Follow Me!

By Pastor Young Joon Park

July 26, 2009

 

Review last week sermon ¡°Do you love Me?¡±

 

The Restoration of the Inheritance from the deadly failure

 

From the Peter¡¯s commitment to his denial

 

Peter¡¯s strong commitment were

1)     ¡°Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!¡±

2)     ¡°Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.¡±

3)     ¡°Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.¡±

 

Peter¡¯s strong denials were 

1) He denied all of them, by saying,

    ¡°I do not know what you are talking about.¡±

2) And again he denied with an oath, ¡°I do not know the man.¡±

3) Then he began to curse and swear, ¡°I do not know the man!¡±

 

1. the Repentance and the Forgiveness

 

1) Matthew 26:74b-75

74 And immediately a rooster crowed.

75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, ¡°Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.¡± And he went out and wept bitterly. And he broke down and wept.

2) 1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

2. the Healing from the wound of failure 

1) ¡°Simon, son of John, do you love (ajgapavw) Me more than these

2) ¡°Simon, son of John, do you love (ajgapavw) Me?¡±

3) ¡°Simon, son of John, do you love (filevw) Me?¡±

 

3. the Restoration of the loving relationship with Jesus

1) ¡°Yes, Lord; You know that I love (filevw) You

2) ¡°Yes, Lord; You know that I l love (filevw) You

3) ¡°Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (filevw) You.¡±

 

4. the Reinstatement of the Calling

1) Jesus said to him, ¡°Tend My lambs.¡±

2) Jesus said to him, ¡°Shepherd My sheep.¡±

3) Jesus said to him, ¡°Tend My sheep.¡±

Jesus healed his failure wound, restored the relationship and reinstated his calling fully.

 

Jesus gave him the clear direction to follow Jesus alone Because he really needed to commit his life to the Lord and follow wherever He leads,

 

Follow Me!

 

I. Follow Jesus

JN 21:18 ¡°Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.¡±

JN 21:19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ¡°Follow Me!¡±

 

   A. Prophecy for his destiny

1. Jesus prophesied Peter¡¯s death

    1) When you were younger, (spiritual immaturity)

         (1) You used to gird yourself. – your decision with your own discretion

         (2) You used to walk wherever you wished. – followed your own will

    2) When you grow old, (spiritual maturity)

         (1) You will stretch out your hands. – on the cross (?)

         (2) Someone else will gird you. – crucified

         (3) Someone else will bring you where you do not wish to go. – put to death

    3) when he getting old how he will glorify God

 

After Jesus Ministered Peter a Special Ministry in front of other Disciples, and then He prophesied about his death.

 

How do you feel if someone come to you and prophesy over you about your death?

What a great encouragement and hope for your life will be!

No! No! No!

You will be discouraged if some one prophesied about your death.

You might not happy about it. Or you are going to reject the prophetic word.

 

One time Pastor Juanita prophesied one couple about the encouragement to prepare against the jealousy. They expected to hear the encouragement and excitement prophetic word as their own view, but the prophetic word was not encouraged to them as their view.

They were so mad and rejected the prophetic word even rejected Pastor Juanita.

Within 5 months the jealousy came upon them, and they were in torment for a while because of it.

 

The suggestions how we have the right heart for the prophetic area

 

Prophet¡¯s reward

Matthew 10:41a

Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet¡¯s reward...

 

The origin of the prophetic word

2 Peter 1:21

For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

 

How we receive the prophetic word

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21

1TH 5:20 do not despise prophetic utterances.

1TH 5:21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

 

How you remember the prophetic word there are so many

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

 

Let¡¯s go back to the prophetic word that Jesus released it to Peter

Peter received it very well as his destiny.

When Jesus prophesied Peter, He spoke to him how he lived about his past life, and then he prophesied for his future how he would die.

 

About his past life;  

    1) When you were younger, (spiritual immaturity)

         (1) You used to gird yourself. – your decision with your own discretion

         (2) You used to walk wherever you wished. – followed his own will

 

He did live whatever he wanted according to his own concept, own experience and his own discretion instead to depend on the Holy Spirit, but align with his own will.

His life was very selfish and self centered life.

 

About his future life:

    2) When you grow old, (spiritual maturity)

         (1) You will stretch out your hands. – on the cross (?)

