Podcast appearances and mentions of simon peter

 29 [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Chosen One."   35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter). 

Simon Says: Lessons from Peter's Faith Journey In the third installment of our series, Simon Says, we delve deeper into the life of Simon Peter, a disciple known for his bold yet flawed faith. This week's sermon focuses on the theme of maintaining focus on Jesus, even amidst life's storms. The Scene on the Sea of Galilee Our journey begins with Matthew 14:22-33, where Peter experiences both triumph and failure while walking on water. After Jesus feeds the 5,000, He sends the disciples ahead on a boat while He prays alone. As a storm brews, Jesus walks on water towards the struggling disciples. Mistaking Him for a ghost, they are terrified until Jesus reassures them. Peter, ever eager, asks Jesus to command him to walk on water too. With Jesus' invitation, Peter steps out of the boat, initially walking towards Jesus. However, the moment he shifts his focus from Jesus to the wind and waves, doubt creeps in, and he begins to sink. Jesus saves him, but not without pointing out his "little faith" and questioning his doubt. Insights into Faith Saving Faith vs. Living Faith The sermon distinguishes between two types of faith: Saving Faith: This is the initial trust in Jesus that justifies us and connects us with God. It is the root of our salvation, a gift of grace that requires nothing from us but belief in Jesus' sacrifice. Living Faith: Unlike saving faith, living faith requires action. It is the faith we live by, animating our lives and guiding us to walk by faith, not by sight. Living faith is about obedience, trust, and sacrifice, leading to our transformation and sanctification. Lessons from Peter's Experience Peter's water-walking adventure teaches us about the nuances of living faith. Despite his initial boldness, Peter's faith falters when he diverts his gaze from Jesus. This moment illustrates how living faith can ebb and flow, influenced by our focus and external distractions. Focus on Jesus: Peter's failure came when he focused on the waves instead of Jesus. This shift led to doubt and fear, which are antithetical to living faith. To maintain our living faith, we must keep our eyes on Jesus, especially when stepping out of our comfort zones. Common Pitfalls: The sermon identifies three reasons why Peter might have taken his eyes off Jesus: Self-reliance: Attempting to navigate the waves on his own strength. Overthinking: Second-guessing his decision to walk on water. Pride: Seeking approval from others instead of focusing on Jesus. Each of these pitfalls centers around a shift in focus from Jesus to self, leading to a weakened faith. Conclusion The story of Peter walking on water is a powerful reminder of the importance of living faith. We are called to step out in faith, but we must remain focused on Jesus to sustain that faith. As believers, we should examine our lives to ensure that our faith is active and alive, rooted in Jesus and bearing the fruit of transformation. In closing, the sermon invites us to reflect on our faith journey. Do we possess saving faith, trusting in Jesus for salvation? Are we walking by living faith, keeping our gaze fixed on Him despite life's challenges? As we ponder these questions, let us strive to keep our eyes on Jesus, ensuring that our faith remains vibrant and steadfast.

Confession of St. Peter: Acts 4:8-13; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 5:1-11; Matthew 16:13-19 (Fr. David)

Notes Matthew 4:12-23 Isaiah 9:1-4 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Summary In this episode of the Pulpit Fiction Podcast, hosts Robb McCoy and Eric Fistler delve into the Gospel reading from Matthew 4:12-23, which recounts the calling of the fishermen. They explore the significance of Jesus' call to Simon Peter and Andrew, as well as James and John, emphasizing the differences in the Gospel narratives. The discussion highlights the socio-political context of Galilee, where Jesus begins his ministry amid Roman oppression, and the implications of being 'fishers of men' as a call to advocate for justice rather than mere evangelism. The hosts also touch on the upcoming readings from Isaiah and 1 Corinthians, drawing connections between the texts and contemporary issues of division within the church and society. Takeaways Jesus's call to the fishermen is immediate and transformative. The Gospels present different perspectives on the same events. The arrest of John the Baptist serves as a catalyst for Jesus's ministry. Church divisions can distract from the core message of unity in Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven challenges existing power structures. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Pulpit Fiction Podcast 02:03 Conferences and Continuing Education in Ministry 04:58 Exploring the Sermon on the Mount 07:43 The Calling of the Fishermen: Matthew 4:12-23 09:00 Comparative Analysis of Gospel Accounts 12:04 The Significance of Jesus' Command to Follow 16:11 The Context of John's Arrest and Its Impact 19:26 The Political Implications of Jesus' Ministry 22:19 Understanding 'Fishers of Men' in a New Light 26:26 The Historical Context of Galilee and Its Importance 30:17 The Struggles of Modern Empires 35:07 The Light in Darkness: A Message of Hope 45:07 Unity in Diversity: The Call for Christian Togetherness  

John 6:47-7147 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Our scripture reading for this week features John – known as the baptist – introducing Jesus. John suggests two aspects of who Jesus is: “Lamb of God” and “Chosen One.” Later, Simon-Peter and Andrew call Jesus “Rabbi” (“teacher”). Jillian Nelson writes: “What is particularly poignant to me about this passage is that these markers of Jesus' identity are not used to elevate him above everyone else, making him unapproachable. Instead, Jesus invites his new disciples into participation with him. He

John 1:29-42The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Chosen One.”The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). A couple of weeks ago, I signed up for Better with Time, a weekly newsletter course. Each week, I get a new tip in my inbox. Something small I can do at a different time of day to add a little more joy and adventure to my life. I'm two weeks in, and so far, I've experienced no added joy and absolutely no adventure.And it's not because I didn't try—well, maybe the first one. Week one's suggestion was to eat chicken parmigiana for breakfast. I mean… who would do such a thing? The point wasn't nutrition. It was control. The author argues that breakfast can be whatever you want it to be, and that by eating chicken parm for breakfast, you reclaim a sense of freedom over your life. You start thinking outside the bowl.You can let me know how that goes.Week two didn't do much for me either. The challenge was to spend twenty minutes flipping through a dictionary. The most joy I got from that was asking Pastor Mark for a dictionary—who, of course, had one from 1922.I signed up for this newsletter because, honestly, I could use a little more joy in my day—who couldn't? I don't necessarily need more adventure. But a distraction would be nice. A distraction from the endless updates of insanity that seem to flood our newsfeeds, no matter which one you're looking at. So when I saw something that promised to tell me how to live my life in a way that might add a little joy—and it was free—I thought, why not?After all, we are constantly being told how to live a life. By people, by companies, by experts. We're told what we should want, what we should value, and then—almost always—we're offered a solution. Usually at a cost. But our passage today gives us a pretty good picture of how to live a life.This is Jesus' first public appearance in the Gospel of John. And instead of John the Baptist doing any baptizing, he shows up here as John the Witness—or John the Testifier. He doesn't perform a ritual. He points. Literally.Every time Jesus walks by, John points and says, “Look! There he is!” Honestly, it's a little odd. John is like a toddler in public, loudly pointing at a stranger: Look at that person! I can't help but wonder if it was as embarrassing for Jesus as it can be for parents when that happens. But that's the scene. John sees Jesus, and he wants everyone else to see him too.The second time John points and shouts at Jesus, two of his disciples finally pay attention. They hear what John is saying, and something about it catches them. So they begin to follow Jesus.And then—Jesus turns around.He looks at them and asks, “What are you looking for?”In English, the question sounds simple. But it doesn't really capture the depth of what Jesus is asking. It's closer to: What are you seeking? What do you hope to find? What do you long for? The disciples respond to Jesus by asking, “Rabbi, where are you staying?”It's a richer question than it first sounds. They aren't asking for an address. They're asking where Jesus dwells, where he abides. And that word carries the sense of belonging. It's the difference between a hotel and a home. You stay at a hotel. But you abide, you belong, at the place you call home. That's what the disciples are really asking: Where do you dwell? Because we want to dwell there too.Jesus responds with a simple invitation: “Come and see.” Not an explanation. Not a theological lecture. Not a test to see if they believe the right things or are worthy enough. Just an invitation. Come and see.And they do. They spend the rest of the day with Jesus. The text doesn't tell us what happens while they're there, but something clearly does happen. We know this because before abiding with Jesus, they called him Rabbi, teacher. Respectful. Formal. After spending time with him, they leave calling him Messiah: the anointed one, the one who saves and frees.Don't you wonder what happened in between: what they talked about? what they saw? what they experienced? Whatever it was, it changed them. They had to be impressed. Amazed. Astonished. So much so that Andrew immediately goes and tells his brother Simon what he has seen and experienced.I wonder how Simon took that news. If he's anything like me, I imagine his response was something like, No way. Are you sure? Prove it. But Andrew doesn't argue. He doesn't explain. He simply brings his brother to Jesus. I wonder if he used the same invitation Jesus used with him: Come and see. Because no sooner than he tells his brother the two of them are off to find Jesus. And that's when it clicks for me.I don't need a newsletter to tell me how to live a more joyful or adventurous life. I don't need influencers, companies, or marketing campaigns promising they have the product that will finally solve all my problems. What I need in this life is what those two disciples just experienced—because that is living a life: paying attention, being astonished, and telling about it.And that's not my framework, but the poet, Mary Oliver's. In her poem Sometimes, she writes: “How to live a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”The disciples paid attention to what John was saying about Jesus. They noticed where he was pointing, and they were willing to look in that direction. That's often how faith begins, not with certainty, but with curiosity. With listening to those who point us toward Jesus, and being willing to follow their gaze. And sometimes that pointing takes us somewhere we didn't expect.Then they abide with Jesus—and they are astonished by him. What a gift. When was the last time you were astonished by Jesus? Truly astonished—filled with wonder, caught off guard, surprised by grace.Maybe it happens in the quiet of prayer, when you aren't looking for an answer, and Christ meets you with peace instead.Maybe it happens through the words of Scripture - when you read a passage for the one hundred and first time and finally hear the promise it has for you. Not because the words changed, but because you did.Maybe it happens through a song - when the Spirit overwhelms you at the very moment you least expected it.You know this kind of astonishment when it happens - because it changes you. No longer is Jesus only a teacher, someone with wise words to admire from a distance. He becomes Messiah: the one you follow, the one who meets you, the one who saves and frees. And once we are astonished, just like Simon, we can't help but tell about it.About the Messiah we've found. About the astonishment we've experienced. About the abiding that has changed us.And the way we tell isn't by arguing or proving or persuading. It's by offering the same invitation Jesus offered in the first place: come and see. Hearts and minds aren't changed by data or debates. They're changed through stories and experiences.Siblings in Christ, Jesus gives the same invitation to us: come and see.Come and abide with me.Come and be astonished by me.This is what I hope for us at Cross of Grace. That we are a people who have seen Jesus, and who can't help but point to him. A community astonished by his mercy, forgiveness, and grace. So that when others are searching, when they know something is missing, when they are looking for more hope, more joy, more belonging in their life, we don't try to convince them or fix them.We simply point. We point to Jesus. We point to a place where he abides with us. A place where they will be welcomed and loved. And we offer the same simple invitation: Come and see.Come and see why our joy doesn't come from newsletters, but from being astonished by the grace of Jesus Christ. Come and see a place where you can experience that grace for yourself.That's how we live a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.Amen.

“Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.’” (Mark 9:7 NLT) Two thousand years ago, Jesus put this question to the Pharisees: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?” (Matthew 22:42 NLT). Some of history’s greatest minds have grappled with that question ever since. The confusion, doubt, and skepticism started early. It’s worth noting that during Jesus’ earthly ministry, many people were perplexed about who He really was. Jesus never became God, nor did Jesus ever cease to be God. His deity, which means His divine lordship—the fact that He is God—was pre-human, pre-earthly, and pre-Bethlehem. In the Incarnation, that moment when Jesus came to earth and was born of the Virgin Mary, He didn’t lay aside His deity. He was God before He was born, and He remained God after He became a man. We are given a glimpse of Jesus’ divine nature in the story of His transfiguration, as recorded in Mark 9:2–13. “Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus” (verses 2–4 NLT). According to Matthew’s description of the event, Jesus’ “face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light” (Matthew 17:2 NLT). For most of His time on earth, Jesus veiled His glory. But for one brief shining moment, God allowed Jesus’ disciples to see who He really is. God punctuated the moment with a verbal acknowledgment and a pointed instruction: “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7 NLT). Jesus’ identity validates His words. Attention must be paid to His teachings because they come from the Son of God and God Himself. Ignoring them is not only short-sighted but also spiritually dangerous. In Matthew 16:13–20, we find a profound interaction between Jesus and His disciples that begins with a question from Jesus: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (verse 13 NLT). “‘Well,’ they replied, ‘some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets’” (verse 14 NLT). And then Jesus makes it personal. “But who do you say I am?” (verse 15 NLT, emphasis added). “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’” (verse 16 NLT). This may have been Peter’s finest moment. “Who do you say I am?” It’s a question everyone must answer—and a question everyone does answer, whether they realize it or not. You can’t very well say, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and leave it at that. If Jesus is who He says He is, you must receive Him as Savior and Lord. You must obey His commands, follow His teachings, and seek His will for your life. Reflection question: Who do you believe Jesus is? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” (Mark 16:7 NLT) Except for Judas Iscariot, no one failed harder during the events of Jesus’ crucifixion than Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ closest companions. His failure likely came as a surprise not just to himself but also to his fellow disciples. Of the twelve, Peter certainly seemed to have the most bravado. In the account of the Last Supper in Matthew 26, Jesus announces to His disciples, “Tonight all of you will desert me” (verse 31 NLT). Peter boldly replies, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you” (verse 33 NLT). And then Jesus breaks the news that must have broken Peter’s mind: “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me” (verse 34 NLT). Sure enough, a few hours later, while Peter was waiting outside the high priest’s residence for news of Jesus’ trial, he was spotted—and called out as one of Jesus’ disciples. Not once, not twice, but three times. And when people turned their attention to him, when he had a chance to make good on his promise and stand boldly with Jesus, Peter lied. He denied being a disciple. He denied even knowing Jesus. Not once, not twice, but three times. And what started with bravado ended with bitter tears of regret, failure, and shame (see Matthew 26:69–75). That’s why the announcement of Jesus’ resurrection in Mark 16 is so notable. Poor Peter was devastated by his own unfaithfulness and by the fact that he never had a chance to tell the Lord that he was sorry. He really needed encouragement. With that in mind, look at the words again: “Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died” (emphasis added, NLT). Isn’t that amazing? Here is the Lord directly responding to the doubts, fears, and regrets of one of His followers. More than the rest of the disciples, Peter needed reassurance. His risen Lord knew that—and knew how to restore his faith. The story of Jesus restoring Peter to service can be found in John 21:15–25. But let’s consider the takeaway from Mark 16. What can we learn from Jesus reassuring Peter? We can learn that failure gets the final word only if we let it. We can learn that what may look like the end of someone’s story is only the end of an early chapter of the person’s life. There’s still much to be written. And we can learn that not only will Jesus forgive us when we fail Him, but He will seek us out to give us a chance to make things right. That’s how much He loves us. Reflection question: How can you keep failure from getting the final word in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesus, help me not to miss the true miracle you have for me.Scripture: Luke 5:9Keywords: Success; miracles; Simon Peter; leaving; following Jesus; Jesus said. {{Best of}}

