Watch “The Man Who Meant Well” Jentezen Franklin, host of Kingdom Connection & Pastor of Free Chapel. www.jentezenfranklin.org
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we all have our favorites in the Bible
but for me Simon Peter would be my
favorite and I love the fact that he was
a man who was not perfect but he always
meant to do right I’m preaching today on
the man who meant well I didn’t say he
always did well but he meant well he
testifies to the fact that mistakes
don’t have to be fatal
that Peter is someone who was always
failing forward that when he failed he
didn’t he didn’t let his mistakes push
him further away from God but he was
forever falling and failing forward
anytime the devil tells you you’re a
nobody from nowhere headed to no place I
want to remind you of the man who meant
well
there’s something about Simon Peter that
he always had a comeback spirit after
Jesus was crucified and he he knew he
had failed and done all of these things
that he lost all hope of God ever using
him in ministry and he went back to his
fishing business and he went out on a
fishing boat and he was fishing and
while he was fishing the Bible said he
saw the silhouette of a tall lean
Galilean and even though it was the long
ways off he knew that man he had lived
with that man for three and a half years
and followed him and when he saw that
silhouette he instantly with all of his
flaws and failures threw his coat off
and dove into the water and swam over a
hundred yards to get to Jesus because he
was always trying to get to him get near
him get close to him he went back to his
cussing habits his denying habits his
forsaking habits he might as well go
back to his old job he had fished and
caught nothing but when he saw Jesus
there was something in him that I loved
him I still loved him I loved him and
and and he couldn’t hold himself back
and dove into the water trying to get to
Jesus on another occasion he plunged
into not only the water but when all the
other disciples said on the boat in the
storm there was something in Simon Peter
his his impulse when Jesus was around is
I’ve got to get near him I’ve got to get
to him and when everybody else was
content to set on the boat it was Simon
Peter who said he’s out there and even
if I have to walk and try to do the
supernatural I’ve got to be near him he
was always trying to get nearer Jesus it
was his impulse and he won’t own the
water and now he’s looking on the shore
when he comes up out of that water he’s
looking in the face of Jesus the one who
had been crucified and laid in a tomb
and rose from the dead and Jesus was
cooking him a meal of restoration of
fish the Bible said and bread and it’s
it’s Jesus and he’s looking in that face
and he’s got such guilt and he’s got
such condemnation the one that he denied
jesus said to him one question and one
question only do you still love me he
did not say why did you run he did not
say why did you cuss he did not say why
did you deny me when I needed you the
most
he did not say why did you not love me
like you promised you would do three
times he asked one question all I care
about
is do you still love me I’m not holding
what you did wrong all I care about is
there still an impulse in you to want to
be with me you lied you denied but Jesus
didn’t ask him about any of that he
never brought up his past Jesus said all
I want to know is do you still love me
and I don’t know how many times you’ve
run and I don’t know how many times you
failed
but through it all Jesus has a question
for you who are listening to me in this
room and by television and at our
campuses I don’t care what you’ve done
he is not asking about what you have
done he’s asking one question do you
still love me because if you still love
me
he’s not here to condemn you Peter
failed forward it’s better to fail with
a high than just to succeed with a low
aim I didn’t really think Simon Peter
meant well even when he cut the man in
the garden and cut the guy’s ear off he
meant well he was just trying to defend
Jesus his motive was good even when he
cussed he didn’t mean to he was warming
his hand by the fire what was he doing
there all the rest of them had fled he
came back to get near Jesus he knew
Jesus was in Caiaphas house and he she
he was endangering himself to be there
he knew it and somebody recognized him
and old the old guy came back in and he
started cussing and and said some words
but but he meant well I guess what I’m
trying to tell you is God can tell the
difference between somebody who sinned
and messed up but if your heart still
loves them I’m not glorifying sin but
I’m telling you that when the devil
whispers to you you’re not worthy you
know what I say who is when the devil
says you don’t measure up I say who does
but I tell you one thing I love Jesus
and if I failed I’m gonna get up and
fail forward even in your failure you
meant well you might have got caught up
in a somebody’s gonna say he’s loose on
sin this is greasy grace preaching no
it’s not it’s Bible preaching and even
in his weak moment of temptation the
said you’re finished because you failed
but he was a man who meant well now let
me contrast him with Judas Judas is the
opposite they both failed
they both wept Peter wept and he was
restored but Judas wept and was never
restored why the intentions the
sincerity was different one truly well
out of repentance and brokenness over
what he had done the other well not for
the same motive not for the same reason
Judas well because he was mad at himself
Judas wept because he was mad at God
Judas was well because he he was mad of
how things turned out that it didn’t go
the way he thought it would go
Judas planned his sin he calculated he
plotted it he day after day after day
premeditated he set around and and he he
went but he went because he got cold he
got paid to do what he was doing he
negotiated a deal for his sin Peter well
