Breakfast with Jesus | A Sermon on John 21:1-14

Introduction
When I think back on my life, I’ve spent a lot of time around water.  I was born in North Beach, Maryland, and lived two blocks from the Chesapeake Bay.  Some of my earliest memories are of my family walking down to the beach to swim.  I can still remember the smell of the water-soaked creosote beams of the wooden pier that extended out into the bay where people would catch fish and blue crab. 

Later we moved to Macon, Georgia where my dad ran the concession stands at Lake Tobesofkee.  Part of his business was a small marina with a dock and 2 gas pumps where boats would fill their tanks for day out on the lake.  

My dad needed something to occupy me while he ran the marina.  So he taught me how to catch brim off the dock with a cane pole by using stale bread.  I would roll up a little do ball and stick in on the hook.  It would only stay on a few seconds, but that's all you needed to catch the hundreds of small, hungry brim that congregated around the dock.

I tell you all this because today we have a lake story for our Scripture reading. 

John 21:1-14
¹ Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.^[a] This is how it happened. ² Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),^[b] Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

³ Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

⁴ At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. ⁵ He called out, “Fellows,^[c] have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

⁶ Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

⁷ Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. ⁸ The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards^[d] from shore. ⁹ When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

¹⁰ “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

¹² “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. ¹⁴ This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

A Lesson About Mission (Making Disciples)
Over the centuries, the meaning of this passage has been interpreted many ways.  But today, the Lord has given me 4 primary lessons to share with you.  

The first lesson is about what followers of Jesus are supposed to do.  Peter was a fisherman.  When Jesus first found Peter, he was in a boat & hadn’t caught any fish.  Jesus performed a miracle and Peter caught so many fish it almost sank the boat.  Then, Jesus said “Come follow me and I’ll teach you to “fish for people”.

In our story today, Jesus reenacted Peter’s calling.  Again, the Disciples are in the boat and haven’t caught anything all night.  The resurrected Christ comes along and  says, “He fellas!  Have you caught anything?”  “Nope.”  “Well, throw your nets on the other side!”   And when they do, they have miraculous success, just like they did the first time Jesus called them to follow Him and be fishers of men. 

Through this miracle, Jesus reminds the Disciples and us what we’re supposed to do.  Jesus called us to fish for people.  What are you known for?  Are you a fisherman?  Are you a lake person?  Are you a teacher, a nurse, an electrician, a mother, a father?  You may be all these and more, but if you are a follower of Jesus, you are called to invite people to follow Jesus.

Stark Methodist is known for a lot of things:  chicken stew, River of Life, Lovin’ Lunches, and so many other caring ministries.  But all these wonderful ministries are meant to be avenues for us to fulfill our true mission:  to make Disciples of Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

A Lesson in Dependence
Another important lesson this story teaches is a lesson in dependence.  Peter, James, and John were experienced fishermen.  But even the best fishermen can get skunked.  But when Jesus shows up, an unlucky night for the Disciples turns into a net full of abundance.  Jesus presence ensured miraculously abundance.

When it comes to the mission of the Church—to fish for people/to make disciples—we cannot do it on our own.  We need Jesus.  Walking closely with Him brings success.

Sometimes, we focus so much on what we do and how we do it.  We’re like the fishermen who master all the right fishing techniques but still come up with empty nets.  Then Jesus comes along—a carpenter, not a fisherman—and He says something really annoying like:  “throw your nets on the other side of the boat”.  (What does a carpenter know about fishing?)  But when we listen, all of a sudden our nets are so full we can’t pull them in.

If you spend more time recognizing the presence of Jesus, listening to His voice, and staying in tune with Him, then you will experience more of the miraculous abundance that comes when you  walk closely with Him.

Fellowship with the Risen Christ
But don’t think following Christ only about work.  Walking with Jesus is a joy!

And that’s why I love another aspect of this story.  It gives us a picture of Jesus and the Disciples simply enjoying breakfast together.  The Disciples have lost their way of life.  They know Jesus is still alive (they’ve already seen Him twice), but they don’t know what to do with themselves because their lives and routines have changed after the resurrection.

Isn’t that the way it feels sometimes when you lose some close to you?  You know they are alive in heaven, but you miss them and you miss living life with them. I bet the Disciples felt like that.  They know Jesus is alive, but it doesn’t feel like He’s there with them telling them what to do. 

Then Jesus comes along and they know it’s Him, and He says, “Come, eat some breakfast.”  And He reminds them that He is with them.  And He reminds them of what they’ve always done.  They enjoy life together.  They eat, they laugh, they live a joyful life together.

