John 21:20-25 "Focus, Focus, Focus"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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! Amen. Thank you all. What a great, great hymn.

Just stop and think about some of those words for just a minute.

That last verse.

Could we with ink the oceans fill and where the skies of parchment made?

Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade?

To write the love of God above would drain the oceans dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.

Amazing. It's true, isn't it? It's beyond what we could comprehend.

That is the way that John ends his account of Jesus' life here in his gospel.

The last verse.

Now, there were also many other things that Jesus did.

Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

This infinite word.

Remember, who was there in the beginning.

Who created the world.

Who entered into the world to show the glory and the grace of God to desperate, rebellious people.

Has now lived and died and risen.

And we can't even begin to comprehend or to contain all that he is.

All that he does.

John's just marveling, right?

We set out two years ago to encounter this Jesus in the pages of John's gospel.

I hope you have.

But John wants to give us one more chance through the eyes of Peter.

So if this is your first time, hey, we're going to get to see him again.

Peter, the failure.

Who has been restored to Jesus.

Restored to leadership in his church.

And just now, in this last interaction, called to follow Jesus even to a cross.

Even as we are sent out on God's mission into the world.

Focus on Jesus.

Don't miss Jesus.

It's all about Jesus.

John 21 at verse 20.

This is God's word.

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

The one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said,

Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?

And when Peter saw him, he said to Jesus,

Lord, what about this man?

Jesus said to him, if it is my will that he remain until I come,

what is that to you?

You follow me.

So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die.

Yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die.

But if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?

This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things

and who has written these things.

And we know that his testimony is true.

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.

Were every one of them to be written,

I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Let's pray.

Oh, Holy Spirit, we're thankful for this book that was written.

Amen.

We need you to write its truth upon our hearts.

We need you to set our hearts aflame because of the truth of it that is life-changing.

We need you to help us see Jesus as he truly is because that will change us.

Do that now as we look to your word, Father, we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Sometimes it's hard to focus on and easy to miss even the most amazing things, isn't it?

When my family goes to a museum or other cool tourist attraction,

I want to make sure that we all see the main attraction,

the feature exhibit, you know, the sunset across the city from the skyscraper,

the crown jewels of England,

the masterpiece painting at the museum.

But it usually goes like this wherever we go.

Two of us press on through quickly,

eager to catch just a glimpse of the thing and get on to the next fun activity, right?

Moving so fast, they can hardly appreciate the grandeur of what's in front of them.

And I want to say, slow down.

This is what we're here to see, right?

Don't miss it.

And two others lag far behind them.

They're reading the fine print on every plastic placard in the entire museum.

They're looking at the footnotes to see what's it about.

Those things that were only meant to be read if you're stuck in line waiting for the real exhibit, right?

They're reading all of those.

I don't care about that 600-year-old rock.

Look over there.

There's a crown jewels.

Don't get distracted by the details of the construction of this museum.

Come over here and look at the sunset over the city.

It's beautiful.

And so here I am.

I haven't gotten to myself yet.

I'm stuck in the middle.

I am just trying to keep every family member in view, sometimes around corners in multiple rooms.

I want everybody to be together and I want to make sure everyone enjoys the glorious view because I just want everybody to be happy and to see what I want them to see.

Hold on.

Did I see it?

Or have I missed it?

I don't know which one you are in that scenario.

Hopefully you can put yourself in there.

Maybe you're the one losing focus because you're distracted by hurrying off to the next thing most of the time.

Maybe you're the one losing focus because you're distracted by lesser concerns that you just get obsessed about.

Maybe you're the one losing focus because you're distracted by everyone else's distraction.

And so you miss out yourself.

But John wants none of us to miss the glory of Jesus.

It's a glorious view of him that he's given us for 21 chapters.

And Jesus wants none of us distracted from seeing him every single day.

That's been true all the way through this gospel.

And it's where our study of John's gospel ends this morning.

First notice potential distractions.

Don't let anyone or anything distract you from Jesus.

Listen, distractions abound, right?

Lots of opportunities.

Distraction is the expertise of our age in many ways.

Not just smartphones and busy schedules.

That'll do it.

It's our hearts that provide the primary distraction.

We can be distracted by almost anything.

We're demanding, entertain me.

Engage me.

