From Failure To Friend
God's Forgiveness Is Available To Anyone Who Will Believe.
Chris Einweihte
Apr 11, 2021 45m
Have you ever felt like you have failed in life? If so, this message will teach you that God's forgiveness is available to anyone who believes in Him. The story of Jesus forgiving Peter after his betrayal is a beautiful illustration to all who feel unforgivable. Video recorded at Ocean City, New Jersey.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
Chris Einwechter (00:01):
And amen, right Leon? Amen, right Katie? Amen. Amen. Good morning, Eighth and West street in Ocean City, New Jersey, talking about Coastal Christian. Not a perfect church, but wow, a pretty good church because of you guys, right?
Chris Einwechter (00:30):
Behind the scenes, I wish you could see some of the stuff that happens week in and week out. By the way, I'm Pastor Chris, if you don't know me, one of the pastors on staff here, I oversee pastoral care. I did three funerals this week, so you've got to give me some mercy with my voice, and I spoke last service. It just started cracking a little bit at the funeral yesterday, the funeral of a great man, Mr. Tomlinson, boy, what a legacy of that guy left behind. I was honored to do his funeral.
Chris Einwechter (01:04):
And I'm honored to be here with you guys this morning. Amen. Thank you. Going to be talking about how to go from a failure, to a friend of God. And I'm going to share some of my experiences with you. I'm going to be talking about the Book of John, chapter 21, if you want to turn there, go ahead of me as I pray. Father, you're so good, aren't you? Lord, could you speak through me, Lord with my voice, just don't feel like I got the energy, but Lord, you're teaching me. All I need is you, and so would you move, would you do what you want to do with the service? Have your way, Lord. And it's in Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Chris Einwechter (01:59):
The Book of John, so many things about the Book of John. Over 100 times, you can Google this, John, the writer says, believe, over a hundred times in the Book of John, I didn't know. It's also the book where Jesus says, I am, a lot, like seven times. I am the bread of life. I am the way the truth and the life I am the true vine. I am the shepherd. I am the door. And my favorite, oh man, "I am the resurrection and the life. Right, he, that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet, shall he live." I don't know about the resurrection, Jesus said, Martha and Mary, talking about Lazarus. I didn't write about the resurrection, I didn't study about the resurrection. I am the resurrection. Is that not powerful? There's some things in scripture, man, that stick with you, you know? Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Pretty interesting about the Book of John, like that movie Mall Cop, fun fact for you, remember he's trying to date that girl with the Mustang? Fun fact for you, fun fact about the Book of John, so now, you know, believe is written more than 100 times. John 20:31, says the reason John wrote this whole book, "That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." That's powerful.
Chris Einwechter (03:41):
John 21:1 says this, "After these things.." Right? After these things, he's talking about the resurrection we celebrated last Sunday. After these things, Thomas, saying, I don't believe nothing until I see him. After these things, he'd already showed himself twice. So John is saying after all those things, you know, when he walked in and said, Hey, Thomas, come on over here, man, touch my side, stop doubting and believe. "After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself." In what way? This amazing way, here's who was present. Verse two, "Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee" Yes, Galilee and Zebedee rhyme. "Two other disciples." They don't mention their names. Verse three, seven of them total.
Chris Einwechter (04:43):
Verse three, Simon Peter, we know Peter, who doesn't know Peter? Peter was a trip, al right, that's how we'll sum that brother up. Peter, impulsive, emotional, but he was a good brother as we'll see. I'm going fishing, man, I know the Lord said, he's going to come here, meet us at Galilee. Look here, let's go fishing. He's the leader, so "They said, hey, we're going with you, they immediately got into the boat. And that night they caught (What?) nothing." Nothing. So at first glance we see their fishing at night, caught nothing. By the way, I did look up nothing in the Greek, and it still means nothing. That's for you, Pastor Matt, in the Greek, it means nothing. But we do know something, we know that these guys were fishermen by what? Trade, experts so to speak, right? They got the PhD on the wall saying they know how to fish.
Chris Einwechter (05:50):
So perfect conditions, you know, back then they'd fish at night. Why? Because they would light torches, I'm told and read, on both sides of the boat, and the fish would be attracted to the light at night and they'd be able to catch more fish. Pretty cool. Right? So that's what they did. They went out there, and the Bible says, caught nothing. So what did I take from that? Don't leave the Lord out, right? Like I've done a thousand times. Anybody with me? Oh, I got this. Strike that from your vocabulary. No, you've got this. Perfect conditions, but they don't got this, don't leave the Lord out. Like Chris Einwechter has done so many times, learn from my mistakes today guys. Trusting yourself and your own power and your PhD on the wall, your so-called expertise, compared to trusting the Lord with even a simple thing like fishing, is going to come down to one thing all the time, every time, one word, results. Do you want good results? Put God first, rely on him, stop relying on yourself. You'll see a difference between your results, and God's, as we will here.
Chris Einwechter (07:07):
Verse four, "But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore." This is after he has resurrected. "Jesus stood on the shore, yet..." What? The disciples did not know, something very important, that it was who? They didn't know, a hundred yards away, but you know, maybe they might say, we hung with this guy for three years, we might know what he looks like a little bit. I know it's a hundred yards, a football field, but we don't know who that is. Think about it, right, but we need to be careful because we fail, I'm just going to say me, I fail to recognize the Lord some times. Meaning, I don't sense the leading of the Holy Spirit all the time. Right? I don't know when God is moving or prompting me all the time, I fail to recognize the Lord. And there are times, and I know we all have them, we get so busy on our own stuff, we forget and we miss the Lord.
Chris Einwechter (08:09):
Read this verse with me, because we're not the only ones. Genesis 28:16, Jacob, remember Jacob? Jacob said this, a little nugget I found studying, "The Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” Ah, how many times have you done that? The Lord is here, the Lord's presence is here, the Lord's prompting is here, but I failed to recognize it. And we're talking about going from a failure to a friend. Jacob said, man, he was here, but I didn't know it. The Lord was asking me to forgive this person, I didn't know it was the Lord. The Lord was asking me to give this person something, but I didn't know was the Lord. The Lord was asking me to that person, ah, hard lesson to learn, when God prompts you to go visit somebody and you get busy, and they either get sick or die. Did that ever happen to you? The Lord was prompting me not to hire this person, but I knew it not, that it was the Lord. Amen? Jacob said the Lord is right here, right in this place, but I knew it not.
Chris Einwechter (09:21):
Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, may we never fail to recognize you? May we be more sensitive to your leading, to your prompting, to your Holy Spirit, which is like a compass for us. Lord, forgive us, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Chris Einwechter (09:43):
Verse five, "Then Jesus said to them, children..." Standing on the shore all night, caught nothing, "Have you any fish? They answered Him, no." Now don't try this in New Jersey, you can try it in Alabama or where there is Southern hospitality, but don't stand on the shore in New Jersey to a bunch of guys who've been fishing all night and call them children, one. Two, they're not catching anything, and you're going to say, Hey, you guys got anything? That might not go over so well for us, but Jesus can get away with that because he's God. Right? And Jesus knows everything, by the way. Verse five, "Have you got any meat? The answered, no." Hmm., now this is Jesus, who knows everything. Why in the world would you say, do you have any fish, Lord, when you know they don't have fish. Why in the world did you say, Adam, where are you? You know where he is?