In this episode of The Leader's Notebook (Ep. 295) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, and the final message in this series, I turn our attention to Paul the Apostle and the decisive turning points God used to shape the most influential voice of the early church. We begin with his commissioning in Acts 13 and look back to his dramatic conversion, his unmistakable calling, and the costly obedience that followed. Saul of Tarsus emerges as a Roman citizen, an elite rabbinical scholar, and a relentless Pharisee who encountered the risen Christ and was forever changed. From that encounter, Paul became the great theologian of salvation by faith alone, clarifying what it means for Gentiles to be grafted into the body of Christ. His life reminds us that to touch the church is to touch Christ Himself, and that true Kingdom leadership is not formed by ease, reputation, or advantage, but by answering God's call wherever it leads. – Dr. Mark Rutland Chapters (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook(00:00:25) - Paul the Apostle(00:04:02) - Paul the Apostle(00:12:10) - Saul of Tarsus(00:20:22) - Paul the Apostle's life(00:21:30) - Why Do Certain People Change Their Names?(00:27:40) - Paul the Apostle: Suffering and Joy(00:35:58) - Simon Peter on the Book of Hebrews(00:43:17) - Gentiles and the Law

Simon Says: Lessons from Simon Peter In this week's sermon, titled "Simon Says," we continued our exploration of the life and lessons of Simon Peter, the disciple who was both deeply flawed and profoundly faithful. This week, we focused on the event when Simon Peter walked on water, a story that offers profound insights into faith, courage, and obedience. The Story of Walking on Water The sermon draws from Matthew 14:22-33, where Jesus walks on water and invites Peter to join Him. This miraculous event occurs after a long day of ministry, where Jesus had just fed the 5,000. Seeking solitude and prayer, Jesus sends His disciples ahead across the Sea of Galilee. As a storm arises, Jesus walks on the water to meet them, prompting fear among the disciples. Simon Peter's Boldness Peter's response to Jesus walking on the water is a pivotal moment. Unlike the other disciples, who were paralyzed by fear, Peter boldly asks Jesus to invite him onto the water. When Jesus says, "Come," Peter steps out of the boat and walks toward Him. This act of faith is a testament to Peter's desire to follow Jesus, even into the unknown. Lessons on Faith and Fear Pastor Chris emphasized that Peter's initial success in walking on water was due to his faith and focus on Jesus. However, when Peter notices the wind and waves, fear overtakes him, and he begins to sink. This illustrates a powerful lesson: faith requires focus on Jesus, not on the surrounding storms. Fear distorts perspective: Fear can choke out faith, making us lose sight of Jesus' power and presence. Obedience may lead to storms: The disciples were in the storm because they obeyed Jesus, reminding us that obedience does not always lead to smooth sailing. God's presence in the storm: Jesus comes to the disciples in their time of need, showing that God may not calm every storm but will always calm His children with His presence. Practical Applications Pray Bold Prayers Following Peter's example, believers are encouraged to pray big, bold prayers. Like Peter, we should ask for opportunities to join God in His work. This involves stepping out in faith when God calls, trusting that He will provide the strength and means to accomplish His purposes. Get Out of the Boat The "boat" symbolizes safety and comfort. Peter's willingness to leave the boat represents a call to leave our comfort zones to experience the fullness of life with God. It's a reminder that true faith sometimes requires taking risks and stepping into the unknown. Overcoming Fear By focusing on Jesus and His call, believers can overcome fear. The sermon highlights that fear often prevents us from experiencing the adventure of faith. Yet, when we trust in Jesus and step out in faith, we can experience His power and presence in profound ways. Conclusion The message concludes with a challenge to live out our faith boldly, praying for God's guidance and stepping out in obedience when He calls. For those who do not yet follow Jesus, the invitation is open to trust in Him, who left His heavenly comfort to walk on water and ultimately to the cross for our salvation. Let us be inspired by Peter's example to live courageously, trusting in the One who is always with us, even in the storm.

John the Baptist sees Jesus coming and declares, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”We ask Lars Olson: Why is John the Baptist such a key figure in Lutheranism?What does Lamb of God mean? What does it mean to be baptized into Christ?CARE OF SOULS - ADDICTIONIn Care of Souls, a special mini-series podcast from Luther House of Study, Lutheran pastors and theologians come together to explore the deeply personal and pastoral task of preaching to and caring for those struggling with life's challenging situations: addiction, death, family disharmony, and more. Rooted in the theology of the cross and the Lutheran tradition of radical grace, this series offers both theological depth and practical guidance for pastors, church workers, and lay leaders.With conversations, real-life stories, and reflections from the front lines of ministry, Care of Souls equips listeners to enter the broken places of addiction not with easy answers, but with the crucified and risen Christ.Because in the end, it's not about fixing people—it's about preaching the Gospel.Listen to Care of Souls wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Luther House website: Care of Souls - Addiction SING TO THE LORD Martin Luther said, "Next to the word of God, the art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." To understand the importance of hymnody in the Lutheran church, Lars Olson and Mason Van Essen sit down with Zachary Brockhoff to discuss the lectionary's hymns, their meaning and history, and how the music preaches the Gospel. 

Follow - Pt 2 - Jesus wasn't through changing Simon Peter when He called Him. Instead, He was just getting started. In the transfiguration, Peter saw that Jesus was much more than he thought. Later in life, as he thought back to that day, it reminded him of Christ's power to change us. Salvation is an event, but also a process. It's a long transition from a self-centered to a God-centered life. And discipleship is more than just being with Jesus. It's also becoming like Him.

Send us a textMost sermons that I have heard, including some that I have preached myself, that focus on Simon Peter tend to portray him as something of a buffoon. They present Simon Peter as a boaster and a blowhard. Peter, as the Gospels admit, said and did some foolish things. But that did not make him a fool. Nor was he a coward. The bravest thing that Simon Peter ever did is probably not what you think. Dr. John Koessler is an award-winning writer and retired faculty emeritus of Moody Bible Institute. John writes the Practical Theology column for Today in the Word and a monthly column on prayer for Mature Living. He is the author of 16 books. His latest book , When God is Silent, is published by Lexham Press. You can learn more about John at https://www.johnkoessler.com.

