Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast.
If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you.
Thank you for joining us today.
Good morning, everyone. Thank you, Danny. It's a great job. Great man of God there.
If you don't know Dan, you got to get to know him. Amen.
So we're going to be looking at John chapter 21 today, and it's cool how
again, most of the time, almost never do I speak to the worship team ahead of time
about what the message is. Sometimes they see it ahead. But as we were singing about loving,
the God loving us today is about us loving God, right? But I love that song, don't you?
He loves us. Oh, how He loves us. Oh, how He loves us. Oh, how He loves us.
I mean, He really does love us, doesn't He? And yet, do we love Him? Do we love Him the way
He wants to be loved? What does love look like from God's perspective, us loving Him?
We already know that we're loved. I mean, God loves everyone, even those who hate Him, right?
God loves us. The question is, do we love God? And if so, how do we demonstrate it?
And that's what we're going to talk about today, about loving God. Let's pray.
Father God, we ask you to speak powerfully. I already know you are, Lord, because your word
is so life changing, Lord. So we ask you to use your word to just dive and dig in deep, Lord God,
to rejuvenate us, to empower us, to set us free, Lord God. We want to be untethered to old thinking,
untethered to our old creation, our old man, and renewed in you, tethered to you.
So, Lord God, just show us how we can love you better, Lord, because we know you love us,
but we want to love you. So we ask you, Lord, to speak through your word in Jesus' name, amen.
So, you know, when Jesus was walking through his ministry of three plus years after he got
anointed by the Holy Spirit, and he always had people following him of all types, but, you know,
the scribes, the Pharisees, they're always trying to trip him up and catch him off guard and question
his authority. And when the scribes said, which is the greatest commandment? Do you remember that?
Which is the greatest commandment? They were thinking 10 commandments, maybe some Levitical
commandments, but what did Jesus say? To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul,
mind, and strength. This is the first commandment. Now, I look at that.
How in the world can we love the Lord with all of our heart, all of our soul,
all of our mind, and all of our strength? To me, that seems impossible. How about to you?
Really? With everything? Love God with everything? You know, how can we possibly do that?
And then he goes on and gives the second commandment. The second is like it. And he says,
to love your neighbor as yourself. So in other words, to love others, right? So he's given us
that second commandment. You know, what if these commandments are coupled together
in that by loving God, we love God by loving others, right? In other words, we demonstrate our love
for God by loving those he loves. You remember when in Matthew 25, when the Lord comes and
he's judging on his throne and he gathers the sheep on his right hand, the goats on his left.
And he says, those of you who come to me, those righteous ones, the sheep, because when I was
hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger,
you took me in. When I was naked, you clothed me. When I was sick, you visited me. When I was in
prison, you came to me. And of course, the righteous are saying like,
when did we ever see you in those conditions? Well, when you did it for the least of these,
you did it for me. Like loving God is loving others in his name, loving those he loves,
loving those on behalf of Christ, right? Because Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father
right now. And we are a demonstration of his love to the world, right? So that's how we
demonstrate our love to the Lord is by loving those he loves. Quite often, Jesus would give
the answer within the question. Like when he said to those who are saying, oh, you're doing
that in the power of Beelzebub. If I do that in the power of Beelzebub, how do your sons
cast out demons, right? According to them by God's strength. So he's saying, no, I'm doing this
by the power of God, right? When the rich young ruler came to him and he says, good teacher,
tell me how to get to heaven. And Jesus said, why do you call me good? There's only one
who is good and that is God. So he's telling him, you're calling me good because I am God,
right? So he's giving the answer. What if the second commandment is how we perform
the first commandment by loving others on his behalf? You know, in fact, John wrote,
he knew all about God's love, right? And he wrote in 1 John 4 verses 20 and 21, he says,
if someone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his
brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we
have from him that he who loves God must love his brother also. So that is how we demonstrate
our love to God is by loving those he loves. And we can say, well, I know that, of course.
But a lot of times we lose track of that and think our love for God is purely a one-on-one
relationship and forget, no, no, no, he wants to pour his love out through us to others, right?
