How is your church doing?  What metric are you going to use to evaluate it?  Typically we look at "nickels and noses".  How big is our budget and how many people are coming?  Paul shows a better metric and a better goal than just drawing a larger crowd.  In Ephesians 4, he reminds us that the growth that God is concerned with is spiritual growth.  Are you growing...spiritually?

As Jesus reinstates Peter, He asks him an important question: Do you love Me?  Since Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times, He asked him the same question three times.  Peter affirmed his love for Jesus.  In response, Jesus affirms Peter's role in His kingdom.  He tells Peter to feed His lambs and tend His sheep.  In this story we are shown Jesus' priority for those who lead His churches: feed His sheep.  We are also confronted with the eternally important question: Do you love Jesus?

Jesus reinstates Peter even after he had denied that he knew Him 3 times.  He used a familiar miracle to remind Peter of his calling and God's power and grace.

Doubting Thomas is one of the most unfortunate nicknames in Christian history.  His stubborn refusal to believe the other disciples' eyewitness reports that Jesus was alive is infamous.  Yet Jesus dealt graciously and gently with him.  He proved that He was alive and called Thomas to exercise faith.  Jesus has grace for doubters who are sincerely looking for the truth.

Jesus shows grace for His disciples even after they abandoned Him in His greatest hour of trial.  When He was arrested, they all fled in fear.  After His resurrection, He sends a message to them through Mary Magdalene.  It is a message full of grace.  He then appears to the doubting and anxious disciples and continues to show them great grace in spite of thier struggles.  Jesus has grace for His people even when we wander away for a season.

Jesus was risen and yet Mary continued to weep.  She assumed the worst: someone has taken His body; even though the very best had actually happened: He conquered death.  Oh the grace of Jesus for His people when our fears and discouragements get the better of us.  May the Lord call our name and remind us that He is risen!

The crucifixion of Jesus is the most important event in the history of the world.  It is the foundation of Christianity – Jesus dying for the sins of His people.
Do we yawn at it?  Are we callous to what our Savior did for us?
The hymn At Calvary by William Newell 
Years I spent in vanity and pride, caring not my Lord was crucified,
knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great and grace was free; pardon there was multiplied to me;
there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary.

Jesus was despised and rejected by His own people just as Isaiah had prophesied: Isaiah 53:3 (ESV) He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Jesus is on trial before Pilate and they are given multiple opportunities to repent.  Pilate declares Jesus innocent three times.  However, their hearts are hard and full of hate.  They have no compassion but just want Jesus to die.

We look at Peter's 3 denials of knowing Jesus while Jesus was on trial.  This is a Father's Day message to encourage dads to not be ashamed of thier relationship with Jesus and to exhort them to lead thier families to follow Jesus and confess His name publically. It is also a story of redemption for all who have fallen short.  Peter's sin is not the end of his life or ministry.  God is gracious and merciful even to those who sin greatly.