Pastor Richard Waialeale
August 22, 2021 - W2134

"Everyone Needs Redemption - The Story of Peter"

Friends Guardians and Guardrails

Pastor Richard Waialeale

August 21 & 22, 2021

Welcome and Aloha, New Hope Oahu--in person and online, all over the world! It is such a blessing and an honor that you have chosen to worship with us today despite all that's going on--the Haiti earthquake, flood, chaos in Afghanistan, and the COVID restrictions! God is faithful and He is still on the Throne! Our message today is, "Everyone Needs Redemption," from our series, "Friends, Guardians and Guardrails." 

Amid all that's going on in the world, we will start today with a heart of worship and praise to our God because "His goodness is running after me!" It’s so important and comforting to be in church in the middle of all the chaos, and to know that God is still in control! He has a plan for each one of us; He is faithful, and we can reach out to Him! It’s so important to be in church and to know that God is still in control! 

2 Timothy 3:1-2 NKJV says: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come." 

The answer to all the problems in this world is found in...

James 4:8 NIV: "Come near to God and he will come near to you." 

If you've been to a garage sale, most of the items are considered trash, but the owners set them out in the hopes that someone would see something that catches their eye and rescue it from their impending doom, and we negotiate a price with the owner and take it home! We will restore, transform, and make our purchase of value--some of the items will take on a whole new life! 

1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV says: "you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies." 

Application:  Jesus did the same for us; we call that redemption!  Each one of us were on our way to the eternal trash dump! But God saw the value in our damaged and destroyed life and He purchased us with the blood of Jesus Christ and transformed us into something of infinite worth! Without Christ, we are damaged goods; but with Christ, we have been redeemed and discover our true worth! 

WHAT IS REDEMPTION? 

A. What does the Bible say about Redemption?

B. How does it apply to us?

C. Why do I need Redemption?

Today, we'll learn from Peter's life of how he was redeemed, as our example. Peter was a fisherman--on the side of impulsiveness and presumptuousness. A stereotype of a fisherman of that day was typically uneducated, hot-tempered, used vulgar language, and reacted to violence as demonstrated when Peter cut of the servant's ear in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was being arrested. However, fishermen had good common sense and survival skills. Fishermen were men of action, very physical, not afraid of anybody with the reaction to violence; yet the impact of Peter's life is rich with applicational studies as the Holy Spirit was grooming him to become a leader. From the crucifixion of Jesus Christ until the day of Pentecost, Peter went through some radical changes!

Before God can use us, He must first break us in our strength--Redemption! For example: Peter took great pride in his courage and boasted that although the other disciples may deny Jesus, he would never!  Christ declared to Peter that he would fail three times in his commitment before the rooster crows in the morning.  After Peter failed and denied Jesus, he repented and wept bitterly. God continued to work in maturing Peter to become the leader that others could trust! Despite Peter's social flaws, God used him mightily! It's because of Peter that we will look at Redemption as the first sign of our calling. 

1. God Calls us by Name

To get Peter's attention and ours, God calls us out by name. Mark 16:7 says, "...but go and tell his disciples and Peter" because at that moment, Peter was feeling terrible as he had just miserably denied the LORD and felt excluded from any hope of ever being used by God! 

Mark 16:6-7 NIV says: ⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

At the news of Jesus' resurrection, Peter was probably in someone's home, slumped in a corner depressed when the women reported that Jesus said, "Go tell his disciples and Peter." When he heard his name, Peter perked up and said, "Are you sure the angel said and Peter?" Tell me again the exact words." At that moment, Peter was redeemed! We, too, can receive that kind of redemption!

Application: The risen LORD offers every one of us that kind of redemption, no matter what we have done or said! Perhaps, you may have denied or ignored the LORD, and the greatest redemption story ever recorded is when the angel said, "Go tell the disciples and Peter." Remember, God calls you by name, too! All you must do is to show up! 

Few things hold up its value as gold. It is not only rare, but it is very useful--from jewelry to electronics. The unique quality of gold causes it to be in constant demand; the rarity and practical use give gold its lasting value. There are two things that add value to a person's life--they happen to be the same thing as gold: (1) their intrinsic, essential value (2) the comparative rarity. These are the same qualities that make a child of God invaluable to the world--that's us! 

When God calls us by name, that sets us apart as special and commissioned to share His love with people. Why be common when you can be rare? Why live for yourself when you can live for God?  Those who live for God are more helpful and rarer; they make themselves priceless!

Deuteronomy 14:2 NIV says: "for you are a people holy to the Lord your God (you have been set apart). Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession." 

God called you by name--you are essential; you are rare--you are gold! 

2. Do You Love Me?

Earlier, Peter had denied Jesus three times; and here on the beach, Jesus reinstates Peter:

John 21:15-17 NIV says: "¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” ¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

When Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" He was leading Peter through an experience that would remove any cloud of denial that Peter may have in the future. Peter's life changed when he finally realized that Jesus loved him. It's one thing to say that you love Jesus, but the real test comes in your willingness to serve Him! Peter had repented but here Jesus was asking him to commit his life.  

The reason for the interaction between Jesus and Peter was to let Peter know that Jesus loved him dearly. Not only did Jesus ask Peter to feed His sheep, but that Peter was not cast out from the group!

Application:  We must demonstrate our love for Jesus by putting Him first in everything in our life: Jesus must be first in our mind, heart, and body; in your finances, marriage, parenting, and even driving. Put Him first in every aspect of your life!

When Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" The word these refers to your highest priority. Do you love me more than your boat, these fish? The word Jesus used is agapao, the highest form of love; agape is God's unconditional love. If we lost something we value the most, we will search relentlessly until we found it.  

Jesus places His love for us above every aspiration of life, and at the close of His ministry when He asked Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" Peter said, "Yes, LORD, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." When Jesus was reinstating Peter, He was pointing Peter to the type of love that he must have for people as Jesus had, as seen in...

Matthew 18:12-14 NIV says: "¹² “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."

Once you go through the redemption process, God calls you by name and will ask do love me? 

3. God Will Use Us for His Purposes

Once you're redeemed, God will show you His purpose for your life. After Jesus ascended to Heaven (having restored Peter), Peter becomes a spokesman for the apostles.  

God's purpose for us is to do His will. What is God's purpose for you? What is God guiding you to? Hang around Jesus long enough and He'll change you! 

In 2004, God called Pastor Matt Higa to pastor a dying church on the island of Kauai; Pastor Higa heard God clearly to go to Kauai and pastor this church of ten people! Today, this is the largest church on the island of Kauai! Pastor Matt is just following God's will for his life!

God has chosen and purchased us by the blood of Jesus Christ to restore and transform us into something of infinite worth--we have been redeemed! 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is redemption?
2. Before God will use us, what will He do first?
3. Why did Jesus ask Peter three times, "Do you love me?" 
4. God will use us for His purposes. Share your testimony of how God is using you.