Breakfast with Jesus | Easter Sunday Message

Hey there Victor, listening to the great glory part just a ministry supported by harvest partners on Greg Laurie encouraging you if you want to find out more about harvest ministries. To learn more about how to become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org all right. If you have your Bible want you to grab an intern to John chapter 21 John 21 of the title of my message is breakfast with Jesus. Okay so what is your favorite meal of the day. I have to say for me.

It may be breakfast followed by lunch and dinner. But seriously, I love breakfast, which smells better then the smell of coffee in the morning along with some bacon and eggs to me. Eggs are the main event of breakfast. I like eggs everywhere like fried eggs.

I like poached eggs. I like scrambled eggs I like omelettes. It's a funny thing.

I post all kinds of things about social media, but I get more response to a video I take myself of my wife making me an omelette or scrambled eggs in the morning. People can never get enough of the eight videos I'm a little perplexed by that but because of your response out. I'll keep posting them others of the things you can never breakfast. Some people like oatmeal.

Some people like well, they like just a couple coffee that so other people might have pop tarts. That's what I used to eat when I was a little kid, but in Alabama where I just was because we just finished the Jesus revolution filmed they have something the restaurants we don't have your in California I'm talking about biscuits and gravy. By the way, I completely approve a biscuits and gravy, but I'm kinda glad I don't have to see that very often because it's very tempting and I think one would gain a lot of weight eating those if you did it on a daily basis of coursers French toast and there's pancakes and the list goes on. Funny thing about my wife.

She doesn't even care about breakfast.

She could go without eating that sometimes he forgets to eat lunch.

How can you forget to eat lunch. I'm literally counting down the minutes from breakfast to lunch. My stomach works like a clock but regardless of if you love breakfast or lunch or dinner. Let me ask you this question if you could have breakfast with anyone anyone from the past, the present who would you choose to have breakfast with orders my answer. I would love to have breakfast with Jesus.

That is exactly what is happening in the text before us here in John 21, we see the risen Lord who'd been crucified and left for dead. These disciples never thought they would see his face again and they see him alive and they have breakfast with him though Jesus made multiple appearances after he rose, he appeared first to marry mag billing. She came to the tomb early in the morning only to anoint his body, never thinking she would see Christ alive again and then a voice spoke to her and she recognized it was the Lord and she grabbed hold of his ankles and he said Mary don't cling to me prior to assent to my God and your God in the my father and your father. So Mary went and told the disciples that Jesus was risen, most of them did not believe her. By the way, then Jesus appears incognito to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He joins them. They didn't know it was Jesus.

He basically asked them hey guys what's up what's been going on and they said, haven't you heard the things about Jesus of Nazareth. I meant it was mighty in deeds and all that he did but he died three days ago and Jesus is no tell me more.

What things so these guys are telling Jesus about Jesus, not realizing who is at the end of their journey, he reveals himself as a sit down for a meal and they say did not.

Our hearts burn within us while he opened to us the word of God. Then Jesus appeared behind closed doors to the disciples. It turns out Thomas was not there so they rented it Thomas. After that, they said Tommy should have been there last night Jesse showed up at our meeting, Thomas is Yahoo Jesus Thomas is no way I'll believe that when I could put my hand in the wound in the side and touch the wounds in his hands. We got together again because he showed up again for dinner. Jesus himself, seeing the risen Lord said, my Lord and my God. Then Jesus appears to 500 people at one time.

Now he's ready to appear again. Peter and the other disciples have gone fishing and they fished all night and they caught nothing. Suddenly a voice calls to them from the shore friends do you have any fish they respond no and that person says why don't you throw your net on the right side of the boat and they did that and had so many fish they could not contain the will, the voice was coming from the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

So let's revisit this beautiful and powerful post-resurrection story here in John 21 in verse nine. When they got there. That is, they got out of their boat there dragging their fist fished the shore when they got there. I love the statement they found breakfast waiting for them fish cooking over a charcoal fire and some bread.

Jesus said, bring some of the fish you just caught Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore and Jesus said now common have some breakfast.

