Title: The Convicting Power of Grace 
Meta:  It is grace that spurs on radical obedience to reach lost areas around the world. It is not simply exhortations to be radical that result in people being radical. It is tender forms of kindness and grace that form the most radical discipleship in the world.
Tags: ryan fullerton,luke 5,grace,kindness,church,missions,Peter,Jesus Christ

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Well, let's read from Luke 5:1-11.

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And what we're going to notice

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in this passage

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is the convicting power of grace.

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It's grace that spurs on

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the kind of radical obedience to reach

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lost areas in Mexico and the rest of the world.

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It's not simply calls to be radical

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that result in people being radical.

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It's tender kindnesses and grace

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that form the most radical discipleship

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in the world.

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Luke 5:1

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May the Lord bless the reading of His Word.

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"On one occasion,

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while the crowd was pressing in on Him

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to hear the Word of God,

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He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret..."

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That's the Lord Jesus standing.

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"And He saw two boats by the lake,

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but the fishermen had gone out of them

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and were washing their nets.

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Getting into one of the boats,

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which was Simon's,

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He asked him to put out a little

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from the land,

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and He sat down and taught the people

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from the boat.

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And when He had finished speaking,

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He said to Simon,

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'Put out into the deep

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and let down your nets for a catch.'

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And Simon answered..."

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And you've got to realize that Simon

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was a blue-collared fisherman at this point.

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"'Master, we toiled all night,

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and took nothing,

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but at Your word,

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I will let down the nets.'

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And when they had done this,

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they enclosed a large number of fish,

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and their nets were breaking.

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They signaled to their partners

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in the other boat to come and help them,

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and they came and filled both the boats,

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so that they (plural) began to sink.

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But when Simon Peter saw it,

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he fell down at Jesus' knees saying,

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'Depart from me,

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for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'

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For he and all who were with him

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were astonished at the catch of fish

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that they had taken.

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So also were James and John,

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sons of Zebedee, who were partners

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with Simon.

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Jesus said to Simon,

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'Do not be afraid.

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From now on,

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you will be catching men.'

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And when they had brought their boats to land,

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they left everything and followed Him."

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Let's pray.

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Lord, we thank You so much for Your Word.

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We thank You for its perfect encouragements, consolations.

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We thank You that it's able to reach

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into the deepest parts of our hearts

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and divide between soul and spirit;

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that it knows us

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and it knows not only

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the depths of our sin,

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but it knows the depths of how to encourage

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Christians like us.

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It knows how to reach the lost.

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Lord God, there's nothing Your Word can't do.

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The Word made the world.

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It was by the voice of Your mouth

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that Asia and Mexico and America were formed.

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It's by the voice of Your mouth

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that we were formed,

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and that we were given voices.

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Oh God, it's by Your Word that we're born again.

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Lord God, we come before You,

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and we come now and we ask You, Lord

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that Your Word would be given to us now

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in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

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We confess to You, Lord God,

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that there is no real preaching

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apart from Your Spirit.

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Lord God, there's no man

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who has the corner on preaching.

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But Lord God,

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if You will come

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then any man can preach Your Word.

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Moses with twisted tongue

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can be made to speak eloquently

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of Your truth.

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So we want to come now, Lord, and pray that you set a guard

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over the door of my mouth, that I might not sin against You.

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I want to pray for all the moms

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who have been hoping their kids

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would fall asleep in their laps by now,

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that they would and they'd be able to listen.

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I want to pray for the hardest heart,

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that it would be cracked wide open.

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I want to pray for the neediest Christian

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that they'd be met.

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We just look to You, Lord.

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We look and we wait,

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as the watchman waits for the morning,

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so our souls wait for You;

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as the watchman waits for the morning,

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so our souls wait for You.

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Now, Lord, as we open up Your Word

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we wait for You,

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and we ask You for Your Spirit to help us.

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Forgive all of our sins, Lord.

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Cleanse us and make us clean.

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And then use a sinner like me

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to help your saints.

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Use a saint like me to help your saints.

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I pray that You would do this,

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in Jesus' name,

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and for His worldwide glory,

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Amen.

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I want to talk to you this evening

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about the convicting power of grace.

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The story is ultimately and very clearly

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a story of conviction.

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It's a story where Peter,

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the friend of Jesus,

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comes to see that he is wrong;

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that he is a sinner,

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and that he is not worthy

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to be in the presence of the Son of God.

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It's a story where Peter goes through

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this change of mind;

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where he, really in a sense, repents

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and confesses his own sinfulness

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before Jesus,

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and he comes to a place

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where he is utterly convinced

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of his unworthiness to be

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in the presence of the Son of God.

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And so this is a story about conviction.

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It's a story about how that conviction

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translates into radical discipleship.

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He leaves his net.

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They leave their nets.

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And they follow the Lord Jesus Christ

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with reckless abandon.

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They let goods and kindred go;

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this mortal life also,

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realizing the body they may kill,

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but God's truth abideth still,

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and so they go all out with Jesus.

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But here's what's strange:

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Even though it's abundantly clear

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that Peter is brought to a place

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of deep, spiritual conviction -

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the kind of conviction we pray

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would rain down into our own hearts,

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and the kind of conviction that we pray

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would sweep across this nation

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and the nations;

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even though Peter is clearly brought to that point,

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it's not because anyone ever called him a sinner.

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Jesus does not call Peter a sinner

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in this passage.

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Jesus has not just preached

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a hell-fire and brimstone sermon in this passage.

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Jesus did preach hell-fire and brimstone sermons,

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and every true man of God

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will from time to time preach

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hell-fire and brimstone sermons,

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but Jesus hasn't done anything

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to point out Peter's condemnation

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or his sin at all in this passage.

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He hasn't even said something like,

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"You fools and slow of heart to believe

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all that the prophets have said."

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He doesn't say, "Get behind me, Satan,"

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to Peter in this passage.

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What's happening in this passage

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is that a fisherman has basically

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just gotten an extra paycheck.

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You remember that this fisherman Peter

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was a business man who worked

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on one hundred percent commission,

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or was like a salesman

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that worked on 100% commission.

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No fish. No market day.

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No market day. No money.

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No money. No food.

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No food. The wife and babies are crying.

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Peter was a man like you and I.

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He was an every day, working man,

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and he was a man who'd been out

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all day fishing,

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and all he had to show for it

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was clean nets.

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And Jesus comes along and says

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I'm going to give you the catch of the century.

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I was thinking about this kids.

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What would this be like for you?

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What would be something comparable

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for the children in this room?

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And I was thinking,

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this is like your parents say to you,

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"Don't disobey me."

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"Don't whine and cry."

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"Don't complain."

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"Don't steal toys from your brothers and sisters,

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because if you do,

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I will be faithful to discipline you."

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And then you do all those things -

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complain, whine, steal toys,

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and your dad says "get in the van."

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Get in the van?

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I thought it was go to your room?

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No, get in the van. We're going to Dairy Queen.

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And you're not getting the 99 cent blizzard this time.

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You're getting whatever you want.

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But dad, I just disobeyed you.

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You're starting to feel something

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of the convicting power of grace.

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You see, Peter, in this passage

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is brought to a place of:

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"Depart from me,

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I am a sinful man..."

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but he's brought there

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with something similar to receiving

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a refrigerator full of free groceries.

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The Lord Jesus Christ

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takes Peter out fishing

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and fills - not one boat,

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and not two boats,

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but He actually fills the boats

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with so many fish,

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that the hull prinicple

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that keeps boats afloat is compromised.

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And the boats are going down.

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The fish is so great that the problem is

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we may not be able to get all these fish to shore.

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And that is what brings Peter

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to the deepest point of conviction,

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and what brings Peter

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to the deepest devotion in discipleship.

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Now, this may be different than what you've heard.

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Many of us are regularly hearing

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about the convicting power of the law;

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the convicting power of God's law,

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and of course, what is the law?

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Well, the law is the fact that God has standards;

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God has requirements that He gives

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to all mankind;

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He's written them on the conscience,

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says Romans 2,

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so that each conscience knows

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what is right and what is wrong

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and each person accuses or excuses themselves

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when they do what is right

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or when they do what is wrong.

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God's law was not only revealed in creation,

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but it was revealed more specifically

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to the nation of Israel

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when God gave them the Ten Commandments.

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He told them, you should worship Me,

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and you should not steal,

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and you should not commit adultery,

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you should not bear false testimony.

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Usually when we think about conviction,

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00:12:45,966 --> 00:12:51,398
we think about conviction by law.

274
00:12:51,398 --> 00:12:54,897
You want to convict people?

275
00:12:54,897 --> 00:12:58,177
Tell them how they're guilty before the law.

276
00:12:58,177 --> 00:13:00,304
Remind them of what nags their conscience

277
00:13:00,304 --> 00:13:02,756
late at night.

278
00:13:02,756 --> 00:13:04,468
Remind them of how the Word of God

279
00:13:04,468 --> 00:13:08,779
condemns their actions.

280
00:13:08,779 --> 00:13:11,994
And I don't want to say a negative word about that.

281
00:13:11,994 --> 00:13:14,782
The Lord gave the law to convict people.

282
00:13:14,782 --> 00:13:15,872
He gave the law.

283
00:13:15,872 --> 00:13:17,707
The book of Galatians calls the law

284
00:13:17,707 --> 00:13:20,220
a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

285
00:13:20,220 --> 00:13:21,853
It's a schoolmaster.

286
00:13:21,853 --> 00:13:23,705
The ancient Roman schoolmasters

287
00:13:23,705 --> 00:13:25,905
had a stick that they could beat

288
00:13:25,905 --> 00:13:26,945
their pupils with,

289
00:13:26,945 --> 00:13:30,170
and often, it was told that

290
00:13:30,170 --> 00:13:31,567
when a pupil came of age,

291
00:13:31,567 --> 00:13:34,154
they could sometimes kill their schoolmasters

292
00:13:34,154 --> 00:13:35,675
because they were so infuriated

293
00:13:35,675 --> 00:13:40,469
with the service they had given to them.

294
00:13:40,469 --> 00:13:43,530
And the law does convict people

295
00:13:43,530 --> 00:13:47,145
and bring them to Christ.

296
00:13:47,145 --> 00:13:49,357
But it's not the only way God convicts people

297
00:13:49,357 --> 00:13:51,816
and brings them to Christ.

298
00:13:51,816 --> 00:13:54,626
There's more than one way to skin a cat.

299
00:13:54,626 --> 00:13:57,146
And there's more than one way

300
00:13:57,146 --> 00:14:00,989
to bring an unbeliever to Christ.

301
00:14:00,989 --> 00:14:03,826
And what we want to focus on tonight

302
00:14:03,826 --> 00:14:08,850
is the convicting power of grace.

303
00:14:08,850 --> 00:14:15,757
Loving, gracious grace.

304
00:14:15,757 --> 00:14:18,340
So, how does it work?

305
00:14:18,340 --> 00:14:22,761
How does it work that grace

306
00:14:22,761 --> 00:14:25,136
can bring a sinner

307
00:14:25,136 --> 00:14:27,060
to the deepest place

308
00:14:27,060 --> 00:14:30,087
of conviction and devotion

309
00:14:30,087 --> 00:14:32,014
to discipleship?

310
00:14:32,014 --> 00:14:33,487
How does that happen?

311
00:14:33,487 --> 00:14:35,327
Well, the first thing that I want to

312
00:14:35,327 --> 00:14:36,497
point out to you is that

313
00:14:36,497 --> 00:14:38,262
grace works in the face

314
00:14:38,262 --> 00:14:42,725
of our ignorance and arrogance.

