Talking To "Too Late" People, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ when it's all done and acknowledge my semi-confession the Lord I receive his forgiveness. He always many eyes is the same thing.

Follow me let's go. It's too soon is not if you're a believer in Jesus Christ and you're here.

It's not joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana doing pastoral Gebhardt now is once again he shows up how God's word meets our world may see is a good question asking because so often were not amazed Peter is amazed by this law. Whenever this happens not too late for the Lord Inc. he's capable of doing things become possible can possibly imagine. Notice the aftermath it says. And so with that, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and the partners of Simon and Jesus said to Simon.

Do not fear. From now on will be catching men get told that before. By the way, is that you'll be catching men efficiently begin to fish for men highest calling on earth catching people with the gospel and that of Jesus Christ is. That's one called to do. That's why you're born Peter.

That's why you're here. You know what Job so often 01 decisions not enough. How many times in your life if you said from now on I would be right with the Lord my God I maybe right to stop doing this. I'm in a start doing that doing I'm going to do it. How many times you see, you start out well and you start doing it and then what happens sink right back is exactly what happens to Peter just a couple years later this man who confessed Jesus Christ and the water denies Jesus Christ by the fire immunizing. Not once, not twice but three times. He doesn't deny them to the Romans are the necessarily authorities but was servant girl's last denial could have within it the context of cursing the Lord what happened. You see what Jesus wanted from Peter in this incident is the Peter to go from a too late person doing all in now person, but Peter don't say it's too late it's going now. But I want to be fishers of men. I want you to do what I'm asking you to do and then after deny Jesus Christ you what Peter thought it's too late.

Lord can use me. Now it's too late when right back to to a person tells me now that John 21. The gospel John 21, right near the end of the gospel.

Now you remember that after Jesus Christ had appeared from the dead of the resurrection twice to them.

He told them on the second occasion he told them that I go to Galilee, to a mountain and I will meet you there will they get to Galilee. But there's no mountain Peter and window mountain. He's doing what we often do. He's preoccupied with feeling sorry for himself. So Peter decides to do when he knows he wants to go fishing and after these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples of the sea of Tiberius and Heem manifested himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas call didymus and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee and the twos sons of Zebedee to other the disciples were there. There were seven of them there. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing.

They said to him, we also will come with you and they went out and got into the boat, all it was night and that night they caught zip nothing déjà vu all over again. You see they're going to experience the same thing by the here's a principle, you have to understand if you on your own accord through your own willful actions don't learn an important lesson that the Lord has for you. He's likely to bring about again that's just my experience again experience it again and again and again is very patient when it comes to us now verse four but when the day was now breaking. Jesus stood on the beach and yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, children. You do not have any fish to and they answered no and he said to them, cast the net on the right hand side of the boat and you'll find a catch. Now I would imagine many of the other guys. Especially not James and John and Peter in with the other guys Bobby did at that moment, rolled her eyes, sugar head for a minute left side right side front side backside we been on this side of the lake. That's for leg. Nothing. But maybe Peter, James or John said I got a cast that in. I think I remember something like this happening before.

So they do and so they cast and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number fish and therefore he says that disciple whom Jesus loved that John said to Peter, it's Lord yellow of John Jana Peter don't have the Lord and so when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord. He put his undergarment on 40 was stripped for work and he throws himself into the sea is like that's the Lord. He just throws himself into the always always always ask before he thinks with everything he does. You might be the kind of person great emotion great zeal, not a lot of wisdom sometimes. But the other disciples came in a little boat for they were not far from Lynn but about 100 yards away, dragging the net full of fish subpoena 100 yards. After night of fishing. By the way, the kind of clothing they had when you're in the water. I am a hands that's going to drag you down. But Peter had the seal so when they got out of the boat they got on land they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on Brendan there's already fish in the charcoal fire not by waves and other fish.

The bringing of fishing were to get the fish was just lucky was a coincidence fitting over the fish were shut when Swindoll might say that he create the fictional profile. I don't know Jesus knows things no one else knows they can do things no one else does. Notice what he's doing is given a breakfast please understand is a little background of this he told them that for as long as they live. I will provide for you and so here they are post-resurrection.