John 13:18-30,I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.This is the Judas sermon. It's dark. It centers on betrayal, which can be one of the most emotionally painful and gut-wrenching experiences in human life. Have you ever been betrayed?Our passage ends with John reporting “it was night,” which is not just the time of day but an ominous note about what's to come, for Jesus and for Judas. This is an emotionally heavy sermon. But don't think of that as bad. We're human. God designed us with emotions; they are features, not bugs. He means for our lives to have rhythms of emotional heaviness, and relief. Many of us live in a desert of emotional triviality, or even emotional numbness. This heaviness can be good for you.It was heavy for Jesus. Verse 21 says, “Jesus was troubled in his spirit.”That's the same language we saw at the tomb of Lazarus (11:33) and when he realizes his “hour” has come (12:27). It's a strong verb that “signifies revulsion, horror, anxiety, agitation” (Carson). It's a visible emotional response, perhaps almost a panic, obvious to the others in the room.Jesus is no stoic. He is human, fully human, with fully human emotions. And this, for him, is a heavy, painful, troubling moment. Not only has his “hour” come to go to the cross, but one of his chosen twelve, whom he loves and has just washed their feet, is on the cusp of betraying him. Jesus is not deadpan when he says, in verse 21,“Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”He's emotional: shaken, stirred up, troubled in his spirit. They could hear it in his voice. And he's without sin. Take note: you can be holy and “troubled in your spirit”; God made your heart to be moved, and facing death and the betrayal of a dear, close friend should be moving. Jesus, fully human, and perfect, was troubled. If you're never troubled, that's not a mark of maturity. It may be a sign you're not well, not whole.But oh how wonderful it is that the human heart is capable of such complexities. Even in this heaviness, remember the banner that flies over chapter 13, verse 1:“…having loved his own who were in the world, [Jesus] loved them to the end.”This is a chapter about Jesus's love. So, even though this is the Judas sermon, this is also a sermon of great love — with love and affection even for Judas. Jesus washes his feet. And we'll see in a minute a specific way in which he loves him to the end. Disciple Jesus LovedIn this passage about Jesus's love we're also introduced to “one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” (verse 23). This memorable way John refers to himself will come back four more times in the last three chapters (19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20) before the author reveals his identity in the second to last verse in the Gospel (21:24). What a marvelous way for a Christian to refer to himself: one whom Jesus loved. John doesn't even give his name but knows himself loved. This is the heart of being a disciple of Jesus: knowing yourself loved by Jesus, and gladly giving your life to make his name known, not your own. I don't need to put myself forward — I am loved by Jesus.Here's where I want to go this morning… I want to end with two very personal questions for everyone in the room:Could I be like Judas?How do I handle the Judas in my life?But first we need to know what happened to the first Judas. How did Judas get to the place where, in verse 27, “Satan entered into him”?It did not come at random or without warning. Satan cannot force his way into a soul. He comes invited. And he's welcomed, not just in a moment, but little by little, over time, in a process of a heart becoming hard to Jesus, and responsive to Satan, because it is becoming like Satan's.What Happened to Judas?I see at least six glimpses in this passage of that process of hardening for Judas. And several of these are striking for us in terms of what not to do, and conversely what to do, to not be like Judas, but rather be like John — as a beloved disciple of Jesus, who leans on Jesus and communes with him, and stays with him, and in the end is held fast by him.So, our first question: What happened to Judas? How did one of Jesus's Twelve come to betray Jesus? What contributed to the process of hardening Judas's heart?1. He had been a devil-in-the-making.Back in John 6, we got our first cue that a defector was among the twelve. This is John 6:70–71:Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.Jesus knows, but no one else can tell. No one expects Judas. The disciples even seem to expect themselves before they expect him.But Jesus knows. We saw two weeks ago in verses 10–11:[Jesus says] “you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”We can marvel here at Jesus as his “hour” comes. He is in full control, “not a hapless victim” (Carson). He knows Judas and chose him and allows this. Even as Jesus goes to the cross, he is master of this hour, like he is master of every hour. We saw in chapter 10, verse 18:“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”And we so marvel at how Jesus goes to the cross: resolute, in control. Yes, troubled, and loving his own to the end. Which includes getting them ready to endure. So, in verse 18, he quotes Psalm 41 (we'll come back to this), and says in verse 19:I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.To strengthen their faith, he lets them know ahead of time that he knew a traitor would emerge. It's painful, but part of the plan. He's in control. And in verse 27, he even gives Judas one last command:“What you are going to do, do quickly.”Jesus knows the heart of Judas and what's in him. Long had he been a devil-in-the-making, even though the other disciples had no clue and only Jesus knew it.2. He kept the moneybag.Verse 29 mentions that “Judas had the moneybag,” which we first came across in 12:4:But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.Apparently, Judas was a master deceiver. He hid his love of money behind the veneer of care for the poor.This is important: Satan had a way in with Judas: love of money. Judas gave the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27). How many times had Judas heard Jesus say,No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matt 6:24; also Luke 16:13)Yet, Judas's love of money was his fatal flaw. What started small in him, grew and grew, until he was willing to trade Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the root of all evils. The kind of heart that loves money more than God is the heart of evil, in all its many forms. Cities Church, let's newly be on our guard against the love of money. Check your heart regularly for love of money. Money itself is not evil. Having money is not evil. Earning money is not evil. But loving money is the root of all evils. Don't give the devil that foothold. Fight it. Do what Judas didn't do when you sense the magnetism of money in your heart: remember the surpassing value of Christ (Philippians 3:8), confess your sin, give generously. One of the best ways to battle love of money is give generously to meet needs in Jesus's name.So, Judas had the moneybag, and developed a love for money.3. The devil put it into his heart.This is chapter 13, verse 2, at the last Supper,“the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.”Note the process: Judas is, by nature, a devil and thief. And his heart is poisoned by love of money, and into such a heart Satan stands ready to put his bait: exchange Jesus for money. The slowly conditioned state of Judas's heart has opened the door for Satan. Satan doesn't need to control Judas and make him do anything. Judas's heart has become so aligned with Satan's that he gives him just what he wants.4. Jesus gives him the bread.Now, this may seem like a surprising step in Judas's process, but this is what verses 26–27 say happened right before the fateful moment:“…when [Jesus] had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him.”This is a dramatic moment. At least two things are happening here. One is that it is an act of affection from Jesus to select a choice morsel, and dip it, and give it to Judas. Jesus, the host, is honoring Judas, and expressing affection for Judas in giving him the morsel. This is Jesus truly loving him to the end. Jesus washes his feet, and offers him one last overture of love, one last chance to come clean and repent. And Judas reaches out and takes the bread and receives Jesus's favor, and instead of returning to Jesus, he gives himself over one last time to evil.The second thing, with the mention of bread, is what we saw in verse 18 from Psalm 41:9: Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.Psalm 41 is a psalm of David. Many betrayed David in his embattled life, including his own sons. But one particularly painful betrayal was that of his trusted counselor, Ahithophel, in 2 Samuel 15–17. When David's son Absalom rebelled against him, David's best counselor betrayed him and went over to Absalom's side. Which was a deeply painful loss for David, and almost cost him the kingdom. Ahithophel knew exactly how to counsel Absalom, and if Absalom had listened, it would have been the end of David. But David had planted a spy, his friend Hushai, who offered alternative counsel and carried the day (and so bought David time to regroup). Ahithophel realized his folly, like Judas would, when his counsel was not received, and he went and hung himself, knowing what his fate must be when David returned.Jesus, the descendant of David, sees in Psalm 41 what happened to David, and he knows the heart of Judas, and knows what is developing, and that just as betrayal happened to David, so too would it happen to him. David's close friend (which Jesus will call Judas in Matthew 26:50), who ate David's bread, lifted his heel (like a horse) against him. Even so, in one last act of love, Jesus prepares the morsel of bread and gives it to Judas, who takes it.5. Satan entered into him. Now the fateful verse 27: “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into [Judas].”What does it mean that “Satan entered into him”? Luke says the same in Luke 22:3, “Satan entered into Judas.” In Acts 5:3, Peter says something similar to Ananias: “Satan [has] filled your heart.” What does it mean for Satan to fill a heart, or enter into Judas?I do not think it means that Satan possessed Judas in such a way as to control him beyond his will or to make him do anything that otherwise was not in line with his heart. Remember the process we've seen: from a hidden devil and thief, to a hardened hypocrite in his love for money, to a heart so callously evil he's primed for the devil's suggestions, and now to being totally in sync with the devil's anti-Christ plan.I do not think this means that the devil made Judas do it. Satan doesn't have that power. He can't make anyone do anything. But the very anti-God impulse of unchecked evil in the devil's heart can also become so deeply cultivated in a sinner's heart that he begins to share the very heart of the devil. Judas is not possessed against his will; Satan entered in according to his will. Judas is fully culpable. As Jesus says in Matthew 26:24,“The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”6. He “went out.”This may seem like a small detail in verse 30, but it is significant:“So, after receiving the morsel of bread, [Judas] immediately went out. And it was night.”The last step is that Judas departs. He leaves the fellowship. He goes out from communion with Jesus and from the gathering of Jesus's disciples. He leaves them. The safest place in all the world for Judas would have been right there with Jesus, and with his disciples. But Judas goes out, into the night, into the darkness, into unchallenged communion with Satan and his plans against Jesus, and his plans to destroy Judas.So, Judas is a devil, and he loves money, and he opens himself to Satan's influence, and receives the bread from Jesus and doesn't repent; his heart and mind are aligned lock-step with Satan's, and at last, he leaves. He goes out from Jesus and out from his people.So, we end with our two questions.1. Could I be Judas?The ultimate answer is no. There is one Judas. You have not had the physical, bodily proximity to Jesus that Judas had. Your story will not be exactly like his. Cosmically, you are not a devil-in-the-making like he was.However, there is a sense in which you could be like Judas. This is very real. You could give Satan a foothold by nursing some particular sin in your life. Your heart could slowly become more callous, making yourself more and more evil and open to the influence of evil.And the objective, visible flashpoint today is often the “going out.” Just as Judas's last step was to leave Jesus and his people, we see it today over and over when once-professing believers leave their fellow disciples in the church. They “go out from us.”They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19)Brothers and sisters, perennial temptations include money, sex, and power, and plenty of other patterns of sin besides. Give the devil no foothold (Ephesians 4:27). “Keep your life free from love of money” (Hebrews 13:5). Don't “go out” from Jesus and his people; stay in the room; stay at the Table.Ask yourself this morning, Are you giving the devil any foothold in your life? Is there any unconfessed, un-renounced, unaddressed pattern of sin in your life?My prayer this morning is that if anyone is on a Judas path, that they would turn. And that if any have unholy fears about being Judas those would be quelled, and you'd have fresh confidence how not to be Judas. Fight love for money and any pattern of sin. Give Satan no chance. Stay close to Jesus and his people.And, as we close, I want to pray for fresh freedom to entrust to Jesus the one in your life you most fear could be Judas.2. How do I handle the Judas in my life?We are our brother's keeper. This is what we covenant with each other in church membership: I will be the church to you; you be the church to me. We commit to be the church to each other, and live out Hebrews 3:12–13:Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.We are our brother's keeper, but not our brother's lord. So, we finish with a word to dear friends, even parents, of those who seem like a Judas. They once professed faith; all seemed right. Then came the drift; or perhaps all of a sudden, it seemed, they “went out from us” and have not come back.Many of us, perhaps especially parents, carry the burden more than is reasonable. Yes, pray, invite, seek to win them. Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:20). And trust your God. Do not carry what is not yours to bear.Years ago John Piper wrote a poem about Judas's father, Simon Iscariot. The poem had this refrain with which it ended:Sink not in darkness nor despair, Bear not what yours is not to bear: When you have loved and lost then trust; The ways of God are always just.And so we come to the Table. And take the morsel from Jesus with fresh sobriety and clarity this morning.Receive His Bread in FaithThis Table, and our receiving in faith, and eating in faith, is a powerful regular means, among others, of Christ keeping us in him. How do you receive this morsel from Jesus at his Table week by week? Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 11,Whoever [like Judas?] eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.Yet when we do discern the body and eat and drink in faith, we share in the blessing and security that are ours only in Christ.

Having drawn the portrait of a persecutor from Herod's history in Acts 12, we turn now to Simon Peter and those around him. Tracing Peter's experience, we see his threatening imprisonment, his peaceful night, his angelic deliverance, his happy housecall, his eventual report, and his quiet departure. Along the way we learn various lessons, not least about the preservation, peace, and prayers of the saints, and are assured of the progress of the gospel.

