The Rejected Messiah
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Derrel Strickland
Pastor Strickland shared an inspiring message about the story of Jesus and Peter's personal journey as a disciple of Christ. Peter's recount of Jesus's birth, life, and crucifixion reminds us of God's love and the call to follow Jesus. He emphasized how Peter, despite rejecting Jesus three times, was forgiven and called to lead. Pastor Strickland encouraged us all to see that even in our failures, Jesus is there, inviting us to be fishers of people and live out our God-given purpose. Remember, Jesus has more faith in us than we sometimes have in ourselves. Let's embrace that truth and walk in faith!
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Introduction to a Life Transformed by Christ
Life has a way of changing drastically, and for Peter, this was true when he encountered Jesus. While awaiting an execution that he bravely faced, he chose to reflect on not his own story but the story of Jesus Christ—the cornerstone of faith and the reason behind his devotion.
The Birth of Jesus and His Early Years
The journey begins long before Peter became a disciple. It starts with Mary, the mother of Jesus, whose pregnancy was heralded by the angel Gabriel. In a proclamation that foretold Jesus’ greatness, Mary was told that her child would reign forever. Yet, ironically, Jesus, born in a humble manger, faced rejection from many who failed to recognize his significance.
Shepherds and the Magnitude of Joy
As the news of Jesus’ birth spread, shepherds were among the first to receive the message from angels who proclaimed great joy for all people. This underscores the importance of recognizing the miraculous in everyday life and the message that Jesus came for everyone, regardless of their status.
Peter's Calling
Years later, Jesus would meet a fisherman named Simon, who would later become Peter, the rock on which he would build his church. The moment Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ marked the beginning of a profound transformation in his life. Peter's journey from a fisherman to a fisherman of men encapsulates the call many feel when they encounter Christ.
Moments of Doubt and Triumph
Peter’s story is filled with moments of triumph and doubt. From witnessing miracles like the feeding of thousands with mere loaves and fish to walking on water, these events solidified Peter’s faith. Yet, in a moment of fear, he denied knowing Jesus, a pivotal point in his life that taught him about betrayal and forgiveness.
The Power of Forgiveness
Even after denying Jesus, Peter encountered him again after the resurrection. Jesus did not show anger but instead offered forgiveness and a renewed calling. This element of personal redemption reflects a crucial message: no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and the power of forgiveness can renew one's purpose.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
After Jesus’ ascension, the arrival of the Holy Spirit transformed Peter. Once fearful and denying, he became bold, preaching to thousands and sharing the message of Jesus with clarity and confidence. This shift illustrates how divine empowerment can change lives for the better, equipping individuals to fulfill their destinies.
The Legacy of Christ
Ultimately, the story of Jesus is one of hope, redemption, and purpose. The narrative reveals that despite our failures, God offers mercy and a chance for restoration. Believing that Jesus is the Messiah is not just about acknowledging his identity; it’s about recognizing the new life he offers to all who accept him.
Conclusion: Your Part in This Story
As you reflect on these events, consider what it means for your life. Just like Peter, everyone has the opportunity to embrace their faith, despite past mistakes or moments of doubt. The message is clear: Jesus came for all, offering love and a pathway to purpose. In believing, we become part of a great story of transformation, hope, and fulfillment.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Reflect:
Reflect on a time when you've felt far from God or undeserving of His grace. How does the story of Peter denying Jesus yet being forgiven influence your view of forgiveness?
Connect:
How can Peter's transformation from a fisherman to a leader in the early church inspire us in our daily lives? Share examples of when you've seen someone change for the better.
Practical Application:
What does being a 'fisher of men' mean in today's context? How can we be effective in sharing the love and message of Jesus?
Prayer:
Spend some time praying for those in your life that need to hear this message of forgiveness and redemption. How can you be an encouragement to them this week?
Challenge:
This week, make an intentional effort to forgive someone or to ask for forgiveness, following Peter's example of humility and renewal.
