All About Him

The Servanthood of The Excellent Mom

stevedewitt — Sun, 13 May 2012 06:00:10 +0000

Proverbs 31 contains a long section often called The Virtuous Wife or The Excellent Wife. The source material for this chapter is identified as the mother of King Lemuel (31:1). This famous chapter is a woman’s perspective on feminine excellence.

This portrait is of an industrious and practical woman who loves her family by striving to meet their needs.

“She works with willing hands.” (Verse 13)
“She brings…food.” (Verse 14)
“She rises while it is yet night.” (Verse 15)
She clothes her family. (Verse 21)
“She watches over the affairs of her household.” (Verse 27, NIV)

The Excellent Mom is a portrait of active and earnest selflessness. Any mother realizes this quickly as excellent parenting requires service every day. It should humble all of us when we consider the sacrifices that our moms made for us growing up. Perhaps we take them for granted because they serve so selflessly. I think back to how my mom went beyond the call of duty to care for me. For example, I grew up with lots of ear problems. I had tubes in both ears twice. For long periods of time, I had to be very careful not to get water in my ears. To wash my hair, I would climb up on the counter of the kitchen and Mom would wash my hair in the sink with the sprayer. She did this for long seasons of my childhood.

Another example I remember is when as a teenager I got contact lenses. This was back in the day when people wore hard lenses. The doctor warned me that I couldn’t sleep with them in because they might damage my eyes. That freaked us out. How many nights when I was in bed or already asleep would my bedroom door open and my mom would say, “Steve, did you take your contacts out?” “Yes, Mom. Good night.” Why did she do these things? She loved me and she “worked with willing hands” and “watched over the affairs of her household.” I could go on and on with examples. You probably could add your own.

Scripture celebrates a mother’s service to her family and children. Is a mother’s servanthood valued in our culture today? Is serving your family as a life goal and purpose held in high regard? I don’t think so. I read a recent statement from a politician referring to another politician’s homemaker wife, “She hasn’t worked a day in her life!” We may think that is horrible, but how many Christian moms even among other Christians feel apologetic when asked what they do? I am a wife and a mother. How did we come to devalue that role?

Our culture only values work that is done for a paycheck. Everything is valued in materialistic categories. But that’s our culture and world and it is godless, so we should expect it. I am burdened that this is somehow subtly present in the church. How can the serving role of a mother be dismissed when our whole faith is built on Christ’s selfless service to us? What is the cross but selfless servanthood? Would any Christian say that what Jesus did wasn’t valuable because he didn’t get paid for it? We could call that blasphemy. Yet we blaspheme the quality of Christ’s service when we demean the selflessness of an excellent mom.

What is real greatness in the eyes of God? Serving. Self-giving. Agape love. Who embodies servanthood more than an excellent mom?

Moms, are you seeing your service to your family through the lens of our materialistic culture or God’s Word? Do you value your role as much as God does? Do you see yourself the way God sees you? I just think we have to fight this cultural thing or our moms and our teen girls will think being a wife and mother is a drag or beneath them. We have to see all self-giving, including motherly self-giving, as true greatness or we don’t see what Christ did as that great. You can’t have it both ways.

So let’s celebrate being a wife and a mom at Bethel Church. No mom needs to cough as she says her career is being a mom and serving her family. No teen girl should apologize in any way for wanting to serve her family as a wife and mother when she grows up, if the Lord wills it. That is wonderful! If that is greatness in the Kingdom of God, then it must be held as greatness in the Church, too.

Some Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

© 2012 by Steve DeWitt. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author, (2) any modifications are clearly marked, (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, (4) you include Bethel’s website address (www.bethelweb.org) on the copied resource.

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They Met Jesus, Have You?

stevedewitt — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:00:25 +0000

In case you have missed our I Met Jesus series, here are just a few of the people we have met along the way:

A boy and his bread
Nicodemus
Mary, Mother of Jesus
John the Baptist
Mary and Martha
Lazarus
The blind man
The Samaritan woman at the well
Peter
Mary and her extravagant gift
Mary Magdalene
Thomas
The disciple and author John

If they were all smart like Nicodemus, we would be discouraged. If they were all sitting at Jesus’ feet, devoted like Mary, we would be discouraged. If all we knew was Thomas’ confession, we’d be discouraged. If all we saw was Mary Magdalene devoted at the tomb, we’d be discouraged.

