Soaring Faith

The Gospel of John Chapter 21

In today's Soaring Faith, Pastor Eric Barfell dives deep into the Gospel of John, specifically chapter 21, exploring the themes of forgiveness, purpose, and following Christ wholeheartedly.
Join us as we journey through the story of Peter, examining his moments of doubt, failure, and ultimate restoration in his relationship with Jesus. Whether you're feeling lost, uncertain, or looking for renewed purpose, this message offers hope and encouragement for everyone seeking a deeper connection with God.
 We'll explore Peter's initial plans to return to fishing, his encounter with Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and the profound lessons we can learn from his experiences. We'll also delve into personal reflections on answering God's calling and the transformative power of forgiveness.
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Resurrection

Experience Resurrection Faith: In 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, Paul emphasizes the transformative power of the resurrection. The resurrection isn't just a historical event but a life-altering truth that enhances faith. Faith interacts with the gospel message, embracing it as authoritative and foundational. It's not merely about knowing the gospel but believing in it, receiving forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ. The gospel serves as our firm footing in life, guiding our actions and beliefs. Through historical accounts and personal experiences, faith in the resurrection changes lives, providing hope, purpose, and accountability. Embrace the resurrection, let it shape and save you.
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Palm Sunday

READ: Zechariah 9:9
 
CHALLENGE: Zechariah 9:9
 
Palm Sunday is a victorious day. Triumphant! Jesus comes into Jerusalem triumphantly surrounded by mobs of people adoring him and singing his praises. We need to soak in this theme of victory.
 
 
Jesus asked them to go and untie a donkey for him to ride on. If the owners ask you what you’re doing, just say, “The Lord has need of it”. This would be like us walking into someone’s driveway and taking a brand new truck. Jesus tells us, “The keys are in it and if someone asks you, just say, The Lord needs it”!
 
 
 
 
 
This familiar scene fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy Matthew 21:4-5 - This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:‘See, your king comes to you,gentle and riding on a donkey,and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
 
 
Zechariah 9:10 - I will take away the chariots from Ephraimand the warhorses from Jerusalem, to the ends of the earth.
 
 
Zechariah 9:10 - Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious,lowly and riding on a donkey,on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
 
 
A. VICTORIOUS PRAISE
 
 
1. We Rejoice Over What God Has Done
 
 
Luke 19:37 - When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,:
 
 
2. We Praise Jesus
 
 
Luke 19:38 - “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”!”
 
 
 
B. VICTORIOUS HOPE
 
 
1. Your King Is Coming
 
 
Revelation 22:12-13 - “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
 
 
Jesus rewards. He is in charge!
 
 
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us.
 
 
· Your King Is Coming to You
 
 
Your king is coming TO you. It can also mean, FOR you! It’s for your benefit that he’s coming. I love the kind of king we have. He didn’t come to be served but to serve.
 
 
C. VICTORIOUS CHARACTER
 
 
Who is this Jesus? I love the description of who He is!
 
 
1. Be Righteous Like Jesus
 
 
To be righteous means that you live in accordance with the laws of God! His character was stellar. Did Jesus fit this description? Our Jesus had no sin. Pilate thought he was innocent. One of the criminals on the cross said, he’s done nothing wrong. The Centurion said he was innocent. Our Jesus did the right thing. In real life, this passage fits Jesus Christ.
 
 
1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also suffered once.
 
 
2 Corinthians 5:21 - God made him who had no sinfor us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
 
 
 
2. Be Victoriously Saved Through Jesus
 
But this victory over sin is something we need to live out. Revelation 3:21 - To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
 
 
John 3:17 - For God did not send his Son into the world.
 
 
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
 
 
 
3. Be Humble Like Jesus
 
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Think Through Where You’re Headed in Life

READ: Genesis 13:10
CHALLENGE: Think Through Where You’re Headed in Life
A. MISTAKE #1 – WE DO NOT LOOK BEYOND IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION
V10 - Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
 
Genesis 3:6-7 - When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Job 31:1 - I made a covenant with my eyesnot to look lustfully at a young woman.
Proverbs 23:31-35 - Do not gaze at wine when it is red,when it sparkles in the cup,when it goes down smoothly!32 In the end it bites like a snakeand poisons like a viper.33 Your eyes will see strange sights,and your mind will imagine confusing things.34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,lying on top of the rigging.35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake upso I can find another drink?”
Hebrews 12:16-17 - See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
James 1 puts it so well when it comes to sin. James 1:13-15 - When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
B. MISTAKE #2 – LACK OF SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT
Vv11 - So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:
1. The Success Siren
2. Small Steps Make Big Differences
12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.
C. MISTAKE #3 – DISREGARDING POTENTIAL INFLUENCE
13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
Hebrews 11:24-26 - By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
 