Chris Einwechter (10:40):
I studied this week, prayed about it. Have you ever been there when God's got to bring you the point of weakness? You know, people say you need a dose of the Holy Ghost. Yeah, we do, I'll agree with you, but we need a dose of weakness. For what? Why do I need to be weak, Chris? You've got that right, somebody just said it. So you can be strong. Man, you're never stronger in your life when you're weak and relying on God to accomplish what you can. And what I've discovered, and even recently, when I get to the point where I say, Lord, I can't, I can't make it another day, I can't do this ministry that you're asking me to do. I'm going to go cut lawns, I've said that. Lord, I can't accomplish what you're calling me to accomplish, you've got the wrong guy. Lord, and that's where God...Did you ever play golf? There's this term in golf called the sweet spot. Listen, when you get to that point, you're in a sweet of heaven because that's when God's power shows up, as we're about to see. God had to ask them, have you caught any fish? To bring him to the face the fact that they got a PhD on the wall for fishing, but they've been all night and caught no fish. Before God's strength comes weakness, before God's power comes humility. Amen? Are we in that place yet? Man, we've got to get there, right? When God shows up, the sweet spot of God, is when you're relying on him.
Chris Einwechter (12:34):
Verse six, check this out, And he said to them, still on the shore, caught any fish? Nope. Well how about this guys, cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will have some. Okay, I don't even know this guy on the shore. Pete, who is this dude, talking about we've been fishing all night, two more feet from the left side to the right side. And Oh, he knows what's happening, because he just said, you'll have some. Have some? They do it, cast the net on the right side of the boat, and what happens? A miracle happens, right? Cast your net on the right side of the boat, and they were not able to draw in because of the multitude of fish. Lord, what you're asking me to do looks stupid. Have you ever been there? Come on, often when God's going to do something powerful, he tells us how to do it, we're like, that can't be God, that can't be God, no. But we failed to recognize the prompting of the Holy Spirit, which we've got to hone in. You're only going to do that through prayer and asking God, teach me how to do that.
Chris Einwechter (13:51):
Peter, remember a few years back when Jesus first introduced himself to Peter, there was a boat, and Jesus preached the message. Luke 5, starting in verse 4, He spoke and he said, Hey, can I borrow your boat and you push me out a little bit, and I speak to these folks, and he did. And then it was done speaking, this shows the heart and character of God, because remember the Bible says, if you've seen me, Jesus said you've seen who? The Father. So look, yeah, we're done now. I'm done speaking, close my notes. Let's go out now and catch some fish. Be like you coming to me, Chris, you're done speaking today. Come on, let me take you golfing, right? God says, come on, man, let's go out a little deeper, and just me and you have some fun fishing. What does Peter say, if you remember, he says this, Oh Lord. Have you ever said that to God? Oh Lord, here he comes, or here she come, or whatever. Oh Lord, I've been fishing all night, but he says a very powerful word in Luke 5, nevertheless, at your word, I'll do it. Of course he does it, and he can't even pull the fish in, and the net is breaking this time. Lord, I don't feel like it, I don't feel like going to church, I don't feel like doing that, I don't feel like forgiving them. But boy, if you can get to the point in your life where you've got this going, "Nevertheless at your word, I'll do it." You will see the power of God released in your life. And if you haven't seen the power of God lately in small circumstances and both big, maybe you're not saying nevertheless at your word, I'll do it right? Nevertheless, again, the difference between us doing things and the Lord doing things is always going to be results. But when we're handling things, more often than not, man, it seems to be a recipe for what? Disaster.
Chris Einwechter (16:05):
For months, I was trying to catch some fish. For a month, I was assigned to the tactical patrol unit. T P U. How'd do you get on TPU? Any troopers in the audience today? Listen to me, you earn your way into TPU, you have to earn your way into this unit. And once you get into TPU, they give you a nice, shiny car, you don't have to handle any calls anymore, you don't have to handle the barking dog, the domestic, you don't even have handle motor vehicle accidents anymore. They were nightmares, man, a four car accident on route 42 in Deptford is a nightmare. So you're assigned to do what? All's you gotta do now, Chris, take that car we're giving you, which you can keep at your house, and arrest people. Go out, seek evil, pursue it, and you'll get paid to do it. So I got awards over the years are arresting drunk drivers. Did you ever hear of mothers against drunk driving? I've got a picture on my daughter's wall in her bedroom with me getting some awards, I got a plaque from the attorney general, I got all these things.
Chris Einwechter (17:19):
Then I got saved, and I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. And I went out for 30 straight days without an arrest, and my Sergeant says to me, you know, you haven't arrested somebody in a while? It's not like you're handling the barking dog complaints and been busy. Sarge, I'm trying, what do I do? I need a dose of weakness, I need some humility, I need to go, Lord. And this is exactly what I did, Lord, you know how my Sergeant's on me. I pray before I go on patrol, you protect my wife and my family, I pray that you'd protect me on patrol tonight. And Lord, I need a drunk. I'd stop a million people, sir, you've been drinking tonight? No. Why not? I'm not making light of drinking and driving, my dad struggled with alcohol and you know, people do. But other people have to go out there and bring them in, and an hour and a half after I said that prayer on a Tuesday in broad daylight, when there's no rhyme or reason for anybody driving around drunk, I stopped one of the biggest drunks of my career, who blew the breathalyzer up, literally. I had to get to a point in my life where God had to teach me and sit me.
Chris Einwechter (18:49):
What about Peter? Remember what Satan asked to do to Peter? Jesus said, Peter, guess what, somebody is asking for you. Who? Satan is asking to sift you as wheat? Why? What was one of the problems Peter had? Pride, pride opens the door for both the devil and the Lord to say, we've got to fix this, right? So I was prideful, and God taught me a new way of doing things. Yeah, Jesus revealed himself, verse 1, to them in this way. What way? The brick wall way. Have you ever been there? I'm an expert, I've got stuff on my wall, my daughter's got it on her wall now. I've got photographs, I've been to the Attorney General's office and got awards, I've got the PhD in other words. Nope, ain't going to work no more, Chris. Well what do you mean, Lord? You need me, because the Bible says, without me, you are what? Nothing. But, with God you could be a so-called failure, and you can be as powerful as me, because I'll be with you. Remember what he told Joshua? Joshua everywhere you put your foot, bro, guess who's going to be with you? Not Mike Tyson, me, the Lord of glory. Joshua, everywhere you go, I'll be with you. Chris, you need a drunk? I've been waiting for 30 days for you surrender. You don't think I know, cast your net, Chris, on the right side of that troop car, and watch what I do. Why do we wait so long, right? Took me 30 days, took a Sergeant getting in my face. Then you learn, but then we forget too. Oh, why don't I pray about that? Sometimes I have people, and I sit down with them, did you pray about that yet? Something they're telling me. Hmm, not yet. Alright, we'll start there. Anyway, the brick wall way.
Chris Einwechter (20:57):
Verse 7, John said, "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved." They've got the fish now. "He said to Peter, it is the Lord." I know it's God now, look at it Pete, yo, 153 fish. We've been fishing all night, this dude says, cast a net, right side, fish, results, God. Peter said, I don't want to hear no more, put on his jacket, dove in the water, started swimming in the right direction of dishonor, disrespector, or denier of God, swimming towards God. With the Bible says, read with me, Peter heard it was the Lord, and he put one on? Who jumps in the water and puts her jacket on? Right, the State Police Academy, they taught us how to swim, weeks and weeks of swimming, showed us how to make flotation devices out of our uniforms. You don't want to put a jacket on and jump in the water. Peter does, why? A lot of commentators didn't even know, but I fell across it, I think with the Lord, it's a sign of respect. When you go before somebody, and you want to show respect, you put your jacket on. You're not going into anywhere, you're going to the Lord, right? Peter said, I need my jacket. I know I denied him, I know I failed him, but I'm going to swim towards him. Amen? God, we may disown God, guess who will never disown us?
