Title: Feed my sheep / John 21:15-19
Feed my sheep
Date: April 30, 2000
Bible Text: John 21:15-19
One morning it was on the shore of Tiberia. A man smiled bitterly. Then, I gave myself to the cold wind on the beach. They had fishing gear in their hands, but they didn't seem to want to catch fish. He couldn't stand the burning of his face. The more he thought about it, the more he could see a situation that should not have happened before him. Tears and mucus were dripping down. He had become intolerant with himself.
Peter is standing on the beach where he first met him. How did my heart swell when I first met him at this seaside? As if possessed by something, I left the boat and net behind and went after Master. But now, I was just standing there, full of crap, at the place where I first saw him.
The splendid dreams I had during the time I spent with Master were illusions. He looked up at the trees that he couldn't handle, a dream he couldn't handle. 'What is my real face? Yes, that night, Master said, "Before the first rooster crows tonight, you will say you don't know me." He showed himself that he could no longer be cowardly. The loser Peter is now back in reality. In his hand was a fishing net that had been set low for a while.
'You said that you can fish people with this net.... Oh, let's break free from all illusions, my figure is just a fish, let's be faithful to that figure!' On that morning when everything collapsed, he suddenly stood in front of Peter, who had returned to reality. He who stands tall in the morning sun of Tiberia...
Peter wanted to cry. 'Lord, I am not. I really didn't want to! I still love you so much. It is my sincere feeling that I want to follow you even to the point of death. I don't even know why I said I didn't know you back then. And even Judas, who sold the Master out of madness in a moment, wanted to convey that the feelings he had shown to the Master were true, and that the teacher should not be misunderstood. If I had been able to meet him again, even for a moment of Charla, I wanted to say this.'... But now he was standing before his eyes. But he could not speak as confidently as he had before. The Lord spoke first. "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these people?"
"Lord, yes. You know that I love you."
He had no choice but to reply. He wanted to run before the Lord and cry, "Lord, you are alive!" The Lord asked the same question twice or three times. At the third question, Peter was very anxious.
It was as painful as the night I denied knowing the Lord three times. It was like going back a long way. Without daring to look at the Lord, Peter replied, "Lord, you know everything. Therefore you know that I love you." The Lord did not try to confirm any further.
Peter, after each question, "Feed my sheep," he asked me this. Peter was afraid that the Lord would forgive him, but the Lord did not take issue with past feelings. Peter is talking about the past, but the Lord is talking about the future, not the past. The future of Peter, who will become a real fisher of people...
And he said, "When you were young, you girded yourself and went wherever you wanted to go, but when you are old, others will stretch out your arms and bind you and lead you where you do not want to go.
In the Gospels, the risen Lord appears several times. At that time, there were certain requests and requests. What did the Lord ask for? Let's look at the request of Jesus in each Gospel.
Matthew 28:19-20 "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you. Keep it. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
Luke 24, 48 "You are witnesses of these things, beginning from Jerusalem."
Mark 16:15 "Go out into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Being a witness of the Lord and preaching the Word is a Christian's Great Commission.
We are skeptical when we see people on the street evangelizing in the subway. They laugh at me saying that I will become an evangelist by doing that. They do not consider the situation of others and become embarrassed by coercion. But if that doesn't mean you don't have to evangelize, it's not. The method may be wrong, but evangelism itself cannot be rejected. Because it is the great command of the risen Lord. But we were afraid of fleas, so we burned all thatched houses. Not only do they make no effort to evangelize, but they even view those who do so as immature in their faith.
When leaven is in the rice cake, it is leaven, and it is of no use if it is joined together. Salt is just waiting time when salt is present. In order for salt to taste good, it must be incorporated into the food. In 1 Corinthians 13, it says, "Even if I give my body to be burned for my neighbor, if I do not have love, I am nothing..." Is there more love than giving my body for fire for my neighbor? He said there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friend. Isn't that kind of love that gives one's body to burn for one's neighbor? And yet, without love, you are nothing? What does this mean? Is it just a literary expression? It is necessary to do something for the temporary extension of his body, but ultimately it is to know God and stand before God, so isn't it true love to convey Him who is the source of eternal strength and life? Giving a thirsty person a sip of water is important, but you also need to teach them how to dig a well.
