¤¤
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[ "Christ is Alive!" plays ]
00:00:09.17\00:00:11.57
[ Song ends ] >> Would you bow
your heads with me as we pray.
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Father in heaven, Lord, Savior,
mighty redeemer... we come this
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morning thanking You for forming
the universe after Your own
heart and seeing fit to build a
00:02:44.23\00:02:50.27
bridge between heaven and earth
named Jesus Christ. This
morning, Lord, we come with
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the image of the Cross in
our minds, thanking You for the
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sacrifice. And we also come this
morning, Lord, with the image of
that glorious open tomb, as we
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worship You here this morning.
Thank You for loving us and
calling us Your own.
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In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Good morning, and welcome. I'm
so glad you're here this
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morning. Are you glad to be
here? I want to welcome you.
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This is just an amazing,
incredible High Sabbath. There's
so much energy in the
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room this morning. And you know
what's amazing about that
energy, is that it's
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founded on the Gospel, and it's
founded on Jesus Christ. Because
Jesus Christ is mighty
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to save, and He proved it
2,000 years ago. And today we
00:03:39.61\00:03:46.02
celebrate that and remember
that, especially this morning on
our Sabbath Resurrection
00:03:46.02\00:03:51.03
service. So I invite you to
stand with us this morning as we
sing praises to God, first
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starting off with "Mighty to
Save." [ "Mighty to Save" plays
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] [ Song ends, piano continues
playing ] >> God is mighty,
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amen? But He's not just mighty.
He's mighty for a purpose. And
that purpose is salvation.
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And you may come this morning
thinking, "Phew, man, how could
I ever be worthy of the love of
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the Father?" And the Father this
morning responds to you, and He
00:07:27.51\00:07:33.05
says, "My love is deep, and my
love is vast. It was so large I
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stretched out my arms for you on
the Cross." And so, this
morning, no matter where you
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are, the burdens that you're
carrying, I invite you to come
forward during this song. Come
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lay your burdens at the foot of
the Cross and bask in the glory
and the warmth of the love of
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the Father because His love was
so deep for us. Come forward in
our preparation for prayer.
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[ "How Deep the
Father's Love For Us" plays ]
00:08:00.91\00:08:04.18
[ Tempo slows ] [
Flourish, song ends ]
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[ Mid-tempo music plays ]
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[ Music intensifies ]
00:13:10.15\00:13:11.55
[ Song ends ] >>
Mm! Amen and amen. Yeah.
00:13:21.83\00:13:26.97
[ Applause ]
00:13:26.97\00:13:28.14
Oh, boy, when I grow up, I want
to play in the band. Isn't that
00:13:32.21\00:13:36.31
something? That was just
beautiful. Thank you, Alan
Mitchell and Wind Symphony,
00:13:36.31\00:13:40.15
Andrews University. Hey,
happy Easter, boys and girls.
00:13:40.15\00:13:43.35
Nice to see you on this
glorious, sunshiny Resurrection
00:13:43.35\00:13:51.99
Sabbath. Oh, you're looking
lovely. Oh, you are looking so
springtime and lovely today.
00:13:51.99\00:13:55.76
Thank you for looking this way.
So, the story's about a dog. And
so I want you to look on the
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screens right now. I want you to
look on the worship screen, and
00:13:59.80\00:14:03.04
you see a dog. That dog is
-- Oh, it's a mutt. That dog is
00:14:03.04\00:14:07.94
part shepherd, German shepherd,
but they don't know what the
other part is. And this dog has
00:14:07.94\00:14:12.71
been in trouble, mm-hmm. I think
this is either the third or the
00:14:12.71\00:14:16.99
fourth owner. I'm not gonna tell
you the name of the dog, just
because -- look at that.
00:14:16.99\00:14:20.36
And you know where the dog
lives? Ozark City, Alabama.
00:14:20.36\00:14:23.76
Anybody here from Alabama?
Alabama. That's where the
00:14:23.76\00:14:28.46
doggy's from. Oh, the dog just
has a way of getting in trouble.
I don't know what happens.
00:14:28.46\00:14:33.07
I mean, it's not his fault. One
day, as he's gonna -- [ Panting
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] And his owner's checking him
out. "You know, you don't look
00:14:38.17\00:14:41.28
very healthy. Say, 'Ah.'" "Ahh!"
00:14:41.28\00:14:43.08
"Oh, yeah, you're not healthy."
So he took that dog to the
00:14:43.08\00:14:48.25
veterinarian. And the
veterinarian checked the dog out
and said, "Uh-oh. Bad news.
00:14:48.25\00:14:53.15
This dog has heartworms."
[ Gasps ] You don't want
00:14:53.15\00:14:56.79
heartworms if you're a dog. You
don't even want them if you're
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ahuman. Just bad. "Nah, I don't
think there's anything we can
00:14:59.49\00:15:03.70
do. We're gonna need to put this
dog to sleep." You know what
00:15:03.70\00:15:07.64
that means? >> Yes. >> It gets
some medicine, and the dog just
00:15:07.64\00:15:11.17
falls asleep and never wakes
up. That's what they did. But he
00:15:11.17\00:15:15.68
woke up! [ Laughter ] What's
up with that? So he's happy.
00:15:15.68\00:15:19.55
[ Panting ] Oh, he's so
happy to be alive. [ Panting ]
00:15:19.55\00:15:24.49
So, the owners left him in the
shelter, animal shelter, and
another family came along and
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said, "We want that dog. That's
a lovely dog. We'll take it.
