John Ch21v15-25 - Do You Love Me?

Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you. Please turn to John's Gospel, chapter 21.

! Over the last few weeks, we've been looking at this short series of encounters with the risen Jesus.

And what we can learn when people met the risen Jesus. There was Mary Magdalene, then Jesus met with the disciples, and then with Thomas.

And today, we're going to focus in on a particular event as Jesus meets with Peter.

So we're going to read from John's Gospel, chapter 21, verse 15 through to 25.

John 21, starting in at verse 15.

When they, that is, the disciples, had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

Yes, Lord, he said.

You know that I love you.

Jesus said, feed my lambs.

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.

The third time he said, Simon, son of John, do you love me?

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, do you love me?

Peter said, Lord, you know all things.

You know that I love you.

Jesus said, feed my sheep.

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.

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.

Then he said to him, follow me.

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them.

This is the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, Lord, who is going to betray you?

When Peter saw him, he asked, Lord, what about him?

Jesus answered, if I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?

You must follow me.

Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that the disciple would not die.

But Jesus did not say that he would not die.

He only said, if I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down.

We know that his testimony is true.

Jesus did many other things as well.

Well, if every one of them were written down, I suppose that not even the whole world would have room for the books that would have been written.

Well, let us pray first before we look at this word together.

Father, we do not have every word or every account of the Lord Jesus.

But we do have the word that you have provided.

This eyewitness account written by John, recorded for us today.

And we pray that as we read this word, we would encounter afresh the risen Lord Jesus

and experience his grace afresh so that we would love him deeply and follow him wherever he calls us.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

What could be better?

After a long night of fishing, Jesus meets the disciples in their need.

Have a look back at verse 9.

When they landed, that is, the disciples, when they landed their boats,

they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it and some bread.

Can you smell the barbecue?

Verse 12.

Jesus said to them,

Come and have breakfast.

What an incredible morning.

The risen Jesus preparing food and inviting the disciples to come to them.

But for Peter, all was not well.

That smell of burning coals brought back a flood of guilt and shame.

It had all began about four weeks before.

Go back with me, please, to chapter 13.

Here, Jesus has been talking about his death that was to soon come.

And they are having dinner with Jesus.

We'll pick it up in verse 37.

So Jesus has been explaining that he will have to die.

Verse 37.

Peter asked, Lord, why can't I follow you now?

I will lay down my life for you.

Then Jesus answered, will you really lay down your life for me?

Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.

Well, a few days later, Peter had the chance to prove himself right and Jesus wrong.

Have a look at chapter 18.

Jesus has just been arrested and Peter is following closely behind.

And one of the servant girls confronts Peter.

Chapter 18, verse 17.

You aren't one of this man's disciples too, are you?

She asked Peter.

He replied, I am not.

It was cold.

And the servant's officials stood round a fire they had made to keep warm.

Peter was also standing with them, warming himself.

Time passed.

We pick it up in verse 25.

Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there, warming himself.

So they asked him, you aren't one of his disciples too, are you?

He denied it, saying, I am not.

One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, that's when the soldiers had come to arrest Jesus.

He challenged Peter, didn't I see you with him in the garden?

Again, Peter denied it.

And at that moment, a cock began to crow.

Well, Peter had been so confident in his love for Jesus, wasn't he?

I will lay down my life for you.

But now he's blown it.

He's denied Jesus, just as Jesus said.

Let's go back to chapter 21.

So here we find Peter again, sitting by a fire, keeping himself warm.

This isn't the first time Peter has seen the risen Jesus.

He's seen him at least twice before.

But no one had said anything about that night.

The guilt weighed heavy.

Does Jesus still love me?

The shame ran deep.

Will he forgive me?

The disappointment was great.

Is there a way back for me?

Now we know exactly how Peter feels because, well, we've all been there, haven't we?

So confident of our own goodness.

I will always love Jesus.

I'll never turn my back on him.

Sure, others might do it, but you'll not find me drifting.

I'm too loyal for that.

And then the moment comes.

You're out with friends.

You get drunk.

And you make an absolute fool of yourself.

You're checking out your social media, scrolling along.

And within a few minutes before you know it, you're scrolling through porn.

You promise to read your Bible and pray.

And it suddenly dawns on you that you haven't actually read the Bible in months.

You began with a gentle word.

But as the conversation continued, you just let them have it.

Maybe that's been your week.

Perhaps it's been a pattern for years.

And the guilt is weighing heavy.

And the shame runs deep.

And the disappointment with yourself is great.

What does the risen Jesus have to say to fallen and failing people like you and me?

Well, if we were to answer this with a song, we would all now sing,

Our sins, they are many.

His mercy is more.

Well, let's see what Jesus has to say to Peter and to us.

First, I want us to see the gentle grace.

Notice the way in which Jesus graciously deals with Peter.

Grace takes the initiative.

Now, maybe Peter had no hope of any restoration at all.

Perhaps he just didn't know how to broach the subject.

Well, whatever about Peter, Jesus takes the initiative and he comes to Peter.

Verse 15.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of John.

Now, why does he address Peter as Simon, son of John?

Well, those were the very first words that Jesus spoke to Peter almost three years before.

