A Restoration Story (Part 2)

In this room, you like to do projects.

Sometimes it's a restoration project.

Why do you do it?

Why do you go to all that trouble?

I talked to someone last week who was involved in restoring a house

because they want to live in it.

It's an old house, it's got a lot of character, they said,

and they're working hard to restore it to live in it.

Some of you may have restored a car, an old car, a classic maybe.

Because you want to drive it.

Maybe you want to take it to a car show.

People who go to the trouble of that kind of work, restoring things.

They do it for a reason.

They have a purpose for that work.

You know, God is the same way.

God is in the business of restoring fallen and broken people

because He's not finished with them.

I want you to think about it.

When God makes a person His,

when God works to call a person to Himself

by trusting in Jesus as their Savior and Lord,

He makes them His son or daughter.

God will never wash His hands of them.

No matter what,

God will love,

He will care,

He will intervene.

Sometimes He will make His child's life miserable

to get their attention,

to wake them up,

to bring them back to Himself.

But God never gives up.

Our God is in the restoring life,

restoring business.

And every person He restores,

He has a purpose for.

He has something,

when we fail Him and come back to Him,

He has something for us to do.

He wants us to serve Him.

But what I want us to really think about this morning,

He wants us to serve Him from a heart of love.

Now we saw last week how God rescues people.

For example, in John chapter 21,

John 21 · chapter mention

when Jesus restored Peter.

Now I want you to turn back with me.

John chapter 21,

John 21 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 15.

This is part two of a three-part series

on a restoration story.

All coming from John chapter 21.

John 21 · chapter mention

Let's read.

When they had finished breakfast,

Jesus said to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of John,

do you love me more than these?

Remember from last week,

this is a breakfast around an open fire

with seven disciples,

six Peter and six more.

And so He says,

do you love me more than these guys?

He said to him,

that is Peter,

yes, Lord,

you know that I love you.

He said to him,

feed my lambs.

He said to him a second time,

Simon, son of John,

do you love me?

Peter said to him,

yes, Lord,

you know that I love you.

He said to him,

tend my sheep.

feed my sheep.

He said to him the third time,

Simon, son of John,

do you love me?

Peter was grieved

because he said to him

the third time,

do you love me?

And he said to him,

Lord,

you know everything.

You know

that I love you.

And Jesus said to him,

feed my sheep.

Truly,

truly,

I say to you,

when you were young,

you used to dress yourself

and walk wherever you wanted.

But when you were old,

you will stretch out your hands

and another will dress you

and carry you

where you do not want to go.

This he said to show

by what kind of death

he,

that is Peter,

was going to glorify God.

And after saying this,

he said to him,

follow me.

And we're really going to get into that

verse 18 and 19 next week.

What I want us to see first,

sort of a quick review

from last week.

Our Lord is in the restoration business.

Jesus took the initiative

to reach out to Peter.

Peter had failed Jesus

the night that he was arrested

by denying that he even knew him.

He did it not once,

not twice,

but three times.

Well,

you can imagine how Peter felt

when he realized what he'd done.

But Jesus right here,

he reaches out to Peter

to publicly let the other disciples know

it's all right now.

Peter,

he denied me three times.

I'm making him say three times

that he loves me.

To let the others know

Peter's forgiven.

He's been restored now

to fellowship with Jesus.

He's now trustworthy again.

And this is Jesus' way

of restoring him

to be the leader of disciples.

Now, he is a leader among equals.

Peter is not special.

He's not unique among the 12

in terms of giving any kind

of special authority or power.

He is simply the leader

among equals in this group.

This is just one example

of how God never gives up

on his fallen or broken children.

A lot of you,

you've read through the Bible,

you've read a lot of the Bible,

you know that throughout the Bible,

there are story after story

of people who sinned against God,

who failed him miserably,

but God brought them back.

I've been teaching a study

of chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews

on Wednesday nights

called Models of Faith.

Hebrews chapter 11,

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

it's a long list

of men and women

from the Old Testament

who are being held up

as real examples

of people who trusted God

and just lived faithful lives

serving God.

