For those unfamiliar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture readings before the message. Today’s readings were: Acts 9:1-20; Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14 and John 21:1-19.
The Prairie Home Companion tells a story ... of a man ... from Lake Wobegon.
He would come to the altar time after time ... and weep buckets of tears ... then come back the very next Sunday ... and do same thing.
Larry Sorensen ... kept repenting and repenting ... but somehow ... he couldn't get beyond ... the repenting stage.
Larry could not believe that Jesus ... would totally forgive him.
The guilt of all he had done ... caused him .... to be unable ... to forgive himself.
Instead of being free from guilt ... and moving on, ... he came to church week after week ... constantly feeling guilty.
He could not get off the guilt merry-go-round.
He could not move on from his guilt.
Today's Gospel text ... points to a person who Jesus had called ... to be ... a fisher of men.
He often blurting out things ... without thinking them through.
At times he would take some hasty action ... or saying something ... that he surely regretted later.
And his denial of the Lord ... must have weighed heavy ... on his heart.
He said he would never deny him ... even if the others did.
Yet ... he did deny him... three times.
He probably thought he was permanently disqualified from ever doing the Lord's work ... again.
Near the beginning of this chapter Simon Peter states: ... "I'm going fishing."
He is returning to his old life ... His life ... prior to knowing Jesus.
He leaves with the weight of guilt ... hanging heavy ... on his shoulders.
His Yoke ... is very heavy.
He probably has replayed the tape of his denial of the Lord ... over and over again in his mind.
It was all ... just too hard. (Long Pause)
There was a man trying to cross the street.
As he steps off the curb ... a car comes screaming around the corner ... and heads straight for him.
The man walks faster, ... trying to hurry across the street, ... but the car changes lanes ... it is still coming directly ... at him.
So the man turns around to go back, ... but the car changes lanes ... yet again ... and is still coming ... straight toward him.
The man is so scared ... that he just freezes ... and stops ... in the middle of the road.
The car then swerves at the last possible moment and screeches to a halt right next him.
The driver rolls down the window.
The driver is a squirrel.
The squirrel says: ... "See, it's not as easy as it looks?"(Pause)
Beloved ... It is not as easy as it looks ... when you are trying to forgive yourself ... for something ... that you have done wrong.
At times there are certain things you look back on in your life ... that you punish yourself with ... over and over.
At times ... they seem almost impossible ... to overcome.
So ... What can we glean from our text ... that will help us to get past those things ... that are keeping us chained ... to the past?
First and foremost, ... we need to be reminded ... that it was Jesus ... who initiated the encounter.
That day on the beach ... it was Jesus who invited Peter and the other disciples ... to a breakfast.
He said, "Come and have breakfast ... bring some of the fish you have just caught." (John 21:10)
Jesus took the initiative ... to invite Peter to breakfast... and as we will see .... to a new level of ministry.
Now there are two times in Scripture that mention ... a charcoal fire.
One is in the passage we read today ... which I am sure ... reminded Peter ...... of the other charcoal fire in the courtyard ......where he had denied knowing ... and being a disciple of ... Jesus.
That was the Charcoal fire of denial ... and this became the charcoal fire ... of fellowship ... and of redemption.
Jesus took the initiative to invite Peter to breakfast ... to fellowship ... around the charcoal fire. (Pause)
Sadly, ... too often, ... and especially when experiencing inward pain, ... we do not pick up on ... our Lord's invitation.
We do not take to heart the words of our Lord: ... Remember our Lord's promise: BIBLE "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. END (Matthew 11:28)
Why, ... Why do we resist ... our Lord's invitation?
Because we are so busy struggling ... so busy beating ourselves up ... over the past.
We are still stuck in our guilt ... and will not accept repentance.
Jesus is calling, ... Come ... Come to the charcoal fire.
Now ... Peter might have been a little apprehensive ... about accepting the invitation.
One of the biggest obstacle to self-forgiveness ... is often the tendency... to wallow ... in our own guilt.
We draw those feelings up around us like a blanket ... and cover our heads.
We refuse to push the ... stop button on our suffering.
We at times refuse to forgive ourselves and in a way it becomes ... a crazy form ... of penance.
But this will have tragic consequence ... because it affects not only you... but everyone around you.
Do not hold back, ... do not hold on to ... sorrow and guilt
Give them all ... give them all ... give them all to Jesus ... and he will turn your sorrows into joy!
Peter could have refused the invitation.
But he didn't.
I think we need to be more like Peter... a risk taker.
Jesus said, Come, ... come over let us eat together.
It was His invitation.
In our Gospel text ... John tells us ... that 153 large fish had been caught... in that single drag ... of the net.
Whenever a specific number is used in the Scriptures ... and especially in John's Gospel .... there is a reason ... for the number.
It is no accident ... that there were 153 large Fish ... in the net.
It was understood by all in those times ... and especially these fishermen ... that there were 153 different species of Fish ... in the sea of Galilee.
Jesus was making it clear ... that his death on the cross ... offered salvation ... to all.
He is gathering all .... the whole world ... to himself.
Fellowship ... Forgiveness is what they all needed that day... not just Peter. (Pause)
Jesus offers to us exactly what we need in our current situation ... just as he did to the disciples ... that morning, ... but he had a greater purpose in it ... for Peter.
Peter needed ... to move on... from the past.
Beloved ... Remember our Lord's warning BIBLE ..., "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. END (Luke 9:62)
We too need to deal with our past ... and experience not only the forgiveness that Jesus brought to us on the cross ... but to understand ... ... that his grace is sufficient ... to cover ... forgiving ourselves ... as well.
