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Author: Bert Mendelson
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Ordinary People
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We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.
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More Than These
Decisions
There are always times in our lives when a single decision makes a huge difference in the rest of our lives. I’m sure you can think of some in your life – college, job, spouse, children. We’re going to look at a couple of these times in Peter’s life and see how they apply to us today. The first was when Jesus called Peter to follow Him.
18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.Peter and Andrew had already met and spoken with Jesus (Jn.1:35-42). They knew that there was something very different, very special, about this man, Jesus. This was probably the biggest decision of their lives.
We know that Peter had a family that he had to support. If he just walked away from his fishing business, how could he do that? Besides being his job, it seems like he probably enjoyed it, as well.
Jesus was asking Peter to walk away from his entire life, everything he knew and everything that defined him. Peter weighed the cost and followed Jesus, along with his brother Andrew and two other fisherman brothers, James and John.Pearl
Jesus told a story of a pearl merchant who came upon a once-in-a-lifetime pearl.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,
46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matt.13:45-46)Jesus was saying that the kingdom of heaven is so incredibly valuable that it can’t even be compared with anything else. As a matter of fact, He went even further than that.
Hate
“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. (Matt.14:26)
Jesus preached quite often about love. He even said that the greatest commandments were for us to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, as well as loving our neighbor as ourselves (Jn.23:37-39). In comparison to our love for God, though, every other relationship should seem like hate. Some people want to simply “add Jesus” to their lives. Jesus is saying that we need to make Him our whole life, not just part of it.
Own Cross
“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (Matt.14:27)
Everyone wants to live an enjoyable life. The problem is that we think that the things around us can give us an enjoyable life. Joy comes from fulfilling our purpose in the eyes of God, not other people or even ourselves.
Fishing
Peter committed everything he had and left everything he had, so he could follow Jesus. He told Jesus that he would even die for Him. When the time came, though, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus. Peter then repented and turned his life back to serving Jesus.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared a number of times to His disciples, for 40 days. One of those times is recorded in the Gospel of John. Peter was with several of the other disciples when he said he was going fishing. They said that they would go with him. They fished all night, but they caught nothing. Then, the sun was just starting to appear. They saw Jesus on the shore.So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.“
So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.“
And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. (Jn.21:5-6)Jesus
All night long, Peter and the others labored in their own strength, and they caught nothing. Then, Jesus appears and tells them what to do. When God directed their work, it was fruitful. I would imagine that they needed money at that point, and didn’t know where to get it. Now, they could sell these fish and have what they needed.
Peter jumped in the water and swam to Jesus on the shore. The other men used the boat to drag the nets full of fish to shore, as well.So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. (Jn.21:9)
Jesus already had fish and bread cooking, waiting for the men.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” (Jn.21:10)
Jesus didn’t need their fish, but He wanted to show them again how He provided. He also wanted them to be able to participate in this miracle. They ate together, then Jesus asked Peter something very important.
Love
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.” (Jn.21:15)
Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. Peter’s mind and emotions were probably on a roller-coaster – up and down, up and down. He had followed Jesus for over three years, then denied that he knew Him. Now he was looking for direction.
Jesus knew that this was the moment of truth for Peter; he had a decision to make. Once again, Jesus was asking Peter if he was willing to give up all of these things.
That’s a question that Jesus has for all of us – do we love Him “more than these?”
Think of all the things in your life. We live in this world, so that is how we probably define ourselves and our place in this world. But do we love Jesus “more than these?”
After Peter replied, Jesus gave him direction – simply, “Tend My lambs.” Sometimes, we wish that God would be more specific. Peter could have asked, “What does that mean?” Jesus knew that Peter knew what He meant.
Jesus then asked Peter two more times, and Jesus told him basically the same thing.Elisha
When the Old Testament prophet, Elijah, was old and his time here on earth was up, God told him to go call his replacement.
So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. (1Ki.19:19)
Elisha was a farmer. He was probably a very prosperous farmer, because he had 11 other teams of oxen and plowmen who were plowing with him. When Elijah threw his mantle (cloak) on Elijah, he knew that Elijah was calling him to follow him. Elisha knew who Elijah was, and he knew that this meant leaving everything that he had and everything that he knew.
Burning Bridges
He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” (1Ki.19:20)
Elisha wanted to tell his parents good-bye, before he followed Elijah. Everyone knew this was a lifelong calling.
So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him. (1Ki.19:21)
Elisha sacrificed the oxen and plow that he had. He was saying that his old way of life was over, and he was ready to follow God’s calling. It was like he was burning the bridges behind him. There was no turning back, no retreat. This was his new life.
