Let God Cook!
Monday morning sermon notes, incoming!
Yesterday's sermon was called "Cooked!"
The pastor explained the use of the word cooked in today's culture (as in "I'm so cooked" aka "Oh boy, I am in trouble now...")
I kinda thought Pastor should explain it to us Boomers this way: "My goose is really cooked this time!'" Honestly, that's probably where the slang came from, right?
Anyway, here is the sermon (with notes following):
Sermon Scripture - Read John 21:1-10
“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 'I’m going out to fish,' Simon Peter told them, and they said, 'We’ll go with you.' So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, 'Friends, haven’t you any fish?' 'No,' they answered. He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, 'It is the Lord,' he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.'”
NOTES:
The disciples were confused and uncertain about what they witnessed at Jesus' resurrection, but they stayed together. They didn't know how to process the previous events, so they went back to what they knew — fishing. (And not just any fishing hole, but the one where they first met Jesus.)
Jesus shows up to Galilee. It was then they recognized Him when He told them where to drop their nets.
Jesus invites them to bring their fish to the breakfast barbecue. Jesus didn't need their fish — He already had some fish and bread cooked — but He wanted them to share and know His character and presence.
Net-negative: Disciples felt "cooked". They were confused, frustrated, unable to discern what to do next. But they were still together, and they moved forward, but back to Galilee, where it all started. They went back to a place and time where they felt confident: fishing with Jesus.
Net-positive: Jesus is there on the shore with breakfast waiting. He doesn't need the disciples' fish to feed them. But He tells them where the fish are biting and calls them "friends" to encourage them in their faith.
When we are in trouble, we must turn to God. We need to learn to "Let HIM cook!" Jesus "cooked" for His disciples, as if to say: "I am right here. I will provide for you."
We are never too old, too broke, too frail, too [fill in the blank] to be useful to God. We simply have to get quiet within our spirits and "let God cook" for us.
There is always time to move forward in faith. "Fishing" won't fix it, but "fishing" is what we know.
Pastor Furtick encourages us to get out in the sunshine when we feel "cooked", and get some serotonin working.
THREE POINTS FOR TODAY'S SERMON:
1. I'm Cooked, but I'm Called
Peter was called back to the place where Jesus first called him: Galilee. It's where Peter returned when he felt "cooked".
2. I'm Cooked but I Caught
The Lord led Peter to a bountiful catch. He will lead us to an overflowing net, too. (Confession: during this part of the sermon, a neighbor came to my door to get something and I missed the point almost entirely).
3. I'm Cooked but He Cooks!
We might be good at catching, but He's good at cooking. Relax! God already has breakfast ready for us.
Even when I'm cooked, He's cooking. We might feel like we've had it, we're done, it's over, but He's busy cheffing in the kitchen for us.
Let go of current stress and past shame. Even when He has helped us catch fish before, He doesn't need our fish. He has already got our fish cooked. But He wants us to bring everything we have to Him anyway. Not because He needs it, but because He wants to show us fellowship and grace.
TWO COAL USES:
Coals for hand warming
Peter's failure (John 18)
When the Romans arrested Jesus, Peter stood outside in the courtyard warming his hands. He denied knowing Jesus three times to the gathered crowd by that fire.
Peter's future (John 21)
Jesus knows Peter rejected Him, but He still calls him "friend" and feeds him.
Warm your hands over the coals of Jesus' breakfast (blessing), not the coals of Jesus' persecution (self-condemnation)
This sermon points out that my morning Bible studies are not my cooking, but His. I am merely serving them up.
Mush
By R.C. Sproul
The Purpose of Government
Republicanism, despotism, socialism, democracy, communism, monarchy—these are just a few of the governing philosophies that have been implemented in human history. All of them have different understandings of the role of the consent of the governed, individual freedoms, and other such things. But all governments, no matter the guiding philosophy, have one thing in common: the legal use of force. Simply put, a government may exercise force in ways that are often illegal for individuals. Of course, that does not mean governments are always morally correct in their use of force. It is possible for something to be permitted in the laws of fallen people that is actually forbidden by God’s law. Nevertheless, a basic principle of government is the legal use of force.
This foundational aspect actually predates the existence of human governance. God Himself evidences it, though what is “legal” for God to do and what is morally right for Him to do always coincide perfectly. The principle of the legal use of force is established by God’s holy character, for He has the right to deal with unholiness by force. We see this reflected in the first mention of divine government in relation to humanity when the Lord threatens to bring death upon Adam and Eve should they eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:15–17). After the fall, the prerogative of the legal use of force by the divine government is also seen in the Lord’s placing the angel with the flaming sword to protect the garden of Eden (3:24). Since the fall, the legal use of force has also been granted to government for the purpose of punishing lawbreakers. For instance, the Mosaic law contains prescribed punishments for those who break the commandments.
The fall has made necessary the use of force to deal with those who break the law because of the presence of sin, but that does not mean there was no human government before Adam sinned. There is a principle of human government inherent to the created order, for we read in Genesis 1:28 that human beings have been given the authority to subdue the earth for the glory of God. Such a task would have required certain rules and guidelines to be established even apart from the fall so that men and women could cooperate most effectively to fulfill God’s plan. Government is not merely a necessary evil introduced to deal with the consequences of sin. It is part of the Lord’s plan for His original, very good creation.
CORAM DEO
Living before the face of God
God intended government to help us fulfill the task given to all people, so we should not view the existence of government in itself as a necessary evil. In particular, government is a blessing as long as it sticks to the tasks that God has given it and does not try to take additional power for itself. Good citizens work to prevent the government from doing things it has not been appointed to do.
(Copyright © Ligonier Ministries.)
PRAYER:
Dear Lord,
Help us understand that our failures do not determine our future. You are not done with us yet, no matter where we are are at in the road of life. Give us the wisdom to follow the correct road and hazard signs. In Jesus' name, Amen.