Chris Einwechter (22:36):
Verse 8, But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits) 100 yards, dragging the net with fish." Proverbs 10:22 says, "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow." I'm not talking prosperity, but I am talking, when God blesses you, even with a parking spot, it is blessed by God and there's no strings attached, because God can do that.
Chris Einwechter (23:12):
Verse 9, "Then as soon as they come the land, they saw..." You've got to get this man, me too, "They saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on, with bread." Jesus cooking, Jesus cooking fish and bread that the Lord himself cooked. That's amazing, right? Shows the heart of God, but also reminds us of what? God goes before us, knows what we need before we get there, and always, always putting our best interests before his own. Right? Now, if that were me, and that were you, and I disowned you, and denied you, and disrespected you, would you invite me to breakfast? I'm just saying, I don't know if I would. But here's what I don't want you to tell me, don't tell me that God doesn't love you, that God doesn't love failures. Amen? God is a restorer of our soul. Right? Back then, when you invited somebody out to eat, it was a sign of an olive branch, it was a sign, it was a custom of forgiveness. You cook somebody a meal, and you had [inaudible] with them, you had issues with them, you had problems with them, and you invite them to a meal. It was like saying, without saying, I love you and I forgive you. Isn't that powerful? Wow. God overlooked Peter's faults, overlooked his failures, forgave them and invited them to breakfast. Can I get an amen, comma, somebody? Isn't that good? Come on, cooking them fish. Wow.
Chris Einwechter (25:04):
And that night Jesus was arrested, Peter disowned him, disrespected him. But the custom was, and Jesus knew it, I'm going to invite Peter, a failure, and a doubter, Thomas, to breakfast. God is forgiver and restorer of our souls, he didn't eject Peter, he restored Peter. When's the last time you took a failure out to breakfast? Now don't turn and look at your spouse and say, do you want to go to breakfast this morning? When's the last time you forgave a so-called, quote, failure? When have you forgave a failure? When have you restored a failure? Amen? Come on, is that what we should be doing? Should we resemble the Lord Jesus Christ? Ephesians 5:1 says, "Imitate God." Good stuff, guys. Right? When's the last time.
Chris Einwechter (26:07):
How about unforgiveness? Little sidebar, what will unforgiveness do to a prayer life? Jack it up. Don't believe me, read Mark, you can write this down for homework, Mark11:25. Mark 11:25 will tell you, show you, what unforgiveness will do to a prayer life.
Chris Einwechter (26:25):
Verse 10, "Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” Another amazing thing, God doesn't need our help, does anybody know that this morning? But he invites it. Come on, I can do this, I'm the Lord, but hey, I've got fish cooking, but bring some your fish over here. How about the little boy, what'd you got son? I've got just this. Things we think are useless, right, in our hand, we bring it to the Lord. God says, that's not useless, that's priceless, right? What do you have this morning, that you think it's useless, but in the hands of God is priceless? So much from the Book of John that we can learn, right?
Chris Einwechter (27:15):
Verse 11, "Simon Peter went up and dragged the net." Simon Peter dragged his big old net of fish, not anybody else, Peter. We'd probably be just like Peter, I don't want to see the Lord, I disowned him, I denied him, I'm going to stay busy. Let me get these fish, you guys talk to the Lord, he might not even see me, boom, boom, boom, right? Pete, that's all right, you're in the presence of the Lord. So Pete grabs the fish, I'd be just like Peter. Verse 12. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord." Again, to eat a meal with somebody was a custom and gesture of forgiveness. Man, we can get so busy, can't we? We can get busy, listen to this, doing kingdom stuff, kingdom stuff, and forget to hang out with the King. I've done it, I'm not telling you anything I haven't done, I forgot the hangout with the King. To be honest with you guys, ministry should flow out of moments like these, moments where we're spending time, eating breakfast, enjoying the presence of the Lord, that's how ministry should flow.
Chris Einwechter (28:44):
Verse 13, "Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish." Could you imagine Jesus feeding you? If you know Jesus Christ this morning, you will know, because there's something coming in your future and you can't stop it, you can't deny it. If you've given your life to Christ, there's going to be what they called the marriage supper of the Lamb, it's going to be a feast. It doesn't say it's going to be a breakfast, the Bible uses the word feast, which means you're going to have a whole bunch of food. You're going to be at, what's that place in Lancaster? Yeah, come on, somebody, let's go now. Pastor Matt won't know, we'll pack it up, we'll all go there and we'll have a feast. Right? Look how God restores failures, do you feel like a failure this morning? God wants to restore you this morning. Man, a good Psalm, Psalm 21, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall what? Want. He makes me lie down to what? He anoints my head with what? He prepares a table before me in the presence of who? My enemies, and then he feeds me. Jesus did a lot with food.
Chris Einwechter (30:11):
Verse 14, It's now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead." Verse 15, "So when they had eaten breakfast.." Not before, Jesus didn't cut into the breakfast time, he cooked it, he fed it, patient, let them eat. Then Jesus starts this restoration process with a failure named Simon Peter, "And says Simon Peter, verse15, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" A lot of commentators don't know what these means, it could be the disciples, it could be the fish, it could be the tools used to catch the fish. We don't know, it could be anything. But the fact that a matter is Jesus said, hey bro, I know you disowned me, but do you love me? "Yes, Lord, I love you. Well then feed my lambs." Do you know what the word lamb is here in the Bible, new believers in Christ. That scripture is talking about new believers, that scripture is also using a word for love called agape. Peter, do you sacrificially love me with all your heart? Peter says, yeah. What does the Lord say? Sorry bro, get back in the saddle of ministry. Would we do that? And we'd be like, man, you're done. Jesus said, you've just begun. Don't you love that? Come on, of course I love you more than these, Peter said. What's happening? Jesus invites a failure, a denier, a disrespector, to have a meal, and put's him back, recommissions into ministry.
Chris Einwechter (31:54):
Verse 16, "He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah." That would be like your mom calling you by the first name when it's time to go dinner, Christopher, right, then you know somebody means business. “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” If you study that, you'll see that's a little bit more mature than a new believer. He's saying, take care of them, take care of them. Come on, Pete, get back in the saddle. One thing is definitely evident to me, and maybe to you at this point is this, Jesus is serious about us tending the lambs and his sheep. Amen? And if you're doing anything like that at all, which you are, you're doing the very heartbeat of God. If you've ever felt like a failure, if you ever hit the brick wall. Jesus is saying, come on and have breakfast with me, I want to restore you, I want to love you, I want to feed you, I want to refresh you, I want to revive you.