He says I would like breakfast. I told you I would provide for you, tells us the same thing by the way you see tells us exactly the same thing. Well Jesus said to them, bring some of the fears what you've got. And Simon Peter went up and drew the net the land full of large fish, 153. Although there were so many the net was not torn. When you have fish of that size that many in their size. And that's easy to the net up for the nets not torn nothing of this. Just on the basis of what's happened so far.

It's never too late for the Lord to cut the fish over the one side of the boat to he's capable of doing more than he could imagine the same message.

The same thing. And Jesus said, have breakfast, none of the disciples ventured to question him. Who are you knowing it was the Lord running by now their ministry. They know through all the gospel accounts. Please open your mouth and prove that you don't understand anything you don't be embarrassed by what it is you're going to say. And Jesus came and took bread, and gave it to them the fish. Likewise, in this is now the third time that Jesus is manifested in the disciples after he raised him from the dead and now he wants to go back to the lesson. So when they had finished breakfast. Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these mother with some very important here. What's the motivation of ministry for Jesus Christ. See what I live my life in a certain way. It's not because I'm afraid it's not of someone make me feel guilty. It's not fear that's the motivation religion by moderate motivation is love.

That's the motivation Jesus wants to say to Peter, Peter, are you motivated to you love me now uses the word agape arrived Apollo you agape me Peter.

That's the willful choice you make to love is not conditional. It's unconditional it's I will love you forever no matter what. For God so loved the world he gave his son. It's the Hasid of the Old Testament in Hebrew basis. Do you agape me Peter nothing to how Peter felt he's already saying it's too late.

Lord is never going to use me. I don't want to meet the Lord.

Among them, go back to what I know.

I'm about to fishing. Peter had to feel so much personal guilt at that time. Notice he said to Jesus, yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

He said you know that I full I owe you to change the word Jesus is Peter do you agape me says Lord you know I flat who you the flowers different flowers great affection flowers friendship Philadelphia the city of brotherly love has flat all flat always that kind.

It's much more common kind of love Jesus. As you agape me says Lord you know I flat Jesus, undeterred by that exist in my lambs what you mean all. And now the peters thing, too late, it's too late to ignore me. Jesus is love all and now to my lambs while you sit on the second time Simon son of John, do you agape me piece of them.

Yes Lord you know that I flower you he said them. Shepherd my sheep all and now he said to him 1/3 time. Simon son of John, do you follow me, while night if how you think Peter felt Simon do you agape me Lord, you know, I flat you Simon do you agape me Lord you know if he said Simon.

Do you follow me. Just think how Simon felt the Lord's question whether you flowers him you see is a different word awards, even questioning that and Peter was grieved because he said on the third time.

Notice Peter has grief over this. Do you flow me and he said to him, Lord, you know all things you know that I love you. See what Simon can do is you can't say to the Lord, Lord, you know I love you I agape you I flower you and you know why look at my life. You see, look at what I've done. Peter can say that Peter says what Lord you know because you know everything his seat because you're missing it and you know my heart know I love you but you can't look at my life. How many of us of the same ways that many of us demeanor and single how I love Jesus but our life doesn't show it, people would never look at the life and say boy she or he loves Jesus I sing on Sundays. See, I think for some of us of the Lord, look me right in the Ives ability. You love me.

Maybe I'd be tempted just to do it. Peter do Lord you know everything you know I love you, Peter. Some of my heart's life, my heart's right of my life has not been Jesus like Peter, you don't understand. You still don't get it. You keep thinking it's too late. Jesus, I don't tend my sheep Jesus Saint Peter it's not too late.

The skin about doing it. You see for the believer in Jesus Christ is never too late for the unbeliever.

It's never too late to come for the believer.

It's never too late to be used by the Lord never what you don't know my past you know where a bin, you know what I've done. If it's the Lord's will. It's never too late. For example, you take something like marriage. I think I know what the Lord's will is it's never too late now. We can roll your eyes and shake your head and say, are you wrong it is, in my case it should be wrong. It's never too late. The Lord see, that's the point of trying to make the 120 says the back it up. He said truly, truly, I say to you when you were younger used to guard yourself up and walk wherever you want wished.