John records it in chapter 1 where it tells us that Jesus looked at him and said,

You are Simon, son of John.

You will now be called Peter, which means rock.

The first words that Jesus spoke to him are now bringing him back to that very beginning when he first met Jesus.

When Jesus intervened in his life.

And now Jesus addresses him with those same words.

In other words, Peter, I showed you grace then.

And I will show you grace again.

The risen Jesus takes the initiative and comes to us.

But not only does it take the initiative,

grace also shows us our deep need.

Verse 15.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of John,

do you love me more than these?

Do you love me more than the other disciples love me?

Well, Peter had been so confident, you remember, in front of his peers.

I'll lay down my life for you.

I love you more than anybody else in the whole world, Jesus.

But this time, Peter is humble.

There's no sense of superiority.

Look at the rest of verse 15.

Yes, Lord, he said.

You know that I love you.

Jesus said, feed my lambs.

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.

The third time he said to him,

Simon, son of John, do you love me?

Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him the third time,

do you love me?

Peter is hurt inside.

He's grieving.

You see, asking him a third time

mirrors his three-time denial.

Peter is hurt because now he comes to see

the extent of his sinful failure.

But now he's owning it all

and his response is not self-righteous,

but a humble confession.

Look at the rest of verse 17.

Lord, you know all things.

You know that I love you.

Lord, you can see my heart.

You know my true self.

Yes, in my failure,

I love you.

You see, the gracious words of Jesus

speak afresh

that no matter what our worst day is,

no matter what our best day is,

we are always in need of grace.

But third, grace provides a way back

for people like you and me.

With the confession of Peter,

there comes a command.

Peter says,

you know that I love you.

What does Jesus say?

Feed my lambs.

Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

Take care of my sheep.

Lord, you know all things.

You know that I love you.

Feed my sheep.

Now, these are not three different commands,

but one command said in three different ways.

The risen Jesus is calling Peter

to care for God's people

by feeding them God's word.

Now, while the apostle Peter

would go on to have a unique role

of recording and writing

the words of God,

we can say it is the responsibility

of all believers, isn't it?

All of God's people

are all called

to care for one another.

And how do we care for one another?

By feeding them God's word.

By bringing God's word to bear

in each other's lives.

But let's not forget the main point.

The risen Jesus

provides a way back

for Peter to serve.

Not only was he lost,

not only was he a failure

and had fallen,

not only is he forgiven,

but now

he is invited

to serve.

The gentle grace

from the risen Jesus

proves that what Jesus

had said previously

are true.

Jesus said this,

My sheep

listen to my voice.

I know them

and they follow me.

I give them eternal life

and they shall never perish.

No one

will snatch them

out of my

hands.

Here is grace

that comes alongside

and says,

I will never

ever lose

those who belong

to me

no matter how many times

you fail

or fall.

I have you

in the grip

of my hand.

This

is the beauty

of God's grace.

There is no shame

so dark.

There is no guilt

so deep.

There is no disappointment

so great

where grace

will not

meet us.

You and I

may wander away

as lost sheep,

but he

will never

abandon us.

His grace

reaches

to the darkest

depths

of our sin.

His grace

intervenes

in our life,

showing us

our need

and providing

us

a way

back

in which

we can

serve him.

Together

we sing

our sins

they are

many.

His

mercy

is

more.

So

we see

the gentle

grace

of the risen

Jesus.

Second,

let's

look at

the costly

love.

Peter

did

love

Jesus.

He had

said it

three times,

you know

Lord,

you know

that I

love you.

Well,

sometimes

words are

easy,

aren't

they?

Peter

must

learn

what it

truly

means

to love

the Lord.

So

listen to

what Jesus

said to

him,

verse

18.

Very

truly,

I tell

you,

Peter,

when you

were

younger,

you

dressed

yourself

and

went

where you

wanted.

You

were

young,

you

were

free,

you

could

do

what

you

liked.

But when

you are

old,

you will

stretch

out your

hands as

if on

a cross

and

someone else

will dress

you and

lead you

where you

do not

want to

go.

love.

Well,

what did

Jesus

mean?

Well,

verse 19

tells us

Jesus said

this to

indicate the

kind of

death by

which Peter

would glorify

God.

Then he

said to

him,

follow

me.

You

see,

to love

Jesus

is costly.

It's not

just a

word.

It means

being willing

to give

your life

for

Jesus.

Peter

had said

it,

I will

lay down

my life

for you,

but now

he comes

to understand

it,

that following

Jesus is

an invitation

to come

and die

with

Jesus,

to forsake

ourselves

and to

give our

all to

him.

Now,

we mustn't

get confused.

We don't

love to

earn grace.

We love

sacrificially

because we

have experienced

grace deeply.

In other

words,

love is not

a payment

for grace,

it's the

measure of

our joy.

remember

how Jesus

expressed

his costly

love

for us?

You can

follow it

here on

the screen.

The thief

comes only

to steal

and kill

and destroy.

I have

come that

they may

have life

and have

it to the

full.

I am

the good

shepherd

and the

good shepherd

lays down

his life

for the

sheep.

