135 there and the Lincoln Tunnel. 312 00:16:12,765 --> 00:16:14,205 It's impressive in its own right. 313 00:16:14,205 --> 00:16:17,625 The, the Lincoln Tunnel, the pressure on those walls, about 314 00:16:17,625 --> 00:16:20,025 42 PSI pounds of pressure, okay? 315 00:16:20,475 --> 00:16:23,175 Uh, per square inch, 42 pounds per square inch of pressure. 316 00:16:23,295 --> 00:16:23,535 Okay? 317 00:16:24,435 --> 00:16:28,665 Now, in Norway, there's a tunnel called the, I'm gonna butcher this. 318 00:16:28,725 --> 00:16:29,955 Ry Ry Ilka. 319 00:16:30,045 --> 00:16:31,875 Do I have any Nor Norwegians in the room? 320 00:16:31,875 --> 00:16:33,435 Not rai Ilka, I think is the name. 321 00:16:33,689 --> 00:16:38,550 Uh, this tunnel runs 958 feet under the ocean. 322 00:16:39,359 --> 00:16:40,380 No thanks. 323 00:16:40,829 --> 00:16:47,459 Nine miles, 958 feet under the ocean, almost a thousand feet under the ocean. 324 00:16:47,729 --> 00:16:55,079 Okay, the pressure being exerted on this tunnel is this 435 pounds 325 00:16:55,589 --> 00:16:56,670 of pressure per square inch. 326 00:16:57,990 --> 00:17:00,750 435 pounds per square inch. 327 00:17:00,930 --> 00:17:06,900 So every inch of that tunnel has 435 pounds of pressure of water pressing 328 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:09,150 in on it, wanting to crush it. 329 00:17:10,829 --> 00:17:15,119 And so the cars that are traveling through that tunnel are only able to 330 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,990 travel through that tunnel because the walls of that tunnel hold up 331 00:17:19,290 --> 00:17:23,730 and withhold and keep out the full pressure of that water that wants to 332 00:17:23,730 --> 00:17:26,310 just crush them and overwhelm them. 333 00:17:29,175 --> 00:17:34,725 Y'all, the mercy of God are the walls of that tunnel in your life. 334 00:17:35,745 --> 00:17:39,765 The only thing that's allowing you and me to be here this morning, the only thing 335 00:17:39,765 --> 00:17:43,695 that's allowing us to get from point A from the moment that you're saved to 336 00:17:43,905 --> 00:17:49,575 when God calls you home to be with him is his mercy holding back his wrath and 337 00:17:49,575 --> 00:17:52,485 his wrath is far greater than 4 35 PSI. 338 00:17:53,610 --> 00:17:58,800 His just and perfect wrath against our sin that would crush us, that would 339 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,790 overwhelm us, and it rightly should crush us and rightly should overwhelm us. 340 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:07,050 But in his mercy, he withholds his wrath to keep us from being crushed. 341 00:18:07,050 --> 00:18:07,620 Why? 342 00:18:10,290 --> 00:18:14,790 Because we have a, a, a purpose, his mercy in our life. 343 00:18:14,790 --> 00:18:17,730 Tho those walls are there to withhold the water so that that car 344 00:18:17,730 --> 00:18:19,110 can get from point A to point B. 345 00:18:19,350 --> 00:18:22,200 God's mercy is holding back his wrath so that you can get from point a. 346 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:24,120 To point B. 347 00:18:26,580 --> 00:18:30,660 You may not have denied Jesus like Peter or persecuted Christians 348 00:18:30,660 --> 00:18:32,790 like Paul, or maybe you have, 349 00:18:34,980 --> 00:18:39,030 but everybody in this room has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 350 00:18:42,315 --> 00:18:45,240 In other words, we all desperately need the mercy of God. 351 00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:49,860 I should be a burn mark. 352 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,590 Like I said earlier, I should be a burn mark on the ground because of 353 00:18:52,590 --> 00:18:57,150 the mercy of, but, but from the mercy of God, lightning bolt, boom, gone. 354 00:18:58,230 --> 00:19:02,040 The first evil thought that I entertain, boom, gone. 355 00:19:04,230 --> 00:19:05,310 But for the mercy of God. 356 00:19:06,660 --> 00:19:09,510 See, God uses imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plan. 357 00:19:10,650 --> 00:19:13,620 Now, this doesn't mean that we get a get outta jail free card. 358 00:19:14,220 --> 00:19:14,700 With sin. 359 00:19:14,850 --> 00:19:18,000 It doesn't mean like, well, great God's merciful, so I can just go on and sin. 360 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:18,120 No. 361 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:20,400 In fact, Romans six, one would say the opposite. 362 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,790 Paul says in Romans six, one, should we sin that Grace May abound? 363 00:19:23,790 --> 00:19:25,260 We could say, should we sin? 364 00:19:25,260 --> 00:19:26,760 Because hey, God's merciful. 365 00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:28,200 Paul says, no way. 366 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:29,010 May it never be. 367 00:19:29,010 --> 00:19:30,840 How can we who died to sin still live in it, 368 00:19:33,090 --> 00:19:34,140 but all the same? 369 00:19:34,590 --> 00:19:37,290 I want us to think about Peter and Paul and ask ourselves who 370 00:19:37,290 --> 00:19:42,660 would've picked them to do what they did, but for the mercy of God. 371 00:19:43,710 --> 00:19:46,020 But for the fact that they didn't get what they deserved. 372 00:19:46,830 --> 00:19:48,810 Have you ever thought, man, who would've picked me? 373 00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:54,300 But for the mercy of God, y'all, this is old news to you. 374 00:19:54,300 --> 00:19:56,280 I'm preaching specifically to you this morning. 375 00:19:58,500 --> 00:20:01,110 See, the era we need to avoid is thinking of mercy is something 376 00:20:01,110 --> 00:20:03,420 we need to be saved, but not something we need to be sanctified. 377 00:20:05,850 --> 00:20:08,220 You need God's mercy as much this morning as you ever have. 378 00:20:09,150 --> 00:20:10,710 We're still traveling through that tunnel. 