Can You Forgive That? (John 21:1-19)
Gary McManus, 04/30/2017Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
April 30, 2017 Second Sunday After Easter
John 21:1-17 Today, Jesus in the Bible demonstrates
reconciliation. It is God’s love—Jesus’ love. His love for us.
In Jesus’ hour of need, we read in Mark 14:50:
KJV: They forsook him AND they fled away.
CEV: All of Jesus' disciples ran off and left him.
ASV: And they all left him, and fled.
AMPLIFIED Version: Then all of His disciples
abandoned Him and fled.
It is pretty clear. Yet is IN the Bible.
Today’s reading finds Jesus with the Disciples again.
There is the threefold question from Jesus.
Peter is given the opportunity to restate his
allegiance to Jesus.
We are so used to reading this account every Easter,
We forget how powerful it is.
They gave up on Jesus. Jesus did not give up on them.
The Disciples WERE special. (John 17:6 ff.)
Jesus kept them as Disciples.
Jesus forgave them and Jesus STILL wanted
a relationship with these men.
Question (discussion):
Does Jesus ACCEPT this behavior
from the disciples?
No, Jesus doesn’t ACCEPT this behavior
Of abandonment. Jesus forgave this behavior.
There is a difference—a big difference.
I will MAKE YOU FISH for PEOPLE.
(Matthew 4:19, MARK 1:17, Luke 5:10)
God’s love is NOT acceptance.
Jesus could not leave the Disciples as Jesus deniers!
To be a Jesus deniers--the Lord does NOT accept that.
The Lord forgave the disciples and
Jesus had to finish molding the disciples
into Jesus proclaimers.
Can we forgive ourselves as we ARE forgiven?
Usually Christians don’t think they need forgiving
(wrong) or they don’t forgive themselves (also wrong)
See Matthew 10:33: deny? Disown? Jesus meant an
Ongoing denial, not a one time denial.
Jesus denial? Jesus forgave it.
God’s love is THAT great—that BIG.
Proclaim Jesus NOT because you understand.
Proclaim Jesus because you are loved. Amen.
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