Father God, we thank you that you are a gracious God.
We thank you that in your infinite wisdom,
you have revealed to us what we need to know
so that we may trust you
and live lives that are joy-filled and strengthened by you.
We ask for the ability to hear you speak today.
We ask for the humility to recognise failures within ourself.
And we ask for the security to be able to confess them confidently,
knowing that your love is sufficient.
Amen.
Have you wondered why John's Gospel finishes here?
It feels like it would make more sense
if it finished at the end of the chapter before.
Jesus has died.
Jesus is risen.
Jesus has told his disciples that they've got a job.
He's commissioned them.
So why this extra story?
Why not skip to the bit where Jesus gets on a cloud
and goes up to heaven and that be the end of it?
Why Peter?
Why here?
Well, we know that Peter is a disciple, but he's not just any disciple.
Peter is one of Jesus' three closest confidants.
He's the one who uttered the famous declaration,
you are the Christ.
He's an act first, think later kind of guy,
and he gets things done for Jesus.
On the night of Jesus' arrest, when Jesus is explaining that all will scatter once he is arrested,
Peter boldly and confidently declares,
all else may fall, but I will follow you.
Even if I have to die, I will follow you.
Peter is so confident in his conviction,
in his fortitude,
in his self-discipline,
to resist temptation,
to endure hardship,
even death,
that he stands boldly declaring
that his commitment and his love for Jesus
is greater than any other disciple.
He is so confident
that he fails to heed the warning from Jesus
that this very night
he will deny Jesus three times.
But for all his confidence,
mere hours later,
not once,
not twice,
but three times,
Peter denies Jesus.
And as he says it for that third time,
he locks eyes with the one that he calls Saviour.
And he is overcome with guilt and sorrow.
Confidence that turns out to be false confidence
makes our failures all the more painful.
As Christians,
we tend to rock back and forth in our Christian life
between a sense of bravado and invincibility
and at other times,
a sense of crippling guilt or failure.
At points in our lives
where we feel like we're travelling well,
resisting sin,
reading our Bibles,
there is this confidence.
We have dealt with the issues.
It's past now.
We can move on to what's next.
But the problem, of course,
is when we stumble back into those sins
that we've dealt with.
Those sins that we've told God
are now done and finished.
How did this happen?
We ask ourselves.
I promised God I was done with that.
The guilt can be truly suffocating.
Can become a barrier
in our relationship with God.
Something that we try and carry ourselves
because we feel like we let God down.
We failed to keep our word.
Remember that when we get to this episode in John,
Jesus has already appeared to his disciples twice.
Peter got to see him both times
when Jesus met with the disciples
behind closed doors.
And it must have been really encouraging
for Peter to hear the words from Jesus,
peace be with you.
But how could he forget what Peter did?
Was Peter even still worthy to be called
one of Jesus' followers,
let alone a disciple or a leader in his church?
I mean, he might have been able to push that night
and his failure and his mistake
to the back of his mind.
But now, on this morning,
on that night,
he stood warming himself around a fire.
On this morning,
he sits at a fire with Jesus.
On that night,
he denied Jesus three times.
On this morning,
he will answer three questions.
It's quite possible
that the stretch of beach
that they're eating breakfast on
is the same stretch
where Peter first met Jesus,
where Peter first heard the words from Jesus,
follow me.
Peter.
But since then,
in his hour of testing,
Peter has failed.
Peter must have been feeling
a deep sense of inadequacy
as he sat there eating.
There's not a lot of conversation
in the passage.
The disciples are almost at a loss for words.
It says they know he was the Lord,
but they didn't know what to say to him.
Maybe Peter felt a bit like he did
when he first met Jesus,
when he fell to his knees and said,
get away from me, Lord.
I'm a sinner.
Maybe that's even how you sometimes feel.
Inadequate.
Inadequate to resist temptation.
Inadequate to point others to Jesus.
Inadequate to call yourself a Christian.
You know that you've failed.
You know that you'll fail again.
And maybe every day
you have this question ringing in your mind,
this uncertainty hanging over your head.
Will Jesus still love me today?
Even after all of these mistakes.
Maybe the overarching emotion for you
in the Christian life
is guilt and fear
rather than joy and freedom.
The feeling that there is no way
you can do what's required today.
That even before you begin,
you know you're going to fall short.
But that's kind of the point, isn't it?
I mean, whether you feel self-confident
as a Christian,
whether you're in that bravado
and invincibility stage right now,
or whether you sit there
and just want to hide in your room
and hope that nothing bad happens,
wherever you are,
you are inadequate.
What God asks you to do is beyond you.
Whether we're talking about obedience
or a ministry like what Peter will embark on,
you are inadequate.