379 00:20:12,915 --> 00:20:17,475 In fact, Peter was gonna need God's mercy again, because in Galatians chapter 380 00:20:17,475 --> 00:20:21,615 two, Paul's gonna say this about Peter in Galatians two verses 11 through 12. 381 00:20:21,615 --> 00:20:26,475 When Peter, when CFUs came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he 382 00:20:26,475 --> 00:20:30,825 stood condemned for, before certain men came from James, he was eating 383 00:20:30,825 --> 00:20:34,695 with Gentiles, but when they came, he drew back and separate himself 384 00:20:34,725 --> 00:20:36,225 fearing the circumcision party. 385 00:20:36,495 --> 00:20:40,125 So Paul is, is confronting Peter because Peter's being a hypocrite. 386 00:20:40,785 --> 00:20:43,425 Peter's hanging out with Gentiles until the Jewish believers show up. 387 00:20:43,425 --> 00:20:45,945 And then Peter's like, oh man, I need to go eat with the Jews. 388 00:20:45,945 --> 00:20:46,755 Not you Gentiles. 389 00:20:46,755 --> 00:20:48,465 'cause I'm worried about what they're gonna think about me. 390 00:20:49,395 --> 00:20:49,755 Boom. 391 00:20:49,995 --> 00:20:55,395 Peter should have been a burn mark in that moment, but for what the mercy of God, 392 00:20:56,115 --> 00:20:58,305 see how we, we still need God's mercy. 393 00:20:59,415 --> 00:21:02,145 Don't think, if someone asked Peter about mercy, who would've said, oh, well, there 394 00:21:02,145 --> 00:21:05,535 was this one time on the beach after a bad night when Jesus was merciful to me. 395 00:21:06,615 --> 00:21:07,875 He'd have been like, man, I need it every day. 396 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:10,440 I need God's mercy every day. 397 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:17,250 God's mercy is sustaining you today, Christian, for a purpose. 398 00:21:18,510 --> 00:21:20,550 And I'm urging you not to miss the purpose of his mercy. 399 00:21:21,330 --> 00:21:23,640 Not to look at mercy as the end, but a means to an end. 400 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,030 Have you ever run into a person who had a a near death experience 401 00:21:28,125 --> 00:21:31,050 and afterwards they're like, man, I want my life to count for something. 402 00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:33,990 Spiritually speaking. 403 00:21:33,990 --> 00:21:34,890 That should be all of us. 404 00:21:36,420 --> 00:21:38,370 When we consider the mercy of God, all of us should be able to 405 00:21:38,370 --> 00:21:40,500 push back and say, man, I want my life to count for something. 406 00:21:41,670 --> 00:21:45,450 In God's eyes, God's not looking for perfect people to accomplish his 407 00:21:45,450 --> 00:21:46,830 perfect plan because they don't exist. 408 00:21:48,540 --> 00:21:52,650 He's gonna use imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plan. 409 00:21:53,250 --> 00:21:54,450 I received mercy for this reason. 410 00:21:54,450 --> 00:21:56,250 So Christian, this morning, don't sideline yourself. 411 00:21:57,900 --> 00:21:59,610 Don't sideline yourself this morning, Christian, thinking that 412 00:21:59,610 --> 00:22:02,850 God's mercy may have been enough to forgive Peter and to to forgive Paul. 413 00:22:03,810 --> 00:22:04,800 It's not enough for what I've done. 414 00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:11,850 Some of y'all this morning need to respond to God's mercy by confessing your sin, 415 00:22:13,950 --> 00:22:17,340 by acknowledging your sin, repenting from your sin, and asking for 416 00:22:17,340 --> 00:22:21,900 forgiveness, and then also asking that God would restore you to his service. 417 00:22:23,850 --> 00:22:24,900 I'm talking to Christians there, 418 00:22:27,930 --> 00:22:31,230 and some of you Christians have done steps one and two on that. 419 00:22:32,370 --> 00:22:35,310 You've confessed your sin and, and you've asked God to forgive your sin, 420 00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:37,440 but you haven't gone to that next level. 421 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:43,020 To ask God to restore you, to, to service of him, to use you now to serve him. 422 00:22:44,190 --> 00:22:49,050 And my question this morning is, why not God's mercy that's there to withhold his 423 00:22:49,050 --> 00:22:51,420 wrath from you, has a purpose for you. 424 00:22:52,650 --> 00:22:55,410 He's merciful towards you because he is not done with you. 425 00:22:56,850 --> 00:22:58,350 He's got a reason for you to be here. 426 00:22:58,500 --> 00:22:58,560 Yeah. 427 00:22:59,250 --> 00:23:01,860 Every single one of us in this room are dependent upon the mercy of God 428 00:23:01,860 --> 00:23:07,530 To even be sitting here this morning, back in our passage, Jesus was not 429 00:23:07,530 --> 00:23:10,920 only merciful to Peter in pursuing him, in not kicking him out of the group. 430 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:11,940 Not saying, Peter, I'm done with you. 431 00:23:11,940 --> 00:23:12,510 You denied me. 432 00:23:12,510 --> 00:23:12,990 Go away. 433 00:23:14,820 --> 00:23:19,470 But moving towards him in love, restoring him this way, who's not only merciful that 434 00:23:19,470 --> 00:23:22,950 way, but he was also gracious to Peter in equipping him and commissioning him 435 00:23:22,950 --> 00:23:24,030 for the work that he had for him to do. 436 00:23:24,030 --> 00:23:24,900 Look back at the text. 437 00:23:26,430 --> 00:23:29,970 Jesus says to him, John Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? 438 00:23:30,660 --> 00:23:31,740 And Peter said, yes, Lord. 439 00:23:31,740 --> 00:23:32,640 You know that I love you. 440 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:35,250 So Jesus said, feed my lambs. 