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The story of Peter, as highlighted in Pastor Strickland's sermon, draws from various episodes in the New Testament. Peter, also known as Simon Peter, was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. He hailed from the fishing town of Bethsaida near the Sea of Galilee, which was ruled by the Roman Empire during the first century CE.
Peter's call to be a disciple is depicted in Matthew 4:18-20, where he leaves his fishing nets to follow Jesus. This moment occurs within a Jewish society anticipating a Messiah to free them from Roman rule. The Roman occupation was often oppressive, and Jewish people looked forward to prophecies of a savior.
The account of Peter's denial comes during Passion Week, at the time of Jesus's arrest. This is captured in all four Gospels but prominently in Luke 22:54-62. The Jewish leaders, fearing a revolt, worked with Roman authorities to arrest Jesus during the festival of Passover, a significant Jewish holiday celebrating liberation from Egypt.
Lastly, Peter's reinstatement and mission began post-resurrection, as seen in John 21:15-19. This was a time when followers of Jesus were trying to understand the implications of His resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which is detailed in the Book of Acts.
Understanding these contexts helps us appreciate the gravity of Peter's transformation and the power of Jesus's message of redemption and love.
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Lesson Title: "What’s in Your Stuff?"
Opening Activity (5 minutes):
What Is Stuff?
Ask the kids: "What do you think 'stuff' means? What kind of stuff do you have?"
Let them share examples like toys, clothes, books, etc.
Explain: "Stuff is anything we own or anything we can do, like our talents or time."
Say: "Today, we’ll talk about how God wants us to think about and use our 'stuff.'"
Bible Story (5-7 minutes):
1. God Provides What We Need (Genesis 45:17-20)
Share the story of Joseph and Pharaoh in simple words:
"Joseph’s family needed food during a famine. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, told Joseph to bring his family to Egypt and not to worry about their stuff because Pharaoh would give them everything they needed."Explain: "Just like Pharaoh provided for Joseph’s family, God takes care of us and gives us what we need too."
2. Use Your Stuff for God (Exodus 36:1-7)
Share: "When the Israelites were building a church (called the Tabernacle), everyone brought their stuff to help. They brought so much that Moses had to tell them to stop!"
Explain: "God gives us all different gifts, like talents, time, or possessions, and He wants us to use them to help others and show love to Him."
Discussion Questions (5 minutes):
What is one thing you have that you can thank God for?
What is a talent or skill you have that you can use for God?
How can you share your "stuff" to help others this week?
Activity: Stuff Sharing Chain (5 minutes)
Give each child a strip of paper and crayons or markers.
Ask them to draw or write one thing they can share with someone else (e.g., toys, kindness, time, etc.).
Tape the strips together to form a chain.
Explain: "When we all use our 'stuff' for God, we’re stronger together, like this chain!"
Key Verse:
Matthew 6:33 – "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all this stuff will be added to you."
Help children memorize this verse by saying it out loud together.
Closing Prayer:
"Dear God, thank you for giving us everything we need. Help us to use our 'stuff' to show love to You and others. Remind us not to worry about what we don’t have but to trust You to take care of us. Amen."
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Shalom. Thank you for stopping by. The days get pretty long while I'm here in prison waiting my execution. I know I will be crucified, but not like my master. I've requested to be crucified upside down.
I'm not worthy of dying like Jesus. So, again, thanks for stopping by. I'd like to tell you his story. Not my story, because my story is insignificant. It's his story that is significant.
His story is what it's all about. It's been roughly 35 years since my world was turned upside down. Andrew, James, and John and I were disciples of John the Baptist. His words had stirred us to repentance, and we traveled with him and listened to him as much as we could. John had told us of a coming Messiah, and we were so excited.
We thought our days of living under our Roman rule would soon be coming to an end. And who could say that we would be on the ground floor in the brand new kingdom. John had told us that he was preparing the way for the salvation of the Lord. Now, before I go on with my story, let me go back to his story. See, Mary, the mother of Jesus, traveled with us a lot.