Don't leave me alone.

Remember in this passage,

Jesus has just told Peter how he's going to die by crucifixion.

And then as soon as he tells Peter that,

Jesus says, follow me, right?

To the cross.

And so here they are walking along and Peter immediately does what?

What does he do in this next verse?

He turns away from Jesus, right?

Right after he's been told to follow him.

He turns and he talks about the possibility,

oh, there's this other guy.

His attention gets drawn to John.

He wants to talk about maybe John won't die.

Whether it's the worst circumstance,

dying, crucifixion.

Whether it's the best circumstance,

living forever.

Don't be distracted.

Follow me is Jesus' call.

But this has been a constant struggle for Peter,

one of Jesus' lead followers, right?

All the way since the very first time Jesus said to him,

follow me.

Peter was distracted then by a lot of fish,

by his own failures.

He said, get away from me, Lord.

Later when Peter was walking on the water to Jesus,

there were storms and wind and chaos all around him

and it distracted him from Jesus, right?

He turned away from Jesus and began to fall,

losing his focus on the one who sustained him.

Focus, focus, focus.

Focus, so easy to be consumed with our job,

our life, our family,

our plans, our health,

our relationships.

Don't lose your focus on Jesus.

In fact, see, the circumstances of our lives,

bad or good, a cancer diagnosis,

a job promotion,

parental heartache,

they're not to be distractions from Jesus.

Those are actually to be circumstances that draw our focus to Jesus.

Oh, Jesus, I see how much I need you now.

Jesus, I rest in you.

I can pray to you about this.

All of these circumstances are yet more opportunities to see Jesus.

Jesus.

That's generally.

What about specifically in this passage?

What specifically distracts Peter?

It's comparison, isn't it?

That great thief.

Thief of joy, of life, of focus.

What about John?

John.

Peter wonders.

What's his story?

Will he die like me, Jesus?

We don't know Peter's primary concern here.

We can't see his heart,

but we do know that Jesus, who sees his heart,

redirects his focus.

Don't be distracted, Peter.

That's not your concern.

You follow me.

Now, of course, Jesus is not saying that we should not care at all about other people.

That's not the point.

But he is saying that comparing our path with theirs is not helpful,

and even it could be distracting from our mission.

C.S. Lewis pictures this beautifully in his book,

The Horse and His Boy.

The main character, Shasta, is looking back at the end of a long and difficult journey

in which he's escaped an abusive childhood,

lions pursuing him,

an approaching army,

all with his friend Erebus.

They've been traveling together,

and now Shasta is talking to a voice,

to God, as it were.

The voice says,

I do not call you unfortunate,

said the large voice.

But don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions,

said Shasta.

There was only one lion,

said the voice.

What on earth do you mean?

I've just told you there were at least two the first night,

and there was only one.

But he was swift of foot.

How do you know?

I was the lion.

And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing,

the voice continued,

I was the lion who forced you to join with Erebus.

I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead.

I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept.

I was the lion who gave the horses new strength of fear for the last mile

so that you would reach King Loon in time.

And I was the lion you do not remember,

who pushed the boat in which you lay,

a child near death,

so that it came to shore where a man sat,

wakeful at midnight,

to receive you.

Then it was you who wounded Erebus?

It was I.

But what for?

Child,

said the voice.

I am telling you your own story,

not hers.

I tell no one any story

but his own.

I tell no one any story

but his own.

And to be honest,

we don't even see or hear all of our stories

most of the time, do we?

We're not certain what's going on,

but it is easy for us to look around

and to feel like

someone else is living the life

that we long for.

Or on the other hand,

someone else is facing a trial

that we just can't imagine bearing.

Why can't I have the friends she has?

God, why did they have another difficult child?

It's not fair.

I couldn't handle it.

It's too much.

Why does he get all the breaks?

C.S. Lewis,

I tell no one any story

but his own.

Commentator N.T. Wright,

God makes no casting mistakes.

Jesus,

what is that to you?

You follow me.

Follow me.

I talked with a guy this week

who said it's been hard

trusting the path that God has him on.

He's 30

and he's not married

and he really wants to be.

And he's been thinking about that a lot lately

because it's been hard for him.