         (2) Someone else will gird you. – crucify him

         (3) Someone else will bring you where you do not wish to go. – put to death

 

Glorify God:

    3) When he grows old how he will glorify God.

 

When one matures, one does not do by our own flesh way, and whatever one does one wants to align with His Will.

His life will become the Christ centered life.

 

According to this prophetic word, the rest of his life would be his mission being fulfilled with no failure nor any possibility of the denial of his faith in Jesus until his death.

 

Our futures are full of His prophetic words and plans which are hidden or exposed at this point. And His words and plans will come to pass in our life. God released the prophetic words of my life already that I should know what God is going to do in my life.

The Words are huge and blessings.

 

God called me for the destiny in 1971, and God has put me in the relationship with the Lord since 1971.

Again God restored me for my destiny again in December 2000.

I shared it several times.

The prophetic Word was that the vision that God has given to me was shattered.

However, He called me again at the same day.

 

Without any single exception God calls you today.

 

     B. The hidden meaning of the Prophecy

JN 21:19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. ¡¦

 

Jesus prophesied only his death, but the bible explained what the real hidden meaning of the prophetic word about his death.

 

He will glorify the Lord through his death, because he will follow Jesus with his full commitment for the Lord until his old age. It was because Jesus did restore him fully for his destiny.

 

Every one has a destiny, and we need to know our destiny.

Peter¡¯s destiny was very clear to love Jesus and feed His Sheep till he died.

 

That destiny is not only Peter¡¯s, but ours as well.

We are going to die many different ways, however, our death should glorify the Lord.

According to the traditional testimony

Crucifixion of Peter by Nero

The Apostle and the first "Bishop of Rome", Peter, was imprisoned, tortured, and crucified in Rome in 64 CE under the Roman emperor, Nero. Some scholars set the date at October 13, 64 CE. The earliest documented record of Peter's death is in a letter from Clement, bishop of Rome (AD 88-97), to the Corinthians. It is in "The Acts of Peter" (2nd century CE), that we find the story of Peter being crucified upside-down, supposedly Peter requested so, because he was "unworthy to die in the same manner as my Lord."

Every martyred Christian is important to God¡¯s eye, and glorifies His Name.

Psalm 116:15

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones.

 

The death issue is the major issue of human life.

 

We are all concerned our life and death.

What happens after the death?

This is a huge question among all of us until today.

 

James 4:14

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

 

Our life is very short, such as a fog in the morning, but after the moment we are going to enter into the eternal life or the eternal judgment

 

One of the ancient Chinese Emperors sent many people all over the places to find the plant of immortality for him since he desired to have an immortal life. None of them, of course, ever found such a thing and he died at last.

 

People have a fear of death, something that no one can escape from.

 

Hebrews 9:27

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

 

According to this word of God, after the death, we understand that we are going to face the judgment.

 

We are going to be faced with two issues of eternity when we die.

One of course is the eternal life where we will live eternally with the Lord in heaven. The other eternity is we are going to be faced with the eternal judgment in hell.

 

Hell

One place in

Revelation 21:8

But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

 

This place is called the hell, the lake of fire and is also called the second death.

This place is full of fire and brimstone to burn eternally.

People who do not believe in Jesus and follow will be thrown into this place where not even their worm die, nor is the fire extinguished.

This place is the horrible and horrible place, and the saddest matter is that there is no way out and must stay in this place with indescribable horrible pain forever.

 

No one wants to go to this place, and there is another place for us.

 

The Kingdom of Heaven

And the other place is called the Kingdom of Heaven

 

Matthew 3:2

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.¡±

 

The glimpse of heaven

 

Revelation

 

Live with God

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, crying, pain or any curses;

 

The City of Jerusalem

The material of the wall: jasper;

the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

 

The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with 12 precious stone.

jasper; sapphire; chalcedony; emerald; sardonyx; sardius; chrysolite; beryl; topaz; chrysoprase; jacinth; amethyst.

 

the twelve gates: twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl.

the street of the city: pure gold, like transparent glass.

 

The size of this city: a square, 1,500 miles; length, width and height are equal

From California to Illinois (west to east)

From Canadian boarder to southern tip of Texas (north to south)

More than 2/3 size of continental USA

Mountain Everest height is 5.5 miles, but the city height will be 1500 miles

Inside of City: there is no need for the sun or the moon light in the city, for there is the glory of God, and its lamp is the Lamb

 

Our place: Jesus prepares our place in Heaven

a river of the water of life: coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

the tree of life: bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

His bond-servants will serve Him;

They will see His face,

His name will be on their foreheads.