Jesus

understood

what

costly

love

was all

about

because

Jesus

was

mockingly

dressed

in a

purple

robe

and

crushed

with a

crown

of

thorns.

Jesus

was led

by Roman

soldiers

to a

place

he

didn't

want

to go,

to a

place

of

execution

and

Jesus

with

his

arms

stretched

out

was

nailed

to a

cross.

Why?

To lay

down

his

life

for the

sheep

because

on the

cross

he takes

our

sin.

He's

judged

for my

shame.

He is

condemned

for my

guilt.

All my

failings

and all

my

flaws

Jesus

dies

for me

so that

I might

have life

and have

it in

all its

fullness.

You see

when we

stop and

when we

consider

the costly

love of

Jesus for

us

when we

see that

Jesus

suffered

hell for

us

to secure

heaven

for us

the question

is not

why should

I love

but how

can I

not

love?

Jim

Elliot

some

of you

will know

this story

was a

young

husband

and

father

he was

a missionary

in 1950

to the

Yauka

Indians

of the

Amazon

rainforest

his aim

to share

the love

of Christ

and on

one of his

early visits

to these

people

Jim and

his three

friends were

killed

Jim

knew that

it would

be dangerous

he knew

it could

cost his

life

and he

had written

in his

diary

some months

before

and this

is what

he wrote

he is

no fool

who gives

what he

cannot keep

to gain

what he

could never

lose

did you

get that?

he is

no fool

who gives

what he

cannot keep

to gain

what he

could never

lose

Jim had

tasted

something

of the

unlimited

depths

of God's

grace

and the

only response

that he

could give

was to

lay down

his life

be ready

to give

his all

because he

loved

Jesus

and so

we will

all want

to sing

our sins

they are

many

but his

mercy

is more

so there's

gentle

grace

there's

costly

love

let's

see the

personal

call

the gift

of grace

is great

the life

of love

is costly

but that

cost

for each

one of

us

is going

to be

different

look at

verse 20

Peter

turned and

saw that

the disciple

whom Jesus

loved was

following them

that was

John

the disciple

John

who wrote

the gospel

we're reading

verse 21

when Peter

saw him

he asked

Lord

what about

him

we're just

like Peter

aren't we

we're always

wanting to

know the

details of

other people's

lives

what's their

calling going

to be

okay I have

to serve

but how are

they going

to serve

what about

him

what about

her

I'm doing

more than

them

they're doing

less than

me

who

what did

Jesus say

verse 22

if I

want him

to remain

alive

until I

return

what is

that to

you

you

must

follow me

in other

words what

the risen

Jesus calls

you to

do

or calls

me to

do

is actually

none of

each other's

business

it's the

Lord's

business

Jesus

may call

you to

much

suffering

or he

may call

you to

little

suffering

the point

is following

Jesus is

costly

but it's

going to be

different for

each and

every person

we all

have our

personal

call

Dietrich

Bonhoeffer

was a

pastor in

Germany

during the

second world

war

he preached

the gospel

faithfully

and he

stood against

the Nazi

regime

and he

had written

a book

called

The Cost

of

Discipleship

here's

what he

said

each

must

endure

his

allotted

share

of

suffering

and

rejection

but

each

has a

different

share

some

God

deems

worthy

of the

highest

form

of

suffering

and

gives

them

the

grace

of

dying

for

Christ

while

others

he

does

not

allow

to be

tempted

above

that

that

they

are

able

to

bear

but

it

is

the

one

and

the

same

cross

in

every

case

!

a few

years

after

writing

that

book

Bonhoeffer

was

taken

off

to

the

concentration

camp

where

he

was

eventually

hanged

his

personal

call

was

the

grace

of

dying

for

Christ

and

the

gospel

that

is

what

the

risen

Jesus

called

Dietrich

Bonhoeffer

too

for

one

the

call

may

be

much

suffering

but

for

another

person

it

may

be

a

little

suffering

a

little

rejection

but

to

all

of

us

the

risen

Jesus

is

saying

don't

worry

about

him

don't

worry

about

her

you

must

follow

me

you

see

our

life

is

not

to

be

spent

comparing

with

others

instead

as

we

wonder

at

God's

grace

we

will

discover

that

we

will

be

able

to

love

at

great

cost

we

will

serve

in

ways

we

never

thought

possible

we

will

go

where

we

never

thought

we

could

imagine

we

will

give

more

than

we

ever

thought

our

love

for

Jesus

will

know

no

bounds

as

we

experience

the

measureless

grace

of the

risen

Christ

and so

together

we sing

our

sins

they are

many

his

mercy

is

more

let us

pray

together

whatever

our

guilt

whatever

our

shame

and

whatever

our

disappointment

right now

Lord

you

know

our

hearts

you

know

all

about

us

you

see

deep

within

thank

you

for

your

offer

of

grace

today

thank

you

for

your

costly

love

in

giving

your

life

so

that

we

might

have

life

and be

restored

thank

you

for

calling

us

thank

you

for

enabling

us

to

serve

you

help

us

that

we

may

follow

you

and

may

we

help

each

other

to

follow

the

Lord

as

you

have

called

us

in

Jesus

name

amen