Chris Einwechter (32:57):
"The third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you [g]love Me?” Peter was grieved because he said to the Lord, Lord, you know all things, yes, I love you. Back when he denied him, what happened? Peter was full primes, like, hey, this guy might deny you, he's going to deny you, I will never deny you, I will die with you. Don't you know who I am, Lord? I'm Peter, the rock. Now he's grieved, he's humbled, he says, Lord, you and you alone know all things; You know that I love you. And what does Jesus do? He puts his arm around him, it's okay Peter, now you're ready for me to use you. Now you're ready, now you're ready to see my power released in your life, you are at that sweet spot Peter. Your PhD hanging on a wall, might be in a shoe box now because you don't need it. Right? You rebuked me when I told you I was going to the cross. You said, no Lord, you ain't going no cross. Yeah, I'm going and get behind me Satan. Right? You may think you're a failure, but you can go from being a failure as Peter did, to a friend of God. Right?
Chris Einwechter (34:27):
Ah, man, God had to humble me many times. When I was a little boy, my mom died of cancer, and my dad struggled with alcohol, got removed from his custody. My dad loved me, but I had to get removed from his custody, the state and the school stepped in. I lived in a bunch of different homes, and two of those homes I lived at, dealt drugs out of them. One time I went to a football practice for [inaudible] Lakers, I walked through the back door to house, I think I left the light on or something in this one home. And the guy was waiting behind the door, and then he shut the door or I shut the door, I don't remember, but I walked, I didn't see him. He punched me right here, I don't know if you've ever got hit in the ear, like behind the ear, knocked me to the ground. I heard ringing in my ears.
Chris Einwechter (35:15):
Got out of that home, went to another home where two guys were in this home, dealt drugs out of them constantly. I was a little older, got in full fist fights with two grown men all the time, pushed me away from the Lord towards a hard heart. Went to self-defense classes like you wouldn't believe, even rode my bike to them. I went to the Pleasantville rec center, learned how to box, then I got full of myself. Used to bring other guys with me, went to a guy in [inaudible] Bobby Stork had the fastest hands around, because if I can hang with Bobby and box him, then I could box the average Joe, because they're a little slower than Bobby. I had fury in my heart, if you laid your hand on me back then, from the abuse that I went through, we were going at it. Thank God, God took that from me. Well, except for this time on the Parkway, and another time at Applebee's. But no, look, we're not joking, but I knew how to throw my hands a little bit. But God taught me son, you don't have to throw those hands no more. Those people called me a failure, they did, especially those two guys. Constantly calling me a failure, man, when somebody's always calling you a failure, guess what you think you are? A failure.
Chris Einwechter (36:46):
Get in the State Police by the grace of God, I don't even know who God is yet. I will prepare a table for you, Chris, before your enemies. I stop a car for speeding, who's driving that car, I just went through this at first service, but I'm better on this one. One of the guys that ran that house, he didn't recognize me. He had drugs in the car, still didn't recognize me. I will prepare a table before you, for people who call you failure and abuse you. I'm the Lord, and you don't have to throw your hands anymore, because you will hit harder, Chris, when you're in your weakness, you will hit harder with those hands. You were taught the punch through, that's what they taught me in boxing class, don't punch at, punched through. You don't have to do that no more, because you will hit harder, relying on me. It's a lesson I had to learn, I had to get sifted.
Chris Einwechter (38:04):
I want to remind you this morning, don't leave the Lord out. Because the difference between us doing things and God doing things, is results, okay? Pray about becoming sensitive to the leading of the Lord, and you will see the leading of the Lord. Jesus invites failures to breakfast. Come on somebody, invite a failure into your life. Invite that 16 year old tough guy, abused, we've got them in here. We know guys that think they're tough. Some of them are tough. Hey, I would have thrown down with anybody, I spent my week in boxing rings, thrived on that. But we need to find somebody like that, guys, and we need to lead them to the Lord so their heart can change the way my heart was changed. I had a hard heart, I wouldn't let you touch me, I wouldn't you near me, I wouldn't let you in my heart. Do you know any kids like that? They're out there. Invite a failure into your life, change a life.
Chris Einwechter (39:34):
Look at me, it's all glory to God, nothing that I've done. If I think that I got in the State Police because I knew how to fight, man, that's a problem. But I think that I can preach, or do three funerals. The day that I can say I just did three funerals, you got one more for me this week, oh, I know what I'm doing. You've got to guard against that, the power to do anything for God is relying on him and you will see different results in your life. But Lord, and this is where God's waiting for, I can't make it another day, can't make it in this marriage, can't get through this addiction, can't do it no more. God's saying, halleluiah, Peter, are you Peter? No, it's Chris. Oh, I mistake you for Peter because I've been waiting for this Chris. Amen?
Chris Einwechter (40:30):
How about the Lord? Does anybody know the Lord this morning? I already told you my testimony, tough guy, got in a troop car, 10 years in the state police. Sitting next to me, one year and the state police, sir, excuse me. Got the keys ready, shotguns in the car, everything's ready to go. Are you ready? I'm ready. Let's go. Pull out the end of the driveway, sir, I do have to ask you a question. What, the radar? What, arrest? Come on, dude, I got stuff on my wall. You want to arrest somebody? Let's go. No, sir, I want to ask you, if you get shots tonight... Sir, if you get shot tonight, what's going to happen? If I get shot tonight? I'm not getting shot tonight, I'm a bad dude, don't you know me? If you get shot tonight? If I get shot tonight, I'll tell you what's going to happen, I'm a good guy. Sir, have you ever read the Bible? Thank God for this guy, right? No, I've never read the Bible, tell me what the Bible says, go ahead. The Bible says, in Ephesians 1:5, "That if you confess your sins to God and you give your life to the Lord, he will adopt you." What, adoption is between the pages of the Bible, I've been looking for dad all my life. What do you mean, adopt me.
Chris Einwechter (42:18):
Hebrews 8:12, I will forgive Chris Einwechter's wickedness, and remember his sins no more. What? Yeah, you see Chris, I sent my son, his name is Jesus. He went into a desert and he fought this person called the devil, he tried to tempt my son to sin, because if he doesn't sin, I'll let him die for your sin. So he sent him through a test, and Jesus passed. And then the Bible says, when Jesus died, he took Chris Einwechter's sin upon him, so then when Chris Einwechter gives his life to Christ, which I have to do willingly, God, ain't going to put me in a headlock. If I respond to the message of Christ, God says, I'll adopt you and I'll remember no more what you've done. And just like I said to Joshua, Chris, if you trust me, everywhere, you put your foot, I, the Lord, will be with you. You were abused, beaten, punched in all kinds of places, if you trust me, I'll take you from a failure to a friend of God. I don't want to throw no more punches, I want to live for the Lord.
Chris Einwechter (43:58):
Is there anyone here today, watching online, that says, I don't know if I've given my life to Jesus Christ. The presence of the Lord was in this place, Jacob said, I knew it not. I didn't even know God, I went to church.
Chris Einwechter (44:15):
Every head bow please, let's pray together, guys. Is there anybody here or watching online that says, Chris, I want to give my life, I want to be adopted like you were, I've been searching for a dad all my life too. Anybody here? Raise your hand, tell me you want to pray with me right now. You're not going to come up here, you're going to stay in your seat. Is there anybody in this place that wants to give their life to Christ right now? If you do, pray this prayer right now. Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, thank you for going to the cross from me. Today, I officially give my life to you, please become my Lord and my Savior. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Chris Einwechter (45:01):
Is there anybody in here that just prayed that? Just raise your hand. Thank you. Thank you. You could see me after the service, I will bless you with a package from Coastal Christian, a Bible and a book. I just want to tell you guys, I didn't expect to share these things. My wife's been telling me for a long time, you've got to get some stuff out of your heart, dude. No, I'm not sharing those things. God said, today, you will. I love you. Trust the Lord, and invite a failure to breakfast. God bless you.