315
00:14:42,725 --> 00:14:44,524
Grace works in the face of our

316
00:14:44,524 --> 00:14:46,119
ignorance and arrogance.

317
00:14:46,119 --> 00:14:50,611
Look at v. 2. The last half of v. 2 says,

318
00:14:50,611 --> 00:14:53,870
"The fisherman had gone out of them,

319
00:14:53,870 --> 00:14:56,186
(that is, their boats),

320
00:14:56,186 --> 00:14:58,546
and then they were washing their nets."

321
00:14:58,546 --> 00:15:00,556
Then Jesus gets into one of their boats

322
00:15:00,556 --> 00:15:02,907
and it says, "getting into one of the boats,

323
00:15:02,907 --> 00:15:04,175
which was Simon's,

324
00:15:04,175 --> 00:15:06,354
(which was Peter's other name),

325
00:15:06,354 --> 00:15:08,162
He asked him to put out a little

326
00:15:08,162 --> 00:15:09,213
from the land,

327
00:15:09,213 --> 00:15:11,511
and He sat down and taught the people

328
00:15:11,511 --> 00:15:12,341
from the boat."

329
00:15:12,341 --> 00:15:14,368
Now, I think Peter would have liked

330
00:15:14,368 --> 00:15:16,269
this arrangement.

331
00:15:16,269 --> 00:15:17,589
I'm the fisherman.

332
00:15:17,589 --> 00:15:18,941
You're the Teacher.

333
00:15:18,941 --> 00:15:20,095
I'll drive the boat.

334
00:15:20,095 --> 00:15:22,285
Get You a nice place to preach.

335
00:15:22,285 --> 00:15:23,355
I'm the fisherman.

336
00:15:23,355 --> 00:15:24,474
You're the Teacher.

337
00:15:24,474 --> 00:15:27,153
The world is as it should be.

338
00:15:27,153 --> 00:15:28,182
I once had a deacon

339
00:15:28,182 --> 00:15:31,052
at the church I pastor

340
00:15:31,052 --> 00:15:33,349
who was a police officer,

341
00:15:33,349 --> 00:15:35,504
and he was a devoted marine.

342
00:15:35,504 --> 00:15:37,566
If you asked this man to stay in one place,

343
00:15:37,566 --> 00:15:39,999
he would not move until you released him

344
00:15:39,999 --> 00:15:41,397
from his position.

345
00:15:41,397 --> 00:15:43,528
And one time, we were having a conversation

346
00:15:43,528 --> 00:15:46,347
about the difference between elders and deacons.

347
00:15:46,347 --> 00:15:48,191
And I said to him, now listen,

348
00:15:48,191 --> 00:15:50,340
you are a police officer

349
00:15:50,340 --> 00:15:52,024
and you want to serve the church,

350
00:15:52,024 --> 00:15:56,030
and there are cars parked around our church building

351
00:15:56,030 --> 00:15:57,743
that we want to see towed away.

352
00:15:57,743 --> 00:15:59,933
Who should handle that? You or me?

353
00:15:59,933 --> 00:16:00,976
He said, "me."

354
00:16:00,976 --> 00:16:02,926
I said there are people who scam the church,

355
00:16:02,926 --> 00:16:04,278
who want to scam the church,

356
00:16:04,278 --> 00:16:06,261
who should handle that? You or me? He said, "me."

357
00:16:06,261 --> 00:16:07,863
I said, "Well, don't I care about the church?"

358
00:16:07,863 --> 00:16:10,974
He said, "No, you care about the church, but I'm the deacon

359
00:16:10,974 --> 00:16:13,520
and I know a little bit more about that stuff."

360
00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,104
I said, "Well, people come along

361
00:16:15,104 --> 00:16:16,763
and they have questions about the Trinity.

362
00:16:16,763 --> 00:16:19,300
Who should handle that? You or me?" He said, "you."

363
00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:21,012
I said, "why?"

364
00:16:21,012 --> 00:16:22,569
He said, "Well, you're the preacher

365
00:16:22,569 --> 00:16:25,809
and you know how to explain the Trinity."

366
00:16:25,809 --> 00:16:29,463
And everything was well in the world.

367
00:16:29,463 --> 00:16:31,281
I was the preacher.

368
00:16:31,281 --> 00:16:34,543
He was the deacon.

369
00:16:34,543 --> 00:16:36,392
In this story at the beginning,

370
00:16:36,392 --> 00:16:37,988
everything's fine.

371
00:16:37,988 --> 00:16:39,457
Peter's the fisherman.

372
00:16:39,457 --> 00:16:40,931
Jesus is the Teacher.

373
00:16:40,931 --> 00:16:42,360
Peter handles the boat.

374
00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,374
Jesus handles the teaching.

375
00:16:44,374 --> 00:16:47,670
Everything's good.

376
00:16:47,670 --> 00:16:53,605
Until Jesus goes to meddlin' with fishing.

377
00:16:53,605 --> 00:16:58,799
And He says to a seasoned fisherman -

378
00:16:58,799 --> 00:17:04,050
a man with years of experience in his trade -

379
00:17:04,050 --> 00:17:10,761
He says why don't you let down your nets?

380
00:17:10,761 --> 00:17:15,862
He didn't say let down your nets for one more try.

381
00:17:15,862 --> 00:17:19,047
He says why don't you let down your nets

382
00:17:19,047 --> 00:17:25,348
for a catch?

383
00:17:25,348 --> 00:17:28,307
I have a friend named Herman Vanderpool

384
00:17:28,307 --> 00:17:31,650
who's the first man I ever had the privilege of baptizing.

385
00:17:31,650 --> 00:17:33,531
Herman Vanderpool has been fishing

386
00:17:33,531 --> 00:17:37,952
on the same lake for 40 years.

387
00:17:37,952 --> 00:17:40,511
He has a depth finder in his boat,

388
00:17:40,511 --> 00:17:43,358
but there is no need for the depth finder.

389
00:17:43,358 --> 00:17:45,058
Herman knows where the lake is

390
00:17:45,058 --> 00:17:46,787
20 feet deep and 40 feet deep.

391
00:17:46,787 --> 00:17:49,017
He knows all the details.

392
00:17:49,017 --> 00:17:51,211
And when I'm in the boat with Herman,

393
00:17:51,211 --> 00:17:53,862
Herman decides when we let down the rods

394
00:17:53,862 --> 00:17:57,191
for a catch.

395
00:17:57,191 --> 00:17:59,815
But here, the Lord Jesus,

396
00:17:59,815 --> 00:18:02,123
the Son of God,

397
00:18:02,123 --> 00:18:06,518
the One Who knit every fish together,

398
00:18:06,518 --> 00:18:08,615
the One Who is the Lord of every tide

399
00:18:08,615 --> 00:18:10,331
and every wind

400
00:18:10,331 --> 00:18:13,519
and every wave and every sea,

401
00:18:13,519 --> 00:18:15,468
and Who controls where schools of fish

402
00:18:15,468 --> 00:18:19,549
move and live and have their being,

403
00:18:19,549 --> 00:18:22,443
that Lord Jesus says,

404
00:18:22,443 --> 00:18:28,695
"Let down your net for a catch."

405
00:18:28,695 --> 00:18:31,300
And Peter, in my estimation,

406
00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:36,581
responds in ignorance and arrogance.

407
00:18:36,581 --> 00:18:38,169
Because you see,

408
00:18:38,169 --> 00:18:41,778
Peter says,

409
00:18:41,778 --> 00:18:44,263
"Master..."

410
00:18:44,263 --> 00:18:48,640
It sounds so submissive, doesn't it?

411
00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,418
"Master, we have toiled all night."

412
00:18:52,418 --> 00:18:59,244
We have toiled all night.

413
00:18:59,244 --> 00:19:04,233
"...and we have taken in nothing."

414
00:19:04,233 --> 00:19:08,121
He's respectful, but he's not convinced

415
00:19:08,121 --> 00:19:13,427
the Lord Jesus has the best plan.

416
00:19:13,427 --> 00:19:17,150
And isn't that our tendency?

417
00:19:17,150 --> 00:19:20,278
To doubt the wisdom,

418
00:19:20,278 --> 00:19:22,536
the sovereignty,

419
00:19:22,536 --> 00:19:25,235
and the miracle working gracious power

420
00:19:25,235 --> 00:19:30,734
of the Lord Jesus Christ.

421
00:19:30,734 --> 00:19:32,225
Share the Gospel with that guy.

422
00:19:32,225 --> 00:19:38,579
That guy won't respond.

423
00:19:38,579 --> 00:19:40,527
Go confront that person over there.

424
00:19:40,527 --> 00:19:46,449
That person will never listen.

425
00:19:46,449 --> 00:19:49,042
Ask Me anything you want

426
00:19:49,042 --> 00:19:51,706
and I will do it if you ask in My name.

427
00:19:51,706 --> 00:20:02,471
Yeah, well, you don't want to be extreme.

428
00:20:02,471 --> 00:20:05,061
Essentially, we approach most situations

429
00:20:05,061 --> 00:20:08,015
in our lives when we are not living by faith,

430
00:20:08,015 --> 00:20:10,110
and we determine that if we have

431
00:20:10,110 --> 00:20:13,411
given it our best and nothing has happened,

432
00:20:13,411 --> 00:20:18,400
then nothing can be done.

433
00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,344
Because we tried.

434
00:20:21,344 --> 00:20:23,689
It's like we're singing this little song:

435
00:20:23,689 --> 00:20:26,293
Ryan, Ryan, he's my man.

436
00:20:26,293 --> 00:20:31,491
If he can't do it, no one can.

437
00:20:31,491 --> 00:20:34,162
And all the while,

438
00:20:34,162 --> 00:20:36,189
Yahweh reigns.

439
00:20:36,189 --> 00:20:38,549
Sea splitting, ocean creating,

440
00:20:38,549 --> 00:20:42,759
manna producing, meat from the skies,

441
00:20:42,759 --> 00:20:47,670
Yahweh reigns.

442
00:20:47,670 --> 00:20:53,580
And we've determined it can't be done.

443
00:20:53,580 --> 00:20:55,430
And in so doing,

444
00:20:55,430 --> 00:20:58,013
we are ignorant of Who He is,

445
00:20:58,013 --> 00:20:59,292
and we are arrogant

446
00:20:59,292 --> 00:21:06,448
to think His plan is bad.

447
00:21:06,448 --> 00:21:09,115
My wife's grandfather was a Methodist minister

448
00:21:09,115 --> 00:21:12,239
by the name of Wilbur Norman Teal.

449
00:21:12,239 --> 00:21:15,176
He is one of my heroes.

450
00:21:15,176 --> 00:21:18,709
He was a mechanic until he was 40 years old,

451
00:21:18,709 --> 00:21:21,446
and around the time he was 40 years old,

452
00:21:21,446 --> 00:21:23,718
he was a leader in the Methodist church,

453
00:21:23,718 --> 00:21:25,163
though he was not a preacher

454
00:21:25,163 --> 00:21:26,312
in the Methodist church.

455
00:21:26,312 --> 00:21:28,488
And there came a Sunday

456
00:21:28,488 --> 00:21:30,142
when the preacher of the church

457
00:21:30,142 --> 00:21:32,359
he was a part of in Niagara Falls, Canada,

458
00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:36,292
was away at a conference meeting.

