Justified Through Jesus

Thanks so much, Graham. Let me add my welcome to Graham's. My name's Archie, if that's not

obvious to you already. I'm the pastor in training here. And it's really my job this

morning to just open the Bible for us. Graham said, get that Bible open in front of you. And

if you don't already, I'd love you to do that. In the Pew Bibles, it's on page 1090. And it'd

be really helpful for you to have that open in front of you. It's the Olympics this year.

I love the Olympics. I know some of you, when I say that, just switch off immediately because

you hate sports. But bear with me. The Olympics are in Paris this summer. A hundred years

ago in 1924, the Olympics were also in Paris. And it was there that Eric Liddell famously

refused to run on a Sunday in his preferred 100-meter distance. Liddell was a Scotsman.

He played international rugby, but his real athletic gift was running. He was known as

the fastest man in Scotland. But like I say, when he went to the Paris Olympics, the heats

for the 100-meter race was on a Sunday. And so he ran and unbelievably ended up winning

the 400 meters instead, which he'd never run before. We'll return to Liddell's story later.

But I wanted to start here because in that film, Chariots of Fire, the film that immortalized

the kind of events around the 1924 Olympics, one of Liddell's competitors, Harold Abrahams,

said this,

And now, in one hour's time, I will be out there again. I will raise my eyes and look down

that corridor four feet wide with ten lonely seconds to justify my existence.

Ten lonely seconds to justify my existence.

Strikes me that in so many ways, life feels a bit like that for me.

Like I'm just constantly striving to prove myself.

And maybe you're a bit like that, trying to justify our existence.

And maybe it's a bit like that at work. Your value at work is really defined by your output,

isn't it? With our parents always striving to make them proud, with our friends and our partners,

in so many ways, just constantly seeking to please people. And it's exhausting, isn't it?

That performance mentality. So much of our culture is set up in ways that really reinforce

that performance mentality. I remember joining a new school. I think I was about nine years old,

so it was probably primary six. And my first day at school, instead of being in a classroom

with all the other primary sixes, I was taken off into a room on my own. I was made to do all these

tests, like a spelling test, a basic numeracy test. Why were they doing that? They were measuring my

performance. They wanted to see where I'd fit in at this school. We live in a very performance-driven

culture. So much of our value is based on it. So much of how we view ourselves and how we view each

other. It's not always a bad thing. Of course, it's not. When I go to the doctor, I do need to know that

they've been tested and proved that they know what they're doing. But, and this is really where we're

going this morning, that performance-based mentality that's baked into everything in our culture,

when we apply it existentially, when we echo with Abraham's that we're trying to justify our existence

by our performance in any way, that is only ever going to be exhausting. And actually, even more

specifically than that, when we apply that performance metric to our faith, not only exhausting,

but crippling, really. Because most of us in this room know the simple truth, don't we? It's at the

heart of the Christian faith. It's not about what we've done. It's not about what we've failed to do.

The Christian faith is all about Jesus and what he's done in our place.

It's not about our performance, but his. I hope we know that this morning.

And yet, if you're anything like me, I really struggle to live as though that were true.

Maybe especially in moments where I know how spiritually bankrupt I am.

As I take stock of my life and look at patterns of thinking and behavior, when I apply that performance

metric to my life as a Christian, it's crippling.

Because I know that I just will never measure up. I don't know. Maybe that's true of your life too.

Well, as Graham said, and what he's just read for us, that passage of Scripture contains the wonderful promise

that however much we've drifted, whatever we've done,

however far we've strayed from following Jesus, no matter how poor our performance here,

Jesus is in the business of restoring people,

of calling them home,

and recommissioning them to live a life

lived for him.

So that's what we're aiming at this morning.

Why don't I pray for God's help one more time before we get stuck in.

Heavenly Father, I pray that as we open your word this morning,

you would indeed speak to us,

that you would challenge us where we need to be challenged,

that you would offer us comfort where we need comfort.

In Jesus' name, amen.

And as we've been on this journey through John's gospel together,

we've consistently returned to chapter 20, verses 30 and 31.

This is really a kind of a purpose statement,

and the conclusion of the main part of John's book says this,

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples,

which are not recorded in this book.

