FEED MY SHEEP
JOHN 21:15-25
APRIL 28, 2019
LOUISA FLETCHER WROTE:
I WISH THAT THERE WERE SOME WONDERFUL PLACE
CALLED THE LAND OF BEGINNING AGAIN.
WHERE ALL OUR MISTAKES AND ALL OUR HEARTACHES
AND ALL OUR POOR SELFISH GRIEF
COULD BE DROPPED LIKE A SHABBY OLD COAT AT THE DOOR
AND NEVER PUT ON AGAIN
FOR WHAT HAD BEEN HARDEST WE’D KNOW HAD BEEN BEST
AND WHAT HAD SEEMED LOST WOULD BE GAIN
FOR THERE ISN’T A STING THAT WOULD NOT TAKE A WING
WHEN WE’VE FACED IT AND LAUGHED IT AWAY
AND I THINK THAT THE LAUGHTER IS MOST WHAT WE’RE AFTER
IN THE LAND OF BEGINNING AGAIN.
WE ARE GOING TO CONCLUDE OUR SERIES ON JOURNEYING TO THE CROSS BY LOOKING AT AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED A LITTLE WHILE AFTER THE RESURRECTION BUT HAD IT’S ROOTS IN THE ARREST AND TRIAL OF CHRIST.
I’M SURE THAT IF I WERE TO ASK YOU IF YOU HAD IT ALL OVER TO DO AGAIN, IF I COULD GIVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE, WOULD THERE BE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY. SOME OF YOU ARE SHAKING YOUR HEADS YES.
WHAT YOU MAY WANT TO DO COULD BE VERY MINOR, LIKE WHEN A NOTE WAS PASSED TO A PASTOR BY AN USHER CONTAINING A PRAYER REQUEST. IT READ, “BILL JONES, HAVING GONE TO SEA, HIS WIFE DESIRES THE PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION FOR HIS SAFETY.
THE PASTOR FAILED TO OBSERVE THE PUNCTUATION AND READ THE NOTE AS FOLLOWS: BILL JONES, HAVING GONE TO SEE HIS WIFE, DESIRES THE PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION FOR HIS SAFETY.”
IT COULD BE SOMETHING MAJOR, LIKE MENDING A RELATIONSHIP BEFORE DEATH TOOK ONE FROM THE RELATIONSHIP.
THIS POSITION OF WISHING FOR A SECOND CHANCE IS WHERE PETER FOUND HIMSELF. NO DOUBT HE WAS OVERJOYED AT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS, BUT HOW COULD HE EVER TAKE PART IN MINISTRY AGAIN. ESPECIALLY AFTER DENYING THAT HE KNEW JESUS ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.
WHY IS A SECOND CHANCE IMPORTANT? WE MAY SAY “IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS!” IT MEANS THAT YOU REGRET NOT SEEING THIS BETTER WAY IN TIME, AND POSSIBLY THERE IS GREAT GUILT INVOLVED IN THE DECISION YOU DID MAKE.
PETER WAS LOOKING FOR FREEDOM FROM THE GUILT HE FELT FOR DENYING JESUS ON THE NIGHT OF HIS ARREST. PETER WOULD NOT FIND THAT FREEDOM THOUGH UNTIL HE CONFESSED HIS SIN BEFORE CHRIST.
PSALM 32:3-5:
WHEN I KEPT SILENT, MY BONES WASTED AWAY THROUGH MY GROANING ALL DAY LONG. 4 FOR DAY AND NIGHT YOUR HAND WAS HEAVY ON ME; MY STRENGTH WAS SAPPED AS IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER. 5 THEN I ACKNOWLEDGED MY SIN TO YOU AND DID NOT COVER UP MY INIQUITY. I SAID, “I WILL CONFESS MY TRANSGRESSIONS TO THE LORD.” AND YOU FORGAVE THE GUILT OF MY SIN.