459
00:21:36,292 --> 00:21:39,281
And Wilbur Norman Teal thought to himself,

460
00:21:39,281 --> 00:21:41,627
I know exactly what's going to happen.

461
00:21:41,627 --> 00:21:43,062
It was a snowy day

462
00:21:43,062 --> 00:21:44,297
and the roads were closed

463
00:21:44,297 --> 00:21:45,965
and the preacher couldn't get back

464
00:21:45,965 --> 00:21:47,317
from his conference meeting

465
00:21:47,317 --> 00:21:49,666
to preach in Niagara Falls, Canada,

466
00:21:49,666 --> 00:21:50,904
and so Wilbur Teal knew

467
00:21:50,904 --> 00:21:52,341
that preacher is going to wait

468
00:21:52,341 --> 00:21:54,745
till the very last minute,

469
00:21:54,745 --> 00:21:56,238
and then he's going to call me

470
00:21:56,238 --> 00:21:59,563
and ask me to preach.

471
00:21:59,563 --> 00:22:02,006
And that's exactly what happened.

472
00:22:02,006 --> 00:22:04,104
The preacher wanted to come home

473
00:22:04,104 --> 00:22:05,174
and preach really bad,

474
00:22:05,174 --> 00:22:06,815
so he waited till the last minute

475
00:22:06,815 --> 00:22:09,535
when it was clear the roads weren't going to be open,

476
00:22:09,535 --> 00:22:13,687
and then he made the call, "Have Wilbur preach."

477
00:22:13,687 --> 00:22:15,375
And so Wilbur got the call

478
00:22:15,375 --> 00:22:17,365
and he thought to himself,

479
00:22:17,365 --> 00:22:21,288
I have a sermon in the back of my Bible.

480
00:22:21,288 --> 00:22:22,898
No one will know I had a sermon

481
00:22:22,898 --> 00:22:24,117
in the back of my Bible,

482
00:22:24,117 --> 00:22:26,558
and I'll get up there in this impromptu setting

483
00:22:26,558 --> 00:22:30,878
and I will hit that one out of the park.

484
00:22:30,878 --> 00:22:33,220
And so he says that he got up into the pulpit

485
00:22:33,220 --> 00:22:35,315
and he prayed a perfunctory prayer

486
00:22:35,315 --> 00:22:36,908
of reliance on God

487
00:22:36,908 --> 00:22:38,938
and he stood in the pulpit

488
00:22:38,938 --> 00:22:40,283
to deliver that sermon

489
00:22:40,283 --> 00:22:41,727
and I kid you not,

490
00:22:41,727 --> 00:22:44,488
nothing came out.

491
00:22:44,488 --> 00:22:46,100
He started with a sentence or two

492
00:22:46,100 --> 00:22:49,485
and then the Lord confounded his mind.

493
00:22:49,485 --> 00:22:51,651
And some merciful sister

494
00:22:51,651 --> 00:22:53,591
volunteered to turn the time

495
00:22:53,591 --> 00:22:55,418
into a prayer meeting.

496
00:22:55,418 --> 00:22:57,407
Or actually, he said, would someone pray?

497
00:22:57,407 --> 00:23:00,692
And the dear saints, he said, tried to carry the service up by prayer,

498
00:23:00,692 --> 00:23:02,687
but I just got down out of the pulpit

499
00:23:02,687 --> 00:23:07,972
a complete failure.

500
00:23:07,972 --> 00:23:09,144
And he said to his wife,

501
00:23:09,144 --> 00:23:12,293
"I will never preach again."

502
00:23:12,293 --> 00:23:17,483
Oh... don't ever say never to God.

503
00:23:17,483 --> 00:23:24,652
It's like begging Him.

504
00:23:24,652 --> 00:23:28,055
He said I will never preach again,

505
00:23:28,055 --> 00:23:29,328
and he went home

506
00:23:29,328 --> 00:23:31,472
and he was working out in the yard that day,

507
00:23:31,472 --> 00:23:33,426
or doing something around the house,

508
00:23:33,426 --> 00:23:35,304
and then it dawned on him.

509
00:23:35,304 --> 00:23:37,783
That preacher's going to do it again.

510
00:23:37,783 --> 00:23:39,668
He'll do it for the evening service.

511
00:23:39,668 --> 00:23:41,695
He'll wait till the very last minute...

512
00:23:41,695 --> 00:23:43,897
He'll wait till the very last minute,

513
00:23:43,897 --> 00:23:45,172
and he won't call me until

514
00:23:45,172 --> 00:23:46,192
the very last minute,

515
00:23:46,192 --> 00:23:47,889
and then, when I get to the church,

516
00:23:47,889 --> 00:23:50,894
he'll call and he'll ask me to preach, but I'm never preaching again.

517
00:23:50,894 --> 00:23:52,048
So he said to his wife,

518
00:23:52,048 --> 00:23:53,640
we're going to go to church

519
00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:55,915
a half an hour late.

520
00:23:55,915 --> 00:23:57,446
This was a devoted Methodist.

521
00:23:57,446 --> 00:23:59,598
You don't go to church a half an hour late

522
00:23:59,598 --> 00:24:03,700
when you're a devoted Methodist.

523
00:24:03,700 --> 00:24:07,633
His wife thought this was a terrible idea.

524
00:24:07,633 --> 00:24:10,832
But he insisted.

525
00:24:10,832 --> 00:24:13,851
So they should up at church a half an hour late.

526
00:24:13,851 --> 00:24:15,468
When they opened their car doors

527
00:24:15,468 --> 00:24:17,896
there was no sound.

528
00:24:17,896 --> 00:24:23,889
It was like they haven't started the service.

529
00:24:23,889 --> 00:24:26,433
And he walked in and one of the class leaders

530
00:24:26,433 --> 00:24:27,667
came up to him and said,

531
00:24:27,667 --> 00:24:29,094
"Wilbur, the pastor has called

532
00:24:29,094 --> 00:24:30,474
and he wants you to preach."

533
00:24:30,474 --> 00:24:32,503
And Wilbur said, "I'm not preaching."

534
00:24:32,503 --> 00:24:35,387
"If God wanted me to preach, He would have stuck with me."

535
00:24:35,387 --> 00:24:40,499
This is ignorance and arrogance right here.

536
00:24:40,499 --> 00:24:43,417
And so the class leader went to the other godly men in the church

537
00:24:43,419 --> 00:24:45,234
and said, "Wilbur doesn't want to preach."

538
00:24:45,234 --> 00:24:49,884
And they all said, "We think Wilbur should preach."

539
00:24:49,884 --> 00:24:51,629
So they walked back up and said,

540
00:24:51,629 --> 00:24:54,465
"We just think the Lord wants you to preach."

541
00:24:54,465 --> 00:24:56,068
And he says, "Start the service."

542
00:24:56,068 --> 00:24:57,833
And he went down into the basement,

543
00:24:57,833 --> 00:25:01,731
I think in part, in ignorance and arrogance.

544
00:25:01,731 --> 00:25:03,726
And he got down on his knees and he said,

545
00:25:03,726 --> 00:25:06,451
"Lord Jesus, what should I pray?

546
00:25:06,451 --> 00:25:07,529
What should I preach?

547
00:25:07,529 --> 00:25:12,465
I have nothing."

548
00:25:12,465 --> 00:25:14,841
And he said that the Lord said to him,

549
00:25:14,841 --> 00:25:19,568
"Jesus. Preach Jesus."

550
00:25:19,568 --> 00:25:21,953
He walked upstairs and he mounted the pulpit

551
00:25:21,953 --> 00:25:24,613
and preached about the birth of the Son of God

552
00:25:24,613 --> 00:25:27,774
and the death He died for sinners.

553
00:25:27,774 --> 00:25:29,509
And his account is that no one

554
00:25:29,509 --> 00:25:35,535
unconverted in the building was left unconverted

555
00:25:35,535 --> 00:25:40,053
by the end of the night.

556
00:25:40,053 --> 00:25:44,797
I tried. It didn't work.

557
00:25:44,797 --> 00:25:49,219
Not doing it again.

558
00:25:49,219 --> 00:25:50,883
Peter: I tried my best.

559
00:25:50,883 --> 00:25:54,549
There's nothing that can be done.

560
00:25:54,549 --> 00:25:57,811
Until the Lord ordains a sovereign grace

561
00:25:57,811 --> 00:25:59,232
in your life;

562
00:25:59,232 --> 00:26:02,562
A sovereign mercy in your life.

563
00:26:02,562 --> 00:26:04,732
And so the grace of God works

564
00:26:04,732 --> 00:26:06,308
in the face of our ignorance

565
00:26:06,308 --> 00:26:09,094
and arrogance.

566
00:26:09,094 --> 00:26:10,667
It also works in the midst

567
00:26:10,667 --> 00:26:15,624
of our half-hearted obedience.

568
00:26:15,624 --> 00:26:20,078
Look at Luke 5:5.

569
00:26:20,078 --> 00:26:22,400
"And Simon answered, 'Master, we toiled

570
00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,116
all night and took nothing,

571
00:26:24,116 --> 00:26:32,731
but at Your word, I will let down the nets.'"

572
00:26:32,731 --> 00:26:35,752
That's a bare minimum obedience in my mind.

573
00:26:35,752 --> 00:26:38,155
Now, I say that because of the way it's worded.

574
00:26:38,155 --> 00:26:40,441
At Your word, I will let down the nets.

575
00:26:40,441 --> 00:26:43,082
I also say that because we know where the story goes.

576
00:26:43,082 --> 00:26:45,517
He winds up being convicted,

577
00:26:45,517 --> 00:26:48,043
and so we know that he wasn't approaching this

578
00:26:48,043 --> 00:26:50,268
in wholeheartedness.

579
00:26:50,268 --> 00:26:53,989
Ok, Lord, I'll do it.

580
00:26:53,989 --> 00:26:57,692
And have you heard that in your own soul before?

581
00:26:57,692 --> 00:27:02,500
Have you ever heard that in your own soul?

582
00:27:02,500 --> 00:27:11,534
We read, "Wives submit to your husbands."

583
00:27:11,534 --> 00:27:13,018
Ok.

584
00:27:13,018 --> 00:27:21,735
It's the inspired and inerrant Word of God.

585
00:27:21,735 --> 00:27:25,683
We read, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church..."

586
00:27:25,683 --> 00:27:27,308
even when she's full of anxiety,

587
00:27:27,308 --> 00:27:29,110
even when she's full of difficulty,

588
00:27:29,110 --> 00:27:32,071
love her like Christ loved the church.

589
00:27:32,071 --> 00:27:34,906
Ok...

590
00:27:34,906 --> 00:27:38,777
I'm a fully devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

591
00:27:38,777 --> 00:27:43,429
I'm going to do it.

592
00:27:43,429 --> 00:27:50,318
"Rejoice in tribulation."

593
00:27:50,318 --> 00:27:52,478
I just want to be obedient.

594
00:27:52,478 --> 00:27:54,692
I'm just going to do what the Lord says

595
00:27:54,692 --> 00:28:00,608
because He's the wisest One here.

596
00:28:00,608 --> 00:28:02,819
And you know what?

597
00:28:02,819 --> 00:28:05,724
There's something terrible about that.

598
00:28:05,724 --> 00:28:08,942
And there's something wonderful.

599
00:28:08,942 --> 00:28:10,506
It's a long way from:

600
00:28:10,506 --> 00:28:14,109
"Lord, I'm in rebellion and I'll never obey You."

601
00:28:14,109 --> 00:28:17,082
It's the fledgling steps of a child of God

602
00:28:17,082 --> 00:28:20,070
toward what is right.