Peter is inadequate.
And yet, Jesus chose Peter.
He called him out of the fishing boat
to be a disciple,
to be a disciple maker.
Peter's initial interaction with God
made it clear that he was inadequate.
Peter knew it as he fell on his knees,
as he stood in the presence
of his perfect saviour, Jesus.
He knew he didn't belong somehow.
There's no surprises here for Jesus.
And the same is true of you and me.
God knew what he was signing up for
when he called you to follow him.
Jesus died for you
while you were still a sinner,
not after you had sorted yourself out.
And what Jesus is doing in this story
is not heaping guilt on Peter.
He's not harping on about his failures.
He's showing him the absolute sufficiency
of what he has done in his death and resurrection.
See, somewhere along this journey,
Peter has somehow forgotten how he started.
He's begun to think that it's his responsibility
to be good enough for God,
to be capable enough for this ministry.
He started thinking it's about his character
and his commitment and his ability and his goodness.
And you and I do the same thing.
We hear the gospel.
I'm saved by grace,
by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
It has nothing to do with me.
But then a month later,
or two years later,
or ten years later,
we start to take responsibility for things
that are not ours to carry.
We start to feel this burden
to have to be good enough
to get God's love,
to please him,
to maybe deal with some of the sins
we've done again
that we said we wouldn't do anymore.
Grace becomes our first step on our path
instead of the foundation
that empowers and holds up
everything that we do
as followers of Jesus.
But the forgiveness and love
offered in Jesus
is unconditional.
It's irreversible.
There is no failure that you can do
that will undo
what Jesus achieves
in his death and resurrection.
When Jesus calls you into his family,
he stamps you permanently
loved,
adopted,
forgiven,
paid for,
precious,
redeemed,
permanently,
irreversibly.
It cannot be undone.
And then by grace,
he empowers you to do
whatever it is that he needs you to do.
Jesus isn't yelling at Peter.
Peter.
He's showing Peter something
that Peter needs to be reminded of
and maybe we need to be reminded of as well.
Love
is the only issue.
Heart
is the question
that Jesus wants to ask Peter
three times.
See,
you will fail
if you try and be good enough for God.
I can tell you that
with absolute confidence.
You will fail
if you try and do things for God
in your own strength.
because apart from God,
you can do nothing.
Not even be a Christian,
let alone be a part of his mission
to transform the world
with the hope of the gospel.
Love
is the question
that Jesus takes to Peter.
Not,
how's your preaching going?
Not,
have you got a plan
for church planting?
Do you love me?
Peter's heart
is the issue here.
even though Peter
has failed
and will fail
to express that love
in perfect obedience,
it's the only question
that Jesus asks.
Peter is about
to become
a significant leader
in the early church.
He'll ultimately
be crucified
for his ministry.
He will preach
the famous
Pentecost sermon
which will see
thousands of converts.
so Jesus
is using
Peter's failure
to remind him
that if he tries
to do any of this
in his own strength,
he will fail.
But,
with the power
of God,
all things
are possible.
With the power
of God,
a failure like Peter
can be used
to unleash
God's ministry
on the world.
To unleash
the life-changing
hope of the gospel.
Peter gets offended
by the third question.
He rightly
protests,
Jesus you know.
And Jesus does know.
He knows Peter's heart.
He knows everything.
But that's the point.
These questions
aren't there for Jesus
just to double check.
These questions
are there for Peter.
Jesus is graciously
wiping clean
the guilt for Peter
from his three denials.
He doesn't have to.
The cross is sufficient.
But this encounter
is Jesus showing Peter
that your failures
are not the main issue.
Here your heart
is the main issue.
You will fail.
You will be inadequate.
But if your heart
loves me,
no amount of action
from Peter
counts for anything
if he doesn't love Jesus.
And even though
it's true and right
to say that love
will often
and maybe even usually
express itself
in obedience,
love is not made up
of action.
Jesus knows Peter's heart
and even in his failures,
Peter is held secure
in the love
that God has for him.
This episode is essential
because it makes it clear
that Peter's acceptance
and God's love for Peter
will never be conditional
on Peter's ministry
or his spiritual success
or his ethical success.
John writes later
in his letter 1 John,
we love
because he first loved us.
The love that undercuts
our love for God
is his immovable,
unchangeable,
irreversible love
shown to us
in the death
and resurrection
of Jesus.
The essential ingredient
in our love for God
is his love for us.
Peter's inadequate love
becomes adequate
through the gracious
transforming power
of God's love for him.
Hear that again.
Listen and reflect
and soak in this truth.
God requires a love
from you
that you are incapable
of giving
and so by his
unshakable
and unchangeable love
he empowers you
to love him.