00:15:30.29\00:15:32.53
Not sure what we're gonna name
it, but we'll take that dog. [
Singsong voice ] Oh, here,
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puppy, puppy!" [ Normal voice
] And the doggy ran all over the
00:15:35.66\00:15:38.33
property. But one day -- "We
told you not to go out in the
street." [ Inhales sharply ] But
00:15:38.33\00:15:41.54
the dog went out in the street.
Boom! Here comes a car. Ohh!
00:15:41.54\00:15:45.31
Right on his hip. His leg is
mangled. Ohh, everybody's crying
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in the family. Everybody's
crying. They have to take it
back to the same veterinarian.
00:15:49.11\00:15:53.01
"You're gonna have to put this
dog to sleep." "Ohh. We're so
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sad." And so that's what they
did. September 10th, the
veterinarian put the dog to
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sleep, filled out an official
document that said "destroyed"
on it. Listened to the heart.
00:16:01.62\00:16:08.00
It's gone. [ Cries ] The family
went home. The next morning,
00:16:08.00\00:16:12.77
when the veterinarian came,
guess who's sitting up in his
cage, eating all the food that
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was left in that cage. It's all
gone. They said, "This dog --
00:16:19.27\00:16:23.68
How many lives dodogshave?
I don't know." But when they
00:16:23.68\00:16:27.35
looked -- And so that family
left the dog. This family
adopted the dog. And do you know
00:16:27.35\00:16:32.05
what this family named
that dog? Lazarus. [ Laughter ]
00:16:32.05\00:16:35.19
That -- [ Laughs ] That is
Lazarus. I think that's a great
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name for a dog that keeps coming
back to life, don't you? Lazarus
00:16:38.89\00:16:43.23
the dog. Wait a minute! Wait a
minute! Every eye, every eye,
every eye looking up here at the
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big Cross. Looking at the
Cross. Because that's where the
00:16:46.90\00:16:50.27
Lord Jesus, who raised Lazarus
back to life -- that's where
they hung Him, and He did die.
00:16:50.27\00:16:55.81
They buried the Lord of Lazarus.
And you know what Satan did? He
got the big official document
00:16:55.81\00:17:00.48
out, and he wrote "destroyed."
He was the only one clapping,
but he was clapping.
00:17:00.48\00:17:05.05
"Destroyed." But three
days later, guess what happened.
00:17:05.05\00:17:08.09
Three days -- Does anybody know
what happened? Come on, tell me
00:17:08.09\00:17:11.23
what happened. Three days later,
who comes marching out of that
grave, that hole in the ground?
00:17:11.23\00:17:14.40
Who comes marching out? It's
the Lord Jesus Himself. Yay!
00:17:14.40\00:17:22.74
And that's why we're in church
today, because Jesus rose -- and
that's why all these lilies, and
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that's why this worship's
special today. Jesus rose.
00:17:27.78\00:17:30.75
Let me see that picture of
Jesus, our Savior. Oh, there's a
00:17:30.75\00:17:35.12
beautiful picture of Jesus, our
Sa-- There it is on the big
screen, too. Jesus rose again,
00:17:35.12\00:17:41.62
and that's why we're here.
Oh, how He loves us. Oh, how He
00:17:41.62\00:17:46.29
loves us. Who would like
to thank Jesus today? I need a
00:17:46.29\00:17:49.53
little boy today. I've had a lot
of little girls, but is there a
little boy who would thank
00:17:49.53\00:17:54.07
Jesus? Are you raising your
hand, or is your sister raising
00:17:54.07\00:17:57.21
your hand for you? [ Laughter ]
Yeah, hey, nice try, sis. Okay,
is there a boy here that
00:17:57.21\00:18:02.28
would pray? Okay, "Mr. Blue
Shirt." Come on. Come on, you
00:18:02.28\00:18:07.22
have to make your way through
here. And while you're coming,
I'm getting the microphone for
00:18:07.22\00:18:10.12
you. Yep. Watch out now. Here
comes the young gentleman who's
00:18:10.12\00:18:15.46
gonna thank Jesus. Shh! He's
gonna thank Jesus for being our
Savior and rising again so
00:18:15.46\00:18:21.73
that we one day will rise again,
too. What's your name, junior?
00:18:21.73\00:18:26.13
>> J.J. --
Jaziel. >> Jay? >> Yes.
00:18:26.13\00:18:29.97
>> Jaziel. Jay Jaziel, come on.
Let's pray. >> No, J-A-Z-I-E-L.
00:18:29.97\00:18:34.64
>> Oh, J.J.
Jaziel? >> No. >> No.
00:18:34.64\00:18:36.68
>> J-A-Z-I-E-L. >> Oh,
you're spelling me your name.
00:18:36.68\00:18:39.25
[ Chuckling ] Okay. [ Laughter
] I thought your first name was
00:18:39.25\00:18:43.39
Jay. Okay. Jaziel.
Would you mind praying?
00:18:43.39\00:18:47.99
Let's close our eyes and fold
our hands as Jaziel thanks Jesus
for being our Savior.
00:18:47.99\00:18:53.33
>> Thank You, God. Thank
You for this beautiful day.
00:18:53.33\00:18:55.93
Thank You for everybody
that's in church. Thank You for
00:18:55.93\00:18:59.37
everybody that's feeling better.
Thank You for everybody that's
going to -- with Jesus.
00:18:59.37\00:19:04.21
Thank You for everybody that's
healthy and eating lots of
00:19:04.21\00:19:09.11
foods. >> Mm-hmm. >> Thank
You, and amen. >> Amen, Jaziel.
00:19:09.11\00:19:12.81
That's a beautiful prayer.
All right. As you go quietly and
00:19:12.81\00:19:16.48
reverently back to your seats, I
got to talk to your mom and dad,
the big people, for a moment.