THERE CAN BE NO FORGIVENESS OF SIN WITHOUT CONFESSION. HOW TERRIBLE THESE DAYS MUST HAVE BEEN FOR PETER. PETER KNEW JESUS WAS ALIVE, BUT WHAT WOULD JESUS HAVE TO DO WITH HIM NOW? HE WOULD GO BACK TO HIS FORMER LIFE OF FISHING.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR BEGINNING ROOTS TO FIND THE FORGIVENESS OF CHRIST, AND TO FIND VALUE IN OUR LIVES.
VV. 1-3 OF OUR PASSAGE TELLS US THAT PETER HAD GONE BACK TO HIS FORMER PROFESSION, THAT OF FISHING. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY PETER HAD TAKEN SIX OTHERS WITH HIM, BUT THEY HAD NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL ALL NIGHT.
THIS NEXT PART OF THE PASSAGE RAISES SEVERAL QUESTIONS FOR ME. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE DISCIPLES ON THE BOAT CANNOT RECOGNIZE JESUS AND THIS IS ON PURPOSE. JESUS THEN TELLS THEM TO THROW THEIR NETS OFF THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BOAT. THE RIGHT SIDE WAS THE SHALLOW SIDE OF THE BOAT. THERE SHOULD BE NO FISH THERE.
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO CATCH FISH ANYWAY? THE LESSON OF THE PASSAGE IS GOING TO BE TAUGHT ON THE BEACH, NOT ON THE BOAT. WHAT WOULD THEY DO WITH WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE 153 FISH.
I BELIEVE JESUS WAS USING THIS TIME OF FISHING TO ESTABLISH THE CONTEXT OF HIS CONVERSATION WITH PETER. HE WAS TAKING THEM BACK TO THE FIRST MIRACLE HE PERFORMED IN CALLING THEM.
LUKE 5:4-6:
WHEN HE HAD FINISHED SPEAKING, HE SAID TO SIMON, “PUT OUT INTO DEEP WATER, AND LET DOWN THE NETS FOR A CATCH.” 5 SIMON ANSWERED, “MASTER, WE’VE WORKED HARD ALL NIGHT AND HAVEN’T CAUGHT ANYTHING. BUT BECAUSE YOU SAY SO, I WILL LET DOWN THE NETS.” 6 WHEN THEY HAD DONE SO, THEY CAUGHT SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF FISH THAT THEIR NETS BEGAN TO BREAK.
PERHAPS IT WAS PETER’S RESPONSE THAT JESUS WANTED PETER TO REMEMBER.
LUKE 5:8: WHEN SIMON PETER SAW THIS, HE FELL AT JESUS’ KNEES AND SAID, “GO AWAY FROM ME, LORD; I AM A SINFUL MAN!
THIS FIRST MIRACLE MADE PETER REALIZE THAT HE WAS A SINFUL MAN. NOW JESUS PERFORMS THE SAME MIRACLE AGAIN TO MAKE PETER REALIZE THAT HE IS A SINFUL MAN. IN DOING SO WHEN PETER CONFESSES HIS SIN, JESUS CAN OFFER HIM THE THINGS THAT PETER IS LOOKING FOR, FREEDOM AND FORGIVENESS.
VERSES 7-9 TELL US THAT WHEN PETER RECOGNIZES THE PERSON ON THE SHORE AS JESUS, HE JUMPS OUT OF THE BOAT AND SWIMS TO SHORE. PETER WAS ALWAYS IMPULSIVE, AND WANTED TO BE THE LEADER IN EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY RECORDED CONVERSATION IN OUR PASSAGE BETWEEN JESUS AND PETER OCCURS AFTER BREAKFAST WHEN THE OTHERS ARE WITH THEM.
AT THIS POINT LETS ESTABLISH A VERY IMPORTANT FACT. THIS WAS NOT A MEETING THAT OCCURRED JUST BY CHANCE BETWEEN JESUS AND THIS GROUP OF DISCIPLES. JESUS WAS IN TOTAL CONTROL. HE CHOSE THE TIME AND THE PLACE FOR VERY SPECIFIC REASONS AS WE SHALL SEE. JESUS DID NOT NEED BRE.AKFAST AND HAD ALREADY SHOWN THAT HE COULD APPEAR AT ANY TIME ANYWHERE. HE COULD HAVE APPEARED IN THE BOAT THEY WERE IN. THE FACT THAT JESUS CHOSE THE BEACH AND AT BREAKFAST HAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO IT.
