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.
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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