Recorded in Ocean City, New Jersey.
And amen, right Leon? Amen, right Katie? Amen. Amen. Good morning, Eighth and West street in Ocean City, New Jersey, talking about Coastal Christian. Not a perfect church, but wow, a pretty good church because of you guys, right?
Chris Einwechter (00:30):
Behind the scenes, I wish you could see some of the stuff that happens week in and week out. By the way, I'm Pastor Chris, if you don't know me, one of the pastors on staff here, I oversee pastoral care. I did three funerals this week, so you've got to give me some mercy with my voice, and I spoke last service. It just started cracking a little bit at the funeral yesterday, the funeral of a great man, Mr. Tomlinson, boy, what a legacy of that guy left behind. I was honored to do his funeral.
Chris Einwechter (01:04):
And I'm honored to be here with you guys this morning. Amen. Thank you. Going to be talking about how to go from a failure, to a friend of God. And I'm going to share some of my experiences with you. I'm going to be talking about the Book of John, chapter 21, if you want to turn there, go ahead of me as I pray. Father, you're so good, aren't you? Lord, could you speak through me, Lord with my voice, just don't feel like I got the energy, but Lord, you're teaching me. All I need is you, and so would you move, would you do what you want to do with the service? Have your way, Lord. And it's in Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Chris Einwechter (01:59):
The Book of John, so many things about the Book of John. Over 100 times, you can Google this, John, the writer says, believe, over a hundred times in the Book of John, I didn't know. It's also the book where Jesus says, I am, a lot, like seven times. I am the bread of life. I am the way the truth and the life I am the true vine. I am the shepherd. I am the door. And my favorite, oh man, "I am the resurrection and the life. Right, he, that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet, shall he live." I don't know about the resurrection, Jesus said, Martha and Mary, talking about Lazarus. I didn't write about the resurrection, I didn't study about the resurrection. I am the resurrection. Is that not powerful? There's some things in scripture, man, that stick with you, you know? Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." Pretty interesting about the Book of John, like that movie Mall Cop, fun fact for you, remember he's trying to date that girl with the Mustang? Fun fact for you, fun fact about the Book of John, so now, you know, believe is written more than 100 times. John 20:31, says the reason John wrote this whole book, "That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." That's powerful.
Chris Einwechter (03:41):
John 21:1 says this, "After these things.." Right? After these things, he's talking about the resurrection we celebrated last Sunday. After these things, Thomas, saying, I don't believe nothing until I see him. After these things, he'd already showed himself twice. So John is saying after all those things, you know, when he walked in and said, Hey, Thomas, come on over here, man, touch my side, stop doubting and believe. "After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself." In what way? This amazing way, here's who was present. Verse two, "Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee" Yes, Galilee and Zebedee rhyme. "Two other disciples." They don't mention their names. Verse three, seven of them total.
Chris Einwechter (04:43):
Verse three, Simon Peter, we know Peter, who doesn't know Peter? Peter was a trip, al right, that's how we'll sum that brother up. Peter, impulsive, emotional, but he was a good brother as we'll see. I'm going fishing, man, I know the Lord said, he's going to come here, meet us at Galilee. Look here, let's go fishing. He's the leader, so "They said, hey, we're going with you, they immediately got into the boat. And that night they caught (What?) nothing." Nothing. So at first glance we see their fishing at night, caught nothing. By the way, I did look up nothing in the Greek, and it still means nothing. That's for you, Pastor Matt, in the Greek, it means nothing. But we do know something, we know that these guys were fishermen by what? Trade, experts so to speak, right? They got the PhD on the wall saying they know how to fish.
Chris Einwechter (05:50):
So perfect conditions, you know, back then they'd fish at night. Why? Because they would light torches, I'm told and read, on both sides of the boat, and the fish would be attracted to the light at night and they'd be able to catch more fish. Pretty cool. Right? So that's what they did. They went out there, and the Bible says, caught nothing. So what did I take from that? Don't leave the Lord out, right? Like I've done a thousand times. Anybody with me? Oh, I got this. Strike that from your vocabulary. No, you've got this. Perfect conditions, but they don't got this, don't leave the Lord out. Like Chris Einwechter has done so many times, learn from my mistakes today guys. Trusting yourself and your own power and your PhD on the wall, your so-called expertise, compared to trusting the Lord with even a simple thing like fishing, is going to come down to one thing all the time, every time, one word, results. Do you want good results? Put God first, rely on him, stop relying on yourself. You'll see a difference between your results, and God's, as we will here.
Chris Einwechter (07:07):
Verse four, "But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore." This is after he has resurrected. "Jesus stood on the shore, yet..." What? The disciples did not know, something very important, that it was who? They didn't know, a hundred yards away, but you know, maybe they might say, we hung with this guy for three years, we might know what he looks like a little bit. I know it's a hundred yards, a football field, but we don't know who that is. Think about it, right, but we need to be careful because we fail, I'm just going to say me, I fail to recognize the Lord some times. Meaning, I don't sense the leading of the Holy Spirit all the time. Right? I don't know when God is moving or prompting me all the time, I fail to recognize the Lord. And there are times, and I know we all have them, we get so busy on our own stuff, we forget and we miss the Lord.
Chris Einwechter (08:09):
Read this verse with me, because we're not the only ones. Genesis 28:16, Jacob, remember Jacob? Jacob said this, a little nugget I found studying, "The Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” Ah, how many times have you done that? The Lord is here, the Lord's presence is here, the Lord's prompting is here, but I failed to recognize it. And we're talking about going from a failure to a friend. Jacob said, man, he was here, but I didn't know it. The Lord was asking me to forgive this person, I didn't know it was the Lord. The Lord was asking me to give this person something, but I didn't know was the Lord. The Lord was asking me to that person, ah, hard lesson to learn, when God prompts you to go visit somebody and you get busy, and they either get sick or die. Did that ever happen to you? The Lord was prompting me not to hire this person, but I knew it not, that it was the Lord. Amen? Jacob said the Lord is right here, right in this place, but I knew it not.
Chris Einwechter (09:21):
Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, may we never fail to recognize you? May we be more sensitive to your leading, to your prompting, to your Holy Spirit, which is like a compass for us. Lord, forgive us, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Chris Einwechter (09:43):
Verse five, "Then Jesus said to them, children..." Standing on the shore all night, caught nothing, "Have you any fish? They answered Him, no." Now don't try this in New Jersey, you can try it in Alabama or where there is Southern hospitality, but don't stand on the shore in New Jersey to a bunch of guys who've been fishing all night and call them children, one. Two, they're not catching anything, and you're going to say, Hey, you guys got anything? That might not go over so well for us, but Jesus can get away with that because he's God. Right? And Jesus knows everything, by the way. Verse five, "Have you got any meat? The answered, no." Hmm., now this is Jesus, who knows everything. Why in the world would you say, do you have any fish, Lord, when you know they don't have fish. Why in the world did you say, Adam, where are you? You know where he is?