441 00:23:35,970 --> 00:23:38,730 Verse 16, he said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 442 00:23:39,030 --> 00:23:40,110 He said to him, yes Lord. 443 00:23:40,110 --> 00:23:41,280 You know that I love you. 444 00:23:41,850 --> 00:23:46,710 Jesus said to him, Simon, son of John 10, my sheep, he said to him the third 445 00:23:46,710 --> 00:23:48,300 time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 446 00:23:48,540 --> 00:23:51,990 Uh, Peter was grieved because he said to him, this the third time, do you love me? 447 00:23:52,365 --> 00:23:54,285 And he said to him, Lord, you know everything. 448 00:23:54,465 --> 00:23:55,635 You know that I love you. 449 00:23:56,085 --> 00:23:58,695 Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. 450 00:23:59,715 --> 00:24:02,205 And so here, what I want us to see this time is this commissioning 451 00:24:02,205 --> 00:24:04,605 from Jesus, feed my lambs. 452 00:24:04,605 --> 00:24:08,595 The word feed can mean herd or tend to them, and then 453 00:24:08,595 --> 00:24:11,025 tend my sheep shepherd them. 454 00:24:11,595 --> 00:24:13,875 In other words, Peter, not only am I gonna be merciful to you 455 00:24:13,875 --> 00:24:16,605 to restore your devotion to me saying, Hey, do you love me? 456 00:24:16,995 --> 00:24:20,145 But I've got work for you now and I'm gonna equip you to go do that work. 457 00:24:20,505 --> 00:24:22,425 I'm gonna commission you to go do that work. 458 00:24:22,545 --> 00:24:26,145 And Peter got the message because in one Peter chapter five, as Peter's writing 459 00:24:26,145 --> 00:24:29,895 to the, the, uh, the church there and to the exiles, he says, I exhort the 460 00:24:29,895 --> 00:24:33,435 elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as 461 00:24:33,435 --> 00:24:37,215 well as a partaker in the glory that's to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God. 462 00:24:37,215 --> 00:24:37,905 That's among you. 463 00:24:38,805 --> 00:24:42,105 Peter uses that terminology in one Peter chapter five, and I have to imagine 464 00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:45,405 that he's penning that or dictating that he's thinking about the beach 465 00:24:45,405 --> 00:24:48,465 with Jesus shepherd, the flock of God. 466 00:24:49,860 --> 00:24:52,050 Look this morning, you may not be shepherding a flock. 467 00:24:52,950 --> 00:24:56,610 You may not have that responsibility, but I wanna encourage you this morning and, 468 00:24:56,610 --> 00:25:00,150 and challenge you this morning that God's given you grace, nonetheless, to be useful 469 00:25:00,150 --> 00:25:05,910 to him in serving him in companionship with the mercy that he's given you. 470 00:25:06,780 --> 00:25:11,160 And so God has equipped you, God has given you a, a, a gift and 471 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:15,495 grace to be useful to him in the service of him just like he did. 472 00:25:16,020 --> 00:25:18,240 With Peter Point number two this week is this, put God's 473 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:19,500 grace to work in your life. 474 00:25:20,340 --> 00:25:22,650 Put God's grace to work in your life. 475 00:25:24,030 --> 00:25:27,930 Again, if, if mercy is not getting what we deserve, grace 476 00:25:27,930 --> 00:25:29,490 is getting what we don't deserve. 477 00:25:30,630 --> 00:25:32,250 And so God has been gracious to you. 478 00:25:32,580 --> 00:25:36,480 Peter didn't deserve to be used in the way that God was gonna use him. 479 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,980 Peter didn't deserve to be sitting on that beach with Jesus. 480 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,180 Paul didn't deserve to be used the way that God was gonna use him. 481 00:25:46,620 --> 00:25:52,410 I don't deserve to be used in whatever way that God is gonna use me, but for the 482 00:25:52,410 --> 00:25:54,180 grace of God, does any of that happen? 483 00:25:55,650 --> 00:25:59,460 Paul, in First Corinthians, or sorry, second Corinthians, chapter 12, talks 484 00:25:59,460 --> 00:26:00,960 about having a thorn in the flesh. 485 00:26:01,025 --> 00:26:02,580 And, and listen, here's the thing. 486 00:26:03,030 --> 00:26:05,400 Paul's got this thorn in the flesh and he's looking at the ministry that he's 487 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,140 doing and he's, he's praying to the Lord. 488 00:26:07,140 --> 00:26:08,850 He's praying to God three times over. 489 00:26:09,180 --> 00:26:11,100 He prays and I imagine he's praying God. 490 00:26:11,490 --> 00:26:14,190 If you would just take this thorn away from me, I feel like I could 491 00:26:14,190 --> 00:26:15,510 be so much more useful to you. 492 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,060 I feel like I would be stronger. 493 00:26:18,060 --> 00:26:19,260 I feel like I'd be more healthy. 494 00:26:19,260 --> 00:26:21,330 Whatever the thorn was, we're not exactly sure what it was, 495 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:22,980 but we know it was hindering him. 496 00:26:23,430 --> 00:26:24,600 He felt it was hindering him. 497 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,670 At least he felt it was slowing him down. 498 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,010 And guess what y'all, that's exactly where God wanted him. 499 00:26:29,490 --> 00:26:30,060 Because you know what? 500 00:26:30,270 --> 00:26:33,120 What Paul hears in response to his prayer, Lord, remove the thorn. 501 00:26:33,300 --> 00:26:37,230 Paul hears from the Lord, my grace, Paul, it's about my grace. 502 00:26:37,410 --> 00:26:38,160 It's not about you. 503 00:26:38,370 --> 00:26:39,420 It's not about your efforts. 504 00:26:39,795 --> 00:26:43,185 It's not about you being stronger, healthier, wealthier, wiser, whatever. 505 00:26:43,305 --> 00:26:46,035 It's about my grace showing up big in your life. 506 00:26:46,275 --> 00:26:47,055 And Paul, guess what? 507 00:26:47,055 --> 00:26:47,265 Man? 508 00:26:47,355 --> 00:26:49,365 My grace is sufficient for you. 509 00:26:49,455 --> 00:26:52,125 For my power is made perfect and weakness. 