00:19:16.48\00:19:20.76
But a blessed Resurrection
weekend to you. God bless you.
00:19:20.76\00:19:27.03
Happy Sabbath. [
Majestic music plays ]
00:19:29.30\00:19:30.70
[ Music intensifies ]
00:23:38.85\00:23:40.35
[ Music softens ]
00:23:47.66\00:23:49.19
[ Song ends ]
00:24:39.34\00:24:40.71
[ "Christ the Lord
Is Risen Today" plays ]
00:24:44.48\00:24:47.88
[ Song ends ] >>
Amen. >> Amen. Amen.
00:28:38.95\00:28:41.85
Oh, God, You have heard our
hearts. With all the voice that
00:28:41.85\00:28:48.39
is in us, we sing of our
hope. We sing of our trust. We
00:28:48.39\00:28:58.33
believe. "Ours the Cross,
the grave, the skies." Alleluia.
00:28:58.33\00:29:05.54
Oh, living Christ, through Your
Spirit, engage these last
moments we have in worship, in
00:29:05.54\00:29:12.61
Your Word. We pray
in Your name. Amen.
00:29:12.61\00:29:16.62
[ Birds singing ]
00:29:18.65\00:29:20.06
[ Footsteps approach ]
00:29:25.59\00:29:27.30
You'd have to believe that
if Jesus were resurrected today,
00:29:56.26\00:30:01.70
somebody would have tried to
capture the moment with their
00:30:01.70\00:30:09.77
cellphone. [ Click tongue ]
00:30:09.77\00:30:12.17
"Got it!"
00:30:12.17\00:30:13.81
United Airlines... [
Congregation murmurs ]
00:30:17.05\00:30:21.48
That's all I'm saying. [
Laughter ] Come on, this is the
00:30:21.65\00:30:27.26
world of a camera is always
recording everything. But you
00:30:27.26\00:30:30.23
know what? If I could go on
YouTube today and there be two
Resurrection scenes -- the one,
00:30:30.23\00:30:34.83
of course, of the actual
Resurrection of my Lord Jesus,
or the other scene -- I would
00:30:34.83\00:30:38.97
choose the other scene because,
probably, the first scene would
be whited out totally.
00:30:38.97\00:30:43.54
You couldn't see a thing. And
the second scene -- to me, the
mystery is embedded in it as
00:30:43.54\00:30:50.11
the one who was dead and is now
alive is squatting around a
campfire with His closest
00:30:50.11\00:30:56.28
friends, and they're having
breakfast down by the lake. And
as the orange shadows dance
00:30:56.28\00:31:04.56
on this resurrected man's face,
I can't imagine. I'd replay it
00:31:04.56\00:31:11.83
and replay it and replay it.
I want relive that moment with
00:31:11.83\00:31:15.80
you. Because I can assure you,
here in John 21, Peter -- Let's
see. Peter and Thomas and
00:31:15.80\00:31:21.61
Nathanael and James and John and
two other fishing buddies, for
the rest of their lives, they
00:31:21.61\00:31:27.58
never forgot that early morning
breakfast by the shores of
Galilee. So find John 21.
00:31:27.58\00:31:32.02
That's our homily passage for
this Easter weekend -- John 21.
00:31:32.02\00:31:40.30
Let's pick it up. I'm in the
NIV. Whatever Bible you have --
Pew Bible's in front of you.
00:31:40.30\00:31:43.40
You can find it there, as well.
It's page 732 in the pew Bible.
Let's start in verse nine.
00:31:43.40\00:31:49.77
"And when they landed --"
That would be the disciples, the
00:31:49.94\00:31:53.27
seven I just mentioned.
And they'd been out all night.
00:31:53.27\00:31:56.38
"And when they landed, they saw
a fire of burning coals there
00:31:56.38\00:32:00.25
with fish on it, and some bread.
And Jesus said to them --" verse
00:32:00.25\00:32:04.59
12 -- "'Come
and have breakfast.'
00:32:04.59\00:32:07.06
None of the disciples
dared ask him, 'Who are you?'
00:32:07.06\00:32:11.43
They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came, and took the bread,
00:32:11.43\00:32:15.40
and He gave it to them, and
He did the same with the fish.
00:32:15.40\00:32:18.63
This was now --" verse 14 --
"the third time Jesus appeared
00:32:18.63\00:32:21.94
to his disciples after He
was raised from the dead."
00:32:21.94\00:32:25.97
You know what? If I had been
sitting there, squatting around
00:32:27.74\00:32:31.58
that campfire, I believe the cat
would've gotten my tongue, too.
I mean, what are you gonna say?
00:32:31.58\00:32:35.92
You know the boys are --
They're all young. They're...
00:32:35.92\00:32:40.46
Nobody's speaking, but,
"[Whispering] Look, look, look.
00:32:40.46\00:32:44.86
Look, look, look! [ Normal voice
] He was dead. He's alive, and
His hand just brushed mi-- His
00:32:44.86\00:32:50.13
hand just brushed mine
as He handed me the bread."
00:32:50.13\00:32:53.54
F.F. Bruce, in his commentary of
this moment -- his words on the
00:32:53.70\00:32:57.67
screen. "The
disciples, it appears, were
00:32:57.67\00:33:00.31
conscious of a certain
uneasiness --" Yeah, cat got my
00:33:00.31\00:33:03.58
tongue -- "an uneasiness in the
presence of their risen Lord..."
00:33:03.58\00:33:07.35
Hey, listen, listen. If you've
had breakfast with a man who was
00:33:20.13\00:33:26.97
dead and is now resurrected, I'm
just thinking there's probably
nothing in life that would make
00:33:26.97\00:33:33.14
you afraid again. Don't
you suppose? I mean, come on.