But you know,

every single one of those people,

every single one

in that long list

of Hebrews 11,

they also failed God.

If you go back

and read about every one of them,

some of them are more

well known and remembered

because of their sin,

because of their failure,

not because of their faithfulness,

but in the big scheme of things,

they're being held up as examples.

Fallen, broken, imperfect people

that God didn't give up on,

but worked in their lives

to bring them back

after they had fallen.

And they've become examples

of faithfulness.

That encourages me.

It should encourage each one of us

because we do fail the Lord

in a lot of ways, don't we?

And if you don't really understand

how you fail God

more often than

you really feel comfortable

talking about,

if you don't find that

and ring a bell with you,

something's wrong.

It could be that you don't have

a high enough view of God

and His holiness

and His perfection,

His majesty.

Maybe you've got too high

of an opinion of yourself.

You don't really understand

how you don't love Him

with all your heart,

soul, mind, and strength,

which is how we're supposed

to love Him.

And so,

most of us in this room,

I think,

we don't have a problem

understanding.

I fail the Lord a lot.

I don't live up to

what I know.

I don't always put into practice

what I truly believe.

And so,

to hear all these stories,

to read all these stories

about how God doesn't give up on us,

how He doesn't throw us away,

how He works to bring us

back to Himself

and restore us,

that should be encouraging

to us.

You know,

back in that Hebrews chapter 11,

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

King David,

he is probably the most well-known

of those who were restored

from failure.

David failed God terribly

when he committed adultery

with Bathsheba,

then tried to cover it up

by having her husband killed.

What made David's moral

and spiritual failure so bad

is that he knew better.

He knew he was wrong.

That was wrong

from the very beginning.

You know,

that's just sort of a

reminder.

Most of the time,

just about all the times,

our problems are not

that we don't know.

Isn't that right?

Our problem is not

that we don't know

what we ought to do

or what we ought not to do.

We know.

Our problem is

doing what we know.

And that was David's problem.

I want you to notice

Paul,

the Apostle Paul,

he quotes a passage

of Scripture

in the Old Testament

to describe David

as a man

after God's heart.

Look at it on the screen.

It's in Acts chapter 13

Acts 13 · chapter mention

and he is quoting

from the Old Testament.

1 Samuel chapter 13.

1 Samuel 13 · chapter mention

Look at it.

God raised David up

to be their king

of whom he testified

and said,

I have found in David

the son of Jesse

a man after my own heart

who will do all my will.

David was truly

a man of God.

But that didn't prevent him

from failure.

That didn't make him

immune from temptation.

David was tempted

this man after God's heart.

He was tempted

to give in to sexual immorality

and he did.

He was tempted

to try to cover up

his sin

by killing someone

and he did.

David failed God

in a very public

and shameful way

and he knew better.

But God didn't give up on him.

God actually worked

in his life.

It took some time.

But God actually worked

in David's life

to bring him

to a point

where

he realized

just how

terrible

his sin was.

And he was humbled.

He was broken.

And he truly

repented of that sin

and turned from it

and changed his mind

about it.

You can read about that

in 2 Samuel chapter 11 and 12.

2 Samuel 11 · chapter mention

David humbly

and sincerely

confessed his sin

to God

sought God's forgiveness

he sought to be restored.

And he wrote about that

in Psalm 51.

Here's what

some people may need

to hear right now.

God will

God desires

to restore us

when we fail him

if we will humbly

confess our sins

and come back to him

with a renewed

commitment

renewed faith

and trust

and confidence

in him.

But let's move on

in Peter's story

and see what follows

the restoration.

Number two

our Lord's restoration

is both relational

and practical.

What happened

around that breakfast

campfire

is intended

to show us

that first

first

Peter was restored

to a loving

relationship

with Jesus

and then secondly

he was

recommissioned

to serve

the Lord.

You think about

what you're seeing

there

is what we've read.

Love is the one

thing that Jesus

questioned Peter

about

before he

commissioned him

to serve him

again.

Jesus

kept at Peter

emphasizing

the relational

nature

of what

needed to happen.

Peter

do you love me?