Chris Einwechter (10:40):
I studied this week, prayed about it. Have you ever been there when God's got to bring you the point of weakness? You know, people say you need a dose of the Holy Ghost. Yeah, we do, I'll agree with you, but we need a dose of weakness. For what? Why do I need to be weak, Chris? You've got that right, somebody just said it. So you can be strong. Man, you're never stronger in your life when you're weak and relying on God to accomplish what you can. And what I've discovered, and even recently, when I get to the point where I say, Lord, I can't, I can't make it another day, I can't do this ministry that you're asking me to do. I'm going to go cut lawns, I've said that. Lord, I can't accomplish what you're calling me to accomplish, you've got the wrong guy. Lord, and that's where God...Did you ever play golf? There's this term in golf called the sweet spot. Listen, when you get to that point, you're in a sweet of heaven because that's when God's power shows up, as we're about to see. God had to ask them, have you caught any fish? To bring him to the face the fact that they got a PhD on the wall for fishing, but they've been all night and caught no fish. Before God's strength comes weakness, before God's power comes humility. Amen? Are we in that place yet? Man, we've got to get there, right? When God shows up, the sweet spot of God, is when you're relying on him.
Chris Einwechter (12:34):
Verse six, check this out, And he said to them, still on the shore, caught any fish? Nope. Well how about this guys, cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will have some. Okay, I don't even know this guy on the shore. Pete, who is this dude, talking about we've been fishing all night, two more feet from the left side to the right side. And Oh, he knows what's happening, because he just said, you'll have some. Have some? They do it, cast the net on the right side of the boat, and what happens? A miracle happens, right? Cast your net on the right side of the boat, and they were not able to draw in because of the multitude of fish. Lord, what you're asking me to do looks stupid. Have you ever been there? Come on, often when God's going to do something powerful, he tells us how to do it, we're like, that can't be God, that can't be God, no. But we failed to recognize the prompting of the Holy Spirit, which we've got to hone in. You're only going to do that through prayer and asking God, teach me how to do that.
Chris Einwechter (13:51):
Peter, remember a few years back when Jesus first introduced himself to Peter, there was a boat, and Jesus preached the message. Luke 5, starting in verse 4, He spoke and he said, Hey, can I borrow your boat and you push me out a little bit, and I speak to these folks, and he did. And then it was done speaking, this shows the heart and character of God, because remember the Bible says, if you've seen me, Jesus said you've seen who? The Father. So look, yeah, we're done now. I'm done speaking, close my notes. Let's go out now and catch some fish. Be like you coming to me, Chris, you're done speaking today. Come on, let me take you golfing, right? God says, come on, man, let's go out a little deeper, and just me and you have some fun fishing. What does Peter say, if you remember, he says this, Oh Lord. Have you ever said that to God? Oh Lord, here he comes, or here she come, or whatever. Oh Lord, I've been fishing all night, but he says a very powerful word in Luke 5, nevertheless, at your word, I'll do it. Of course he does it, and he can't even pull the fish in, and the net is breaking this time. Lord, I don't feel like it, I don't feel like going to church, I don't feel like doing that, I don't feel like forgiving them. But boy, if you can get to the point in your life where you've got this going, "Nevertheless at your word, I'll do it." You will see the power of God released in your life. And if you haven't seen the power of God lately in small circumstances and both big, maybe you're not saying nevertheless at your word, I'll do it right? Nevertheless, again, the difference between us doing things and the Lord doing things is always going to be results. But when we're handling things, more often than not, man, it seems to be a recipe for what? Disaster.
Chris Einwechter (16:05):
For months, I was trying to catch some fish. For a month, I was assigned to the tactical patrol unit. T P U. How'd do you get on TPU? Any troopers in the audience today? Listen to me, you earn your way into TPU, you have to earn your way into this unit. And once you get into TPU, they give you a nice, shiny car, you don't have to handle any calls anymore, you don't have to handle the barking dog, the domestic, you don't even have handle motor vehicle accidents anymore. They were nightmares, man, a four car accident on route 42 in Deptford is a nightmare. So you're assigned to do what? All's you gotta do now, Chris, take that car we're giving you, which you can keep at your house, and arrest people. Go out, seek evil, pursue it, and you'll get paid to do it. So I got awards over the years are arresting drunk drivers. Did you ever hear of mothers against drunk driving? I've got a picture on my daughter's wall in her bedroom with me getting some awards, I got a plaque from the attorney general, I got all these things.
Chris Einwechter (17:19):
Then I got saved, and I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. And I went out for 30 straight days without an arrest, and my Sergeant says to me, you know, you haven't arrested somebody in a while? It's not like you're handling the barking dog complaints and been busy. Sarge, I'm trying, what do I do? I need a dose of weakness, I need some humility, I need to go, Lord. And this is exactly what I did, Lord, you know how my Sergeant's on me. I pray before I go on patrol, you protect my wife and my family, I pray that you'd protect me on patrol tonight. And Lord, I need a drunk. I'd stop a million people, sir, you've been drinking tonight? No. Why not? I'm not making light of drinking and driving, my dad struggled with alcohol and you know, people do. But other people have to go out there and bring them in, and an hour and a half after I said that prayer on a Tuesday in broad daylight, when there's no rhyme or reason for anybody driving around drunk, I stopped one of the biggest drunks of my career, who blew the breathalyzer up, literally. I had to get to a point in my life where God had to teach me and sit me.
Chris Einwechter (18:49):
What about Peter? Remember what Satan asked to do to Peter? Jesus said, Peter, guess what, somebody is asking for you. Who? Satan is asking to sift you as wheat? Why? What was one of the problems Peter had? Pride, pride opens the door for both the devil and the Lord to say, we've got to fix this, right? So I was prideful, and God taught me a new way of doing things. Yeah, Jesus revealed himself, verse 1, to them in this way. What way? The brick wall way. Have you ever been there? I'm an expert, I've got stuff on my wall, my daughter's got it on her wall now. I've got photographs, I've been to the Attorney General's office and got awards, I've got the PhD in other words. Nope, ain't going to work no more, Chris. Well what do you mean, Lord? You need me, because the Bible says, without me, you are what? Nothing. But, with God you could be a so-called failure, and you can be as powerful as me, because I'll be with you. Remember what he told Joshua? Joshua everywhere you put your foot, bro, guess who's going to be with you? Not Mike Tyson, me, the Lord of glory. Joshua, everywhere you go, I'll be with you. Chris, you need a drunk? I've been waiting for 30 days for you surrender. You don't think I know, cast your net, Chris, on the right side of that troop car, and watch what I do. Why do we wait so long, right? Took me 30 days, took a Sergeant getting in my face. Then you learn, but then we forget too. Oh, why don't I pray about that? Sometimes I have people, and I sit down with them, did you pray about that yet? Something they're telling me. Hmm, not yet. Alright, we'll start there. Anyway, the brick wall way.
Chris Einwechter (20:57):
Verse 7, John said, "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved." They've got the fish now. "He said to Peter, it is the Lord." I know it's God now, look at it Pete, yo, 153 fish. We've been fishing all night, this dude says, cast a net, right side, fish, results, God. Peter said, I don't want to hear no more, put on his jacket, dove in the water, started swimming in the right direction of dishonor, disrespector, or denier of God, swimming towards God. With the Bible says, read with me, Peter heard it was the Lord, and he put one on? Who jumps in the water and puts her jacket on? Right, the State Police Academy, they taught us how to swim, weeks and weeks of swimming, showed us how to make flotation devices out of our uniforms. You don't want to put a jacket on and jump in the water. Peter does, why? A lot of commentators didn't even know, but I fell across it, I think with the Lord, it's a sign of respect. When you go before somebody, and you want to show respect, you put your jacket on. You're not going into anywhere, you're going to the Lord, right? Peter said, I need my jacket. I know I denied him, I know I failed him, but I'm going to swim towards him. Amen? God, we may disown God, guess who will never disown us?