Discover the moment when Simon Peter declares Jesus as the Messiah, changing the course of the disciples' journey forever.In this compelling episode, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and challenges His disciples with a profound question about His true identity. As the disciples wrestle with their understanding, Simon Peter boldly declares Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God, leading to a powerful moment of revelation and transformation.Today's Bible verse is Matthew 16:16, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Election in Christ (2) (audio) David Eells - 1/7/26 I'm going to continue where we left off in part one, about our election in Christ. We were speaking about how Judas was identified from among the disciples. (Joh.6:70) Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? (71) Now he spake of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, [being] one of the twelve. So, Jesus understood that Judas was a son of the devil, yet He called him to walk among the 12 in (Joh.13:18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen.... So Judas was not chosen . He went on to explain that He was not speaking of Judas, who never had ears to hear the spirit words and didn't believe. (Joh.6:63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. (64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. (65) And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father. Let me point out to you that it's not who receives the call and starts out with you who is chosen; it's who is still with you at the end. (2Jn.7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world.... John is talking about them leaving Christianity. (1Jn.2:18) Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. “They” here is referring to the antichrist body leaving the Church. The Beast is antichrist in the world, but antichrist in the Church is this son of perdition or destruction. They will all be reprobated like Judas so you will know them. (2Jn.7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, (I.e, out of the Church) [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. (They deny, “Christ in us the hope of glory.”) This is the deceiver and the antichrist. (8) Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. (9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. So it's not “he who began with you” who is chosen; it's “he that abideth in the teaching” to prove they are not antichrist. Some people say they love the Word and seem very eager to study the Word, but there comes a point where they decide not to go any deeper, usually because it comes against their flesh. You know, lost people like knowledge. They like knowing things that other people don't know because they are prideful and this gives them a reason to be puffed up. The son of perdition likes knowledge, but when it comes to knowledge that demands a change in their life, that's where those people start filtering out, as the Bible says: (1Jn.2:19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out,] that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. In the parable of the sower, three out of four, fell away. (2Jn.9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. “He that abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God.” This is saying you have to be obedient to have the Father and the Son. Antichrist are those who go out from among you and are denying the Father and the Son because they are not obedient to the Word. Remember that Jesus said, (Joh.14:15) If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. (23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. That's not a promise to those who are disobedient or to those who start out and don't finish the course. That's a promise to those who endure until the end denying their flesh. (Mat.24:13) But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. (1Co.1:23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness; (24) but unto them that are called (meaning “invited” to partake in election), both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. People who are called understand the wisdom of the Gospel, but to the rest, it's foolishness and a stumblingblock. However, you may preach the Gospel to somebody today, and they won't come, but they might come later on because the right foundation was finally laid and the right timing has finally come. Just because someone doesn't accept the Gospel today doesn't mean that they're forever lost of God's calling, but only the called are going to come to Christ. Only the called have initial salvation. A good example of that is, (26) For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called:].... It's not many who “accept Christ” to begin with. This calling is not to the lost. This calling is internal; the calling is a gift from God to those who are being saved. The Bible never says, all are called. But it does teach that not all have the gift of faith. Everything in this world was created for the purpose of manifesting sons of God and everything that Paul did was toward that purpose. He said in (2Ti.2:10) Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. God called His Son out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1), but then He tried Him in the wilderness to find out who was going to go on to the Promised Land. Those who went on into the Promised Land were in type God's elect. Notice that His whole purpose was for the elect, not for those who fell away in the wilderness. You see, God's grace has been given to all those who are called, but it's the elect among the called who are going to take advantage of it and that's the difference. Paul dealt with many, but everything he did was for the few, the elect. God used Paul to fulfill His purpose. (Joh.6:37) All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. This is very interesting because the phrase “come to me” is used many places in Scripture. Jesus told the Jews in (Joh.5:39) Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; (40) and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life. That was obvious about most of the Jews then, who rejected everything that Jesus said. And it's obvious about those people today who reject everything that Jesus said, but did you know that some of those people who walked with Jesus, even as disciples, wouldn't come to Him? (Joh.6:66) Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. That actually happened, then and now. Notice the verse number 666. Antichrist was coming out from among them as we saw. Only God can cause a person to come to Jesus: (Joh.6:39) And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. (40) For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day… (44) No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. It's not possible for anyone to come unto Jesus, except the Father draws them. It is possible for them to come to church and to believe many doctrines. They can go to an altar and accept Jesus as their Savior, even though we don't see anything in the Scriptures about that. But people will not actually come unto Jesus unless they are drawn by God. (Son.1:4 Draw me; we will run after thee:) (Mar.1:14) Now after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, (15) and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel. “Repent and believe” is the Gospel being preached in the Scriptures, but it's been pushed aside for another gospel that says, “Just accept Jesus Christ.” That's a gospel that fills up the Church with tares because you can “accept” Him while He does not “accept” you. You can “accept” without repenting and believing. We've seen people who have come to the Unleavened Bread Bible Study and even when they were shown, “This is what the Scripture says,” they refused to believe it. The Greek word for “repent” is metanoeo and it means “to change your mind; to think differently.” Repenting means to change your mind and believe the Scriptures.  Some people refuse to do that. Yes, they can “accept” Jesus all they want, but Jesus doesn't accept them unless they repent and believe. Let me show you again that you can walk with Jesus, but not come unto Jesus: (Joh.6:64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. That tells you Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas didn't believe. (65) And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me.... Judas was doing the same mighty works, and he was accepted among the disciples because they didn't know that he wasn't like them. Did he come to Jesus? No. Judas was walking with Jesus, and yet Judas didn't come to Him. Somewhere along the way, if you adhere to the Scriptures, those who are not of God are going to be filtered out. They are going to come to a place where the Scripture demands obedience and they will not obey, which is to repent and believe. (Joh.6:65) And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father. (66) Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (67) Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away? (68) Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (69) And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God. (70) Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? He said several things about this devil. Jesus said that he didn't believe, he hadn't come unto Him, and he's not going to obey. (71) Now he spake of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, [being] one of the twelve. The son of perdition is still in the Church today. Let's read (2Th.2:3) Let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be,] (the coming of the Lord) except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, (I.e., Like Judas they will eventually faction and fall away to prove who they are. We have seen this first hand.) (4) he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped (Like Judas, they don't start out this way, they end up this way.); so that he sitteth in the temple (Which in Greek is the word, Naos, which is always used by Paul as the people, not the building.) of God, setting himself forth as God. (I.e., They are their own God) (5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (6) And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. (7) For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restraineth (the coming of the Lord) now, until he be taken out of the way. (The numeric pattern shows “until he be come out of the midst”. He will be taken out so that the body can be spotless, ready for the coming of the Lord.) (8) And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; (9) [even he,] whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (10) and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (Everyone they deceived also became one of them.) (11) And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: (12) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  That's talking about the corporate son of perdition in the corporate body of the Church. They are walking with Jesus, but they are not coming unto Jesus and they are doing the works that Judas was doing because Jesus gave Judas authority along with the others. You can have some works without the Life. (Mat.10:1) And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. (Mar.6:12) And they went out, and preached that [men] should repent. (13) And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. He didn't choose Judas to be one of the elect, but he chose him to be one of the 12 and He gave him authority. We read in (1Co.11:19) For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you. It's necessary for factions to be among the people of God to prove them. (Luk.17:1) And he (Jesus) said unto his disciples, It is impossible but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him, through whom they come! It's necessary that these occasions of stumbling and these “heresies” come because they weed out the tares from among the wheat. They weed out those who don't bear fruit, and so Jesus chose Judas and didn't do anything to separate him from out of their midst, even though He knew what Judas was. It was the Word that finally ended up separating Judas; just as in these days, it's the Word that separates the Judas', the sons of perdition, from among the disciples. Judas brought Jesus to His cross. (Joh.17:2) Even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life. Remember that Jesus said in (6:37) All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me.... The “freewillers” say, “If you don't go get them, they won't come.” Well, I do believe in going and preaching the Gospel, but I tell you, if you don't go, somebody will, and those who are His are going to come. Some people think that Jesus failed in His mission because He gained so few disciples. No, He said in (Joh.17:4) I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do. What was that work? (6) I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world.... Notice that the Lord manifested His name only to the elect among Israel, a type of the Church. He was not manifesting His name to anybody else. (Psa.147:19) He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. (20) He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. Jesus is still doing that today; He is still revealing His statutes and His commandments only to the Israel of God, circumcised in heart not flesh. Only spiritual Israel is a “chosen” generation now. But to the true Church He said in (1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect (chosen) race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Notice carefully who the elect race is now. (Joh.17:6) I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were.... This is the Church whom He “called out” of Judaism. Church means “the called out ones”. You see, before they came to Jesus, they belonged to God. They always belonged to God. Let me tell you something about the sons of God and the sons of the devil. According to election, a child of God was never a son of the devil. According to nature, they were sons of the devil as in (Ephesians 2:2,3), but according to election, they were never sons of the devil. Why? (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love. In the mind of God, anybody who is a son was always a son. So Jesus tells us, (Joh.17:6) I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were and thou gavest them to me (They belonged to God, who doesn't dwell in time, before they came to Jesus.); and they have kept thy word.  When the disciples walked with Jesus as His children (Mark 10:24; John 13:33; 21:5), they grew in wisdom and understanding, as the Bible says of Jesus: (Luk.2:52) And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. God didn't attribute to Him any of the childish things that Jesus might have done as a child because children do things grownups would never think of. He didn't attribute to the disciples any of the childish things that they said and did. (Psa.32:2) Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile. Jesus didn't hold against them the mistakes they made in ignorance. He had to rebuke them so that they would know what was displeasing to God. (Matthew 17:17; Mark 9:19; 16:14; Luke 9:41; 24:38; John 20:27; etc.) In spite of this He said, “They have kept thy Word.” (Joh.17:9) I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine.... Notice Jesus was not going to pray for the world, but it's something we see done all the time. Do you know for whom we are actually praying when we pray for the world? We are praying for God's elect. Jesus said, “I don't pray for the world; I pray for those whom You have given me because they are Yours.” Someone who is not God's, will never be God's. We were chosen in Christ before times eternal, before the world was made. A person who is a child of God always belonged to God through election. Remember that God uses methods in election and He doesn't go around these methods.  He always uses the faith and prayers of His people to manifest election. He's going to use the faith and prayers of parents for their children to bring their children into the election. He's going to use the faith and prayers that you have for other people who are the elect of God. Some people say, “If my children are elect, they will just come into the Kingdom.” No, those people are neglecting the method by which God elects. God's method for election is faith and prayer. I personally don't believe that God does anything on the earth whereby He doesn't use someone in faith and prayer to bring it to pass. We have examples in the Scriptures of how God always used the faith and prayers of people to manifest miracles, to heal, to bring salvation, and so on (Genesis 32:9-12,18; Job 42:7-9; Luke 22:31-32; Acts 9:10-19; etc.) God has chosen to use the vessel of man to bring things to pass, and He's not going to circumvent man. You may have heard the old saying, “Prayer changes things,” but that's not a Scriptural statement. Prayer fulfills things. God chose, from the foundation of the world, His elect to come into His Kingdom. Through faith and prayer you can be a vessel to bring this to pass. What happens is that God puts in you the desire and faith to pray for certain people, and then He brings them in. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. And Jesus told the disciples in (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. What's the condition there? “Believe that ye receive them.” Faith is a gift of God. You see, “All things whatsoever” is a dangerous promise unless you know that God has total control over the situation because He's the one who gives faith in the first place.  If you've ever tried and failed, over and over, to believe for something, sometimes it's because you are praying for something that's not Scriptural. And your faith doesn't hold up, of course, because God doesn't want you praying for that. I don't want you to use this as an excuse, though; many people pray for things and then don't endure in their faith to receive them. Jesus rebuked His disciples for their unbelief in (Matthew 8:26; 17:20; Mark 9:19; Luke 7:9; etc.)  Remember what God said to Ananias when he questioned God's choice of Paul: (Act.9:15) But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel… (17) And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. (18) And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized. God chose Paul to do wonderful things, and God put it into the heart of Ananias to come and pray for Paul to receive his sight and the Holy Spirit. That's a good example of how God uses people to do His will. Another good example is the story of Cornelius: (Act.10:3) He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius. (4) And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God. (5) And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter: (6) he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. (21) And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? (22) And they said, Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee. The angel was showing Cornelius to send for Peter and he will come and tell you how to be saved. Angels could do this but they don't because God chooses to use men. Jesus said, (Joh.17:12) While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. Again, in our day, the only one who is going to perish among the people, who are thought of as disciples of Christ, will be the son of perdition. “Not one of them perished” who was truly a child of God. Judas was not a child of God. According to Jesus, he was a son of the devil. Is there a “son of the devil” in the Church today? Yes, there certainly is; he was called “Antichrist.” Also in (Joh.3:18) He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.  Now the Armenians want you to believe that God loves everybody, but they must not have read this verse: (Joh.13:1) Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end. You see, the doctrine that says God loves everybody is not in the Scriptures: (Rom.9:13) Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. That's what the Bible says and we should believe it. Jacob, in type and shadow, represents the true Church. Esau represents those who hate the chosen people and fight against them to our day. Both of these men had the same mother and father. So we can see that among Christians, there are those whom God loves and there are those whom God hates for mistreating their brother. Physical lineages of flesh mean nothing in the New Testament. There are born-again men in all races. Many verses prove God is particular about whom He loves: (Psa.5:5) The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Yet it also says, (Rom.5:8) But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I discovered something about that. I discovered that God's love is just like His faith. He doesn't love you for what you are; He loves you for what He will make of you. God sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). If He loves you for what you are, then that would mean He loves sin and that's not true because the Bible says He hates “all workers of iniquity,” and the worker of iniquity is the “old man.”  Let's read (Eph.4:17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, (18) being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; (19) who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (20) But ye did not so learn Christ; (21) if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: (22) that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; (23) and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.  There is a means to the end of election. (Col.3:5) Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; (6) for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience: (7) wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things; (8) but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: (9) lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, (10) and have put on the new man, (That is faith.) that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: (11) where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. God hates the old man and the Bible says the old man is the enemy of God: (Rom.8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: (7) because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Some people want to convert the old man. He cannot be converted; it's not possible. He has to die. God loves you for the seed that He's sowing in you and what that seed is going to bring forth. God loves the fruit and the fruit is Jesus. He doesn't love the dirt. The Bible says He hates all workers of iniquity and people are workers of iniquity. Maybe you've heard someone say, “God loves the sinner but hates the sin.” Well, that's a complete lie and it's not Scriptural. He hates all workers of iniquity, so how can God love the sinner when the sinner IS sin and his whole nature is sin? Pick out any sinner in the world. They are bound in sin and “shapen in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5; Acts 8:23); their whole nature is sin. Their whole nature is self-will and rebellion against God.  There's no way to pick out something there that is righteous and good because nothing righteous and good is in a person if the seed of God hasn't been sown in them. (Psa.11:5) The Lord trieth the righteous; But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. (Pro.6:16) There are six things which the Lord hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: (17) Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood; (18) A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, (19) A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren. You know, that clearly describes unregenerate man, so it's clear that when we come to God, His love for us is a love of faith. (Rom.5:8) But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He loves us by faith; for what He sees we will be (1 Corinthians 13:12; 15:49; 1 John 3:2). It's a false doctrine that God loves everybody. God can save anybody He wants to save, as you can see in Apostle Paul's conversion, and if He loves them, He will certainly save them. (Psa.147:19) He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. (20) He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. God called Israel and He didn't call any other nation. Did He love any other nation? No, obviously not. Whom did He love? He loved Israel and He still loves Israel. He still calls His spiritual Israel, and He still reveals His statutes unto them.  (Deu.7:7) The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all peoples: (8) but because the Lord loveth you, and because he would keep the oath which he sware unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. God revealed Himself to Israel and He knew that they were the least of the nations. They were the smallest nation; they were the weakest nation, and He revealed Himself to them. It's the same today! True spiritual Israel is a very small percentage of the world's population, and God is revealing Himself to them. He loves them and He doesn't love the rest. As it was with Noah in the ark.

In this episode of The Leader's Notebook (Ep. 294) from our seven-part series, The Magnificent Seven, I examine the life, faith, and formation of Simon Peter—introduced in John 1 as a fisherman who meets Jesus and is immediately renamed, redefined, and relentlessly shaped by grace. Peter is bold, impulsive, strong, outspoken, and deeply human: quick to confess Jesus as the Christ, equally quick to resist the cross; first to step out of the boat, first to deny with a curse; yet also first to preach at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit transforms failure into authority. We trace Peter's journey from natural leadership to spiritual power, from Jewish boundaries to Gentile inclusion, and from rough-edged disciple to apostolic voice whose letters reveal profound theological depth. In the end, Peter himself tells us what mattered most—not miracles, not Pentecost, not even leadership—but seeing Christ in His glory, a vision that steadied his life and clarified his witness. – Dr. Mark Rutland Chapters (00:00:03) - The Leaders Notebook(00:00:53) - Simon Peter(00:09:38) - Simon Peter(00:13:23) - Simon Peter(00:16:58) - Simon Peter Confirmed as the Messiah by Jesus(00:22:28) - Simon Peter at Pentecost(00:28:48) - Simon Peter the Disciples(00:35:43) - St. Paul the Gentile encounter(00:39:02) - 1 Peter and 2 Peter(00:40:22) - The Greatest Moment of Peter's Life(00:46:24) - Leader's Notebook

Simon Says: Lessons from Simon Peter As we step into the New Year, we embark on an exciting journey through a new sermon series titled Simon Says, focusing on the life and lessons of Simon Peter, one of Jesus' most prominent disciples. This series explores how Simon Peter's experiences and responses can guide us toward spiritual transformation. Introduction to Simon Peter Simon Peter, a fisherman by trade, was introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew. This pivotal moment is captured in John 1:40–42, where Andrew, convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, brings Simon to Him. Jesus immediately sees Simon's potential and declares that he will be called Peter, meaning “rock,” pointing to a future transformation. The Call to Obedience One of the key themes in Simon Peter's life is obedience. In Luke 5:1–11, we witness a miraculous event that underscores the importance of obeying Jesus, even when it feels inconvenient or illogical. After a fruitless night of fishing, Simon follows Jesus' instruction to cast the nets again. The result is an overwhelming catch. This act of obedience, despite doubt, leads to a deeper revelation of Jesus' authority and becomes a defining moment in Simon's life. Lessons in Obedience Obey in the Little Things Simon's willingness to let Jesus use his boat, though inconvenient, set the stage for a greater miracle. Small acts of obedience often open the door to significant spiritual growth. Obey When It Doesn't Make Sense Simon's decision to fish again, despite his professional experience telling him otherwise, highlights the need to trust Jesus even when His instructions defy logic. Obedience, even when mixed with uncertainty, can lead to clearer vision and deeper faith. Spiritual Transformation The result of Simon's obedience was not just a miraculous catch of fish, but a shift in how he understood Jesus and himself. He moves from calling Jesus “Master” to recognizing Him as “Lord,” signaling a deeper awareness of Jesus' true identity and authority. Application for Today Embrace Obedience Whether the task is small and inconvenient or large and challenging, obedience matters. Consistent obedience aligns us with God's purpose. Seek Transformation Like Simon, our journey with Jesus is ongoing. It begins with relationship, grows through obedience, and leads to a life shaped by God's calling. Conclusion The story of Simon Peter reminds us that transformation is a process that requires active participation through obedience. As we walk through this series, let us remain open to the lessons from Simon Peter's life and apply them personally. Whether you are new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, every step of obedience moves you closer to the life God intends for you. If you are interested in beginning or deepening your relationship with Jesus, consider joining our upcoming baptism service or participating in our Bible reading plan for the year. Let's commit to a year of growth and transformation, inspired by the life of Simon Peter.

