God can crea\u00adte a new heart or res\u00adto\u00adre a bro\u00adken heart. Jesus shows us in his dealings with Peter, after his deni\u00adal, what pur\u00adpo\u00adseful pas\u00adto\u00adral care could look like. To do this, he crea\u00adtes a shame-free zone and a space of grace. For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness plays a key role in res\u00adto\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. The goal is a gro\u00adwing love for Jesus and a life in the voca\u00adti\u00adon God has inten\u00added for us.<\/p>\n
\tWhat inju\u00adries of the heart could have been the cau\u00adse of Peter\u2019s behaviour? God can crea\u00adte a new heart or res\u00adto\u00adre a bro\u00adken heart. Jesus shows us in his dealings with Peter, after his deni\u00adal, what pur\u00adpo\u00adseful pas\u00adto\u00adral care could look like. To do this, he crea\u00adtes a shame-free zone and a space of grace. For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness plays a key role in res\u00adto\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. The goal is a gro\u00adwing love for Jesus and\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7054,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[81],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":["wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","wpfc_sermon_series-creatio","wpfc-sermon-single","post-6864","wpfc_sermon","type-wpfc_sermon","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"],"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nTo be free \u2013 that is what we all want. The Bible says: \u00abOnly when the Son makes you free are you tru\u00adly free\u00bb (John 8:36 NLB<\/span>). How does he do that? Today we look into Jesus\u00bb pas\u00adto\u00adral prac\u00adti\u00adce of crea\u00adting a new heart or res\u00adto\u00adring a bro\u00adken heart.
\nStra\u00adte\u00adgies based on one\u2019s own imprints
\nPeter is quick, proac\u00adti\u00adve and self-con\u00adfi\u00addent. One gets the impres\u00adsi\u00adon that he is con\u00adstant\u00adly in com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adti\u00adon with Jesus\u00bb other fri\u00adends. For exam\u00adp\u00adle, he is con\u00advin\u00adced: \u00abEven if ever\u00adyo\u00adne lea\u00adves you, I will stay with you\u00bb (Matthew 26:33 NLB<\/span>). After Jesus pro\u00adphe\u00adsied that he would deny him, Peter insis\u00adted: \u00abNo! Not even if I had to die with you! I will never deny you!\u00bb (Matthew 26:35 NLB<\/span>). Per\u00adhaps Peter was brought up very meri\u00adto\u00adcra\u00adtic and he had to earn his par\u00adents\u00bb love by being bet\u00adter than the neighbour\u2019s boy. Per\u00adhaps he was also often sha\u00admed and laug\u00adhed at as a boy that he now wants to pro\u00adve to the who\u00adle world that he can do some\u00adthing. Per\u00adhaps he often had to get down at school and now must not allow any weak\u00adne\u00adss. Like every human being, Peter brings his child\u00adhood imprints and hurts with him into fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus.
\nCon\u00adtra\u00adry to all assu\u00adran\u00adces and honest inten\u00adti\u00adons, Peter short\u00adly after\u00adwards denies three times that he knows Jesus. \u00abAnd at that moment the cock cro\u00adwed. Sud\u00adden\u00adly Peter remem\u00adbe\u00adred Jesus\u00bb words: \u00abBefo\u00adre the cock crows, you will deny me three times.\u00bb And he went away, wee\u00adping bit\u00adter\u00adly\u00bb (Matthew 26:74\u201375 NLB<\/span>). Peter, devas\u00adta\u00adted, fil\u00adled with grief and shame. He felt like a fail\u00adure. The life stra\u00adte\u00adgies built on his imprints suf\u00adfe\u00adr\u00aded ship\u00adw\u00adreck. It was a bru\u00adtal crash landing and he plun\u00adged into the bot\u00adtom\u00adless pit. I could ima\u00adgi\u00adne that he even strug\u00adg\u00adled with sui\u00adci\u00addal thoughts. A litt\u00adle later he says in total frus\u00adtra\u00adti\u00adon, \u00abI\u2019m going fishing\u00bb (John 21:3 NLB<\/span>). Alt\u00adhough Jesus cal\u00adled him to fish for peo\u00adp\u00adle, he turns back to his old pro\u00adfes\u00adsi\u00adon. As a tri\u00adbu\u00adte to his fail\u00adure, he is wil\u00adling to live a life beneath his cal\u00adling. This reminds me of the son in the para\u00adble who, after fal\u00adling away, is wil\u00adling to give up his posi\u00adti\u00adon as a son and ins\u00adtead work as a day labou\u00adrer for his father. Whe\u00adre wounds are not cared for, fix\u00ada\u00adti\u00adons ari\u00adse. And the\u00adse stand in our way on our way to a good future.
\nStra\u00adte\u00adgies of Jesus in crea\u00adting a new heart
\nBut Jesus is not at the end of his Latin. He picks Peter up exact\u00adly whe\u00adre he lan\u00added. After the hard crash landing, Peter said to his col\u00adle\u00adagues: \u00ab \u00abI\u2019m going fishing.\u00bb The others said, \u00abWe\u2019ll come with you.\u00bb So they went out in the boat, but they caught not\u00adhing all night\u00bb (John 21:3 NLB<\/span>). In the mor\u00adning, Jesus stands on the shore and invi\u00adtes the who\u00adle fishing par\u00adty to break\u00adfast. Jesus ser\u00adves Peter as a holi\u00adstic per\u00adson who has not only spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal needs. After the tasty meal, pas\u00adto\u00adral care is then the order of the day.