510 00:26:52,815 --> 00:26:55,275 And so Paul is praying, God, if you would just remove my thorn, think about 511 00:26:55,275 --> 00:26:56,535 all the things I could do for you. 512 00:26:56,865 --> 00:26:58,785 God's going, Paul, you don't understand, man. 513 00:26:59,235 --> 00:27:02,865 The fact that you have the thorn in your flesh is showing my grace 514 00:27:03,045 --> 00:27:06,015 and my glory way more than if I took that thorn away from you. 515 00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:08,910 And so Christian, maybe you this morning are thinking to yourself and you have 516 00:27:08,910 --> 00:27:12,570 been thinking, God, if you would just get me outta this trial, God, if, if 517 00:27:12,570 --> 00:27:18,210 you would just fix my marriage, God, if you would just save my spouse. 518 00:27:18,510 --> 00:27:21,480 If you would just save my kids, then man, think about God. 519 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,100 Think about all the things I could do for you. 520 00:27:23,580 --> 00:27:25,860 Think about how great my life would be if you took away the cancer. 521 00:27:25,860 --> 00:27:30,840 God, Lord, if, if you would just give me a better job so I could support my 522 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,050 family and we weren't living paycheck to paycheck, God, think about how, how 523 00:27:34,050 --> 00:27:35,460 much better I could serve you then. 524 00:27:36,315 --> 00:27:39,975 And Christian this morning, maybe God is saying to you, my grace is sufficient 525 00:27:39,975 --> 00:27:45,495 for you because in my grace to you, in your weakness, in all those things that 526 00:27:45,495 --> 00:27:46,815 you're saying, God, please take this away. 527 00:27:46,995 --> 00:27:51,075 You are having to be dependent upon me in a way that I get all the glory here. 528 00:27:52,155 --> 00:27:55,755 And so Paul's telling or us that, that God had told him, Hey Paul, 529 00:27:55,845 --> 00:27:58,545 my grace is sufficient for you. 530 00:27:58,875 --> 00:28:02,745 Th there's a, a thing, this, this guardian XO company, uh, I think 531 00:28:03,015 --> 00:28:05,085 Sarcos is the, the, the parent company. 532 00:28:05,475 --> 00:28:09,225 They've created a, a robot suit that if you're old enough to remember Robocop, 533 00:28:09,495 --> 00:28:12,250 then uh, hopefully you took some ibuprofen this morning when you got outta bed. 534 00:28:13,245 --> 00:28:18,105 Robocop has, it's almost like that, except it's not fully enclosed, but you get into 535 00:28:18,105 --> 00:28:20,805 this robot suit, right in this robot suit. 536 00:28:20,805 --> 00:28:23,205 It's designed to help you lift heavy things. 537 00:28:23,205 --> 00:28:27,015 It's got mechanics in the legs and in the arms and in the back, and it says 538 00:28:27,015 --> 00:28:30,945 that you can lift up to 200 pounds and it, it feels like nothing in this suit. 539 00:28:32,025 --> 00:28:34,425 And so they're designing this and they're trying to roll it out so that 540 00:28:34,425 --> 00:28:36,765 it's gonna be helpful in warehouses and everything else like that. 541 00:28:37,545 --> 00:28:40,875 But, but here's the thing, y'all with that robot suit, it's this, 542 00:28:40,875 --> 00:28:42,915 it's your body, but the robot's power 543 00:28:45,015 --> 00:28:47,025 God's grace at work in your life. 544 00:28:48,165 --> 00:28:51,135 It's you, but his power, okay? 545 00:28:51,165 --> 00:28:56,145 It's your intellect, it's your personality, it's your body. 546 00:28:56,145 --> 00:28:57,525 It's your actual serving. 547 00:28:58,845 --> 00:29:01,095 It's your compassion, it's your love. 548 00:29:02,265 --> 00:29:03,345 It's your ability to preach and teach. 549 00:29:05,175 --> 00:29:07,665 Uh, God's using you, but it's what? 550 00:29:07,665 --> 00:29:09,195 It's his power doing it. 551 00:29:10,185 --> 00:29:11,265 That's grace. 552 00:29:12,285 --> 00:29:14,625 And that's what God was gonna do through Peter, is Peter's gonna stand 553 00:29:14,625 --> 00:29:17,295 up and preach and thousands of people are gonna come to faith in Jesus. 554 00:29:17,475 --> 00:29:22,275 It's not about Peter, it's why it's not about with the Pope going, Ted, my sheep, 555 00:29:22,275 --> 00:29:23,535 this is about the exaltation of you. 556 00:29:23,535 --> 00:29:24,135 Just like the exalt. 557 00:29:24,165 --> 00:29:25,185 No, it's not. 558 00:29:26,655 --> 00:29:28,905 It's about the exaltation of the grace of God. 559 00:29:29,805 --> 00:29:32,625 But for the grace of God, we've got nothing to bring to the table. 560 00:29:33,735 --> 00:29:36,345 It's God's power working in and through us. 561 00:29:36,525 --> 00:29:37,335 And Paul got that. 562 00:29:37,365 --> 00:29:39,645 'cause later on in one Corinthians 1510, he says, but by the 563 00:29:39,645 --> 00:29:41,625 grace of God, I am what I am. 564 00:29:42,555 --> 00:29:44,445 He doesn't say, look at who I am. 565 00:29:44,715 --> 00:29:45,645 He doesn't say my pedigree. 566 00:29:45,645 --> 00:29:48,315 In fact, he'd already said, that's a bunch of garbage back in Philippians, didn't he? 567 00:29:49,545 --> 00:29:49,695 No. 568 00:29:49,695 --> 00:29:52,695 He says, but by the grace of God is why I am who I am. 569 00:29:53,745 --> 00:29:54,345 Period. 570 00:29:55,845 --> 00:29:57,375 And yet he says this on the contrary. 571 00:29:57,525 --> 00:29:59,835 He said, I, I worked harder than any of them. 572 00:30:00,195 --> 00:30:03,105 God's grace was not in vain because it was working through me. 573 00:30:03,675 --> 00:30:06,825 He says, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but 574 00:30:06,825 --> 00:30:09,495 the grace of God that is with me. 575 00:30:10,935 --> 00:30:13,785 Paul wanted us to know something that we need others to know and that is 576 00:30:13,785 --> 00:30:17,235 this any good that you saw in Paul Paul's like, that's just God's grace. 