603
00:28:20,070 --> 00:28:22,137
It's the pressing on against the flesh

604
00:28:22,137 --> 00:28:24,678
that pulls us back from disobedience to God

605
00:28:24,678 --> 00:28:28,622
into obedience: "Master, at Your word...

606
00:28:28,622 --> 00:28:31,539
I'll let down the nets."

607
00:28:31,539 --> 00:28:35,633
It doesn't make a lick of sense to me, Lord.

608
00:28:35,633 --> 00:28:40,684
But I'm going to do it.

609
00:28:40,684 --> 00:28:45,395
And it's right there

610
00:28:45,395 --> 00:28:48,069
that the Lord is ready to move

611
00:28:48,069 --> 00:28:49,850
with exceedingly, abundantly,

612
00:28:49,850 --> 00:28:52,813
beyond all that Peter could

613
00:28:52,813 --> 00:29:02,593
ask or imagine.

614
00:29:02,593 --> 00:29:05,860
So, grace that convicts the soul

615
00:29:05,860 --> 00:29:07,796
works in the face of our ignorance

616
00:29:07,796 --> 00:29:08,782
and arrogance,

617
00:29:08,782 --> 00:29:11,161
and grace that brings conviction

618
00:29:11,161 --> 00:29:12,088
to the soul,

619
00:29:12,088 --> 00:29:14,114
moves into the midst of our

620
00:29:14,114 --> 00:29:15,289
half-hearted obedience,

621
00:29:15,289 --> 00:29:16,574
and then the question is,

622
00:29:16,574 --> 00:29:20,126
how does it work?

623
00:29:20,126 --> 00:29:21,731
How does grace move into

624
00:29:21,731 --> 00:29:27,770
this sort of a person's life?

625
00:29:27,770 --> 00:29:32,104
It moves with lavish abundance.

626
00:29:32,104 --> 00:29:37,939
Peter's foot dragging is not met by the Lord's foot dragging.

627
00:29:37,939 --> 00:29:42,802
Peter's foot dragging is met by the Lord's lavish love.

628
00:29:42,802 --> 00:29:45,675
Why don't you let down your net for a catch, Peter?

629
00:29:45,675 --> 00:29:47,775
And I'll bring in so many fish,

630
00:29:47,775 --> 00:30:00,965
that your entire business will be in jeopardy of sinking.

631
00:30:00,965 --> 00:30:02,832
He brings in two boat loads of fish

632
00:30:02,832 --> 00:30:06,463
to show Peter that He is lavish

633
00:30:06,463 --> 00:30:07,998
and abundantly gracious.

634
00:30:07,998 --> 00:30:10,005
Now, think about this.

635
00:30:10,005 --> 00:30:11,941
Jesus could have brought in one fish

636
00:30:11,941 --> 00:30:15,468
to show Peter that he was wrong.

637
00:30:15,468 --> 00:30:17,000
Right? You said there'd be none.

638
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:26,709
Look. There's one.

639
00:30:26,709 --> 00:30:30,323
He could have brought in

640
00:30:30,323 --> 00:30:32,445
a good catch to show

641
00:30:32,445 --> 00:30:37,080
that He controls the sea.

642
00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:38,957
But He didn't bring in one fish.

643
00:30:38,957 --> 00:30:40,680
And He didn't bring in a good catch.

644
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,383
He brought in boat loads of fish

645
00:30:43,383 --> 00:30:44,876
so that the boats were sinking.

646
00:30:44,876 --> 00:30:48,154
It's exceedingly, abundantly above

647
00:30:48,154 --> 00:30:50,545
what a sluggish disciple deserves.

648
00:30:50,545 --> 00:30:55,589
It is not being treated as your sins deserve.

649
00:30:55,589 --> 00:30:58,297
That's the God you serve all the time.

650
00:30:58,297 --> 00:30:59,265
Every day.

651
00:30:59,265 --> 00:31:00,313
That's always God.

652
00:31:00,313 --> 00:31:01,986
That's not the God of this sermon.

653
00:31:01,986 --> 00:31:03,511
That's not the God of today.

654
00:31:03,511 --> 00:31:04,944
That's the God of the universe

655
00:31:04,944 --> 00:31:06,081
forever

656
00:31:06,081 --> 00:31:13,839
Who is with you in His grace.

657
00:31:13,839 --> 00:31:16,913
On your worst days,

658
00:31:16,913 --> 00:31:21,592
you ought to be looking for trophies of grace.

659
00:31:21,592 --> 00:31:23,277
But what if He disciplines me?

660
00:31:23,277 --> 00:31:29,410
It'll only be so you can share in His holiness.

661
00:31:29,410 --> 00:31:32,878
Just one more kindness.

662
00:31:32,878 --> 00:31:35,755
One more kindness.

663
00:31:35,755 --> 00:31:37,225
Have you ever thought about

664
00:31:37,225 --> 00:31:41,540
the power of grace and kindness

665
00:31:41,540 --> 00:31:47,453
to convict people of their sin?

666
00:31:47,453 --> 00:31:50,917
Is the way you do evangelism

667
00:31:50,917 --> 00:31:54,684
mindful of that?

668
00:31:54,684 --> 00:31:56,538
Is the way you walk through life

669
00:31:56,538 --> 00:32:02,072
mindful that it might just be a tender touch,

670
00:32:02,072 --> 00:32:05,529
a lavish kindness

671
00:32:05,529 --> 00:32:07,275
that's the heartbreaking thing

672
00:32:07,275 --> 00:32:08,956
that walks into that person's life

673
00:32:08,956 --> 00:32:14,586
with the grace and love of Jesus?

674
00:32:14,586 --> 00:32:16,352
Let me read you a story from the life

675
00:32:16,352 --> 00:32:19,276
of Evangeline Booth,

676
00:32:19,276 --> 00:32:21,405
the daughter of William Booth,

677
00:32:21,405 --> 00:32:23,567
founder of the Salvation Army.

678
00:32:23,567 --> 00:32:26,589
It's found in a book we'll recommend tomorrow to you.

679
00:32:26,589 --> 00:32:29,338
Charles' "The Law of Christ."

680
00:32:29,338 --> 00:32:31,299
And it's the story of how God moved

681
00:32:31,299 --> 00:32:33,407
Evangeline Booth one morning to shower

682
00:32:33,407 --> 00:32:37,199
lavish love on a very sinful woman

683
00:32:37,199 --> 00:32:38,591
and how that opened the way

684
00:32:38,591 --> 00:32:41,432
to the woman knowing Christ.

685
00:32:41,432 --> 00:32:42,748
Now listen carefully.

686
00:32:42,748 --> 00:32:46,214
It's such a good story.

687
00:32:46,214 --> 00:32:47,469
"The gates opened wide,

688
00:32:47,469 --> 00:32:48,905
and I witnessed a sight which

689
00:32:48,905 --> 00:32:51,054
if eternity could wash over my mind,

690
00:32:51,054 --> 00:32:53,351
time never can.

691
00:32:53,351 --> 00:32:55,560
It was a woman.

692
00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:57,610
Two policemen walked in front of her

693
00:32:57,610 --> 00:32:58,733
and two behind.

694
00:32:58,733 --> 00:33:01,664
One stalwart man firmly held the right arm

695
00:33:01,664 --> 00:33:03,668
and the other the left.

696
00:33:03,668 --> 00:33:05,364
Her hair was uncombed and matted

697
00:33:05,364 --> 00:33:06,643
and disheveled.

698
00:33:06,643 --> 00:33:08,973
Her right temple was blackened with bruises.

699
00:33:08,973 --> 00:33:12,107
Clots of dried blood stood upon her left temple.

700
00:33:12,107 --> 00:33:14,955
Her clothes were torn and blood-stained.

701
00:33:14,955 --> 00:33:16,468
She tried to wrench her arms

702
00:33:16,468 --> 00:33:18,157
from the grasp of the policemen.

703
00:33:18,157 --> 00:33:20,673
The very atmosphere of the morning

704
00:33:20,673 --> 00:33:25,396
was laden with curses and oaths.

705
00:33:25,396 --> 00:33:26,971
She tossed her head wildly

706
00:33:26,971 --> 00:33:29,753
as the six policemen dragged her down

707
00:33:29,753 --> 00:33:33,603
the passageway.

708
00:33:33,603 --> 00:33:35,315
What could I do?

709
00:33:35,315 --> 00:33:37,526
(Says Evangeline Booth).

710
00:33:37,526 --> 00:33:39,773
One more moment and the golden opportunity

711
00:33:39,773 --> 00:33:42,561
to be of help would be gone.

712
00:33:42,561 --> 00:33:44,518
Could I offer a prayer?

713
00:33:44,518 --> 00:33:45,797
No, there was not time.

714
00:33:45,797 --> 00:33:47,174
Could I sing?

715
00:33:47,174 --> 00:33:48,147
It would be absurd.

716
00:33:48,147 --> 00:33:49,420
Could I give her money?

717
00:33:49,420 --> 00:33:50,497
She would not take it.

718
00:33:50,497 --> 00:33:52,243
Could I quote a verse of Scripture?

719
00:33:52,243 --> 00:33:53,975
She would not heed it."

720
00:33:53,975 --> 00:33:55,366
And then Booth says,

721
00:33:55,366 --> 00:33:58,605
"Wether it was a divine suggestion or not,

722
00:33:58,605 --> 00:34:01,046
I did not stop to think,

723
00:34:01,046 --> 00:34:02,999
but the impulse of a burning desire

724
00:34:02,999 --> 00:34:05,039
which filled my heart as she passed

725
00:34:05,039 --> 00:34:10,366
made me step forward and kiss her on the cheek.

726
00:34:10,366 --> 00:34:12,267
Whether the police were taken off guard

727
00:34:12,267 --> 00:34:13,820
by my extraordinary action

728
00:34:13,820 --> 00:34:15,088
and relaxed their grip,

729
00:34:15,088 --> 00:34:16,048
I do not know,

730
00:34:16,048 --> 00:34:18,298
but with one wrench, she freed her arms

731
00:34:18,298 --> 00:34:19,921
and clasped her hands

732
00:34:19,921 --> 00:34:22,555
as the wind spread her matted, disheveled hair,

733
00:34:22,555 --> 00:34:25,053
and she looked toward the grey skies

734
00:34:25,053 --> 00:34:28,461
and said, 'My God.'"

735
00:34:28,461 --> 00:34:32,444
She'd just been swearing.

736
00:34:32,444 --> 00:34:35,182
"She looked around wildly for a moment, and then said,

737
00:34:35,182 --> 00:34:39,856
'My God, who kissed me? My God, who kissed me?

738
00:34:39,856 --> 00:34:44,517
Nobody has kissed me since my mother died.'

739
00:34:44,517 --> 00:34:47,517
Lifting her tattered apron

740
00:34:47,517 --> 00:34:50,508
she buried her face in her hands,

741
00:34:50,508 --> 00:34:52,617
and like a little lamb,

742
00:34:52,617 --> 00:34:54,029
she was led to the vehicle

743
00:34:54,029 --> 00:34:56,878
which took her to prison.

744
00:34:56,878 --> 00:34:59,917
Later, I went to the prison in the hope of seeing her,

745
00:34:59,917 --> 00:35:01,609
and at the door stood the warden.

746
00:35:01,609 --> 00:35:03,088
When I approached the warden,

747
00:35:03,088 --> 00:35:05,416
she said, 'We think her mind is gone.