LETS JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT TO WHERE THE MEN ARE ALL ON THE SHORE. JESUS INVITES THEM TO THROW SOME OF THEIR FISH ON THE FIRE, BUT HE REALLY HAD ENOUGH FOR ALL.
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR JOHN TO INCLUDE VERSE 9?
JOHN 21:9: WHEN THEY LANDED, THEY SAW A FIRE OF BURNING COALS THERE WITH FISH ON IT, AND SOME BREAD.
THE WORD USED FOR FIRE HERE IS RECORDED IN ONLY ONE OTHER PLACE IN SCRIPTURE, AND THAT WAS AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ ARREST.
JOHN 18:17: IT WAS COLD, AND THE SERVANTS AND OFFICIALS STOOD AROUND A FIRE THEY HAD MADE TO KEEP WARM. PETER ALSO WAS STANDING WITH THEM, WARMING HIMSELF.
THIS WAS THE TIME WHEN PETER WOULD THREE TIMES DENY KNOWING JESUS. JESUS HAS ACTUALLY PREDICTED THAT PETER WOULD DO SO.
SHORTLY BEFORE HIS ARREST, AFTER THE LAST SUPPER, JESUS SPOKE TO HIS DISCIPLES ON THE WAY TO GETHSEMENE. THIS IS WHAT HE SAID:
MARK 14:27-31:
“YOU WILL ALL FALL AWAY,” JESUS TOLD THEM, “FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “ ‘I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP WILL BE SCATTERED.’ 28 BUT AFTER I HAVE RISEN, I WILL GO AHEAD OF YOU INTO GALILEE.” 29 PETER DECLARED, “EVEN IF ALL FALL AWAY, I WILL NOT.” 30 “TRULY I TELL YOU,” JESUS ANSWERED, “TODAY—YES, TONIGHT—BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS TWICE YOU YOURSELF WILL DISOWN ME THREE TIMES.” 31 BUT PETER INSISTED EMPHATICALLY, “EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE WITH YOU, I WILL NEVER DISOWN YOU.” AND ALL THE OTHERS SAID THE SAME.
THE OTHER DISCIPLES MAKE NO SUCH CLAIM AND INSTEAD OF KEEPING HIS PROMISE, ALONGSIDE A WARM FIRE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO HATED JESUS, PETER WOULD INSTEAD DENY HIM THREE TIMES.
WHY DID JESUS CHOOSE A BREAKFAST MEETING BY A FIRE, THAT WE KNOW IS ONLY MENTIONED ONE OTHER TIME IN SCRIPTURE? IT WAS BECAUSE JESUS WAS TAKING PETER BACK IN TIME TO WHERE HIS SIN OCCURED.
PETER HAD NEVER COME TO GRIPS WITH HIS SIN IN DENYING CHRIST. WE ARE TOLD THAT HE WEPT BITTERLY.
MATTHEW 26:75: THEN PETER REMEMBERED THE WORD JESUS HAD SPOKEN: “BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS, YOU WILL DISOWN ME THREE TIMES.” AND HE WENT OUTSIDE AND WEPT BITTERLY.
HE WEPT, BUT HE DID NOT REPENT. HE CARRIED HIS DENIAL WITH HIM FROM THE TIME OF JESUS’ ARREST UNTIL THIS MEETING ON THE LAKESHORE, AND WOULD HAVE CARRIED IT THE REST OF HIS LIFE, HAD JESUS NOT INTERVENED ON THE BEACH THIS DAY.
IN ORDER TO GET THE CHANCE TO START OVER, PETER HAD TO GO BACK AND FACE HIS SIN. IF HE DID NOT, HE WOULD STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
LET ME ILLUSTRATE. SUPPOSE YOU WERE SPEEDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN YOUR CAR. IT’S A SAFE ILLUSTRATION BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WOULD BE NOONE HERE WHO WOULD DO THAT. NOW SUPPOSE A POLICE CAR IS COMING THE OTHER WAY AND PUTS HIS LIGHTS ON WHEN HE GOES BY YOU.