 
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Faith& Conflict

READ: GENESIS 13:1
CHALLENGE: Trust God Through Conflicts
Vv1-4 - So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.3 From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 4 and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
A. CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES – IS THIS REALLY A PROBLEM?
Vv5-7 - Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
1. Is This Battle Choosing Me?
2. Am I Choosing This Battle?
Are you choosing the battle or is the battle coming to you.
B. MAKE PEACE THE GOAL
V8 - So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.
Romans 12:8 - If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Ephesians 4:30-32 - And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
C. RESOLVE IT IN FAITH
V9 - Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”
1. Offer Solutions
2. Take the Low Road.
· He’s not controlling
Can you see how he wasn’t trying to be controlling. He put out the non-negotiable where there needed to be change. He suggested a solution. He allowed Lot some say. It’s brilliant.
· His faith is in God
How can Abraham be so at ease with this? He is promised the land of Canaan. Abraham is trusting God. He took matters into his own hands in Egypt and that was a disaster. Now he’s allowing God to direct him.
3. Change Where You Can
Philippians 2:3-4 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Genesis 2:24 - That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united.
I’ll make changes wherever I can. If you want me to pick something up or stop saying something. I try to be very agreeable.What can you do to keep the peace?

The Constant

📖 Embrace Change, Make God Central, and Daily Depend on Him 🙏
In this powerful sermon based on Genesis 12:8, we delve into the challenges of embracing the spiritual nature of life. Abraham, on his journey through Canaan, builds altars dedicated to the Lord, acknowledging God as the constant amidst change.
 
🌍 Embrace God as the Constant in Change: Abraham pitches his tent between Bethel (House of God) and Ai, highlighting life's transient nature. We're reminded that, like Abraham, we navigate different seasons, jobs, and relationships. Wherever we are, God is there; embrace change, trust God, and do good.
🏠 Make God Central: Building altars symbolizes making God central. As we gather around His Word daily, we're encouraged to look intently, continue, and live it out. Let's establish patterns—church, Bible study, and daily reading—to keep God central in our lives.
🙏 Daily Depend on God: Abraham "called on the name of the Lord," emphasizing prayer as a means to connect with God. Prayers involve giving thanks, confessing sins, and asking for help. Gratitude, forgiveness, and seeking God's guidance keep us vitally connected to Him.
 
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This Little Light of Mine

In this episode, we delve into the profound message embedded in Genesis 12:7, exploring the transformative power of faith and its ability to shine a light for Christ. The challenge posed is clear - "Shine a Light for Christ."
Drawing inspiration from the life of Abraham, we witness his obedience and the rewards that follow as God renews His promises. The focus is on Abraham's symbolic act of building an altar in a foreign land, not just a stack of stones, but a powerful declaration of his unwavering belief in God.
As we uncover the layers of Abraham's testimony, we realize the importance of being a good witness, leaving behind a legacy that speaks of faith, love, and service. The podcast emphasizes the idea that our actions become our altar, shaping our testimonies and influencing those around us.
The discussion extends to the concept of sacrifice, exploring how giving up something significant can be a powerful expression of dedication to God. The episode invites listeners to reflect on their own sacrifices, emphasizing the role of sacrifice in deepening one's connection with the divine.
Loyalty to God above worldly influences is another key theme, drawing parallels between Abraham's altar-building and the daily choices we make in a world filled with distractions. The episode encourages listeners to consider the altars they are building in their lives, questioning whether they are dedicated to God or inadvertently aligned with the values of the world.
The podcast concludes by urging individuals to reevaluate their dedication, prompting them to make a conscious decision to shine a light for Christ through their testimonies, sacrifices, and unwavering loyalty to God. It serves as a call to action, encouraging listeners to be intentional about the altars they build in their lives and the message they convey to the world.
 
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A Faith That Does

READ: Genesis 12:5
CHALLENGE: Live Your Faith
A. FAITH IS SEEN IN ACTIONS
VV5-6 - He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.
1. Make No Excuses2. Respond Immediately3. Obey Completely4. Take Steps
James 2:14-19 - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food..Faith without actions is an impossibility.
B. FAITH LOOKS PAST IMPOSSIBILTY TO POSSIBILITY
Vv7a - The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.”
1. We Have Faith in the Unseen
Hebrews 11:1-2 - Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:8 - By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,.
Hebrews 11:39-40 - These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, .
2. Faith that God Makes the Impossible Possible

The Common Thread

READ: Genesis 12:1
 
CHALLENGE: Walk by Faith, not by sight.
 
FAITH IS STRONGER THAN THE BROKEN BRANCHES OF THE FAMILY TREE
 
 
Faith is Stronger Than the Branch of Dysfunction
 
Genesis 11:27-30 - This is the account of Terah’s family line. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth..
 
Faith Works in the Root of Normal
 
 
     B. FAITH MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT ALL THE ANSWERS (vv1-4)
 
V1 - The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”[b]
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.
 
 
 
Faith Moves Us Past Our Comforts
 
Moves Us Past What’s Certain
 
 
2 Corinthians 5:7 - For we live by faith, not by sight.
 
    C. FAITH LIVES BY GOD’S PROMISES
 
Vv2-3 - “I will make you into a great nation,and I will bless you;I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
 
 
Promises Are Based in God’s Plan
 
 
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans.
 