But we look into their lives and we find that Nicodemus was smart, but looked for answers. Mary was devoted, but didn’t get along with her sister. Thomas made his confession, but boasted once of his unbelief. Mary Magdalene was devoted, but once was filled with demons. If we only knew them at their best, we would be discouraged. These people are so perfect, there’s no hope for me.

But behind the saints we find sinners. Sinners who committed sins of the worst kind. Sexual sins. Prideful sins. Jealous sins. Betraying Jesus sins. You name it, this list of people did it. Yet by the end of the gospel, what has happened? Sinners have been forgiven. Sinners have been redeemed. Sinners have been changed.

How has this happened? They have believed in Jesus as Christ and Son of God and the fruit of that believing is a life altogether different from who they were before. Peter is restored. Nicodemus is unashamed. The Samaritan adulterer is a missionary. And John, who wanted to call down fire from heaven and destroy a village of people, writes more about love than anyone else. How do we explain this?

They met a Jesus they saw in person, but the faith they had in him is not any different from the faith we have in him without seeing him. The change in them is the same change God works in us today for all who believe, and by believing, are transformed to a new life in his name.

So the question is, They met Jesus, have you? I wish I could introduce Jesus to you in person, but that is unlikely. Still, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) Might Jesus be referring to you? You haven’t met Jesus, but you see signs of his resurrection in the gospel of John and all over in our church. Will you believe?

To those who do believe, let’s not miss the opportunity to marvel at this list (see above) one more time. Why does God choose to use such ordinary people like we have here? So flawed. So inconsistent. So much baggage. Why these of all people?

Who is glorified when an adulterer becomes a missionary? Who is glorified when Jesus forgives a man like Peter who betrayed him in his darkest hour? Who gets the glory? Peter? Who is glorified when an angry man becomes the Apostle of love? John? God is glorified when he uses human weakness and frailty to display his eternal power. I look around this room and see Samaritan women, Peters, Johns, and Thomases whose lives have been changed by meeting Jesus. Why people like us? So that God may be glorified by saving sinners.

We have met Jesus and we are so glad we did.

© 2012 Steve DeWitt. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author, (2) any modifications are clearly marked, (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, (4) you include Bethel’s website address (www.bethelweb.org) on the copied resource.

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The Love of Christ Changes Us

stevedewitt — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:00:24 +0000

Does John the Apostle’s life tell us anything about what it means to truly be a follower of Jesus? I think it does. We all can relate to Old John (ambitious, angry and arrogant – see Mark 10:35-39; Luke 9:52-56). The question is, can we relate to New John? This is not to say that real Christians can’t at time be hotheads, arrogant, and filled with self-importance. But it is to say that when we have a real faith encounter with Jesus, his love for us is increasingly formed in us. If I had more time I could develop this, but read through the Gospel of John and the epistles of John and over and over again, John calls God’s people to love each other with the same kind of love that we have received from Christ.

John’s main message is that if we truly know God’s love for us in Christ, we will love each other. If we don’t love each other, we don’t know the love of God.

Is that a relevant message for the church? How about for our relationships with one another? How about for Christian marriage and family? Love. Self-giving for the good and joy of another just as God self-gave for our good and eternal joy. Love like God, John says.

In fact, church history tells us that as a very old man, he was still pastoring the church in Ephesus. For his last sermon, they carried him into the assembly, and with a weak voice of an aged man, he said, Love one another. A three word sermon. Love one another.

It’s hard to believe that the guy who once wanted to destroy a whole village with fire from heaven would leave as his pastoral legacy, Love one another. But that’s what Christ’s love does. It changes us. It softens our hearts even to our enemies. It turns us into self-givers. How are you doing with that? Got some people in your life that if you could, you’d bring out the flamethrower and show them who is holy?

How about this question, if you were to write a gospel, what would you call yourself? Would your name be in bold? Or would you, like John, simply say, all I am is a disciple that Jesus mercifully loved? That was New John. Christians, do we get it? Do we realize who we are, and does this produce a humility that Christ would love somebody like me?

John writes and here’s the key, “we love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) John never got over his amazement. The disciple Jesus loved. Wow! Amazing love, how can it be? That thou my God shouldst die for me!

