Today, May 15, 2008, was a significant day in the gathering of these area pastors, as they have walked through the New Testament, chapter at a time, beginning with the book of Acts, at the suggestion of Brother Buddy, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church. In reading a chapter of Scripture, they would discuss it for a little while and then pray. Today's chapter: John 21:1-25.

Although it was only my first time attending, I was compelled to offer something of Christ crucified with regard to this passage of Scripture.

The Holy Spirit seems to go quite out His way to tell us that these fishermen were fishing. The disciples often get a bad reputation for having gone fishing in several sermons I have heard over the years; nevertheless, they were told that Jesus was going to go before them in Galilee (Mark 16:7).

Isn't it interesting that, although these men were fishermen, the Lord tells Peter three times to be a shepherd? A shepherd and a fisherman are two completely different trades.

I believe that as the power of God through the very real truth of the crucified, risen, ascended, and returning Christ transformed utterly wretched sinners into new creatures in Christ, is reflected also in Christ's instruction for our ministry of that truth; that His truly called ministers are transformed by the same power from fishermen into shepherds.

...AND, that Jesus gave Peter nothing with which to feed the sheep, it testifies of the power of God through the central, essential, and infinitely majestic and excellent truth of the crucified and risen Lord in our teaching, preaching, praying, worshiping, living, breathing, eating, drinking, and dying.

Christ crucified is central at the Lord's Table as we proclaim the Lord's death till He come (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Christ crucified is central at our baptisms as we publicly proclaim the reality of the transformed life in our identification with the Lord's death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).

Christ crucified is central in our teaching the Word unto discipleship as every Scripture testifies of Jesus (John 5:39).

Christ crucified is central in our preaching as it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16), yet foolishness to them that perish (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Christ crucified is central in our prayers as we only have access to a holy heavenly Father through His shed blood (Hebrews 10:19-20).

Christ crucified is central in all that we think, say, and do, for if anything in heaven above, on earth below, or under the earth, competes with our devotion to Christ or our acknowledgment of the truth that the Cross is the most excellent and incomparable work of God in the universe, we blaspheme the holiness of the crucifixion of Christ and actually bear witness that the Cross of Christ is not enough, that it is insufficient (Luke 14:26-27).

But the Scriptures tell us that the Cross of Christ is sufficient (1 Corinthians 2:2).

God's Holy Word declares that the Cross of Christ is the most glorious work in the universe (Galatians 6:14).

Jesus came to earth to go to the Cross (John 18:37).

The Cross was God's plan from before the beginning (1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8).