More Than These
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (Jn.21:15b)
Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me more than these?” What are we telling Jesus today? Do we love Him more than all of these things around us, or do we love these things?
A new, wonderful life is waiting for everyone who gives Him the right answer.Yes, Lord, we love You more than these!
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God of Grace
God’s Nature
Some people think God is an angry judge, waiting to strike us down for every little thing we do. Others think He “understands” us, so He forgives everything we do, no matter what it is. The truth, according to the Bible, is that God does expect us to do what is right and worship Him. It’s also true that we all fail to be perfect.
What happens when we do fail? God is always anxious and ready to forgive; we just need to come to Him, confess our sins, and He will wash us “white as snow.”More…
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Looking Out For #1
Number 2
When I used to play softball, I chose the number 2 for my jersey. I had a good reason for that. Every time that I thought of that number, I reminded myself that in every relationship, I should always consider myself number 2. It doesn’t always work, because the flesh wants to be selfish. Still, it helps to keep reminding ourselves that we need to put others before ourselves.
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Investing for the Future
Eternal Investments
Are you only investing for your future on this earth? God has our future just waiting for us. Take the long view – the eternal view.
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Perfect Love for Imperfect People
God is Love
God is love.
If we want to know love, we need to know God. If we want to love others, we need to emulate how God loves us.
Love Demonstrated
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.God showed us His love by Jesus dying on the cross for us. He didn’t have to do that; His love for us drove Him to the cross.
In verse 7, Paul says that some people might die for someone else who is nice and a really good person. If there were someone who always would make fun of you, steal your things, and say horrible things about you and to you, would you die for them? That’s what we have all done when we were living for ourselves, saying and doing things that we never should have done.
God didn’t just say He loved us; He showed us.Love Demonstrated
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.God doesn’t just want to show us His love; He wants us to experience it. Paul is saying here that he wants us to be so grounded in God’s love that we would be able to understand, to comprehend just how huge God’s love is, even though it is more than anyone can understand. Imagine a love that is so great that no one can even understand it, much less live it.
Natural Love
I will love you, if you love me.
I will love you, as long as I find you attractive.
I will love you, as long as you are rich.
I will love you, if you are nice to me.Notice how most natural, human love has conditions. We are willing to love someone if they will do certain things or be a certain way. If they aren’t exactly what we want, we might remove our love. As we just saw, though, that’s not God’s way.
Husbands
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
Why would a husband be bitter against his wife? It could be that he felt disrespected or unloved. Maybe his wife said or did something because she felt disrespected or unloved.
Many times, couples have marital problems because they misinterpreted what the other person felt or meant to say. It’s impossible to know everything that someone thinks or feels.
We are all influenced by our own experiences, from childhood to the present. How we choose to react or act based on those experiences also has a great influence on us. No one else could possibly know what you are feeling inside – maybe not even you! Of course, God knows.Intentions
So, thinking about this logically, does it make sense for us to be upset with someone else if we don’t understand what they are going through? I’m not talking about blatant things here. There is never an excuse for hitting or abusing someone else. There’s also no excuse for being unfaithful.
In most cases, though, big problems start with small misunderstandings or disagreements that lead to bigger things. How can we avoid most of these issues?Submit Ourselves
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.Notice this instruction. It’s not just for husbands and wives; it’s for all of us. First, we need to lay off alcohol and other drugs, instead filling ourselves with the Holy Spirit. Singing, worshiping, and giving thanks to God helps us put things into perspective.
In verse 21, he combines worshiping God with submitting ourselves to each other. We need to subject ourselves “to one another in the fear of Christ.”
What does that look like?Submit Ourselves
I might think that someone else hurt me in some way; maybe they actually did. Maybe, they even wanted to hurt me. If I choose to love them and submit my own feelings to this relationship, I might be able to avoid things escalating into a major issue.
We submit our own feelings by giving the other person the benefit of the doubt, even if we think they “don’t deserve it.” We also realize that we could be wrong. It’s even possible that the other person is reacting to something that we did, and we might not even realize we hurt them.
This is why God tells us to love others. Notice He doesn’t say to love others if they do certain things or act a certain way. This isn’t the typical “human” kind of love that we saw earlier. Whether someone else is “lovable” or “unlovable”, we need to love them.
Let’s go back to where we started in 1 John, “God is love.”Love One Another
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.John is telling us to love one another, not to love one another if…
He also points out how we can’t fully and truly love others until we know God by living for Him and being born again. If we don’t love, we don’t know God (verse 8).
