Today, on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. To those of you who come, you've fallen, you're broken, let me tell you: today there is a new beginning. And that the Father, He runs to meet you, to embrace you, to welcome you back.
So that you are spiritually restored. Not just restored, but recommissioned. Because He loves the broken, the bruised, the needy, the lost. Because God is in the restoration business. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe.
When we stumble in our spiritual walk and lose our way, How do we make things right? Or when we feel separated from God, what should we do? Today, we're coming to the end of our series, Encountering Jesus from the Gospel of John. We're turning to chapter 21 to learn about spiritual restoration.
Now, with today's lesson, here's Pastor John Monroe. Today is the concluding message in the series Encountering Jesus, where we've been studying the Gospel of John. and looking at various individuals who had a personal encounter with Jesus. Hasn't it been fascinating to see how our Lord interacts with each of these different people? I love the realism of the Bible.
These are not cartoon type characters. but real flesh and blood individuals. with differing personalities, struggles, gifts. and failures. But all of them.
had a personal encounter with Jesus. Of you? Jesus never leaves us where we are. He not only forgives our sins, but He transforms our lives. Today we return to the restoration of Peter.
Let's learn more as we conclude the series today. In this final message in the series on John's Gospel, we want to learn of restoring the fallen. As we do that, as we've read from John chapter 21, I ask you to open your Bibles there again, John chapter 21, as we learn how our Lord restores this fallen man, this fallen leader, Peter. Simon Peter. John twenty one fifteen.
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Tend my lambs. He said to him again, a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, you know that I love you.
He said to him, Shepherd, My shape. 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 all things. You know that I love you.
Jesus said to him, Tend my Sheep. How wonderful. Here is a man who is fallen. who has been not only restored, but is being re Commissions. On this important subject of spiritual restoration and recommissioning, we must understand that before there is a spiritual restoration, before there is spiritual recommissioning, it is important that there is biblical repentance.
Without repentance, there can be no true spiritual restoration. Over the years, I've met many Christians who've wept when they have fallen, but their tears have been because they have been found out and because of humiliation, because of the consequences to them and their family, because of their sin. It doesn't mean because someone cries that there is a deep spiritual repentance. In Peter's case, however. There was.
It was not just regret, it was not just remorse. Peter is truly repentant. Like Peter.
Some of you here have fallen. I want to remind you that Jesus restores and recommissions, but the question is: are you broken before? God. Are you broken? If you are broken before God, God looks down on you.
His grace comes to the humble. He has always opposed. to the prod.
Now what does restoration involve? Restoration involves a relationship With Christ. This is at the very heart of the Christian faith, relationship with Christ.
Someone who is being restored is being renewed in their relationship with Christ. Restoration, as Jesus is teaching Peter, involves a relationship of love. Three times Simon is asked if he loves Jesus. Again, the question comes to you: do you love Christ. This is a matter of the heart.
It is a relationship of love, restoration. involves A relationship of love. Secondly, It involves a relationship of commitment. When Peter was first called by Jesus by the very seashore, by the Sea of Galilee, what did Jesus say to him? Follow me.
Now at the end of the Gospel, Jesus is bringing Peter right back to the beginning. Look at the end of verse 19. Jesus said to him, Follow. Me. End of verse twenty-two.
What is that to you? You follow me. Jesus is bringing Peter back to where it all began. Back to the basic, back to a relationship of love, back to a relationship of commitment. Peter, you follow me.
The top commitment of your life is to follow me. And isn't that the central issue for all of us? Many of us here say that we are followers of Jesus Christ. That we have received Jesus Christ into our hearts as our personal Savior, that we believe that He died for our sins, that He rose again, and we would say I could stand up and testify of a day in my experience when I trusted the Savior and I began to follow Jesus. I began to love Jesus.
But that's in the past. And some of you have reconsecrated your lives to Christ. And some of you over the months, over the years, have knelt here and said, Lord, I'm willing to serve you. I'm willing to follow you, whatever that means, wherever you go, I will be there, I will follow you, but over the years, over the months.
Something's happened. And your love today is rather Stale. Your commitment is very mediocre. Oh, you're still following Christ. But you're following him.
at a distance. And your commitment to Christ is half-hearted. Perhaps you've allowed your career, your money, your family, your personal comfort, your ambition, your recreation, an inappropriate relationship, something to come between you and Christ. And today, our Lord is calling for a reaffirmation, a fresh commitment of your faith, of your allegiance, of your love. He's saying to you, Today, do you really love me?