And as he's reflected on it,

he said,

but you know what I've realized

is that God has been so good to me

beyond what I deserve

and in so many ways,

he said,

I've seen Jesus.

He's regained focus

and he's realized

that he needed that

even more than he needed to be married.

Siblings often struggle with comparison

in the same family, don't they?

So do siblings at church.

Brothers and sisters

who sit in the same pews

and they worry about

who is in with which group of friends.

Why are others called to be elders

when I am not?

Why do others get away

with not being elders

while I have to be?

No, they don't say that.

How come they get to have

all the fun with the kids

while I'm stuck serving with adults?

All sorts of ways we compare.

Look, these two church leaders,

Peter,

he's been portrayed

as the man of action

and John's the man of reflection.

Peter gets to pastor

and write a little.

John's called primarily to pastor,

to write

and pastor a little.

Jesus says,

follow me.

Focus on me.

Then we can all be,

as the hymn says,

content to fill a little space

if thou be glorified.

Wherever God puts me.

See, God knows what he's doing.

We've got to believe this, right?

God knows what he's doing

even when we don't.

When we don't see what he's doing.

He is arranging the parts of his body

exactly the way he wants them to be.

Each one of them

as he chooses.

All of us,

a part of the same body,

all of us given gifts

and roles

to build up the same body.

All deeply loved

and died for

by Jesus,

cared for

by Jesus.

And we're to focus

not on the eyes,

not on the hands,

not on the feet,

but on what?

The head.

Even Jesus,

he's the one

we're here for.

Don't be distracted

by comparison.

Think about what happens

when you focus on others.

Doesn't it happen

that you're either

disappointed in them,

they're not doing well,

or you're envious of them,

they're doing too well?

When you focus on yourself,

if you do that long enough,

you're either gonna become

despairing,

because I can't get it together,

or you're gonna become prideful,

because I'm doing so well.

Neither of those is good.

When you focus on Jesus,

you're satisfied,

and you're secure,

and you're now able

to love others,

to serve others.

You're now able

to humble yourself,

even to forgive yourself,

because your focus

is on Jesus,

and those other things

flow out.

That's the second point

of Jesus' parting words here.

To state it positively,

let Jesus attract

your full attention,

and your greatest affection.

Don't be content this morning

with merely avoiding distractions.

How can I keep those

away from me?

Passionately focus

your life on Jesus.

There's someone glorious.

There's someone majestic.

There's someone worthy

of all your gaze,

of all your love.

There's a feature exhibit.

There's a main attraction.

Jesus sees when Peter

loses track of it,

doesn't he?

He sees Peter

getting turned around,

getting distracted

by comparison with John,

and he calls him back.

You follow me.

There's an emphasis

in the way this is written.

First, the primary emphasis

is on you.

You, Peter.

You're responsible

for my calling to you.

And then the me

is also emphasized.

Secondly,

he's saying focus on me,

not on figuring out

the logistics,

not on strategizing

the best ministry

and the best team

to put together,

not on who will serve best

and how we're gonna do it.

You follow me.

Now maybe that sounds basic

or simplistic.

If I were sitting in your seats,

I'd be thinking,

seriously,

is that all you got

for the last Sunday?

61 weeks in John

and that's all you can come up with

is you follow me?

I knew that already.

We all know that.

We all do that.

Or do we?

Will you admit

how easy it is

to be distracted

when life gets hard

or easy?

You know,

when life gets really busy

or sometimes when it's boring.

When life gets confusing

and actually

when I think I understand.

All the time,

we are tempted

to lose focus on Jesus.

Reflect for just a minute.

Where would you say

your focus is today?

Lately?

The last few weeks?

How about this summer?

As you look ahead,

is your focus set already?

I want to see if we can

have God's Word help us

with that a little bit

this morning

by reflecting on

who Jesus has shown us

He is.

We said together

those seven I Am statements

earlier in this service.

In John's Gospel,

Jesus has showed us

who He is.

Think of the glory

of focusing on this God.

Just listen to Jesus

for a minute.

Let Him attract your attention

and your affection.

He says,

I am the bread of life.

So when you are dissatisfied,

follow me

and you'll find your soul

fulfilled again.

I am the light of the world.

So when you are

feeling like you are wandering

in darkness,

discouraged,

helpless,

focus on me

and you will see straight again.