And so that's the idea here. So as I set up this scene that is very familiar to you,
I'm sure if you're reading your Bible for any time at all, and we mentioned when Jesus
appeared to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee, right? And so we talked two weeks ago
on Easter, Jesus rose from the dead, right? And now he's walking upon the earth for a total
of 40 days before he would be ascended to heaven. And during that time when he rose from the dead,
the first person he appeared to was Mary Magdalene. I think that's so awesome, right?
Mary Magdalene. Then he appears to Peter. Then he appeared to the two on the way to Emmaus.
Remember that? And when they realized who he was and who they just saw, they ran back to Jerusalem,
saw the others. And as they're in there talking about, he appeared to see this.
They didn't mention Mary Magdalene there, but of course, I'm sure it was said,
he appeared to us on the road. And as they're like rejoicing, suddenly there's Jesus in the
midst of him. With the door shut, he's just there, right? And he appeared to them there again.
If you can recall, Thomas wasn't there. So when Jesus left, he came and he goes,
I don't believe you guys. Unless I touch his wounds, I won't believe that he actually rose
from the dead. Eight days later, he appears again in front of all of them. And that's when
Thomas says, my Lord and my God. And now he's convinced, right? So that was the second time
he appeared to all of them. But you know, Jesus was appearing to a lot of people.
In fact, Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 15, three to seven, he says,
and he was seen by Cephas, that's Peter. Then by the 12, after that he was seen by over
500 brethren at once. So Jesus was actually doing small venue preaching. Isn't that awesome?
Like there is the resurrected Christ preaching to many, many people. So many people saw him,
right? So where we pick this up is just after he appeared for the third time to all of his
disciples, okay? The third time. And that's when he came to the beach and he said, hey,
do you have anything to eat? They didn't recognize him. Then he said, throw the net on the right
side. And they caught this humongous catch of 153 fish. They drag it into the beach in this
net and they're just overwhelmed. It's Jesus, right? And then they have breakfast together.
And now we pick it up in this scene where Jesus is going to have a tough conversation with Peter.
And I think about this because this was probably the fourth time at least he was talking to Peter
after his resurrection. And yet it's not reported until now that Jesus is going to
speak to him. Frankly, do you even love me? Peter, right? He's going to confront him and yet he's
going to restore him. Why did he wait maybe two and a half, two to two and a half weeks before he
actually appeared to Peter to have this conversation? We had already seen him three
other times, right? And as I was thinking about that, you know, a lot of times difficult
conversations, yet we have to be sensitive to things, right? Now, as I was contemplating this,
I'm thinking, what are the things that we need to consider when we are confronting people or trying
to reconcile differences or navigating, you know, touchy subjects, but we want to bring
reconciliation. And the Lord gave me three things. Truth, right? Timing and temperament.
You know, I think we need all three of those things before we're going to discuss something with
someone who we have an issue with or things that need to be resolved. You know what I mean?
You need to have truth on your side. I mean, I've messed that up at times thinking I knew the
full truth and I knew a part of the truth, right? But I didn't know everything. We can really jump
to conclusions, can't we? Or timing. We jump in too soon. You know, for Jesus to talk to Peter the
very first time Peter sees him, and he's like saying, Lord, you're alive. I can't believe it.
Yeah, Peter, I got to talk to you. Remember that denial three times? Let's hash this out
right here now. I mean, it's kind of too soon, right? You know, I mean, it's like they're just
rejoicing that they're together. Do you know what I mean? And for him to already start to discuss
these difficult issues might have been too soon. Do you know what I mean? It's almost like picture
the prodigal son. Give me my inheritance. He runs away. He squanders it. Suddenly he's there
watching the pigs eat. He's like, my servants of my father have it better than me. He goes back,
humble. His father sees him up the road. You know the story, right? And he sees him coming.
And what does the father do? He runs to him and embraces and kisses his neck. You're back. My son
who was lost is now found. He's rejoicing. Now, could you imagine if he had seen him down the
road? I'm like, yep, yep. I figured he'd come back. Just go back in the house and sit down and wait.