John 3:16 - For God so loved.
 
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.
 
 
Promises Give Us Tremendous Confidence
 
   D. FAITH IS AN ACTION
 
VV5-6 - He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there..
 

Taking a Stand

READ: Genesis 6:5
 
 
CHALLENGE: Stand for What’s Right
 
 
This is a Bible. It’s not old fashioned or out of date. If anything, the Bible keeps us from devolving into the worst mess of humanity. If you want to talk what’s old fashion, it’s sin. Murder was in the beginning. As was immorality and violence and injustice. That’s what’s old fashion in the world.
 
A. YOU DON’T HAVE FOREVER TO GET IT TOGETHER
 
 
V3 - Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend withhumans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
 
 
1. God’s Spirit Strives with People
 
Job 34:14-15 - If it were his intentionand he withdrew his spiritand breath,15 all humanity would perish together.
 
John 16:8 - When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
 
Job 33:14-18 - For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on peopleas they slumber in their beds,16 he may speak in their ears.
 
2. Enough is Enough – You Can Push God Too Far
 
2 Peter 3:8-9 - But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
 
B. KNOW THAT SIN IS AN ENDLESS and DANGEROUS SLIDE
 
V5 - The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
 
1. Sin is an Endless Hallway so Don’t Take the First Step
 
2. Sin Wants More and More of You
 
Romans 1:24-25 - Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
 
C. CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING
 
Vv8-9 - But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.This is the account of Noah and his family.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
 
· Noah Found Favor
 
Galatians 1:10 - Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
 
Don’t be afraid to be different. I’m not saying, weird.
 
· Righteous
 
To be righteous means that you have a standard that you live by. The standard here is set by God.
 
“The root basically connotes conformity to an ethical or moral standard. It originally referred to something that was straight. It refers to an ethical standard. A moral standard is found in the Old Testament. The standard ultimately resides in the nature and will of God”.
 
Righteousness is not something that just impacts you personally. Righteousness “tries to preserve the peace and prosperity of the community by fulfilling the commands of God in regard to others”.
 
If you look at the 10 Commandments, they lay out how to live in harmony within a community. I’m going to be at peace when I’m not lying to you, cheating on you, stealing from you, or destroying you. When I live in a way that protects your well-being that is righteousness.
 
Job 29:12-17 - because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist them.13 The one who was dying blessed me; justice was my robe and my turban.15 I was eyes to the blind.
 
What is righteousness? Rescuing the poor and helping widows and protecting people. In chapter 31 he says that he was not lurking at his neighbor’s door hoping to sleep with his wife.
 
When it says that Noah was righteous it means that he was moral. But his morality included love for those around him. Being faithful to your spouse is righteous. But so is packing lunches for the kids on Friday and Operation Christmas Child.
 
James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after.
 
· Noah Was Above Reproach
 
He’s blameless. He’s not perfect. But he was seeking to do the right thing before the Lord. There were not a bunch of handles for people to make accusations against him.
 
He was a man who knew where he stood. It’s so fascinating to me that you can be blameless in a society that is completely sold out to doing the wrong thing.
 
· Noah Walked with God
 
He walked with God. He had a relationship with the Lord. He was following God’s lead. You allow God to plant the good stuff in your life and that will make you strong. In a world that was spiritually bankrupt, Noah was rich in righteousness. Who is singled out and blessed? Noah. Who’s a hero? Noah! His life is extraordinary because he didn’t go with the flow.
 
1. Doing the Right Thing Counts
 
Who will make it through the worst epoch of world history? The one doing right. You do the right thing and it will be noticed! Trust me. You work hard. You be honest. And if nothing else, God sees it.
 
You have Joseph in the Bible getting hit on by Potiphar’s wife on a regular basis. She’s throwing herself at him. He said no and ultimately he ran away. He was not going to do it no matter what. He became a great leader.
 
Abraham was righteous – it counted! God blessed!!
 
2. Don’t Take Your Morals from the Crowd
 
You Don’t Take Your Morals from the Crowd. If you’re in a mob of people and they all want to go the wrong way, do you go with them? No.
 
The thing I heard a lot about when I was younger was how can you have any fun if you don’t party. I don’t need to be tipsy to have a good time. The thinking was, “Everyone has to do this”.
 
No, I don’t have to be like everyone else.
 
Romans 12:2 - Do not conform.
 
3. Remember that the Choice is Yours
 
What do you believe? What are your non-negotiables.
 
Job’s wife said, curse God and die, why are you holding onto your integrity. That’s a sad statement! Job had to know his course and no matter how big the storm or how much he suffered, he knew that he couldn’t and wouldn’t curse God.
 
You have to know where you stand. It takes a lot of commitment to do the right thing. But in the determination is the blessing.
 
No one can force you to do what you don’t want to do. You say no! No – I’m not doing it.
 
Know your beliefs and don’t compromise! Daniel resolved himself not to drink the wine or eat the kings food. He could not be talked out of his stand. He found great success.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were spared in the furnace.
My encouragement. If Noah could live right in his world, so can you!