Even your failures
to love God
are covered
by the sufficient love
from God.
God's love triumphs
over our failures.
It restores us.
It renews us.
It redeems us.
It empowers us.
It reinstates us
when we fail.
And it gives us
the strength required
to do what we cannot do
on our own
to love and serve God.
This episode
is about giving Peter
one last bit of preparation
before he embarks
on this massive task
that he's faced with.
He is called
to feed Jesus' sheep
to nourish
and encourage
and support
a flock
of new
and scared
Jesus followers.
For him to do that
he must first
know himself
the security
and sufficiency
of Jesus' love
as well as
his own inadequacy.
Peter must
be stripped
of all self-confidence
and be left
basking
and rejoicing
in the adequate
and overwhelming
love
of God.
God is about
to give a key job
to perhaps
the most spectacular
failure
of the disciples.
Maybe
barring Judas.
Peter is the one
who in the presence
of Jesus
denied his
Saviour
three times.
this is
the failure
par excellence
and yet
the love
of God
washes him
clean
embraces him
as a child
and sends him
out empowered
to change
the world.
I believe
it was the grace
of God
to Peter
and to us
that Peter
failed so monumentally
at this point
in history.
This episode
at the end
of John's Gospel
isn't out of place
it's perfect.
Because if
Jesus can
and will
love Peter
even after
this failure
even after
staring him
in the eyes
as he denied
him
what else
is there
that Peter
could possibly
do that's
worse?
There is
almost no
possibility
for Peter
now to
doubt God's
love.
He has
stood
face to
face with
his
saviour
in his
moment of
failure
and been
re-embraced
as a dearly
loved child.
When things
seem difficult
for Peter
when he's
discouraged
when he has
a big fight
with the
apostle Paul
when he
wounds
some of
the
Gentile
believers
because he's
reverting back
to Jewish
customs
God loved
him when
he failed
here so
Peter will
know that
God's love
will remain
secure.
That God's
love will
endure no
matter what
happens.
And you
and I can
know too.
When we
stuff up
when we
let Jesus
down when
we stumble
in sin
when we're
greedy when
we're self
seeking when
we say a
harsh word
when we're
dishonest
God's love
is bigger
and more
powerful than
any failure
that you
can bring.
We no
longer have
to worry
about whether
or not
God's love
can stand
firm in
the face
of our
failure.
This side
of the
cross,
this side
of the
risen Jesus
we hear
the words
of Romans
8 echo
loud.
For I
am convinced
that neither
death nor
life,
neither angels
nor demons,
neither the
present nor
the future
nor any
powers,
neither height
nor depth
nor anything
else in
all creation
will be able
to separate
us from
the love
of God
that is in
Christ Jesus
our Lord.
This story
makes it
abundantly
clear that
there is
security
in the
gospel.
There is
security for
us in
the love
of God
even in
our imperfect
and at
times
straight up
disobedient
state.
God's
love is
sufficient.
God's
love is
secure
and so
there is
permission
for us
to fail.
There is
permission
for us
to be
real about
who we
are.
Perfection
and ability
are not
required
in God's
family.
we do
ourselves
and we
do each
other a
disservice
when we
pretend
that we
have
things
in
hand
when
deep
down
every
one
of
us
in
this
room
without
exception
is
struggling
with
sin
right
now.
We
do
ourselves
and we
do
each
other
a
disservice
when we
take
credit
for
that
which
God
does
through
us
because
deep
down
there
is
nothing
that
we
can
contribute
apart
from
what
God
has
provided
for
us.