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The Confession of Thomas: My Lord and My God!

stevedewitt — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 06:00:44 +0000

The confession of Thomas is the highlight in the whole gospel of John and it is intended to be a picture of his central theme of faith and belief. In fact, John 20:31 says, “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

This really is the bottom line of all bottom lines: was Jesus resurrected or not? His resurrection is the ultimate watershed. If he wasn’t resurrected, then he was a fine man who said and did some nice things. Rest in peace. But if he was resurrected, then he is sovereign Lord and God.

Thomas realizes in that moment who Jesus really is. God is his character. Lord is his relationship to me. Do you hear the personal expression? MY Lord and MY God!

There it is. That is the difference between religion that doesn’t save and the kind of faith that does. Religion nods the head to truth; generally acknowledges it; thinks it’s nice and helpful. But Thomas shows us what real saving faith looks like. When I am convinced by faith that Jesus died for my sins and was resurrected for my salvation, I personalize it. I really believe it. Jesus is not just the Savior, but my Savior. He is not just a Lord, but my Lord. That’s my story.

All of us need to personalize it. Look to an unlikely example of the kind of faith that saves. I urge you to follow this path from skepticism to genuine faith and followership of Jesus.

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Religious Hypocrisy

stevedewitt — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:00:14 +0000

“Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” (John 18:28-32)

Our passage plays out in a series of conversations between Pilate and the Jewish leaders outside the palace fortress, and Pilate and Jesus inside in the palace. The reason for the Jews remaining outside is that they practiced an application of Old Testament law that forbade being in the home of a Gentile. They would be ceremonially unclean and not be able to participate in the Passover feast. So they stayed outside.

Immediately we see the hypocritical character of these Jewish leaders. Here is spiritual legalism and hypocrisy on display. They were ultra-concerned about the Old Testament law with respect to ceremonial cleanness, but with respect to plotting to kill an innocent man they have no concerns whatsoever. “Would you like to come in?”

“NO! We must be religiously clean. Could we talk about killing Jesus outside?”

Perhaps you’ve endured religious hypocrisy. You’ve thought about walking away from Christianity entirely wondering if there is anything real or authentic. I want you to see in this moment, real Christianity is the Christ inside the palace, not the pretenders outside.

©Steve DeWitt. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author, (2) any modifications are clearly marked, (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, (4) you include Bethel’s website address (www.bethelweb.org) on the copied resource.

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The Tragic Lessons of Judas Iscariot

stevedewitt — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 06:00:44 +0000

Spiritual Light Without Authentic Faith

You would think someone who saw and experienced with Jesus all that Judas did, he couldn’t help but truly believe in him as Messiah and Lord, right? If only we preached better sermons, fed more poor, defended the resurrection better, all of Northwest Indiana would bow the knee to Jesus, right? All they need is more light. Better light. More understanding. Was Judas lacking in any of these? No. He had truth without faith. Light without enlightenment. Knowledge without belief.

Judas was a spiritual opportunist. He was with Jesus while it was good, but he became disillusioned, and then Jesus was someone to profit from. Judas was in it for what he could get from it. He wanted the benefits of being with Jesus, but he didn’t really believe in him.

Judas is exhibit A of what spiritual hypocrisy and pretension looks like. This happens all the time. People jump on the Jesus bandwagon. They like the vibe. They like the sense of things. I like Bethel Church! They like being admired for being spiritual. But all the while they don’t truly love Christ. They love what comes with Christ. They are spiritual opportunists and I have to ask myself if I am one of them. Jesus talked about the difference.

“’Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

We see here that there is the possibility of doing great things for Christ without actually having a saving relationship with him. That is the scary reality. You can be around the real thing, but not have the real thing. You can know about it, talk about it, give the appearance of it, but not actually have it. There are always tares among the wheat and always Judases among Jesus’ followers. Here is where Judas’ hypocrisy helps us understand what real faith looks like.

Judas’ Hypocrisy Shows What Authentic Faith Looks Like

Judas loved money; Mary loved Jesus - genuine faith values Christ above all

Mary poured her expensive perfume on Jesus and Judas was appalled at the waste. The story showed the true nature of Judas and Mary. Judas loved money. Mary loved Jesus.

Judas was a lover of money. He rebuked Mary for gift. He pilfered out of the moneybag. He sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. All for money. Is there a lesson in this?

