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
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
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