because he really didn’t plan to do it
each time he messed up he he got angry
and did something he shouldn’t have he
somebody sent something to him any
custom out but he didn’t he didn’t mean
he didn’t sit around playing and saying
when I see that person I’m gonna cuss
him out and I’m gonna cut that one
you see the difference do you see that
one had a different spirit the Bible
said this is the most touching part of
this text to me that while Peter was
warm in his hands by the fire they
brought Jesus across the courtyard in
Chains after he had been beaten and
scourge dand he was bleeding wounded no
doubt the crown of thorns already shoved
on his head and your Bible said without
a word being spoken and
when Jesus looked at him across the
courtyard Peter who denied and custom
all the things he called his eye he
caught the eyes of Jesus in the eyes of
Jesus connected with Simon Peter their
eyes apparently he was close enough to
make eye contact and the Bible said when
he saw the eyes of Jesus without a word
being spoken that Peter turned and went
off and wept bitterly because there’s a
difference between being overtaken in a
fall and overtaken in a sin when when
you’re overtaken in a sin is part of
your walk it’s part of who you are you
have not confessed it you have not
really rejected it and turned away from
it it’s part of who you are that’s
overtaken by a sin but when you fall the
Bible said a righteous man if he loves
Jesus a righteous man falls seven times
a day but rises again and if I fall I
fall forward I fall toward him I there’s
something in me that I mean Jesus I want
to get back to him quick and that’s how
you know if you’re saved or not I’ve
used this illustration many times
through the years but I can take a pig
and if he’s got a real pig and I can put
a bowtie on him or and put a choir robe
on him I can put him up here and put him
on a onna on a table and let him stand
up here and preach beside me and as soon
as the service is over bow tie choir
robe and everything as soon as he goes
outside if there’s a mud hole because he
has the nature of a pig he’s gonna
forget all about how holy he is and run
straight for that mud hole cause
something in his nature loves it he says
I belong here I love this filth I love
this slop I love this mud this is where
I want to be now if a sheep falls in mud
he may fall in it
but instantly he’s getting up because
it’s not in the nature of a sheep to
enjoy field anything get me out of here
I don’t like it and the way you know if
you’re a sheep or a hog come on the way
you know if you’re a child of God a
sheep or a goat is what kind of nature
do you have not that you don’t fall but
when you fall is there something in you
that says oh Jesus I’m so sorry wash me
cleanse me get it off of me and God by
your grace I’ll never go back to it
again that’s how you anybody know you’ve
been saved by that can you shout that
there was a time when you wanted it but
you don’t want it no more a time when
you had to have it but you don’t even
want to be around it anymore that’s the
power of the Cross and I’ve come today
to tell somebody Jesus is calling you by
name he wants to meet you again do you
love me I love that Jesus didn’t call
him on the carpet Jesus didn’t put him
down Jesus didn’t rehearse well let’s
talk about the line let’s talk about
this let’s talk about that no all I want
to know is after all this stumbling and
all this foolishness and all this
cussing and all this cutting and all
this line and all this this temper
tantrums do you still love me you see
Peter despised himself and it’s a
dangerous thing when you do when you
reach a low in the life you’re living
that you begin to despise yourself it’s
dangerous mark Rutherford said in his
book if I could write one more beatitude
it would be blessed are those who heal
us from self despising of all the
services that can be done to man I know
of none more precious than to be healed
of self despising it was true of Simon
Peter he had wounded the one that he
loved the most and he couldn’t forgive
himself for it
he couldn’t get over he couldn’t live
with it and when I think of people who
are turning to drugs and turning to
alcohol and prescriptions and there they
failed they’ve just messed up if the dad
should have been there but he left the
family did something crazy or are a
child that hurt the parents or whatever
it is and and they begin to despise
themselves and the enemy whispers just
take your life you’re you’re good for
nothing what a failure of a father what
a failure of a mother what a piece of
trash you are and you begin to despise
yourself it’s one thing to heal a man of
despising others but it’s another thing
to heal a man or a woman who despises
themselves but hears the word of the
Lord to you if it’s not on God’s books
it ought not to be on your books three
times in this book three times in this
book he said I even I am he that blots
out your transgressions to remember them
no more says those words three times I
will remember your sins no more I will
remember your sins no more
I will remember I do not remember your
sins anymore stop despising your cell
stop I know you if you could go back and
take that moment back but God saw your
heart God’s you you know you’re the man
or woman that meant well you you
shouldn’t have done it it was stupid my
god what a dumb decision but you meant
well anybody thankful for Grace’s this
sermon make any sense anybody thankful
for grace that that can see beyond a
dumb action still love you still love
you the Lord told me to tell you listen
to me now feel this big in my soul
somebody’s listening to me and you need
to hear this because you’ve messed up
and you despise yourself for what you’ve
done the Lord told me to tell you you
are not a Judas
you are a simon peter what you did was
not malicious you didn’t plan to fail
you kind of got dragged into it by sin
you’ve been sorry ever since have you
