Charcoal is better than Propane

Lately I have been told by a lot of people that I look really tired. Now I learned from a very young age that you should never tell a girl that she looks tired. I guess it makes them feel ugly or something. But I guess I have been kind of tired the past couple weeks. I have constantly been on the go. Whether its a retreat, an over-nighter or preparing and giving a message, I feel like I have not been able to get enough rest. Now please don't understand this and think I'm complaining. I love what I'm doing! And I know you guys out there are can get tired too!

Like I said earlier, I have been able to preach a little at LIFT (the jr. high program at our campus), and I know those Jr. highers are tired. I don't know if it is because my non-engaging lesson or that they just don't get enough sleep the night before, but there is bound to be some middle school student snoozing during my sermon. I've spoken 3 times at LIFT and the first time I spoke one little guy actually started to lay down across some of the chairs to get more comfortable for his mid-morning nap. So I did what any responsible youth minister would do...I called him out in front of everyone and told him to wake up! But this got me thinking. I know there will be a few sleepers at every sermon, but did someone fall asleep during any of Jesus' sermons? There is that instance in the garden where the disciples fall asleep while Jesus is praying alone, but that is not a sermon. So during Jesus' sermon on the mount, was it possible that while Jesus is saying, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall (and Jesus definitely used the term 'shall') not commit adultery'..." that little Bartholomew (not the disciple b/c he only falls asleep during prayers) started dozing off? I think it is likely. Heck, someone even fell asleep during a sermon given by one of the Christians ever, the Apostle Paul! If you don't know the story, a man named Eutychus fell asleep while Paul was preaching late into the night. You know what happened to him? He fell out of a third story window and died. So what is the moral of the story? Don't fall asleep during a sermon or else you'll die! Now the story goes on to say that Paul raised poor young Eutychus from the dead, but I'm no Paul so I can't raise you from the dead...just don't sleep during my sermons!!!

But on a serious note (I haven't used that segue in a long time), this past Sunday we finished up our series on grace called, "Friday Night Lights." The tag line for it was, "What if a moment could change everything," and it dealt with this whole idea of grace. First of all grace is really hard to teach to middle school students. Their brain hasn't fully grasped abstract thinking, so it is really hard for them to understand the concept of grace because it isn't very concrete. But the final week of this series discussed Peter's denial and his reinstatement.

If you don't know the story, let me give a quick rundown. Jesus has been arrested and now all of his disciples are on the run. They are all scared and confused because their teacher and intimate friend had just been taken away to be executed. In John 18, Jesus is taken to different political and religious leaders for questioning. During these trials, Peter and another disciple ventured into the courtyard to see what would happen to Jesus. While standing there, a servant girl asked Peter if he was a disciple of Jesus, and Peter replied, "I am not." This was the first of three times Peter denied knowing Christ. What is unusual about this first denial is that after Peter denies knowing Jesus, John adds verse 18. Out of no where John adds, "It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fare they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself." Now why would he add that verse?

You see, John uses specific words in his Gospel for a certain purpose. For instance, John uses the Greek word logos to describe Jesus as the word. In John 13 when Jesus is washing the disciples feet, John says that Jesus "took off " his outer clothing so he could wash the feet of his disciples. The Greek word for "take off" is theologically jam-packed! The word by itself is ordinary. It means, "lays aside," but John only uses this word 3 times in the entire Gospel. The first time he uses it in conjunction with Jesus' first miracle with turning water into wine. The second instance is very important when dealing with John 13. John 10:11 says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd LAYS DOWN his life for the sheep." John uses the same word to describe Jesus laying down his life in order to cleanse the world as he uses for Jesus laying down his garments in order to cleanse the disciples. Why does this matter? Well, John specifically uses LAY DOWN in John 13 to foreshadow Jesus' ultimate cleansing on the cross just by using a certain word.

I tell you all of this just to say that John uses certain words for a specific purpose, and I think that is what he is doing in John 18:18 with fire. The Greek word John uses for fire is anthrakia. Not Anthrax. Anthrakia. This word means a charcoal fire, and he only uses this word twice in his Gospel. First here in John 18 where Peter is warming himself by a charcoal fire after he denies knowing Christ for the first time. The second time the Disciple whom Jesus loved (this is the title John gives himself in his gospel) uses anthrakia is in John 21. Lets take a look...

Jesus has been crucified and buried in a tomb. Evil was rejoicing, but then came Sunday. The tomb had been rolled away and Jesus' body was no longer there! When the disciples heard this, Peter and John ran to the tomb and saw for themselves the truth of the empty tomb. Then the resurrected Jesus appears to the women and then later to all of the disciples, but there is no interacting between Jesus and Peter. Here is where John 21:15 picks up. Peter and six other disciples are fishing, but they catch nothing. However, Jesus appears to them (the disciples do not recognize him) and tells them to throw their nets to the other side. The disciples listen and catch 153 fish! Then John realizes who it is standing on the shore talking to them and says, "It is the Lord!" Peter then does what Peter does best...he gets out of the boat. He swims to Jesus and he sees an anthrakia...a charcoal fire.

I think Jesus used a charcoal fire on purpose. Have you ever been around a charcoal fire? They have a particular smell. It is said that smell is the best trigger for memories, and I can just imagine Peter walking up to Jesus. He is dripping wet from jumping out of the boat to swim to His Savior, and he has a big smile on his face, excited to see Jesus. Then a strange smell comes to his nose. A charcoal fire. Instantly his mind jumps to that cold night where he cowardly denied his Lord. His smile quickly fades and excitement turns into embarrassment. The rest of the passage is great. Jesus asks Peter three times "do you love me?" just like Peter denied Jesus three times. It is simply beautiful how Christ tells Peter, "I forgive you, but now its time to get to work."

Jesus reminded Peter of his past by using that fire. He did not allow Peter to forget about what had happened, but he used his past as a conduit to catapult him toward his future. I think it is important for all of us to realize this simple truth of not forgetting our past...even if it is ugly. We have all been formed by our past, and God wants to use it for his glory. I'm not saying we need to go around boasting about our sinful pasts, but we must not forget it. Just like a fire reminded Peter of his failings, we need to be reminded of where we have come from so God can use us for His future. Love you all!