 We're going to look at Acts 4-13 to begin and the message I titled it Peter the breaking and making of a pillar and we will see that Played out throughout the study. So Acts 4 verse 13 Let's read that we'll pray and then I'll get into the study Acts 4-13 says now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and Perceive that they were uneducated and untrained men they marveled and They realized that they had been with Jesus. Let's pray Father as we see your word as we look at this pillar this man whom you called who you Chose Lord and and drew him to yourself To be a pillar in your church father as we look at his life and as we see the love that you had for him Lord May we also see that that same love is for us That that same forgiveness is for us Lord may you open our eyes Lord? May you fill your servants mind and heart may you fill me with your spirit Lord that I would be able to share those Things that you have showed me through your scriptures Lord that my brothers and sisters would be encouraged in your word today We ask all this in Jesus name Amen God is perfect and he never makes mistakes There's a story that I've read that always illuminates that for me There was a king who who did not believe in the goodness of God And he had a servant who in every and all circumstances would always tell the king my king do not be discouraged because Everything God does is perfect. He makes no mistakes and one day the king and his servant went honey Then along the way a wild animal attacked the king and his servant managed to kill the animal But he could not prevent his majesty from losing a finger Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved the nobleman Told his servant is God good If he is so good Then how come I was attacked by an enemy and I mean by an animal and I lost my finger So the servant replied my king despite all these things I can only tell you that God is good and knows the why of all these things What God does is perfect. He is never wrong An outrage by the response the king ordered the arrest of his servant and Later he left by himself mad and furious on another hunt and he was captured by savages who made human sacrifices And on the altar ready to sacrifice the nobleman the savages found the victim was missing one of his fingers So he was released you see according to them. He was not complete so he cannot be offered to the gods So upon his return he comes back and he releases his servant and he says all my servant God was good to me I was caught and they were gonna sacrifice me, but because I'm missing a finger. They let me go But let me ask you something If God is so good, why did he let me get mad and put you in jail and he goes, oh my king Think about it. If I had been with you, they would have sacrificed me because I have all my fingers Story makes the point. Wow, isn't that the truth? Romans 828 tells us and we know that all things work together for the good of Those who are called according to his purpose God is working out his plan in every one of us yet sometimes We are in a trial or in a disappointment and it's easy to lose sight of that fact Today, I want to look with you at some of the portions of the life of Peter Peter's life illustrates for us from beginning to end How Jesus took a man broke him and made him a pillar in the church and I started in the book of Acts because it shows the product of the man that has been with Jesus I mean, I started in the end because in the end we see here in Acts How Peter let me give you some examples how how we show the product we show the boldness who this man had become and As we look at it. Let me let me give you some examples for example in Acts 2 41 We see that after preaching a powerful sermon. It says that about 3,000 people were added to the church And then later Peter was walking by a lame beggar and in Acts 3 6 It says that he looked at this lame beggar and he looked at him and he said silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I give you in the name of Jesus of Nazareth Rise up and walk and then later we saw that the religious leaders put him in jail on Trial for healing the lame beggar and Peter confronts them and he gives glory to God for what had happened And he tells him in Acts 4 11 through 12 This is the stone which was rejected by you builders Which has become the chief cornerstone and then he tells him no nor is their salvation by any other For there is no other name in under heaven given among men by which we must be saved And then we read again here in Acts 4 13 These religious leaders saw the boldness of Peter and John Peter was a pillar the apostle Paul reminds us that he was a pillar in the church He was a man bold for the witness for his witness to Christ and These these verses that we just looked through show a bold Peter. He was fearless He was controlled. He was effective in his speech and it's easy to see this Peter and Marvel at his boldness his undeterred commitment But as we know that wasn't always the case, right? Peter wasn't always this bold Before a young servant girl, he said I have no clue what you're talking about. I don't know him He denied Christ, right? That was his biggest failure. And yet here we see him bold. So what happened? What happened with this? Peter Well, we see here that he had been with Jesus They said he wasn't educated and I've often