Unfinished Business

Do you have any unfinished business with God? We say we love Jesus and want to follow him, but then we fail to witness for him when it is not the popular thought among our friends. Join us this week as we look at the lives of two people who also had unfinished business with Jesus and see how they took care of that business.  '

Scripture: John 20:1-19

“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called 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.”

Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”


Renewing Reflections

It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon A Consistent Witness delivered on Christian Crusaders March 2, 2008.

If Christ has met you and changed your life, even if it is only in some small way, you have a story to tell about Jesus. In your story, you tell others that Christ has forgiven your sins. You live in a personal relationship with your Savior and have the assurance that he walks with you in this life. When you die, you will receive the place He has prepared for you in heaven. This is your witness, and it must be consistent. You tell it whenever you have an opportunity at work or at worship, with Christians or with unbelievers, in all kinds of circumstances and conditions in your life. The world needs to hear your consistent Christian witness.


How to Help Christian Crusaders Grow

A memorial gift is a meaningful way to remember a loved one, whether relative or friend, when they die. Memorial gifts are sometimes given to remember a very special person on a birthday or some other occasion. For your convenience, online donations can be made through our secure Web site at http://www.christiancrusaders.org/online_donations.asp.


On the Light Side

A lady wanted to go ice fishing, but since she had never gone before, she read some books on the subject first. Finally, after getting all the necessary tools together, she headed for the nearest frozen lake.

After positioning her comfy footstool, she started to make a circular cut in the ice. Suddenly – from the sky – a voice boomed, “THERE ARE NO FISH IN THERE!” Startled, she moved further down the ice, poured a Thermos of cappuccino, and began to cut yet another hole.

Again, from the heavens, the voice bellowed, “THERE ARE NO FISH IN THERE!” The lady, now quite worried, moved way down to the opposite end of the ice, set up her stool, and tried again to cut her hole. The voice came a third time: “THERE ARE NO FISH IN THERE!”

She stopped, looked skyward, and asked, “Who are you – God?”

The voice replied, “NO, I OWN THE ICE RINK!"