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,

and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Ian helped us see last week, really tracing some of the key themes through John,

and Ian helped us see how so much of this book drives towards that purpose,

towards belief that leads to life and life eternal.

And so that would have been a very natural end to the book, I think.

But then we get this epilogue in chapter one.

So why did John keep writing?

Well, I think Ian said something similar to this last week.

I think John wants us to finish on this note of restoration.

Really, he wants to guard against that performance mindset in faith.

And we see that with this big character, Peter.

Peter is one of the main characters, really, in the book of John.

He's one of Jesus' closest disciples.

And if you remember back a couple of months, I guess it was a few chapters ago,

the last time we really encountered Peter, he denied Jesus.

Three times he said, no, I am not one of his disciples.

And here, despite Peter's catastrophic performance,

despite his really failing as a disciple of Jesus,

we'll see that Jesus does everything to restore Peter,

to restore his relationship with Jesus,

and to restore his commission from Jesus.

John wants us to know this morning,

he wants us to know this morning,

that even if we have denied him like that,

if we've denied him explicitly in what we've said,

what me, a Christian,

or if we simply deny him in the way that we live,

he is, Jesus is in the restoration business.

And so as we walk through this chapter of God's word together,

three invitations that we're going to see from Jesus

on that path to restoration.

He says, come to me,

in verses 1 to 14.

He says, love me,

in verses 15 to 17.

And then he says, follow me,

in verses 18 to 25.

Come to me,

love me,

follow me.

So let's start with that first invitation,

come to me.

The action takes place back up in Galilee,

that's the disciples' hometown.

You've probably realized by now that

I'm not very good at finding historically

or geographically accurate pictures for my slides.

That is not Galilee,

but it is at least,

I guess,

a beach and a fire

by the beach.

But we find the disciples anyway in verse 3.

Have a look at verse 3.

And Peter says that he's going out to fish

and the other disciples,

they join him.

On the surface,

that's a pretty normal thing to do, right?

They're fishermen.

This is what their whole lives

had revolved around.

But of course,

for this particular group of men,

that is actually a very strange thing

to be doing.

Maybe especially for Peter.

Back in chapter 13,

if you remember,

Peter boldly claimed

that he would lay down his life for Jesus.

Peter said that he was prepared

to follow Jesus even to death.

And what we've seen

in the final chapters of John's Gospel,

Jesus,

he's been arrested

and he's been beaten.

And Peter was standing there

in the courtyard

as that was happening.

He was warming himself

around a charcoal fire.

Just log that charcoal fire

for later.

And three times

around the charcoal fire,

he's asked if he's a follower of Jesus.

Three times he answers,

I'm not.

Peter fails Jesus

at the final hurdle.

Then of course,

Jesus rises from the dead.

He appears to his disciples.

Peter was there

when Jesus did that

and he gives them

this incredible commission.

We saw it last week

to go and preach

the forgiveness of sins.

He promised them

the Holy Spirit

that they wouldn't do that

in their own power.

I mean, just imagine,

just imagine for a second

having met the risen Jesus

and having been given

that commission

directly from him

and then deciding

to go back to the day job.

They've gone fishing

with Peter.

It's a strange decision.

And then have a look

at verse four with me.

Early in the morning,

Jesus stood on the shore,

but the disciples

did not realize

that it was Jesus.

It's strange, isn't it,

that they don't recognize him?

Why don't they recognize him?

I guess we're about to see

in a few verses time.

The boat's about 100 meters

from the shore.

That's quite a long way.

It's the morning.

We might imagine

it's a bit misty.

But this isn't the only place

that Jesus' followers

don't recognize him

post-resurrection.

And I think it has to be

at least in part

because he's risen

in a perfect

and glorious

resurrection body.

In some ways,

like himself before

and in some ways,

unrecognizable.

And let me just say

that there is a wonderful promise

in that for us.

I don't know what sort

of relationship

you have with your body.

For me,

as I try and keep

the rugby dream alive,

I was playing rugby sevens

yesterday,

and as we warmed up,

some 20-year-old

in his prime

just sort of effortlessly

glided past me.