Oh!  What would you give to just eat some breakfast again with someone you love who’s gone?  This, in some way, is the glory of living in the Kingdom of Heaven.  It’s not just a place we go to when we die.  It’s a Kingdom we start living in now the moment we say yes to Jesus.

Jesus is with us now—walking with us, eating breakfast with us, living life with us.  And we believe in the “communion of saints”—that we are in fellowship with all the saints who have gone on to be with the Lord.  Hebrews 12:1 says we are surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses” of the saints who’ve gone before us.  And you get the picture of a crowd of people cheering us on as we run our race of Christ.

So, this story in John 21 reminds us, we are not alone.  Jesus is with us.  The saints are with us.
And there can be joyful fellowship—even as we do the ordinary things of life, like eat breakfast.

Physical Resurrection
Finally, John's story shows us something powerful about what happens after we die.  We have physical and live in physical world.  This story is full of physical elements.  Imagine the sights and sounds of it. 

The disciples are in a boat, fishing.  Can you hear the water lapping against the hull?  Can you feel the chill on the air as the first rays of sunrise break through?  How about the smell of the charcoal fire burning on the beach as Jesus cooks fish for breakfast?  Imagine how the cool sand felt between Peter’s toes as he walked up to join Jesus.  

And Jesus and all the Disciples eat together.  Now that may seem insignificant, but it tells us that after we die, we aren’t just spirits floating around playing harps.  Jesus had a physical body—He cooked, ate, wore clothes, spoke and was heard by the people He loved.  And He knew them and they recognized Him.

If you want to know what eternal life is like, this story of the resurrected Jesus is a clue.  Jesus, resurrected, represents what we will all experience when we rise to eternal life like He did.  There will be eating, dancing, fishing, and we will have a body to experience it all.

But not a broken, corrupted body like the one we have now.  It will be perfect.  John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed our resurrected bodies would be real, recognizable, and physical—but no longer weak, broken, or dying.  You’ll no longer have get tired.  You’ll have ears that hear perfectly and eyes that see everything with full clarity.  We will have an increased ability to experience pleasure, beauty, and delight and live in a world more vivid because it is no longer broken. 

Closing Invitation
So, if you want to experience this glorious resurrection to eternal life promised to Christ’s followers, then I pray you will make a decision to follow Jesus.  Surrender your life to Him.

Not just part of your life—all of it.  Your plans, your identity, your future—place it in His hands.

Because this story reminds us of something very important:  Jesus isn’t just preparing a place for you someday, He’s inviting you into a relationship with Him today.

He’s standing on the shore of your life right now calling out to you: 
“Come… and have breakfast.”  Come and know Me.  Come and walk with Me.
Come and trust Me.  Come and live life with Me.

And for those of you who already follow Jesus, maybe you’ve been out in the boat for a while, working hard, doing your best.  But if you’re honest, the nets have felt empty.  Maybe you’ve been trying to do life—or even ministry—on your own strength.  This morning, Jesus is calling you back too.  Listen for His voice.  Trust His direction.  Walk closely with Him again.  Because when Jesus is there, empty nets don’t stay empty.

The same Jesus who cooked breakfast on the shore… is inviting you to walk with Him today—and dine with Him forever.

 

The Walk to Emmaus | A Sermon on Luke 24:12-34

Introduction
Last Sunday, we celebrated the wonderous resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  The resurrection changed everything.  It was so unexpected, unprecedented, and momentous, it took time for the ramifications to sink in.  In fact, by Sunday evening of that first Easter, many of Jesus’ Disciples were still trying to figure out what had happened.  And for forty days, Jesus appeared numerous times to different groups on various occasions to confirm He really was alive and to teach what that means for the world.

Over the next 8-weeks, I’m going to share some of the stories of Jesus’ appearances and what they mean for us today.  The first is one of my favorites—the story of the Walk to Emmaus. …….

Luke 24:13-34
¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles^[c] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. ¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²² “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat,^[d] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

³² They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.^[e]”

The Walk to Emmaus Spiritual Retreat
There is a great modern day 3-day spiritual retreat named after this story called "The Walk to Emmaus."  I’ll be working as a chaplain on a the North Georgia Walk to Emmaus April 30-May 2.
If you are interested, I would be glad to talk with you about how you could attend WTE.  It had a tremendous impact on my life when I attend in 1996.

