Jesus: Our Friend and Restorer in Fellowship

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus as an Intimate Friend

Jesus desires a personal relationship with each of us, not as a distant deity but as an intimate friend who knows us deeply. This friendship is rooted in His love and His desire for our growth, inviting us to sit at His table and offering grace and companionship even when we fail. Jesus' friendship is not conditional on our perfection but is a reflection of His unwavering commitment to us. He invites us to be honest about our failures and to receive His grace, encouraging us to embrace His invitation to friendship and allowing Him to address the areas in our lives that need healing and transformation. [42:48]

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt distant from God. How can you invite Jesus into that space today, acknowledging Him as a friend who desires to walk with you through it?

Day 2: Restoration through Honest Relationship

Jesus' interaction with Peter on the shore of Galilee is a profound demonstration of His commitment to restoring us after failure. After Peter's denial, Jesus does not approach him with condemnation but with a desire to heal and recommission him for future service. This process of restoration requires honesty and openness to Jesus' transformative work. Jesus addresses our past not to shame us but to offer forgiveness and a path forward, showing us that our failures do not define us. Instead, they become opportunities for growth and deeper relationship with Him. [44:32]

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." (Galatians 6:1, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you feel you have failed. How can you bring this to Jesus today, trusting in His gentle restoration and recommissioning?

Day 3: The Power of Spiritual Fellowship

Sharing a meal with Jesus symbolizes more than just physical nourishment; it represents spiritual restoration and fellowship. In the story of Peter, Jesus uses the act of preparing a meal to demonstrate His love and desire for fellowship with His disciples. This moment is a powerful reminder that Jesus seeks to connect with us deeply, offering His presence and guidance as we navigate life's challenges. Fellowship with Jesus is an invitation to experience His presence in our daily lives, allowing Him to nourish us spiritually and guide us through our journey. [46:37]

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (Acts 2:42, ESV)

Reflection: How can you create space in your daily routine to experience fellowship with Jesus, inviting Him to nourish you spiritually and guide you through your challenges?

Day 4: Confronting and Overcoming Failures

Jesus does not shy away from addressing our failures. Instead, He lovingly confronts the areas in our lives that hinder our growth, offering forgiveness and a path forward. This process is often uncomfortable but necessary for true transformation. Jesus' approach to our failures is not one of condemnation but of love and grace, encouraging us to face our shortcomings and to trust in His ability to transform us. By addressing our failures, Jesus helps us to grow and to become more like Him, leading us on a path of healing and renewal. [51:24]

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific failure or shortcoming you have been avoiding. How can you bring this to Jesus today, asking Him to lead you in the way of transformation and renewal?

Day 5: Living Out Our Love for Jesus

Our love for Jesus is demonstrated through our actions, particularly in how we serve and care for others. Jesus calls us to move beyond words and actively engage in loving His people, reflecting His heart in our daily lives. This call to action is an invitation to live out our faith in tangible ways, showing the world the love and grace of Jesus through our service and care for others. By living out our love for Jesus, we become His hands and feet, bringing His light and hope to those around us. [01:29:24]

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, ESV)

Reflection: Think of one practical way you can demonstrate your love for Jesus today through serving or caring for someone in your life. How can you make this a regular part of your daily routine?

Sermon Summary

Summary:

Today, we explored the profound nature of Jesus as a friend, focusing on His post-resurrection interaction with Peter in John 21. This passage reveals Jesus' deep desire for personal relationships with us, not just as a distant deity but as a friend who seeks to restore and guide us. We began by discussing the significance of Operation Christmas Child, a ministry that not only brings joy to children but also spreads the gospel and can even lead to the establishment of new churches. This act of generosity mirrors the heart of Jesus, who invites us into a relationship with Him.

We then delved into the story of Peter's restoration. After denying Jesus three times, Peter encounters Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, in His glorified state, prepares a meal for His disciples, demonstrating His love and desire for fellowship. This meal is not just about physical nourishment but a symbol of spiritual restoration. Jesus uses this moment to address Peter's past failure, not to condemn him, but to restore him and recommission him for future ministry. This interaction highlights Jesus' role as a friend who pursues us even when we fail, offering forgiveness and a path forward.

The sermon emphasized that Jesus invites us to sit at His table, not just as followers but as friends. He desires a relationship where we can be honest about our failures and receive His grace. This friendship is not conditional on our perfection but is rooted in His love and desire to see us grow. As we reflect on this passage, we are encouraged to embrace Jesus' invitation to friendship, allowing Him to address the areas in our lives that need healing and transformation.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus as a Friend: Jesus desires a personal relationship with us, not just as a distant deity but as a friend who knows us intimately. He invites us to sit at His table, offering grace and companionship even when we fail. This friendship is rooted in His love and desire for our growth. [42:48]
2. Restoration through Relationship: Jesus' interaction with Peter on the shore of Galilee demonstrates His commitment to restoring us after failure. He addresses our past not to condemn but to heal and recommission us for future service. This process requires honesty and openness to His transformative work. [44:32]
3. The Power of Fellowship: Sharing a meal with Jesus symbolizes more than physical nourishment; it represents spiritual restoration and fellowship. Jesus uses these moments to connect with us deeply, offering His presence and guidance as we navigate life's challenges. [46:37]
4. Addressing Our Failures: Jesus does not shy away from addressing our failures. Instead, He lovingly confronts the areas in our lives that hinder our growth, offering forgiveness and a path forward. This process is often uncomfortable but necessary for true transformation. [51:24]
5. Living Out Our Love for Jesus: Our love for Jesus is demonstrated through our actions, particularly in how we serve and care for others. Jesus calls us to move beyond words and actively engage in loving His people, reflecting His heart in our daily lives. [01:29:24]
** [89:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:54] - Operation Christmas Child Invitation
[32:34] - Celebrating Baptisms
[33:12] - Generosity and Disaster Relief
[34:18] - Introduction to John 21
[35:26] - Personal Story: Mercer, Wisconsin
[37:30] - The Setting: Sea of Galilee
[39:25] - Post-Resurrection Context
[41:09] - Jesus' Friendship with Peter
[42:48] - Jesus as a Friend
[44:32] - Restoration through Relationship
[46:37] - The Power of Fellowship
[51:24] - Addressing Our Failures
[89:24] - Living Out Our Love for Jesus
[92:52] - Closing Prayer and Announcements