There was no way

I was catching him.

And I'm just constantly

reminded that my body

is basically slowly dying.

And it's a wonderful promise

to know that if we trust Jesus,

we too will walk

that path through death

to life eternal.

And that life eternal

contains for us

a perfect and glorious

and in some ways

unrecognizable

resurrection body.

No more aches

or pains

or dodgy hamstrings.

Then in verse 5,

have a look at verse 5,

Jesus calls to them,

haven't you any fish?

A full night of fishing

and not a single catch.

And so he says to them,

verse 6,

throw your net

on the right side of the boat

and you will find some.

And so they do.

In fact,

they catch so many fish

that they can't even

bring the net into the boat.

It's utterly miraculous.

And that might just remind you

of a very similar story

earlier in Jesus' ministry

recorded for us

in Luke's Gospel.

It's right at the start

of Jesus' ministry.

In fact,

it's the very first time

that Simon Peter

encounters Jesus.

Again,

these fishermen

catch nothing on their own.

Might make you wonder

slightly how good they were

actually at fishing.

But there,

Jesus also instructs them

and they again

catch a miraculous haul.

And here's the key for us.

Listen to what Jesus

says to them there.

In Luke's Gospel,

Jesus says this,

from now on,

you will be fishers of men.

In other words,

just as we saw

Jesus' commission

from them in John

last week

to go and preach

the good news

of the forgiveness

of sins,

when he first meets them,

he says,

you don't need to fish

for fish anymore.

You have a new job

to fish for men,

to bring men

into the kingdom.

There's no doubt

in my mind

that Jesus appears

to them again here

and performs

the same sort of miracle

so that they would

remember that commission.

More than that,

actually,

John,

he writes after Luke,

this is the last gospel

to be written

and I think he expects

his readers to know

that story

so that we too

would see Jesus'

reminder here

that they didn't need

to go back

to their fishing.

They'd been given

a new and much better

commission from him.

And the disciple

whom Jesus loves,

we'll see that's just John,

he realizes,

see in verse 7,

he says,

it is the Lord.

Maybe he had his

suspicions already,

maybe that's why

they listened to his

fishing advice,

but now they know

it is Jesus.

And Peter,

he just jumps

straight into the water.

He's so desperate

to be with his friend

Jesus again.

The others in verse 8,

they follow along

in the boat,

towing the net full of fish.

But then in verse 9,

we get another reminder

for Peter

and another reminder

for us.

Jesus has prepared

a charcoal fire

and I am sure

that we're supposed

to have in mind

the charcoal fire

around which Peter

warmed himself

as he denied Jesus

in the courtyard.

Do you see how John

writes this narrative

to emphasize the fact

that Peter had abandoned

Jesus,

that he'd failed him?

And despite the way

that John writes,

Jesus doesn't rebuke

Peter here,

does he?

He doesn't rebuke

any of them.

He simply invites them

to add some of their fish

in verse 10

to the barbecue.

We're reminded in verse 11

that they'd caught

a huge amount of fish.

It's even numbered

for us at 153.

Just to say,

I don't think we gain

anything from reading

into numbers like that.

Some have tried.

I've read some seriously

bizarre ideas

about why it's 153.

But the Bible isn't

meant to be read

like that.

It's not a secret

or a puzzle

to be unlocked.

The plainest meaning

is almost always right

with the Bible.

And I think here

John tells us

it's 153

simply because

that's a lot of fish.

You know,

when I was a boy

we used to go

mackerel fishing

in our little boat

up off the west coast.

And I remember

one summer

I must have been

10 or 11 years old

and we went out

in the early evening

we were pottering around

in this little boat

mackerel lines out

when suddenly

we hit a school

of fish, right?

And the lines

that we were fishing

on these mackerel lines

they had five or six

hooks each

and I think we had

three or four lines out.

And I promise you

when we hit this

school of fish

we'd literally

pull a line up

it would have

five or six fish on it

we'd take the fish off

put it back in the water

pull it back up

less than 10 seconds later

and it would be

full of fish again.