Do you love me?

Do you love me?

It's only when he

responds yes

that he says

then feed my sheep

take care of these

I'm giving to you.

Restoring Peter

to a loving

relationship

with himself

was Jesus'

first priority.

Love is the

indispensable

quality

of our Christian

faith.

Look with me.

Our relationship

with the Lord

is built

on the foundation

of love.

I want you to

understand

our relationship

with the Lord

is built

on the foundation

of love.

I think

sometimes

we put too

much emphasis

on serving

God

and not enough

emphasis on

loving God.

You think

with me.

there's a lot

of people

in our church

who are involved

in some area

of ministry

doing certain

things

a variety

of things

in our

service to God

and that's good

we should

but think

with me.

Can't you

teach a lesson

sing a song

complete a

project

meet

someone's

need

and not

think so

much about

why we're

doing it

and maybe

not even

think so much

about we're

doing it

because we

love the

Lord and

we're seeking

to honor Him

with our

service.

Let's be

real honest

now.

Standing up

here and

preaching a

sermon

that can be

an ego

trip.

you standing

up in front

of a Sunday

school class

teaching or

standing up

here singing

a song

that can go

to your head.

It can be

your stage

your opportunity

to perform.

now I

figured out

this weekend

that my

granddaughter

is the

smartest

stone

of all

because

she told

me

Friday

when I

was singing

one of my

songs

she said

you ought

to be on

the stage

didn't she

listen

smartest

stone

best ear

of all

but here's

the thing

we can

serve God

in visible

ways

meaningful

ways

helpful

ways

but God's

not really a

part of what

we are doing

as we do

it.

It's all

about us

or all

about

something

else

besides

Him.

We need

to understand

that before

we preach

or teach

or sing

or do a

project

or meet

a need

our motivation

needs to be

right

in order for

it to really

count in

terms of

honoring God

and serving

His purpose.

Kent Hughes

points out in his

book on John

commenting on

this section

of Scripture

by quoting

Roy Hessian

about what

I'm talking

about.

I want you

to look with

me at what

he says.

He says

to concentrate

on service

and activity

for God

may often

actively

thwart

our attaining

of the true

goal

God Himself.

At first sight

it seems heroic

to fling

ourselves away

in the service

of God

and of our

fellows.

We feel

it is bound

to mean

more to

Him

than our

experience

of Him.

Service

seems so

unselfish

whereas

concentrating

on our

walk with

God

seems selfish

and self-centered

but it is

really the

very reverse.

The things

that God

is most

concerned about

are our

coldness

of heart

towards

Himself

and our

proud

unbroken

natures.

Christian service

of itself

can

and so

often

does

leave

our

self-centered

nature

untouched.

That's what

I was talking

about.

We can do

what we do

and it's all

about

me

and there's

no love

for somebody

else.

We can

still be

jealous

and envious.

We can

still be

proud.

We can

still be

just

unconcerned

about those

we are

up before

trying to

serve

and not

even think

even about

what we're

doing.

It's supposed

to be

for the

Lord.

God is

most

concerned

that we

know

Him

and love

Him

and He

wants us

to do

what we

do from

a relationship

of love

for Him.

You know,

this is really

taught and

illustrated

throughout the

Bible.

The Bible

is not

just a

rule book.

Some people

think that it

is.

It's not.

The Bible

in telling

us how

God wants

us to

live

tells us

before anything

else

how God

wants us

to relate

to Him

in a

relationship

of love.

One of

the earliest

confessions

of the

Jewish people

is found

in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6:4

chapter 6

verses 4

and 5.

Some of

you know

it's called

the Shema.

It's

something that

good Jews

in Jesus'

day

repeated

twice a

day.

They

memorized it.

But it

was something

they were

supposed to

to hear,

to believe,

to memorize,

and to

take with

them as

they went

into the

promised

land to

guide them

how to

be God's

people.

Look at

it.

Hear, O

Israel,

the Lord

our God,

the Lord

is one.

You shall

love the

Lord your

God with

all your

heart,

with all

your soul,

with all

your might.

The focus

is God's

people.

