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