748
00:35:05,416 --> 00:35:08,625
She does nothing but pace up and down her cell,

749
00:35:08,625 --> 00:35:10,573
asking me every time I go in,

750
00:35:10,573 --> 00:35:14,494
if I know who kissed her.'"

751
00:35:14,494 --> 00:35:17,647
Evangeline Booth said,

752
00:35:17,647 --> 00:35:21,225
"'Would you let me go in and speak to her?'

753
00:35:21,225 --> 00:35:23,007
I asked.

754
00:35:23,007 --> 00:35:27,844
'I am her only and best friend.'

755
00:35:27,844 --> 00:35:29,468
The door was open and I slipped in

756
00:35:29,468 --> 00:35:30,770
and her face was clean.

757
00:35:30,770 --> 00:35:32,934
Her eyes were large and beautiful.

758
00:35:32,934 --> 00:35:35,101
She said, 'do you know who kissed me?'

759
00:35:35,101 --> 00:35:38,814
And then she told me her story.

760
00:35:38,814 --> 00:35:41,006
'When I was a little girl, 7 years old,

761
00:35:41,006 --> 00:35:42,535
my widow mother died.

762
00:35:42,535 --> 00:35:45,778
She died very poor although she was of genteel birth.

763
00:35:45,778 --> 00:35:49,657
She died in a back basement in the dark.

764
00:35:49,657 --> 00:35:52,318
When she was dying, she called me to her,

765
00:35:52,318 --> 00:35:53,911
took my little face in her hands

766
00:35:53,911 --> 00:35:55,866
and kissed it and said to me,

767
00:35:55,866 --> 00:35:57,495
'my poor little girl;

768
00:35:57,495 --> 00:35:59,247
my defenseless little girl.

769
00:35:59,247 --> 00:36:01,813
Oh God, have pity on my little girl.

770
00:36:01,813 --> 00:36:02,933
And when I am gone,

771
00:36:02,933 --> 00:36:05,127
protect her and take care of her.'

772
00:36:05,127 --> 00:36:06,565
From that day to this,

773
00:36:06,565 --> 00:36:10,340
nobody ever put a kiss upon my face

774
00:36:10,340 --> 00:36:16,190
until recently.'

775
00:36:16,190 --> 00:36:19,152
Then again, she asked me,

776
00:36:19,152 --> 00:36:21,609
'Do you know who kissed me?'

777
00:36:21,609 --> 00:36:24,403
I said, 'It was I who kissed you.'

778
00:36:24,403 --> 00:36:26,442
Then I told her of Him Whose life

779
00:36:26,442 --> 00:36:30,291
was so much more tender than mine could ever be.

780
00:36:30,291 --> 00:36:32,143
And how He went to the cross

781
00:36:32,143 --> 00:36:34,934
and bore our sins upon Himself

782
00:36:34,934 --> 00:36:37,006
and was wounded for our transgressions

783
00:36:37,006 --> 00:36:39,969
that He might put the kiss of pardon

784
00:36:39,969 --> 00:36:43,124
upon our brow.

785
00:36:43,124 --> 00:36:45,918
In Him, she found light and joy and comfort

786
00:36:45,918 --> 00:36:47,917
and salvation and healing and love.

787
00:36:47,917 --> 00:36:49,906
Before she was released from the prison,

788
00:36:49,906 --> 00:36:52,215
the warden testified not only of the change

789
00:36:52,215 --> 00:36:53,977
in her life, but to its beauty.

790
00:36:53,977 --> 00:36:55,522
She was made through Christ

791
00:36:55,522 --> 00:36:58,313
the means of salvation to numbers of others

792
00:36:58,313 --> 00:37:00,603
who were down as low as she had been.

793
00:37:00,603 --> 00:37:02,159
And they were bound with fetters

794
00:37:02,159 --> 00:37:04,636
as heavy as those into which

795
00:37:04,636 --> 00:37:10,548
she herself had been bound."

796
00:37:10,548 --> 00:37:14,112
Isn't that glorious?

797
00:37:14,112 --> 00:37:20,638
Just a kiss.

798
00:37:20,638 --> 00:37:22,771
Beloved, do you know that Romans 2

799
00:37:22,771 --> 00:37:28,116
tells us that the kindness of the Lord

800
00:37:28,116 --> 00:37:34,437
is meant to lead us to repentance?

801
00:37:34,437 --> 00:37:37,332
I was talking to a man years ago,

802
00:37:37,332 --> 00:37:40,385
witnessing to him in the mall one day,

803
00:37:40,385 --> 00:37:43,458
and he began to tell me how his life was going good

804
00:37:43,458 --> 00:37:45,904
and so he knew that God was favoring him

805
00:37:45,904 --> 00:37:49,528
because his life went so well.

806
00:37:49,528 --> 00:37:51,559
And what I remember telling him is -

807
00:37:51,559 --> 00:37:53,190
what I hope I told him -

808
00:37:53,190 --> 00:37:55,099
it's been a long time,

809
00:37:55,099 --> 00:37:57,968
was something to the effect of,

810
00:37:57,968 --> 00:38:02,128
you should not take God's favor on your life

811
00:38:02,128 --> 00:38:06,360
as an indication that He is pleased with you.

812
00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:07,999
You should take His kindness

813
00:38:07,999 --> 00:38:13,227
as an indication that He wants you to repent.

814
00:38:13,227 --> 00:38:15,279
Can you believe that there are people

815
00:38:15,279 --> 00:38:17,521
who curse the name of God every day

816
00:38:17,521 --> 00:38:20,645
and they still draw clean oxygen

817
00:38:20,645 --> 00:38:23,255
that fills their lungs and fills their life

818
00:38:23,255 --> 00:38:24,593
with the kindness of life?

819
00:38:24,593 --> 00:38:27,001
Can you believe that I was one of those people?

820
00:38:27,001 --> 00:38:29,014
I think I was saved 18 years ago

821
00:38:29,014 --> 00:38:29,968
on Good Friday.

822
00:38:29,968 --> 00:38:32,669
I was saved 18 years ago this day.

823
00:38:32,669 --> 00:38:34,179
At least, in one calendar.

824
00:38:34,179 --> 00:38:36,571
And God saved me after

825
00:38:36,571 --> 00:38:38,856
years of fornication

826
00:38:38,856 --> 00:38:40,929
and years of pornography

827
00:38:40,929 --> 00:38:43,580
and years of sexual immorality

828
00:38:43,580 --> 00:38:45,654
and years of drug abuse -

829
00:38:45,654 --> 00:38:47,168
God saved me.

830
00:38:47,168 --> 00:38:49,471
But what's amazing is is all the way

831
00:38:49,471 --> 00:38:50,725
along those sins,

832
00:38:50,725 --> 00:38:52,545
He was keeping me alive,

833
00:38:52,545 --> 00:38:53,989
giving me meals,

834
00:38:53,989 --> 00:38:55,635
giving me the tender affection

835
00:38:55,635 --> 00:38:57,349
even of pagan friends.

836
00:38:57,349 --> 00:39:00,391
There was just kindness all over the place.

837
00:39:00,391 --> 00:39:06,419
And it was meant to lead me to repentance.

838
00:39:06,419 --> 00:39:09,431
And some of you are here

839
00:39:09,431 --> 00:39:17,568
and your lives have been blasphemy against God.

840
00:39:17,568 --> 00:39:21,374
Your lives have been full of lies,

841
00:39:21,374 --> 00:39:24,131
self-righteousness,

842
00:39:24,131 --> 00:39:26,656
pride,

843
00:39:26,656 --> 00:39:28,950
immorality,

844
00:39:28,950 --> 00:39:31,560
Phariseeism,

845
00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:34,667
majoring on the minors,

846
00:39:34,667 --> 00:39:41,961
dividing churches with your persnickety opinions.

847
00:39:41,961 --> 00:39:43,673
And you've had kind mothers

848
00:39:43,673 --> 00:39:44,752
and kind fathers

849
00:39:44,752 --> 00:39:46,320
and good meals

850
00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:47,823
and warm places to sleep

851
00:39:47,823 --> 00:39:52,808
and you're clothed today.

852
00:39:52,808 --> 00:39:54,369
And if you had no kind mother

853
00:39:54,369 --> 00:39:55,534
and no kind father

854
00:39:55,534 --> 00:39:56,803
and no good food,

855
00:39:56,803 --> 00:40:00,883
you still breathed.

856
00:40:00,883 --> 00:40:04,481
And He sustained your life.

857
00:40:04,481 --> 00:40:06,297
And the kiss of that kindness is meant

858
00:40:06,297 --> 00:40:09,014
to lead you to the cross of Jesus Christ

859
00:40:09,014 --> 00:40:11,352
where Christ is kinder than everyone else

860
00:40:11,352 --> 00:40:13,422
in the universe.

861
00:40:13,422 --> 00:40:16,843
Kind enough to pour out His own blood

862
00:40:16,843 --> 00:40:23,471
for those who would spit in His face.

863
00:40:23,471 --> 00:40:33,537
One look ought to lead to the deepest repentance.

864
00:40:33,537 --> 00:40:37,238
How does the grace of God lead us

865
00:40:37,238 --> 00:40:39,217
to conviction and discipleship?

866
00:40:39,217 --> 00:40:41,278
It works in the face of our ignorance

867
00:40:41,278 --> 00:40:43,124
and our arrogance.

868
00:40:43,124 --> 00:40:44,585
It works in the face of our

869
00:40:44,585 --> 00:40:45,702
half-hearted obedience.

870
00:40:45,702 --> 00:40:52,816
It works with lavish, lavish kindness.

871
00:40:52,816 --> 00:40:54,707
And then it works by denying

872
00:40:54,707 --> 00:41:01,020
our most fervent prayers.

873
00:41:01,020 --> 00:41:03,209
You know what Peter prays?

874
00:41:03,209 --> 00:41:05,109
We were treated this morning

875
00:41:05,109 --> 00:41:06,491
during the devotional time

876
00:41:06,491 --> 00:41:08,397
to a wonderful devotion by our brother

877
00:41:08,397 --> 00:41:09,289
Clint Leiter.

878
00:41:09,289 --> 00:41:11,308
Where he pointed to three of the shortest

879
00:41:11,308 --> 00:41:15,814
prayers in the Bible.

880
00:41:15,814 --> 00:41:19,196
"Help my unbelief."

881
00:41:19,196 --> 00:41:22,847
And also, "Lord, save me."

882
00:41:22,847 --> 00:41:27,357
And one other which I've already forgotten.

883
00:41:27,357 --> 00:41:29,477
I can't hear you.

884
00:41:29,477 --> 00:41:31,011
What is it?

885
00:41:31,011 --> 00:41:32,307
"Give us faith."

886
00:41:32,307 --> 00:41:36,043
Amen. Increase our faith.

887
00:41:36,043 --> 00:41:38,311
Here's another one.

888
00:41:38,311 --> 00:41:43,752
"Depart from me."

889
00:41:43,752 --> 00:41:47,436
"Depart from me."

890
00:41:47,436 --> 00:41:50,848
And you know there's reason and order in prayer.

891
00:41:50,848 --> 00:42:01,203
Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.

892
00:42:01,203 --> 00:42:03,416
How does Jesus answer that prayer?

893
00:42:03,416 --> 00:42:06,402
He doesn't go anywhere.

894
00:42:06,402 --> 00:42:12,240
He does not go anywhere.

895
00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:15,031
"Go away!"