We caught 56 fish

that day

and that was

I guess nearly 20 years ago

and I still remember

that number

because I would proudly

tell anyone

for weeks afterwards

how many fish

we had caught.

It seems likely to me

that these disciples

simply counted the fish

because it was

a huge number of fish.

John wants to say

that these men

as they encounter

Jesus again

he transforms

their fortunes again

and then he stands

on the shore

with this wonderful

invitation in verse 12.

Do you see what he says?

He says

come and have breakfast.

He says

come to me

come and enjoy

my presence.

He doesn't say

why did you deny me?

He doesn't say

why did you abandon me?

He doesn't say

what are you doing?

Why have you returned

to your life of fishing?

The whole thing

is clearly set up

so that they would be

reminded that those

things are true.

The fishing miracle

the charcoal fire

but in the midst

of all of that

even as they're reminded

of how they've failed him

and how they've drifted

Jesus simply says

come.

Would you come to me?

And he says

the same thing

to you

and to me

this morning.

Jesus isn't like

our boss at work

making sure

that we hit

all our KPI.

He's not like

our parents

making sure

that we've done

enough revision

for the upcoming exams.

He's not even like

the voice

in your own head

constantly evaluating

your own performance.

Jesus knows

that we don't

measure up.

He knows

that we've not

always shown up

that we've denied him

and abandoned him

that we've launched

our boats

onto the lake

and that we're drifting.

but he also

knows that we

haven't found

what we were

looking for there

and he stands

on the shore

and he invites

us to come.

He says

would you come

and have breakfast?

Would you come

and enjoy

my presence?

Jesus says

come

come to me

but he doesn't

just leave it there.

He doesn't

simply say

come to me

he also says

do you love me?

Here's our second

invitation

love me.

You see that question

in verse 15

Simon son of John

do you love me

more than these?

Two things to notice

in that short question.

First Jesus uses

the name Simon

when we first met

Simon back in chapter 1

Jesus sort of

renamed him

gave him the name

Cephas or Peter

it's a name that

means rock.

Throughout this book

then he's known

as Peter

or Simon Peter

here though

Jesus just calls

him Simon

as if to say

you've hardly

been a rock

have you?

Where's your

steadfastness?

Where's your promise

to stand by me?

Do you really

love me?

Second Jesus

challenges him

by saying

do you love me

more than these?

And he could be

referring to the fish

he might be saying

do you love me

more than your fishing

because you did

deny me

and then return

to your life

on the lake

it doesn't look

like you love me

more than your

love for that

big catch of fish

he might be

referring to that

he could be

referring to the

other disciples

in other words

he'd be saying

do you love me

more than the

others love me?

Remember Peter

you're boasting

that you said

even if the

others leave me

you never will

either way

we need to see

that Jesus'

question comes

with a sort of

do you really

love me?

It doesn't much

look like it

does it?

And Peter

answers

you know

that I love

you

I think he's

done making

big claims

he just simply

says you know

you know

that I love

you Jesus

Jesus'

response

feed my

lambs

this is how

you'll show

that you love

me

then from

verse 16

read with me

from verse 16

again Jesus

said Simon

son of John

do you love

me?

He answered

yes Lord

you know

that I love

you

Jesus said

take care

of my

sheep

and again

verse 17

a third

time

Simon

son of

John

do you

love

me?

Peter

was hurt

because Jesus

asked him

the third

time do you

love me?