00:33:33.14\00:33:37.28
I heard Andy Stanley ask that
question once, and I thought to
myself, "You are right on."
00:33:37.28\00:33:43.42
I mean, look. So, North Korea
this weekend triggers a nuclear
00:33:43.42\00:33:49.59
device -- well, the talking
heads out there -- and plunges
the world, 100 years exactly
00:33:49.59\00:33:57.17
after World War I, into some
sort of global conflagration.
But what's there to fear?
00:33:57.17\00:34:04.44
Can't the man beside the
breakfast campfire handle it?
Isn't He the one who was dead
00:34:04.44\00:34:11.75
but is now alive forevermore? I
mean, look. So, the doctor walks
00:34:11.75\00:34:17.29
into your examining room with
the X-rays and C.T. scans as
evidence and pronounces, "You
00:34:17.29\00:34:23.29
are not gonna make it." [ Scoffs
] But what's there to fear?
00:34:23.29\00:34:28.93
Can't the man beside the
breakfast campfire handle it?
Isn't He the one who was dead
00:34:28.93\00:34:33.84
once but now is alive forever? I
mean, come on. I'm just saying.
00:34:33.84\00:34:39.31
Look. All those high-flying
dreams that you have, your
daydreams and your night dreams
00:34:39.31\00:34:44.71
about your career that one day
is coming, suddenly, like smoke,
dissipate when the reality of
00:34:44.71\00:34:52.59
past school, past graduation
sinks in, and you're trying to
get a job with the grades you
00:34:52.59\00:34:59.53
got. Hey, wait a minute. Wait,
wait, wait, wait a minute.
What's there to be afraid of?
00:34:59.53\00:35:03.43
Can't the man who sat by the
campfire -- couldn't He do
something about this?
00:35:03.43\00:35:07.90
Isn't He the one who was
dead once but is now alive
00:35:07.90\00:35:11.74
forevermore? I'm just saying,
ladies and gentlemen. When
you've had breakfast with a
00:35:11.74\00:35:16.11
man who was dead and is now
resurrected, you pretty much
have nothing to be afraid of
00:35:16.11\00:35:21.48
ever again. "Yeah, but Dwight,
let me just tell you something,
00:35:21.48\00:35:25.85
boy. He has never sat around
my campfire." Well, of course
00:35:25.85\00:35:31.13
you're right. I've never seen
Him, either. Maybe that's why,
eight days after his
00:35:31.13\00:35:36.77
Resurrection, Jesus shows up
again unannounced, uninvited,
into the upper room...
00:35:36.77\00:35:43.07
an upper room, eight days ago,
that was minus Thomas. I'm
talking about the Thomas
00:35:43.07\00:35:50.15
who's been moping all around the
house for eight days now, just
pouting to himself, "He shows up
00:35:50.15\00:35:54.85
to them. He doesn't show up to
me. I tell you what, I refuse to
00:35:54.85\00:35:58.15
believe it. Unless I
touch him, all bets are off.
00:35:58.15\00:36:03.86
I'm not gonna believe." Eight
days later, Jesus shows up, and
He goes straight to
00:36:03.86\00:36:08.06
Thomas. "Yo, Thomas. Come here.
00:36:08.06\00:36:11.70
Come here, come here,
come here. Give me your hand.
00:36:11.70\00:36:14.47
You're touching my
wounds. You feel that? Mm-hmm.
00:36:16.17\00:36:19.11
Come here. You're
touching my broken, open
00:36:19.11\00:36:25.21
chest."
00:36:25.21\00:36:26.55
And Thomas, his face flushed
now, but with awe and adoration,
drops to his knees, and he cries
00:36:29.22\00:36:38.79
out, "My Lord and my God." And
then Jesus says, "Hey, Thomas,
00:36:38.79\00:36:48.07
Thomas." Well, just turn one
page back. We'll get His actual
words here. One page back.
00:36:48.07\00:36:50.97
So this is John 20:29.
00:36:50.97\00:36:53.31
"Then Jesus told Thomas --"
see -- "'Because you have seen
00:36:53.48\00:36:57.41
me, you have believed; but
blessed are those who have not
00:36:57.41\00:37:01.35
seen and yet have believed."
00:37:01.35\00:37:06.65
Apparently -- Hey, hey.
Apparently, he has sat around
00:37:06.82\00:37:11.26
our own campfires. We just never
saw him there. And what he's
whispering today is, "Believe,
00:37:11.26\00:37:16.16
believe. Just believe. I'm with
you. I was there." [ Laughs ]
00:37:16.16\00:37:23.84
I repeat, when you've had
breakfast with a man who's been
dead and who is now alive, you
00:37:23.84\00:37:28.01
pretty much have nothing to be
afraid of, don't you? So, we
have this moment with
00:37:28.01\00:37:34.08
Thomas, and we have the early
morning breakfast. But let's go
00:37:34.08\00:37:37.89
to the story. There's a story
tucked in right between the two.
It's a wonderful story.
00:37:37.89\00:37:42.66
And, by the way, it's a fishing
story, and Thomas is a part of
00:37:42.66\00:37:46.46
it. So, John, in his
storytelling way, in John 21 --
This is the epilogue to his
00:37:46.46\00:37:51.80
Gospel like chapter one is the
prologue to it. John begins this
00:37:51.80\00:37:57.04
way. John 21:1...
00:37:57.21\00:37:58.84
You can hear old John -- There's
John boy, but he's an old man
00:38:06.95\00:38:09.32
now. He's saying, "Hey, listen,
00:38:09.32\00:38:10.65
children. Shh!
