John chapter 21.
After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias,
and he revealed himself in this way.
Simon Peter, Thomas, called the twin, Nathaniel of Canaan Gallery,
the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
Simon Peter said to them,
I'm going fishing.
And they said to him,
We'll go with you.
They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore,
yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them,
Children, do you have any fish?
They answered him,
No.
He said to them,
Cast the net on the right side of the boat,
and you'll find some.
So they cast it,
and now they were not able to haul it in,
because of the quantity of fish.
That disciple whom Jesus loved,
therefore said to Peter,
It is the Lord.
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he put on his outer garment,
for he was stripped for work,
and threw himself into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
dragging the net full of fish,
for they were not far from the land,
but about a hundred yards off.
When they got out on land,
they saw a charcoal fire in place,
with fish laid out on it,
and bread.
Jesus said to them,
Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.
So Simon Peter went aboard,
and hauled the net ashore,
full of large fish,
one hundred and fifty-three of them.
And although there were so many,
the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them,
Come, have breakfast.
Now none of the disciples dared ask him,
Who are you?
They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came and took the bread,
and gave it to them,
and so with the fish.
This was now the third time,
that Jesus was revealed to the disciples,
after he was raised from the dead.
When they had finished breakfast,
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
Simon, son of John,
Do you love me more than these?
He said to him,
Yes, Lord,
you know that I love you.
He said to him,
Feed my lambs.
He said to him a second time,
Simon, son of John,
do you love me?
He said to him,
Yes, Lord,
you know that I love you.
He said to him,
Tend my sheep.
He said to him the third time,
Simon,
son of John,
do you love me?
Peter was grieved,
because he said to him the third time,
Do you love me?
And he said to him,
Lord,
you know everything.
You know that I love you.
Jesus said to him,
Feed my sheep.
Truly,
truly,
I say to you,
when you were young,
you used to dress yourself
and walk wherever you wanted.
But when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands
and another will dress you
and carry you where you do not want to go.
This he said to show by what kind of death
he was to glorify God.
And after saying this,
he said to him,
Follow me.
Peter turned and saw the disciple
whom Jesus loved following them,
the one who had also leaned back against him
during the supper and had said,
Lord,
who is that is going to betray you?
When Peter saw him,
he said to Jesus,
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.
Well,
good morning,
everyone.
I don't know what all the talk about cold weather is.
I've been waiting for this for months.
So let's no more talk about cold weather.
This is ideal weather.
Well,
at least for me anyway.
Okay,
let's turn to God's word this morning.
And I want to introduce it by connecting the gospel
with Operation Overlord,
which was the code name for the Allied operation
to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.
And it had several phases.
There was years of preparation.
Then D-Day was the landing in Normandy
in which a beachhead was established.
And then the third phase,
the final phase,
was a push to Berlin,
resulting in victory in Europe
about 10 months later.
I want to suggest that in the same way,
the gospel,
in a sense,
is Jesus' code name for Operation Lord Over Everything
to the End of the Earth.
It was an operation to liberate God's people
from the darkness of sin
and bring them into light and life in Jesus.
And the thing I want you to understand this morning
is that it also had several phases.
There were many,
many years of preparation.
I guess that's what we would call the Old Testament.
And then Jesus had his own personal D-Day,
as it were.
It was launched.
And that established the beachhead of salvation
through the brutal, bloody events
of his life, death, and resurrection.
And then,
as we move into chapter 20 and 21 in John,
the push begins to take the good news
of liberation and renewal in Jesus
to the ends of the earth.
Phases in this work of God's salvation.
And friends,
I suggested last Sunday
that John 21
is the end of the beginning.
The beachhead has been established.
And Jesus affirmed that
when he greeted his disciples
on the day of his resurrection
with the words,
Peace be with you,
and breathed his Holy Spirit into them.
Turn back to chapter 20,
verses 19 to 22.
I'm going to read them to you now.
They're important words to remember
in the context of chapter 21.
On the evening of that day,
the first day of the week,
that's the day of his resurrection,
the doors being locked
where the disciples were
for fear of the Jews.