\nJesus crea\u00adtes a hel\u00adpful atmosphere
\nFrom v.20 it is clear that the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon took place while wal\u00adking and apart from the others. Only John wal\u00adked behind. Jesus does not expo\u00adse anyo\u00adne, but crea\u00adtes a shame-free zone, an atmo\u00adsphe\u00adre of secu\u00adri\u00adty and intimacy.
\n\u00abAfter break\u00adfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, \u00abSimon, son of John, do you love me more than the others?\u00bb \u00bb (John 21:15a NLB<\/span>). Jesus had addres\u00adsed Peter as \u00abSimon son of John\u00bb only once befo\u00adre, in John 1:42, whe\u00adre he was pro\u00admi\u00adsed to be a \u00abrock\u00bb. So this is also about a new begin\u00adning. Jesus holds on to his cal\u00adling for Peter despi\u00adte his appa\u00adrent weak\u00adne\u00ads\u00adses. Jesus always makes a new begin\u00adning pos\u00adsi\u00adble for us. Recon\u00adnec\u00adting a bro\u00adken heart is about gro\u00adwing into the full poten\u00adti\u00adal God intended.
\nJohn means in Ger\u00adman God is gra\u00adcious. With the men\u00adti\u00adon of this name, Jesus opens a space of grace. With this he lays the foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon on which the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing pas\u00adto\u00adral care is to take place. It is the pre\u00addic\u00adtion of vic\u00adto\u00adry wit\u00adhout making amends. Peter is invi\u00adted to brea\u00adthe a sigh of reli\u00adef, to cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous\u00adly open his heart and to stand by his fail\u00adures. In the space of grace we can stand by our\u00adsel\u00adves and our failures.
\nJesus gent\u00adly heals Peter\u2019s heart
\nPeter lives under the pain of having ans\u00adwe\u00adred no three times to the ques\u00adti\u00adon whe\u00adther he knew Jesus. As a pas\u00adtor, Jesus does not begin with reproa\u00adches, but with a thought-pro\u00advo\u00adking ques\u00adti\u00adon. He asks him a total of three times about his love for Him. Peter is gent\u00adly intro\u00addu\u00adced to his past. But deal\u00ading with the past is an indis\u00adpensable part of the heal\u00ading pro\u00adcess. One can\u00adnot sim\u00adply \u00ablet the grass grow over it\u00bb. Peter is given a new chan\u00adce to decla\u00adre his rela\u00adti\u00adonship with Jesus. Peter ans\u00adwers some\u00adwhat timid\u00adly and no lon\u00adger with his usu\u00adal self-assu\u00adrance: \u00abYes, Lord, you know that I love you [\u2026]\u00bb. (John 21:15b NLB<\/span>).
\nThe ques\u00adti\u00adon of love for Jesus is the most important ques\u00adti\u00adon in life. No mat\u00adter what your task in the king\u00addom of God, the cru\u00adcial ques\u00adti\u00adon is to love Jesus. This love legi\u00adti\u00admi\u00adses you to act under the aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty of the Tri\u00adune God. Church Father Augus\u00adti\u00adne said, \u00abLove and then do what you will.\u00bb When we love God, the 615 indi\u00advi\u00addu\u00adal com\u00admandments of the Old Tes\u00adta\u00adment beco\u00adme moot or we will auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly live them. When the\u00adre is a deep love bet\u00adween hus\u00adband and wife, it is much easier to for\u00adgi\u00adve when the other has been hurtful.
\nWhy can Jesus cla\u00adim this love? Becau\u00adse God is love and loved us first. This divi\u00adne love also includes for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness. \u00abIf, like Christ, we live in the light of God, we have fel\u00adlow\u00adship with one ano\u00adther, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cle\u00adan\u00adses us from all sin\u00bb (1 John 1:7 NLB<\/span>). For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness is at the heart of all pas\u00adto\u00adral care and is made pos\u00adsi\u00adble on the ground of grace. I remem\u00adber a talk whe\u00adre a mother told how she for\u00adga\u00adve the mur\u00adde\u00adrer of her daugh\u00adter. Or Cor\u00adrie ten Boom, who sud\u00adden\u00adly stood in front of one of her tor\u00admen\u00adtors from the con\u00adcen\u00adtra\u00adti\u00adon camp who asked her for for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness. How hard it must be to for\u00adgi\u00adve someone who has abu\u00adsed you so much! For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness in coming to terms with the past can be enorm\u00adously dif\u00adfi\u00adcult and pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly requi\u00adres an under\u00adstan\u00adding of the guilt that God has for\u00adgi\u00adven me for. Max Luca\u00addo says: \u00abYou can\u2019t for\u00adgi\u00adve anyo\u00adne more than God for\u00adgi\u00adves you.
