The Saviour’s Love for The Fallen -Part 1

Temple Baptist Church - 1-29-2025

John 21:1-3

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I want to reintroduce to you tonight with a man named Simon Peter. 

 

1.  Peter was one of the greatest of the Apostles.  Peter is mentioned 162 times in the Bible! 

 

2.  Called by Hollywood “The Big Fisherman,” we know nothing of his size, but we do know that he was one more great man for the Lord. When one of the disciples spoke, most of the time it was Peter who did so.

 

3.  Who was this man named Peter.

 

a.  Peter was just a common fisherman.  God chooses, for the most part, to use common people, not the socially elite.  Matthew 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

 

b.  Peter was an uneducated man.  God chooses, for the most part, the uneducated.  Acts 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

 

B. Peter was a man that we can all relate to. 

 

1.  Peter walked with God, often got ahead of God, sometimes got behind God, he even rebuked God, was rebuked by God, but was greatly used of God. I want to use this story about Peters rise and fall and restoration and continuance. 

 

2.  God chooses to use FLAWED and FALLIBLE people!

 

C.  Simon Peter Was Great Because His Faith Was Great.  The only human who walked on water! 

 

Matthew 14:26-29  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.  (27)  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.  (28)  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  (29)  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

 

D.  Peter was also great Because of His Failures.  He never let them keep him down.  One mark of greatness is not to let failures destroy your service.

 

1.  Peter Rebuked The Lord - Matthew 16:21-23  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.  (22)  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.  (23)  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

 

John 13:6-9  Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?  Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.  Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.  Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (Peter at least tried to make this one right.)

 

2.  Peter often spoke when he should have remained quiet - Mark 9:5-7  And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.  (6)  For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.  (7)  And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

 

3.  Peter Denied The Lord Thrice - Luke 22:54-61  Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.  (55)  And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.  (56)  But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.  (57)  And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.  (58)  And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.  (59)  And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.  (60)  And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.  (61)  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.   

 

4.  In out text, Peter Went Fishing Instead Of Preaching - John 21:3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.  (This was not a casual fishing trip for relaxation, it was a return to the old life of fishing for a living.)

 

5.  Peter Gave In to Peer Pressure - Galatians 2:11-13  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. (But he got it right when rebuked by Paul)

 

E.  Now, let’s set the backdrop to our text.  In John 21, several things have transpired in recent days.  The Lord was betrayed and crucified.  The third day, He gloriously and bodily arose from the grave.  The Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene and now twice has appeared on the Lord’s day to His disciples.  Old “Doubting Thomas” has made is confession “My Lord and my God!”  Peter was with the disciples on these two occasions and his faith should have been strengthened but it wasn’t.  Peter went back to his old life of fishing despite all of this!

 

F.  You see, you can be faithful to church and still be out of the Lord’s will.  I often tell people that going to church will not make you a Christian anymore than sleeping in a garage will make you an automobile.  You can come to church and still not be right with God.

 

Proverbs 5:12-14  And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;  (13)  And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!  (14)  I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

 

G.  Why did Simon Peter go fishing?  Of all his failures, there was one that Peter had not yet gotten right.  He denied the Lord thrice. 

 

1.  When the Lord looked at Peter after his denial, he went out and wept bitterly.  But he did not get right with God!  You see, weeping will not clear the conscience nor restore the sinful.

 

2.  Peter was missing when they crucified the Lord.  He should have been at the foot of the cross with John asking forgiveness from the One he had thrice denied.  But he was conspicuously absent. 

 

3.  Peter was there both times when the Lord came into their presence.  The disciples were ALL glad when they saw the Lord, which included Peter, but Peter had not yet got things right with his Lord!  I am sure that both Peter and the Lord knew that too!

 

John 20:20-21  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  (21)  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

 

4.  Peter decided to go fishing!  This does not speak of recreational fishing.  sPeter went back to his old life of being a fisherman!  When he went, as he was a leader among the disciples, others went with him.

 

H.  I believe that the reason Peter had not gotten right, though he had several opportunities, was because of the great shame that he carried. 

 

1.  Shame that separates us from the will of God is as old as time itself.

 

Genesis 3:6-8  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  (7)  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  (8)  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

 

2.  Thus, Peter “hid” from the Lord by going back out to sea where he thought he could not be seen.

 

Conclusion:  There have been and will be times when you and I fail the Lord miserably and will look in the mirror and be ashamed.

 

1.  Have you ever been ashamed? 

 

a.  I have never been ashamed of my Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

b.  I have never been ashamed of being saved.

 

c.  I have never been ashamed of my brothers or sisters in Christ or my church.

 

d.  But I have been ashamed of my personal failures!

 

2.  Do not try to hide from God but immediately go to Him in repentance, experience His forgiveness, and move on!

 

3.  Never allow your failures to outweigh your love for your Saviour!!!

Whom Having Not Seen, Ye Love

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-18-2024

John 20:24-29; 1 Peter 1:1-10

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Our text in 1 Peter finds its example in John, chapter 20, where resides a story well known to most of us here today.  The story of “Doubting Thomas.”  I do not want to deal with Thomas but do put a disclaimer on his “tag.”  Thomas was more than likely a better Christian than I will ever be.

 

B.  I want to tie these verses in John 20 to our text verses in 1 Peter 1.

 

John 20:28-29  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.  29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

 

1 Peter 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 

C. I have not seen what Thomas saw.

 

1.  I have never seen Christ’s nail pierced hands, or Hise spear pierced side. 

 

2.  I have never seen His person, walked with the physical Christ, handled Him as found in 1 John, chapter 1,or heard His voice with my ears.

 

3.  BUT I have seen Him through the Word of God and had His precious Holy Spirit speak to my heart with that still, small voice. 