There will no longer be any night;

Because there will be illumination by the Lord God;

They will reign forever and ever.

 

My father passed away 6 years ago, my brother 3 years ago, and my mother in law 2 years ago. I am happy about them, because I know that they are living in heaven with the Lord eternally.

 

My mother is 88 years old, and she will be there pretty soon with the Lord forever.

The more exciting news is that we are going to be there too.

 

The people whoever believes in Jesus will be guaranteed to live there with our Lord forever.

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ promised your eternal life will be guaranteed.

 

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 

Please give your life to the Lord and receive Him as your Savior and your Lord today if you do not believe in Jesus or you are not sure you are saved.

 

Come to the front if you want to receive Jesus right now, also you can come to the altar during the service or after the service.

 

 

   C. Calling

JN 21:19 ¡¦ He said to him, ¡°Follow Me!¡±

 

Jesus healed Peter, restored the relationship, reinstated his mission, and gave him a new calling.

 

Whatever prophetic words we have, we need to follow Him right now.

We can not live for the future alone. We are going to live in fantasy if we do not start today where God called us.

We have to follow Jesus our Lord today and keep walking toward the future.

 

Today what you obey to the Lord is the first step to fulfill your prophetic destiny.

I saw the people who have a great hope in the Lord because of the prophetic word, but they do not jump where God calling as the beginning point.

 

There are some people believe themselves as being very strong and mature in the Lord, and with many knowledge of the Bible.

 

1 Corinthians 8:1-2

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.

2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;

 

1 Corinthians 10:12

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

 

Many people are wandering around at all times, not faithful, make a decision quickly and change quickly.

 

Today God calls you, ¡°Follow Me!.¡±

 

II. Follow Jesus without distraction

JN 21:20 Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, ¡°Lord, who is the one who betrays You?¡±

JN 21:21 So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, ¡°Lord, and what about this man?¡±

JN 21:22 Jesus said to him, ¡°If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!¡±

JN 21:23 Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, ¡°If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?¡±

 

Peter¡¯s curiosity

Peter wanted to know about John¡¯s future.

      1. Saw John.

           1) Jesus loved him.

           2) He is the one who leaned on Jesus¡¯ bosom at the supper.

           3) He is the one who asked Jesus about the betrayer.

 

      2. Peter asked Jesus about his future.

           ¡°Lord, and what about this man?¡±

 

Jesus¡¯ correction

      1. If I want him to remain until come,

      2. What is that to you?

      3. You follow Me!

 

Misunderstanding Jesus¡¯ statement about John among the disciples

      1. John would not die. – spread this misunderstanding among the brethren

      2. Jesus did not mean that he would not die.

      3. Jesus challenged Peter to follow Him alone whatever He has plans for

      4. In His another words, to Peter, was not to be concerned about others.

 

Peter might have wondered why Jesus did minister him only, but not others.

So he turned around to other disciples, and he saw John first.

 

The thought came to his mind was about John¡¯s favor from Jesus.

He might have wondered why Jesus did not say anything to John even Jesus loved him so much.

 

He was so curiosity about Jesus¡¯ plan for John and others as well.

 

So he asked Jesus, ¡°Lord, what do You have plans for John.¡±

 

Jesus replied right away, ¡°Peter, whatever I have plan for John or other disciples, that is nothing to do with you.¡±

¡°You just need to follow Me alone that I called you.¡±

 

Jesus did not want him to get off focus from his calling.

We do not need to be like others or be critical about others¡¯ calling because Jesus called each one of us in His unique way.

 

We are easy to jump into others¡¯ business, creating problems in the process.

We are very easy to be influenced by other people¡¯s action.

We need to be influenced for the good things, but not for the bad.

We should not envy, be jealous, condemn or get emotionally involved about others in any way.

 

Whatever the situation we are in, we have to be on focus to follow Jesus alone.

 

Except this one we should focus on the Lord alone in our daily life.

 

1 John 3:16

We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 

Do you have any distractions that make you off focus your calling from the Lord?

 

Is your life distracted to follow Jesus because of other people¡¯s wrong action or any action for their own reasons?

 

It is time to focus on the Lord what you are called from the Lord continually.