00:38:10.65\00:38:11.42
I got a story for
you. It happened this way.
00:38:11.42\00:38:13.82
Listen to me." Here
comes the story now --
00:38:13.82\00:38:17.23
verse two. "Simon
Peter --" we know him --
00:38:17.23\00:38:19.26
"Thomas --" [Chuckles] we
know him, who's also known as
00:38:19.26\00:38:21.80
Didymus, or twin -- "Nathanael
from Cana --" we know him -- "in
00:38:21.80\00:38:24.70
Galilee, the sons of Zebedee --"
that would be John boy and his
00:38:24.70\00:38:27.60
older brother, James, yep --
"and two other unnamed disciples
00:38:27.60\00:38:31.57
were all together." Verse three.
00:38:31.57\00:38:34.51
"Hey, guys," Peter
announces, "I'm going fishing."
00:38:34.51\00:38:40.42
And they all, with one voice,
answer, "We're going with you,
00:38:40.42\00:38:44.69
Pete." And that's exactly what
00:38:44.69\00:38:47.36
happened. "So they
went out and got into
00:38:47.36\00:38:49.39
the boat, but that night --"
aw -- "that night they caught
00:38:49.39\00:38:52.19
nothing." It's
a beautiful night.
00:38:52.19\00:38:54.20
The once full Passover
orb is now just a sliver.
00:38:54.20\00:38:59.33
This is days later. But it's
still picture perfect because
00:38:59.50\00:39:05.21
the beams from the moon --
silver light just rippling on
the lapping lake against the
00:39:05.21\00:39:13.42
gunwales of their skiff.
Beautiful but depressing. I
00:39:13.42\00:39:19.89
mean, please! No fish all night!
00:39:19.89\00:39:23.89
Now, remember now,
these are fishermen.
00:39:24.06\00:39:25.63
They have done
this for a living.
00:39:25.63\00:39:27.03
But when Jesus called them, they
left their nets, they left the
00:39:27.03\00:39:29.50
boats behind, and they said,
"Okay, we're following You."
00:39:29.50\00:39:33.47
But some of them
have families to feed.
00:39:33.47\00:39:37.94
Some of them --Allof
them are dealing with hunger.
00:39:37.94\00:39:40.94
And there is no money, thanks
to Judas' pilfering from the
00:39:41.11\00:39:47.05
collective till. If ever they
need a night of successful
fishing, it would have to be
00:39:47.05\00:39:51.92
tonight. But they caught
nothing. Mm. "Desire of Ages"
describes this moment.
00:39:51.92\00:39:57.96
I love it.
00:39:57.96\00:39:59.19
Put it on the screen for you.
"All night, they toiled, without
00:39:59.36\00:40:02.36
success. Through
the weary hours, they
00:40:02.36\00:40:04.40
talked of their absent Lord, and
recalled the wonderful events
00:40:04.40\00:40:07.44
they had witnessed in His
ministry --" right here, right
00:40:07.44\00:40:10.24
here -- "beside the sea.
They questioned as to their own
00:40:10.24\00:40:12.71
future." Some of
you are worried about
00:40:12.71\00:40:14.34
your future right now.
"They questioned as to their own
00:40:14.34\00:40:16.54
future. They grew
sad at the prospect
00:40:16.54\00:40:18.15
before them..."
00:40:18.15\00:40:19.55
Oh, I love that. "At
length, the morning dawned."
00:40:31.49\00:40:35.06
Beyond every midnight of
nothing, there will come the
morning of promise.
00:40:35.23\00:40:43.14
Amen. Reminds me of Bill and
Gloria Gaither's splendid Easter
00:40:43.14\00:40:47.91
gospel song. ¤ Then came
the morning ¤ You remember that?
00:40:47.91\00:40:54.12
¤ Morning ¤ ¤ Night turned into
day ¤ ¤ The stone was rolled
00:40:54.12\00:41:00.69
away ¤ ¤ Hope rose with the dawn
¤ ¤ Then came the morning ¤ ¤
Shadows vanish before the
00:41:00.69\00:41:08.83
sun ¤ ¤ Death had
lost, and life had won ¤
00:41:08.83\00:41:13.40
¤ For morning had come ¤ I'm
promising you, if you're in a
night right now -- if you're
00:41:13.40\00:41:22.28
in a night right now, I'm
promising you, the morning is
00:41:22.28\00:41:27.38
coming. >> Amen! >> Yeah!
00:41:27.38\00:41:29.65
All right, verse four.
"Early in the morning --" Here
00:41:29.82\00:41:33.02
it comes....
00:41:33.02\00:41:34.42
So he calls out to
them, "Yo, friends!
00:41:38.66\00:41:41.90
Haven't you any
fish?" "No!" they answered.
00:41:41.90\00:41:47.40
"He said, 'Throw your net on the
right side of the boat and you
00:41:47.40\00:41:50.84
will find some.'"
They still don't get it.
00:41:50.84\00:41:55.41
"And when they did, they
were unable to haul the net in
00:41:55.41\00:41:57.78
because of the
large number of fish.
00:41:57.78\00:41:59.45
Then the disciple whom Jesus
loved --" that would be John
00:41:59.45\00:42:01.98
boy -- "said to
Peter, 'It's the Lord!'
00:42:01.98\00:42:03.75
As soon as Simon Peter heard him
say, 'It's the Lord,' he wrapped
00:42:03.75\00:42:06.52
his outer garment around him --
for he had taken it off --" and
00:42:06.52\00:42:09.22
he's not gonna show up in front
of the Lord in his underwear --
00:42:09.22\00:42:11.89
plunges into the water
-- "jumps into the water.