Focus on

loving Him,

our one

and only

God.

Well,

Jesus

stressed this

priority

this

priority

of loving

God by

declaring it

to be the

greatest

commandment.

For an

example,

in Matthew

Matthew 22 · chapter mention

chapter 22,

a teacher

or somebody

came up to

Jesus and

addressed Him

as teacher,

teacher,

which is the

greatest

commandment,

which is the

great commandment

in the law?

And He said,

that is Jesus

to Him.

You shall

love the

Lord your

God with

all your

heart,

with all

your soul,

with all

your mind.

This is the

great and

first commandment.

Again,

Jesus is

reinforcing it.

Love God.

And then,

Jesus

illustrated the

priority of a

relationship over

service in the

home of two of

His friends,

two sisters,

Martha and

Mary.

It's found in

Luke's Gospel

chapter 10.

Martha was

working in the

kitchen, actually

preparing a meal

for Jesus.

Mary, as

Martha, her

sister, was

working, Mary was

sitting at the

feet of Jesus,

listening to Him

teach, the

passage tells

us.

Well, that

bothered Mary.

Made her mad.

She got upset.

Look at how Luke

describes it.

Chapter 10,

verse 40,

I'm reading from

the New Living

Translation.

But Martha was

distracted by the

big dinner she was

preparing.

She came to Jesus

and said,

Lord, doesn't it

seem unfair to you

that my sister just

sits here while I do

all that work?

Tell her to come

and help me.

Doesn't that sound

like a child?

That's not fair.

That's what really

happened between two

grown adults.

Notice how Jesus

responds, verses 41

and 42.

But the Lord said

to her, my dear

Martha, you are

worried and upset

over all these

details.

There's only one

thing worth being

concerned about.

Mary has discovered

it and it will not

be taken away from

her.

Now, understand,

Jesus was not

discounting what

Martha was doing.

What she was doing

was important.

He was going to

benefit from it.

She was fixing

dinner and he was

going to eat it.

So he's certainly

not complaining.

But what he is

doing here, he is

explaining to Martha,

Mary's got it right.

Mary understands the

priority of a

relationship with me

over just doing

something for me.

God wants us to be

doers.

The whole theme of

the book of James is

be a doer of God's

word.

God wants us to

serve him from a

motivation of love.

Service is important.

We're going to look

at it next week.

But God does not

want us to serve

him like a slave or

like an employee.

God wants us to

understand we're his

children.

He wants us to have

such a loving

relationship with him

as our father that we

do what we do for him

motivated by a love

for our father.

We're working as

children, not hired

hands.

That's what we need

to think when it

comes to service.

For right now, I

want us to think, if

we were in Peter's

place, I want you to

think, just imagine

for a moment, you

are face to face

with Jesus.

Imagine him looking

you in the eye and

asking you, do you

love me?

What do you think

you'd say?

How would you

respond?

Would you be able

to respond like

Peter?

Lord, you know

everything.

You know the

truth.

You know that I

love you.

Would that be

true?

Would you want it

to be true?

God, you

know what I

love you?

How can we make

our love for the

Lord the highest

priority of our

life?

Well, if that's

going to happen, if

loving him is going

to become our number

one priority, we've

got to first be totally

honest about where our

love relationship with

him is right now.

If you're going to

start loving Jesus with

all your heart, you've

got to stop right now

and think, what do I

love with all my heart

if it's not him?

Or who is first in my

life if it is not him?

And settle that.

But if we want to

grow in our love for

him, we're going to

have to spend time with

him.

You think about the

people in your life

that you have a good,

close, loving

relationship with.

How did that come

about?

Didn't it come about

because you started

spending time with

them?

You got to know

them?

You got invested

with them?

They got invested

with you?

It took time, but you

developed a loving

relationship.

And you have good

fellowship with them

because you've developed

it over time.

How much time have you

actually spent with the

Lord this past week?

Think about it,

seriously.

How much time have you

spent with the Lord

this past month?

Truth is, we spend

time with those we

love.

Now we may not get to

spend all the time we

want, but we make at

least some time for the

people in our life that

we really love and care

about.