What an inviting scene. This is Jesus saying come and have breakfast me think about this. He is died on the cross. He's been beaten beyond human recognition. Yet here he is risen, making breakfast. He says hey bring me some of the fish that you've caught even includes them in the preparation of the meal there will wounds in the hands that was preparing that breakfast for the disciples still bearing those marks that he took when he hung on the cross he couldn't believe they were with Jesus again. These disciples never thought they would see his face again, and here he was alive and well. Before them serving a meal. Another sadness turns to joy their their fear turns to hope in there with the Lord again. You know, when you lose a loved one, you miss them so deeply. You long to have conversations with them again.

And here is the Lord alive, well speaking with them. Listening to them. It was just like old times with this is why he came to this earth. This was lost on the disciples another starting to get it.

He came to go to the cross to die for our sin. There are sin, then rise again from the dead. When Jesus died on the cross he conquered sin when Jesus rose from the dead. He defeated death, let me say that again when Jesus died on the cross he conquered sin when he rose from the grave he defeated death, O death, that is not a subject we like to talk about is it run comfortable with it. It's kind of a scary thing to discuss the Bible even talks about those who are slaves to the fear of dying, we find ourselves wondering is there an afterlife. What happens after this life. Read an article in the paper about rockstar that tragically died at the age of 33 prior to his death. He was interviewed and he was asked this question if you can get an answer to any question in the universe.

What would he ask in his response was is our life. After the answer is yes, there is life beyond the great read an article just the other day with this headline glimpses of the afterlife? The article goes on to say near death experiences are not hallucinations scientists conclude a team of scientists across several medical disciplines including neuroscience, critical care, psychiatry social sciences came up with this conclusion after careful research, there is life after death.

Oh, all my profound response of that is I've always known there was life after death, why not because scientists tell me, but because Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. You know when I was a kid. I was terrified of death. I wasn't a Christian, yet I didn't really know if there was an afterlife. I haven't hello I didn't know. So I just thought when you die, you cease to exist and there was a terrifying thought to think of me is a living breathing breathing, thinking human being to no longer exists will actually that's not what happened you live on in the afterlife if you're a believer or not a believer, you will live on. But of course are two destinations. One of those is heaven and the other is hell, but to know that I am older, I no longer afraid of death.

Why, because Jesus said, the book of Revelation. Do not be afraid.

I am the living one.

I died, but look I'm alive forever and ever.

I hold the keys to death in the grave.

I'm so glad the Lord holds the keys because if I called them they would be lost by now. I don't know about you but I'm always losing my keys but Jesus doesn't lose the keys and what is he say he says don't be afraid because he's the one who lives forever and ever. Now, having said that, that doesn't mean that I'm looking forward to death. I just means that I'm prepared to die heard a story about a pastor that was speaking to his congregation about the topic of habit.

So he posed the question of them and he said how many of you would like to go to heaven tonight everybody raise her hand except for one little boy. The pastor thought will maybe he didn't hear me said again to his flock. How many of you would love to just go to heaven. Everyone raise her hand again, but not the little boy so the pastor actually looks at the little guy and says son don't you want to go to heaven. The little guy says yes I want to go to heaven but I thought you were getting a load up right now. Yeah, we want to go to heaven as Christians. But we also love life that God is given us. The apostle Paul said, I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, it's important that I stay here with you.

When the day comes, if you're a follower of Jesus, you will be ready and I'll tell you. Life goes by so quickly. I can't believe how fast my life has passed, you know, our generation the boomers are are no grandparents in their entering in to retirement.

By the way event at people asked me Greg, are you going to retire.

I answer no report retire from what retire from preaching the gospel. I'm always going to preach the gospel. I'm always going to teach the word of God when we can learn how to golf her drive around in a motorhome or go fishing.

I have other things to do. I would rather go fishing for men.

You see, but as my generation is getting older, were no longer that generation that used to sing forever young.

We've gone from acid rock to acid reflux I mean the Rolling Stones are still touring. I can't believe it in there so singing that song time is still on my side.