Imagine that, like his son is coming down the road, like wretched, starving, barefooted, dirty,
smelly. And his dad just turns back. No, he's got to pay for this decision, you know? Or his father
does run to him. He gets to him. Man, you reek. Where's all your money? You don't even have shoes on?
What did you do with all your money? Immediately address the difficult issues. How did you become
dissatisfied with what I offered you here? Did he have any of those conversations? No,
he rejoiced, right? Get my son a robe, a ring, shoes, kill the fatted calf. We're having a party
because my son who was lost is now found. He's home. It would have been too soon to get into
all these, you know, you know, you got to work on your budgeting and you really have to, like,
learn discipline in your work. It's too soon, right? It's just not the right timing, right?
And I believe that's a part of this with Jesus. He loves Peter. He knows how guilty Peter must
feel. He remembers. He told him in advance, you know, by the time the rooster crows,
you will deny me three times. Suddenly, Peter, for the last time, is cursing. I swear by blah,
blah, blah. I don't know him. Suddenly, the rooster crows. He looks across the courtyard
and Jesus turns to him. Could you just imagine that? Like he's in the middle of all kinds of stuff,
right? By then, maybe the crown was already hammered into his head,
but he at least was beaten, spit on, his beard was torn, and there he is. And suddenly, the rooster
crows and Jesus knows exactly where Peter is and what he just did. Can you imagine, like,
imagine rewinding that again and again in your mind. Like, man, he was my life. Like,
I followed him everywhere. Like, he was, he had everything, you know, he had the words of life
and I reject that even to some little girl. Like, really? Like, imagine that. And then Jesus
sees him. Do you think he's going to bring up that at that time? But now it's time to address it.
And more for Peter's sake than Christ. Because, you know, he had to work these things out for
Peter's benefit. You ever notice sometimes when there's some difficult issues that we should
work through? There was a little blow up, a little argument, a little something or other.
And we say, you know what? We're back to being peaceful now. Like, I don't want to
ruffle their feathers. We'll get in another argument. I don't want to talk about that now
because we're doing good now. Well, you know, if we don't reconcile the things of the past,
they're going to be part of our future too, right? They're just going to keep coming back.
If it's a pattern, it's going to come back again and again. The best time to do it
was when there isn't a lot of emotion. There isn't a lot of strife. And we could just say,
listen with truth, with timing and temperament. That means like, you know, I have to be cool.
I have to be loving. I have to want something good to come out of this interaction. You know,
this conversation. I want what God wants. That's what I want. I don't want me to win.
I don't want them to win. I want God to win. I want him to resolve this situation. That's
what Christ wanted. He wanted Peter to be resolved. He didn't want to rub his face in the fact that
he denied him three times. No, he wanted to restore him. And not only for Peter's sake,
but for all of their sakes. He had to do this in public with all of his other disciples there.
They're all on the beaches, right? And he asked him these questions we're about to read
in the presence of everyone so that they could hear that Christ has restored Peter.
Peter needed to know that he was right with God. Why? Because when that Pentecost came
another like three weeks later or whatever, and the Holy Spirit came, Peter couldn't be carrying
any guilt, any condemnation, any memory, rewinding, rewinding of the denial. Imagine that you're
walking on the street, you hear a rooster crow, you're like, oh, gosh, like, yeah, it still stings.
Every time I think of I did that, right? Well, I'm sure the Lord restoring him,
that dissipated over time because he knew he was right with God. Imagine that Pentecost
when all of a sudden people say, what's going on here? And Peter says,
I've been awakened. It's time. And bam, he gives that sermon that saves 3,000 people,
just like that, right? The Lord gave him the worst because he was restored. It's so important
to reconcile things, differences, patterns that are not right with God. We need to reconcile them
in love, right? And so this is what Jesus is going to do. He's going to restore him.
And he's going to, not only that, but he's going to show Peter how to prove to himself
that he loves God, that he loves Christ by loving others on behalf of Christ, right?
So let's dig in, you ready? It's only five verses.
John 21 verse 15.