HE TURNS AROUND AND BY THE TIME HE’S BEHIND YOU, YOU ARE NOW DOING THE SPEED LIMIT. HE STILLS PULLS YOU OVER AND PROCEEDS TO GIVE YOU A SPEEDING TICKET. YOU PROTEST SAYING THAT WHEN HE WAS BEHIND YOU, YOU WERE DOING THE SPEED LIMIT. HE TELLS YOU THAT THE TICKET IS FOR WHEN HE PASSED YOU A FEW MOMENTS AGO, NOT FOR HOW FAST YOU WERE GOING WHEN HE PULLED YOU OVER. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SINS OF YOUR PAST.
JESUS THEN PROCEEDED TO ASK PETER THREE TIMES “DO YOU LOVE ME?” ALL THREE TIMES PETER RESPONDED “YES”, SO WE WOULD THINK. THERE IS MORE TO THIS THAN WHAT WE READ.
THERE ARE FOUR WORDS IN GREEK F0R THE ENGLISH WORD LOVE. EACH HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING OF COURSE. WHEN JESUS ASKED PETER IF HE LOVED HIM, JESUS WAS USING THE WORD “AGAPE”. THIS IS AN UNCONDITIONAL FORM OF LOVE.
WHEN PETER RESPONDED THE FIRST TWO TIMES, HE USED THE WORD “PHILEO”, MEANING BROTHERLY LOVE. IT IS A LOVE WOITH CONDITIONS.
TRY TO PICTURE THIS SCENE. PETER IS LOOKING INTO THE JESUS OF THE RISEN SAVIOUR. HE IS TRYING TO HIDE HIS SIN BUT HE REALIZES THAT JESUS KNOWS ALL. JESUS KEEPS ASKING HIM THE QUESTION, PATIENTLY, WAITING TO SEE IF PETER WILL COME TO GRIPS WITH HIS SIN AND REPENT.
PETER FINALLY ADMITS THAT JESUS KNOWS ALL THINGS. HE IS ADMITTING THAT JESUS KNOWS HIS HEART AND KNOWS HIS DESIRE. IT IS AT THIS MOMENT THAT PETER TRULY REPENTS FOR WHAT HE DID THE NIGHT THAT JESUS WAS ARRESTED.
NOW PETER CAN BREATHE THE BLESSED AIR OF FREEDOM FROM GUILT. IN HIS CONFESSION HE STOPPED TRYING TO DEAL WITH HIS SIN ON HIS TERMS AND TRUSTED IN THE LORD.
BY ONE CHARCOAL FIRE, PETER DENIED CHRIST AND BY ANOTHER CHARCOAL FIRE HE IS REINSTATED BY THE RISEN CHRIST. WE WILL NEVER FIND FREEDOM FROM THE GUILT OF OUR SIN UNTIL WE ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR SIN AND REPENT OF IT.
IT MAKES ME WONDER TODAY, IF THERE IS SOMEONE HERE WHO IS CARRYING A LOAD OF SINFUL GUILT THAT NEEDS TO BE CONFESSED AND REPENTED OF.
PERHAPS WE TRY TO HIDE OUR SIN BY TRYING TO SHOW HOW MUCH BETTER THAN OTHERS WE ARE.
PERHAPS WE HIDE OUR SIN IN COMPARING OUR GIVING TO THAT OF OTHERS.
PERHAPS WE HIDE OUR SIN BY SUPERIOR ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH.
PERHAPS WE HIDE OUR SIN BY COMPARING OUR POSITION AND INFLUENCE.
PERHAPS WE TRY TO HIDE OUR SIN IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.
THE BIBLE SAYS IN 2 CORINTHIANS:
2 CORINTHIANS 10:12: WE DO NOT DARE TO CLASSIFY OR COMPARE OURSELVES WITH SOME WHO COMMEND THEMSELVES. WHEN THEY MEASURE THEMSELVES BY THEMSELVES AND COMPARE THEMSELVES WITH THEMSELVES, THEY ARE NOT WISE.