She got to tell us the story, and her face lit up whenever she began to tell the story. She told us of the visit with the angel Gabriel. Yes, the same angel that visited with the father of John the Baptist visited with Mary and said, in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house and lineage of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, greetings, O favored one.
The Lord is with you, and blessed are you among women. But she was greatly troubled at the saying and trying to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son. And you shall call his name Jesus.
He shall be great. He shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his Father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
She told us of the taxation and having to go to Bethlehem with her husband Joseph, because he was of the lineage of David. So late in her pregnancy they made the journey to Bethlehem. And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered, and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid them in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. Think about it. Think about it.
This precious baby, born of a virgin, placed in a manger, was rejected. You say rejected? Yeah, he was rejected by most of the people. He came into his own and they received him not. They did not receive him.
So therefore this precious baby was rejected. You should have heard Mary tell the story of the shepherds. And they were in the same country, shepherds abiding out in the field, keeping watch of their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them. And the glory of the Lord shone round about them.
And they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day and David a savior who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest on earth, Peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child. And all who heard it wondered at those things which the shepherds told them.
But Mary, Mary kept those things and treasured them and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called or named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was even conceived in the womb. Jesus, which means savior. Yes, this was the Messiah.
This was the Messiah that we were looking for. But it was 30 years, 30 years before Jesus was baptized by John and led into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan. This is where I entered the picture. This is where my story became intertwined with his story. My brother Andrew was one of the two who heard John say, behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world.
Those two disciples of John followed Jesus and heard him say, what are you seeking? And they said to him, rabbi, which means teacher, what? Where are you staying? And he said to them, come and see. So they came and saw where he was staying.
And they stayed with him that day for about the 10th hour. The first thing my brother Andrew did. Oh, we were close, Andrew and I. First thing Andrew did was to come and find me. And he said, we have found the Messiah, which means Savior.
Listen to the words that Jesus spoke to me. Said, you are Simon, the son of John. You shall be called Cephas, which means Peter or Petros or rock or stone. Now, Simon means hearer. Jesus changed my name.
But more importantly, he began to change my character. He began to change my nature. It didn't happen immediately because my impulsive, bold nature began to be changed. A few days later, when Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he came by our fishing boat. Our families, along with Zebedee's family, were fishermen.
When Jesus said, come and I will make you fishers of men, my brother Andrew and my friends and co fishermen James and John, we immediately left our family business and followed Jesus. Now you might ask the question, why? Why would you do that? Well, there was something about it. And when he said, I will make you fishers of men, we all believed that we needed to follow him so he could make us, so he could change us.
I was the one who answered Jesus when he asked who the people said he was, I replied, you're the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus responded to me, upon this rock, I will build my church. Now, he was not speaking of me being the foundation of the church. He was not speaking about this Petros. He was speaking about himself, the truth that upon accepting that rock, accepting Jesus as a rock is what the church is built on, as the foundation is he would build his church.
He told me that we would be given the keys of the kingdom. I didn't quite understand that how could we be given the keys to the kingdom? But just a few years later, I was honored to present the good news to Cornelius, literally opening the kingdom to the gentile world. Those three years traveling with Jesus were filled with excitement. And even though we did not realize it.
At the time we were being made into fishers of men. I saw so much. I saw water turned away. I saw crippled people healed. I saw a little boy's lunch feeding thousands of people.
Now, that's one that stands out in my mind. See, Jesus. We'd been there all day listening to Jesus teaching. And we disciples were hungry, but so was the multitude. And Jesus said, what do you have to feed them?
The only thing we could find was a little boy's lunch. Five loaves, five little loaves and two fish. Now, there were 12 disciples. And he told us how those people sit down in groups of 10 and 50 and 105,000 men, not counting the women and children.
And he took those five loaves, two fish, and he blessed it and he broke it out of 12 disciples. Five loaves that wasn't even a half a loaf apiece. A sixth of a fish and thousands of people. I was waiting to see what he was going to do. But you know what he did?