thought about this this You know many people point out use this verse as well. We don't have to get educated But if you think about it think about this Peter You know when when you get educated nowadays you go what four years if you have kids and you work full-time and All that other stuff you take ten years like me to get a four-year degree But hey, you get it eventually, right? But four years if you can go full-time You get an education and they say well Peter wasn't educated But no he wasn't educated in the way that they were but he was educated think about it He's but he spent three years Walking with the creator of the universe, you know in school We sit before professors who have taken some time to study certain Material certain subjects that they hopefully have learned really well and they kind of impart to you, but they're not perfect, right? Well imagine sitting before the creator of the universe How did this happen? Boom. He tell him how did that happen? Boom. He tell him another thing that he could do He could see in your heart What's wrong? Why are you doubting? Oh, whoa, what happened? Your teachers can't do that now, right? So three years spent asking any question hearing his sermons not only that not only in a classroom But walking with him living with him eating with him serving with him They had been with Jesus. These men were educated by the creator of the universe I have thought maybe they didn't have an Ivy League education that they sure had a heavenly one These guys were educated before the master the creator of the universe Peter had learned from being with Jesus that Jesus love for him was deep and enduring That his love Jesus love for him did not change regardless of the mishaps or failures that Peter did It is my prayer that we will see that Jesus love for us is deep and enduring That you will see that if you are in Christ, you are a pillar because Jesus loves you even when he fully knows you He loves you even when the trials that you go through make it feel like maybe he doesn't love you He loves you even when you feel that you have failed or maybe you have failed and you've disappointed him or yourself So let's begin with the first one. You are a pillar because Jesus loves you even when he knows everything about you Scripture tells us that God knows everything about us, right? No surprise to God Anything Jeremiah 1 5 speaking to Jeremiah God said before I formed you in the womb. I knew you Before you were born. I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet to the nations and Then Psalm 139 1 through 4 says oh Lord, you have searched me and know me You know my sitting down and my rising up you understand my thought a far off You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold. Oh Lord, you know it all together And speaking about Jesus John 2 24 to 25 says But Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and Had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man You see when Jesus commissioned Peter from the beginning he knew all together who Peter was He knew Peter needed work and one specific thing as I examined the scriptures that Peter needed help with with pride There was pride hidden within Peter's heart and Jesus needed to expose that and he did Didn't love him any less. I don't even remember Jesus ever telling him Peter. You're a prideful man No, he tried to warn him Peter over and over give him examples Peter. Let me wash your feet. No, not my feet Peter You know, he gave him Opportunities to that but he never changed his love for him But he had a pride issue. Let me give you some examples Remember when Jesus told Peter that he would make him a fisher a man Peter was out there fishing with John And they were fishing for a long time all night. It says they toiled and they were catching nothing and Jesus came and said hey throw your net over on that side and Well, Peter felt like he had to educate Jesus, you know, he he was a fisherman after all, right? So he tells a master we've been toiling at this all night and we haven't caught nothing But okay, I'm warning you but I'll throw it in because you tell me So what does he do throws it in and he catches so many fish that they were having trouble dragging it in and Peter at that point began to realize his response was Lord step away from me I am a sinful man He started realizing that he was before Divinity that he was before the God of the universe that knew way more than he would ever know in his finite life Another example was when Peter went to wash his feet when Jesus went to wash Peter's feet in John 13 What was Peter's reaction? Lord you are washing my feet No, not mine and then Jesus told them well if I don't wash your feet you have nothing with me Okay, in that case wash everything of me, you know the pride quickly kind of disappeared But he had this issue going on in his heart When Jesus began to tell Peter how he was going to die in John 21 Peter was like, you know instead of listening He was like, well, what about him? How's he gonna die? You know, it's kind of like us when we come to service and the Lord's ministering to us and convicting our heart And we're like, oh man, I wish my cousin would be here today He would really be ministered to today and the Lord's trying to speak to your art or my art And we're like man, if they would be here, they would that