Have you looked at big gesture and Keith Richards lately, guys, time is no longer on your side so time is passing so quickly and the weird thing is I feel like a young person trapped in an old person's body. But I do have that old person's body.

You know I was at the gym the other day and I heard a loud playing and someone a drop of the weights and you know when you're young you drop weights because it's kind of a macho thing, you know you do your set, then you drop you like that and then when you're old you just drop them because it was an accident and hopefully don't drop them on your own feet, but yes, time is passing by so quickly. We been working on this film Jesus revolution, which is a story of my life. My wife's life to men that came together a Lonnie Frisbee and Chuck Smith in a spiritual awakening happened, but there's a part of the film were a young man is playing me as a little boy traveling with his mother, and boy it was like reliving my life all over again.

And here I am now 69. Looking back at 10-year-old Greg and all that he went through and it was a little bit like a flashback. But look, there's nothing I could do to stop the clock or even slow it down. You can eat all the tofu and keel you want, but you're still going to eventually die. I heard about 105-year-old woman from Texas who had seven children. She worked very hard every single day and she was asked to reveal the secret to her longevity.

Want to know what was. She said bacon. She's 105. She says I eat bacon every single day about that that goes against the status quo or were told we should be eating to be healthy. Listen, death is scary. Death is real.

No one escapes that no one gets out of here alive, so to speak, so I have an announcement to make this Easter of 2022 and here it is. Death died when Christ rose. In fact, Easter was the day that death died because Jesus died. Isaac Christian will never die again coming back to the verse already quoted Jesus said on the resurrection of the life he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Death used to be an executioner, the resurrection makes him a gardener using a Greg I don't. You seem delusional to me. People die every day what you talking about. Oh I know this well people very close to me have died. My mother died, my father who adopted me die. My son died I had the privilege to pray with all of them to make a commitment to follow Jesus Christ. And I know that one day I will die unless the Lord comes back in my lifetime, which could happen, but having said that, I want to bring as many people to heaven with me as I possibly can. I hope I can do that for someone watching this right now to attention because I'll tell you how you can know for sure that you will go to heaven one day that you were talking about this Easter. I want to share with you for take away truths from the resurrection of Jesus.

In other words, what Easter means to you.

Are you ready number one because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I one day will receive a new body. Let me repeat that again because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. I will receive a new body that does not have the final say over our body. Easter has the final say in fact a picture of Jesus coming out of the tomb as a preview of things to come for us because one day we too will be resurrected.

First Corinthians 1520 says this.

The truth is crisis been raised up. The first on a long legacy of those were going to leave the cemeteries but we have to wait our turn.

Christ is first and then those were with them at his coming.

So let's think for a moment about the resurrection body of Jesus. It was a real body that he rose in. He was in a real body in a real world in a real way with the real voice and the same will be true of you and me, God will raise us up but will be radically righteous and resurrected.

So number two because of the resurrection of Jesus are new glorified bodies will be much like his. So first John 32 says beloved that we are the children of God's not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we will see him as he is. So let's think about the resurrection body of Jesus. Again it was a physical body. He wasn't a ghost to affect yet. She said in Luke 2439 I'm not a ghost, guys.

It's it's really me. I really a body proved it by eating fish. It's not like he was translucent use of the fish go down the throat or something.

He was in a real body didn't float around. He appeared to those disciples on the Emmaus Road and he walked the road like they walk the road when he spoke to his disciples from the shore of Galilee asking do you have any fish. It was a real voice speaking through a real body and the in the upper room. We know that when he appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, he breathed on them the Holy Spirit to what we learn. Number one, he was recognizable, including the scars from the crucifixion number two. He did not have the normal limitations we have now he can appear and disappear at will, including being in a room without using the door and finally he ate food and I love that part because as I said earlier I love to eat. As I'm sure many of you do as well. What's he doing in John 21. He's making them breakfast.

Many of the significant events in the life of our Lord were over table where they were having a meal together. He loved to be with his disciples a talk together they left together, they cried together they prayed together over those tables as they enjoyed meals in them before he went to the cross get a final meal that we often referred to as the Last Supper with them and so here he is alive in the inning made this breakfast with his own hands.