Isn't it time you settled that question? Are you truly Following me. Are you willing to follow me? Irrespective of the cost. Wherever I lead you, are you following me?
This is what Jesus is saying. Restoration involves. A relationship of love, it involves a relationship of commitment. But restoration involves not only relationship with Christ, it involves partnership with others.
Some people make a big mistake here. They think, well, the Christian life is just between me and the Lord. That's where it begins, but it doesn't stop there. True spiritual restoration, to be healthy and vital and to live a balanced Christian life, we need others. We need to be involved in a partnership with others.
And we learn here in John chapter 21 that Peter and John are going to have different ministries. After his commissioning, did you notice that in verses 20 and 21, Peter wants to know what's going to happen to John?
Well, what about this man? Verse 22, Jesus said to him, If I want him to remain until I come, what's that to you? You follow me. Peter, your concern is to follow me. Your concern is to care for my flock.
Don't be concerned about this brother. Isn't Peter like us? Aren't you sometimes like Peter? I know I am. We're so concerned about other people.
What so and so do I?
Well, I wouldn't do ministry like that. I wouldn't teach Sunday school class that way. That's not the way I would conduct myself if I were on the praise team. That's not the way I would lead the church. But the critical question, the question for us today, the question for you today, is not what that brother or sister is doing.
But what are you doing? What about your love for Christ? What about your commitment to Christ? Are you following Christ? Why are you so concerned about this other person?
It's not what they are doing, it is what you are doing. And the ministries of Peter and John are going to be very different. Peter, the fisherman, is now being called to be a faithful shepherd. It's true, he's more familiar with the fisherman's hook than the shepherd's crook, but he's going to learn under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit what it means to shepherd souls. Oh, he saw what's going to be a fisherman of souls.
It's Peter that stands up in Acts 2 and preaches the gospel, but he's going to be a shepherd. He's going to have a concern for others. Costly although it will be, and in verse 18. Jesus in this cryptic way gives a prophecy. that Peter is going to be martyred for his faith.
Peter and John and the others, all involved in this beautiful partnership under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, who uses people as He sees fit, as He commissions us in different ministries, in different locations, with different emphases. The Christian life is very much one of partnership, isn't it? Of appreciating the gifts, the callings, the talents, the personalities of others who may be very different from ourselves. It's being part of a spiritual team. Cults produce clones.
Who look alike, think alike, and act alike. Biblical Christianity produces people who are very, very different, displaying. As Peter himself is going to say in 1 Peter 4, verse 10. Displaying the manifold grace of God. As each one has received, he says, a special gift, a charisma.
Each believer has received a special gift from God. Says Peter, use that, employ that in serving others as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Of the multifaceted, of the multi-dimensional and multi-colored grace of God.
So that as people see the people of God working in this beautiful partnership with all of their variety, they will understand something of the vastness of the grace of God as it is revealed through his people. Very, very different, but all of us loving Christ. All of us serving the same Lord. all of us following the Saviour. That's what we want at church.
We are a diverse group of people.
Some churches particularly focus on a particular age group. The emphasis today is on the emerging church focusing on those in their 20s and early 30s. Other churches, the seeker sensitive, often have focused on the baby boomers. Other churches are full of older people who have a more traditional type of worship and ministry. Here at church, we are multi- generational You say, is that a challenge?
Yes, it's a challenge. It's much easier just to focus on twenty-year-olds or thirty-year-olds, or just to focus on forty or fifty-year-olds, or just to say, well, we're an older church, we're going to do things very traditionally because we've got older people. But that is not our understanding of Scripture. Our understanding of Scripture is that the Church of Jesus Christ has all ages. Oh yeah.
Ages. Because all people matter to Christ. What an incredible Partnership. is being formed here. in reaching people of all ages, of all backgrounds, with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
That means, however, brothers and sisters, there is an increased need for forbearance, for understanding, for tolerance. We tend, if we're not careful, to be a bit like Peter, looking around and saying, and what's this guy doing? Why doesn't he do things like me? Why doesn't he dress like me?
Somebody get really upset because I wear a tie. I mean, I say, you know, some of us have got class, others of you don't. I mean, that's it. But if you know if you don't want to wear a tie, don't wear a tie. But don't beat up on me because I wear one.
And I tried to wear a kilt just once, and I got so many rude comments. Very hurtful, very rude. I mean, I put up with some of your southern habits. Why can't you put up with a kilt? And I thought.