pride would just go out the door You know, they would grow up so quickly Peter did that he looked at others and started focusing on everybody else but himself When Jesus was telling them that they would all scatter What was Peter's response in Matthew 26-33? He says even if all are made to stumble because of you I will never be made to stumble and when Jesus told him he would deny him He said even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you Peter had a pride issue of which he was not aware. You see you guys pride is subtle It is hard to detect it in yourself Peter had no clue about this pride His dependence on himself to do God's work how to be exposed in a different way and I wanted to point out that pride This is an obvious pride that you can see on the other side, right? When somebody I can do it I don't need you get away from me. I don't need no help. That's an obvious pride But there's another type of pride that is not so obvious, but it's still pride. It's called false humility You ever seen oh, what a great job. Oh, no, brother's not me. It's the Lord God does it all You know, it reminds me of a story of a of a preacher old You know He got up to the pulpit and in his in his congregation was an old seasoned preacher who had retired wasn't preaching anymore But he saw this guy preaching with power and he saw that he put a lot of work into a study So the old man thought he'd encouragement and he comes up to him afterwards and he says son That was a tremendous study Good job. Oh, no, you know, it was it was all God So the seasoned preacher goes Son, it wasn't all God because if it was all God, it would have been a lot better False humility is pride too We have to find that balance and it's really hard to do it ourselves God has to expose it for us and he will and he does and we will see as we move forward Jesus knew all these things about Peter and yet his love did not waver toward Peter He still trained him. He's still poured into Peter. He's still mentored Peter. He loved Peter You see God knows everything about you. He loves you for you and He isn't surprised at your perceived shortcomings He isn't surprised at the times that you fail or he's not even surprised at the shortcomings that you don't perceive yet You might see him 20 19 years down in your walk and you're like, whoa Where has this been all my life? I just ask your wife has been there all the time, but you just didn't see it, right? But he starts revealing and he keeps working on you and he's gonna keep working on you until The end right when we're delivered of this flesh that is full of sin until then But he loves you Regardless of all your failings regardless of those things that you're like, oh my gosh I can't believe that about me He's not surprised He knows you all together and yet he loves you and he gave his son for you Even that while you were his enemy. So remember that remember that Some things in our life God obliterates instantly drugs. I mean for me drugs drinking everything you just wipe them all out and Other things are purged through sanctification. You guys know what sanctification is, right? Justification the moment you believe the moment you accept Christ into your life into your heart that day your your name is in heaven So and so belongs here. Jose Ramirez belongs here You're saved. There's no ifs ands or buts about it but while you're on this side of Heaven you're being sanctified You're being chiseled away You're you're listening to the word and God is changing you God is exposing areas of your life that need to be transformed And slowly he's chiseling you to what to be into the image of his son, right? So we see that he has to do some slowly You are a pillar because Jesus loves you even when he knows everything about you and The next point you are a pillar because Jesus loves you even when the trials you go through Make it feel otherwise When Jesus called Peter remember with me Peter gave it all up to follow Jesus his business his trade. He left his career He knew he left what he knew best being a fisherman Peter was personally mentored by Jesus. He was one of the elite three if you read throughout scriptures There's certain times when Jesus just takes three people with him Peter James and John and he shows them special He transfigured himself before them. He had a special calling for these men and Peter was one of them Peter saw some amazing things being performed by Jesus. He saw the healing of his mother-in-law He saw the transfiguration. He saw Jesus walk on water and he walked on water Remember that when Jesus called him out and he started walking and while he kept his eyes on Jesus Everything was okay the moment he looked at the waves he started to sink right and Jesus saved me And he took him out, but he walked on water Remember that time when Jesus was being confronted about not paying taxes and Peter was being confronted How come you guys don't pay taxes and Jesus told Peter go go grab a fish and inside the fish are going to find Some money pay him for you and for me. I Don't know about you and some people might say what was it there or did he make it? I don't care if He made the money in his mouth That's amazing. If he knew X-ray vision somehow and saw the money in the fish's mouth What an awesome miracle anyway, right? Or if the fish just happened to be at the right time