896
00:42:15,031 --> 00:42:17,288
You have just brought me to a place

897
00:42:17,288 --> 00:42:19,044
where I see that You are holy.

898
00:42:19,044 --> 00:42:20,674
You are devoted to Yourself.

899
00:42:20,674 --> 00:42:21,710
You are good.

900
00:42:21,710 --> 00:42:22,964
You are kind.

901
00:42:22,964 --> 00:42:24,265
And I am doubtful.

902
00:42:24,265 --> 00:42:25,784
And I am suspicious.

903
00:42:25,784 --> 00:42:29,154
And I am self-trusting and not God-trusting.

904
00:42:29,154 --> 00:42:34,689
And now go away!

905
00:42:34,689 --> 00:42:40,891
And Jesus says, "No."

906
00:42:40,891 --> 00:42:43,346
No.

907
00:42:43,346 --> 00:42:47,658
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.

908
00:42:47,658 --> 00:42:49,301
For he and all who were with him

909
00:42:49,301 --> 00:42:51,194
were astonished at the catch of fish

910
00:42:51,194 --> 00:42:53,286
that was taken, and so also were

911
00:42:53,286 --> 00:42:55,963
James and John, sons of Zebedee,

912
00:42:55,963 --> 00:42:57,533
who were partners with Simon.

913
00:42:57,533 --> 00:43:00,884
And Jesus said to Simon,

914
00:43:00,884 --> 00:43:03,891
'Do not be afraid.'"

915
00:43:03,891 --> 00:43:09,472
Simon had good reason to be afraid.

916
00:43:09,472 --> 00:43:16,598
Sinful men have good reason to be afraid

917
00:43:16,598 --> 00:43:20,968
in the sight of a holy God.

918
00:43:20,968 --> 00:43:26,735
Uzzah in the Old Testament

919
00:43:26,735 --> 00:43:31,718
was carrying the ark of God -

920
00:43:31,718 --> 00:43:35,571
carrying it in a way that God never commanded -

921
00:43:35,571 --> 00:43:37,152
carrying it on an ox cart,

922
00:43:37,152 --> 00:43:38,987
and then the ox cart began to tip

923
00:43:38,987 --> 00:43:40,626
and the ark began to fall,

924
00:43:40,626 --> 00:43:43,047
and no human being was to touch that ark,

925
00:43:43,047 --> 00:43:45,620
but Uzzah reached out to save the ark

926
00:43:45,620 --> 00:43:48,393
from the dirt,

927
00:43:48,393 --> 00:43:51,156
and he died instantly.

928
00:43:51,156 --> 00:43:52,500
As one preacher pointed out,

929
00:43:52,500 --> 00:44:01,805
he assumed that his hand was cleaner than the dirt.

930
00:44:01,805 --> 00:44:05,196
And he died instantly

931
00:44:05,196 --> 00:44:09,322
for his disobedience.

932
00:44:09,322 --> 00:44:12,437
Here Peter is moved to the depths of conviction.

933
00:44:12,437 --> 00:44:15,344
"Depart from me, I am a sinful man."

934
00:44:15,344 --> 00:44:17,892
And Jesus doesn't move in to say,

935
00:44:17,892 --> 00:44:21,625
"I agree. You're condemned."

936
00:44:21,625 --> 00:44:23,766
He moves in to say,

937
00:44:23,766 --> 00:44:27,066
"Don't be afraid."

938
00:44:27,066 --> 00:44:32,629
Don't be afraid of Yahweh?

939
00:44:32,629 --> 00:44:37,284
Don't be afraid of the Holy One of Israel?

940
00:44:37,284 --> 00:44:39,006
Oh, surely, the Son of Man came

941
00:44:39,006 --> 00:44:43,006
not to condemn the world, but to save it, didn't He?

942
00:44:43,006 --> 00:44:47,650
I mean, surely this is amazing.

943
00:44:47,650 --> 00:44:51,231
To not only preserve Peter's life;

944
00:44:51,231 --> 00:44:55,638
to not only not cast him into hell immediately;

945
00:44:55,638 --> 00:44:57,652
to not even give him a rebuke,

946
00:44:57,652 --> 00:44:59,493
but to give him a comfort:

947
00:44:59,493 --> 00:45:04,682
"Don't you be afraid."

948
00:45:04,682 --> 00:45:08,151
On what warrant can the Holy One of Israel

949
00:45:08,151 --> 00:45:10,896
say such a thing?

950
00:45:10,896 --> 00:45:12,861
Only by this,

951
00:45:12,861 --> 00:45:14,560
that He would go on to the cross

952
00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:17,971
and satisfy every bit of justice

953
00:45:17,971 --> 00:45:20,890
that should have made Peter afraid.

954
00:45:20,890 --> 00:45:23,161
And He would take away all the condemnation

955
00:45:23,161 --> 00:45:29,931
that Peter, for his unbelief, deserved.

956
00:45:29,931 --> 00:45:33,598
Fear not.

957
00:45:33,598 --> 00:45:36,311
But that's not it.

958
00:45:36,311 --> 00:45:38,137
Then, Jesus decides it's a good time

959
00:45:38,137 --> 00:45:42,393
to call Peter into ministry.

960
00:45:42,393 --> 00:45:48,925
Isn't this amazing?

961
00:45:48,925 --> 00:45:51,911
I mean, Jesus, the Lord of the Universe

962
00:45:51,911 --> 00:45:54,004
has commanded an ignorant,

963
00:45:54,004 --> 00:45:56,780
arrogant, half-hearted obedient fisherman

964
00:45:56,780 --> 00:46:00,091
to put down his net for a catch of fish,

965
00:46:00,091 --> 00:46:03,868
and fish have come up with such abundance from the sea -

966
00:46:03,868 --> 00:46:06,413
they just can't even believe how many are in the net,

967
00:46:06,413 --> 00:46:08,510
they're all there; they're sinking the boats.

968
00:46:08,510 --> 00:46:12,024
And Peter is crying, "I'm a sinner. Leave me."

969
00:46:12,024 --> 00:46:18,490
And Jesus stays put and says, "Don't be afraid.

970
00:46:18,490 --> 00:46:28,107
From now on, you will be catching men."

971
00:46:28,107 --> 00:46:34,223
You think there might have been 3,000 fish in there?

972
00:46:34,223 --> 00:46:39,195
That's how many he caught on the Day of Pentecost.

973
00:46:39,195 --> 00:46:42,423
Went straight from the prayer meeting

974
00:46:42,423 --> 00:46:45,655
to the baptism of the Holy Spirit

975
00:46:45,655 --> 00:46:49,391
to a sermon that covered the entire Scriptures,

976
00:46:49,391 --> 00:46:52,432
and 3,000 men were cut to the heart,

977
00:46:52,432 --> 00:46:54,423
baptized,

978
00:46:54,423 --> 00:46:56,329
added to the number,

979
00:46:56,329 --> 00:46:58,286
devoted to the Word, devoted to prayer,

980
00:46:58,286 --> 00:47:02,519
devoted to fellowship, devoted to worship.

981
00:47:02,519 --> 00:47:04,163
Three thousand people

982
00:47:04,163 --> 00:47:12,966
from all over the planet were saved,

983
00:47:12,966 --> 00:47:14,680
by a fisherman who thought he knew

984
00:47:14,680 --> 00:47:21,749
more about the sea than the Son of God.

985
00:47:21,749 --> 00:47:29,472
Don't ever say God can't use you.

986
00:47:29,472 --> 00:47:34,935
I'm too sinful. His blood is too pure.

987
00:47:34,935 --> 00:47:39,095
I'm too weak. His power is too mighty.

988
00:47:39,095 --> 00:47:40,720
My tongue is too twisted.

989
00:47:40,720 --> 00:47:45,852
Did He not make man's tongue?

990
00:47:45,852 --> 00:47:48,756
I'm a Jew - how could I ever reach Gentiles?

991
00:47:48,756 --> 00:47:53,337
I don't know, Paul, but you can.

992
00:47:53,337 --> 00:47:58,517
Somehow Paul didn't get the memo on contextualization.

993
00:47:58,517 --> 00:48:03,896
Jews can reach Gentiles.

994
00:48:03,896 --> 00:48:06,041
Former Pharisees can be

995
00:48:06,041 --> 00:48:12,149
effective witnesses to pagans.

996
00:48:12,149 --> 00:48:14,844
Yes, yes, but... I'm not like Peter.

997
00:48:14,844 --> 00:48:22,397
I've had bad moments repeatedly.

998
00:48:22,397 --> 00:48:25,807
No, that makes you like Peter.

999
00:48:25,807 --> 00:48:27,743
No, but he had lots of bad moments

1000
00:48:27,743 --> 00:48:30,500
before Pentecost.

1001
00:48:30,500 --> 00:48:33,071
And after.

1002
00:48:33,071 --> 00:48:34,730
When the upstart apostle has to

1003
00:48:34,730 --> 00:48:35,942
rebuke you in public,

1004
00:48:35,942 --> 00:48:38,232
and include it in a letter in the New Testament,

1005
00:48:38,232 --> 00:48:41,465
it's bad. It's bad.

1006
00:48:41,465 --> 00:48:48,795
It's a bad day.

1007
00:48:48,795 --> 00:48:51,655
It always stuns me.

1008
00:48:51,655 --> 00:48:54,704
You know who wrote the book of the Bible

1009
00:48:54,704 --> 00:48:56,880
that's the most helpful to Christians

1010
00:48:56,880 --> 00:49:01,726
to remain steadfast under trials?

1011
00:49:01,726 --> 00:49:04,612
The one who denied the Lord three times.

1012
00:49:04,612 --> 00:49:07,790
First Peter.

1013
00:49:07,790 --> 00:49:10,163
You know who's the one who commanded you

1014
00:49:10,163 --> 00:49:13,327
to add all these things to your faith?

1015
00:49:13,327 --> 00:49:18,458
It's the one who sometimes didn't.

1016
00:49:18,458 --> 00:49:21,295
That one was used to catch 3,000.

1017
00:49:21,295 --> 00:49:24,150
That one was used to lead a church in Jerusalem.

1018
00:49:24,150 --> 00:49:26,868
That one was used to take the Gospel

1019
00:49:26,868 --> 00:49:28,571
and spread it through the earth

1020
00:49:28,571 --> 00:49:31,762
and equip the first generation of Christians

1021
00:49:31,762 --> 00:49:37,319
who we are still benefiting from today.

1022
00:49:37,319 --> 00:49:40,312
And his commissioning came

1023
00:49:40,312 --> 00:49:42,348
on a day when he thought he was better

1024
00:49:42,348 --> 00:49:47,644
at fishing than the Son of God.

1025
00:49:47,644 --> 00:49:49,148
It came on a day when he had

1026
00:49:49,148 --> 00:49:50,542
a refrigerator full of food

1027
00:49:50,542 --> 00:49:53,936
and an extra paycheck.

1028
00:49:53,936 --> 00:49:55,164
Brothers and sisters,

1029
00:49:55,164 --> 00:49:57,504
do you realize that throughout the Scriptures,

1030
00:49:57,504 --> 00:50:00,979
God doesn't just do the saving thing,

1031
00:50:00,979 --> 00:50:02,913
He does the kind thing.

1032
00:50:02,913 --> 00:50:03,965
Do you know that?

1033
00:50:03,965 --> 00:50:06,065
Do you know that throughout the Scriptures

1034
00:50:06,065 --> 00:50:08,013
God does not just do the saving thing,

1035
00:50:08,013 --> 00:50:09,720
He does the kind thing?