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah,
do you love me more than these? Now, more than these, you know, some commentaries
said he was talking about the fish. I don't know. You know, like, do you love me more than this
fishing career of yours? You know, like 153 fish sitting on the beach. We just ate a couple.
But you know, do you love me more than fishing? I have a feeling that's not what it was.
I have a feeling it was more like, do you love me more than these other disciples? Because Peter
was again and again saying like, I'm the best. I'm the greatest. When everyone else fails you,
I will never surrender. I will never bail on you. In fact, he says it in Matthew 26, 33,
he says, when all else stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. I'm going to stick
up for you, Lord. And you know, he did. He actually cut off Malchus's ear with his sword.
He tried in his feeble way to defend Jesus. And when that didn't work, I'm out. I'm out of ideas.
I'm out of here. Right? Because he didn't know what else to do. But Jesus was saying,
remember you said you were better than everybody else. Okay. I only make you great. You don't make
you great. You know, he's saying, you love me more than these. It's not about that anyway.
Right. And then, but he doesn't call him Peter. Did you notice that? Like Jesus gave Peter his
name. Do you remember this? We see it in a couple of verses in
John five 20. No, no. Matthew 16, 18. Sorry. He says, and also I say to you that you are Peter,
just after Peter says, you are the son of the living God. Well, flesh and blood did not reveal
this to you, but my father who was in heaven. And he said, and I say also to you that you are Peter
and on this rock, meaning himself, I will build my church and the gates of Haiti shall not
prevail against it. We see also another place where Simon to whom he gave the name Peter.
So he called Peter rock. That's what Peter means, right? As a rock. But here he wasn't calling
him rock. He was calling him a son of a man. In other words, your ordinary flesh
until I dwell in you. I empower you. Everything good in you is going to be because of me,
not because of you. So he was, he was reconciling Peter to himself, right? And so he's saying,
do you love me? And there's two words. I know you know this part because you've heard it before,
but we're going to see an interaction of two words for love. Okay. Because he says, Peter,
son of Jonah, do you love me? And the word that Jesus uses is agape love.
But Peter replies and says to him, yes, Lord, you know that I filet oh you.
And that's a different kind of love. Now, agape love is used most often. It's more most
comprehensive, actually 116 times agape. Oh, which is the verb form is 142 times agape is very common.
Okay. But it is, it's comprehensive, right? Whereas filet oh is actually, in a sense,
a more intimate and more personal love. Did you realize I heard many times people compare it
and no agape is sacrificial and it is and selfless and it is and filet oh is more surfacey. Well,
it's more personal because a lot of times it involves personal connection, right?
Filet oh, isn't a bad love. It's a very personal love. Agape is a comprehensive like,
I commit to agape you no matter what you do or say, right? You know, you can agape love someone
that you don't like at all. They annoy you and you can agape them because you're committing
and saying, you know what, this person, but I love them. I love them. I agape them, right?
But you might not filet oh them. Do you know what I'm saying? It's not like you get the
warm and fuzzies by being around them, but you still commit to love. Jesus is saying,
I want that kind of love. I know you love me. I know you only want to stay with me,
but guess what? I'm leaving in a couple of weeks and I'm ascending to heaven. You're
not going to see this anymore, but you're going to sense me living in you. Trust that
because you're not going to see through your senses. You're not going to hear me.
In a sense, filet oh hinges really on our five senses, right? Whereas agape is just a commitment
in the soul. It's like, I love this person because Jesus loves them. It's a sacrificial.
You can read in 1 Corinthians 13 all about this love that never fails and it doesn't sound fun,
but it's a commitment and it's a great thing. You know, John, when he talked about
himself, the one whom Jesus, he said both the one whom Jesus filet oh'd and the one whom Jesus
agape'd. He used both words for love because it was all good, right? But this word filet oh
is not a bad word. In fact, I'll show you two verses that are going to kind of stun you about
this filet oh love, John 5.20, for the father filet oh's the son. I mean, the father-in-law
like loves hanging out with his son. Right now they're up there like, I don't know what they're
doing, but they're having a good time, right? He's at the right hand of the father. I'm not even
going to put some conjecture on that, but they're having a great time, right? Because he loves
being with the son because they're one. I know that I'm not going to get into Trinity today,
but they're connected. They're one, right? They love that connection, right? But he also agape's,
of course, the son, right? The father filet oh's the son and shows him all things that he himself
does, and he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel. So that's a good love.