Understand this is God he's created the heavens and the earth. He doesn't need to make things with his own hands. He could have just spoken there would have been French toast and blueberry pancakes. One of my personal favorites but no, he says, bring me the fish that you've caught the cooks of fish and he makes the meal take away truth, justice, Jesus ate in his glorified body. You and I will eat as well. Hopefully they'll be no weight gain. Then again, maybe when were in heaven heaven comes to worth we won't think about things like that. Maybe will all be overweight and that will be the glorified state for that matter.

Maybe it will all be bald maybe. Here is a part of the curse. I don't know, but all he knows is going to be great when one of the worry about things like that. Imagine enjoying the meal with loved ones that are proceeded you to heaven. Imagine having dinner, lunch or breakfast with the great heroes of the Bible and then year in heaven and you see things in a whole different way. Sometimes the question is asked what we recognize one another in heaven. Maybe I should respond. Asking will be recognize one another on earth time and I don't know. Here's a simple answer, of course, you will do think you're going to know less in heaven than you know on earth.

The Bible tells us in first Corinthians we will know as we are known, we will know more in heaven that we know on earth, but our desire to sin will be gone.

Number three because of the resurrection of Jesus. We will no longer age or get sick or have our bodies break down. Maybe you're very young and you might say hey I like the way my body looks right now I think I look pretty good.

That's great.

But one day you going to get old. I remember when I was a little kid I was a good old people and how long it took to cross the street that matter how long it took to get out of her chair and I thought one of these old people even come from, what is the deal with them when they're woke up and I was one of them right.

I was talking to my granddaughter Stella and Lucy a while back and they asked the question, Poppa. How old will we be when we all get to heaven so well I don't really know the answer. Maybe will be 33 is said why 33 said I don't know what that was the age of Jesus when he died. And then my youngest granddaughter of those two at least a Lucy said you know what I want to be free when I'm in heaven and I said why three. She said I just miss the old me a classic statement so listen to this. Did you know that your brain starts breaking down of the age of 20 experts tell us that we get older as we get older, the number of nerve cells in the brain decrease. We start with 100 billion brain cells, but in our 20s, the number starts to decline by 40 were losing up to listen to this 10,000 brain cells a day, you probably lost 5000 brain cells already listening to me in this message but because of the resurrection of Jesus, you'll Avenue resurrection body.

If you have limitations now they'll be gone.

If you're sick now. You'll be healthy then W no cancer. No thing like that at all. Number four.

And finally, because of the resurrection of Jesus. We will of resurrected relationships. I love how when the Lord appeared after his death on the cross. He sort of picked up where he left off. On one occasion to disciples or walking toward him and he says hello and not just the greeting in Hebrew, it said statement is still here in Israel today a shalom peace. It just hey has gone so it's like here's Jesus risen from the dead. He sees two of his disciples and he says of the gaunt disk and low-key has everything been and he just picks up where he left off and we will do the same when we are resurrected again. But listen to this and I alluded to this earlier, but I want to touch on it again. The Bible tells us there is a day coming when people will be caught up to meet the Lord in heaven.

Sometimes it's called the rapture of the church. Some would push back and so you can find the word rapture in the Bible. That's true. Nor can you find the word Bible in the Bible or the word Trinity in the Bible with you can find this event that is sometimes called the rapture in the Bible and from the Greek word harp also. Which means to be caught up. The word rapture came from the Latin translation of the Greek word harp also which was wrapped Torres but I don't care what you call a call at the rapture call it the harp also call it the great escape. Here's what the Bible says in first Thessalonians 4, the dead in Christ shall rise first. We which are alive and remain shall be caught up. There's a worker.

Basel caught up together with them in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye, so this means there's a generation we could be that generation that will be going about our business and in a moment that can even really be measured in time, in the twinkling of an eye. The Bible says will be curled into the presence of God and reunited again with our loved ones affect the met statement of first Thessalonians 4, Paul says, and therefore comfort one another with these words because contextually he was talking about love ones that are proceeded us to heaven.

