Second Chances and Mind Your Business!

We have finally come to the end of the gospel of John.  We started this study in November 2021.  After 22 months, we will finish today.

 

From last Sunday in John 21, Jesus and seven of His closest disciples were in Galilee.  The 7 had spent all night fishing and caught nothing. 

 

Jesus told them to throw their net on the right-hand side of the boat.  They did and caught 153 large fish.  They then sat down with the post-resurrected Christ for breakfast.

 

Today’s verses focus on Peter.  Peter was the unofficial leader of the 12 and was the second closest to Jesus behind the author of this gospel, John. 

 

Remember how Peter had recently failed the Lord?  Peter denied Jesus on three different occasions late Thursday night and early Friday morning before Jesus was crucified. 

 

Now it was time for him to be forgiven and restored.  This morning, let’s think about second chances and minding our own business.

 

 

17. Jesus Forgave Peter’s Past Failures, John 21:15-17.

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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.”  16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”  He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”  He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”  17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 all things; You know that I love You.”  Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

 

I rather suspect that most everybody in the room this morning has heard some kind of sermon or Bible study regarding our first 3 verses.  Bible students have been discussing and debating Jesus’ words in this text for years without ever coming to a solid consensus. 

 

I’m sure we won’t arrive at a consensus today, but I believe the point here is not to remind Peter of his past failures.  However, I do believe that Jesus forgave Peter and restored a broken man to his rightful place of leadership among Jesus followers.

 

In verse 15, Jesus turned to Peter and asked him this question, “Do you love Me more than these?”  Remember that they are probably sitting around the fire that cooked their fish, and it was around a fire that Peter first denied Jesus on Thursday night. 

 

Notice that Jesus called Peter “Simon, son of John.”  It was this name that Jesus first called Peter to follow Him in John 1:40-42.

 

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.  Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

 

As for His question, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than these.  Jesus asked this question of Peter three times to mirror the three times that Peter denied Jesus, and Jesus used the word “agape” to describe that perfect, total, complete, all-encompassing love that He desired.

 

What did He mean by “more than these?”  Was He talking about the fish and fishing and Peter’s former profession?  Was He talking about Peter’s love for the other disciples?  Was He talking about Peter’s love for Jesus compared to the other disciples’ love for Jesus? 

 

I would contend that Jesus was talking about Peter’s love for Him compared to the other disciples’ love for Him. Peter had said previously that he would follow Jesus regardless, but we know that didn’t happen.  It was important for Jesus to remind Peter what he said and then what he had done.

 

Peter answered the Lord by using the word “phileo.”  That is different from “agape” and is a love that is based more on emotion rather than obedience.  It is a feel-good love that is seen in the word “Philadelphia,” which is the city of brotherly love.

 

Once Peter responded, the Lord told him to tend or feed or provide for His sheep.  Again, Jesus is restoring Peter to ministry, and Peter was to care for Jesus followers then and in the future as Jesus would soon depart again.  This time would be permanent and to the right hand of the Father.

 

Jesus asked Peter the same question a second time in verse 16.  Again, He used the word agape, and Peter responded with phileo.  Then Jesus told Peter to shepherd His sheep.  Again, care for His followers.

 

Then Jesus asked Peter the same question a third time.  However, in this third instance, Jesus used the word that Peter had used previously, phileo.  This is why I am not 100% sure that there is as much difference between these two words as we have often heard in sermons and from preachers. 

 

Now for a third time, Peter answered yes with phileo, but Peter was now upset.  He was grieved.  His feelings were hurt because he heard Jesus asking the same question on three successive occasions. 

 

In all three of his responses, Peter appealed to Jesus’ omniscience, His knowledge of all things.  He knew that Peter loved Him, but had failed at following Him, and Peter knew that too.  Jesus told Peter then for the third time to tend or care for His sheep.

 

Jesus went to Peter personally and tried to remind Him of His past failures only to restore him for future ministry.  There is not a person in the room this morning that hasn’t failed in some form or capacity.

 

Some have failed as spouses.  Some have failed as parents.  Some have failed as friends.  Some have failed as employers and employees.  Some have failed as business owners.  Some have failed as students.  Some have failed as athletes.  Some have failed as Christians and church members.  There have been times that I have failed as a pastor and your pastor.

 

However, I have good news for you today.  Peter failed, and yet, Christ restored him completely to ministry and service and to lead the first century church when He was gone. 

 

You can be restored today, and we should be a people that helps in restoring others from past failures.  Do you need to be restored today?  Do you need to forgive and move on and help in restoring someone close to you?

 

Jesus forgave and restored Peter from past failures. 

 

 

19. Jesus Forecasted Peter’s Painful Future, John 21:18-19.

18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 

 

In verse 18, Jesus continued His conversation with Peter, and reminded Peter of what life was like when he was young.  When you are young, you make decisions for yourself and go your own way. 

 

However, when Peter would get older, Jesus forecasted or predicted that others would lead Peter were they wanted him to go, and he would do what others decided he would do.

 

BTW, if you are here today and you are grown children caring for your elderly parents, be considerate of the decisions you make for them on their behalf.  More than likely, what you do with your parents when they are old will likely come back to you from your children when you are old.

 

Also, spell out in writing such as a last will and testament or directives as to what you want at the end of your life.  The more decisions that are made now means that few decisions to be made then.

 

Verse 19 tells us that Jesus was talking about how Peter would die.  His arms would be stretched out in order to be tied to or nailed to a cross, and he would be crucified like Jesus was. 

 

Church history confirms this fact as Jesus was correct in His prediction.  Peter indeed was led away against his will and crucified on a cross but upside down at his request as Peter believed that he was not worthy to die in the exact same fashion that Jesus had died.

 

Notice then two more facts about these verses.  Jesus said Peter’s death would be glorifying to God.  I hope that can be said of your death as well. 

 

Death is difficult in the sense of no longer having that person in our presence.  However, death can be good if you point people to Jesus in the process. 

 

You then can glorify God in your death.  Then Jesus said to Peter those same two words that were some of Jesus’ first words to Peter, “Follow Me.”

 

 

• Jesus Frowned Upon Peter’s Focus, John 21:20-23.

 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”  22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”  23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

 

In light of what Jesus had to say about Peter’s future, Peter was curious about John’s future.  Peter saw John there close by and asked Jesus about him in verse 21. 

 

Notice Jesus’ response in verse 22.  He frowned on Peter’s focus. 

 

Peter shouldn’t be worrying about John.  Peter should be worrying about Peter, and Jesus told him that.  Don’t worry about John.  You worry about Peter and just keep following Me. 

 

In verse 23, Jesus then corrected some misinformation within the group.  He didn’t say that John wouldn’t die.  He simply said that if He wanted John to live that was nobody’s business but His.

 

It’s real easy to worry about everybody else except the person in the mirror.  We can point fingers and name names and criticize everyone else’s actions and words and failures. 

 

Jesus said stop.  You worry about you, and let Jesus take care of everybody else.

 

John’s final two verses remind us again of John’s eyewitness testimony.  That which he experienced, he wrote about.  It wasn’t exhaustive or complete.  There aren’t enough books in the world to contain all that Jesus did, but instead of worrying about what is not here, you and should be sure to take sincere notice of what is here.

 

 

Conclusion

Here is the bottom line.  Jesus expects total and undivided commitment from those who choose to follow Him.  Would you make that choice this morning to follow Jesus as your Lord and Savior?