He said, you feed them. You're talking about scary. Can you imagine walking up to a hundred people say, here you go. But an amazing thing happened. Amazing thing happened.
As we began to give it out, it never ran out. And they ate to the full. And you know how church folks eat. They ate all they could eat. And they had 12 baskets full left, one for each one of us disciples.
I began to understand the truth, that with God, all things are truly possible. One thing that I got to do, that none of the other disciples, I got to walk on water. I could go on and on and on, but that walking on water, that was a neat thing. See, we were in the boat and we saw something coming. And when he got closer, we realized it was Jesus.
And I said, jesus, if it's you, bid me to come. And he said, come on. I bailed out of the boat. I was walking on water. I was walking on water until I began to see the waves.
And when I began to see the waves, I began to sink. Now, I've been a fisherman. I never began to sink before. Every time I fell in the water before then, I sunk. But I was slowly going down.
And I said, master, and Jesus showed up. Jesus rescued me. Oh, I could go on and on and on about the great things that we got to see. We got to see Lazarus raised from the dead. We didn't realize it then, but that was the miracle.
That was the beginning of the end. See, Jesus was preparing to leave us. He kept telling us that he was going to leave us. But we didn't listen. We were going to be part of the new kingdom.
We were followers of the Son of God.
But then we had to go up to Jerusalem. We had to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. That's a requirement now. We tried to get Jesus not to go, even though it was a requirement, because we knew that there was a plan to arrest him. We'd been in the desert.
We'd been away from Jerusalem, and we knew that they were plotting to kill him. But Jesus insisted of going. Little did we know that they were doing exactly what Jesus knew they would do. But during that last week, Jesus did some more. Making of us fishers of men.
The triumphal entry, the cleansing of the temple. The Passover meal. This is one of the chapters of my story that I wish I could do over. But unfortunately, we don't get to do life over. We were in the upper room, and we had just had our Passover meal.
Jesus had washed our feet. Think about it. The Son of God taking up the towel. In just a few hours, we'd take up the cross. Eventually, he would take up the crown.
Jesus told us, one of you will betray him. And then he said, I would deny him. I would deny him. I knew that wasn't going to happen. I knew that that wasn't going to happen.
I would die first. I told Jesus that. And he looked at me and said lovingly, not condemning lovingly. He said, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times. But I can tell you that wasn't going to happen.
That wasn't going to happen. I might die first, but I would never deny or reject Jesus. But you've probably heard the story. You've probably heard that not only did I deny Jesus, but none of the apostles, none of the disciples took a courageous stand. We all failed him.
We all denied him to a degree, but mostly me. Even though I'd promised and even though I meant that promise, I rejected him. I denied him when it mattered the most, I denied him. Even after saying I would die for him. I too rejected Jesus.
And when the cock crowed, Jesus looked at me not with eyes of condemnation, not with eyes of bitterness or anger, but with eyes filled of love. He didn't say, I told you so, but his look said, I love you. You. I was devastated that I had rejected him. Can you imagine how I felt without the resurrection?
The women were told to tell the disciples and Peter that he had risen. What did that mean? What did that mean to me? Tell the disciples and Peter. It meant that he had forgiven Me, I was still one of his.
Jesus was not mad at me. I could carry on. So for the next 40 days, Jesus walked among us. But even though Jesus had forgiven me, I had difficulty forgiving myself. Some of you may be like that today.
You failed him. You rejected him. You've forgotten him and he's forgiven you.
You just may need to forgive yourself. That's what I had. I had that battle going on. Because I know that he saved me. I know that he rescued me.
So even after I just talked with him, even after he'd singled me out, I decided to go fishing.
Six others chose to go with me. I didn't think about it then, but people will follow a leader, even if the leader's leading in the wrong direction. But I was a professional fisherman. I had failed Jesus. But I had fished all my life.