You know what? In fact, Paul takes it even further. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 22, he says,
and anyone who does not filet oh the Lord Jesus, let him be accursed. Oh, Lord, come. I mean, that's,
so he wants us to desire him through our senses. And I believe like worship, you know, when I
worship, I just filet oh God. Do you know what I mean? I feel him, don't you? You know,
when I'm engaged in something that is just like, that's so Godly and I sense him, I'm just like
alive in the spirit. You know, it was so awesome. First Friday, you know, a few of us were walking
around suddenly, there was this group of young teens just hanging out. And we look over and like,
you know, you ever just sense like the Lord just saying, you're trying to walk away, you just keep
like, you know, and you just can't. And so we got to go over there, right? So we go in the midst,
and it was so beautiful, because you could just sense, you could just sense there was something
there, right? And as we're talking, their lights, their eyes just start to light up, right? And
we're talking, I'm just a zoning on one guy. And this kid like, I'm saying, don't you want this?
Don't you want to? And he said, I do. And all of a sudden, so do I, so do I, so do I seven of them
prayed and received Jesus Christ on Friday night. And I'm telling you, it was a few of us there
were praying with and it was like, wow, like, you know, it's just like that all together. And
you're like, and we encouraged him, we said, look, the enemy is going to try to steal this
seed away. Don't trust him. What you did here is real. Put it in your phones. You accept the Christ,
here's some stuff, read it, come out. I don't know. It doesn't look like any of them are here
right now. So maybe next Sunday, but, but like, but like, I'll tell you what, you just feel like
doing backflips. If I could, I would, right? Because your spirit is alive. You're sensing that
filetio love of God in all five senses, because he's living in you, you know, so you can have the
agape and the filetio, but the Lord says, you know, agape, you're even when you don't feel it,
you commit. How many times do you go to events and, you know, and you're waiting for something
to happen and it's not happening, but you're committed. The Lord told me to come, I'm going
to come. I don't have to feel good about it. I don't have to feel it in my senses because I'm
committed to agape love, you know, because I love those who God loves. So we're going to
see this exchange that, that Jesus is saying, do you agape me? And he says, Lord, you know,
I filetio you. Yeah, I know that, but there's going to be a time you're going to need more
than the senses. You're going to need to love me beyond your five senses. You're going to need
to love me because you've committed to love me and love others, right? And so let's read on.
So then verse 16, oh, verse 15. So then he says, feed my lambs and literally feed lambs are youngen
of the flock, right? So it's like, feed my baby flock. And what he's saying is new believers,
feed them with the word of God, you know, it's so essential that when someone comes to Christ,
we give them a Bible, we start to get them plugged into Bible teaching things that we're doing here
so that they can immediately start growing and knowing the word of God. You know what our mission
statement is to bring the kingdom and what's our vision? Nobody even know to know the love of God,
grow in the love of God and show the love of God, right? So that's what we want people to do,
to know, grow and show the love of God, to know this, you know, for themselves. And so let's read
on verse 16. And he said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape me?
And he said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. And he said to him, tend my sheep.
Now tend means to more care for, like protect, like a shepherd takes the sheep out and protects
them from the wolves, you know, and they have sheep dogs and, and they're protecting,
they also care for them, you know, if they suddenly get some sort of thing in their eye,
a sty or a disease or whatever, you know, they're putting ointments on, they're caring for them,
they're treating them, they're bringing them out to bigger pastures as they grow,
you know, they're caring for them. And, you know, we all need to be cared for,
you know, that's what discipleship is. It's really caring for one another, our walk,
you know, in life groups, if you don't belong to one, join one, because you're going to learn
what it looks like to be in a community, a smaller community, and learn what it looks like to walk
in Christ, you know, and then cell groups, it's even a smaller version where you really learn,
you know, the aspects, the different foundations of Christianity, you know,
and so it's important to just grow that way, and that is really to tend the sheep.