577 00:30:19,035 --> 00:30:21,735 Christian, any good you see in me is just the grace of God. 578 00:30:22,215 --> 00:30:25,725 Any good that you get from my labors for you is just the grace of God. 579 00:30:26,295 --> 00:30:29,655 Every single room, one of us in this room can say the same. 580 00:30:30,045 --> 00:30:30,615 Thing. 581 00:30:31,095 --> 00:30:34,215 God's not looking for perfectly equipped people to accomplish this 582 00:30:34,215 --> 00:30:36,195 perfect plan because they don't exist. 583 00:30:36,705 --> 00:30:37,665 They don't exist. 584 00:30:38,205 --> 00:30:40,695 There's the old saying in the church, God doesn't call the equipped. 585 00:30:40,695 --> 00:30:41,955 He equips the called. 586 00:30:42,495 --> 00:30:43,995 That's what we're talking about here, y'all. 587 00:30:44,415 --> 00:30:47,175 God's grace coming into your life saying, Hey, here's what I wanna do with you. 588 00:30:47,175 --> 00:30:51,015 I'm gonna be using my power through your life. 589 00:30:51,105 --> 00:30:53,805 Here's the thing, y'all, if I go out and try out for the Texas Rangers, 590 00:30:53,985 --> 00:30:55,155 they're not gonna gimme the time of day. 591 00:30:55,155 --> 00:30:55,545 Why? 592 00:30:56,685 --> 00:30:58,305 Because the last time I played baseball. 593 00:30:59,355 --> 00:31:02,655 On any organized team was when I was a freshman in high school and I, 594 00:31:02,655 --> 00:31:04,575 my position was warming the bench. 595 00:31:05,205 --> 00:31:07,005 I literally made the team, 'cause the coach was like, 596 00:31:07,005 --> 00:31:08,295 burner, you're a good cheerer. 597 00:31:08,985 --> 00:31:10,125 It's like, what does that even mean, coach? 598 00:31:10,125 --> 00:31:11,175 Am I gonna be able to bat? 599 00:31:11,205 --> 00:31:11,625 No. 600 00:31:11,625 --> 00:31:12,285 Okay, cool. 601 00:31:12,285 --> 00:31:13,455 I'll just hang out here. 602 00:31:14,535 --> 00:31:18,495 The last time I played any form of of baseball was softball in our 603 00:31:18,495 --> 00:31:19,875 church team back in California. 604 00:31:20,175 --> 00:31:20,715 You know what I did? 605 00:31:20,835 --> 00:31:23,025 I tripped over first base and broke my shoulder. 606 00:31:25,515 --> 00:31:27,105 Needless to say, I'm not making the rangers. 607 00:31:27,375 --> 00:31:28,755 They're gonna look at me and they're gonna say, get outta here. 608 00:31:28,755 --> 00:31:28,965 Why? 609 00:31:28,965 --> 00:31:31,305 Because I don't have the prerequisites to make the team y'all. 610 00:31:31,305 --> 00:31:33,915 There's no prereq prerequisites to God's grace. 611 00:31:34,455 --> 00:31:35,745 That's what makes it grace. 612 00:31:36,495 --> 00:31:40,785 It's gonna be given to us to be used in his service. 613 00:31:40,785 --> 00:31:43,905 And so here's Peter and Jesus on the beach, and Peter saying to 614 00:31:43,905 --> 00:31:46,545 Jesus, Hey, Lord, I, I love you. 615 00:31:46,755 --> 00:31:51,285 And Jesus saying, great Peter, if you love me, get to work for me. 616 00:31:51,765 --> 00:31:52,185 Serve me. 617 00:31:53,010 --> 00:31:54,510 10 my flock, shepherd the sheep. 618 00:31:55,410 --> 00:31:57,210 Peter, I'm gonna equip you to go do great things for me. 619 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:00,270 In fact, that was gonna be the expression of Peter's love. 620 00:32:01,290 --> 00:32:04,950 And so I wanna encourage you this morning if you're going, okay, I, I love Jesus. 621 00:32:05,310 --> 00:32:06,030 I love Jesus. 622 00:32:06,030 --> 00:32:06,750 Where do I go from here? 623 00:32:06,750 --> 00:32:07,560 What do I do from here? 624 00:32:07,890 --> 00:32:09,660 Uh, part of it's gonna look like serving. 625 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:14,100 Part of, it's gonna look like getting involved in the church and, and serving 626 00:32:14,100 --> 00:32:17,700 in the body of Christ, putting the gifts that he's given you to work for him. 627 00:32:18,390 --> 00:32:20,940 Here's some of the different ways that you can serve here at our church. 628 00:32:20,940 --> 00:32:23,640 We've got set up and tear down greeters and welcome hospitality 629 00:32:24,090 --> 00:32:25,290 ushers, our new facility. 630 00:32:25,290 --> 00:32:28,230 We're gonna have parking needs to, to help direct people into 631 00:32:28,230 --> 00:32:30,180 where we're meeting there, right? 632 00:32:30,420 --> 00:32:33,420 These are ways that you can put God's grace to work, where again, it's, 633 00:32:33,420 --> 00:32:36,120 it's gonna be your body, especially if you're on set and tear down, 634 00:32:36,990 --> 00:32:39,270 but God's power in and through you. 635 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:45,420 Other ways you can serve tech, worship it gatekeepers, students, kids ministry. 636 00:32:45,810 --> 00:32:48,660 Gatekeepers is our security team, our our medical teams. 637 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,470 Those are ways that you can serve, that you can get plugged in. 638 00:32:52,555 --> 00:32:57,000 And, and, and can I just talk with you for just a second, I know that 639 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,940 there are, are men and women in the church who are immensely gifted 640 00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:01,290 with different, different gifts. 641 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:03,480 And here's the thing. 642 00:33:03,690 --> 00:33:06,060 Maybe you're sitting out there and what's keeping you from serving 643 00:33:06,060 --> 00:33:08,160 in one of these ways this morning is you're thinking, yeah, but I 644 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:09,420 want to lead a community group. 645 00:33:10,620 --> 00:33:13,205 I don't wanna set up stage pieces. 