1036
00:50:09,720 --> 00:50:11,837
You think about the days of Moses

1037
00:50:11,837 --> 00:50:14,070
when God was going to raise up a deliverer

1038
00:50:14,070 --> 00:50:15,000
out of Israel.

1039
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:16,738
He was going to raise up a deliverer

1040
00:50:16,738 --> 00:50:17,998
who would take the people

1041
00:50:17,998 --> 00:50:19,258
out of Egypt,

1042
00:50:19,258 --> 00:50:20,719
and what happened was,

1043
00:50:20,719 --> 00:50:22,572
Pharaoh said, "Kill all their children.

1044
00:50:22,572 --> 00:50:23,984
Kill all their young sons.

1045
00:50:23,984 --> 00:50:25,429
Get rid of all those boys,

1046
00:50:25,429 --> 00:50:27,602
because I want to destroy this nation

1047
00:50:27,602 --> 00:50:29,525
that could rise up against me;

1048
00:50:29,525 --> 00:50:32,811
or keep them down."

1049
00:50:32,811 --> 00:50:36,481
That meant Moses' life was in jeopardy.

1050
00:50:36,481 --> 00:50:40,443
It meant God's deliverance was in jeopardy.

1051
00:50:40,443 --> 00:50:43,721
But it also meant that a mother

1052
00:50:43,721 --> 00:50:47,479
was going to lose her son.

1053
00:50:47,479 --> 00:50:49,761
And so, Moses' mother,

1054
00:50:49,761 --> 00:50:52,271
put him in a little ark,

1055
00:50:52,271 --> 00:50:55,462
pushed it down the river,

1056
00:50:55,462 --> 00:50:59,316
and Moses was found by Pharaoh's daughter.

1057
00:50:59,316 --> 00:51:01,052
That's all that had to happen.

1058
00:51:01,052 --> 00:51:02,317
For Israel to be saved,

1059
00:51:02,317 --> 00:51:03,971
that's all that had to happen.

1060
00:51:03,971 --> 00:51:05,604
Moses just needed to be preserved

1061
00:51:05,604 --> 00:51:08,142
so that he could go on to be the deliverer of Israel.

1062
00:51:08,142 --> 00:51:09,113
It had all happened.

1063
00:51:09,113 --> 00:51:10,650
Everything needed to save Israel

1064
00:51:10,650 --> 00:51:11,498
had happened.

1065
00:51:11,498 --> 00:51:14,170
Moses' life, the deliverer, had been preserved.

1066
00:51:14,170 --> 00:51:16,032
But Miriam comes up out of the water

1067
00:51:16,032 --> 00:51:22,506
and says, "Would you like a nursemaid?"

1068
00:51:22,506 --> 00:51:26,149
And Miriam goes and gets Moses' mother

1069
00:51:26,149 --> 00:51:28,863
to coddle her own child

1070
00:51:28,863 --> 00:51:31,381
who's been preserved.

1071
00:51:31,381 --> 00:51:34,689
He doesn't just save. He's kind.

1072
00:51:34,689 --> 00:51:37,249
Think about the feeding of the 4,000.

1073
00:51:37,249 --> 00:51:39,730
Why did the feeding of the 4,000 happen?

1074
00:51:39,730 --> 00:51:42,918
Is it because Jesus wanted to display His mighty power?

1075
00:51:42,918 --> 00:51:46,132
Yes, but there's another reason.

1076
00:51:46,132 --> 00:51:49,660
He just thought all those people would be hungry.

1077
00:51:49,660 --> 00:51:51,077
He didn't want them walking

1078
00:51:51,077 --> 00:51:55,935
all the way home without a meal.

1079
00:51:55,935 --> 00:51:59,443
Think about Him on the cross.

1080
00:51:59,443 --> 00:52:00,844
Everything is done.

1081
00:52:00,844 --> 00:52:03,254
By the time the nails are in Jesus' hands,

1082
00:52:03,254 --> 00:52:04,942
everything that needs to happen

1083
00:52:04,942 --> 00:52:07,684
for everyone who will believe to be redeemed

1084
00:52:07,684 --> 00:52:08,627
has happened,

1085
00:52:08,627 --> 00:52:10,380
but that's not enough for Jesus.

1086
00:52:10,380 --> 00:52:12,560
He's kind.

1087
00:52:12,560 --> 00:52:15,907
He looks down and He says, "John,

1088
00:52:15,907 --> 00:52:17,809
take My mother home and from now on,

1089
00:52:17,809 --> 00:52:21,745
she'll be your mother.

1090
00:52:21,745 --> 00:52:27,652
And from now on, you'll be her son."

1091
00:52:27,652 --> 00:52:29,243
I mean if there was a moment

1092
00:52:29,243 --> 00:52:30,701
you could forget your mother,

1093
00:52:30,701 --> 00:52:33,129
that would be the one.

1094
00:52:33,129 --> 00:52:35,641
But not the Son of God.

1095
00:52:35,641 --> 00:52:39,106
Not the eternally kind Lord Jesus Christ.

1096
00:52:39,106 --> 00:52:40,850
In the midst of salvation,

1097
00:52:40,850 --> 00:52:44,851
He's thinking of the hungry crowds,

1098
00:52:44,851 --> 00:52:46,724
Moses' mother,

1099
00:52:46,724 --> 00:52:49,881
and His own mother.

1100
00:52:49,881 --> 00:52:53,362
And those tender mercies ought to lead us to repentance.

1101
00:52:53,362 --> 00:52:56,270
They ought to lead us to praise the Lord

1102
00:52:56,270 --> 00:53:11,247
and throw away everything that doesn't serve Him.

1103
00:53:11,247 --> 00:53:13,635
Now finally, we see what happens

1104
00:53:13,635 --> 00:53:17,050
in Peter's heart

1105
00:53:17,050 --> 00:53:20,378
as a result of all this kindness.

1106
00:53:20,378 --> 00:53:23,026
Here's an extra paycheck.

1107
00:53:23,026 --> 00:53:25,337
No, I'm not leaving.

1108
00:53:25,337 --> 00:53:28,494
You're going into ministry

1109
00:53:28,494 --> 00:53:31,609
and you're going to catch a lot of fish.

1110
00:53:31,609 --> 00:53:35,856
Men fish.

1111
00:53:35,856 --> 00:53:39,896
V. 11, "And when they had brought

1112
00:53:39,896 --> 00:53:44,781
their boats to land,

1113
00:53:44,781 --> 00:53:58,766
they left everything and followed Him."

1114
00:53:58,766 --> 00:54:03,541
There is no greater discipleship than that, is there?

1115
00:54:03,541 --> 00:54:09,920
They left everything and followed Him.

1116
00:54:09,920 --> 00:54:12,734
And isn't it amazing?

1117
00:54:12,734 --> 00:54:14,576
You can turn the heat up

1118
00:54:14,576 --> 00:54:16,600
on encouraging the people of God

1119
00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:17,741
to get radical.

1120
00:54:17,741 --> 00:54:18,897
You need to get radical.

1121
00:54:18,897 --> 00:54:21,019
You need to do awesome things for God.

1122
00:54:21,019 --> 00:54:22,844
You need to storm the gates of hell.

1123
00:54:22,844 --> 00:54:24,495
You need to give everything up.

1124
00:54:24,495 --> 00:54:31,591
And there's a place for that.

1125
00:54:31,591 --> 00:54:34,304
But constant appeals to be radical

1126
00:54:34,304 --> 00:54:38,217
actually don't produce the most radical believers

1127
00:54:38,217 --> 00:54:43,134
you can have.

1128
00:54:43,134 --> 00:54:45,395
But a deep knowledge of the tender kindness

1129
00:54:45,395 --> 00:54:46,730
of the Lord Jesus Christ

1130
00:54:46,730 --> 00:54:55,690
will create people that will drop everything for Him.

1131
00:54:55,690 --> 00:54:58,384
How could Peter worry about not having enough food

1132
00:54:58,384 --> 00:54:59,875
following Jesus?

1133
00:54:59,875 --> 00:55:06,329
This guy's got the fish covered.

1134
00:55:06,329 --> 00:55:10,484
Whatever He says goes.

1135
00:55:10,484 --> 00:55:14,164
And so the kindness of the Lord

1136
00:55:14,164 --> 00:55:17,701
is one of the key ingredients

1137
00:55:17,701 --> 00:55:23,270
in the most devoted discipleship.

1138
00:55:23,270 --> 00:55:25,800
You want to storm the gates of hell,

1139
00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:29,795
and advance the Kingdom of God in Mexico,

1140
00:55:29,795 --> 00:55:33,337
be kind to one another.

1141
00:55:33,337 --> 00:55:34,771
Pastors, you want to see

1142
00:55:34,771 --> 00:55:37,409
other pastors raised up and send them out?

1143
00:55:37,409 --> 00:55:38,826
Preach to your people

1144
00:55:38,826 --> 00:55:43,638
about the tender, loving kindness of God.

1145
00:55:43,638 --> 00:55:50,772
They'll go everywhere with Him.

1146
00:55:50,772 --> 00:55:55,726
Husbands, have you noticed that

1147
00:55:55,726 --> 00:55:58,089
the more you tell your wife not to be anxious

1148
00:55:58,089 --> 00:55:59,556
and tell her not to do this

1149
00:55:59,556 --> 00:56:01,460
and inundate her with every command -

1150
00:56:01,460 --> 00:56:02,907
biblical commands, of course,

1151
00:56:02,907 --> 00:56:04,868
because you are a "godly spiritual head,"

1152
00:56:04,868 --> 00:56:07,400
and the priest of your home.

1153
00:56:07,400 --> 00:56:10,165
And she's going to hear the Word of God from you.

1154
00:56:10,165 --> 00:56:17,754
From Jesus. Who is truth.

1155
00:56:17,754 --> 00:56:18,991
I wonder what would happen

1156
00:56:18,991 --> 00:56:20,659
if the men who are here just said,

1157
00:56:20,659 --> 00:56:23,079
honey, I know you want to hear this sermon badly.

1158
00:56:23,079 --> 00:56:30,386
Let me take care of the kids tonight.

1159
00:56:30,386 --> 00:56:33,141
I know dinner's not made.

1160
00:56:33,141 --> 00:56:35,096
Let's order out.

1161
00:56:35,096 --> 00:56:36,504
I've got it covered.

1162
00:56:36,504 --> 00:56:41,087
I can see you've been working hard.

1163
00:56:41,087 --> 00:56:43,231
I wonder if you might see more

1164
00:56:43,231 --> 00:56:48,448
victory over anxiety in your wife.

1165
00:56:48,448 --> 00:56:49,981
I wonder if you might see more

1166
00:56:49,981 --> 00:56:52,666
confidence and security

1167
00:56:52,666 --> 00:56:56,463
and ability to trust her Lord,

1168
00:56:56,463 --> 00:56:58,525
if she found in you

1169
00:56:58,525 --> 00:57:07,882
the tenderest and kindest of men.

1170
00:57:07,882 --> 00:57:09,784
I believe firmly that parents

1171
00:57:09,784 --> 00:57:13,966
ought to discipline their children.

1172
00:57:13,966 --> 00:57:16,817
But every once in a while,

1173
00:57:16,817 --> 00:57:20,484
when it's time for my children to

1174
00:57:20,484 --> 00:57:29,507
apply the board of education to the seat of knowledge,

1175
00:57:29,507 --> 00:57:32,182
I sit down with them and I spank my own leg

1176
00:57:32,182 --> 00:57:37,121
as hard as I can in front of them.