He said

Lord you

know all

things

you know

that I

love you

Jesus said

feed my

sheep

do you

see the

wonderful

grace that

Jesus shows

Peter here

because three

times Peter

denied Jesus

as he stood

around the

charcoal fire

he's a

three times

spiritual

failure

and yet

three times

Peter has

the opportunity

to affirm

his love

for Jesus

around this

charcoal fire

on the beach

as Jesus

forgives him

again how

important for

us here

and hear me

again loud

and clear

if you feel

yourself to be

a spiritual

failure this

morning

as you assess

your own

performance

if you've

denied him

and drifted

away

and this is

all of us

in some ways

isn't it

if you're not

a Christian

then you've

turned your

back on the

God who

created you

but if you

are a Christian

this morning

you continue

to know your

sin don't

you

and so he

says to each

one of us

this morning

and I need

to hear this

you need to

hear this

he says

come to me

he says

will you

love me

I died

for your

sins

I rose

again to

rule

my performance

not your

performance

and I'm

willing to

forgive

so come

to me

would you

let your

failure be

absorbed by

the grace

of Jesus

this morning

but then

more than

that do you

see how

Jesus restores

Peter as he

recommissions him

in his love

that's what he's

doing when he

says take care

of my sheep

feed my sheep

he's giving him

the job just as

he has done in

the previous

chapters of

preaching the

good news

of the

forgiveness

of sins

of caring

for and

feeding the

church

in that way

and again

there's an

important takeaway

here for us

as he asks

that question

do you love

me because

if you're a

Christian this

morning

as we come

to Jesus

and as we

declare our

love for him

even as he

forgives us

and he restores

us he has

given us a

job to do

and it's not

about us

but it's about

each other

all of us

have been

wired in our

own way

by the God

who created

us uniquely

gifted to

serve him

in one way

or another

and he says

go go shepherd

care for my

people feed

them with the

truth of God's

word with the

wonderful good

news of the

forgiveness of

sins now we're

all going to

have different

roles in that

that's the

beauty of

church I

think Peter

would later

himself write

especially to

the elders to

be shepherds

of God's

flock there is

a special

responsibility there

for the elders

of a local

church if

you're an

elder in

the room

today listen

up but we

all can

shepherd one

another as we

bring God's

word to bear

on one another's

lives we do

that really simply

as we sing

with and to

one another

we'll do that

in our growth

groups midweek

we do that by

discipling our

young people

parents you all

do this as you

bring up your

children we do

it as we catch

up after the

service or if we

meet for coffee

through the week

to encourage

and to challenge

we can all do

this in one way

or another

and can I just

say if you're

not especially

interested in

doing that

or if you think

that that's an

impossible task

and you're a

Christian here this

morning then maybe

you need to

encounter Jesus

again

maybe you need

to admit your

spiritual bankruptcy

maybe you need

to experience the

freedom of his

forgiveness as

Jesus says

come to me

as he says

love me

and as he

gives us a

commission to

care for one

another

finally he says

follow me

notice Jesus

doesn't tell Peter

that the sheep

will become

Peter's sheep

they're always

Jesus's sheep

Peter has a job

to do in

caring for them

but Jesus

is the true

shepherd

in fact back

in chapter 10

Jesus describes

himself if you

remember as the

good shepherd

he says the

good shepherd

will lay down

his life

for the sheep

and of course

that's exactly

what Jesus

has done

dying in the

place of his

people dying

for sin

so that we

don't have to

rising again

promising that

new life

that's what the

good shepherd

has done

he calls Peter

to feed his

sheep

but he then

says verse 18

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

apparently that

phrase stretch

out your hands

was a common

term for

crucifixion at

the time

so John then

confirms for us

in verse 19

Jesus said this

to indicate the

kind of death

by which Peter

would glorify

God

Jesus is

warning Peter

that he's

going to be

crucified

just like

Jesus was

and then he

says follow

me

you know

that's exactly

what he said

when he first

met Simon Peter

back in chapter

one he said

follow me

but in chapter

one it was so

exciting for

Simon Peter

right Jesus

was this

charismatic

preacher and

miracle worker

he and the

other disciples

they were excited

to follow him

but now the

risen Jesus

as he talks

with Peter

by the lake

he's got

marks in his

hands and his

feet where the

nails were

he's got a

wound or scar

down his

side where he

was pierced

and follow me

is suddenly much

less exciting

isn't it

because he says

follow me to

the cross

you see coming

to Jesus

and loving him

that's not an

easy or a

passive thing

to do

it's a wonderful

promise of course

forgiveness

and of

restoration

but it's not

a promise