and he says get that one It doesn't matter Peter had the opportunity to see all these things we hear about him. He saw them first hand Peter loved Jesus and was loyal to him remember he was willing to Fight for Jesus when they came to arrest him What do he do first thing without even thinking takes out the knife and Tries to slice the guy and cut his ear off and Jesus has to take care of him. Oh Peter there you go again You know impulsive Peter slow down, you know, it's time puts the ear back on He knew everything about him. He loved him When Jesus was arrested and murdered eventually that was a great trial for Peter He had given it all up He invested the last three years Into this man who believed to be the Messiah who he believed to be the Messiah and now he is gone Perhaps the sentiment was what other people were already saying He saved others. Why didn't he save himself? Was he the Messiah? I could imagine all these things probably going to his head Was it really the Messiah? What happened? What happened why? Did I really believe I just denied him what happened all these things that could have probably been racing to his mind And it's the same thing that can often and does happen to us We know God's power. He has done some great things in us and around us. He's transformed us We've been following him faithfully and Then trials come our way and we are often shaken an unexpected disease An unexpected death of a loved one a job loss a weight-worth son or daughter and we can often ask wait What happened? You see we are human and we wonder in fact This is one of the areas that atheists like to focus on You've heard it. If God is so powerful and so good then why does evil happen? Why terrorism? Why death? Why are planes falling from the sky? Why pain? You see I was there. I remember clearly When I was 15 I was exactly This was exactly what Satan used in my life to alienate me from God. I Was at my mom's funeral And I was not in you know not in throat. I was tired of crying. I was done You see three six months before that. I was at my grandpa's funeral and My grandpa has I respected him with all my heart. I loved him and he gave me hope When three months from his funeral my dad died and I was like What happened in nine months? I lost the three most important people of my life God What God Where is he? So the day that I buried my dog my mother That same day I buried God God died for me And I lived the rest of my life with extreme bitterness and anger and my only hope was if I died or was killed or Overdosed on drugs. I would be with my parents wherever they were. I didn't care at that point I just wanted to reunite and it'd be all okay and Obviously God intervened in my life But one of the things throughout all these trials and 19 years later walking with the Lord One of these things that the Lord has taught me through trials is to be careful That because you've gone through certain things sometimes it's very easy to look at somebody else who in your eyes Oh, that's nothing, you know and don't get caught into what I like to call a trial athelon. You've ever been in a triathlon Who knows what I'm talking about Well, you should have seen what I did I was a druggy and I did three types of drugs. Oh, yeah Well, I did this, you know, don't do that and we will do that be careful that you don't do that and Be careful that your trials that somebody who's coming to you and saying, you know what I feel rejected I feel dejected. I feel like I don't fit anywhere and If you've gone through certain things you might say, oh, come on get over it. That's nothing We love you move on Be careful because in your mind that be may seem like a small thing But did you do you guys know how many teenagers die every year of suicide because they don't fit in? because They feel rejected because they feel that nobody loves them So what you think is a small trial could probably be the end of somebody else's life so be careful That instead of having compassion because of everything that you've gone through you become hardened Towards other smaller insignificant in your eyes things because every trial is unique That's one of the things that the Lord taught me early even before I knew him I was when I was there with my mom somebody came up to me and said, oh It's gonna be okay. I lost this and this and this and all I can think of is looking in their eyes and saying I'm hurting right now Don't come and tell me about all your things. There's a time for that guys. Trust me What does scripture say? That he will comfort you so that you may comfort others with the comfort that you have received one day You'll have that opportunity and somebody will come to you and say How did you do it? But what did God tell you that is the appropriate time to share your heart To share what God has done. She might just say I have no idea man God transformed my life and he's been teaching me to scriptures, but there's an appropriate time What somebody's hurting and in a trial don't dismiss it so quickly just listen, you know Job's friends did that for a good time until they got tired and then they started giving them all the wrong advice Don't be like that. Just listen and the appropriate time when you're asked Let him know let him know what God has done in your life because God has allowed those things in your life so that you may comfort