SERMON NOTES
The hardest lessons we learn are the very things that God uses to encourage and
strengthen others.
Luke 22:31-34 and 54-62, John 21:1-19
Intro and Setting:
“But I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail, and when you have turned
back, strengthen your brothers.”
The Greek word “sterizo,” means to strengthen but it carries a deeper understanding of a kind
of support that is able to fix something so that it stands upright and is immovable.
God uses our hard experiences to strengthen us so we can in turn, strengthen and
encourage others.
Thomas: John 20:24-29
Thomas needed personal evidence that Jesus was alive, not just the disciples’ words, in
order to believe. Jesus adds what sounds like a sharp, direct call for him to “STOP doubting
and believe.”
In the Greek it sounds less sharp: Do not become unbelieving (apistos) but believing
(pistos).
Peter: John 21: 15-19
Peter’s third response to Jesus question “Do you love me” (Peter): You know all things, you
know what I did Jesus, you were there, you saw my fear, you heard each lie I spoke 3
times of not knowing you, and the last words like a curse saying I did not know you.
You looked right at me after I denied you the 3 rd time. I went out and wept bitterly. (Luke
22:62)
I wonder how many times Peter referred back to his own story to encourage others who
were going to face persecution and even death during the formation of the early church?
Our question: How will I stand in my faith, in my work setting, at school and at home?
Conclusion:
The hardest lessons we go through are never wasted.
Every hard lesson can be redeemed, it has a purpose so we can help challenge and
encourage others, “to feed the sheep”, to not become unbelieving but to keep believing, and
to pursue Jesus in obedience, in all he taught us and commanded us.