I did receive one or two kind remarks from a few ladies about my legs, but that's another story. But I thought never again people have got irrational phobias about Celts. But we're different.
Some worship very enthusiastically, others very stoically. The point is At church, there are people different from you and very different from me.
Some are much older than you, some are much younger.
Some have a different colour of skin.
Some have a different native language, some come from a different part of the world.
Some come from a totally different church background from you.
Some come from a different educational level.
Some are wealthy, some are poor. We are all different, but we are the people of God. The point is: don't be judgmental, don't be a Peter, don't keep saying, What about this guy? You follow Christ. I am to follow.
Right. A fisher. of men. Let me ask you, are you involved in this partnership? Discipling a young believer, providing practical help.
to a young single mother. teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, feeding the homeless. Different gifts, different perspectives, different personalities, different callings, but all following, all loving, all serving the same Lord. That's the beauty of the partnership in the cause of Christ, the church. Jesus is calling us to follow Him.
obey him. and to trust him. Did you notice at the beginning of John chapter 21, seven of the disciples are fishing and they fish all night? And they catch Zero. I've done a little fishing in the past.
I know what like that is. I've also in ministry worked very, very hard with others. to produce zero fruit, seemingly. It's very tough. But then Jesus comes and says, No, I want you to do something.
I want you to put the net on the right side of the boat. But the sun is up. And I've never fished on the Sea of Galilee, but my grandfather, who fished all of his life, used to tell me when you were catching herring in the North Sea, you always fished at night because the fish came up. During the day, they went away down, and so they fished at night, never during the day. It must have been a bit like this as they were fishing for these particular fish.
If you don't catch them at night, you certainly won't catch them once the sun is up. But they obeyed Jesus. Are you surprised? But the net It's full. Obeying Christ.
Are you sharing Christ? Are you winning the lost? Are you fishing for souls? Are you casting your net? Jesus says, I will make you fishers of men.
You say that can be very difficult. Evangelism can be very, very messy. When I was a little boy, my grandmother's, we would go out with one of the local fishermen and fish for mackerel, that beautiful fish with the silver and green and red on it. We would catch some and then present it to my grandmother. And she, with a sharp knife, with it seemed just a couple or three cuts of the knife, had cleaned the fish up brilliantly.
My mother always said, take it to your grandmother. We caught a f the fish My grandmother cleaned them. We catch the fish. Jesus cleans them. Isn't that wonderful?
You say, what about this individual? They will never ever get out of this terrible situation. Here is a homeless individual addicted, here is a a marriage that is messed up. You catch the fish. Jesus will transform them.
Jesus. We'll clean them. Max Locado, in his book In the Eye of the Storm, tells the following story. He said, When I was a senior in high school, I went on a fishing trip with my friend Jimmy and his uncle Mark during spring break. Days before leaving to fish at the Russian River in Northern California, we could already anticipate the vacation.
We could feel the sun warming our bodies as we fished on the river bank. We could feel the yank of the rod and hear the spin of the reel as we wrestled the rainbow trout into our net, and we could smell the fish frying in an open skillet over an open fire. We could hardly wait. We loaded the camper and set out for the river. We arrived late at night, unfolded the camper and went to bed, dreaming of tomorrow's day in the sun.
But during the night, an unseasonable strong northern air blew in. It got cold fast. The wind was so strong that we could hardly open the camper door the next morning. The sky was grey. The river was raging.
There was no way we could fish in that weather. No problem, we said. We'll spend a day in a camper. After all, we've monopoly, we've readers' digest. We all know a few jokes.
It's not what we came to do, but we'll make the best of it and we'll fish tomorrow.
So huddled in that small camper with a Coleman stove and a monopoly board, we three fishermen passed the day indoors. The hours passed slowly, but they did pass. Night finally came, and we crawled into our sleeping bags, dreaming of angling. Were we in for a surprise? The next morning it wasn't the wind that made the door hard to open, it was the ice.
We tried to be cheerful. No problem. We mumbled. We can play Monopoly again. We can reread the stories in the reader's digest.
And surely we know another joke or two. I picked up some corner jokes from my dad. But as courageous as we tried to be, it was obvious that some of the grey had left the sky and entered into our small camper. I began to notice a few things I hadn't seen before. I noticed that my friend had a few personality flaws.
He was a bit cocky about his opinions. He was easily irritated and constantly edgy. He couldn't take any constructive criticism. Even though his socks did stink, he didn't think it was my job to call out the pulleting of the air. Just looking out for the best interests of Uncle Mark's camper, I defended, expecting Uncle Mark to come to my aid, but Mark just sat in the corner of the camper reading.