But when you grow old you will stretch out your hands and someone will gird you and bring you where you do not want to go.

I believe Peter's heart melted when he heard those words. He was so happy to hear those words but they're not happy words. By the way was he saying to Peter, Peter, you have a future.

You have a future goal. You see Peter you have a future here and oh by the way is good, and with crucifixion. But yes, notice how he says it you get to be go where you don't wish any says and stretch out your hands and someone else will gird is a Peter that's is going to happen to you and Peter and what Peter had to think right then he's going to use me he's going to use me and by the way, once you go from Pentecostal and peters, one of the great leaders of the church. I think Pete by the way, Jesus did this always publicly for everyone to hear because a Peter is going to be the lead apostle as a Pentecost until Paul shows up on the scene. Everyone else had to hear it, Peter and use you Peter you reinstated. You see, that's what happened. And by the way, I know what it was because of what John writes in verse 19.

Now this, he said, signifying about what kind of death he would glorify with with the would glorify God and when he and spoken this, he looks the Peter one more time and says follow me. That's how it started, follow me seem like you but I love that about the Lord. No matter how many failures I have. It's always the same thing is it's always the same thing when it's all gone and I acknowledge my semi-confession of the Lord. I receive his forgiveness. He always looks me in the eye and says the same thing. Follow me, follow me. Let's go.

It's too late know it's not too late. You see, it's not too late if you're a believer in Jesus Christ and you're here. It's not too late. See that's what he is saying.

And Peter gets it he understands it.

By the way, Peter never fished for fish again he was done fishing. He spent the rest of his life. Casting out the gospel, not for souls for people and he said all those people, I'm sure it's not too late to try again. It's not too late. Try again. He shepherds the sheep using one of the most important things you do is an under shepherd for Jesus Christ is the say that the people's not too late to try again. It's not too late to try again. It's not too late to try again. It's not too late to try again.

It's not easy because you have to do it against the backdrop of rolling eyes and shaking heads is not a lesson this easily learn for us. So let me ask you just a couple things one if you given Christ a boat doing. She said the boat and you give them your boat. By the way what I mean by that your struggle, your dilemma your heartache give its own. Just give its own. Are you willing to let him take you onto the Deepwater in the middle of the day. You see, I know that we love nighttime shallow water solutions. We love those what we tried almost everything it doesn't work Jesus and let me take a Deepwater and outdated castor net where you cast using the Deepwater solution of Jesus is simple. You see it simple.

Give an example about so much angst it's in so many lives. So many people have relational pain because they will not forgive is Jesus clear by forgiveness and not Jesus clear as could be. Castor net forgive all is there any conditional yes, as you were forgiven, Lord. But the one to go to be too late. How many times 70×7. There's no limit. You mean I just keep forgiving yes I think it's too late.

It's never too late with Jesus using the getting castor net in the water. Once he says where he wants you to do what you gotta do that is either so many things when you think about it in the context of marriage counseling. I'm always amazed of so many things Jesus said about yes he's talked about the respect that a wife has for a husband and the kind of sacrificial love that husband has for his wife about this. Consider everybody else is more important than you are. That's out of Philippians that includes a wife that includes her husband just consider each other's more important than you follow his instructions completely stop rolling your eyes and shaking your head so the next time the next time you're thinking you're saying you nonverbally communicating it's it's it's too late.

It's just too late. Want to learn a lesson. Peter see what the Peter C when he brought that net in he didn't see the fish they left the fish he saw the Lord. He saw how great the Lord is so the next time you're thinking it's too late.

I want to think about this one to think about the Lord just whispering to you. It's never too late. Just let me in the boat spring father were so easily discouraged and when something doesn't go away and we usually give it some effort on our own part to see what our flesh can really do.

We don't get any solutions in our discouragement we think or say it's too late, too late to start over too late to make it right. Too late father I pray we learn this lesson. The lesson of Peter. It's never too late for the Lord and father. When you intervene in our lives.

You are capable of doing anything in the context of your father I pray that the next time were tempted to say or think it's too late to remind the story pray this in Christ, Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just take a listen to the message one more time.

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