that all our

problems will

be solved

in fact

it's very

costly

we began this

morning with

Eric Liddell

and Eric

Liddell knew

that very well

he was a

phenomenal sportsman

as we've seen

he made that

costly decision

not to run

the 100 meters

on a Sunday

but actually

for Eric Liddell

it got a lot

more costly

than that

because shortly

after the Paris

Olympics

Liddell set out

for China

really to go

and shepherd

Jesus' people

there to share

the wonderful

good news

of the forgiveness

of sins

but then in 1941

things got so

dangerous in China

that the British

government advised

that all British

nationals should

leave the country

Liddell's wife

and his kids

moved to Canada

but he was

determined to stay

and to continue

the commission

that he'd been

given by Jesus

and he never

saw his family

again

and not long

after they left

he was moved

by the Japanese

into an internment

camp

where he eventually

died

Liddell's story

is remarkable

there are some

brilliant books

about him

actually I'd

encourage you

to read about him

but his following

Jesus was clearly

incredibly costly

it cost him

everything

but you know

the cost for me

and the cost

for you

it might not be

the same

sort of cost

most of us

aren't gifted

or called

to go somewhere

like China

most of us

won't die

like that

in our following

of Jesus

and so we've just

we've got to avoid

the comparison game

do you see the question

that Peter asks

as soon as Jesus

calls Peter

to follow him

in such a drastic

and costly way

in verse 20

Peter looks over

his shoulder

he sees the disciple

whom Jesus loved

again that's

John the author

and then in verse 21

when Peter saw him

he asked

Lord what about him

do you see

it's the comparison game

you say it's going

to cost me my life

what about him

what's it going

to cost him

and Jesus replies

if I want him

to remain alive

until I return

what is that to you

you must follow me

in other words

don't play the comparison game

follow me

it's going to cost you

what it's going

to cost you

and it will cost you

but my call

on John's life

isn't the same

as the call

on yours

notice Jesus

isn't actually saying

that John will

live until he returns

in fact John clears

that up for us

in verse 23

some people seem

to think that's

what Jesus meant

and there's been

a rumor

that's been spreading

but instead

the meaning is clear

Jesus is saying

to Peter

don't worry

what it's going

to cost other people

you follow me

and he says

the same thing

to us this morning

to you and to me

he says

follow me

it's going to cost you

do you know

I wonder if you've

been putting this off

because you know

the pain

that it's going

to involve

admitting your

spiritual bankruptcy

knowing that

life might need

to change for you

in painful ways

knowing that

as Jesus says

follow me

he isn't calling

you to stay

where you are

but to grow

he says

come to me

I will forgive you

and I will restore you

whatever your life

has looked like

however you have

performed

I have performed

perfectly in your place

love me

I have a wonderful

job for you

and then he says

follow me

and that is hard

the cost for you

might be very

different to the

person next to you

you might need

to leave one

thing behind

and they may need

to leave another

your service of

Jesus might look

one way

theirs might look

another

but Jesus says

to each of us

in the room

this morning

who would come

to him

each of us

who love him

he says

you've got to

follow me

and you've got

to count the cost

but just briefly

before we finish

John reminds us

why this is all

worth it

see in verse 24

John tells us

that he

testifies to these

things and he

wrote them down

we know his

testimony is true

John's saying

it's worth

following Jesus

it's worth

counting the cost

because Jesus

really did die

and he really

did rise again

to rule as Lord

it's worth it

because it's true

we can trust

John's account of it

and verse 25

I love this verse

it's got to be

one of the best

verses in the Bible

Jesus did many

other things as well

if every one of them

were written down

I suppose that even

the whole world

would not have

enough room

for the books

that would be

written

it's mind-blowing

isn't it

as we've journeyed

through John together

we've encountered

Jesus

and just some of

the things

that he's done

he turned water

into wine

he healed the sick

he fed crowds

of people

he gave sight

to the blind

he's even raised

the dead

we've seen

a Jesus

who is gracious

and merciful

and compassionate

who is just

and good

and powerful

we've met

a Jesus

who is alive

and who is

at work

today

and it is so

worth following him

whatever it might cost

our culture

says that you

will be judged

according to

your performance

Jesus says

I know that you

haven't performed

all that well

I know that you

are spiritually

bankrupt

but I have done

everything necessary

to restore you

I have performed

in your place

and so he invites

us today

will you come

to him

he says

will you love me

will you follow

me

thy four

will you

may be

with all

him