4 Things This Story Teaches Us
Now, back to our Scripture lesson about the original Walk to Emmaus.  It’s an incredible story. 
And it teaches us at least 4 things about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It really happened.  
The 2 Disciples left Jerusalem to walk to Emmaus (about 7 miles—2-3 hours of walking).  Why did they leave Jerusalem?  Scripture doesn’t say directly, but we can read some things between the lines.  In verse 21, they said, “We had hoped he was the Messiah…”  That’s past tense—like they aren’t sure they believe it anymore.  They were probably confused and overwhelmed.  They’d heard the women’s stories, but it doesn’t seem like they believed Jesus was really alive.  

Verse 17 says they were sad; but they may have been afraid too.  That would be a understandable.  The authorities who killed Jesus were probably keen on stamping out his following too  Anyone known publicly to follow Jesus could be in danger of reprisals.  So, the thought was probably, “Let’s get away from Jerusalem to somewhere safer.”

But then, Jesus shows up.  He’s not dead.  He’s alive.  They don’t recognize Him at first, but He’s alive!  The first thing this story teaches us is Jesus really did rise from the dead.  That’s important for so many reasons, but let me share 4.

1. It proves Jesus is who He said He is.  The resurrection confirms Jesus is the Son of God—not just a teacher or prophet.  Jesus is immortal and has power over death.
2. Second, it guarantees our forgiveness. The cross paid for sin, and the resurrection shows that payment was accepted.
3. Third, it gives us hope of eternal life. Because He lives, we will live also—death is not the end.
4. Fourth, it empowers our present life. The risen Christ is alive and active, giving us strength, purpose, and victory now.

The Resurrection was foretold in Scripture.
Another lesson from the Walk to Emmaus teaches is:  This was God’s plan all along; it was foretold in Scripture.  The death and resurrection of the Messiah was a surprise to the Disciples (to everyone really), but it was not a surprise to God or His Son.  The resurrection wasn’t a tragedy that got a positive spin.  It was part of God’s plan all along.  Scripture said it would happen.  So, it validates that God’s Word is trustworthy and true.

It proves Jesus is the promised Messiah.  The fulfillment of prophecy connects Jesus directly to God’s promises to Israel—He is the One they were waiting for.  The fact Jesus’ death and resurrection were foretold in Scripture shows God keeps His promises.  We can trust Him to keep every promise He’s made to us too—including the promise of our resurrection.

When we don’t recognize Jesus, He helps us see.
A third thing the Walk to Emmaus Story teaches us is:  Jesus helps us see Him.  Jesus wants to be known.  He wants us to know He alive and He is with us.  We often have trouble seeing it.  We’re often too busy, overwhelmed, afraid, sad, angry, or lonely to see Jesus.  But Jesus has ways to open our eyes.

Before you were ever thinking about God, He was already thinking of you.  He puts people in your life and lead you into situations that help reveal Him to you and help you see Him.

We see also from this story that God uses Scripture to help us see Jesus.  Scripture—rightly understood—is a powerful way we can understand Him.

Finally, we see that Holy Communion is a powerful way Jesus can open our eyes so we can see Him.  In the story, it was when Jesus broke the bread of Holy Communion that they knew it was the risen Christ with them.  The holy sacrament can open our eyes too.

Knowing Christ is with us empowers us.
A fourth lesson from our Scripture today is: Knowing the risen Christ is with us empowers us.  I want you to notice something.  These 2 disciples walk 2-3 hours to get to Emmaus (possibly running away in fear and disillusionment).  They had planned to spend the night in Emmaus.  We know this because of what they said to Jesus before they recognized Him.  They said, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” (verse 29).  But after recognizing the risen Christ, they were empowered and emboldened to go back to Jerusalem (even though it was already dark)!  No fear of bandits on the road or authority figures who might try to do them in.  They walked 2-3 hours back to Jerusalem in the dark!

One of the most powerful things Jesus did for me when I attended the spiritual retreat, The Walk to Emmaus, was open my eyes to Jesus presence every moment in my life.  Before The Walk, I already knew about Jesus, that He was alive, that He was my Lord.  But somehow, during my Walk, I realized and accepted deep down inside the true reality of His living presence with me.  I can't explain it, but now walking with Christ through life is a very real and powerful experience.  He really is alive and He is with me every day and it is empowering!

The same is true for you if you Jesus is your Lord.  And really knowing it will empower you to live like you have nothing to lose.

