The main purpose of this message is to show that our love for others and our family (the church) is a way of showing others just what Christ did for them and what responsibilities we have to show that sacrifice to others.
Sometimes in today’s world it just seams that people don’t understand or want to understand what the word commitment actually means.
We read in the word of God that Jesus asked Peter to follow him to give up every thing and just follow him, it would mean that he had to be completely devoted to him and forget about his own life and follow Christ.
This is a story that shows what I mean ……..
A man who went to his doctor. The doctor examined him carefully, and then called the patient’s wife into his office. “Your husband is suffering from a rare form of anaemia. Without treatment, he’ll be dead in a few weeks. The good news it, it can be treated properly with nutrition.”
“You will need to get up early every morning and fix your husband a hot breakfast- pancake, bacon and eggs, the works. He’ll need a home cookedlunch everyday, and then an old-fashioned meat and potato dinner every evening. It would be especially helpful if you could bake frequently. Cakes, pies, homemade bread-these are the things that will allow your husband to live.
“One more thing. His immune system is weak, so it’s important that your home be kept spotless at all times. Do you have any questions?” The wife had none.“Do you want to break the news, or shall I.” Asked the doctor.
“I will.” the wife replied.
She walked into the exam room. The husband, sensing the seriousness of his illness, asked her, “It’s bad, isn’t it?”She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes, “What’s going to happen to me?” he asked, with a sob, the wife blurted out,
“The doctor says you’re going to die! Im so sorry love”
In the Gospel of John Jesus asks peter a question, I always wondered when I was a young Christian why Jesus asked him the question about following him. Because after all Jesus is the son of God, he is part of the triune face of God. God knows every think he knows that Peter will follow him.
He knows that peter loved him;
He knows that peter would deny him in the future and the pain that he was going to go through because of his love for Jesus.
So why did he ask the question?
Why did he not just say come on then!
But now I see, Jesus wanted Peter to understand just how much it met to follow him he wanted him to know just how deep a commitment it was to show what Christ would eventually do for him and the whole human race.
He wanted him to know that it would even cause him to lose his life v.18Peter’s love leads to a responsibility- He is called to move away from the comfortable boat where he can catch fish.
He is called to change his carer and go forward and tend the sheep of the fields i.e. the people of God. God loves his people. He wants them to grow. He wants those who are mature to build up his church. The more you know the moreresponsible you are to use what you know. As I grow in Christ likeness- my love and concern for the church should grow.
This means the family not the building. A man named Bernard L. Brown, Jr once told a story to illustrate how we don’t seem to want to take responsibility for much these days. Brown tells the story of a patient who knocked over a cup of water, which spilled on the floor beside the patient’s bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked the nurse to mop it up. The patient didn’t know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse which large spills were to be mopped by the hospital’s housekeeping group.The nurse aid decided the spill was a large one and she called the housekeeping department. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. An argument followed.
“It’s not my responsibility,” said the nurse, “because it’s a large puddle.” The housekeeper did not agree. “Well, it’s not mine,” she said, “the puddle is too small.”The exasperated patient listened for a time, then took a pitcher of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor. “Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?” he asked. It was, and that was the end of the argument.
Peter was one of the closest 3 (or 4 in some circles) to Jesus. He saw miracles that Jesus did that others did not probably even things that we don’t know about. But he was and became responsible to share what he knew with others to make sure that Christ’s legacy went on after his death and resurrection. Paul the apostle put it another way in Galatians 6:2 he said “carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ”
Peter’s love for Christ lead to sacrifice it meant to follow Jesus he would be subjected to persecution from all groups of people. Do we really realise today in today’s world that we to may be subjected to that, can we cope with that.
If we were in today’s world living in a country where we had no freedom belief could you stand up for your faith would you be willing to loose your life. Or under interrogation would you crack and deny him like peter did at the trial of Christ.
A good way to show how much it really means and how much a sacrifice it is, is to think about a mum or dad and their children, they feed them they care for them they make sacrifices to make sure they are happy.
That is what the church should be doing today. Those of us how are mature in Christ who hunger for God should be careering and making sacrifices for the children of God.
I once watched a film I can’t remember what it was called but it was about a group of men that went fishing. They flew to the place in a sea plane and landed happily and had a great day of fishing but when they returned to the plane it had been damaged by the tide bashing it ageist the rocks. They tried to take off but crashed into the sea as its pontoon had filled with water as the plane begin to sink they had no option but to swim to shore in the icy water they prayed and then jump in apart from one man who had his 12 year old lad with him he stayed as he knew his son would not make it and as the others looked back they watched him sink in the boat with his arms around his son. That man maid a decision to die with his son.
A decision most parents would make. One thing most people do not realise is that we as children of God and as the family of god and us as leaders must be willing to sacrifice all we have to help those who are less fortunate than us
Love requires that we who are stronger help those who are weaker spiritually and those who are in need. Love must demonstrate itself in action.
So do you have enough commitment to the calling that God has placed on you to love the church? Will you follow christ as he truly means? will you walk in his footsteps and shine for him and be a fisher of men or will you slip back and sit on the side lines?
Commit to that calling today and make a fresh start in your life to follow and be a beacon of Light for our lord today and always.
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