And then, verse 17, and then he said to him a third time, Simon, son of Jonah,
do you love me? And Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time,
do you love me with agape love? But this third time he said phileo. It's interesting because
first it's do you agape me? Do you agape me? And he said, Jesus finally said, all right,
I'm just going to bring this down to your level, okay? Do you really phileo me, right? He kind of
like defaulted to what Peter's word for love was. Do you really phileo me? And he said,
Lord, you know all things. You know that I phileo you. And Jesus said to him, feed my sheep.
So here he's actually saying, first it was feed my lambs, the baby ones, then it was tend my mature
ones. Now he's saying, feed my mature ones. You know, we're all, we all need to eat every day.
We all need to consume the word of God, learn the word of God, study the word of God. It's so
essential because the Holy Spirit knows how to use the word of God, right? It's the sword. And
he does all kinds of work in your soul, mind and spirit to cause you to love him more, right?
And he works in you. And it's so important to always be growing in the word of God,
not for knowledge sake, not to get puffed up, but so that you can use the word of God
and advance in this lifetime. Because when we get to the other side,
we're going to know all things, right? In fact, in Hebrews 5, 12,
the author of Hebrews was kind of rebuking the readers. He said, in fact, though by this time,
you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word
all over again. You need milk, not solid food. You know, as a believer, we can't be following people.
We need to be following the Lord and knowing the word of God. We really do. You know, it's,
you know, even like just listening to preaching, it's not good enough. You know, listening to
different podcasts, it's not good enough. You need to read the word for yourself.
Know your Bible. Just like, let it get, just soak it in because you will be so empowered
by the word of God, right? And so then he reads on in verse 13 and 14, he says,
anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant is not acquainted with the teaching
about righteousness, but solid food is for the mature who by constant use have trained themselves
to distinguish good from evil. So it's, we have to be maturing and knowing more and more
deep things of God. I don't know if you ever did like, like a real intense study of one particular
subject, let's say sin, and you look up all the Hebrew words for sin and all the Greek words
for sin and see how they're used. I love that stuff because it's, it's, it's so fun to see where
it takes you. A lot of times you come at the other side and say, what did I learn? I don't even know
for sure. But like somehow you're richer in the word of God. You know, in fact, I heard a
comparison with the word of God. They have to eat it every day, you know? And did you ever like
read something in scripture and, you know, an hour later, you're like, I have no idea what I
just read, you know? Well, like food can be that way. Like, do you remember what you ate last week
on Sunday afternoon? Maybe you do, but how about a year ago? Like, no, I'm still here though.
I'm still alive, right? You know, we can, we read the word. We don't know what it's actually
doing in us, but it's keeping us alive and it is strengthening us. So it's so important to always
be digesting the word of God over and over again. In fact, in Leviticus, it talks about the clean
animals and the clean animals chew the cud. Have you ever heard that whole scenario? But really,
it's like kind of like you eat it, you start digesting, it's a little broken down and also,
you know, when you look at a cow out in the field, it's like,
I do that sometimes when I start to choke on my tuna because it's too dry. No, I'm kidding.
Too much information. Thank you, Ken. But like, really, it goes in, it starts to digest and it
comes back up and you're getting more and more out of it. Well, the word of God is like that,
isn't it? You start to read, you're like, I never saw that before. Well, you did,
but it didn't mean the same thing because the word of God is active, alive, sharper than any
two-edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow, thoughts and intentions of the heart.
It's alive. It's active. It's always at work in you. And you read it one time, you think,
I got nothing out of that. It's still in there. The seeds in there. It just, the water didn't
hit it yet. Right? But then all of a sudden you read it again. You're like, wow. And you're getting
more and more enriched in the word of God. You know? So anyway, but so he, so Jesus is saying,
do you love me? Whatever word you want to use. And Peter's like, how can you ask that?
Show me by loving those I love because I'm not going to be here anymore. And the only way you're
going to experience that love that you have for me is when you love others, just like, you know,
feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, taking in
the stranger, going to those who are in prison. Like all these things are aspects of us loving
on behalf of Christ. That's how we love God by loving others. Amen. Just two more quick verses.