The
joy
of
the
gospel
life
the
joy
of
the
Christian
community
the
joy
of
the
church
is
that
we
have
the
joy
of
honest
confession
we
don't
have
to
pretend
we
are
all
inadequate
and
yet
God
loves
us
and
empowers
us
to
do
what
we
are
incapable
of
doing
ourselves
like
Peter
we
just
have
to
love
God
and
lean
on
him
when
was
the
last
time
that
you
felt
so
secure
in
God's
love
that
you
were
able
to
acknowledge
weakness
or
failure
to
someone
in
this
community
is
this
a
community
that
is
safe
for
anyone
to
walk
in
and
be
transparent
about
who
they
are
and
their
failures
or
are we
claiming
victories
and
confidence
that's
not ours
to
claim
are we
setting
an
expectation
a
standard
that is
not
fair
and
not
real
for
people
who
would
walk
in
to
hear
the
gospel
of
Jesus
I
wish
that
I
could
tell
you
that
I'm
good
at
this
but
I'm
not
I
take
far
too
much
confidence
from
my
ability
to
stand
in
front
of
a
group
of
people
and
speak
or
to
plan
an
event
or
to
run
a
meeting
and
that
pride
in
me
leads
me
to
judge
what
I
see
as
weakness
in
those
around
me
what
that
means
is
I'm
horrified
about
admitting
my
own
failures
because
I'm
quick
to
jump
on
them
and
other
people
this
story
tells
me
God's
love
holds
me
in
spite
of
my
weakness
nothing
I do
for him
or his
kingdom
is
mine
it's
his
it's
his
strength
it's
for
his
glory
and
when
I
am
too
embarrassed
to
admit
my
own
weaknesses
all
I
do
is
heap
that
pressure
onto
other
people
as
well
the
great
encouragement
from
Peter
is
he
failed
spectacularly
and
his
savior
went
back
and
had
breakfast
with
him
just
to
make
sure
he
knew
that
he
was
still
secure
in
God's
love
we
are
secure
therefore
we
are
safe
and
it
is
the
invitation
of
God
for
us
to
therefore
be
honest
for
this
to
be
a
place
where
anyone
can
walk
in
regardless
of
their
history
regardless
of
their
mistakes
and
know
that
in
Jesus
there
is
a
love
that
is
bigger
and
stronger
than
any
of
that
the
other
grace
here
in
this
story
is
that
God
shows
us
the
danger
and
the
hopelessness
of
fighting
in
our
own
strength
Peter
has
shown
that
humanly
speaking
he
has
nothing
to
offer
if
Jesus
leaves
this
to
Peter's
ability
and
his
conviction
and
his
fortitude
then
we're
going
to
just
get
more
denial
episodes
in
spite
of
Peter's
enthusiasm
and
confidence
and
bravado
unless
God
works
through
him
it'll
count
for
nothing
Peter
and
we
are
drawn
by this
encounter
to be
people
who pray
first
and act
second
people who
depend on
God
who
recognize
that we
need
God
and then
empowered
by him
can go
out
head
strong
and
confident
in the
work that
God can
and will
do
through
us
the
grace
of God
is that
you are
not
required
to have
the
ability
to do
what
God
wants
you
to do
you're
simply
required
to ask
him
for the
ability
and the
strength
everybody
knows
about
Peter's
failure
he has
a reputation
as the
disciple
that
denied
but what
that does
is help
him
come to
God
empty
handed
and ready
to be
used
we've got
to try
and understand
what the
disciples
were going
through
at the
end of
the
gospel
even
though
Jesus
told
them
what
would
happen
the
resurrection
took
them
completely
by
surprise
and so
these
men
are
scrambling
to
process
everything
that
Jesus
has
said
to
them
in
the
last
three
years
about
who
he
is
about
what
it
means
to
follow
him
about
the
mission
that
he's
just
given
them
and
the
life
of
a
Christian
is
starting
to
take
on
fresh
clarity
for
the
disciples
yes
they
will
be
world
changers
yes
they
will
be
leaders
among
God's
people
yes
they
will
care
for
the
poor
they
will
be
self
sacrificial
they
will
put
others
first
many
of
them
will
die
for
this
cause
but
it
is
only
by
God's
grace
and
the
provision
of
his
strength
and
his
patient
love
for
them
that
they
can
offer
anything
even
the
breakfast
that
they're
eating
with
Jesus
in
this
story
is
kind
of
a
snapshot
of
the
Christian
life
Jesus
provides
them
with
a
miraculous
catch
of
fish
by
the
time
they
get
to
the
beach
Jesus
already
has
the
fire
going
there's
already
fish
cooking
there's
already
bread
ready
to
go
and
yet
he
still
says
this
in
verse
10
bring
some
of
the
fish
you
have
just
caught
Jesus
doesn't
need
their
fish
there's
already
fish
cooking
and
he
provided
the
fish
that
they're
about
to
contribute
the
life
of a
Christian
the
life
of a
Christ
follower
is
not
about
being
perfect
or
skillful
or
even
moral
the
life
of a
Christian
is
about
being
dependent
on
the
immovable
consistent
unchanging
overwhelming
love
and empowering
of God
at
its
core
the
Christian
life
is a
life
that
is
secure
in
God's
irreversible
love
stable
and
empowered
by God's
Holy Spirit
and
consciously
and even
joyfully
inadequate
within
itself
let me
pray
father
god
please
give us
such
confidence
and
security
in
your
love
that
we
feel
no
need
to
pretend
give
us
the
security
to
willingly
and
honestly
and
joyfully
confess
our
sins
to
one
another
trusting
in
your
forgiveness
please
strip
away
self
sufficiency
strip
away
the
things
that
we
trust
in
that
aren't
you
and
glorify
yourself
in
our
weakness
empower
us
to be
a light
for you
in this
world
for Jesus
sake
Amen