others with that same comfort that he has given you So obviously God intervened in my life. He opened my eyes He forgave my rebellion He helped me understand through his word that it isn't God who brings the evil and the death It took a while as I was studying to scripture and with those questions in my mind When God drew me to himself. I was reading scripture Loaded, you know, I was on methamphetamines and I would read scripture all night You know people like to draw and write I was reading scripture and all of a sudden it started lighting up Well, no, that's not a good metaphor for that right now lighting up. It started opening up And my mind started comprehending and my heart started breaking. I had no idea The bitterness started going away. I started having compassion and I was like, oh, what's that? Why do I care about people? You know before I could care less about anybody because it was all about me I was mad. God messed me up. So I don't care about anybody. I didn't want to get married I didn't want to work. I didn't want to go to school dropped out in ninth grade I said schools for dummies who need to learn something I so I was 15. So I guess I thought I knew it all So I dropped out But God intervened and as I was reading scripture and as I was studying as I was coming to Pastor here pastor david and I was hearing the scriptures. God showed me it wasn't God who brings the evil and the death It is sin It was satan When I was there with my mom and I remembered distinctly hearing a voice if there is a god he just wants you to cry and me Mexican practicing machismo. I said there's no way I'm going to cry for anybody. I'm done crying And my heart became bitter and my life started emulating a rejection of God completely But I remember as now as I studied I looked back and said that was satan in my mind That was satan just alienating me and he does that to believers and to nonbelievers. He alienates you from God And then what do they say after that? What do atheists or people reject God? They say well, then if God is powerful and loving, why doesn't he just destroy evil? Why is it still here? And the answer to those who reject God You can look at them in the face and say it is still here because he loves you Because he loves you you see when God obliterates evil in the end. He's going to wipe it all out He's not going to leave a trace behind it So if there is even a hint of evil in your heart that has not been dealt with You will be wiped out along with all the evil in the world But God loves humanity and he's giving an opportunity for the evil to be dealt with through his son Ezekiel 33 11 says say to them as I live says the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked But that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn turn from your evil ways for why should you die? Oh house of Israel And second Peter 3 9 it says the Lord is not slack concerning his promise talking about his promise of returning as some count slackness But he is long suffering towards us not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance Evil will be obliterated completely one day. We know that Jesus will return and reign and he will take care of the devil and all the evil that exists But you see The souls of those that are being saved are far more important to god than proving to an atheist that he has power The souls of those that are being saved are far more important to god than proving To a militant atheist that he has power In fact, he already has showed his power He created the world and everything in it by his word He raised his son from the dead after he was unjustly treated and murdered They want to see power? Check it out. It was written 2000 years ago But they choose to reject it. They willfully forget that and deny god's power and goodness They try to convince themselves that what they do and have is by their own strength You know that what they do what they're able to do But the truth is as I've I've examined this over and over with people I work not everybody believes And and I I love hanging out with them. You know why? I've been studying chi studied a while back common grace and common grace is just a grace that god gives to everybody in creation He made people in his image And I work with people who reject god or don't talk about god But you know what when I see their lives and I see the things that they're able to create The things that they're able to draw or program or make or work or I mean the project plans amazing project plans I trip out And I and I'm glorifying god because even though they don't want to accept god with their lips They're affirming him with the works that they did and the only reason they can do those things is because god created them Because god made them in his image, right from the beginning He made them he created them. We all have intelligence. We all have creativity because of god They choose to reject it But if you start doing that and you look and see beyond the abuse that they give you or call you names and all this and You see wow the things you do if you only knew the source You would be amazed yourself at yourself You know because it's not from you god put it there god made it One day evil will be obliterated, but they will fully forget They try to convince themselves But as we just mentioned the the truth is that the intelligence