 

4.  I have believed the record that God gave of His Son in 1 John, chapter 5, and I have placed my faith in a in a finished work called the Gospel. 

 

5.  I have not seen but I have believed, and I will one day meet Christ or the first time face-to-face.  Then I shall be like Him for I shall see Him as He is in 1 John 3:1-2. 

 

D.  It is amazing that we, as God’s children, have so loved One whom we have never seen with the physical eye.

 

1.  The world thinks that we are schizophrenic!  I know that they would not use that terminology when speaking of us but, to them, we are nuts who believe in Someone whom we have not seen; talk with Someone Whom we have not seen; and listen to Him who cannot be heard.  “Bring the “Butterfly Net!”

 

2.  The world knows nothing of the love that the believer has.  It is a love for friends and enemies alike.  It is a love for one another that is as close and often closer than the love that we have for blood family.   It is love that the world knows nothing about.  It is a love that only the child of God can know.

 

E.  As Jesus Christ paid a terrible price because He so loved these displaced, scattered Jews who to this day continue to pay a terrible price for their love of the Messiah, Christ Jesus.

 

1.  Our love for Christ is a Reciprocal Love.  1 John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.

 

2.  Our love for Christ is a Separating Love.  Matthew 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.,

 

3.  Our love for Christ is an Obedient Love.  John 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

4.  Our love for Christ is a Constraining Love.  2 Corinthians 5:14-15  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  (15)  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

 

5.  Our love for Christ is a Suffering Love.  1 Peter 1:6-7  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  (7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

 

F.  Though it was a “faceless” love, it was not a “baseless” love!  The first 9 verses show the basis of this great love that God’s children have for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

1.  We Love Him For His Marvelous Grace – vs. 2

 

2.  We Love Him For His Glorious Peace – vs. 2

 

3.  We Love Him For His Great Salvation – vs. 3

 

4.  We Love Him For His Wonderful Prospect – vs. 4

 

5.  We Love Him For His Blessed Assurance – vs. 5

 

6.  We Love Him For His Infinite Wisdom – vs. 6-7

 

7.  We I Love Him For His Unspeakable Joy – vs. 8

 

8.  We Love Him For His Promised Eternity – vs. 9

 

Conclusion:  This morning, do you love the Christ that you have never seen.

The Love of Christ - Part 2

 Temple Baptist Church - 1-17-2024

John 13:1-4

Introduction:

 

A. We looked at verse 1 in the last message preached at the Love of God and Christ in its scope.

 

Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

 

1. The People. Every man, woman, and child who has ever lived or ever will live. The limited atonement of Calvinism is a slap in the face of Almighty Giod!

 

2. The Penalty. Every sin ever committed or will be committed paid for in full. God loves sinners while hating sin.

 

3. The Possibility. We can comprehend the incomprehensible; we can know the unknowable.

 

B. Verse 1 tells us that this will be the last week that our Lord lived here on earth. For 3 ½ years, Jehovah God—born in the flesh (John 1:14)—has manifested His person through miracles, words, and the fulfillment of prophecy.

 

C. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. Israel, as a nation, rejected their long-awaited Messiah! But, as many as received Him are the many who believed in Him through the course of these last years. Among those believers were His disciples with whom He had the Last Supper.

 

D. In this chapter, we find several great truths. The key to this passage is found is found in verses 1 which says: “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

 

E. The love of Christ is a limitless love for His children.

 

1. As I say this, we need to understand that Christ love for sinners has a limit. One day, the unsaved will see the wrath of a thrice holy God at the Great White Throne Judgment found in Revelation, chapter 20.

 

2. When I preached on verse 1, I looked at the love of Christ for “his own”. His love for His children is an eternal love as well as a temporal love. He loves us when we are good, and He loves us when we are bad. His love is both consistent and unchanging.

 

F. In verses 2-24, we find the manifestation of that love.

 

G. I want to look at three aspects of the love of Christ found in this passage of Scripture.

 

 

1. Verse 1 – The Essence of Christ’s Love – “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father.”

 

a. The Word became Flesh. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 

b. The Lion became the Lamb. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

c. The Sovereign became the Sacrifice. Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

 

1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 

d. The Potentate became the Propitiation. 1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

1 John 4:8-10 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

2. Verse 1 – The Expression of Christ’s Love – “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

 

Some people have trouble with the words “I love you”. I remember the little fabricated story of the woman who, after over 50 years of marriage, indicted her husband with the words: “You have not told me that you love me in 50 years!” The husband answered, “I told you that I loved you on the day that we got married and if anything changes, I will let you know!”

 

God the Father and God the Son have never had a problem with telling both the sinner and the saint that they are loved.

 

Love must never be taken for granted. Love needs to be expressed and the loved one reassured.

 

a. Christ’s love for the Sinner. John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

 

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 

b. Christ’s love for the Saint. Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

 

3. Verses 3-4 – The Example of Love – “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.  After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”

 

a. The Love of Christ Expressed in Humility. Christ, Jehovah God in the flesh, took His place at the feet of His disciples. Proverbs 25:6-7 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: (7) For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

 

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

 

b. The Love of Christ Expressed in Service. John 13:13-15 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 

Philippians 2:6-7 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 

1) We are not “Foot Washing Baptist” as that is not the spiritual meaning of these verses. Foot washing was a custom in the days of old because the feet of travelers became hot, tired, and dusty. How refreshing it is to take off your shoes on a hot, humid day and let them dangle in the cool waters.

 

2) The spiritual message is that we are to take the place of a servant, not the place of one who must be served. We are to live lives of love, compassion, and service to each other.

 

John 13:13-14 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

 

John 15:12-13 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (13) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.