\nFor\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness means let\u00adting go of the right to hate, to make amends and to take reven\u00adge. It is a legal act that can be com\u00admit\u00adted even if the fee\u00adling is not yet rea\u00addy for it. For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness is the basis for heal\u00ading a bro\u00adken heart and the gate\u00adway to even\u00adtu\u00adal recon\u00adci\u00adlia\u00adti\u00adon. Anne Lamott, a wri\u00adter, wri\u00adtes: \u00abNot for\u00adgi\u00adving is like drin\u00adking rat poi\u00adson and then wai\u00adting for the rat to die.\u00bb By refu\u00adsing to for\u00adgi\u00adve, you are not har\u00adming the other per\u00adson, but yours\u00adelf. One makes the heal\u00ading of the woun\u00added heart impos\u00adsi\u00adble. Recon\u00adci\u00adlia\u00adti\u00adon invol\u00adves the res\u00adto\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon of a rela\u00adti\u00adonship with a per\u00adson who has been guil\u00adty of some\u00adthing against me. Howe\u00adver, this is not pos\u00adsi\u00adble in every case, and if the\u00adre is a dan\u00adger of a repeat offence, it does not make sense.
\nThe result of the res\u00adto\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon through Jesus
\nFin\u00adding my way into life as God inten\u00added it for me: \u00abPeter repli\u00aded, \u00abYes, Lord, you know that I love you\u00bb. Jesus said, \u00abThen feed my lambs\u00bb \u00bb (John 21:15b NLB<\/span>). In simi\u00adlar words, Jesus calls Peter to the shepherd\u2019s office twice more. Jesus for\u00adgi\u00adves Peter for his deni\u00adal and fail\u00adure. For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness, howe\u00adver, leads to a mis\u00adsi\u00adon. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, the com\u00admand \u00abFeed my lambs\u00bb is for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness and com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon in one. As a tri\u00adbu\u00adte to our fail\u00adure, we are pre\u00adpared to live under our cal\u00adling. Through for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness and the heal\u00ading of a bro\u00adken heart, we grow deeper into the cal\u00adling God has in store for us.
\nEnte\u00adring life with more love: The gra\u00adcious expe\u00adri\u00adence of for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness releases more love. Peter does not say: \u00abI love you more than the\u00adse\u00bb. Nevert\u00adhel\u00adess, he cle\u00adar\u00adly affirms the ques\u00adti\u00adon: \u00abDo you love me more than the others?\u00bb. The\u00adre is a sto\u00adry with the same choice of words. Jesus says of a woman, \u00abI tell you, her sins \u2013 and they are many \u2013 are for\u00adgi\u00adven her; so she has shown me much love. But a per\u00adson who has been for\u00adgi\u00adven very litt\u00adle shows litt\u00adle love\u00bb (Luke 7:47 NLB<\/span>). Peter could honest\u00adly ans\u00adwer Jesus\u00bb ques\u00adti\u00adon in the affir\u00adma\u00adti\u00adve becau\u00adse he nee\u00added more for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness than the other disci\u00adples after his deni\u00adal. He was more depen\u00addent on grace \u00abthan the others\u00bb. Through the deep expe\u00adri\u00adence of for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness through Jesus Christ, we beco\u00adme more capa\u00adble of love.
\nJust a moment ago Peter loved his own life more than Jesus. He was wil\u00adling to deny his rela\u00adti\u00adonship with Jesus in order to ensu\u00adre his own sur\u00advi\u00adval. Peter is enab\u00adled to love more through Jesus\u00bb pas\u00adto\u00adral care! \u00abI assu\u00adre you, when you were young you could do as you plea\u00adsed and go whe\u00adre you plea\u00adsed. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and ano\u00adther will lead you and take you whe\u00adre you do not want to go\u00bb (John 21:18 NLB<\/span>). By res\u00adto\u00adring our hearts, we beco\u00adme more sel\u00adfless and place our lives more trus\u00adtingly in Jesus\u00bb hands. We all need this heal\u00ading pro\u00adcess to ser\u00adve bet\u00adter and beco\u00adme more useful to Jesus.
\n
\nOne(s) can spend their who\u00adle long life in self-direc\u00adtion. But if we want to be used by God and led into our true cal\u00adling, then we have to let the Crea\u00adtor Jesus come to our hearts. In the cour\u00adse \u00abLiving in Free\u00addom\u00bb we would like to give the Son, who tru\u00adly sets us free, space for his pas\u00adto\u00adral care.
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead Bible text: Luke 22:54\u201362; John 21:15\u201322<\/p>\n
\n\tHow did Jesus mana\u00adge to open a space that enab\u00adled Peter to open his heart?
\n\tWhy did Jesus ask Peter three times about his love for him?
\n\tWhat does it mean that Jesus com\u00admis\u00adsio\u00adned Peter three times to feed his sheep?
\n\tAre you living in the voca\u00adti\u00adon God inten\u00added for you?
\n\tCheck whe\u00adther it might be your turn to join the cour\u00adse \u00abLiving in Freedom\u00bb.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"