646 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:18,270 I want to teach because I feel like I've been gifted towards that end. 647 00:33:19,020 --> 00:33:20,430 And I'm not saying that you're not. 648 00:33:20,460 --> 00:33:24,090 But I will also tell you this, we don't go from zero to a hundred 649 00:33:24,090 --> 00:33:26,730 with anybody in this church, okay? 650 00:33:27,300 --> 00:33:31,230 We are very slow to lay hands on anyone and put them in a position where 651 00:33:31,230 --> 00:33:32,550 somebody in our flock could get hurt. 652 00:33:34,110 --> 00:33:37,950 So we want to get to know you and we wanna see you first say, 653 00:33:37,950 --> 00:33:39,780 Hey, we're we're, let me jump on. 654 00:33:39,780 --> 00:33:40,860 Lemme set up stage pieces. 655 00:33:41,835 --> 00:33:43,875 Let me tear down the piping drape. 656 00:33:44,385 --> 00:33:45,255 Lemme tow a trailer. 657 00:33:46,005 --> 00:33:48,165 Let me serve back on the, the soundboard. 658 00:33:49,425 --> 00:33:53,265 We love to see you get involved in that, but I don't wanna just narrow 659 00:33:53,265 --> 00:33:55,665 the, the grace of God at working our lives down to Sunday mornings. 660 00:33:56,565 --> 00:33:58,936 God's grace shows up and equips us outside the church too. 661 00:34:00,764 --> 00:34:03,405 Does God's grace help you love your spouse? 662 00:34:04,455 --> 00:34:06,014 Some of y'all are nodding too hard on that one. 663 00:34:07,605 --> 00:34:08,565 Absolutely it does. 664 00:34:09,150 --> 00:34:11,159 Parents, everybody can nod hard on this one. 665 00:34:11,489 --> 00:34:12,449 Does God's grace help you? 666 00:34:12,449 --> 00:34:13,469 Love your kids? 667 00:34:13,889 --> 00:34:16,800 Uhhuh right church. 668 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,320 Does God's grace help you battle and fight temptation? 669 00:34:20,820 --> 00:34:25,620 It does see God's grace that equips us to be useful to him is 670 00:34:25,620 --> 00:34:27,090 not just about Sunday morning. 671 00:34:28,260 --> 00:34:29,310 It's about our whole life. 672 00:34:30,330 --> 00:34:33,900 He's merciful towards us 'cause he has a purpose and that purpose is realizing 673 00:34:33,900 --> 00:34:35,159 how he equips us with his grace. 674 00:34:35,159 --> 00:34:37,080 Just like he's done here with Peter. 675 00:34:38,835 --> 00:34:41,565 If God's been gracious to you, the reason is, is that he wants to use 676 00:34:41,565 --> 00:34:46,815 you, an imperfect person to accomplish his perfect plan, which leads to 677 00:34:46,815 --> 00:34:49,755 our, our final point, which is really the culmination of all these things. 678 00:34:50,145 --> 00:34:54,135 Listen, if, if my existence is because of the mercy of God and the grace of 679 00:34:54,135 --> 00:34:56,925 God, then it only makes sense that it's for the glory of God, right? 680 00:34:57,795 --> 00:34:58,935 And that's our final point this morning. 681 00:34:58,935 --> 00:35:00,435 Be a billboard for God's glory. 682 00:35:01,335 --> 00:35:03,555 Be a billboard for God's glory. 683 00:35:05,115 --> 00:35:06,285 One Corinthians chapter one. 684 00:35:06,870 --> 00:35:09,330 The Apostle Paul there says this. 685 00:35:09,390 --> 00:35:13,590 He says, God chose what is low and despised in the world. 686 00:35:13,590 --> 00:35:15,600 Even the things that are not to bring to nothing. 687 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:19,170 The things that are, here's the kicker so that no human being 688 00:35:19,170 --> 00:35:20,640 might boast in the presence of God. 689 00:35:21,780 --> 00:35:22,770 That's it right there, y'all. 690 00:35:24,930 --> 00:35:27,030 That's why we need to be quick to say, man, anything good you 691 00:35:27,030 --> 00:35:29,520 see in me is only in me because of the mercy and grace of God. 692 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:30,930 It's him. 693 00:35:30,990 --> 00:35:31,980 It's not me, it's him. 694 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:33,570 It's him. 695 00:35:34,890 --> 00:35:38,100 How many times do you think Peter told this story after 696 00:35:38,100 --> 00:35:40,320 this, I imagine quite a bit. 697 00:35:40,950 --> 00:35:45,180 I mean, Peter died in in the sixties Ad John, he's writing this 60 698 00:35:45,180 --> 00:35:47,010 years later and it stuck with him. 699 00:35:47,070 --> 00:35:48,390 It was that impactful. 700 00:35:49,230 --> 00:35:55,770 He's the only gospel writer that puts this in because this was so impactful to him. 701 00:35:56,010 --> 00:35:57,750 Imagine back to the robot suit, right? 702 00:35:57,780 --> 00:36:02,190 I, I imagine going to a presentation and, and they're gonna show the robot 703 00:36:02,190 --> 00:36:04,350 suit off, and they're gonna try to convince you why you should buy it. 704 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:07,500 But imagine the guy that's wearing the suit walks up and they've, they've 705 00:36:07,500 --> 00:36:08,760 got a 200 pound deadlift there. 706 00:36:08,910 --> 00:36:10,410 I don't lift, so I don't know if that's heavy. 707 00:36:10,530 --> 00:36:12,660 So if it's not heavy and you're like, bro, come on, do you even lift? 708 00:36:12,660 --> 00:36:13,140 I don't. 709 00:36:13,140 --> 00:36:13,890 So I don't know. 710 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:16,170 But the robot's supposed to lift 200 pounds. 711 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:17,700 So he comes up to this 200 pound deadlift. 712 00:36:17,700 --> 00:36:20,280 He goes down and he does this 200 pound deadlift, and he puts it down. 713 00:36:20,580 --> 00:36:23,310 Then imagine the guy gets outta the robot suit and just starts 714 00:36:23,310 --> 00:36:24,720 flexing in front of the crowd. 715 00:36:26,565 --> 00:36:28,365 Imagine being like, oh, look, did you see? 716 00:36:28,605 --> 00:36:29,265 Look at me. 717 00:36:29,565 --> 00:36:30,855 Did you see what I just did there? 718 00:36:30,855 --> 00:36:32,445 Did you see how easy that was for me? 719 00:36:32,715 --> 00:36:34,125 I just made that look like nothing. 720 00:36:34,125 --> 00:36:35,415 Look how awesome I am. 721 00:36:35,415 --> 00:36:36,615 What's the problem with that? 722 00:36:39,045 --> 00:36:39,735 It's twofold. 