I knew how to fish. But we fished all night, fished all night, and caught nothing. Not only had I rejected Jesus, I couldn't even catch fish. But Jesus showed up. Oh, how many times in my story did that happen?
But Jesus showed up. When I was at the lowest. Jesus showed up when I was most disappointed, when I denied him. Jesus showed up. The one that I had rejected.
He showed up. I remembered the last time when I said I would die before I deny him. I wasn't going to do that again. See, he came to me. He said, peter, do you, Agape, love me?
Do you, Agape, love me? Do you love me? With the love of God? And I wasn't going to deny him again. I wasn't going to say that again.
So I said, no, I feel you, love you. And he asked me the second time, do you agape me? I said, no, I feel you, love you. I love you as much as humanly possible. But I can't go that extra step.
Then the third time, he asked me, do you feelio me? And I replied, I feel heal you. It broke my heart. It broke my heart to not be able to say, agape loved you. But I couldn't.
But then he said, feed my sheep. Then I remembered something else that he told me in that upper room that night, the night of the Passover meal. He said, simon, Simon, behold. Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail you.
And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.
I remember the many times Jesus prayed for us in the kingdom. I remembered his last words to us prior to his ascension into heaven. So when they come together, they asked him, lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel. And he said to them, it is not for you to know the time nor the seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.
And you will be my witnesses in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. And when he had said these things, as we were looking on, he was lifted up into a cloud. Took him out of our sight. And while we were gazing in the heavens, as he went, behold, two men stood among us with right robes and said, men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into the heavens? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
Oh, there's so much I could tell you, so many stories I could tell you about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. And me preaching to thousands of people. Now, remember 50 days earlier, one little maid scared me. I couldn't speak to one person. I was too fearful, so I denied him.
But after the Holy Spirit came upon me, I spoke to thousands and proclaimed that Jesus was and is the Christ. I could say so much more, but I've probably tired you out. But let me just share just a few words before you leave, words that I've shared with the Church. See, we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For when we received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was born to him by the majestic glory and says, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this, this very voice borne from heaven. For we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word to which we do well. Pay attention as to a lamp shining, as to in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts.
Yes, this baby, born and placed in a manger over 2,000 years ago that was rejected by so many, and so many now still reject him.
But those that rejected the baby did not just reject a baby, but rejected the Son of God. Forasmuch as you know that you were ransomed from the feudal ways inherited from your forefathers, not by perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb, without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world. But was made manifest in the last times for your sake, who through him, are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory. So that your faith and your hope would be not in this rock, but your faith and hope would be in God.
Just as Jesus told me I would reject him.
He knew that he would be rejected by many. For it says in Scripture, behold, I am laying in Zion a stone. Not a Peter, but Jesus Christ, laying in stone a cornerstone chosen and precious. And whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So the honor for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock offense.
They stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do. But you and I, our chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession that you may proclaim him the excellent of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you receive mercy. I denied Jesus not once, but three times.
But thanks be to God, he didn't give up on me and he would not give up on you. See, he had more faith in me than I had in him. And he has more faith in you than you have in him. The answer is still the same. But as many as received him, as many as received him to them gave you power.
Become the sons of God which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.
Simply because we believe that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God.
There are people who are whispering and the rumors are running wild There's a woman who's not Mary but she's gonna have her name is Mary She's a virgin from down in Nazareth. Now listen close. Gonna marry a man named Joseph but the baby's father is the Holy Ghost and who do you think would believe such a thing? Would believe that this story is true and who do you think could believe such a thing? Well, here's hoping to heaven you do now they're saying she had a baby in a park in Bethlehem and the stars moved round the heaven till it stopped right over there.
Then some shepherds said an angel came and told Told them about the birth they always knew men went to heaven but now God had come to earth and who do you think would believe such a thing? Would believe that this door glory is true and who do you think would believe such a thing. Well, here's hope into heaven you do. Well, here's hope into heaven you do.