The question was being asked what we see them again. Also is okay. You may see them sooner than you thought back to John 21, and will wrap this message up. So here is Jesus on the shore's got a little charcoal fire going. Hey, bring me the fish that you've caught Peter walks in dripping wet. He recognizes it's Jesus, do you think Peter had kind of a flashback.

Why well. Remember Peter denied the Lord three times in the glow of a fire. Now here's a fire again with our Lord sitting by it, waiting for the fish to be brought to him. And then Jesus asked Simon Peter does profound question here in John 21 verse 15 after breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these.

Yes, Lord Peter replied, you know I love you and feed my lambs.

Jesus so what's this all about okay so Jesus is already appeared to Peter that happened after his resurrection.

The Bible doesn't give us any details about it. It simply says he appeared to Peter so Peter is been forgiven. He's gone back to what he knew how to do best fishing. This is not about being forgiven of his sin. This is about being given a second chance Peter Blewitt Peter messed up he denied Jesus three times even took a note saying he never knew Christ Jesus says hey you love me more than these noticed Jesus said more than these. Why did he say that because in the upper room when Jesus revealed the fact that one of them was going to betray him. That would be Judas. Then Peter thought this would be a good opportunity to display his great faith at the expense of others and he said though all deny you. I will never deny you, Jesus, and said loose paraphrase a buddy before the roosters crow twice will deny three times that you ever knew me and that's exactly what he did not Jesus is okay.

Peter do you love me more than these you love me more than James and John.

You love me more than Matthew Peter just says I love you and he's not going to say I love you more than these he just saying I love you. Jesus says feed my sheep.

Maybe this Easter of 2022. I'm talking to somebody that needs a second chance somebody who is asked Christ to come in to their life, but you have stumbled and you will fall in you've done things you know you should not of done your feeling guilty your feeling embarrassed, but I want you to know that Jesus can forgive you and give to you another chance and also I know I'm talking to somebody that doesn't have this relationship with God talk a lot about heaven you want to know how you can get to heaven for sure for real. You need to accept God's offer of forgiveness. Jesus sums it up perfectly when he said in John 316 for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life.

Listen to this, God loves you and God will forgive you and God is not mad at you. God is mad about you and he want you to come into a relationship with him. I've talked a lot about eating having breakfast with Jesus was a nuclear breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks would Jesus, that's another way of saying you can begin a relationship with Jesus right now. He even uses that metaphor himself when he said, and Revelation 320 behold, I stand at the door and I knocked if any man will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in and have a meal with him and let's just say that after the service was over. You went home and having a nice Easter meal with your family and you see hear a knock at the door.

Let's just say you about when doing your door so you can see who's there, it's me I'm sending there he that's cricket but we just see him in these standing at the door of our house knocking. I keep knocking and I hope you'll invite me in for your Easter meal and you look at me and you talk to each other in the kind of look away and ignore me now is looking to come off to me when it's clearly a rejection I mean not for little while longer. Other three hours. After a while I get the message. You don't want me in your house so I walked away. So here's Jesus knocking at the door of our life and we ignore him.

We say can we do this later talk about this another time. Do you see that that is a rejection to not accept Christ is to reject Christ because you're either for him or against, as we close.

Now I want to extend an invitation before we pray this is an invitation for you to be forgiven of all of your sin and invitation for you to enter into this relationship with Jesus and it's also an invitation for anybody who wants to make a recommitment to Christ because you need a second chance.

Let's pray together. Father I pray for every person here every person that is watching. If they do not know you yet.

Let this be the moment they believe or let this be the moment they recommit themselves to you know I had served their eyes are closed and were praying together. If you want Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want to second chance in life.

Pray this prayer with me. You could even pray it out loud if you like pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from that sin. Now they choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen. God bless you and happy Easter everybody thinks you're listening to this podcast to learn more about harvest ministries follow the show and consider supporting it. Just go to harvest.org and find out how to know God personally go to harvest.org and click on know God