1 Peter 1:11:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia...John 1:35-421:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).Luke 5:1-115:1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

“Who Do You Say That I Am?”Matthew 16:13-2013 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

Today’s Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel – Jn 20:1a and 2-8 – On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put Him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered His Head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day

John 13:1-11,Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”Last Sunday, we saw that the gospel of John is a book comprised of two sections. The first section, chapters 1-12, has been called the book of signs, in which: Jesus' location frequently changes. For three years he's traveling, back-and-forth, between Galilee and Jerusalem with stops in Samaria and Bethany in between. During this time, he's also gathering crowds. Such large crowds, in fact, that he's at one point in danger of being trampled by them. And he's working miracles — so definitive and comprehensive that no realm of reality, whether Satan and demons, forces of nature, or even the human body could claim to have remained outside his jurisdiction. And he's teaching — in sermons, in conversations, in questions, in parables — all with such unparalleled authority that he renders his audience speechless, stunned. That's the first section of John's gospel, chapters 1-12.Today, our sermon text begins the second section of John's gospel, what's rightly been called, the book of glory. Here, unlike section one: Jesus' location will not change — he'll remain in Jerusalem till his death. The crowds will no longer be involved, at least not throughout the next five chapters. Jesus will not be working miracles. He will not be teaching in parables. Rather, Jesus will mainly be speaking — plainly and deliberately — to his small, rag-tag group of men he called his 12, soon-to-be 11, disciples. All the while, we are those who are invited in, brought in, by John to this most private, intimate and pivotal of settings — the final moments of the Savior prior to the cross. This morning, we'll aim to set the scene for this book of glory by taking a look at four things: the Identity of Jesus, the Love of Jesus, and two Warnings from Jesus.First, the Identity of Jesus.IdentityIt's a fitting thing to begin with. After all, Jesus' identity is the very thing that's been most doubted, debated, and called into question up to this point in the story. We've heard statements like:1:46, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” 4:12, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?”6:30, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you?” 6:42, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?”8:48, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”10:20, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” It's quite the chorus of animosity, yes? And yet, chapter 13 is quick to show us that despite the many reproaches, Jesus remains unshaken.Verse 1,“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father…”You see it? No doubts. No questions. No confusion here. All along, Jesus has known his hour was coming. He has known his hour was the very thing he came here for. He has known his hour would be a time when he'd be glorified (John 12:23). And now, he knows his hour has come.A major aspect of Jesus' identity, of course, relates to this hour. And yet, even more basic to his identity, is what we see in verse three. Look down with me at verse 3:“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God…”Picture this with me for a moment. Like, put yourself there, in that very room, in this very moment:Here stands Jesus — a plainly clothed Jewish carpenter from Galilee. He's in a borrowed space — an upper room of someone else's home. He's flanked by fishermen, a tax collector, and a host of other unimpressive men. By the looks of it, he has little money, or perhaps even no money, to his name. And yet, here stands the man who rules the world. The one before whom every knee will one day fall. The supreme object of the Father's eternal smile.Jesus, in that moment, knew all that. He knew he'd ultimately come from God. That he, though headed to the grave, was ultimately headed back to God in Heaven. That despite appearances, his Father had placed all things in his hand. His is an unrivaled identity — the only Son from the Father. That's point one: the identity of Jesus.Point two: the Love of Jesus.Amazingly, these two marks appear side-by-side in the narrative. Following the report of Jesus' high and exalted identity, we find his love for his own people. LoveLook back with me to verse 1:“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”For anyone in the room this morning wondering: “Now, why did Jesus, on his very last night, choose to move away from the crowds? Like, up to this point, Jesus has regularly welcomed the masses. Not all the time, to be sure, but much of the time. So, why then, in his final hours, did Jesus choose to “lock himself up in a room,” so-to-speak, with only this small, hand-selected group of men?” Answer: Because he loved them. And you might think: “Well, yeah, of course he loved them. Jesus loves the world.” That's not wrong. Jesus, like his Father, loves the world, hence, John 3:16. It would be a mistake, however, to equate Jesus' love for the world with Jesus' love for his own. The two are not identical, but distinct. And, in fact, you can see that distinction, right here in verse one:“[Jesus] having loved his own who were in the world.”You see it? It's not: having loved his own just as he loved the world, but “having loved his own who were in the world.”Jesus' love here, in other words, is specific: He's talking about the love he has for this particular people — “his own.”And, Jesus' love is persistent: He will love his own to the end — all through and well beyond the nails, the thorns, and the spear. Jesus' love, in this text, is the unique love he has for his sheep… The ones who hear his voice, and believe in his name. The ones for whom, in his hour of glory, he will lay his life down for. How About You?And how about you? Are you his this morning? Have you heard his voice? Have you come to see that this Jewish carpenter from Galilee is in fact God in the flesh and Savior of your soul? Then this very love that we're talking about here is the love he has for you.It's December 28th, yes? Christmas Sunday. Much of the holidays are now behind you. Even more of the year 2025 is now behind you. As you look back, you may see evidences of Jesus' love for you — popping up in your memory, your calendar, the images on your phone. If you see these evidences, boy, savor those things. Ask God to impress them deep into your soul that you may not forget them in days ahead. But for those of you who, as you look back, think: “You know, I feel like I just got kicked in the teeth this Christmas. In fact, really this entire year. In fact, life has been tasting bitter now for quite a number of years. I look out for evidences of Jesus' love for me, and, if I'm honest, I'm just not seeing them.” ….If that's you, then allow me to invite you this morning to turn your focus to these words instead. To set your perception of the events of life to the side. To instead, humbly before the Lord, hear him say to you, “I have loved you, and am loving you, and will continue to love you to the end.” Jesus' love for you if you are his, brother or sister, is a particular and persistent love — active today just as it was on the cross and just as it will be in the age to come.What's the identity of Jesus? He's from God, going to God, having all things in his hand.What's the love of Jesus? It's the particular, persistent love he has for his own.What about the two warnings from Jesus? Well, they're going to come in just a moment, but not before the scene shifts.Jesus the ServantJesus, knowing the love he has for his disciples, is now going to demonstrate that love through what was, at that time, one of the lowest forms of human service imaginable.It is a jolting transition to say the least. Jesus, verse 4, rises from supper. He takes off his outer garments. He grabs a servant's towel. Then, after pouring some water into a basin, he begins to “wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” Now, consider how absolutely soiled his disciples' feet would've been at this time — having just been walking for miles, without shoes, on roads made up of packed-down dirt and animal manure. And consider how filthy that water, as Jesus went from washing one of his disciples' feet to another, would've been getting. And the towel! The very towel that Jesus had around his body, pressing against his skin — how soaked with filth it would've appeared.So it's no wonder that by the time Jesus gets to Peter and sets down the basin before him, Peter just can't take it anymore. It's as if the shock of seeing a man so superior to himself stooped down to such degrees of humiliation just finally became too much for him to bear. Verse 6 reads:“He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”Jesus says to Peter, I believe, sympathetically, assuringly, verse 7:“What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”Nevertheless, Peter continues his resistance. He cannot understand what Jesus is doing. Cannot fathom ever being able to understand what Jesus is doing. And so he declares, verse 8:“You shall never wash my feet.”First WarningWhat a terrifying thing to say to a Savior. What an eternity-threatening response. And Jesus treats it as such, responding to it with one of the most sobering, consequential warnings in all the Bible. In verse 8, Jesus warns,“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”Just think over those words for a moment: No share with Jesus. None. Peter's response, in other words, has got him teetering on the brink of complete dislocation from Jesus. But why is that? I mean, wasn't Peter just trying to be respectful of Jesus? Honoring, even? I mean, “Jesus, you walk on water. You calm storms. I'm not going to have you wash my feet.” …No? Well then, Peter, who are you going to have wash your feet? It's true. Peter's resistance may well have been his attempt at honoring Jesus, but what it did was threaten to demote Jesus instead. Demote him. Downgrade Jesus from the rank of Total, Absolute Savior to the level of partial, limited Savior.The kind of savior who serves his people this far, but no further. The kind who cleanses these sins, but not those sins. The kind who is received by his people not on his terms, but on theirs. The kind who may provide bread, bring healing, and even calm storms, but certainly won't wash feet.Peter's resistance did not honor, but demote Jesus, or at least threaten to. And it is something we all have a tendency to do.Think about it: when you sin — like when you catch yourself saying something unkind, having a thought that's unclean, doing something you know is wrong, and then realize your guilt — do you always go immediately to Jesus asking to be forgiven? Like, the moment you sin, do you always go right away to Jesus, totally empty-handed, saying: Jesus, cleanse me again?Or, do you sometimes wait a bit… To let your guilt subside first. Or to rack up a few good works first. Or to wallow in greater degrees of misery first? I mean, you're not just going to go to Jesus just like that, with your unadulterated sin so fresh out of the oven, are you?If not, then what you're attempting to do instead is take the edge off your sin. Take it from a boil, down to a simmer. Get it to a point where it is, at least, slightly less abhorrent than it was originally before handing it over to Jesus. And the reason we do that — Note: The reason we do that — is because in our pride, we don't actually want a Total, Absolute Savior to help us with our sin. We don't. Rather, what we want is to demote Jesus to the level of partial Savior, because when we do, guess who gets promoted to the level of partial Savior right alongside him?You see it? Peter's resistance, as well as ours, is not really about Jesus' honor at all. It's about human pride, and our desire to have a claim on our salvation.Here's the thing: Jesus doesn't respond to Peter with gratitude. “Oh, thank goodness, I was hoping I'd not have to wash your feet.” He responds to Peter with a warning:“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”Said another way: To be saved by me, Peter, you must also be served by me — and that at your very worst. Your very lowest. Your very ugliest. You must place even your feet into my hands.Jesus is as an Absolute, Total Savior. He will be received as such or he will not be received at all. That's our first warning. The second is much quicker. In fact, it's not even technically a warning, but I would like us to hear it as such this morning.Second WarningIn verse 9, Peter responds to Jesus with his usual, over-the-top vigor:“‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”Again, this is not technically a warning. It's a judgment. Judas, one of the twelve, was not clean. To use language from the first warning: Judas “had no share” with Jesus, for his heart had been given over to Satan. Just as we read in verse 2:“During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.”So Judas has got Satan motivating him. It's Satan's will he's submitted to, not God's.But the reason I'd like us to heed all this as a warning is because Judas gave off no outward impression that he was in rebellion to Jesus. In fact, we have no biblical evidence suggesting any one of his fellow disciples ever suspected Judas was the one who would betray Jesus. Judas had looked the part. Had done all the things. He'd been present for the many conversations, sermons, and miracles throughout the past three years of his public ministry. In fact, Judas, just as all the other disciples, had just finished getting his feet washed by Jesus in that upper room.But despite outward appearance, when it came to who Judas was inwardly — what Judas really loved, to what Judas really treasured — it was not Jesus. His treasure may have been money, power, praise — regardless, the fact of the matter is that despite all Judas had seen, heard, and experienced, there was still something in the world Judas valued more than Jesus. So, when finally given the opportunity to gain it by losing Jesus, he took it. He agreed to betray Jesus.Brothers and sisters, beware of increasing in Jesus-oriented things, and Jesus-oriented practices, apart from a Jesus-oriented heart. We don't want to be known as the people who merely do things for Jesus, but the people who value Jesus above all things. We want, as the Apostle Paul, to be the kind of people, the kind of disciples, who increasingly count Christ as gain, and all other things as loss in comparison to him.So, the identity of Jesus: He's from God, going to God, having all things in his hand.The love of Jesus: It's the particular, persistent love he has for his own.The warnings from Jesus: You cannot have him as partial Savior. You cannot have him unless your heart treasures him to the end.TableNow, what brings us to the table this morning is the fact that the footwashing we see here in John 13 — counter-intuitive and challenging to human pride as it may have been — was really just a preview. A foreshadowing, of the even greater ignominy still to come. In a mere matter of hours…Jesus' outer garments are not going to be set down by him, but stripped off by Roman soldiers. Jesus' hands are not going to be wet with water, but his own blood. Jesus' skin is not going to be dirtied by his disciples' feet, but pierced for his disciples' sin. Jesus is going to hang on a cross, loving his own people to the very end.

Gospel John 20:1a and 2-8 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. Reflection Yesterday, the scriptures reminded us of the cost of discipleship, and what we need to understand is when we go through pain and suffering, it is a transformation, not something to be frightened of. We need transition. We need evolution of consciousness. We need to grow. So the church focuses on this day on how it went with Jesus. The ultimate thing that he did was stand close to his father, revealing nothing but love and truth and he was rejected, he was murdered and he rose. It's a mystery of transformation. What seems like death, what seems like loss is just the opposite. It is new life. Closing Prayer Father, as we journey with you, as we invite you to live within us and resonate through us, give us the courage to know whatever setback that we encounter is not something negative, but something that draws us closer into who you are, and who we are, and how we are to work together. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,Yesterday, we honored St. Stephen, who by his words and by laying down his life for his faith, bore witness to Christ. Today, December 27, we receive the testimony of John, Apostle and Evangelist (d. 101).The Church celebrates the Feast of this Galilean fisherman born in Bethsaida, son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother to St. James the Greater, who became the beloved disciple of Jesus.John and James were called by Jesus to be disciples as they were mending their nets by the Sea of Galilee.The pure and spiritual life of John kept him very close to Jesus and Mary, resting on the Master's breast at the Last Supper and being filled with divine wisdom.He wrote the fourth Gospel (about sixty-three years after the Ascension of Christ), three Epistles, and an excellent and mysterious Book of the Apocalypse or Revelation.John is the evangelist of the divinity and fraternal love of Christ. With James, his brother, and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration.He was permitted to witness His agony in the Garden. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusted His Mother to his care as He hung dying on the Cross.St. John was the only one of the Apostles who did not forsake the Savior in the hour of His Passion and Death.He was brought to Rome and, according to tradition, cast into a caldron of boiling oil by Emperor Domitian's order, but he was miraculously preserved unhurt. He was later exiled to the Island of Patmos, where he wrote the Apocalypse.In his extreme old age, he continued to visit the churches of Asia. Every time he preached, he said: "My dear children, love one another."St. John died in peace at about ninety-four years old at Ephesus in the hundredth year of the Christian era, or the sixty-sixth from the crucifixion of Christ.Ave MariaCome, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkNew Upgrade! Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠December 27, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

On the first day of the week,Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peterand to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,and we do not know where they put him."So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peterand arrived at the tomb first;he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.When Simon Peter arrived after him,he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,and the cloth that had covered his head,not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.Then the other disciple also went in,the one who had arrived at the tomb first,and he saw and believed.