the creativity That they display the talents that they have acquired Have come because they have been designed to be able to do that They are affirming again by their works the very god. They reject with their mouths They are affirming by their works the very Creator who made them the ability To gave them the ability to do that They are they do they think because god designed them with those traits it reminds me Of a story, you know talking about They think it's all about them and that they did it all remind me of a story of an old lady who who loved and trusted god One day she was praying at her window like she was always used to doing But she she was asking for provision. She ran out of grocery. So she was praying lord. I need groceries You've probably heard this And this guy's passing by and he doesn't believe and he's like he hears her asking for groceries He's like i'm going to show this christian and he goes to the store He buys two bagfuls of groceries and stacks them up to the brim brings them puts them at the door And knocks and runs behind the bush like a little boy along with a kidder, right? And she's hiding and the lady comes out and looks and Immediately turns up to heaven god. Thank you For providing and he jumps out and runs right in front of her and says it wasn't god It was me. I bought them for you. I heard you in your window when you were crying out to god And I went and bought them for you and she smiles and looks at him and looks up back to heaven and says Thank you for providing and you even used the devil to bring him to me He wouldn't have been able to buy them if he didn't have work He wouldn't have work if he didn't have a brain. He wouldn't have a brain if god didn't put it there It all comes from god He makes man. He designs them Jesus told us in john 16 33 these things. I have spoken to you that in me You may have peace in the world it's a promise you will have tribulation But what else does he say but be of good cheer? I have overcome the world While we are in this world that is tainted with sin Where satan instigates against god We will see things happen that are unfair That don't seem right that are evil because they are evil But we can always know that he has overcome the world You see you guys trials for the believer are part as we explained of the sanctification process They are used to build our character James 1 2 to 3 says my brother and count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience These trials are used also to show us issues in our own heart that we may not have seen without them Peter had pride And even though jesus himself had warned him of an upcoming denial Peter's pride blinded him even to the possibility that he could ever fail Jesus And it wasn't until the trial hit until that trial happened that peter saw What he was capable of in his fleshly heart Matthew 26 75 says And peter after he denied him Remembered the word of jesus who had said to him before the rooster crows You will deny me three times So he went out and wept bitterly He had to go through that trial to be able to see what he was capable of Trials and tests are also used to show us our continual need for god's grace Jesus knows it all. He's not surprised. Why do trials and tests come to our life so that we can see What's in our heart so that we can become aware Wow, I can deny god in an instant if I'm trusting in myself Deuteronomy 8 2 says and you shall remember that the lord your god led you all the way these 40 years In the wilderness to humble you and test you to know what was in your heart Whether you would keep his commandments or not Job 23 10 says but he knows the way that I take when he has tested me I shall come forth as gold So does it mean that christianity and walking with god is all doom and gloom It's all trials and tests Nothing good No way You see i'm always careful I don't like to tell people come to jesus and he's going to give you a mansion here on earth come to jesus And he's going to give you a bmw come to jesus and your life's going to be the best thing ever Because sometimes it doesn't work that way right We are in a fallen world But on the other hand I also don't want to hold back and and tell him what the scripture does say and what god has done in my life You see He forgave me And he and he does many things but he still works he does manifest himself in this trial ridden world I had a friend joe who who passed away A few years ago now, but he passed away and he he was an iranian guy Good friend of mine, and you know we had our differences obviously differences and we would talk about politics and god and all kinds of things But one thing that he would tell me he loved his father-in-law You see his father-in-law was like a third generation Pastor or i mean he was of a line of pastors and he loved god and joe would see him and always be like wow That guy is the real deal You know he he he he would just he just inspired joe even though joe at that time didn't believe And one of the stories he told me about his father-in-law really touched my heart and showed me how god works in the natural Sometimes so natural that you miss the supernatural. You know he he he he um he told me about his father-in-law Who was praying for a car and he was asking he told his son, you know my car is about to Break it's not working and in that