Falling Forward

This Easter Sunday sermon from Temple Baptist Church centers on the transformative power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ through the story of Peter, a disciple who denied Jesus three times but was later restored and commissioned. The message unfolds by first reflecting on Peter's lowest moment—his public denial of Christ in the courtyard of Jerusalem—followed by the triumphant declaration of the resurrection: 'He is risen.' The sermon emphasizes that without the resurrection, Christianity collapses, but with it, every sinner, including Peter, can be forgiven, redeemed, and sent forward with purpose. The pivotal scene in John 21, where Jesus personally restores Peter by asking him three times, 'Do you love me?' and then commissioning him to 'feed my sheep,' illustrates God's grace that confronts sin without ignoring it. The sermon culminates in a personal challenge: for every person in the congregation, regardless of past failure or spiritual drift, Jesus is still calling, 'Follow me.' The call is not for more facts about Easter, but for a heartfelt response—commitment, recommitment, and daily devotion.