Jesus came and stood among them
and said to them,
Peace be with you.
When he had said this,
he showed them his hands
and his side.
Then his disciples were glad
when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again,
emphasis,
Jesus said to them again,
Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me,
even so I am sending you.
And when he had said this,
he breathed on them
and said to them,
Receive the Holy Spirit.
Jesus had acted on their behalf
to secure a new state of peace with God.
He had dealt with God's wrath,
dealt with a penalty for their sins,
had secured forgiveness.
And in the picture language of Ezekiel,
he had breathed new life
into those dead in sin
through his Holy Spirit.
That's peace with God.
They also experienced
the peace of God.
Jesus came to them
in that moment
in warmth
and friendship,
though they had abandoned him
and may well
have expected his reprimand.
He came to them
as one with power
to overcome sin,
death,
to overcome the world
in rebellion against God.
And he came to them
speaking peace
to fearful,
doubting,
troubled hearts.
Peace with God
and peace of God.
The beachhead
has been established.
But at the same time,
John 21
is also the beginning
of the end
as the next phase
of God's operation
and salvation begins.
Jesus is,
in effect,
saying to them,
I think,
this is who you now are
in me,
the resurrection man.
This is the new
resurrection community
I've made you
and which you have
the privilege to help
in extending
to the ends of the earth
so that all my people
will be saved
just like you've been saved.
And ultimately then,
God will be glorified
as he has always planned
to be glorified.
And so this interaction
with Peter,
in a sense,
is Jesus joining the dots
for Peter.
And the question is,
is it restoration,
is it a challenge,
or is it a commission?
Well,
most commonly,
verses 15 to 19
are presented
as the restoration
of Peter
to the ranks
of the disciples
soon to become apostles
because they see
Jesus' three questions
corresponding to Peter's
three denials
of Jesus.
But I believe
something much bigger
is on show
in the way
John constructs
this narrative.
Now,
have a look at
verse 15 there
to start with.
When they had finished
breakfast,
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
Simon,
son of John,
do you love me
more than these?
They'd been enjoying
breakfast with Jesus,
a time of fellowship
in which he manifested
more of himself
as the resurrection man
to them.
He displayed his commitment
to and love of
and concern for
their needs.
Then,
out of the blue,
Jesus asked Peter
this confronting question
and he asked it
in a very formal,
business-like way.
The fact that Jesus
uses the term,
uses the name
Simon,
son of John,
is interesting.
And it takes me back
to chapter 1,
verse 42.
And I'm going to turn back
and read that,
chapter 1,
verse 40,
through to 42,
actually,
where it's the very first time
Jesus meets Simon
and it's in the context
of Jesus calling
his disciples.
It says this,
one of the two
who heard John speak,
that's John the Baptist,
that is,
one of the two
who heard John speak
and followed Jesus
was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother.
He first found
his own brother,
Simon,
and said to him,
we have found
the Messiah,
which means Christ.
He brought him
to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him
and said,
so,
you are Simon,
the son of John?
You shall be called
Cephas,
which means Peter.
Now,
it's interesting
that John,
I think,
again,
takes us back
to chapter 1,
as the fishing story
in verses 1 to 3
also took us back
to chapter 1.
So it goes like this,
I think,
when Peter first met,
sorry,
when Jesus first met Peter,
it was as God's Messiah.
We have found the Messiah,
God's long-awaited
Savior and King.
And it was in that context
and in that role
that Jesus called Peter
to be a disciple
or follower
and renamed him.
Now,
in those days,
names were really significant.
They described
the whole personality.
So therefore,
changing someone's name
was a really big deal.
In fact,
it was an assertion
of authority
or ownership
by the one
changing the name.
So I think
Jesus is saying
that Peter
was his person.
Peter,
you are now
my person.
You are now
to live under me
as Messiah.
And one day,
I will make you
to become
as solid
and dependable
as a rock.
So here's the point.
I believe
their first conversation
was all about
identity
and commitment.
First of all,
Jesus to him
in calling him
to be a disciple
and then his to Jesus
living up to,
as it were,
his new name,
his new status
conferred on him
by Messiah.