Closing Meditation
The two disciples in our Scripture didn’t recognize Jesus at first.  
Jesus walked with them a long time, but they didn’t know it was Him. 
But then something changed.  Scripture says, ‘their eyes were opened.’

I wonder how many of us are walking through life right now, and Jesus is with us, but we just don’t see Him clearly?

I want you to consider for just a minute.
Think about your life this past week.
Contemplate the moments you were too busy or felt overwhelmed.
Consider the times you were afraid or filled with worry.
Remember the moments you felt alone.
What if Jesus was right there with you then and you didn’t recognize Him?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, just like those disciples on the road to Emmaus, we don’t always see You.
But You are with us.  Open our eyes to Your presence, to Your truth, to Your work in our lives.
Help our hearts to burn within us again as we recognize You.
In Your name, we pray.  Amen.

I was On Your Mind - A Heartfelt Youth Sunday Sermon by Abigail Mullis and Amy Harris

This past Sunday was Youth Sunday at my church.  It is a time when the middle and high school students lead worship.  As part of this service, my 18-year-old daughter, Abigail, shared a heart felt message followed by a message from her youth pastor, Amy Harris.  I share their messages with you here.

Abigail's Message
This is my last Youth Sunday, which is crazy. I’m a little nervous, so stick with me. I hope you can take away even a little something from my message today.

That song I sang earlier is called "On Your Mind" by John Mark Pantana. If you’re ever looking for Christian songs that aren’t on the radio (because those aren’t my favorite, if I’m being honest), ask me for some—I’ve got some good ones. I decided to sing this song a month ago because it’s about this wonderful thing called prevenient grace. It’s the idea that God is looking out for us before we’re born, before we give our lives to Him, and even before the world began. He had you in His heart. That is incomprehensible, but I see it consistently in my life.

I’ve had the privilege of growing up in a single church, which is really remarkable because most kids of Methodist pastors don’t get that opportunity. I’ve been here since I was three years old, and that’s crazy to me. I’m very grateful for it because you’ve all helped me grow in my faith and made me who I am.

I want to start with a verse that I’ll keep coming back to—1 Corinthians 13:13: “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.” Pleasant Grove has embodied this verse for me. After all, where would I be without the love of my church?

Sherry Dickon’s love of prayer has inspired me. David’s love of music has pushed me and nurtured my own love. Angel and Sally have a zest for life that I deeply admire. There are so many of you who cared for me during Sunday school classes and children’s programs, even when I was the only one there. That might seem small, but it meant a lot to me that you showed up, even when it might have felt pointless. I’ll never forget weekends with T.W. and Margie, who cared for me like surrogate grandparents. Emily Andrews looked after me on weekends when my parents went on date nights. Elaine McDonald gave me a book of prayers after my first Youth Sunday sermon because I talked about how anxious I was, and I still read it almost every day.

And Deborah—I can’t forget her. She’s my Sunday school teacher, even though I’m the only one in her class. She takes me on rides and is basically my grandparent. We don’t just do Sunday school anymore; we talk, and it’s the most wonderful thing.

But my biggest thank-you goes to Amy. She makes me laugh every time I see her, tells me crazy stories from her life, and writes messages that touch my soul. She shows me the love of God in a way no one else has. She’s always there to listen and talk, free of judgment, and she speaks pure love.

God put this church, and the majority of you, in my life when I was three years old. Even then, I was on God’s mind. But soon, I’ll leave. In a couple of months, you’ll have new Abigails to raise. I thought I’d give you some advice on how to love others the way you’ve loved me—not just children, but everyone who needs love. Everyone needs love. Being a loving Christian is how we shine our light into the world. True, unbounded, unexplainable love is what sets Christians apart. Yes, we’ll fall short, but when we let God into our hearts, we are changed. In my experience, that makes loving God much easier.

2 Corinthians 6:6 says: “We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.”

Love is more than an idea or virtue; it’s a way of life. It means loving everyone, even if they dislike you, disagree with you, or show you no love in return. When I have a hard day, I wear a cross necklace my parents gave me for my 15th birthday. It reminds me to reflect on how people see me and how God calls me to love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 says: “If I could speak all the languages of earth and angels but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, understood all of God’s secret plans, and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I had to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”

We often approach witnessing the wrong way. It’s not about telling people what God is, what Jesus did for them, or why their thinking is wrong. It’s about showing what God did for you and how He changed you. Show how God loves you through your actions. Empathetic, sincere love touches the soul.