Read OnlineSo Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. John 20:3–8The “other disciple,” the one who “saw and believed,” was John the Apostle whom we honor today. In his Gospel, John often refers to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved.” This title indicates not that Jesus loved John more than the others but that John's heart was perhaps the most open and receptive to Jesus' love, allowing our Lord's charity to fill him more completely.Celebrating the Feast of Saint John within the octave of Jesus' birth invites us to reflect not only on John but also on the deep and intimate love that he and Jesus shared—a love that serves as an icon of the love Jesus desires to bestow on each of us.Today's Gospel beautifully highlights three of John's virtues. First, his all-consuming love for Jesus is evident in his immediate response to Mary Magdalene's news of the empty tomb. John's love compelled him to run to the tomb with Peter, showing how deeply he cherished his relationship with the Lord.Second, John's respectful nature is revealed when he arrives at the tomb first but waits for Peter, the elder and leader among the Apostles, to enter before him. This act of deference speaks volumes about John's humility and respect for authority.Finally, after entering the tomb, John “saw and believed.” This moment reflects the depth of his faith, a faith that did not require physical proof but was grounded in a profound trust in Jesus. John's belief was a response to the infused gift of faith, a virtue that allowed him to recognize the truth of the Resurrection even before seeing the risen Lord.John's example challenges us to examine our own spiritual lives. Is our love for the Lord so strong that it draws us toward Him with the same urgency that led John to run to the tomb? Does our love for God translate into a genuine respect for others? Is our faith so deep that we trust in God's promises without needing visible proof?As we honor Saint John, reflect today on his identity as “the one whom Jesus loved.” His receptivity to Jesus' love made him stand out as a model disciple. Seek to imitate John by expanding the capacity of your heart to receive more of God's love, so that His presence within you becomes evident to others. My loving Lord, Your Sacred Heart overflowed with love for all people. Saint John was especially receptive to that love, enabling him to love You all the more. Please give me a heart like Saint John's so that I, too, may become Your beloved disciple. Saint John, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: St John at the Last Supper by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.  Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Chapter 22 of Heroes in the Bible: Jesus with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by the Gospels. Do You Love Me? - Jesus restores Peter. Alone and ashamed, Peter sits on his boat awaiting his fate… Until he hears a familiar voice. Today's opening prayer is inspired by John 21:15, So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app. Sign up for Heroes in the Bible devotionals at https://www.heroesinthebible.com/  Learn more about Dr. Tony Evans at https://tonyevans.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GOD USES SMALL PEOPLE FOR BIG PURPOSES PT. 2 1. GOD USES THE HUMBLE OVER THE HIGH AND MIGHTY Luke 1:48, Mary sings, “For He has been mindful of the HUMBLE state of His servant.” (NIV) 2. GOD USES CHARACTER OVER CREDENTIALS Luke 1:26–27 “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (NIV) 3. GOD USES A SERVANT OVER A SUPERSTAR Luke 1:38   “I am the Lord’s SERVANT,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (NIV) Luke 1:48, Mary sings, “For He has been mindful of the humble state of His SERVANT.” (NIV) Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, SERVANTS of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: (NIV) 1 Corinthians 4:1 So look at Apollos and me as mere SERVANTS of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. (NLT) Romans 1:1 Paul, a BONDSERVANT of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God (NKJV) 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a SERVANT and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: (NIV) Matthew 23:11 “The greatest among you will be your SERVANT.” (NIV) 3A. SERVANTS OF JESUS SERVE PEOPLE 2 Corinthians 4:5 “We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are YOUR SERVANTS for Jesus’ sake.” (NLT) 2 Galatians 5:13 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, SERVE ONE ANOTHER humbly in love.” (NIV) 4. GOD USES HIS PRESENCE OVER YOUR PRESENCE Luke 1:28, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! THE LORD IS WITH YOU” (NIV) Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (NIV) Luke 1:35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will COME ON YOU, and the power of the MOST HIGH WILL OVERSHADOW YOU. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (NIV) Luke 1:37 For with God NOTHING will be impossible. (NKJV)

Why would Jesus choose Simon Peter—a flawed, impulsive, ordinary fisherman—to become the foundation of the Church? In this episode of 1819 News: The Podcast, host Bryan Dawson sits down with bestselling author and historian Jerry Lathan to unpack the true, chronological story of Simon Peter, the most relatable and misunderstood figure in the Gospels. Drawing from Lathan's book, You Will Be Peter, this conversation explores why Peter's failures were not a liability—but the point. From walking on water to denying Christ, Peter's journey mirrors the struggles of everyday believers and reveals how faith is forged through doubt, growth, and perseverance. The discussion also examines why modern culture—and Hollywood—often misunderstands Christianity, why authentic faith-based storytelling still resonates with audiences, and how Peter's leadership compares to foundational figures like George Washington. If you've ever felt unqualified, uncertain, or unfinished in your faith, this episode will challenge and encourage you. Learn more about the book: https://youwillbepeter.com Subscribe to 1819 News for more conversations on faith, culture, and leadership.

Why would Jesus choose Simon Peter—a flawed, impulsive, ordinary fisherman—to become the foundation of the Church? In this episode of 1819 News: The Podcast, host Bryan Dawson sits down with bestselling author and historian Jerry Lathan to unpack the true, chronological story of Simon Peter, the most relatable and misunderstood figure in the Gospels. Drawing from Lathan's book, You Will Be Peter, this conversation explores why Peter's failures were not a liability—but the point. From walking on water to denying Christ, Peter's journey mirrors the struggles of everyday believers and reveals how faith is forged through doubt, growth, and perseverance. The discussion also examines why modern culture—and Hollywood—often misunderstands Christianity, why authentic faith-based storytelling still resonates with audiences, and how Peter's leadership compares to foundational figures like George Washington. If you've ever felt unqualified, uncertain, or unfinished in your faith, this episode will challenge and encourage you. Learn more about the book: https://youwillbepeter.com Subscribe to 1819 News for more conversations on faith, culture, and leadership.

We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --How did so many miss on the miracle of the messiah in the manger, and do we miss the miracle too? At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. Luke 2:25-31 NLTRighteous devotion is the heart posture and perspective necessary to recognize God's promised provision.You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5:39 NLT The surrendered heart, fine tuned by God's word, will always see what the head alone is likely to miss.Eagerly waitingPreconceived notions often keep us from noticing God's miraculous favor as it play out in our lives.Anna, a prophetess, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38 NLT You are less likely to miss a miracle if you hang out with people who also have a persistent faith.Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. “There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” John 6:8-9 NLT Andrew recognized a miracle was possible because he had His eyes firmly fixed on the Messiah.The God gift to see the miracle before it has fully manifested is a powerful gift. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Luke 2:32 NLTThe greatest miracle from the story of Simeon and Anna is that they didn't miss on the presence of Jesus,-------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --How did so many miss on the miracle of the messiah in the manger, and do we miss the miracle too? At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. Luke 2:25-31 NLTRighteous devotion is the heart posture and perspective necessary to recognize God's promised provision.You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5:39 NLT The surrendered heart, fine tuned by God's word, will always see what the head alone is likely to miss.Eagerly waitingPreconceived notions often keep us from noticing God's miraculous favor as it play out in our lives.Anna, a prophetess, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38 NLT You are less likely to miss a miracle if you hang out with people who also have a persistent faith.Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. “There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” John 6:8-9 NLT Andrew recognized a miracle was possible because he had His eyes firmly fixed on the Messiah.The God gift to see the miracle before it has fully manifested is a powerful gift. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Luke 2:32 NLTThe greatest miracle from the story of Simeon and Anna is that they didn't miss on the presence of Jesus,-------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

I greet you in Jesus' precious Name! It is Thursday morning, the 11th of December, 2025, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. We start in the Gospel of Matthew 16:16: Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then we go to Mark 8:29: “Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” We go to Matthew 1:23“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” It's all in the Name. It is the most powerful Name in the universe! The only time the people wanted to stone Jesus wasn't because he was healing the sick, raising the dead, opening blind eyes, restoring the cripples, delivering people from leprosy and all kinds of diseases. No, no! They were happy with that, but when He said, ”I am who I am.” When He said, ”I am God made flesh.” Then they wanted to stone Him and nothing has changed. Even as I am recording this message early in the morning, there are people in the world who are being martyred, not for stealing, not for murdering, not for raping, not for plundering, but because we say Jesus is God. It's using that Name!People are being put in jail, as I'm talking to you now, because they have been found in possession of a Bible on them. Why? Because the devil hates God and the devil hates God's people, but the good news is, when you and I use that Name, and I've done it all my life, there is power in the Name. I have seen the Lord with my own eyes, and I have many witnesses of the weather changing because we pray in that Name. I have seen sick people healed because we have said, ”In the Name of Jesus Christ, be healed!” Today, do not be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because that is where the power is. We are not in any way to apologise for our faith to anybody. When you use the Name God, no one is offended because God is who you presume Him to be. Maybe you worship the trees, maybe you worship some idol, some foreign god, but when you use the Name which is above every other Name, then all the demons in hell hate to hear that Name, but that is where the power is!Today and this Christmas season, let us worship Immanuel, God with us. That little baby, in that manger in Bethlehem, came down from heaven to earth to save you and me.Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.Goodbye.

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?Venit autem Jesus in partes Caesareae Philippi : et interrogabat discipulos suos, dicens : Quem dicunt homines esse Filium hominis? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.At illi dixerunt : Alii Joannem Baptistam, alii autem Eliam, alii vero Jeremiam, aut unum ex prophetis. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?Dicit illis Jesus : Vos autem, quem me esse dicitis? 16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.Respondens Simon Petrus dixit : Tu es Christus, Filius Dei vivi. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ei : Beatus es Simon Bar Jona : quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in caelis est. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Et ego dico tibi, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.Et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcumque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in caelis : et quodcumque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in caelis.St Damasus became Pope in 366, after the persecutions were over. He condemned Arianism, commanded St Jerome to translate the Holy Scriptures into Latin, and composed inscriptions for the sepulchres of the Roman martyrs. He died A.D. 384.

Friends, what if the healing we long for is waiting on the other side of letting others in? Today, author and teacher Toni Collier joins Stasi for a powerful conversation on her newest book, Don't Try This Alone. Toni shares her raw, redemptive story of betrayal, resilience, and the trusted community God used to restore her. This conversation is a tender look at vulnerability, friendship, and the God who redeems every story.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Psalm 31:24 (NIV) – Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) – But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.John 11:35–36 (NIV) – Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!'John 21:15–17 (NIV) – “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.' 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.' 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.' Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.'”…..GUESTToni CollierWebsite: https://www.tonijcollier.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonijcollier/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colliertoniYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tonijcollierBIOToni Collier is the founder of a global women's organization called Broken Crayons Still Color and helps women process through brokenness and get to healing and hope. Toni is a speaker, host of the Still Coloring podcast, and author of several books: Don't Try This Alone, Brave Enough to be Broken, and a children's book, Broken Crayons Still Color. Toni is teaching people all over the globe that you can be broken and still worthy, or feel unqualified and still be called to do great things.Don't Try This Alone: How to Build Deep Community When You Want to Hide from Your Pain:  https://a.co/d/iSwqL09…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube: https://wahe.art/4h8DelLSpotify Podcasts – https://spoti.fi/42SsOipApple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42E0oZ1 Google Podcasts – http://wahe.art/3M81kxLAmazon Music & Audible – https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ

