Mother's Day Message - Week 3 of "After the Resurrection, Now What?" series

In this Mother's Day message, Matthew explores the powerful encounter between Jesus and Peter on the shore of Galilee after the resurrection. This conversation wasn't just about forgiveness—it was about restoration and renewed purpose.

The sermon examines how Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?"—paralleling Peter's three denials—and then immediately recommissions him with the responsibility to care for Christ's flock. Through this passage, we discover three transformative truths:

First, Jesus meets us where we are. Just as He accepted Peter's honest expression of love without demanding perfection, Christ receives our imperfect love and works with what we can offer today.

Second, purpose flows from love, not perfection. Jesus didn't require Peter to earn his way back into service, but immediately entrusted him with meaningful responsibility. Similarly, mothers (and all of us) don't need to be perfect to fulfill our purpose—we simply need to serve from a place of genuine love.

Third, following Christ is a lifelong journey. Jesus told Peter about his future path while calling him to follow one day at a time—a reminder that our purpose unfolds across a lifetime, often in ways we cannot immediately see.

The message concludes with the encouraging truth that our failures don't disqualify us from our God-given purpose. The risen Christ specializes in restoration, taking our broken places and recommissioning us for service that flows from love rather than perfection.