Well, let's finish this. Verse 18. Most assuredly I say to you,
when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.
And this he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this,
he said to him, follow me. Now we know John's like, if you just gave me that prophecy, I mean, Peter,
like, if you just told me that's my future, follow you. And what about John? How come he's not coming
too, right? But like he's telling him, you're going to have to agape me to get through the stuff
you're going to be facing. You know, it's interesting. Peter, throughout his two letters
of first and second Peter, only used the word agape, never even uses filetio anymore,
because he experienced the true love of God is so vast. It's so sacrificial. But when you love
agape love, you feel the filetio love of God. We already know we're loved by him.
How do we love him? By loving those he loves. You know, we are the only ones on earth who can
demonstrate Christ's love to this world. Isn't that something? We're it. And you're like thinking,
I don't do much. Well, I feel that way about myself sometimes. I'm not doing enough. Well,
it's not guilt or condemnation, but it's a fulfillment of why we're still here. Amen.
So we're going to ask Pastor Doug to come up. He's going to lead us in communion
as we celebrate the Lord's body and blood that was expended for us if the worship team can come
up as well. And I think you guys have some of the elements up here, don't you? Yeah, good.
Thank you.
So good morning. So now we're going to partake in communion together.
And as we come to the table of the Lord, we want to pause to remember the incredible sacrifice
that Jesus made for us, each one of us individually and also as a body together.
It's not just a ritual or tradition.
It's a moment of reflection showing gratitude and unity with Christ and with one another as his
body together. The bread represents his body that is broken for us.
The cup represents his blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins.
In partaking, we proclaim his death until he comes again
and will reaffirm our faith in the one who gave everything so that we could have life.
The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 11 to examine our hearts before taking communion,
not out of fear, but out of reverence and awe for the grace we have been giving.
He says, starting in verse 26, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks
this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup,
for he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself,
not for discerning the Lord's body. For this reason, many who are weak and sick among you,
and many sleep, for if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world.
Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone
is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment,
and the rest I will set in order when I come.
Then in Luke 22, 19 to 22, we read,
and he took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them, saying,
This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way,
after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which is poured out for you. Let's pray.
Father, we take a moment to come before you and reflect.
We want to come in a worthy manner, Father.
We ask forgiveness of our sins, Lord. Bring those things to our minds that we need to write.
We want to be connected with you. We want to remember what you have done for each one of us,
taking away our sins. And, Father, we just ask, Lord,
that each one you would touch in a special way this morning. Amen.
So in 1 Corinthians 11, starting in verse 23,
For I received from the Lord that which you also delivered to you,
that which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it,
and said, Take and eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same manner, he also took the cup after supper, saying,
This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do often as you drink of it in remembrance of me.
So how do we love God
by loving others, right? Loving those he loves. It's easy, you know, because if we can't love people
we see, how can we love God who we can't see, right? So that's the demonstration. We are the
demonstration of his love to the world. So let's all stand up and we're gonna close out with some
worship. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Prince Maverick, Apollo's Brown, is in the
house. Let's give a hand. Give a little wave, Dez. There you go. So make sure you congratulate them.
And thanks for joining us today. And it's just great being part of the family of God. Amen.
We need to spread this love everywhere, right? Because he so loves the world
and they need to know about it. You know, as my brother, Pastor Bill Devlin always says,
Jesus loves you and there's anything you can do about it. He loves them, right? So Father God,
we thank you that you love us. You have that covered, Lord God. We ask you to empower us
to love others on your behalf, to love others the way you love them, Lord.
That's what we want, Lord God. We want to be your demonstration of love to this world who is so
starving and so thirsty, Lord, and so estranged and naked, imprisoned, Lord, and sick. They need
to know, Lord God, that you love them. So show us where they are and show us how to serve and
minister to them on your behalf. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's give the Lord a round
of applause. Thanks for joining us at Lansdale Life Church as we praise God and discuss his word.
Don't forget to join us for worship live Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Eastern on YouTube.
Be blessed and have a great day!