Judas had remorse; Peter had repentance – Genuine faith can and will humbly repent and be restored

The night before Jesus’ crucifixion was a bad night for both Judas and Peter. Judas betrayed Jesus. Peter denied Jesus. Both were grievous sins. The difference in the men is not the guilt of what they did, but how they responded to it. Both felt guilty. Judas felt remorse and wished he hadn’t done it. Peter felt remorse and wished he hadn’t done it. However, they responded in completely different manners. Judas responded with more sin and committed self-murder. Peter sought the Lord and was restored.

True Christians will sin and fall and sometimes grievously so. However, a genuine Christian wants that relationship with God restored more than anything else. He or she will seek it with confession and is willing to restore their testimony to others.

I have seen this many times. An apparent Christian will sin and perhaps that sin is found out in some way. Suddenly they are seized with guilt and fear. Out of the woodwork they come. They must meet with me. They must be absolved of guilt from a spiritual leader. They don’t want anybody to know. They are in damage control. Eventually the crisis passes, and when it does, they are no longer anywhere to be seen. Until the next crisis arises. Do they really want Christ? Are they Mary or Judas? Peter or Judas?

How sweet it is to see a Peter – a man or woman who has suffered in a sin or bondage of some kind, knowing their sin has been discovered, going humbly to those affected and seeking to make it right. Humbly they admit their guilt to God and have no desire to hide it anymore. They long to worship freely again. They take steps to change. There is a humble openness about them. That is Peter.

A true Christian has dethroned self and Christ is there as Lord. We want him, and even when we fail him or turn from him, we long for that relationship with him again. Which are you? Judas or Mary? Judas or Peter? Pretender or Follower?

I think if Judas would have responded like Peter in true contrition to Christ, I think he would have been forgiven. Why? As the song says, Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Where sin abounds, God’s grace does much more abound.

There is mercy and grace to be found for the follower of Jesus who wants that relationship restored and made right, even when we look a lot like Judas Iscariot.

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Mary Magdalene’s Defining Moment

stevedewitt — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 06:00:44 +0000

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:11-18)

In many ways this Scripture speaks for itself. Mary’s tears. Her searching. Her words. Rabboni (Dear Rabbi, dear teacher!). Take notice here. Who is the first person to see the risen Christ? It wasn’t at all who we might expect. It wasn’t Peter, John, Pilate, Herod, the Sanhedrin, James, or even Jesus’ mother, Mary.

Who was given this incredible privilege? It was Mary Magdalene. Who was the first person to joyously announce the resurrection of Christ? I have seen the Lord! It was Mary, the former demoniac. Now the grand point is before us.

When we are AC (After Christ), our BC (Before Christ) is not held against us. When we are forgiven by faith in Jesus, when he is our Savior and Lord, even the vilest things in our past are gone. We like to see ourselves in our heroes, and perhaps there is no better illustration than that of a former demoniac woman who was the first to see the risen Christ, speak to the risen Christ, touch the risen Christ, and announce the risen Christ. I have seen the Lord!

This ought to cause us to ask the question, where did Mary’s devotion and loyalty come from? Her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. (Luke 7:47)

Mary had been forgiven much and she knew it. This produced a great love. Therein lies our challenge – to daily remind ourselves of our BC condition; to preach the gospel to ourselves: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior; to allow that to humble us, and from that gospel humility, to spring a day of devotion to the one who set us free.

Mary Magdalene is an emblem of Jesus’ mission in the world. Each of us is. BC. AC. We are called to love the Marys in our Magdala and to allow the power of salvation in Christ to set them free.

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Spiritual Maturity Includes Financial Generosity

stevedewitt — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:00:39 +0000

Spiritual maturity always includes financial generosity. It has to. For the reason Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV): For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Paul’s argument for Corinthian generosity is Christo-centric. For you know… if you are a Christian, you know this story. Christ, though he was rich. Pre-existent Christ, pre-Incarnation, pre-Christmas was God in eternity past. What was his experience as God? Paul says, he was rich. How rich is God? It’s almost a silly question because we’re asking a material question of a spiritual being. He is God. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 19:1, NIV) The nuance here is that “rich” when applied to Christ is less about his net worth and more about the richness of his experience as God. His fullness. His glory. His greatness. In eternity past, these were his in infinite supply.

Yet in spite of this infinitely joyous eternal experience, “yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” The richest became the poorest. Poverty is a reference to the impoverishment of his experience as a human on earth (when compared to his heavenly experience) – highlighted, of course, by his sufferings for us on the cross.