moment his son in his mind. He didn't say anything But in his heart, he's like, you know what i'm gonna get my dad a car So he started working overtime He started working saving what he could saving saving saving so that he can buy that car for his father father-in-law And finally he saved it all up and he went so excited and bought this car And he drove it up and he didn't tell his dad anything But that day When he drove up and he knocked on the door he looked at his mom and says, where's dad? Oh, he's in the garage And he walks in the garage And his dad was on his knee With his bible on the car Asking god saying my car it was broken that day And his son just looked at him and he goes dad I got you a car And he grabbed his son Put him down on his knees and together They praised god You see in the natural It seems so natural But god works all things together for good And he did this at the perfect timing to show that he still manifests himself In this fallen world For me God forgave me of all my anger All the hurt all the cussing that i Sent his way God blessed my life with an amazing wife that i did not deserve You see i was a punk And he gave me this beautiful girl Pure girl and i was like are you sure lord? You couldn't trust me with her you see if my wife would have seen me when i was in the world She would have walked on the other side and been like watch that guy and if she would have walked close she would have been like Let's get away from that guy But god saved me forgave me gave me his son forgiveness for all eternity And still gave me a beautiful wife And not only that i didn't want kids, but now i have four That i love with all my heart Education who needs education Something happened when i got saved i started getting hunger for knowledge I want to go back to school. It was hard. You know all those burnt cells that were like not working. I was like, what happened? And But by god's grace In 2011 i finished my bachelor's degree And you know what? Yeah, praise god Praise god And right now i just i'm on my second graduate level Class i might get a master's degree. Oh my goodness God is amazing He does do good works. He changes your life. He changes your perspective and if he wants you in an office He's going to get you the work to go to the office. He's going to make you work to get in that office Right. I remember going to kmart to get my typing because I was like pick pick pick pick that wasn't working So he starts putting desires in your heart and he starts fulfilling them and he starts using you You see you guys not all of us are going to be behind the pulpit But all of us are called to take the gospel wherever we are And wherever you are do it with all your might If you're a programmer make the best program, maybe you'll be like the facebook guys, you know Or the google guys. I still want to meet him, but But if god has gifted you something Do that It's not less. It's not better if you're in In the pulpit or if you're in the full-time ministry. It's not whatever god calls you to do That is the best for you because you know what he might use you in that office to read somebody who would have never Heard the gospel unless he put you there So take every opportunity to magnify him wherever he places you God has manifested himself So much in my life and he will in yours too. Yes, he will change you and yes, there will be difficulties But he has overcome the world Peter was made keenly aware of his weaknesses You see without that trial. He wouldn't never have seen what he was capable of He was made a pillar first by breaking his flesh He had to fail in his own strength to learn to fully depend on god's strength You are a pillar because jesus loves you even when the trials may feel otherwise Third point you are a pillar Because jesus loves you even when you fail and you feel you have disappointed him or yourself Turn with me to john 21 real quick Let's read john 21 1 through 5 As we get ready to wrap up here John 21 1 through 5 It says after these things jesus showed himself Again to the disciples of the at the sea of tiberias And in this way, he showed himself Simon peter Thomas called the twin nathanio of cana and galilee the sons of zebedee and two others of his disciples were together Simon peter said to them i am going fishing And they said to him what we're going with you also They went out and immediately got into the boat and that night they caught nothing But when the morning had now come jesus stood on the shore Yet the disciples did not know that it was jesus and then jesus said to them children have you any food? And they answered him no Notice that peter says i'm going fishing He felt like a failure. He was discouraged. He denied christ christ was not around. I mean he had seen him already, but he still Was struggling he was anxious So he says i'm going fishing and and as we read earlier He had failed and he had denied and and he had failed himself So what does he do? He leaves the mountain where jesus had asked him to wait Matthew 28 16 jesus had asked him to stay in the mountain, but he went fishing he returns to what he was comfortable with You've probably been there You've gone or are going through a trial or a disappointment. You're frustrated. And what do you do? You find something you're comfortable with right? I'm going shopping I'm going eating. That's what