00:42:11.89\00:42:14.00
And the other disciples followed
in the boat --" verse eight --
00:42:14.00\00:42:16.70
"towing the net full of
fish, for they were not far from
00:42:16.70\00:42:19.60
shore, about a hundred yards.
And when they landed, they saw a
00:42:19.60\00:42:22.74
file of burning coals
--" there's that breakfast --
00:42:22.74\00:42:26.24
"burning coals there with
fish on it, and some bread."
00:42:26.24\00:42:30.31
Where'd that come from?
00:42:30.31\00:42:32.61
Verse 10. "And Jesus said to
them, 'Bring some of the fish
00:42:32.78\00:42:36.22
you've caught.'" So Simon Peter
is back out into the water,
00:42:36.22\00:42:39.92
climbs back in the boat, drags
the net ashore. "It was full of
large fish, 153, but even with
00:42:39.92\00:42:45.69
so many the net was not torn."
Verse 12. Jesus said to them,
00:42:45.69\00:42:48.86
"Come, come, come. Let's have
breakfast." "None of the
disciples dared ask
00:42:48.86\00:42:52.47
him, 'Who are you?' They knew it
was the Lord. Jesus came, took
00:42:52.47\00:42:56.84
the bread, and gave it to them
-- did the same with the fish.
This was now the third time
00:42:56.84\00:43:00.88
Jesus appeared to his disciples
after He was raised from the
00:43:00.88\00:43:06.82
dead." Thus ends the
second-greatest fishing story in
00:43:06.82\00:43:13.79
all the Gospels... which, by the
way, was intentionally
re-enacted in order for them and
00:43:13.79\00:43:24.00
us not to forget the punch line
in the firstgreatest fishing
story in all the Gospels...
00:43:24.00\00:43:31.81
which is why the second fishing
story happened in the first
place, which is why the first
00:43:31.81\00:43:37.58
story's punch line is absolutely
essential. Last time we were
00:43:37.58\00:43:42.22
together, we were in that --
Come on, just for old time's
sake. Just back to Luke 5.
00:43:42.22\00:43:47.06
We were in -- This is the
great opening fish story of the
00:43:47.06\00:43:50.99
Gospels. We just read the
closing. Luke chapter 5. Luke 5.
All right, we'll pick it up in
00:43:50.99\00:43:57.33
verse four.
00:43:57.33\00:43:58.57
So, Jesus has the crowd
here, and, "When he'd finished
00:43:58.73\00:44:00.77
speaking, Jesus said to
Simon --" "Hey, Pete --" "'Put
00:44:00.77\00:44:04.97
out into the deep water, and
let down the nets for a catch.'
00:44:04.97\00:44:08.98
And Simon answered --" does this
sound familiar? -- "'Master,
00:44:08.98\00:44:12.25
we've worked hard all night
and haven't caught anything.'"
00:44:12.25\00:44:16.15
Happening all over
again in that second story.
00:44:16.15\00:44:18.72
"'But --'" Peter goes on --
"'because You say so, I'll let
00:44:18.72\00:44:21.82
down the nets.' And
when they had done so --"
00:44:21.82\00:44:23.89
[Exhales sharply] -- "they had
caught such a large number of
00:44:23.89\00:44:26.19
fish that the
nets began to break.
00:44:26.19\00:44:27.66
So they signaled to their
partners in the other boat --"
00:44:27.66\00:44:29.80
"Come, come, come, and help us!"
And they came and filled both
00:44:29.80\00:44:32.60
boats so full that both
boats are going down now.
00:44:32.60\00:44:37.11
And Peter... "When
Simon Peter saw this --"
00:44:37.11\00:44:40.18
verse eight -- "he fell at
Jesus' knees, and he said, 'Go
00:44:40.18\00:44:43.01
away from me. Go
away from me, Lord; I am a
00:44:43.01\00:44:45.21
sinful man!' For he
and all his companions
00:44:45.21\00:44:47.22
were astonished at the catch of
fish they had taken, and so were
00:44:47.22\00:44:49.95
James and John, the sons
of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
00:44:49.95\00:44:52.29
Then --" Here
comes the punch line now.
00:44:52.29\00:44:54.22
"Then Jesus said to
Simon, 'Don't be afraid.
00:44:54.22\00:44:59.96
Don't be afraid. From
now on, you will fish for
00:44:59.96\00:45:06.94
people...'"
00:45:06.94\00:45:08.00
Speaking of fear, there
it is again. There it is.
00:45:13.68\00:45:17.15
Because as it turns out, fishing
and fear -- I'm talking about
fishing for people, that is.
00:45:17.15\00:45:22.75
Fishing and fear
very often go together.
00:45:22.75\00:45:27.32
I mean, if I share the good news
that Jesus has resurrected and
00:45:27.49\00:45:30.46
that He's coming back to Earth
again soon, what will people
00:45:30.46\00:45:33.26
say? What will my friends think?
00:45:33.26\00:45:34.93
How will my colleagues react?
What will my neighbors say?
00:45:34.93\00:45:38.07
Do you know -- Listen, listen.
Do you know that the number-one
reason why people don't fish is
00:45:38.23\00:45:43.77
because of their fear of what
people will think of them? [
00:45:43.77\00:45:52.41
Scoffs ] I have a friend in Las
Vegas -- good place, by the way,
00:45:52.41\00:45:58.29
to have friends. His name is
"Buck" Weaver. He's been a
businessman, been in sales most
00:45:58.29\00:46:04.96
of his life, and has done well.