1 Corinthians 9:22 says: “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.”

Love is our most powerful tool. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being human. When we truly love freely and generously, we see the world through God’s eyes. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 reminds us: “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me completely.”

God knows us completely, including our shortcomings and darkest secrets, yet He loves us. Humans are beautiful in their flaws, and we are made in God’s image. How wonderful is God’s plan to reach us in a way we can understand?

So now it’s your turn. If you ever question your impact on this world, remember 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.” I love you all so much, and I’m so grateful to have experienced your love for the past 15 years of my life. Thank you.

After Abigail spoke, her youth pastor spoke.  Here is what Amy Harris said:

Amy's Message
Well, I think I didn’t really need to give a second sermon, and I definitely should have let Abigail go last this time. But I did prepare a message, so you’re going to listen to it!

Today is one of my favorite Sundays of the year. I get here, and I’m a frazzled mess. Jeremy and David are up there trying to say, “We’ve got this—you can just walk away from all things technology.” That’s for their benefit, not mine, because I don’t know what I’m doing. They’ve got it under control. I get here, I’m a mess, I’m running around, and then it all falls into place because we are honoring God this morning. These young men and women show up, and they lead, and I love it. I absolutely love it.

What an honor and a privilege it is for our young men and ladies to have the opportunity to represent Christ in such a bold and public way. Not everyone is made to be in front of crowds, and some of these guys and gals are way out of their comfort zones this morning. I’m so very proud of them.

I’ll start my message with an easy question for each of you: What is God’s ultimate will for your life? Where does He see you in 10, 15, or 20 years from now? Everybody good? Got it all laid out? Okay.

God’s will is not a topic that can be covered in a 15-minute sermon. My scripture research alone took two hours because the entire Bible lays out God’s will for our lives. I’ll start with, and put a lot of focus on, the story of Jonah this morning.

I had a lot of fun digging into Jonah this week, and, unfortunately, we can probably all relate to Jonah at some point in our lives. Jonah was a prophet, and one day God called him and told him to go preach to Nineveh because the people there were very wicked. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel’s greatest enemies, and he wanted nothing to do with preaching to them.

(Side note: When I was much younger, I had a part-time job at the White Wing Christian Bookstore—do you all remember when that was around? At the time, the VeggieTales movie Jonah had come out, and we played that on repeat. That was my favorite movie! The silly fish—do you all remember them? I loved it. Anyway, back on topic.)

Instead of traveling east to Nineveh, Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction and headed west by boat to Tarshish. The boat was full of pagan sailors, so God sent a great storm upon it. The men on the ship were terrified. They prayed to their gods and threw cargo overboard to try to lighten the ship and prevent it from sinking. Jonah, meanwhile, was asleep through all of this. The sailors went to wake him and shouted at him to pray to his God. Jonah had already told the men that he was running from God. Together, they decided that Jonah was to blame for the storm, and Jonah told them the only way to stop it was to throw him overboard.

These pagan men didn’t want to do that. They tried rowing harder and faster to get out of the storm, but it only grew worse. Finally, they sought forgiveness from Jonah’s God and threw Jonah overboard. As soon as Jonah hit the water, the storm stopped. Then God sent a big fish (some call it a whale) to swallow Jonah and save him from drowning.

While in the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed to God for help. He thanked God for not abandoning him. While Jonah never truly repented, he did praise God for His mercy. For three days, Jonah sat in the belly of the fish. Then God had the fish spit Jonah out onto the shores of Nineveh. Where else would our God send him?

A second time, God spoke to Jonah and told him to go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message the Lord had given him. So Jonah half-heartedly preached a five-word sermon to Nineveh. (You should be so lucky this morning!) He warned them to repent before the city was destroyed in 40 days. Surprisingly, the people believed Jonah’s short and sweet message. They turned from their wickedness, and God had mercy on them, sparing the city from destruction.

Jonah, however, became angry and bitter because God didn’t destroy the Ninevites, Israel’s enemies. Jonah sat to rest and watch to see what would happen to them. God provided a vine to give him shade, but the next day, God sent a worm to eat the vine. Now Jonah was sitting in the hot sun, complaining and wishing to die. God scolded Jonah for caring more about a plant than the 120,000 people of Nineveh.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were called to issue a warning or message, but the recipients were so terrible and rebellious that you didn’t feel they deserved it? Jonah is a perfect example of how human stubbornness can’t change the will of God. Yet God can still use the most resistant hearts to build His kingdom.