Then John gets even more direct.Love One Another
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.I have heard people say, “I love God, but I just can’t love that person.” We see here that that’s not scriptural. John even says that person is a liar.
Jesus said that the second greatest command was to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Mt.22:39)Love In Action
Love others.
Put your desires behind loving others.
Actively submit yourself in every relationship.
Most problems occur because of misunderstandings.We need to always try to give others the benefit of the doubt, because we probably don’t understand everything that is going on.
Let’s bring this one step further.God’s Plans
11 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Bottom line: love others, love God, give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Don’t allow yourself to get angry and bitter.
Choose love – God’s love.More…
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Doers
Do-bee
When I was a young boy, there was a children’s TV show called, “Romper Room.”
The teacher, Miss Linda at the time, used to say, “Do be a Do-bee; don’t be a Don’t-bee.” There was a pretend bumble bee who was “Do-bee.” The show was teaching children good things to do and bad things to not do.
God gives us similar instructions today. He has given us His Bible, with things to do and things to not do.Doers
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
Learning how a radio works won’t do you any good unless you turn it on. We need to do what God says, not just hear it. It’s easy to be lazy and passive; doing takes work. Knowledge is great, but only if it’s put into action. Be a doer, not just a hearer.
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Remember
Driving
Suppose you learn how to drive a car. You spend weeks studying the rules of the road. You also spend months practicing, to make sure you knew how to coordinate looking ahead, keeping track of your speed, looking in your mirrors, and many other aspects of driving.
Then, suppose you never think about it again, until one day, 30 years later, you decide to drive. That probably wouldn’t work out so well.
In the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy documents Moses reminding the Israelites about what God had already told them. The word, “Deuteronomy” means “second law.” Just like with driving, we need to keep reminding ourselves about what God has said. We also need to keep practicing what He has said; otherwise, it will do us no good.Love the Lord
4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.Jesus said that this was the greatest commandment. That’s because it encapsulates everything else. If you love someone intensely, completely, you won’t intentionally do anything to offend them. God wrote and preserved the Bible, so that we would know His words, and keep them close to our hearts.
Meditate
7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.God was telling the people to think and meditate on His commandments all day long, everyday. He also wanted them to teach their children, even in regular conversation. This should be normal. They were to put them on their hands or foreheads. Moses told them to write them on their gates and doorposts, so they would be reminded every time they came home. Why do we need to be reminded so much? Because we forget!
Lot’s Wife
31 “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back.
32 “Remember Lot’s wife.Jesus taught His disciples that on the day of tribulation, they had to be willing to leave all of their possessions and let them go. Lot’s wife longed for what she had back in her old life, and she was turned into a pillar of salt. We need to learn from her example. We need to be reminded of it.
All the stories in the Bible were written as examples for us. Jesus wants us to remember all of them.After Jesus rose from the dead, two angels talked to the women at the grave.
Senses
Luke 24:5-8 (NASB)
5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?
6 “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
8 And they remembered His words,Jesus had told His disciples and followers that this was going to happen. At first, they did not understand or believe Him. After it happened, they had to be reminded of His words. Now they understood. They remembered.
Spiritual Songs
Colossians 3:16 (NASB)
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
We also need to meet together and encourage each other, using wisdom and encouragement, through spiritual songs. In every conversation, prayer, and song, there should be thankfulness in our hearts to God. In other words, we should remind each other of God’s goodness. This also helps remind us that we’re not alone in this walk with Jesus.
Words of the Apostles
17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Of course, the only way we can remember the words of the apostles and Jesus is if we have read them. When I first got saved, I loved reading the Bible so much that I wanted to take my time. I didn’t want to read the whole thing and then be finished; I wanted it to last longer. Now, I understand that it just keeps getting better every time I read it. God speaks to me every day through reading His word, the Bible. It helps me remember Who He is.
Doers
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
Keep in mind that we need to do the actions, not just hear the words. Walls can hear the words, but they won’t do anything about them.
God wants us to hear, remember, and do.Last Supper
Luke 22:19-20 (NASB)
19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.Jesus wants us to remember His sacrifice for us so much that He told us to remember this every time we celebrate with communion. The bread and drink that He gave them symbolized the very real sacrifice that He was about to make. He died so we could be freed from our sins. His body took on our pain, so we would not have to endure it. Through his blood, we are washed clean.
Encourage others and yourself. Remember all that God has done and given to us.
Remember Him.
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