The Day that Changed the Backslider

Summary: Our sermon this week, part of the "A.D. - The Day Everything Changed" series, focused on Jesus' encounter with Peter after the resurrection. We explored the profound conversation between Jesus and Peter on the shore of Galilee, where Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" This interaction not only restored Peter but also challenged us to examine the depth of our own love for Christ and its implications for our daily lives and ministry.

Takeaways:

The heart of our relationship with God is love: As Henry Blackaby said, "Settle the love relationship & everything else is settled!" We were reminded that many of our spiritual struggles may stem from a heart issue - our love for Jesus.

Jesus wants our love for Him, not just our activities: Christ didn't ask Peter about his love for ministry, preaching, or even being a Christian. He simply asked, "Do you love ME?" This challenges us to prioritize our personal relationship with Jesus above all else.

Our past failures don't disqualify us from future service: Despite Peter's denial, Jesus restored him and gave him a mission. This encourages us that God can use us regardless of our past mistakes if we return to Him in love.