IF YOU CONFESS AND REPENT YOU WILL BE RESTORED, BUT YOU WILL BE RESTORED TO SERVE. JESUS NOT ONLY ASKED PETER “DO YOU LOVE ME”, HE THEN COMMANDED HIM TO “GO AND FEED MY SHEEP”.
PETER MUST HAVE FELT RELIEVED WITH HIS CONFESSION AND REINSTATEMENT BY JESUS. THEN JESUS FLOORED HIM BY SAYING THIS:
JOHN 21:18-19:
VERY TRULY I TELL YOU, WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER YOU DRESSED YOURSELF AND WENT WHERE YOU WANTED; BUT WHEN YOU ARE OLD YOU WILL STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS, AND SOMEONE ELSE WILL DRESS YOU AND LEAD YOU WHERE YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO.” 19 JESUS SAID THIS TO INDICATE THE KIND OF DEATH BY WHICH PETER WOULD GLORIFY GOD. THEN HE SAID TO HIM, “FOLLOW ME!”
THE CHALLENGE OF REINSTATEMENT IS TO MINISTER IN THE FACE OF THE SAME CHALLENGE THAT LED TO HIS DENIAL. WHEN JESUS WAS ARRESTED PETER FEARED FOR HIS LIFE. NOW JESUS AT HIS REINSTATEMENT WAS GOING TO TELL PETER HOW HE WOULD DIE FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS.
THE LANGUAGE OF HAVING HIS HANDS STRETCHED OUT AND SOMEONE GIRDING YOU COULD MEAN THE ACT OF TYING HIS HANDS TO THE CROSS WHICH WAS A MEANS OF CRUCIFIXION INSTEAD OF NAILS, AND WAS USED AT TIMES TO SUPPORT THE NAILS.
EARLY CHURCH TRADITION, AND VARIOUS ANCIENT WRITERS (TERTULLION, ORIGEN, EUSEBIUS) STATE THAT AROUND 64 A.D. UNDER THE REIGN OF NERO, PETER WAS CRUCIFIED UPSIDE DOWN. -PETER STATED “ I AM NOT WORTHY TO BE CRUCIFIED IN THE SAME MANNER AS MY LORD”.
FROM THE TIME OF PENTECOST PETER AND THE REST OF THE APOSTLES EMBRACED THE GOSPEL WHOLEHEARTEDLY. THEY REALIZED GOD’S WILL FOR THEM AND SAW IT AS AN HONOR TO SUFFER IF IT BROUGHT GLORY TO THE NAME OF JESUS. PETER’S REINSTATEMENT WAS COMPLETE/.
CONCLUSION:
CHRIST IS LOOKING AT YOU TODAY AND ASKING THE SAME QUESTION
“DO YOU LOVE ME” (WITHOUT CONDITION)
WILL YOUR ANSWER BE AS PETER’S
“YES I LOVE YOU” (BUT WITH CONDITIONS)
YES I LOVE YOU BUT: I LOVE MY BANK ACCOUNT MORE
I LOVE MY POSITION IN SOCIETY MORE
I LOVE MY FAMILY MORE
I LOVE MY JOB MORE
WHEN JESUS ASKED PETER IF HE LOVED HIM, HE CALLED HIM SIMON NOT PETER. JESUS REALIZED THAT AT THIS TIME PETER WAS NOT THE ROCK HE NEEDED TO BE. JESUS ALSO KNEW THAT HE COULD BE THAT ROCK FOR THE FAITH.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SURRENDER TODAY TO RID YOURSELF OF THE GUILT OF SIN. IS IT AN ANGRY WORD, A LUSTFUL THOUGHT. PERHAPS A LOOSE OR SHARP TONGUE.
JESUS WANTS TO REINSTATE YOU TODAY. HE WANTS YOU TO CONTINUE TO MINISTER FOR HIM. AND WHEN THE TIMES OF TEMPTATION COME TO YOU, HE WANTS TO BE YOUR STRENGTH. HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE CAN AND WILL SEE YOU SAFELY THROUGH THE STORMS OF LIFE AND GET YOU HOME WITH HIM.
