Community & Discipleship

Establish Habits that Lead to Spiritual Growth (John 21:1~24)

2017.01.01Stephen Cha

Let us stretch our habits in three directions: deepen our upward relationship with God through set-aside prayer time, live with a purposeful calling in view, and love the people God has placed under our care, since Jesus restored Peter by asking him to feed his sheep.

Jesus restores Peter by first affirming that he is loved (15-19)

Jesus came to Peter, who had denied him three times, and asked him three times whether he loved him. Before any task or any call to do better, the first thing Jesus made clear was that Peter was his beloved. God does not accept us because of what we have done well. He loves us because he chooses to love us. When we fail and cannot forgive ourselves, it is this truth that brings us back to the Lord. Our growth as a church rests on knowing, celebrating, and living as Christ's beloved, so that people who meet us come to know that God is real and that he is a loving God.

Stretch the upward relationship through set-aside prayer time

Like a rubber band that holds more when it is stretched, our capacity to be used by Christ grows as we say yes to him in more areas of life. Most of us know how to pray; the problem is that we do not make time for it regularly. Prayer is not a vending machine for getting things from God, but a way to grow deeper in communion with him, much like learning a second language that we become fluent in through persistence. Rather than praying only two minutes or a short meal prayer, we should set aside 20 or 30 minutes a day, pray honestly, and deal with our issues before him.

Live with a purpose that comes from hearing God's call

Serving on a mission trip is not in itself what God wants from us; what matters is hearing what he is saying and showing us. The speaker once planned a trip God did not send him on, and was reminded that he must do what God tells him to do. Some who say they want to be missionaries are not even involved in any church ministry, because a plane ticket alone does not make a missionary. Whether as a teacher, a businessman, or a finance worker, we can partner with Christ to extend his kingdom in the way he has shaped us. Gifts, passion, ability, and experience can be discerned together with our small group.

Care for the people God has placed under our care with love (15-17)

When Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep, he was calling him to care for people who do not yet know what is good for them. Being nice is not enough; we need to be loving people. A teacher in her sixties, who could barely speak English, prayed for children in a retreat and felt Jesus say thank you for loving his children. Ministry always involves people, and the love we practice now in ordinary relationships is what prepares us to love more effectively when God gives us bigger opportunities. Like the Celtic Coracle prayer, we can say, Lord of wind and waves, send us wherever you will.

Apply to Life

  • Let us set aside 20 to 30 minutes a day for prayer and grow deeper in our communion with God.
  • Let us examine our calling and, with our small group, discern the gifts, passion, and ability God has given us.
  • Let us take the first step where God is leading us, whether that is a new door of service or a commitment to pray for others.
  • Let us love and care for the people God has placed under our care, not just be nice to them.
  • Let us become people who do not play only defense but play offense, living out God's call in 2017.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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