1177
00:57:37,121 --> 00:57:40,155
I took that one for you.

1178
00:57:40,155 --> 00:57:43,397
And Jesus takes discipline for you.

1179
00:57:43,397 --> 00:57:45,117
I'm not saying give up spanking.

1180
00:57:45,117 --> 00:57:46,638
We don't need parents who say

1181
00:57:46,638 --> 00:57:52,182
I don't spank my kids; I just spank myself.

1182
00:57:52,182 --> 00:57:58,591
That won't do.

1183
00:57:58,591 --> 00:58:00,492
But some demonstration

1184
00:58:00,492 --> 00:58:06,681
of over-the-top kindness;

1185
00:58:06,681 --> 00:58:08,615
over-the-top sweetness.

1186
00:58:08,615 --> 00:58:11,869
Hudson Taylor was waiting for a boat

1187
00:58:11,869 --> 00:58:14,029
in China in the years when he was

1188
00:58:14,029 --> 00:58:18,583
evangelizing the lost Chinese.

1189
00:58:18,583 --> 00:58:20,635
And he was waiting for this boat,

1190
00:58:20,635 --> 00:58:22,821
but because he was in Chinese dress,

1191
00:58:22,821 --> 00:58:27,255
you couldn't tell that he was an Englishman.

1192
00:58:27,255 --> 00:58:29,130
And he signaled to the boat driver

1193
00:58:29,130 --> 00:58:31,718
and the boat driver came to pick him up,

1194
00:58:31,718 --> 00:58:33,645
and a rich Chinese man bowled

1195
00:58:33,645 --> 00:58:36,878
Hudson Taylor over and knocked him into the mud.

1196
00:58:36,878 --> 00:58:38,641
Well, the boat driver was mortified

1197
00:58:38,641 --> 00:58:40,493
because it was important for him

1198
00:58:40,493 --> 00:58:42,768
in his culture to give honor to Hudson Taylor

1199
00:58:42,768 --> 00:58:44,792
as the person who first asked for the boat

1200
00:58:44,792 --> 00:58:47,262
and as a foreigner and guest to his country

1201
00:58:47,262 --> 00:58:49,260
there was a double requirement for honor,

1202
00:58:49,260 --> 00:58:51,453
and so the boat driver was mortified

1203
00:58:51,453 --> 00:58:53,572
that the rich man had pushed Hudson Taylor

1204
00:58:53,572 --> 00:58:56,825
into the mud.

1205
00:58:56,825 --> 00:58:59,644
So Hudson Taylor,

1206
00:58:59,644 --> 00:59:01,265
being a good American,

1207
00:59:01,265 --> 00:59:06,542
stood up and said, "I have rights."

1208
00:59:06,542 --> 00:59:08,475
And he was an Englishman,

1209
00:59:08,475 --> 00:59:11,357
but more importantly, he was a Christian.

1210
00:59:11,357 --> 00:59:13,051
And he wiped the mud off himself

1211
00:59:13,051 --> 00:59:17,763
and invited the rich man to sit beside him in the boat.

1212
00:59:17,763 --> 00:59:20,467
And because of that love and kindness,

1213
00:59:20,467 --> 00:59:23,822
had the opportunity to witness to the Gospel

1214
00:59:23,822 --> 00:59:26,968
with the rich man.

1215
00:59:26,968 --> 00:59:29,383
Our church witnesses -

1216
00:59:29,383 --> 00:59:31,602
and I'm sure many of you do this as well -

1217
00:59:31,602 --> 00:59:34,895
witnesses outside of the abortion clinic

1218
00:59:34,895 --> 00:59:38,480
every Saturday morning.

1219
00:59:38,480 --> 00:59:40,674
We go and there's preachers there,

1220
00:59:40,674 --> 00:59:42,229
and those handing out tracts,

1221
00:59:42,229 --> 00:59:43,990
and people just speaking to the women

1222
00:59:43,990 --> 00:59:45,715
who are about to receive abortions,

1223
00:59:45,715 --> 00:59:48,839
telling them we don't want you to kill your child.

1224
00:59:48,839 --> 00:59:50,325
We want you to know the grace

1225
00:59:50,325 --> 00:59:53,582
and the love and mercy of Jesus.

1226
00:59:53,582 --> 00:59:55,843
It's a wonderful ministry.

1227
00:59:55,843 --> 00:59:58,376
We need people who will tell the truth

1228
00:59:58,376 --> 01:00:03,545
about God's law on abortion.

1229
01:00:03,545 --> 01:00:04,981
But we had a testimony night

1230
01:00:04,981 --> 01:00:06,431
a couple weeks ago.

1231
01:00:06,431 --> 01:00:07,571
I didn't organize it.

1232
01:00:07,571 --> 01:00:09,146
One of our other pastors did.

1233
01:00:09,146 --> 01:00:11,078
He brought up some folks who were

1234
01:00:11,078 --> 01:00:12,745
doing some work, some evangelism,

1235
01:00:12,745 --> 01:00:15,178
and some of them I hadn't even heard of.

1236
01:00:15,178 --> 01:00:18,935
And a young lady originally from Scott Lee's church,

1237
01:00:18,935 --> 01:00:21,247
stood up and told about a new ministry they had.

1238
01:00:21,247 --> 01:00:22,902
And that's that not only are they

1239
01:00:22,902 --> 01:00:24,906
meeting the people going into the abortion clinic

1240
01:00:24,906 --> 01:00:26,578
before their abortion,

1241
01:00:26,578 --> 01:00:28,670
she's prepared baskets of soap

1242
01:00:28,670 --> 01:00:32,122
and lotion and a Gospel tract,

1243
01:00:32,122 --> 01:00:34,937
and she's waiting for the ladies when they come out

1244
01:00:34,937 --> 01:00:39,176
of the abortion clinic,

1245
01:00:39,176 --> 01:00:42,067
to hand them an offering of kindness,

1246
01:00:42,067 --> 01:00:43,604
and an invitation to a church

1247
01:00:43,604 --> 01:00:48,407
that will offer them forgiveness.

1248
01:00:48,407 --> 01:00:52,519
That's the love of Christ.

1249
01:00:52,519 --> 01:00:58,413
That's the convicting power of grace.

1250
01:00:58,413 --> 01:01:01,547
Some of you are starting to realize

1251
01:01:01,547 --> 01:01:05,156
that putting people in submission holds

1252
01:01:05,156 --> 01:01:06,661
with theological arguments

1253
01:01:06,661 --> 01:01:10,731
is not the most effective way.

1254
01:01:10,731 --> 01:01:12,097
If you have to put a man

1255
01:01:12,097 --> 01:01:13,322
in a figure four leg lock

1256
01:01:13,322 --> 01:01:14,519
to win him to Christ,

1257
01:01:14,519 --> 01:01:20,531
something's gone wrong.

1258
01:01:20,531 --> 01:01:24,073
We need to take every argument captive.

1259
01:01:24,073 --> 01:01:25,779
Bring every thought into submission

1260
01:01:25,779 --> 01:01:28,164
to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1261
01:01:28,164 --> 01:01:31,680
But a kind word breaks a bone

1262
01:01:31,680 --> 01:01:35,267
says the Proverbs.

1263
01:01:35,267 --> 01:01:37,407
A kind word.

1264
01:01:37,407 --> 01:01:39,920
What an image.

1265
01:01:39,920 --> 01:01:53,531
Brother, I don't think that will save.

1266
01:01:53,531 --> 01:01:58,473
Would you let your evangelism,

1267
01:01:58,473 --> 01:02:00,940
your life, your husbanding,

1268
01:02:00,940 --> 01:02:02,604
your being a wife,

1269
01:02:02,604 --> 01:02:05,888
your child raising,

1270
01:02:05,888 --> 01:02:08,392
your relationships in the church -

1271
01:02:08,392 --> 01:02:14,525
would you let it be seasoned with grace?

1272
01:02:14,525 --> 01:02:17,422
"I want deeper repentance in the church."

1273
01:02:17,422 --> 01:02:22,580
So do I. How do you get there?

1274
01:02:22,580 --> 01:02:27,034
Tender, loving, lavish

1275
01:02:27,034 --> 01:02:31,289
kindnesses from the cross.

1276
01:02:31,289 --> 01:02:34,549
And that's not just something you do;

1277
01:02:34,549 --> 01:02:35,900
that's something you believe

1278
01:02:35,900 --> 01:02:41,269
about how Jesus is treating you every day.

1279
01:02:41,269 --> 01:02:43,433
Are you suffering?

1280
01:02:43,433 --> 01:02:46,237
He's going to do you lavish good.

1281
01:02:46,237 --> 01:02:48,090
Are you praying for something that

1282
01:02:48,090 --> 01:02:51,130
never seems like it will be answered?

1283
01:02:51,130 --> 01:02:54,660
He's going to do you lavish good.

1284
01:02:54,660 --> 01:02:56,343
Are you being called to something

1285
01:02:56,343 --> 01:02:59,027
that doesn't look too wise?

1286
01:02:59,027 --> 01:03:01,043
You haven't got a clue about wisdom

1287
01:03:01,043 --> 01:03:02,906
and neither do I.

1288
01:03:02,906 --> 01:03:04,655
You just look to Him and trust Him

1289
01:03:04,655 --> 01:03:06,658
and walk forward.

1290
01:03:06,658 --> 01:03:09,457
He'll do you lavish good.

1291
01:03:09,457 --> 01:03:11,717
Are you going to die for the Gospel?

1292
01:03:11,717 --> 01:03:16,932
You might. And He will be doing you lavish good.

1293
01:03:16,932 --> 01:03:18,384
You'll get to heaven and say

1294
01:03:18,384 --> 01:03:21,915
this was better than boat loads of fish.

1295
01:03:21,915 --> 01:03:23,800
And this was even better than

1296
01:03:23,800 --> 01:03:29,889
boat loads of men.

1297
01:03:29,889 --> 01:03:41,511
Let's pray.

1298
01:03:41,511 --> 01:03:42,945
We praise You, O God,

1299
01:03:42,945 --> 01:03:46,077
for the Son of Your love,

1300
01:03:46,077 --> 01:03:48,661
Who has died and has risen

1301
01:03:48,661 --> 01:03:51,266
and has now gone above.

1302
01:03:51,266 --> 01:03:53,849
Hallelujah! Thine the glory!

1303
01:03:53,849 --> 01:03:56,343
Hallalujah, Amen!

1304
01:03:56,343 --> 01:03:58,269
Hallelujah! Thine the Glory!

1305
01:03:58,269 --> 01:04:00,743
Revive us again.

1306
01:04:00,743 --> 01:04:02,668
Revive us, Lord, under a vision

1307
01:04:02,668 --> 01:04:05,914
of Your kind cross

1308
01:04:05,914 --> 01:04:09,141
and a picture of Your tender mercies

1309
01:04:09,141 --> 01:04:11,307
and a trust that You're a lavish Father

1310
01:04:11,307 --> 01:04:13,638
Who never gives scorpions

1311
01:04:13,638 --> 01:04:15,344
or snakes

1312
01:04:15,344 --> 01:04:17,520
or stones,

1313
01:04:17,520 --> 01:04:21,019
but Who gives bread and fish

1314
01:04:21,019 --> 01:04:24,480
and the kindness-producing Holy Spirit.

1315
01:04:24,480 --> 01:04:27,595
We pray these things in Jesus' mighty name,

1316
01:04:27,595 --> 01:04:29,287
Amen.