We all do.

And if we love the

Lord and we want to

have a healthy and

growing relationship

with Him, we'll make

time for Him.

We may have to cut out

some other things, but

we'll make time for Him

a priority.

We need to make sure

that when Jesus asks us,

do you love me?

We will be able to say,

Lord, you know all

things.

You know I love you.

You know, the main

focus of this passage

and this message is that

God will restore His

fallen children who

come back to Him.

And that includes you

right now if you are

away from Him.

The way back to Him,

the way to have a

right relationship with

Him is the same for

everyone.

Admit that you are

away from Him.

Confess the sin that

has caused this

problem.

Change your mind

about it.

Turn from it.

Turn from the

selfishness.

Turn from the

worldly attitude.

whatever it is.

Humble yourself

before the Lord as

you confess and turn

from your sin.

And then trust Jesus.

Trust that He has

paid the penalty for

your sin.

You don't have to do

penance.

You don't have to try

to undo what you've

done.

You don't have to try

to work your way back

over a period of

several days or months

to be right with the

Lord.

Once you realize you're

away from Him,

whatever the reason,

if you'll just stop

and admit it,

humble yourself,

turn from it,

and just trust Jesus

has already paid the

penalty for that sin.

Acknowledge that.

Thank Him for that.

Renew your commitment

to living in obedience

to Him.

Showing your love to

Him.

Scripture is real

clear.

If we confess our sins,

He is faithful and just

to forgive us and to

cleanse us from all

unrighteousness.

He'll give us a fresh

start.

And when He gives you

that fresh start,

ask God to give you the

desire and the ability

to obey Him day by day,

situation by situation,

so that you can just

walk in a real relationship

and have good fellowship

with Him every day.

Now, if you are living

in a right relationship

with the Lord this morning,

just thank Him.

Thank Him for the grace

that has allowed you

to do that.

Stay close to Him

by spending time with Him

in His Word,

in prayer,

listening to Him

as He speaks through

His Word,

talking to Him

as you pray.

That's what prayer is.

We all need to learn

to stay in a close

relationship,

being sensitive to

the Spirit of God

who indwells us,

and then obeying

the Holy Spirit

as He prompts us

to obey God,

to resist the temptation,

to do what we do

from a motivation

of love.

Final thought.

Do you love Jesus?

What does

He say

as He examines

your heart?

Let's pray together.

Father,

Father,

show us now

just where we are

in our relationship

with You.

Father,

if there are people

in this room

who do not know You,

so work in them

to help them

to understand that,

that their sin

separates them

from You.

And so work,

dear God,

to give them

a true desire

to be forgiven,

to be made right

with You.

Help them,

dear God,

to not just confess

and agree with You

over their sin,

but to turn from it,

to change their mind,

to grieve over it.

And help them

to understand,

Father,

that when Jesus

died on the cross,

He died

to pay the penalty

for their sin,

to suffer

the punishment

that they deserve.

Help them

to trust Jesus

and call upon Him

right now

to save them.

Help them

to understand,

dear God,

that trusting Jesus

and surrendering

to Him

is the most important

response

they could make

this morning.

But then,

dear God,

help all of us

as Christians

to understand

that no matter

how long

we have been Christians,

our greatest need

in life

is to trust You

and obey You.

Help us,

dear God,

to do it

because we love You.

Overwhelm us

right now

with an awareness

of Your love

and Your grace

and Your mercy.

If there's anyone

in this room

who is truly

in a state

of rebellion

or indifference

or hard

or cold-heartedness,

awaken them,

break them,

humble them,

bring them back

to Yourself.

Help us all,

every single one

of us,

dear God,

right now

to be open

and honest

with You.

Help us

to understand

what we should do.

Help us

to do it.

You just pray

and talk to the Lord

and do what He's

telling you to do.

I would be happy

here at the front

to pray with you

in the next few minutes

if you want to come forward.

But you listen

to God

and you do

what He's telling you

to do

knowing that He loves you

and He wants you

to leave here today

in a close,

loving,

personal relationship

with Him.