Has there ever been a more extravagant gift than what Christ gave? Never. And to think who he did it for, “yet for your sake he became poor.” He did this for us and our salvation. To give us the experience that was his before he came. He gives us eternal life and eternal bliss. As the old song says, He gave his life – what more could he give?…O how he loves you and me! (“O How He Loves You and Me!” – Kurt Kaiser) So Paul’s whole argument for why the Corinthians should be generous to Christ is built on Christ’s generosity to us.

The reason there is no spiritual maturity without generosity is that a spiritually mature person embraces the gospel of Christ’s self-giving and trembles at it. With the immature there is little trembling at Christ’s humiliation and so there is no compulsion to follow his example; and since his example is tremendous generosity, the spiritually immature won’t follow suit. Not yet. Not till they mature.

Additional Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version where indicated. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

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The Foolish Rich Man

stevedewitt — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:00:49 +0000

In Luke 12:13-21 we see a familiar and contemporary struggle – a family fighting over inheritance money. My extended family has had a drama like this. Maybe you can relate.

“Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21)

In this parable, Jesus describes a man who is living the American dream. He has had a windfall crop; so much grain that he doesn’t know what to do with it all. In our world, our company is bought out and we get a windfall. A stock we own goes through the roof. The point is that here is a man who suddenly is rich toward earth. Notice what he’s thinking and what he’s not thinking. He’s not thinking, What good can I do with this? Who can I help? How can I give back to God? His only thoughts are for himself. Eat, drink, be merry. Relax. Retire. Just sit back and count my money. He’s living the American dream.

But wait – there’s something he doesn’t see. He doesn’t realize that that very night is his last. Now what happens to all that money? Does he take it with him? What is it worth now?

Jesus calls him a fool, but realize why. It’s not because he was rich. The Bible never condemns the accumulation of wealth or financial success. It does condemn living for it and being foolish with it, which in this parable, is his failure to understand what real worth is. Death reveals the stupidity of his life.

Is anyone out there being stupid? Is there anyone out there who Jesus would point to and call a fool? Is anyone out there assessing things like the rich man, living so foolishly merely for the here and now? “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:20)

The answer to that question is, NOT his. It seems about every week there is some successful person in our culture who dies. This week it’s Hall of Famer Gary Carter. Last week it was Whitney Houston. Steve Appleton of Micron Tech died in a plane crash…Etta James…Joe Paterno. Every week someone rich and famous dies. Remember I said that for whomever it is this week.

What do you think about when you hear it? I often think about what the death moment is like for someone who has lived in luxury and fame. What is it like to go from that to being face to face with God? To be suddenly ushered into an eternal destiny? Eternal life or death? Heaven or hell? To look at your life from the perspective of eternity and what could have been. As Ryle said, “Hell is truth discovered too late.” How many millions must there be in eternity thinking, “What a fool I was!”?

May I ask you, are you laying up treasure in heaven? Are you rich toward God?

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Simon Peter: Great Personal Failure, Greater Complete Restoration

stevedewitt — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:33 +0000

There has never been, nor will there ever be in all of human history, a greater personal failure against Jesus AND a greater complete restoration than Simon Peter.

How do we feel on the other side of the failure, or the betrayal, or the sin?

Can God really forgive me?
Will it ever be the same again?
Can my conscience ever be clean again?
In God’s eyes, am I a second-class citizen because of what I have done?

Peter’s story has to be utterly hope-giving to us as his failure was greater than ours can ever be. Yet even with this failure, he is not only reinstated, but fully so to eventual apostleship, to preaching the first sermon on Pentecost, to introducing the gospel to the Gentile world, and to the authorship of parts of the Scripture you hold in your hand today.

“The fact that Peter was clearly forgiven by Jesus and given new responsibilities, amounting to apostleship, despite his total denial of his Lord, can give genuine hope to Christians today who feel that they have denied Jesus and that this is unforgiveable. He calls only for our repentance and our love.”^{^[1]}

God can’t use me. I’ve done this or that. God’s done with me. I’ve failed him so badly.

How does your failure compare to Peter’s? It certainly can’t be worse, can it? Can Jesus restore someone like you? If he can restore Peter, then he can restore you.

^{^[1]}Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, John 21:15

©2012 by Steve DeWitt. You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that: (1) you credit the author, (2) any modifications are clearly marked, (3) you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, (4) you include Bethel’s website address (www.bethelweb.org) on the copied resource.

To hear the message of this excerpt in its entirety, click here