There’s more to the Christmas story than you may realize. There’s a prequel... In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie brings us to the story of a godly, elderly couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist. Notes: Luke 1 Luke gives us the prequel, the story before the story. Luke opens by saying, “In the days of Herod.”That’s like saying, “In Germany, in the days of Hitler.” Heaven’s light was about to break. Read Luke 1:5–17 Luke’s narrative finds Israel in the midst of a long night of spiritual darkness. Israel was now under the control of mighty and cruel Rome.But there was something in the air that things were about to change. A promise to Israel of better days to come – Malachi 4:2 NIVBut for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 3:1 NIV“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. John the Baptist was the bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. God was now going to answer the prayer and heart cry of Israel. God sent the mighty angel Gabriel. The last appearance of an angel had been to the prophet Zechariah nearly five centuries earlier. Whenever angels appeared, they would say, “Do not be afraid!” Gabriel came to an elderly couple, Zacharias and Elizabeth. The name Zacharias means, “God remembers.”Elizabeth means, “My God is an oath.” God remembers His promises and always keeps His word. God was making up for lost time, and He gave them a baby like no other,John the Baptist. #1 Zacharias was a humble man. James 4:6 ESV“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The obsession with ourselves is at the root of our problems. The humble Zacharias was a country priest. There were many priests in Israel at this time.To be a priest meant you represented the people to God. The priest also represented God to the people.The priest would interpret scripture, counsel, and provide wise judgment for the people. I understand that I, too, am a representative of God to people. You, too, are a priest.And you, too, represent God to people. You are the only bible some people will ever read. #2 Zacharias was a faithful man. God called:Moses, when he was tending sheep.David, while he was watching sheep,Elijah, when he was plowingPeter and John, when they were mending nets.God calls busy people. It’s hard to steer a parked car. If you are faithful in small things, God will give you greater opportunities. God has given to every believer spiritual gifts. Romans 12:6 NLTGod has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. Romans 12:7 NLTIf your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. Romans 12:8 NLTIf your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. Paul told Timothy to “not neglect the gift that is in you.” Zacharias was faithful to do what God had set before him. #3 Zacharias and Elizabeth were godly and blameless people. Luke 1:6 NKJVAnd they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. To be blameless does not mean they were sinless. They lived lives of integrity, not perfection. “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” Not to have any children was thought to be a curse from God. Little did they know that God would answer their prayers and give them a prophet. Their son, John, would be the greatest prophet of the Old Testament. Perhaps you are going through a time of difficulty right now. God was preparing Zacharias and Elizabeth for this day, and now the reward for faithfulness has come. Luke 1:13 NKJVBut the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. God hears our prayers as well. God promises us that if we call out to Him, He will hear and answer.Psalm 34:15 Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Just because our prayers are not answered does not mean God does not hear them. There is an amazing story in Daniel 10 where a mighty angel appeared before the prophet.The angel told Daniel that the prophet’s prayer had been heard in heaven 21 days earlier. God’s delays are not necessarily his denials. The devil and his fallen angels are very active right now. Revelation 12:12b NIVThe devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short. The bible tells us that in the last days there would be “satanically energized times” and that things would go from bad to worse. So, what should we do in light of this?We need to use our two secret weapons, preaching and prayer. We have no idea of what is going on in the invisible world of angels and demons.Revelation 8:3–4 God hears and stores our prayers; not one is wasted. Every prayer is answered with either yes, no, or wait. God is aware of each and every request made for His glory and in His will. God heard and recorded the prayer of this godly couple. Zacharias prayed for 30 years for a son.The reason he was surprised when Gabriel came was because he had prayed for so long. In the same way, your prayers are in God’s to-do box.Even if you have forgotten about them, God has not. Don’t give up on your prayers. This happened with the believers praying for the deliverance of Simon Peter.When the answer to their prayer arrived, they did not believe it. #4 Zacharias was human and flawed just like us! Luke 1:18 NKJVAnd Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” Luke 1:19 NKJVAnd the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. Luke 1:20 NKJV“But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words.” Zacharias could have rejoiced, but instead he questioned. We can choose to worship God, or we can choose to question God. It’s not a bad thing for a Christian to struggle or even ask God, “Why?” Some people have experienced tragedy and disappointment and have questions for God. But there comes a point when we choose to trust. Even John the Baptist had a momentary doubt.He misunderstood the mission of the Messiah like so many others. John, the greatest Old Testament prophet, sitting in a dungeon, sent word to Jesus, “Are You the One, or should we look for another?” Jesus reassured John and sent him back to the scriptures. Zacharias couldn’t speak, so he tried to explain what happened through hand gestures.Luke 1:21 Lessons from the lives of Zacharias and Elizabeth:To be humble and wait on the Lord and serve HimTo keep praying and not give up because our prayers are heard and rememberedTo believe what God tells you and act in faith, not by feeling The biblical characters were quite ordinary.They were hopelessly human, remarkably unremarkable. They were also available and obedient to the Master’s call. A 1964 Aston Martin sold for $4.6 million. The value is not in the car, but in the one who drove it. The same is true of us. The value isn’t in the vessel; it’s in the One who fills it. For centuries, the world waited. For decades, a faithful couple prayed.And at just the right time, God said, “Now!” Maybe you’ve been praying for something. Your “now” can begin today. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s more to the Christmas story than you may realize. There’s a prequel... In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie brings us to the story of a godly, elderly couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist. Notes: Luke 1 Luke gives us the prequel, the story before the story. Luke opens by saying, “In the days of Herod.”That’s like saying, “In Germany, in the days of Hitler.” Heaven’s light was about to break. Read Luke 1:5–17 Luke’s narrative finds Israel in the midst of a long night of spiritual darkness. Israel was now under the control of mighty and cruel Rome.But there was something in the air that things were about to change. A promise to Israel of better days to come – Malachi 4:2 NIVBut for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 3:1 NIV“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. John the Baptist was the bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. God was now going to answer the prayer and heart cry of Israel. God sent the mighty angel Gabriel. The last appearance of an angel had been to the prophet Zechariah nearly five centuries earlier. Whenever angels appeared, they would say, “Do not be afraid!” Gabriel came to an elderly couple, Zacharias and Elizabeth. The name Zacharias means, “God remembers.”Elizabeth means, “My God is an oath.” God remembers His promises and always keeps His word. God was making up for lost time, and He gave them a baby like no other,John the Baptist. #1 Zacharias was a humble man. James 4:6 ESV“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The obsession with ourselves is at the root of our problems. The humble Zacharias was a country priest. There were many priests in Israel at this time.To be a priest meant you represented the people to God. The priest also represented God to the people.The priest would interpret scripture, counsel, and provide wise judgment for the people. I understand that I, too, am a representative of God to people. You, too, are a priest.And you, too, represent God to people. You are the only bible some people will ever read. #2 Zacharias was a faithful man. God called:Moses, when he was tending sheep.David, while he was watching sheep,Elijah, when he was plowingPeter and John, when they were mending nets.God calls busy people. It’s hard to steer a parked car. If you are faithful in small things, God will give you greater opportunities. God has given to every believer spiritual gifts. Romans 12:6 NLTGod has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. Romans 12:7 NLTIf your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. Romans 12:8 NLTIf your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. Paul told Timothy to “not neglect the gift that is in you.” Zacharias was faithful to do what God had set before him. #3 Zacharias and Elizabeth were godly and blameless people. Luke 1:6 NKJVAnd they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. To be blameless does not mean they were sinless. They lived lives of integrity, not perfection. “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” Not to have any children was thought to be a curse from God. Little did they know that God would answer their prayers and give them a prophet. Their son, John, would be the greatest prophet of the Old Testament. Perhaps you are going through a time of difficulty right now. God was preparing Zacharias and Elizabeth for this day, and now the reward for faithfulness has come. Luke 1:13 NKJVBut the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. God hears our prayers as well. God promises us that if we call out to Him, He will hear and answer.Psalm 34:15 Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Just because our prayers are not answered does not mean God does not hear them. There is an amazing story in Daniel 10 where a mighty angel appeared before the prophet.The angel told Daniel that the prophet’s prayer had been heard in heaven 21 days earlier. God’s delays are not necessarily his denials. The devil and his fallen angels are very active right now. Revelation 12:12b NIVThe devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short. The bible tells us that in the last days there would be “satanically energized times” and that things would go from bad to worse. So, what should we do in light of this?We need to use our two secret weapons, preaching and prayer. We have no idea of what is going on in the invisible world of angels and demons.Revelation 8:3–4 God hears and stores our prayers; not one is wasted. Every prayer is answered with either yes, no, or wait. God is aware of each and every request made for His glory and in His will. God heard and recorded the prayer of this godly couple. Zacharias prayed for 30 years for a son.The reason he was surprised when Gabriel came was because he had prayed for so long. In the same way, your prayers are in God’s to-do box.Even if you have forgotten about them, God has not. Don’t give up on your prayers. This happened with the believers praying for the deliverance of Simon Peter.When the answer to their prayer arrived, they did not believe it. #4 Zacharias was human and flawed just like us! Luke 1:18 NKJVAnd Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” Luke 1:19 NKJVAnd the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. Luke 1:20 NKJV“But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words.” Zacharias could have rejoiced, but instead he questioned. We can choose to worship God, or we can choose to question God. It’s not a bad thing for a Christian to struggle or even ask God, “Why?” Some people have experienced tragedy and disappointment and have questions for God. But there comes a point when we choose to trust. Even John the Baptist had a momentary doubt.He misunderstood the mission of the Messiah like so many others. John, the greatest Old Testament prophet, sitting in a dungeon, sent word to Jesus, “Are You the One, or should we look for another?” Jesus reassured John and sent him back to the scriptures. Zacharias couldn’t speak, so he tried to explain what happened through hand gestures.Luke 1:21 Lessons from the lives of Zacharias and Elizabeth:To be humble and wait on the Lord and serve HimTo keep praying and not give up because our prayers are heard and rememberedTo believe what God tells you and act in faith, not by feeling The biblical characters were quite ordinary.They were hopelessly human, remarkably unremarkable. They were also available and obedient to the Master’s call. A 1964 Aston Martin sold for $4.6 million. The value is not in the car, but in the one who drove it. The same is true of us. The value isn’t in the vessel; it’s in the One who fills it. For centuries, the world waited. For decades, a faithful couple prayed.And at just the right time, God said, “Now!” Maybe you’ve been praying for something. Your “now” can begin today. — Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years. Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.Support the show: https://bit.ly/anbsupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251205dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39 Come and See Whenever something wonderful happens to us, what do we do? We tell someone. We call out to friends and family, inviting them to experience it with us. Whether it’s a sunset, a newborn baby, or the last-second shot that wins the game, we grab their attention and say, “You’ve got to come see this!” We want to share our excitement and joy with others. This is what Andrew did. Andrew had just met Jesus and spent time with him. Once Andrew understood and believed who Jesus truly was—the Lamb of God and the promised Savior—he couldn’t keep the news to himself. He immediately ran to find his brother, Simon Peter, with the excited announcement, “We’ve found the Messiah!” and urged him, “Come and see.” Do you feel that sharing Jesus is complicated? Do you feel unready? Unprepared? Andrew’s invitation was simple and full of heart. There was no pressure, no argument. He radiated the pure joy of encountering someone who transforms lives. This is still how faith is shared today. It does not start with a heated debate or a clever argument—it begins through genuine relationships. When people notice the peace, the hope, and quiet joy that shape your life, they become curious about what makes the difference. Their curiosity opens a door for a simple, heartfelt invitation. You don’t need all the answers or perfect words. You just need to know Jesus. Sharing Jesus does not have to be complicated. It can start with the most natural impulse in the world—an invitation: “Come and see.” This is an open invitation—not just at Advent but year-round. Come and see the One who took your place. Come and see the One who forgives your guilt. Come and see the One who gives your life meaning, direction, and hope. And then—go and tell. When you’ve met the Savior, you’ve got something truly worth sharing. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for inviting me to come and see your grace. Fill me with joy and courage to share you with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Episode Summary:In this captivating episode of the Faith with Friends podcast, host Lisa Lorenzo takes listeners on a reflective journey through Luke 5, as part of the December series exploring one chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day until Christmas. This insightful exploration invites listeners to delve into the meaning of faith and discipleship, drawing from episodes in Jesus's life manifested through miraculous events and profound teachings.As Lisa unpacks the vivid scenes from Luke chapter 5, she highlights the steadfast faith shown through transformative events, such as the miraculous catch of fish and the healing of a leper. This episode emphasizes the importance of answering Jesus's call, even when it defies logic or comfort, and shows how Jesus extends his love and redemption to the marginalized and outcasts of society. Lisa's storytelling encourages listeners to consider their roles in sharing and embracing faith, prompting them to reflect on areas in their lives where they may need to extend or receive God's grace and renewal.Key Takeaways:Jesus's teachings and miracles invite followers to deeper faith and commitment, encouraging them to “launch into deeper waters” just like Simon Peter.Jesus reaches out to those society deems untouchable, illustrating His willingness to bring healing and restoration to all aspects of human brokenness.The paralyzed man's story exemplifies the power of faithful companionship, showcasing the impact of friends who lead others to Jesus despite obstacles.Levi's calling shines a light on Jesus's purpose to seek and save the lost, embodying His mission to nurture the spiritually sick rather than the self-righteous.Luke 5 reveals the inevitability of transformation when encountering Jesus, who brings new life and is unrestrained by old conventions.Notable Quotes:"But because you say so, I will." - This pivotal moment when Peter heeds Jesus's advice leads to an abundant catch."Jesus is not afraid of your shame or your sickness or the parts of your life that others back away from.""This is what desperate faith looks like. This is what faithful friends do.""It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.""Luke 5 reminds us that Jesus steps into ordinary boats, touches untouchable people, forgives the deepest sin, and then calls the unlikely into purpose."Resources:Follow Lisa Lorenzo on Instagram: @FaithWithFriends_PodcastTune into this episode to embrace the spirit of faith-filled transformation and to prepare your heart for the journey through the Gospel of Luke. Subscribe and share with friends to help grow the Faith with Friends circle, and discover more episodes that inspire spiritual growth and deeper understanding of Christ's teachings.