Chris Einwechter (22:36):
Verse 8, But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits) 100 yards, dragging the net with fish." Proverbs 10:22 says, "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow." I'm not talking prosperity, but I am talking, when God blesses you, even with a parking spot, it is blessed by God and there's no strings attached, because God can do that.
Chris Einwechter (23:12):
Verse 9, "Then as soon as they come the land, they saw..." You've got to get this man, me too, "They saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on, with bread." Jesus cooking, Jesus cooking fish and bread that the Lord himself cooked. That's amazing, right? Shows the heart of God, but also reminds us of what? God goes before us, knows what we need before we get there, and always, always putting our best interests before his own. Right? Now, if that were me, and that were you, and I disowned you, and denied you, and disrespected you, would you invite me to breakfast? I'm just saying, I don't know if I would. But here's what I don't want you to tell me, don't tell me that God doesn't love you, that God doesn't love failures. Amen? God is a restorer of our soul. Right? Back then, when you invited somebody out to eat, it was a sign of an olive branch, it was a sign, it was a custom of forgiveness. You cook somebody a meal, and you had [inaudible] with them, you had issues with them, you had problems with them, and you invite them to a meal. It was like saying, without saying, I love you and I forgive you. Isn't that powerful? Wow. God overlooked Peter's faults, overlooked his failures, forgave them and invited them to breakfast. Can I get an amen, comma, somebody? Isn't that good? Come on, cooking them fish. Wow.
Chris Einwechter (25:04):
And that night Jesus was arrested, Peter disowned him, disrespected him. But the custom was, and Jesus knew it, I'm going to invite Peter, a failure, and a doubter, Thomas, to breakfast. God is forgiver and restorer of our souls, he didn't eject Peter, he restored Peter. When's the last time you took a failure out to breakfast? Now don't turn and look at your spouse and say, do you want to go to breakfast this morning? When's the last time you forgave a so-called, quote, failure? When have you forgave a failure? When have you restored a failure? Amen? Come on, is that what we should be doing? Should we resemble the Lord Jesus Christ? Ephesians 5:1 says, "Imitate God." Good stuff, guys. Right? When's the last time.
Chris Einwechter (26:07):
How about unforgiveness? Little sidebar, what will unforgiveness do to a prayer life? Jack it up. Don't believe me, read Mark, you can write this down for homework, Mark11:25. Mark 11:25 will tell you, show you, what unforgiveness will do to a prayer life.
Chris Einwechter (26:25):
Verse 10, "Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” Another amazing thing, God doesn't need our help, does anybody know that this morning? But he invites it. Come on, I can do this, I'm the Lord, but hey, I've got fish cooking, but bring some your fish over here. How about the little boy, what'd you got son? I've got just this. Things we think are useless, right, in our hand, we bring it to the Lord. God says, that's not useless, that's priceless, right? What do you have this morning, that you think it's useless, but in the hands of God is priceless? So much from the Book of John that we can learn, right?
Chris Einwechter (27:15):
Verse 11, "Simon Peter went up and dragged the net." Simon Peter dragged his big old net of fish, not anybody else, Peter. We'd probably be just like Peter, I don't want to see the Lord, I disowned him, I denied him, I'm going to stay busy. Let me get these fish, you guys talk to the Lord, he might not even see me, boom, boom, boom, right? Pete, that's all right, you're in the presence of the Lord. So Pete grabs the fish, I'd be just like Peter. Verse 12. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord." Again, to eat a meal with somebody was a custom and gesture of forgiveness. Man, we can get so busy, can't we? We can get busy, listen to this, doing kingdom stuff, kingdom stuff, and forget to hang out with the King. I've done it, I'm not telling you anything I haven't done, I forgot the hangout with the King. To be honest with you guys, ministry should flow out of moments like these, moments where we're spending time, eating breakfast, enjoying the presence of the Lord, that's how ministry should flow.
Chris Einwechter (28:44):
Verse 13, "Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish." Could you imagine Jesus feeding you? If you know Jesus Christ this morning, you will know, because there's something coming in your future and you can't stop it, you can't deny it. If you've given your life to Christ, there's going to be what they called the marriage supper of the Lamb, it's going to be a feast. It doesn't say it's going to be a breakfast, the Bible uses the word feast, which means you're going to have a whole bunch of food. You're going to be at, what's that place in Lancaster? Yeah, come on, somebody, let's go now. Pastor Matt won't know, we'll pack it up, we'll all go there and we'll have a feast. Right? Look how God restores failures, do you feel like a failure this morning? God wants to restore you this morning. Man, a good Psalm, Psalm 21, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall what? Want. He makes me lie down to what? He anoints my head with what? He prepares a table before me in the presence of who? My enemies, and then he feeds me. Jesus did a lot with food.
Chris Einwechter (30:11):
Verse 14, It's now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead." Verse 15, "So when they had eaten breakfast.." Not before, Jesus didn't cut into the breakfast time, he cooked it, he fed it, patient, let them eat. Then Jesus starts this restoration process with a failure named Simon Peter, "And says Simon Peter, verse15, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" A lot of commentators don't know what these means, it could be the disciples, it could be the fish, it could be the tools used to catch the fish. We don't know, it could be anything. But the fact that a matter is Jesus said, hey bro, I know you disowned me, but do you love me? "Yes, Lord, I love you. Well then feed my lambs." Do you know what the word lamb is here in the Bible, new believers in Christ. That scripture is talking about new believers, that scripture is also using a word for love called agape. Peter, do you sacrificially love me with all your heart? Peter says, yeah. What does the Lord say? Sorry bro, get back in the saddle of ministry. Would we do that? And we'd be like, man, you're done. Jesus said, you've just begun. Don't you love that? Come on, of course I love you more than these, Peter said. What's happening? Jesus invites a failure, a denier, a disrespector, to have a meal, and put's him back, recommissions into ministry.
Chris Einwechter (31:54):
Verse 16, "He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah." That would be like your mom calling you by the first name when it's time to go dinner, Christopher, right, then you know somebody means business. “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” If you study that, you'll see that's a little bit more mature than a new believer. He's saying, take care of them, take care of them. Come on, Pete, get back in the saddle. One thing is definitely evident to me, and maybe to you at this point is this, Jesus is serious about us tending the lambs and his sheep. Amen? And if you're doing anything like that at all, which you are, you're doing the very heartbeat of God. If you've ever felt like a failure, if you ever hit the brick wall. Jesus is saying, come on and have breakfast with me, I want to restore you, I want to love you, I want to feed you, I want to refresh you, I want to revive you.
Chris Einwechter (32:57):
"The third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you [g]love Me?” Peter was grieved because he said to the Lord, Lord, you know all things, yes, I love you. Back when he denied him, what happened? Peter was full primes, like, hey, this guy might deny you, he's going to deny you, I will never deny you, I will die with you. Don't you know who I am, Lord? I'm Peter, the rock. Now he's grieved, he's humbled, he says, Lord, you and you alone know all things; You know that I love you. And what does Jesus do? He puts his arm around him, it's okay Peter, now you're ready for me to use you. Now you're ready, now you're ready to see my power released in your life, you are at that sweet spot Peter. Your PhD hanging on a wall, might be in a shoe box now because you don't need it. Right? You rebuked me when I told you I was going to the cross. You said, no Lord, you ain't going no cross. Yeah, I'm going and get behind me Satan. Right? You may think you're a failure, but you can go from being a failure as Peter did, to a friend of God. Right?