Last week, I preached in a college student club called Han Gi-yeon. There was a time to welcome and introduce new members, and all the people who came out were led by one person. They were the juniors introduced by Hyun-seok Kang, a young member of our church, and they told us how they came out one by one.
?쏧 came here because Hyunsuk said he would kill hyung if he didn?셳 come.??
"I came here because Hyun-seok hyung said he would buy me jjajangmyeon. But he hasn't bought me jjajangmyeon yet."
?쏧 came here because Hyun-seok oppa had a story to tell when he met, so I wanted to meet him in front of him??
Hearing that story, I was moved. With one or two such dedicated members, the meeting is sure to go well.
Let's say a million people gather in Yeouido Square. Everyone gathered there for a reason. Classmates, friends from the same hometown, older brothers, call each other and meet there, let's go together, let's have our meeting there! This is how one million, two million people gathered. If we do not see the efforts and hard work of each person in this way, the weekly church meetings will not take place.
I hope you have a goal of evangelizing at least one person this year. People who do not know Christ, people who have faith in the past, but are disappointed in the church and stay away from the church, people who wander here and there without setting foot in the church. If I've chosen the right faith, why can't I confidently recommend it?
Be a fruitful Christian. Meet new people, challenge yourself and plant life. If I always try to hang out with people I'm comfortable with and I like, it's closed and prone to corruption. He hates new people and rather annoys them. Meet new people and challenge yourself. Remind him that there is a new world he has never tasted. You just sow and sow, and it is God who makes you grow. Don't be shy, be sincere. If I teach and evangelize others, God will also make my faith overflow. When problems converge only within me, I am always lacking and lacking, but when I turn to others, God let my cup overflow. A new spring springs forth.
How do I tell you? Here is the best evangelism method of the Gospel of John. "Wow, look!" Please invite us to the weekly worship service and Bible study. Changing one person is just as important as changing the world. If we do not preach the Gospel for 30 years, Christianity will disappear from this earth. Today, we are in such a crisis. Young people are disappearing from the church, and Christians as a whole are rapidly declining.
Peter preached in Rome in his later years. Rumors circulated that a great persecution was imminent in Rome. The Roman church members said, "Peter is a pillar of the church, so if Peter is arrested, it will have a huge impact on Christianity that is just spreading around the world. So, Peter, flee." One morning, Peter tried to escape from Rome.
On a hill overlooking Rome, he was just about to leave Rome, after praying for his departing companions. But someone was walking in the opposite direction from the other side. Peter approached and saw that it was the Lord of Galilee. He asked Banga and "Lord, where are you going? Quo Vadis!" The Lord answered. ?쏧 am on my way to Rome to protect the Rome you are leaving.??The Lord went down to Rome without a word. Peter patted his knees and said, "Lord, forgive me." He went down to Rome again. And he was martyred in Rome. As he died on the last cross, he said, "How can I die like the Lord? Please hang me upside down on the cross!" At that place of death, Peter would have been able to release the burden of his heart toward the Lord.
How much we love the Lord will be revealed in our last place, the place of our death. Judas was put to death by taking his own life, but Peter followed the Lord by crucifying upside down. ?쏬ord, you know that I love you.??I hope this confession will be the true confession of your life. I hope that this confession will be a confession that continues until your final death.
?쏬ord, you know that I love you??Sending) Please go in peace. Live as a free man. Look around. Find your thirsty neighbors. What are you going to gift him? Would you give up all of your possessions and give your whole body to fire? Give me the most precious gift. Let his faith in God burn himself in his heart.