Sermon Clips

1) "What I'm hopeful for today is that many of you who maybe you're newer to the Bible, you're newer to following the Lord, or maybe even you have been a believer for some time, what you will know the Lord as, and in this series, what I've been trying to do is to show you sides of Jesus that changes people. And for some of you, it's the miracle worker. For some of you, it's the healer. For some of you, it's the great teacher that he is because Scripture says that he taught with authority like nobody had ever heard. And so we see these sides of Jesus, and each week I've been taking you to conversations where that's been demonstrated. But what I really felt led to take you to today is maybe a side of Jesus that some of you have never experienced. And this is Jesus as a friend." [42:16] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "And I'm hopeful today that some of you will be exposed to the kind of friend that the Lord would love to be with you. Now, not just a friend when you are at your best and many of you are awesome people and you're good people, but I would dare say, because we're all people, that we've all had some moments where we've blown it. We've all messed up at some point. True? I know I have. I want to talk about the kind of friend that runs in when maybe everybody else runs out on you. And you did blow it, and so have I, right? But when we blow it, this is the kind of friend that doesn't give up. This is the kind of friend that will press in and will even pursue that friendship there for you." [43:27] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "And so just like Adam and Eve in the very beginning, when we mess up, when we blow it, what do we do? What did they do? They ran and they hid. But what do we see from the very beginning, the very beginning of the gospel story is we have a God who, even when we blow it, pursues us. And He doesn't give up on us. And I want to show you this, how this is manifested in the person of Jesus today." [44:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "Jesus invites you to sit at his table as friend. You've been invited. Yes, he's healer. Yes, he's miracle worker. Yes, he's teacher. But he's also friend. And these gospel accounts are showing us. Now I know what some of us, as he extends that invitation, some of us are like, yeah, Bart, but who was it that he invited to that table? Well, it was his disciples, right? I mean, those guys, they had it all together, right? Bart, you don't know what I did last night. You don't know how I messed up this week. There's no way that Jesus would want someone like me sitting around his table." [01:07:20] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "I love you too much to not talk to you about something that is keeping you from being everything that I have made you to be. This is what he is doing around the same kind of campfire. It's a critical conversation. After breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter. I imagine Peter doesn't want to look at him. I imagine he finally looks up. They look at each other. And Jesus says. We need to talk. I'm going to have a talk with you." [01:20:33] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "And Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, Peter, this very night before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me. Peter's probably embarrassed in front of the guys, and he's like, no, there's no way. I'll never do this. No, he insisted. No, he's telling the Lord, no, even if I have to, what, die for you and with you, I will never deny you. And look at the leadership again of Peter. And all the other disciples vowed the same. This guy's a leader. he leads in good things, and he can lead in bad things." [01:12:32] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "And so they're sitting around this charcoal fire. And so suddenly it says, the Lord looked at him. Before the rooster crowed, he said, as he looked at him here. And it says, Peter left the courtyard. Weeping bitterly. He was broken. He blew it. He had not only sinned against the Savior. This is what I also think. He failed a friend. Have you ever failed somebody? He failed a friend. Maybe you've been there. Maybe you're there today. Maybe you came in today. And there is a shame that is attached to something from your past. Something you're struggling with. Something you don't know how to overcome. It keeps coming up. Over. There's things that trigger it within you." [01:17:35] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "And I think there's something that is triggering in this. I think that Jesus, because this was such a public failure, was now going to need to do a public restoration. And he wasn't going to leave this undone. Why was Jesus doing this? Is it because he's mean? Well, it's awkward, isn't it? Do you like having awkward conversations? No. But Jesus, this is what we are being shown. Jesus will invite us to the table. You are welcome to the table. And he receives you and me just as we are. Because he loves us. But here's something powerful. He loves you and me too much. Not to address the very thing that perhaps is holding us back from moving forward. He will lovingly speak truth. Truth into your life. And he looks at you with the same look. And he says, I see you." [01:18:51] (61 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9) "And you know how you show me? Love my people. Serve my people. Don't be prideful with my people. Don't think you're better than my people. Serve me. Serve them. Again I know it's awkward. But it's again just like these conversations. Critical conversations that lead to life change. Jesus could have just. Jesus could have started over with a whole new group. But he doesn't do that. He takes people like us. Who make mistakes. And then this is what he does. He doesn't throw us away. Listen to me. We don't need to throw people away. God can redeem things. God can restore things. Sometimes. Sometimes the reassignment is different. But God doesn't throw people away." [01:26:00] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10) "And I'll help you with it. It's going to take you down. Maybe it is pride for you. Maybe it's an addiction. That you keep going back to. He's not condemning you. What he's doing. Is he's inviting you to sit at the fire with him. He invites you to come as you are. But he says. I love you too much. Not to talk with you about how I want you to move forward. And you can't move forward. Until we deal with what happened. That's your application. Your application is. Before you can move into what's next for you. Jesus will deal with your past. And it's often times uncomfortable." [01:27:32] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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