Chris Einwechter (34:27):
Ah, man, God had to humble me many times. When I was a little boy, my mom died of cancer, and my dad struggled with alcohol, got removed from his custody. My dad loved me, but I had to get removed from his custody, the state and the school stepped in. I lived in a bunch of different homes, and two of those homes I lived at, dealt drugs out of them. One time I went to a football practice for [inaudible] Lakers, I walked through the back door to house, I think I left the light on or something in this one home. And the guy was waiting behind the door, and then he shut the door or I shut the door, I don't remember, but I walked, I didn't see him. He punched me right here, I don't know if you've ever got hit in the ear, like behind the ear, knocked me to the ground. I heard ringing in my ears.
Chris Einwechter (35:15):
Got out of that home, went to another home where two guys were in this home, dealt drugs out of them constantly. I was a little older, got in full fist fights with two grown men all the time, pushed me away from the Lord towards a hard heart. Went to self-defense classes like you wouldn't believe, even rode my bike to them. I went to the Pleasantville rec center, learned how to box, then I got full of myself. Used to bring other guys with me, went to a guy in [inaudible] Bobby Stork had the fastest hands around, because if I can hang with Bobby and box him, then I could box the average Joe, because they're a little slower than Bobby. I had fury in my heart, if you laid your hand on me back then, from the abuse that I went through, we were going at it. Thank God, God took that from me. Well, except for this time on the Parkway, and another time at Applebee's. But no, look, we're not joking, but I knew how to throw my hands a little bit. But God taught me son, you don't have to throw those hands no more. Those people called me a failure, they did, especially those two guys. Constantly calling me a failure, man, when somebody's always calling you a failure, guess what you think you are? A failure.
Chris Einwechter (36:46):
Get in the State Police by the grace of God, I don't even know who God is yet. I will prepare a table for you, Chris, before your enemies. I stop a car for speeding, who's driving that car, I just went through this at first service, but I'm better on this one. One of the guys that ran that house, he didn't recognize me. He had drugs in the car, still didn't recognize me. I will prepare a table before you, for people who call you failure and abuse you. I'm the Lord, and you don't have to throw your hands anymore, because you will hit harder, Chris, when you're in your weakness, you will hit harder with those hands. You were taught the punch through, that's what they taught me in boxing class, don't punch at, punched through. You don't have to do that no more, because you will hit harder, relying on me. It's a lesson I had to learn, I had to get sifted.
Chris Einwechter (38:04):
I want to remind you this morning, don't leave the Lord out. Because the difference between us doing things and God doing things, is results, okay? Pray about becoming sensitive to the leading of the Lord, and you will see the leading of the Lord. Jesus invites failures to breakfast. Come on somebody, invite a failure into your life. Invite that 16 year old tough guy, abused, we've got them in here. We know guys that think they're tough. Some of them are tough. Hey, I would have thrown down with anybody, I spent my week in boxing rings, thrived on that. But we need to find somebody like that, guys, and we need to lead them to the Lord so their heart can change the way my heart was changed. I had a hard heart, I wouldn't let you touch me, I wouldn't you near me, I wouldn't let you in my heart. Do you know any kids like that? They're out there. Invite a failure into your life, change a life.
Chris Einwechter (39:34):
Look at me, it's all glory to God, nothing that I've done. If I think that I got in the State Police because I knew how to fight, man, that's a problem. But I think that I can preach, or do three funerals. The day that I can say I just did three funerals, you got one more for me this week, oh, I know what I'm doing. You've got to guard against that, the power to do anything for God is relying on him and you will see different results in your life. But Lord, and this is where God's waiting for, I can't make it another day, can't make it in this marriage, can't get through this addiction, can't do it no more. God's saying, halleluiah, Peter, are you Peter? No, it's Chris. Oh, I mistake you for Peter because I've been waiting for this Chris. Amen?
Chris Einwechter (40:30):
How about the Lord? Does anybody know the Lord this morning? I already told you my testimony, tough guy, got in a troop car, 10 years in the state police. Sitting next to me, one year and the state police, sir, excuse me. Got the keys ready, shotguns in the car, everything's ready to go. Are you ready? I'm ready. Let's go. Pull out the end of the driveway, sir, I do have to ask you a question. What, the radar? What, arrest? Come on, dude, I got stuff on my wall. You want to arrest somebody? Let's go. No, sir, I want to ask you, if you get shots tonight... Sir, if you get shot tonight, what's going to happen? If I get shot tonight? I'm not getting shot tonight, I'm a bad dude, don't you know me? If you get shot tonight? If I get shot tonight, I'll tell you what's going to happen, I'm a good guy. Sir, have you ever read the Bible? Thank God for this guy, right? No, I've never read the Bible, tell me what the Bible says, go ahead. The Bible says, in Ephesians 1:5, "That if you confess your sins to God and you give your life to the Lord, he will adopt you." What, adoption is between the pages of the Bible, I've been looking for dad all my life. What do you mean, adopt me.
Chris Einwechter (42:18):
Hebrews 8:12, I will forgive Chris Einwechter's wickedness, and remember his sins no more. What? Yeah, you see Chris, I sent my son, his name is Jesus. He went into a desert and he fought this person called the devil, he tried to tempt my son to sin, because if he doesn't sin, I'll let him die for your sin. So he sent him through a test, and Jesus passed. And then the Bible says, when Jesus died, he took Chris Einwechter's sin upon him, so then when Chris Einwechter gives his life to Christ, which I have to do willingly, God, ain't going to put me in a headlock. If I respond to the message of Christ, God says, I'll adopt you and I'll remember no more what you've done. And just like I said to Joshua, Chris, if you trust me, everywhere, you put your foot, I, the Lord, will be with you. You were abused, beaten, punched in all kinds of places, if you trust me, I'll take you from a failure to a friend of God. I don't want to throw no more punches, I want to live for the Lord.
Chris Einwechter (43:58):
Is there anyone here today, watching online, that says, I don't know if I've given my life to Jesus Christ. The presence of the Lord was in this place, Jacob said, I knew it not. I didn't even know God, I went to church.
Chris Einwechter (44:15):
Every head bow please, let's pray together, guys. Is there anybody here or watching online that says, Chris, I want to give my life, I want to be adopted like you were, I've been searching for a dad all my life too. Anybody here? Raise your hand, tell me you want to pray with me right now. You're not going to come up here, you're going to stay in your seat. Is there anybody in this place that wants to give their life to Christ right now? If you do, pray this prayer right now. Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, thank you for going to the cross from me. Today, I officially give my life to you, please become my Lord and my Savior. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Chris Einwechter (45:01):
Is there anybody in here that just prayed that? Just raise your hand. Thank you. Thank you. You could see me after the service, I will bless you with a package from Coastal Christian, a Bible and a book. I just want to tell you guys, I didn't expect to share these things. My wife's been telling me for a long time, you've got to get some stuff out of your heart, dude. No, I'm not sharing those things. God said, today, you will. I love you. Trust the Lord, and invite a failure to breakfast. God bless you.
Recorded in Ocean City, New Jersey.
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