723 00:36:40,935 --> 00:36:42,705 One, you're gonna look at him and say, what are you talking about? 724 00:36:42,705 --> 00:36:43,275 You didn't do it. 725 00:36:45,315 --> 00:36:48,585 And two, that company's gonna fire that guy real fast. 726 00:36:49,665 --> 00:36:50,085 Why? 727 00:36:50,535 --> 00:36:52,905 Because he's not making the robots who look very good is he? 728 00:36:54,255 --> 00:36:59,325 He's taken the glory that's due, the one that made it possible in the first place. 729 00:37:01,005 --> 00:37:01,694 Church, 730 00:37:04,484 --> 00:37:08,025 we can't boast in such a way that the grace of God seems like it's 731 00:37:08,025 --> 00:37:09,615 totally unnecessary in our lives. 732 00:37:11,955 --> 00:37:14,295 If somebody looks at the way that we serve and is more impressed 733 00:37:14,295 --> 00:37:17,174 with us than they are with the God that we serve, there's a problem. 734 00:37:19,245 --> 00:37:21,315 We're not being vocal enough. 735 00:37:22,230 --> 00:37:25,500 God's not looking for people who put out a front that they've got it all together. 736 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,980 God's not looking for people who look perfect. 737 00:37:28,980 --> 00:37:32,760 He's looking for people like Peter and Paul who are all too aware of 738 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,120 their brokenness and thus all the more aware of his glorious enabling 739 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:37,560 presence and power in their lives. 740 00:37:37,770 --> 00:37:39,360 That's who he wants to use this morning. 741 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:40,920 And that's all of us in this room. 742 00:37:41,730 --> 00:37:42,510 If we'll get there, 743 00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:46,680 y'all. 744 00:37:46,685 --> 00:37:48,030 Does the, the world know. 745 00:37:48,975 --> 00:37:52,725 That any good they get from us is only because of the grace and mercy of God. 746 00:37:55,395 --> 00:37:59,715 Matthew five 14 through 16, Jesus said this, you are the light of the world. 747 00:37:59,865 --> 00:38:03,465 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it 748 00:38:03,465 --> 00:38:06,705 under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 749 00:38:07,095 --> 00:38:11,475 In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they 750 00:38:11,475 --> 00:38:16,365 may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven. 751 00:38:17,775 --> 00:38:21,735 Man, if, if people look at us again and say, man, how great we are, 752 00:38:22,305 --> 00:38:25,515 instead of, man, how great is God, then we are not boasting in the 753 00:38:25,515 --> 00:38:27,735 glory and mercy of God nearly enough. 754 00:38:29,565 --> 00:38:30,885 This is where we have to be. 755 00:38:30,885 --> 00:38:31,455 Vocal. 756 00:38:31,605 --> 00:38:35,025 Church, this is where we gotta, we gotta talk. 757 00:38:35,565 --> 00:38:39,885 We gotta give God the glory and the praise more than just passively going. 758 00:38:39,885 --> 00:38:41,745 Well, of course he gets the glory and the praise. 759 00:38:42,045 --> 00:38:42,315 Listen. 760 00:38:43,170 --> 00:38:45,705 I, I, I think that's something that, that we could all excel 761 00:38:45,705 --> 00:38:47,025 so more in and do better. 762 00:38:49,995 --> 00:38:52,935 If a running back crosses the plane of the end zone and points up to give 763 00:38:52,935 --> 00:38:56,595 glory to God, how much more should we, as the church be praising God for the 764 00:38:56,595 --> 00:39:00,045 promotion, praising God for the birth of that baby, praising God for the way that 765 00:39:00,045 --> 00:39:03,255 he came through in that relationship, praising God for the reconciliation, 766 00:39:03,255 --> 00:39:05,325 the healing of the cancer in our bodies? 767 00:39:05,325 --> 00:39:07,485 How much more should we be praising God? 768 00:39:07,485 --> 00:39:10,095 Be verbal and vocal about all of those things. 769 00:39:13,950 --> 00:39:18,660 We need to be praising God out loud, talking about how he took a wretch and 770 00:39:18,660 --> 00:39:20,430 made him a son or made her a daughter. 771 00:39:22,410 --> 00:39:26,160 Man, God came through, God took the cancer away, or maybe he didn't 772 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:27,299 and we're still gonna praise God. 773 00:39:27,330 --> 00:39:28,290 'cause we're gonna say, you know what? 774 00:39:28,529 --> 00:39:32,370 God comforted me and gave me a peace right now that surpasses understanding. 775 00:39:33,390 --> 00:39:36,420 So when you're looking at me right now going, how are you not losing it? 776 00:39:36,779 --> 00:39:39,060 It's only because of God and His grace and his mercy in my life. 777 00:39:41,295 --> 00:39:42,885 We need to be praising God saying, and you know what? 778 00:39:42,885 --> 00:39:45,645 My marriage was on the ropes for a while, but God was so 779 00:39:45,645 --> 00:39:47,055 kind to us and gracious to us. 780 00:39:47,055 --> 00:39:48,075 He restored our marriage. 781 00:39:50,175 --> 00:39:51,525 We need to be transparent. 782 00:39:51,525 --> 00:39:52,365 We need to say, Hey, you know what? 783 00:39:52,515 --> 00:39:56,805 God was so kind to show me my pride, to show me my anger, to show me my 784 00:39:56,805 --> 00:40:02,685 lust, and, and God was so gracious to me to help me overcome those things 785 00:40:02,775 --> 00:40:04,695 and to find true freedom in Christ. 786 00:40:04,965 --> 00:40:08,565 God was so merciful to, to me, not to just wipe me off the face of the earth. 787 00:40:08,955 --> 00:40:12,165 Even though I deserved it, countless times over and over and over again, 788 00:40:13,755 --> 00:40:16,545 y'all, we need to open up and not try to look like we've got it all together. 789 00:40:18,045 --> 00:40:19,965 'cause when we're broken, God gets the glory. 