and I’m talking to you Jesus didn’t say
to him oh well I’m glad you love me
you’re not worthy to touch my food but
he put him back into the ministry after
all that mess and he said feed my sheep
I’ll give you back your ministry I’ll
give you back your calling I’ll give you
back your dignity I give you hold your
head up high because I’m gonna use you
mightily and it’s always gonna break you
and humble you that you failed me in the
way that you fail me you’ll never forget
the stare that when our eyes connected
and the blood was dripping off of my
eyebrows from the crown of thorn you’ll
never forget that in bout time you want
to get proud you remember where I
brought you from the apostle of weakness
and denial will become the apostle of
boldness and faith and so in closing
Peter wrote two books of the Bible he
had more to say about humility than any
other New Testament writer he gave us
two of the most profound scriptures on
humility in the Bible he said humble
yourself before the mighty hand of God
and in due season he will exalt you he
gives grace to the humble listen to him
he dipped his pen in the ink of his
failure and he wrote he gives grace to
anyone who falls forward in humility but
he holds at arms-length he he pushes
away the proud he wrote things that
still help us today
there’s no friend like that lowly Jesus
he’s the man who meant well
everybody say these words I am NOT a
Judas I may have had thoughts but not
intentions I may have fallen and
struggled but Jesus I still love you
lift your hands and worship Him just a
moment lift your hands and praise in
just a moment
lift your hands in honor to him come on
open your mouth and thank him for his
amazing grace and mercy and forgiveness
and he sees beyond the bad he sees the
heart he sees the man a woman who meant
well who didn’t intend to get trapped
and messed up and he says I’m I am
willing not only to restore you but I’ll
use you again do you still love me is
the only issue not have have you lost
this or you lost that or you went out
and did something you lost this you lost
that because of sin the question is do
you still love him stand to your feet
please all over this room stay with me
on a hill far away stood an old rugged
cross
the emblem our suffering and chain
and I love that old cross where the
dearest and best for a world of lost
sinner’s
I would slay
it sure
I cherish feel
to my trophies gonna lay him down at his
feet
oh I’m gonna clean I can’t give up let
go turn back for nothing this world has
to offer that already closed still the
message and exchange
did Sunday for crime
hallelujah
Jesus is calling backsliders home
Jesus is calling people who’ve missed
their life uh you even despise yourself
he’s calling you home to his loving arms
families are going to be healed this
morning marriages are going to be healed
this morning lives are going to be
restored dreams are going to hope is
going to come back and be sparked again
I want active obedience the only issue
the only question Jesus has for you is
do you still love me not why did you do
it do you still love me if we had bound
every unclosed
and I make no apologies for getting
emotional over a message about the cross
it still moves me after all of these
years that Jesus would bleed and die
take my sins and nail him to a cross so
unworthy I feel the love of God in this
room so strong flowing into that room
wherever you’re watching this do you
still love him pastor I’m not right with
God I’m a teenager I’m a college student
I’m a husband wife business person I’m
Baxley and I know I’m not right I know
that I’m not living right and I would
love I would love to feel what Simon
Peter must have felt when Jesus gave him
back his calling his purpose and his
plan for his life I would love to start
all over again with Jesus I want to get
right with him and I can because of the
cross and I want to acknowledge the need
that I have for Jesus all over again in
my life today if that’s you and you’re
listening to me wherever you are as bold
as you can I’m not
humiliates you embarrass you but I’m
gonna tell you something he will not
come if you don’t invite him and this is
your chance to invite him he knocked and
he says it’s up to you to open what
you’re feeling right now is the spirit
of the Living God and he’s not asking –
have you got a drug problem have you got
an alcohol do you love me there was a
man in the Bible who had 2,000 demons
and those demons couldn’t stop him from
getting to Jesus because he loved Jesus
and the demons were broken
all you got to do is say yes pastor pray
for me I would love to get right with
God today affects you right where you
are raise your hand as high as you can
if you say I know I’m not right and I
want to get right with God today raise
it high on a shame you’re in this room
up in the balcony all over this main
room wherever you are and the overflow
if the Lord is speaking to you right now
get out of your seat and come stand
right down here right now right now
right now right now right now right now
right now the cross the cross the cross
it’s my only hope and that’s all you
need that’s all you need pray this
prayer right where you are
wherever you are watching by television
or at another campus right here in this
room in this altar lujah say Lord Jesus
I give you my life I believe in a man
named Jesus and a place called Calvary
where he shed his blood that my sins
could be washed away and today I invite
you Lord Jesus to come into my heart I
thank you you have not given up on me
and I still love you I know I failed you
but hear my cry I still love you
and I know you won’t turn me away I
receive you as my savior
thank you Jesus I’m saved I’m born again
I’m a new creation
lift up the biggest shout of the praise
that you can
come on in thinking that the angels are
rejoicing in heaven today over one soul
being safe
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