The Gospel of John: When Jesus Restores What Shame Destroyed

In the conclusion of his series on the Gospel of John, Pastor Johnathan focuses on how Jesus's resurrection distinguishes Christianity from all other religions. As he notes, "Confucius died 479 BC, Buddha died 483 BC... Muhammad died 632 AD... and the common factor with all of them is that they are still in their tombs." Jesus's resurrection becomes our restoration, freeing us from the bondage of sin and the lies of the enemy who, according to John 8:44, "is a liar and the father of lies."

The sermon examines how Jesus restored His disciples with peace (John 20:19), appearing to them behind locked doors saying "Peace be with you." Pastor Johnathan emphasizes that peace is "not the absence of something, but the presence of someone" - Jesus Himself. The sermon culminates with Jesus's restoration of Peter in John 21, where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him, corresponding to Peter's three denials. With each affirmation, Jesus commissions Peter to "Feed my lambs... Take care of my sheep... Feed my sheep," reminding us all that we are the disciples Jesus loves, called to declare in every circumstance, "It's the Lord."