I do. I'm going programming to get my mind off of everything and or learn how to do it Peter's was i'm going fishing But for peter it was not just a quick fix he was seeking He was discouraged and he was returning to the old livelihood even though jesus had already told them He was called to be a fisher of men So what happens? Look at the lord's humor in this in verse five He could have well said hey, how's that working for you? They caught nothing right they weren't able to catch anything jesus was showing peter That he was called to a specific role And peter's attempts to thwart that Were not going to work why because jesus was going to make sure of it He had called him for a specific purpose So what does jesus do? He replays the whole scenario of when he had commissioned peter to be a fisher of men Again remember that time when jesus when peter was fishing and they weren't catching anything it happened before And peter tries to educate jesus it's happening again This time he didn't try to educate jesus But the whole scenario happened again And that was the moment that jesus told him you will be a fisher of men So he allows it to happen again so that he can remember what he was supposed to do And stop trying to get away from it Let's read john after that After that reminder he proceeds to verbally recommission peter when he reaffirms his love and restores him right In john 21 15 through 17. Let's read that really quickly here It says so when they had eaten breakfast Jesus said to simon peter simon son of jonah Do you love me more than these? And he said to him. Yes lord, you know that I love you He said to him feed my lambs And he said to him again a second time sign and simon son of jonah. Do you love me? And he said to him. Yes lord, you know that I love you And he said to him tend my sheep Oh, do what I told you He said to him the third time simon son of jonah. Do you love me? And peter was grieved because he said to him the third time. Do you love me? And he said to him lord, you know all things now he had learned You know that I love you and jesus said to him feed my sheep I want you guys to notice something here by its absence How many times did peter deny jesus? Three how many times did jesus ask peter if he loved him? How many times did peter need to ask jesus if he still loved him? Big zero none peter didn't need To ask jesus how much he loved him All he had to do was look back at what had just taken place The death the crucifixion the burial For him for his sin He had that etched in his mind forever Peter became a pillar because that was etched in his mind He would never forget the love that his savior showed him on the cross All he had to do was look back now peter understood the words of jesus in jon 15 3 When jesus said greater love has no man than this Than to lay down one's life for his friends Jesus had given the ultimate sign of his love For his people for us So when you're in that trial When you're in that difficulty when you're having trouble trying to find joy Turn your mind To the cross when the enemy puts in your heart You just messed up You think jesus loves you you can very easily say Yeah, because he knew me before he chose me he knew me all together Yes, because he died on the cross for my sins The enemy hates that because that is the place where he couldn't win Jesus stomped on his head right and he won the victory. He overcame satan He overcame the world. So when you're having trouble remember the cross And that will remind you of his love and nobody can take that from you If you believe the gospel jesus christ has transformed you has opened your eyes to understand that it is for you There's nothing nobody can take you and snatch you from his hands. You are his And in closing here. So what do we do? Do we just kick back and I mean god forgives us and loves us? Well, no, we know that right Roman 612 shall us so we continue in sin that grace may abound we don't try to sin But when we do sin we know we have our redeemer right John 1 9 tells us that if you have sinned confess your sins and he is faithful and just to forgive you of all your sins What else do we do? Well, you've heard it over and over pastor david telling us for 33 years for me 19 years But sometimes the basics are the first to go when you're in a trial The things that are going to hold you the strongest are the first things we let go So just a reminder The word of god and if you want to look at 1st peter 2 1 through 3 The worship of god 1st peter 2 4 through 5 the witness with god's people 1st peter 1 22 And the witness to god's creatures his creation go witness the gospel These are the things that we have to keep doing no matter your 19 years in the lord 50 years in the lord Don't forget these principles. These are the ones the enemy tries to snatch away right away But they're the ones that keep you strong and we've had a faithful pastor who has shared that with us over and over It's my prayer you guys that you have seen that god loves you No matter he already knew you all together before he came before um he you came to him He loves you even in the midst of trials when the enemy tries to tell you differently He loves you and he loves you when you feel like you fail When possibly you didn't obey something Ask forgiveness and come right back. He's right there Waiting for you to come back