790 00:40:21,225 --> 00:40:25,275 When people look at us and they go, man, you, you, I wouldn't choose you. 791 00:40:26,715 --> 00:40:30,465 You say, I wouldn't choose me either, but praise God, he did. 792 00:40:34,380 --> 00:40:38,850 Y'all be, sometimes we ask a question in the church, Hey, how are you doing? 793 00:40:39,240 --> 00:40:41,370 And there's this response that's kind of taken root in 794 00:40:41,370 --> 00:40:43,170 the church, better than I, what? 795 00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:45,660 Yeah, a few of you got it. 796 00:40:45,810 --> 00:40:46,890 Better than I deserve. 797 00:40:46,890 --> 00:40:47,730 Right? 798 00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:49,410 Better than I deserve. 799 00:40:50,370 --> 00:40:53,190 Which is always hard to respond to that after somebody says that. 800 00:40:53,670 --> 00:40:54,270 It's like, you're right. 801 00:40:54,270 --> 00:40:56,160 I totally think that you've got it better than you deserve. 802 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:58,020 You don't deserve anything that you have right now. 803 00:40:59,580 --> 00:41:01,260 I don't even know why I'm talking to you. 804 00:41:02,190 --> 00:41:03,660 You don't even deserve this conversation. 805 00:41:05,970 --> 00:41:06,270 No. 806 00:41:07,140 --> 00:41:09,150 Maybe we should normalize though, when somebody comes up to us, I, 807 00:41:09,150 --> 00:41:11,910 we've, it's been a common refrain that, that Pastor Rod and I have been 808 00:41:11,910 --> 00:41:12,930 asked this question a couple times. 809 00:41:13,170 --> 00:41:15,150 Hey, we don't know what to do when somebody comes up 810 00:41:15,150 --> 00:41:16,200 and says, thank you to us. 811 00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,170 A any y'all in the room feel awkward when somebody thankss you for something. 812 00:41:20,460 --> 00:41:21,300 A couple of you are honest. 813 00:41:21,300 --> 00:41:24,300 The rest of you, you can repent from being lying liars later. 814 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:26,370 It's awkward, isn't it? 815 00:41:26,370 --> 00:41:27,270 I mean, let's just be honest. 816 00:41:27,270 --> 00:41:27,810 It's awkward. 817 00:41:28,305 --> 00:41:28,755 Because why? 818 00:41:28,755 --> 00:41:31,185 Because you, you don't want to come across as well. 819 00:41:31,575 --> 00:41:32,115 You're welcome. 820 00:41:34,270 --> 00:41:39,045 You, you, you want to, you want to receive it graciously, right? 821 00:41:39,915 --> 00:41:41,205 What if we normalized it this way? 822 00:41:41,235 --> 00:41:43,545 What if when somebody said, Hey, thank you for such and such. 823 00:41:43,545 --> 00:41:44,535 You said, Hey, you know what? 824 00:41:44,535 --> 00:41:47,055 You're welcome, but any good that you've received from me is only 825 00:41:47,085 --> 00:41:48,285 because of the grace and mercy of God. 826 00:41:50,385 --> 00:41:51,345 Man, that'd be awesome, 827 00:41:53,565 --> 00:41:55,035 especially in the secular environment. 828 00:41:56,355 --> 00:41:57,525 Imagine one of your coworkers. 829 00:41:57,750 --> 00:42:00,030 It says, Hey, thanks for helping me out with that project. 830 00:42:00,030 --> 00:42:02,490 That was, that was super helpful for, for you to chip in like that. 831 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:03,390 Hey, you know what? 832 00:42:03,390 --> 00:42:04,170 You're welcome. 833 00:42:04,230 --> 00:42:07,440 But can I just tell you any good that you've gotten from me at any point in time 834 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:10,890 in our relationship as as coworkers, I just need you to know it's only because 835 00:42:10,890 --> 00:42:12,270 of God's grace and mercy in my life. 836 00:42:14,970 --> 00:42:16,530 We should certainly normalize it with each other. 837 00:42:19,740 --> 00:42:24,000 There's a song that we sing all sufficient merit, and one 838 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:25,260 of the verses there says this. 839 00:42:26,415 --> 00:42:30,615 Speaking of being a billboard for God's glory, he says, I lay down my 840 00:42:30,615 --> 00:42:39,165 garments in any empty boast, good works, now, all corrupted by the sinful 841 00:42:39,165 --> 00:42:42,435 host, meaning anything that I would do, that I would consider is good 842 00:42:42,495 --> 00:42:46,125 in myself, is corrupted by who I am, 843 00:42:48,915 --> 00:42:51,495 but I'm dressed in my Lord Jesus. 844 00:42:52,605 --> 00:42:55,125 A crimson robe made white. 845 00:42:56,505 --> 00:42:58,515 No more fear of judgment. 846 00:42:59,295 --> 00:43:02,475 His righteousness is mine. 847 00:43:03,975 --> 00:43:10,245 And Peter knew that in such a palpable, tangible way on that 848 00:43:10,245 --> 00:43:11,355 beach with Jesus that morning. 849 00:43:13,875 --> 00:43:16,725 He didn't deserve restoration. 850 00:43:18,675 --> 00:43:20,265 He deserved obliteration. 851 00:43:22,785 --> 00:43:28,815 But he received God's mercy and he received God's grace for God's glory. 852 00:43:33,285 --> 00:43:36,285 Jesus uses imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plan. 853 00:43:39,465 --> 00:43:44,415 Jesus asks that question, Peter, do you love me more than anyone else loves me? 854 00:43:47,654 --> 00:43:49,455 How could Peter say yes to that question? 855 00:43:52,215 --> 00:43:54,405 How can I say yes to that question? 856 00:44:01,125 --> 00:44:05,235 None of us are perfect in this room, so how can we dare say, God, I love 857 00:44:05,235 --> 00:44:06,975 you more than anyone else does. 858 00:44:09,750 --> 00:44:11,295 I love you to the fullest. 859 00:44:14,415 --> 00:44:19,305 The only answer is God's mercy and God's grace for God's glory. 860 00:44:21,855 --> 00:44:22,815 Because of those things. 861 00:44:22,815 --> 00:44:27,855 God takes imperfect people like us and uses us to accomplish his 862 00:44:27,855 --> 00:44:30,705 perfect plan for his eternal glory. 863 00:44:31,155 --> 00:44:32,895 Will you stand with me as we pray together?