And he's absolutely passionate
-- I'm telling you,
00:46:04.96\00:46:07.76
he's absolutely passionate about
reaching America for Christ. And
he'll call me up every so
00:46:07.76\00:46:13.00
often, and I know exactly
what he's gonna say. "Come on,
00:46:13.00\00:46:16.20
Dwight. We got to reach America.
We got to reach America. So what
are you doing about it?"
00:46:16.20\00:46:21.34
"Me?" "Yeah, what
are you doing about it?"
00:46:21.34\00:46:25.38
We'll have the conversation.
This year alone -- This year
alone, since January, four
00:46:25.38\00:46:30.65
times -- I have four voicemails
on my cellphone. Four times.
00:46:30.65\00:46:33.96
Same speech, same passion, same
voice, same Buck. Buck's not
00:46:33.96\00:46:40.70
afraid. Jesus said, "Don't be
afraid." Buck isn't. I finally
called him back this
00:46:40.70\00:46:46.40
week. I said, "Yo, Buck. I
been getting your messages."
00:46:46.40\00:46:50.91
[ Chuckling ] And he starts in
again, all over again. "I'm just
telling you, Dwight.
00:46:50.91\00:46:54.74
We got to reach America while
it's time! You got a voice? Use
00:46:54.74\00:47:02.28
it." [ Sighs ] Jesus' words
to Peter -- on the screen...
00:47:02.28\00:47:06.09
Erwin Raphael McManus, in his
amazing book -- I wish you had
it -- "Seizing Your Divine
00:47:10.43\00:47:17.80
Moment," he writes these words.
00:47:17.80\00:47:19.70
Put them on the screen for you.
00:47:19.87\00:47:21.20
"If the only calling you are
ever certain of is the one where
00:47:21.20\00:47:25.21
Jesus calls us all to follow
Him and He would make us become
00:47:25.21\00:47:31.81
fishers of people --" If that's
all you have, it is more than
00:47:31.81\00:47:35.15
enough. "He
commissions all of us --" By
00:47:35.15\00:47:37.35
the way, not just Buck Weaver.
"He commissionsallof us to go
00:47:37.35\00:47:40.89
and make
disciples of all nations.
00:47:40.89\00:47:43.26
Jesus came to
seek and save the lost.
00:47:43.26\00:47:45.76
All of us have a calling to give
our lives away for His sake..."
00:47:45.76\00:47:49.66
It's all you need.
Because what Jesus said to
00:47:53.17\00:47:55.70
Peter, He says to Mary.
00:47:55.70\00:47:57.27
"Don't be afraid, girl. From
now on, you will fish for me."
00:47:57.44\00:48:03.01
McManus is right. It's the one
calling you have right now that
00:48:03.01\00:48:07.65
you can be absolutely certain
of. Doesn't matter whether
you've graduated or not.
00:48:07.65\00:48:10.95
Doesn't matter whether you've
ever been to school in your life
00:48:10.95\00:48:14.16
or not. You have been called,
and you're the one now that God
considers the called one.
00:48:14.16\00:48:22.40
"Don't be afraid," Jesus says,
"From now on, you will fish for
00:48:22.40\00:48:27.10
people." And God has given you
ahuge green light. McManus tells
00:48:27.10\00:48:36.18
a story in his book, and I know
this has happened to you, too.
He says, "Do you remember the
00:48:36.18\00:48:39.25
time --" And I think everybody
here will remember the time. "Do
you remember the time where
00:48:39.25\00:48:44.09
you're stuck behind
someone in traffic?" All right?
00:48:44.09\00:48:47.46
There's one person between you
and the red light. You're
obviously in a hurry.
00:48:47.46\00:48:50.89
You have some very important
appointment. You got to get
00:48:50.89\00:48:56.20
somewhere fast. And do you
remember how you're acting when
you're there? Because there's
00:48:56.20\00:48:59.87
one person between you and that
light, so you're clutching the
00:48:59.87\00:49:02.94
steering wheel. You're just
holding it tight, and you're
drumming it, you're drumming it.
00:49:02.94\00:49:06.17
And your eyes -- your eyes are
frozen on that red light, and
you're staring it down.
00:49:06.17\00:49:11.58
You're just waiting for the
moment when -- bam! It feel like
00:49:11.58\00:49:15.48
it takes forever, but every time
it changes, your foot goes off
the brake and onto -- Oh!
00:49:15.48\00:49:19.35
[ Inhales sharply ] Just before
the accelerator, you realize
that the person in front of you
00:49:19.35\00:49:24.93
has no idea she has permission
to move now. [ Laughter ]
00:49:24.93\00:49:30.63
Remember? McManus writing,
"Instead of looking forward,
00:49:30.63\00:49:35.40
she's fixed on her own image in
the rearview mirror, and she's
always on a cellphone."
00:49:35.40\00:49:39.34
Have you seen that?
[ Laughter ] [ Scoffs ]
00:49:39.34\00:49:42.71
[ Chuckling ] And now McManus
writes, he said, "I want you to
think what you were thinking."
00:49:42.71\00:49:46.95
Notallthose thoughts, but
weren't you thinking something
00:49:46.95\00:49:50.25
like this? "Remember what
you were thinking." I love this.
00:49:50.25\00:49:52.69
"Remember what you were
thinking. Here's what you were
00:49:52.69\00:49:55.79
thinking. 'Move, lady! It
doesn't get any greener than
00:49:55.79\00:50:00.66
this! Move! What are you waiting
for? This is as green as it
gets. This is as 'go' as it
00:50:00.66\00:50:08.07
gets." And I said, "Man, I have
parked behind that driver." And
then he goes on with the
00:50:08.07\00:50:14.78
next sentence. Oops. [ Gasps ]
00:50:14.78\00:50:17.25
"I wonder if that's what God
is thinking about us." "Dwight!