When I mentioned to him that the eggs were runny and the toast was burnt, he invited me to try my hand at the portable stove. Touchy touchy, I said to myself. Nothing like being cooped up in a camper with someone to help you see his real nature. It was another long day. It was a long, cold night.
When we awoke the next morning to the sound of sleet slapping the canvas camper, we didn't even pretend to be cheerful. We were flat out grumpy. Jimmy became more of a jerk with each passing moment. I wondered what spell of ignorance I must have been in when I received the invitation. We sat in misery yet another day, our fishing equipment still unpacked.
The next day was even colder. We're going home, were Uncle Mark's first words. No one objected. Says Lokedo, I learned a hard lesson in those few days, not about fishing, but about people. When those who are called to fish don't fish, They fight.
Do you get that? When those who are called to fish don't fish. They fight. Jesus calls all of us to fish. What happens when we don't fish?
We get critical of others, we major on the minors, we start complaining about the coffee or the guitar or the organ or whatever. I wouldn't say all the whatever's, but there are many of them. When those who are called to fish When we are not fishing for souls, The people of God we tend. To fight. Brothers and sisters, God is calling us, He's recommissioning us.
He's telling us the fields are wide under harvest. Let us fish for souls. Let us follow Christ. Let us love Christ. Let us cast out our net to the other side and pray for a rich harvest of souls this morning.
We conclude our study on encountering Jesus in the Gospel of John. And over the months, we've covered a lot of territory, but the central issue is: do you have a personal relationship, a transforming relationship, a growing relationship with Jesus Christ? If not, will you receive Him as your Savior and your Lord? I ask you. To those of you who say, I know Christ, is Christ your first love?
Are you following Christ today? Will you recommit? your life to Christ. Reaffirm your first love. Reaffirm that you will follow Christ.
And to those of you who come, you've fallen, you're broken, let me tell you: today there is a new beginning. And that the Father stands, not only stands, He runs to meet you, to embrace you, to welcome you back.
So that you are spiritually restored. Not just restored, but recommissioned. Because He loves the broken, the bruised, the needy. The loss. Fresh.
Encounter. The Saviour. He stands. He runs to meet you. In His grace.
Will you come? Will you love him? Will you follow him? Will you be a fisher of man? Father, help us.
We do pray. from this challenging portion of Scripture. We thank you For your love and your grace in our lives, that you do not discard us when we fail. that you value the broken. That you are a God of infinite grace, as our Lord taught us.
That you are a God who runs to meet us. Thank you for your matchless, infinite grace. Even now, May boys and girls and teens and students and men and women Be running to the Saviour, saying, Lord, we love you. Lord, help us to follow you. Lord, forgive us.
Restore us. Recommission us. In Christ's name we pray. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe and the message titled Restoring the Fallen. Today is the final lesson in our series from the book of John on encountering Jesus.
And be sure to keep listening, because John will be right back in a moment with his closing remarks about this powerful study. No matter where you're listening from today, we'd like to encourage you with a free booklet that will help you as you navigate difficult situations like the loss of a loved one. Unemployment. and the uncertain and troubling events that are unfolding around us. It's a free and very practical booklet John has written on the promises of God.
Called Trusting God in Tough Times. And we'd love to send you this encouraging resource absolutely free. Just go online to theverdict.org. and download or request your copy of Trusting God in Tough Times. Here at the verdict, we're committed to sharing the truth of God's Word and the good news of Jesus Christ every day.
And you can be a part of this gospel work by supporting our ministry with a financial gift of any amount. You'll be playing an important part in sharing the gospel with new listeners and communities across the globe. We've made it quick and easy to give a one-time donation by visiting our website at theverdict.org. And if you haven't already, subscribe to the Verdict Podcast, available on most podcast platforms, so you can download these daily messages and listen anytime. Just open your podcast app and search for the verdict with Pastor John Monroe.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with his closing remarks for today's program.
Well, what's your verdict? It's sad that we, as followers of Jesus, sometimes get distracted. We forget that the Lord is asking us to look at the harvest which is plentiful. With Jesus, there's always hope. Jesus comes to save us, to transform us, and praise God to recommission us.
Surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Love and serve him with all of your heart. And don't be discouraged when you fail.
Next time, we begin an exciting new series in the Gospel of Luke during this Christmas season. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