Join hosts Rolf Jacobson, Kathryn Schifferdecker, and Karoline Lewis as they explore the calling of Jesus' first disciples in John 1:35-51 for the Second Sunday of Christmas and the beginning of Epiphany. This episode delves into the powerful questions that frame discipleship in John's Gospel: "What are you looking for?" and "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"Discover how the verb "finding" shapes this narrative—Andrew finding Simon Peter, Philip finding Nathanael—and what it means that we are both found by Christ and called to invite others to "come and see." The hosts explore John's favorite concept of "abiding" (menō in Greek), tracing how Jesus' invitation to "come and see where I am staying" echoes throughout the Gospel, from the woman at the well to the resurrection appearances.Karoline Lewis illuminates how John uniquely holds together Jesus' full divinity and full humanity—the Word made flesh who comes from both God and Nazareth. Rolf Jacobson offers a fascinating deep dive into Messianic exegesis, connecting Nathanael's fig tree encounter to Zechariah's prophecy about the "branch" and revealing the Hebrew wordplay behind "Nazareth" (netzer). Kathryn Schifferdecker traces the Jacob's ladder imagery from Genesis 28 to Jesus' promise that disciples will see "angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."Whether you're preparing a sermon for Christmas or Epiphany, leading Bible study, or seeking deeper understanding of John's Gospel, this episode offers rich theological insights and practical applications for contemporary Christian life and ministry.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20251205dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” John 1:39 Come and See Whenever something wonderful happens to us, what do we do? We tell someone. We call out to friends and family, inviting them to experience it with us. Whether it’s a sunset, a newborn baby, or the last-second shot that wins the game, we grab their attention and say, “You’ve got to come see this!” We want to share our excitement and joy with others. This is what Andrew did. Andrew had just met Jesus and spent time with him. Once Andrew understood and believed who Jesus truly was—the Lamb of God and the promised Savior—he couldn’t keep the news to himself. He immediately ran to find his brother, Simon Peter, with the excited announcement, “We’ve found the Messiah!” and urged him, “Come and see.” Do you feel that sharing Jesus is complicated? Do you feel unready? Unprepared? Andrew’s invitation was simple and full of heart. There was no pressure, no argument. He radiated the pure joy of encountering someone who transforms lives. This is still how faith is shared today. It does not start with a heated debate or a clever argument—it begins through genuine relationships. When people notice the peace, the hope, and quiet joy that shape your life, they become curious about what makes the difference. Their curiosity opens a door for a simple, heartfelt invitation. You don’t need all the answers or perfect words. You just need to know Jesus. Sharing Jesus does not have to be complicated. It can start with the most natural impulse in the world—an invitation: “Come and see.” This is an open invitation—not just at Advent but year-round. Come and see the One who took your place. Come and see the One who forgives your guilt. Come and see the One who gives your life meaning, direction, and hope. And then—go and tell. When you’ve met the Savior, you’ve got something truly worth sharing. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for inviting me to come and see your grace. Fill me with joy and courage to share you with others. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

One of the large churches in our area started a new building and they announced it would be for community outreach. But they did something I've never seen a church do before. They gathered the congregation around the just-completed foundation of that new building and they asked them to throw something into the foundation. Now you've no doubt seen people's names on the outside of a building's foundation, especially on the cornerstone. But these folks were actually putting names inside the foundation - the names of people they care about who don't belong to Jesus yet - people they are hoping and praying will be in heaven with them some day. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Names on Your Heart." That's what should be at the foundation of every church, every ministry, every child of God - the names of specific lost people who we want to rescue. Here's a great example of how it's supposed to work. It's in our word for today from the Word of God. In John 1:41-42, we find that a young fisherman named Andrew has just discovered Jesus Christ. Notice his very first instinct: "The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah'... And he brought him to Jesus." Notice the first thing that happened was that Andrew had a name laid on his heart, a specific person he wanted to meet Jesus as he had. And we all know what a world-changer Simon Peter turned out to be because of someone who loved him enough to bring him to Jesus. There's someone like that in your life - someone who may never make it to Jesus if you don't bring them. And God is trying to plant their name deep in the foundation of your heart, so that person becomes your own personal spiritual mission from God. You need to begin to pray what I call the 3-open prayer on their behalf right now: First, "Lord, open a door." That's a natural opportunity for you to bring up your personal relationship with Jesus. Then, "Lord, open their heart." In other words, do things in that person's heart or life that will make them surprisingly ready to hear about You. And, finally, "Lord, open my mouth." Give me the courage, the words, the tone, and the approach. Let's try those: "Lord, open a door. Lord, open their heart. Lord, open my mouth." By the way, you don't have to pray, "If it be Your will." It is. It's one thing to talk and pray generally about all those people out there. It's something else to have a burden with a name - a burden that acknowledges your personal responsibility to be the one to introduce that person to Jesus. That's why Jesus put you in their life in the first place! You've been divinely assigned to them. And lost people should be the consuming passion of every Christian church, every Christian ministry. Our Lord's personal mission statement was to "seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). How can ours be anything less than that? For all of us, it's just so easy to fall into doing what's easy - which is to have a ministry that's "all about us," "by us," "to us." But Jesus is all about "them." We've got to ask Him to help us see what He sees when He looks at the people all around us. They are the future inhabitants of hell, unless someone intervenes with the love and the hope that only Jesus has. So would you make the names of some lost people that you want to be in heaven with you part of the foundation of your life, your priorities, your passion, your prayer. They're why He came, and they are why He put you where you are.

Monday, 1 December 2025   And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Matthew 14:28   “And having answered Him, Peter, he said, ‘Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus called out to the disciples on the boat to be emboldened, for He is! He implored them not to fear. In response to this, the impetuous Peter needs evidence of what his eyes see. Therefore, Matthew records, “And having answered Him, Peter.”   Regardless of how many disciples there were on the boat, it is Peter who needed to be given the proof that would ease his suspicious mind concerning the phantasm who claimed to be Jesus. Therefore, Matthew's words continue, “he said, ‘Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.'”   Notice how Peter's words, though respectfully stated with the word “Lord,” challenge the declaration made by Jesus –   *...Jesus, He spoke to them, saying, “You embolden! I, I am! You fear not!”   *...Peter, he said, “Lord, if You – You are – You command me to come to You upon the waters.”   Of these words, the Pulpit Commentary says, “Not ‘bid me walk on the water;' for he does not want to perform a miracle, but to come to Jesus.” This is entirely incorrect. Peter uses the word keleuó, command, to signify that he desires the same ability that Jesus displays. If this was a sign of “impulsive love” for Jesus, as their commentary later states, the reaction would have been the same as is recorded in John 21:7 –   “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!' Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.”   Peter wants proof of what his eyes refuse to believe. This is the reason for the word if, the emphatic challenge, and for the Lord to command him to do as was being done by Him.   Life application: Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” 1 Corinthians says –   “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-25   The Bible sets a contrast between faith and sight, between belief and tangible evidence. Peter even had sight and sound, but it was not enough for him to accept. He wanted a personal sign to confirm to him that Jesus was really the One who had approached them and spoken to them.   What are you looking for to be assured of the faith you profess? Charismatic churches need proof of faith through the speaking of tongues. How can that be a proof of faith? If you have tangible evidence of something, you no longer have faith, but the surety of the experience.   They claim that if you don't speak in tongues, you don't have the filling of the Spirit. It is a false, damaging system of expectancy and contrived piety that dismisses the fundamental tenet of Christianity, salvation by grace through faith.   Be careful what you believe. Stick to the Bible, have faith in what it says, and confirm that faith by accepting Jesus' full, final, finished, and forever work on your behalf. In this, you will be pleasing to God.   Lord God, how good it is to know with all surety that we are saved through the work of Jesus Christ. We don't need more. Evidence and proof will come when You come for us. Until then, we have the words of Scripture. It is sufficient for our souls. Thank You for the words of surety that You have given to us. Amen.

He was the brother of the Apostle Peter, from Bethsaida on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. Andrew left his fisherman's trade to become a disciple of St John the Baptist. Soon after the Forerunner had baptized Jesus, he said to Andrew and his other disciple John the Theologian, "Behold the Lamb of God!" At this, both disciples followed after Jesus. After conversing with Christ, Andrew hurried home and told his brother Simon Peter, "We have found the Messiah." For being the first to recognize Jesus as the Christ, St Andrew is called the First-Called.   After Pentecost, Andrew was appointed to preach the Gospel around the Black Sea and in Thrace and Macedonia, traveling as far as Lazica in the Caucasus. According to Slavic tradition his travels took him even further, into the land that was later to be called Russia.   In later travels the Apostle preached throughout Asia Minor with St John the Theologian, then traveled to Mesopotamia, then back to Sinope on the Black Sea, and finally to Patras in the Peloponnese, where he soon established a large community of Christians. One of his converts was Maximilla, the wife of Aegeates, the Proconsul of that region. Aegeates was so angered by his wife's conversion that he had the Apostle arrested and crucified head downwards on a cross in the shape of an "X." The holy Apostle rejoiced to be allowed to suffer the same death as his Master.   The holy relics of St Andrew, after various travels, were returned to Patras in 1964, where they are now venerated.   In the West, St Andrew is venerated as the patron of Scotland: in the Middle Ages, more than eight hundred churches in Scotland were dedicated to him.

He was the brother of the Apostle Peter, from Bethsaida on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. Andrew left his fisherman's trade to become a disciple of St John the Baptist. Soon after the Forerunner had baptized Jesus, he said to Andrew and his other disciple John the Theologian, "Behold the Lamb of God!" At this, both disciples followed after Jesus. After conversing with Christ, Andrew hurried home and told his brother Simon Peter, "We have found the Messiah." For being the first to recognize Jesus as the Christ, St Andrew is called the First-Called.   After Pentecost, Andrew was appointed to preach the Gospel around the Black Sea and in Thrace and Macedonia, traveling as far as Lazica in the Caucasus. According to Slavic tradition his travels took him even further, into the land that was later to be called Russia.   In later travels the Apostle preached throughout Asia Minor with St John the Theologian, then traveled to Mesopotamia, then back to Sinope on the Black Sea, and finally to Patras in the Peloponnese, where he soon established a large community of Christians. One of his converts was Maximilla, the wife of Aegeates, the Proconsul of that region. Aegeates was so angered by his wife's conversion that he had the Apostle arrested and crucified head downwards on a cross in the shape of an "X." The holy Apostle rejoiced to be allowed to suffer the same death as his Master.   The holy relics of St Andrew, after various travels, were returned to Patras in 1964, where they are now venerated.   In the West, St Andrew is venerated as the patron of Scotland: in the Middle Ages, more than eight hundred churches in Scotland were dedicated to him.

Friends, what if the healing we long for is waiting on the other side of letting others in? Today, author and teacher Toni Collier joins Stasi for a powerful conversation on her newest book, Don't Try This Alone. Toni shares her raw, redemptive story of betrayal, resilience, and the trusted community God used to restore her. This conversation is a tender look at vulnerability, friendship, and the God who redeems every story.…..SHOW NOTES:…..VERSES: Psalm 31:24 (NIV) – Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) – But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.John 11:35–36 (NIV) – Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!'John 21:15–17 (NIV) – “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.' 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.' 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.' Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.'”…..GUESTToni CollierWebsite: ⁠https://www.tonijcollier.com/⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tonijcollier/⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/colliertoni⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tonijcollier⁠BIOToni Collier is the founder of a global women's organization called Broken Crayons Still Color and helps women process through brokenness and get to healing and hope. Toni is a speaker, host of the Still Coloring podcast, and author of several books: Don't Try This Alone, Brave Enough to be Broken, and a children's book, Broken Crayons Still Color. Toni is teaching people all over the globe that you can be broken and still worthy, or feel unqualified and still be called to do great things.Don't Try This Alone: How to Build Deep Community When You Want to Hide from Your Pain:  ⁠https://a.co/d/iSwqL09⁠…..Don't Miss Out on the Next Episode—Subscribe for FreeSubscribe using your favorite podcast app:YouTube: ⁠https://wahe.art/4h8DelL⁠Spotify Podcasts – ⁠https://spoti.fi/42SsOip⁠Apple Podcasts – ⁠https://apple.co/42E0oZ1⁠ Google Podcasts – ⁠http://wahe.art/3M81kxL⁠Amazon Music & Audible – ⁠https://amzn.to/3M9u6hJ⁠

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/HermanJoin the Angel Guild today and know you are not just watching, you're helping make bold, faith driven stories like Disciples in the Moonlight possible. That's Angel.com/HermanBizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comRegister now for the free Review/Preview Webinar November 20th 3:30pm Pacific, schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio Review, and subscribe to Zach's Daily Market Recap at (SLOW) Know Your Risk Podcast dot com. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.SNAP Culture Predicted By Mice // When the Deep State Gets THIS Nervous We Need to Thank God. // If Satan Gave a Sermon (Dedicated to JoshM's beautiful song.)Episode links:Dr. Oz: “Buckle up for this one. Based on our initial set of audits, more than $1B of federal taxpayer dollars were being spent on funding Medicaid for illegal immigrants. And my team is getting it back.”In 1968, Dr. John Calhoun built the perfect utopia with unlimited shelter, food, entertainment, and zero predators.By day 315, it was a living hell. Welcome to Universe 25 social experiment and its chilling similarities to modern Western society: Nurse in Arizona (TikTok: ken26045) makes a social media video breaking down because she just got the text saying her SNAP Food Stamps were being paused due to the shutdown. This same woman was just bragging about buying NFL tickets. People use EBT to subsidize their lifestylesNOW: The power at ICE Portland and surrounding buildings has been CUT, and the cause has NOT been made public. Luckily, ICE has backup generators, so if this was intentional, the act failed miserably.Jimmy Clapper gets REALLY agitated and nervous  I Never Said That (RedWords)Jen Hamilton reads the Red Words pretends Jesus was a liberalWhat Does God's Word Say?“... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' - Matthew 28:19“‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Mark 12:30-31 “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” - Matthew 5:44“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'” - Matthew 25:35-40 NIV“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.” - Matthew 22:21“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” - Matthew 27:46Jesus Reinstates Peter - John 21:15-1915 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.”