The entire story is almost like satire. Everything that should be isn’t, and everything that shouldn’t be is. The man of God is angry and disobedient, while the pagan sailors and the wicked Ninevites are repentant. But when you desire to know God, you realize this makes perfect sense. We don’t serve an ordinary God. We serve a God full of surprises and miracles.

Then you have the heroes of the Bible who never second-guessed their role in God’s plan. Take, for instance, the woman at the well. Jesus broke down social barriers when He met her. She had a sorted past, yet she immediately followed Jesus when she learned who He was. She went back to her town and told others about Him—this man who knew everything about her and still offered her the opportunity for forgiveness and eternal life. Through her, hearts were changed after just one meeting at a well with Jesus.

Consider Mary, the mother of Jesus. When Mary learned she would be the mother of God’s Son, she could have been put to death. Yet, according to Luke 1:38, Mary responded to the angel Gabriel with, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” She was willing to accept the risk because she trusted God. Every Christmas, I’m reminded and inspired by Mary’s selfless faith.

The disciples also stand as examples of faith. They walked away from their livelihoods, their families, and everything they had known to follow Jesus.

We know that even when we live outside the will of God, He is faithful. He is a God of second chances. Adam and Eve were the first example of God’s faithfulness and His desire to see no one perish. They disobeyed His direct order and lied about it, yet God forgave them. David broke half the Ten Commandments in one fell swoop: coveting, abuse of power, adultery, treachery, and even murder. Still, God forgave him.

Jesus shares the parable of the prodigal son—the ultimate example of an undeserving second chance. This reminds us that unconditional forgiveness is a cornerstone of Jesus’ love for us. Peter, who followed Jesus closely, denied Him three times to save his own life. Yet, Jesus forgave him.

When we fall out of step with God’s will, we have the option to fall right back into it, as if we never left. That’s the beauty of serving a forgiving God.

We talk about God’s will like it’s difficult to understand. We sing, “Thy will be done,” and we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” But then we hesitate when we’re called to carry out difficult tasks. We forget that:

• The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.
• The will of God will never take you where the arms of God cannot support you.
• The will of God will never draw you where the riches of God cannot supply your needs.
• The will of God will never take you where the power of God cannot endow you.
• The will of God will never take you where the love of God cannot enfold you.

We tend to think of God’s will as something outward, requiring extraordinary steps to complete tasks. But in reality, God’s will for our lives is about transformation—of mind, body, and spirit. It’s saying goodbye to the old me and hello to the Holy Spirit-filled me. Without this transformation, we may never fully understand the specific calling God has for us.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 spells it out: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Following God’s will isn’t just about daily actions; it’s about a heart and mind transformation. When we follow Paul’s advice to always be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful in everything, our hearts are focused on being who God wants us to be. When we’re focused on God, we hear His direction more clearly. There’s less room for the world’s voices to distract us. If we are focused on Him, we’ll recognize His voice, and there will be no mistaking His instructions.

There’s a story about a young woman trying to decide where to go to college. She prayed about it and found Amos 4:4, which begins, “Go to Bethel.” Excited, she thought God was leading her to Bethel College. But if you read the rest of the verse, it says, “Go to Bethel and sin.” This is why it’s important to live a life focused on God’s voice. If we’re not focused on Him, we risk misunderstanding His direction.

Where is the will of God leading you today? Are you, like Jonah, reluctant to take that step God is calling you to take? Are you running in the opposite direction?

I recently came across a pastor named J. John. He told a story about a man who wanted to become a missionary. The man worried about how to provide for his family while pursuing his calling. J. John suggested finding ten people to donate a tenth of his annual income. But God also told J. John to give the first tenth himself. Reluctantly, he did. Today, that missionary has traveled across Europe, established multiple ministries, and has a staff of 35 people. J. John now proudly says, “I did that. God directed me, and I followed.”

God wants you to use your blessings to bless others so you can say, “I did that. I followed God’s directions.”

Where is God leading you today? Are you always joyful? Always praying? Thankful in all circumstances? Not for all circumstances—because sometimes life is hard—but in all circumstances, knowing God works through all things for good.

As we sing our last song today, I invite you to come to the altar. Lift up our young leaders, our youth ministries, and our children’s ministries. Our church has gone through enormous transitions, and I feel like we’re ready to grow. But we can’t grow if our children’s and youth ministries aren’t thriving. They are the future of Pleasant Grove.

Come to the altar, pray for these ministries, and see what God can do—just through your prayers.