Peter’s Public Restoration

  • April 21, 2009 10:29 am
John 21:1-17
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there-Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.  Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”  “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.  At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied.  Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.  Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them-fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.  ”Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.  “Now come and have some breakfast!”  Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.  Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.   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.”  ”Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.  Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”  ”Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.  A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
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This story always blesses me!  Jesus, after His resurrection, made a point of taking care of a few things before He ascended to the Father.  Here, in this passage, He wanted us to know that no mistake is more powerful that God’s forgiveness, nor God’s call and anointing on someone’s life!  Peter, no doubt still reeling from having denied the Lord three times, now receives a public restoration directly from Jesus.  
 
For those who study biblical numerology, there is another important key here… the number 17.  17 is a biblical number (or pattern) for restoration and vindication.  Add the sum of 1 to 17, and you will get the number 153.  153 large fish was the first key that Peter was on his way to a turn-around!
 
Here, Jesus cancels out Peter’s 3 denials by giving Him 3 charges to return to ministry: “Feed My Sheep.”  While Peter’s denial happened in somewhat of a private manner (with only a few witnesses), Jesus openly and publicly vindicates Peter and restores him to his call in front of his colleagues, the other disciples. 
 
The bottom line… God sees beyond your mistake.  He sees you fulfilling the purpose He created you to fulfill (even if you tripped along the way).  Allow the love and restoration of the Lord to vindicate you from the situations and trials you have faced!  If you love Him, feed His sheep…
Have a blessed week!
Dr. Greenwood
 
Lori Greenwood, ThD
 

Don’t Be Faithless — Believe!

  • April 13, 2009 9:21 am
That evening of the very first Easter, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!  Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”  Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
 
One of the twelve disciples, Thomas, was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”   
 
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”   ”My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.  Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.  (John 20:19-32)

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If there was ever a circumstance or situation that appeared utterly devastating, certainly the crucifixion of Jesus must have looked that way to His close followers.  But listen to Jesus’ words: “Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
 
No matter what we face — sin, sickness, persecution, conflict, financial challenges, emotional pain, disappointment, injustice, ANYTHING — no matter what we face… Jesus has conquered it!  Don’t be faithless any longer.  Believe that God is able to lead you in to victory in every situation you face.  Believe!
 
Romans Chapter 8 
vs 37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.    vs 38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,    vs 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have a blessed week!

Dr. Greenwood

 

Lori Greenwood, ThD

Walking With His Presence

  • April 7, 2009 10:08 am

 

 
EASTER SUNDAY is April 12, 2009 

     

Late in the afternoon, that first Easter Sunday, two of Jesus’ disciples, Cleopas and another man, were walking along the road to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles (11 km) from Jerusalem. All day they had been walking, talking and mourning all the traumatic things that had occurred in Jerusalem that weekend.
Suddenly, Jesus was there with them, but they did not recognize Him. “What are you talking about as you walk along?” He asked. The two disciples looked sad. Cleopas asked, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened there in the last few days?” “What things?” Jesus asked. “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a great prophet before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be crucified. We had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides, it is now the third day since all of this happened. And now, some women of our group amazed us. They went to His tomb early this morning, but they did not find His body there. They came back and told us that they had seen angels there who said He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women said, but they did not see Jesus.”
 
Then Jesus said to them, “Oh you are so foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for Christ to suffer those things and enter into His glory?”

As they came near the village of Emmaus, the two disciples said to Jesus, “Stay with us, because it is late and the day is now nearly over.” So Jesus went in to stay with them. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. Suddenly they recognized Him as Jesus, but He vanished from their sight.
 
Even though night was falling, the two disciples quickly began their return to Jerusalem, where they found the apostles and some of Jesus’ other followers gathered together. Then the two disciples told everything that had happened on the road to Emmaus.
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I pray, that as you walk through the challenges of your own life, your eyes would be open to the presence of the Risen Savior — Who is walking alongside of you.  May His presence in your life excite and encourage you to face anything and everything that comes!  He is risen… He is risen indeed!

 

Have a blessed Easter week!
Dr. Greenwood
Lori Greenwood, ThD
visit me online at http://www.lorigreenwood.org

Hosanna!

  • April 2, 2009 2:10 pm

 

Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord

 
PALM SUNDAY is this week — April 5th, 2009 

     

In fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 62:11 & Zechariah 9:9), Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds lined the street shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:25-26) Welcoming Him into the city, they placed palm branches and cloaks in front of Jesus. This was particularly disturbing to the religious leaders who were jealous of Jesus. These religious leaders demanded that Jesus silence the crowd, but He responded by explaining that if the crowd were silent, even the rocks would cry out.
 
The events of the next week would forever change the world. While Jesus entered Jerusalem as a king, by the end of the week the people were demanding his death. His followers abandoned him in fear. It is possible that none of his close friends really understood the events of Palm Sunday and the Holy Week until after Jesus arose. They had all expected Him to be an earthly king, but God had given them something so much better – an open door into a Kingdom that would never end.
 
Did you know…
Did you know that Hosanna means: Show your salvation now? 
“Show Your Salvation Now!”
 
The people that lined the streets of Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, had come because they had heard of the marvelous works of God that Jesus displayed.  They all needed to be saved from something… sickness, fear, lack… others hoped Jesus would save them from the oppression of the government.  People today are not all that different, and Jesus is still able to save them from every situation — both on earth and eternally.  Hosanna!

 
Have a blessed day!
Dr. Greenwood
Lori Greenwood, ThD