Now,
back in John chapter 21,
their last recorded conversation
is also about
identity
and commitment.
Peter,
says Jesus,
having enjoyed
my fellowship
over breakfast,
my display
of identity
and commitment
to you,
the big question
now is
how much
do I shape
your identity
and your affection?
Peter,
who or what
is your affection
and treasure?
More than these,
is it your fishing buddies
and the fishing
and the current lifestyle
you've always known,
the one you've loved,
the one you're comfortable in,
is that what will
shape your future
or is it me?
Is that what will
shape your affection
or is it me?
Peter,
what will shape
your future in life?
Will it be me,
the resurrection man
and the identity,
privilege
and responsibility
of being my person
in my new resurrection
community?
And so,
Jesus pushes him
again
and again.
Do you love me,
Peter?
That is,
he leaves out
the comparative bit
this time.
It's,
do you love me
absolutely,
not comparatively,
but with total
all-in identity
and commitment
from the inside out?
Peter,
do you love me?
Now,
it does seem like
Jesus was reminding
Peter of his cheap words
just a couple of weeks
earlier.
And again,
those words were expressed
in the context
of fellowship
over a meal,
remember,
in the upper room.
And remember,
the situation,
it's a very tragic situation.
Peter,
Peter boasted
such absolute
love for,
identity with
and commitment
to Jesus
that says,
Peter,
I will sacrifice
my life for you,
Jesus,
any time.
And that was
back in chapter 13.
And of course,
we know now
that just hours later,
hours later,
he had repeatedly
disowned Jesus
completely
and was cowering
in the shadows
in fear.
Against that,
back in chapter 1,
chapter 21,
against that,
Peter still appears
to be the natural
leader of the disciples.
For instance,
in chapter 21,
the previous night,
it was Peter
who set the lead
in going fishing
and the rest
of the disciples
had gone with him.
So here's the issue.
The disciples
would follow Peter,
but would Peter
follow Jesus?
Now,
into that mix,
we've got to remember
that Peter
had not wanted
a crucified
Lord.
He really
wanted a military
saviour
who would deliver
them from the Romans
and make Israel
great again.
And remember,
when Jesus
was arrested,
it was Peter
who had a sword.
It was Peter
who unsheathed it
and was prepared
to fight.
He was thinking
very much
in terms of
a physical
Messiah deliverer.
And the question
now put to him
by Jesus
was,
Peter,
are you now
ready to commit
to me
as I have
manifested myself
to you?
The sacrificial
lamb,
the crucified
Messiah,
the king
of love
and peace,
rather than
as Peter wanted
or even demanded
Jesus should be.
Would Peter
lead his fellow
disciples down
this pathway
of identity
and commitment
to the one
who delivers
spiritually
and death
into life
and life
with God?
But there's
an even
bigger context
yet
for this
discussion.
Look back
to John
20,
21,
the verses
I read
to you
just at the
start.
I'll read
one of the
verses again,
verse 21
and 22.
So Jesus
said to them
again,
peace be
with you.
As the
Father
has sent
me,
even so
I am
sending
you.
Those two
phrases
very,
very closely
connected.
And I want
to highlight
this morning
that connection,
the second
of those
connections,
as so.
As the
Father
has sent
me,
so I
am
sending
you.
Friends,
here's the
context of
this conversation
with Peter
and Jesus
in chapter
21.
The
disciples,
who after
all were
the first
fruits of
the resurrection
community,
are to be
patterned on
the resurrection
man.
Here,
from Jesus'
own lips,
is our
identity,
shape,
and commitment
going forward.
As for
Jesus,
so for you
who have
experienced
the gospel
of peace
in Jesus.
As Jesus
demonstrated
all-in
identity
with broken,
dysfunctional,
rebellious,
lost people
by being in
the world
as a
human,
so we
have been
called out
of the
world,
renewed,
brought into
the new
resurrection
community
or church,
then sent
back into
the world
by Jesus
to pass
on the
gospel of
peace
to equally
needy people.