I am the door

so when you feel distant

from God

and you don't know

how to get back to Him,

follow me

and you will enter

back into relationship

with the one

who made you.

I am the good shepherd.

So when you need protection

from the attacks

of the enemy,

from the consequences

of your own bad choices,

focus on me.

I'll lay down my life

for you

to bring you home.

I am the resurrection

and the life.

So when you die,

follow me

and you will live

forever

as you believe

in me.

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life.

So when you are longing

for purpose,

searching for the right

path forward,

wondering

why you're here,

focus on me

and you'll find

the abundant,

free,

fulfilling,

everlasting life

you were made

to enjoy.

I am the true vine.

So when you feel

powerless,

disconnected,

hopeless,

follow me,

abide in me,

keep following

and you'll bear fruit,

you'll find strength,

you'll have hope.

Isn't Jesus wonderful?

Can you just think

about those things

he's promising

he is

and he is in your life?

As you consider

who he is,

even now,

does your love

for him begin

to grow?

Do you see him

as more needful

and as more vital

for your life?

This,

John says,

is what it's all about.

This is what you need

every morning

this week.

You need to know

who Jesus is.

You need to see him

clearly.

I want to pile on.

Peter's heard Jesus

say all these things

about who he is.

Now,

as Jesus says,

focus on me.

Just in this passage,

think about who this is

Peter sees before him.

Think about right

where he is

as Peter hears Jesus

call him to follow.

Who is this guy

saying,

Peter,

you follow me?

This is the Savior

who has gone before

the place

that he's calling

Peter to follow him.

Who has died

to give Peter life

and forgiveness

for his failures,

hope for his future.

That's who's calling

Peter to follow him.

He has risen victorious

so that Peter knows

that even a death

by crucifixion

will not be the end

of his story.

That his Savior

has resurrection power

and has promised

to raise him up

on the last day.

That's who's telling

Peter,

follow me.

And then as he listens

to Jesus,

he's realizing

this is the sovereign Savior

whose plan for me

and for those I love

that I sometimes

get distracted

by focusing on,

it's perfect.

His plan can be trusted.

Look at this.

If it is my will,

Jesus says.

If it is my will

that whatever happened,

if it's Jesus'

sovereign will,

then no matter

what you are going through,

no one can snatch you

out of his hand.

He's got you.

I'm the one you can trust,

he says.

I'm the one you must focus on.

I'm the one you can follow.

That's who's calling.

Calling you to follow him.

But I think it's important

to ask one more question.

When we follow Jesus,

where will he lead us?

He calls Peter again

to follow him.

Where?

According to John's gospel.

Can we know where Jesus

will take us?

And I would say

there's several good answers

to that.

Think back with me.

First, being really honest.

It might be hard.

If we follow Jesus,

he will most certainly

lead us into a world

full of trouble

that will often reject us

and be against us

just as it did to him

when God so loved the world

that he sent his son

and even his own

did not receive him.

If we follow Jesus,

he will lead us to a cross

where we must be willing

to suffer and even

lay down our lives

in order to love others.

If we follow Jesus,

he will certainly lead us

to other people

who need to know

relationship with their

God and Father.

He will make Peter

and us fishers of men

who listen to the lonely

woman at the well

and offer her living water.

Who move toward the sick

and the outcasts

to bring healing

and restoration

of body and soul.

It is not all simple

and easy where Jesus

leads us, is it?

It's not.

But it's never just hard.

Rejection, suffering,

challenge.

He will also lead us

invariably and unfailingly

to his word

which he says cannot be broken.

He reminds us that again

in verse 24

John's talking about

the things that he's written.

If we're going to focus

on Jesus,

we need to have our eyes

regularly focused

on his word.

Because see,

just as Jesus

in the gospel of John

is faithfully revealing

the Father to us

as the living word,

so John is faithfully

revealing Jesus to us

in the written word.

We need to see him there.

This really is Jesus,

John says.

This is who he is.

Don't miss him.

Jesus will always lead us

to his spirit.

He promised, right?

Chapter 16.

Sent to us

so that the one

who overcomes the world

is always with us.

We're never overpowered.

We're never helpless.

We're never hopeless

when God himself

is within us.