Beloved ... This encounter was far more than a mere Breakfast:
After they ate Jesus singled out Peter... and asked him a question.
BIBLE "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" END (John 21:15)
What did Jesus mean by ... "more than these"?
Jesus was surely referring to the other disciples; ... in light of Peter's proud statement ... that he ... Peter ... would never forsake him ... even if all the others did.
Hear what Jesus is really saying.
He calls him ... by the name he used ... when he first met him: ... Simon, son of John.
He does not call him Cephas, ... Peter, .... the new name ... that Jesus had given him.
Why, ... was Peter's commitment a shallow, superficial love ... or was his love and commitment ... rock solid?
Was he committed to turn back to his old life ... or was he willing to lay the past behind him ... to be Cephas the Rock. (Long Pause)
Peter answers, "Yes, Lord you know that I love you". (John 21:15)
Jesus presses Peter further ... in the next question ... and the next.
After each of Peter's responses, Jesus gave him an assignment.
After the first Jesus Responded:
Feed my lambs ... that is feed the young in the faith. (John 21:15)
After The Second: Take care of my sheep ... be a shepherd to my sheep... Look after them... Keep them safe from harm. (John 21:16)
After The Third: Jesus Responds ... Feed my sheep. ... Take the sheep to pasture where they are to be fed. (John 21:17)
Jesus is looking for a total renewal of Peter's commitment ... and a reaffirmation ... of his call.
Jesus in essence is saying: Follow me and keep on following me.
Jesus knew that if he could get Peter to move beyond his guilt; ... that Peter would again be ... the Rock.
Jesus is telling him "I have work for you to do.
If you really love me .... feed my lambs ... tend to my sheep.
Why did Jesus continue to ask him these questions?
I am convinced ... that Jesus wanted Peter ... to really look at himself ... and his feelings.
Jesus asks Simon son of John ... three times do you love me?
Was this to remind Peter of his three denials?
Probably ... but there may be more ... to fully understanding ... this passage.
There is a difference ... between Christ's question and Peter's response.
When Jesus asked Simon Peter if he loved Him, ... He was using a specific word ... denoting a specific type of love.
The word Christ uses in the Greek text is ... "agapao" also known as agape.
This word represents a sacrificial love ... a total commitment.
In essence, ... Jesus may have been asking Peter if he would sacrifice all ... and give himself completely to Him.
However, notice Peter's response.
Peter replies, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."
At first that may sound like a positive response.
When describing his love, ... Peter uses a different word.
The Greek text states that Peter's response was ... "phileo."
This word defined ... means fondness; ... to have affection for; a personal attachment; a friendship.
Yet the Lord tells Peter .... "Feed my Lambs"
Jesus asks him a second time Peter do you agape me.
Peter responds you know that I phileo you.
Jesus says ... "Tend my sheep".
The third time Jesus asked Peter ... do you phileo, me ... and Peter responds ... "Lord you know everything, ... you know that I phileo you."
Jesus is graciously meeting Peter... at his level of ability ... to respond.
The seriousness of Christ charge to Peter did not change; no matter what the level of love ... Peter was to care for the flock.
In fact, .... Jesus told Peter ... that his love would mature to self-sacrificing love ... and he would one day give up his life (John 21:18).
And Christian history tells us ... that indeed Peter died for the faith ... and was crucified head down ... in Rome.
Jesus then repeated the very first command that he had ever given Peter many years before: ... "Follow me" (Matthew 4:19).
Jesus knows how we love him ... it may be Phileo, ... it may be Agapeo ... or transforming to Agapeo.
No matter the level of our Love... our Lord's response to Simon Peter and to us ... is to bring Grace to this lost world, ... to gather the lost ... to take care of his lambs ... and His sheep.
Beloved ... It is time to push the Stop Button.
It is time to come to the charcoal fire ... of forgiveness ... and redemption.
It is time to give them all to Jesus.
It is time to move on in the Faith.
True forgiveness is found in allowing Jesus to work in our lives.
Get of the guilt merry-go-round.
Hit the stop button.
Stop replaying the past over and over again in your mind.
Every time you catch yourself rehashing your past, stop .... Stop .... and refocus on Jesus... trust in his love.
Beloved ... Jesus command for us today is the same as it was for Peter:
They are two simple yet powerful words ... "Follow Me."
Amen and Amen!
(Additional illustration below):
I received much insight from Marilyn Murphree’s Sermon titled "Help! I Can Not Forgive Myself". I commend it to you.
Help: I retired in November 2017 and am attempting to supplement my income by sharing on Sermoncentral. If this Message has been helpful to you, please consider a nominal donation: Send to The Rev. Jeff Smead 11725 Regent Park Drive Chardon Ohio 44024. Blessed To Be A Blessing.
Dear Reader: So I can better help you, if this Message was not helpful and you rated it low, Please let me know what it lacked or why it was not helpful. You can search by contributor Smead" (Constructive Criticism is very helpful) and contact me there. Blessings Jeff.
Another Illustration:
A man took his son fishing one day.
After a few hours in the boat with not much to do, the son started asking his father some questions.
"How does the boat float?" he asked.
The man thought about the question, then said, "I don't really know, son."
"Well, how do fish breathe underwater?"
The father scratched his head.
"I guess I don't know the answer to that one either."
"Why is the sky blue?" the boy persisted.
The father replied, "I really don't know, son."
The boy started to worry that his father was getting upset at all the questions.
"Do you mind me asking questions, Dad?"
His father immediately reassured him. "No, of course not, son!
If you don't ask questions, you'll never learn anything!"