Sorry,
to pass on
the gospel
of peace
to equally
needy people.
And as
Jesus'
success was
patterned
through
absolute
love,
unswerving
obedience
towards his
father,
and total
commitment
to following
his father's
salvation
purpose,
so we
are to be
shaped by
loving,
obeying,
and following
Jesus.
As Jesus
taught,
modeled,
challenged,
prayed,
cared,
nurtured,
showed compassion,
sacrificed himself,
so we
are to
display all
those characteristics.
So we are to
display,
in summary,
the mind of
Christ
in every
way,
at every
point in
life.
That is
our identity.
That is
our task,
our commitment.
Of course,
that's a
huge task.
What's our
confidence in
being able to
deliver in
such a
task?
Well,
again,
chapter 20,
that like
these
disciples,
like these
first fruits
of the
new
resurrection
community,
Jesus has
also breathed
the power
of the
Holy Spirit
into us,
so that
the mind
of Christ
grows in
our heart
and overflows
into our
actions.
Now,
back into
chapter 21,
in this
conversation
between Peter
and Jesus,
and we see
here that
Jesus uses
the same
language,
loving,
following,
and obeying.
So,
friends,
my suggestion
to this
morning is
that Jesus
is giving
Peter a
reminder
or a
challenge
to express
his ownership
by the
resurrection
man,
rather than
some new
commission
that's laid
on Peter
as an
extra task.
It's as if
Jesus is
saying,
Peter,
I have
made you
my person
from the
very start.
now you
need to
demonstrate
what it
is to
live under
the lordship
of resurrection
man in
the new
resurrection
community.
Peter,
as you
enjoy
fellowship
in the
gospel of
peace,
so you
should be
unstoppable
in your
desire to
extend this
same privilege
to others.
How will
that be
expressed?
Well,
primarily in
this conversation
with Peter,
who now I'm
saying is
representative
of the
disciples and
representative
then of
all
Christians,
the first
fruits and
those
following
them.
Primarily,
this will
be expressed
in feeding,
tending,
or shepherding,
those words
are all
sort of
interchangeable,
feeding,
tending,
or shepherding
others in
the resurrection
community in
a way that
reflects Jesus
and Jesus'
ministry
commitment.
On the
ground,
that will
look like
gently pushing
people to
live
under the
lordship of
Jesus,
the source
of life
and every
need.
That's not
natural to
us.
We have to
gently push
people and
remind them
to do
that.
We've got
to nurture
clear expression
of the mind
of Christ
or life
shaped by
God's Holy
Spirit at
every point.
We've got to
teach people
and help
people to
say yes
to righteousness
and no
to sin.
We've got to
promote unity
as the key
evidence of
Spirit renewed
and controlled
community as
per the
teaching and
prayer of
Jesus on
the night
before he
died.
If you go
back through
the chapters
in that meal
and the
evening of
Christ's
death and
then Christ's
prayer,
unity appears
over and
over.
Love and
unity,
love and
unity,
unity and
love.
Promoting
unity is the
key evidence
of Spirit
renewed and
controlled
community.
So Jesus
is joining
the dots.
But there's
another thing
I want to
draw your
attention to
as I move
to a
conclusion
here.
That is
Jesus is
pointing out
to Peter
that all
in commitment
will make
the impossible
possible
and the
possible
impossible.
Now that's
a bit of a
complicated
heading as
I'm reading
that.
I'm just
thinking,
my goodness.
Anyway,
I'll try and
explain it to
you.
Peter is
still having
the dots
connected to
him by
Jesus in
two very
practical
points of
commitment
here as
we wind
up these
verses.
The first
is this,
in respect
of Peter's
desire to
show total
commitment to
Jesus,
I'm taking
you back
now to
what Peter
said on
the night
of Jesus'
crucifixion.
That is,
I am
prepared to
sacrifice my
life for
you,
Jesus.
But of
course,
fear had
caused
him to
hold
back from
sacrificing
his own
life for
the sake
of Jesus.
Now,
interestingly,
verse 18
and 19,
Jesus informs
Peter that
such a
display remains
not only
possible for
Peter,
but will
actually happen
as it were
the second
time round.