And then Jesus

will always lead us

to his people

who are united in him

so that we are never alone

as he prays for us

in chapter 17.

Now those three things

are really helpful.

His word,

his spirit,

his people.

It's really hopeful,

but where with all

of those around us

is Jesus ultimately

leading us?

Could you answer that question

from the Gospel of John?

How has Peter heard Jesus pray

in his darkest hour

for his failing followers?

Where is he going to take them?

Father,

I want them to be with me

where I am,

to see my glory,

to taste that you love them

just as you love me.

Jesus may take you

through dark,

low,

painful places,

but he is making you

into part of the sunset.

You,

his,

his crown jewel,

his

magnificent

masterpiece.

you are.

Even though you lose focus

at times,

you who lose focus,

Jesus does not lose

his focus on you.

He is taking you

to glory,

to life,

to himself.

He loves you so much

that he won't let you

miss out on that forever.

It is beyond

our full comprehension

where Jesus is taking us,

but you can let your imagination

run wild

because you can't outthink him.

You can't outimagine

the glory

that he has prepared

for those

who love him.

It's why I don't think

this last verse

is intended as exaggeration

or hyperbole.

It could be,

some take it that way.

I think it's actually

one more way to say,

focus on Jesus

and even if you do,

every moment

of every day

for the rest of your life,

you will never,

never plumb the depths.

you will be exploring

the wonders of his love,

the glories of his grace

throughout eternity.

See, John's referring

not merely to the deeds

that Jesus has done

on earth in the flesh

in 33 years,

but the immensity

of the infinite word

who was there

in the beginning

through whom

all things were made,

in whom is life itself.

and I think

what he's saying is,

you will be exploring

the sunset

not from a distance

behind a guardrail

gazing off at it,

but from the inside,

so to speak.

An insider experience

of his glory

and grace

and you'll never finish

that experience.

experience.

Don't ever stop

being enchanted

with Jesus.

He's given you

one life

to live here.

One.

And you know what

he wants you to do with it?

Are you uncertain?

Are you confused?

Hear him clearly.

You follow me.

Nothing else to focus on.

You follow me.

Practically,

that means be zealous

for time with Jesus.

Today and every day.

It means be eager

for Jesus' return.

You're daydreaming about it.

You're praying towards it.

And it means be committed

to his mission,

not all of your agendas

until he comes

or takes you home,

not knowing when it is

that it will end.

Not being distracted

by predictions about it,

but being focused on Jesus

every day that he gives us

to live with him

because we're living

with the one

whom to know

is eternal life.

I went longer

than I was supposed to,

but before I pray

and we come to this meal

with Jesus,

I want to say it

to you this way

and hopefully not be

melodramatic

when I say this, okay?

Maybe I'm just getting old.

I don't know.

But I reflected this week

on John's gospel

because I've loved it

and I've loved meeting Jesus here.

But I'm not as young

as I used to be

and I've realized

that it very well

could be the last time

I preach through

all of John's gospel.

I hope that you and I

both will read

all of it again.

But that means

it could also be

the last time

you ever hear

John's gospel preached

all the way through.

Maybe you'll be thankful

for that.

So before you leave it,

will you remember

that while Jesus did

many other things

not written in this book,

these things

were written

so that you would believe

that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God,

that by believing in Him,

you would find life

in His name.

In other words,

if you've been here

much of the last couple of years,

you've read

what God wrote

so that you

would know Him

by trusting His Son.

He really is

an endlessly good

and gracious

and glorious Savior.

And He just wants you

to know Him

and love Him

and follow Him

and trust Him.

And He's written to you

so you will.

don't miss Jesus.

Won't you trust Him today?

You know what He says?

Whoever believes in Him

will have everlasting life.

It's the promise of His Word

that Jesus gives to you.

Let me pray.

Jesus,

we give You thanks

for all that You

are and did

which we've only touched

the outer surface of.

And yet You've shown us

all we need to know

to know that

we can trust You.

To know that You love us

immensely beyond

what we can imagine.

To know that You've called us

to life in one place

and in one relationship

and we're never going to

find it outside of that.

So by Your Spirit

would You

would You enlighten

the eyes of our hearts?

Would You help us

to see You?

Would You renew

our commitment

to live with You

and for You?

We ask it in Your name.

Amen.

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