00:50:17.25\00:50:25.59
You! Girl! Boy!
What are you waiting for?
00:50:25.59\00:50:31.46
That's as green a go as you will
ever get in this lifetime. Move
00:50:31.46\00:50:37.03
it! Move it for me, please.
Let's go!" What do you say
00:50:37.03\00:50:42.74
inespaņol?
iVamos! Let's go. Listen.
00:50:42.74\00:50:50.65
What did Jesus say? "Don't be
afraid. From now on, the light
00:50:50.65\00:50:57.25
is green. And you will fish for
people. You got a green light,
girl. Boy, you got a green --
00:50:57.25\00:51:02.62
It's as green as it'll ever
get." I love this last word from
"Desire of Ages" on the
00:51:02.62\00:51:07.13
second-greatest fishing story.
00:51:07.13\00:51:09.03
Put it on the screen for you.
"It was to bring this scene --"
00:51:09.20\00:51:12.13
That would be Luke 5,
the story we just read.
00:51:12.13\00:51:14.44
It was to bring the Luke 5 scene
to their minds, and to deepen
00:51:14.44\00:51:17.41
its impression, that Jesus
had again performed the miracle.
00:51:17.41\00:51:20.28
That's the early morning
breakfast miracle in John 21.
00:51:20.28\00:51:23.04
"His act was a renewal of
the commission to the disciples.
00:51:23.04\00:51:26.92
Though they were to be deprived
of His personal companionship,
00:51:26.92\00:51:31.02
and of the means of support
by their former employment, the
00:51:31.02\00:51:34.96
risen Saviour would
still have a care for them."
00:51:34.96\00:51:38.26
Hold on. Listen
to this. "While..."
00:51:38.26\00:51:41.03
Isn't that something?
00:51:55.54\00:51:56.95
If ever you decide -- and I hope
you're not putting this off. If
ever you decide to go fishing
00:51:57.11\00:52:03.65
with Him, you will succeed. You
won't catch every -- You won't
catch every fish in the
00:52:03.65\00:52:09.92
sea. Do you think there's a
fisherman alive who says, "Since
00:52:09.92\00:52:13.33
I can't catch them all, I'm
not gonna catch any"? That's
00:52:13.33\00:52:16.93
asinine. You just fish. And
the promise is, "You will catch
00:52:19.13\00:52:25.57
many." Many.
00:52:25.57\00:52:26.98
Wow. "Do not be afraid; from now
on, you will fish for people.
00:52:31.78\00:52:40.12
And, by the way, the light is
green. Is it as green as it is
00:52:40.12\00:52:46.03
ever going to get. So please
come fishing with me." And what
00:52:46.03\00:52:56.04
do we say? >> Amen. >> That's
a pretty weak "amen." Come on!
00:52:56.04\00:53:01.08
What do we say? >> Amen! >>
Amen! Amen! I want to pray with
00:53:01.08\00:53:06.85
you, but I want to pray at the
end. While you're going through,
we're gonna sing a great
00:53:06.85\00:53:10.85
Resurrection promise. 251 --
"I serve a risen Savior. He's in
00:53:10.85\00:53:15.29
the world today." Let's just
sing this with all our gusto we
have. [ "I Serve a Risen Savior"
00:53:15.29\00:53:23.30
plays ]
00:53:23.30\00:53:24.73
[ Song ends ] >> And now may the
God of peace, who through the
00:56:51.94\00:56:55.84
blood of the eternal covenant
brought back from the dead our
Lord Jesus, that great shepherd
00:56:55.84\00:57:00.25
of the sheep, may He equip you
with everything good for doing
00:57:00.25\00:57:05.29
His will. And may He work in us
what is pleasing to Him, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory
00:57:05.29\00:57:11.39
forever and ever. Amen.
00:57:11.39\00:57:15.20
>> I'd like to take one more
moment with you here at the end
00:57:16.97\00:57:19.27
of our program to offer
you something I think is really
00:57:19.27\00:57:21.37
special. I want
to send to you this
00:57:21.37\00:57:23.04
little book
called "Story of Hope."
00:57:23.04\00:57:25.51
In this sweeping look at the
story of the Bible, you're gonna
journey from the dawn of the
00:57:25.67\00:57:29.21
human race in the Garden
of Eden, through the stunning
00:57:29.21\00:57:32.15
narratives of the ancient
patriarchs and prophets and
kings, straight to the
00:57:32.15\00:57:36.85
breathtaking story of our Lord
Jesus and then beyond the New
Testament, the prophetic story
00:57:36.85\00:57:41.82
of how life on this planet ends
and then begins again. With my
team of leaders, we are reading
00:57:41.82\00:57:47.23
through this book every Monday
afternoon, and I promise you,
you're gonna get blessed.
00:57:47.23\00:57:50.53
I want to make sure you get
this book -- no charge to you.
00:57:50.70\00:57:54.17
So grab your phone and dial
our toll-free number -- 877, and
00:57:54.17\00:57:57.74
then the two words, "His
will." That's 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:57.74\00:58:03.81
Just give one of our friendly
operators your name and mailing
00:58:03.81\00:58:06.58
address, and the
book will be in the mail.
00:58:06.58\00:58:08.58
So be blessed. And
until the next time we meet,
00:58:08.58\00:58:11.82
may the peace of our
Lord Jesus go with you.
00:58:11.82\00:58:15.56
¤¤
00:58:15.56\00:58:18.46