So the
question is,
what will
make the
difference to
his commitment
second time
round?
What will
enable Peter
to stay
faithful to
Jesus,
collapse and
fear and
retreat?
Well,
look at the
end of the
verse there.
Follow
me.
Following
Jesus
will be the
difference.
That is,
Peter,
keep your
eyes firmly
fixed on
me,
says Jesus.
Keep your
eyes firmly
fixed on me
as the
resurrection
man and
as part of
the new
resurrection
community,
which will
convince you
there is
something
better than
this life,
something bigger
than this
life, and
that is life
with the
resurrection
man in
heaven.
Friends,
Peter was
learning that
the lordship
of Jesus is
not just
something to
live under,
it's something
to die
under if
required.
And in
his death,
Jesus says,
you will
glorify the
father.
You brought
shame on
Messiah when
you first
stood in
retreat and
fear and
denial,
but following
Jesus,
now as a
member of
the new
resurrection
community,
having
experienced
the gospel
of peace,
the renewal
that comes
with it,
Peter,
you will
bring glory
to the
Lord.
And the
second
practical
point in
verse 20,
23,
is all
in
commitment
to Jesus
will stop
a wrong
sort of
competitiveness
in this
new
resurrection
community.
Now,
it's not
clear from
the text,
but it
would appear
that when
Peter inquired
about John's
future,
that Jesus
heard something
more than
just curiosity
in Peter's
inquiry.
So the
question then
is,
did Jesus
hear competition
based in
fear that
Jesus loved
the beloved
disciple?
That's who
John was
constantly
referred to,
the beloved
disciple,
the one that
Jesus loved
most.
Did Jesus
hear competition
based in
fear that
Jesus would
love the
beloved
John more
than him?
Did Jesus
hear resentment
because Peter
thought Jesus
might not ask
his beloved
disciple to
sacrifice as
much as he
just said he
would be asking
Peter to
sacrifice?
Jesus'
answer to
Peter is
very,
very clear.
Verse 22,
you,
and it's
a present
tense,
you,
keep on
following
me.
Jesus
apparently
hears
pretty blunt
with Peter.
He said,
Peter,
this really
isn't your
concern.
Even stronger,
Peter,
this isn't
even your
business.
What you
need to
do is
keep on
following
me.
You
keep your
eyes on
me.
Take your
lead and
shape from
me and
not comparatively
what I'm
asking others
to do or
not do and
not competitively
I'm asking
you to do
more than
them.
Don't do
that,
Peter.
Keep your
eyes on
me.
So do you
see how that
makes the
impossible
possible that
Peter would
step up
eventually and
sacrifice his
life for
Jesus.
And it
then also
makes it
possible,
this thing
that we
normally
devolve to,
competition and
comparison,
it makes it
impossible because
if we're just
keeping our
eyes on
Jesus,
then there's
just Jesus
and me,
regardless of
what Jesus
does with
others.
My friends,
if only we
would hate
these words
of Jesus.
if only we
would so
identify with
Jesus and
be so
shaped by
him and
so committed
to loving,
obeying and
following him,
then we
will see
incredible
displays of
self-sacrifice
and trust in
our church
family or
otherwise known
now as a
resurrection
community.
if only we
would so
identify with
Jesus and
be so
shaped by
him,
so committed
to loving,
obeying and
following him,
then we
will never
see competition
or resentment
in ministry
matters within
our church
family.
And how
refreshing would
that be?
All would
be tending
and feeding
the sheep.
All of that
would be done
for the good
of the sheep
and ultimately
for the glory
of the shepherd.
Friends,
very simple
question as
we finish
John and
as we move
into this,
as we sense
our part in
this final
phase of
God's
operation
salvation.
What are
you waiting
for?
What could
hold you
back?
Be the
shepherd Jesus
urges you
to be.
Feed his
sheep with
selflessness,
tenderness,
and with
the
commitment
of
Jesus
himself.
And do
it all
for the
glory of
God.
Thank you
very much
for listening
to me this
morning.
Thank you.