Sermon Cloud

Scripture Reading; Jeremiah 31:31-37

Well today we will be looking at the final chapter of John's Gospel. It almost appears as an addendum after the closing words of the previous chapter; “John 20:30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; (31) but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

• Like the special features on a DVD, supplemental material.

• Jesus has accomplished His plan, He has died for sin and risen from the dead....

• The all lived happily ever after, the end!

  Not really!

• I believe that it is actually he most fitting end possible for the story of Jesus' life and work which John has been sharing with us..

• Jesus' accomplishment was not just to be a great story.

• It was a real redemption!

• A real overcoming of our shortcomings.

• And what better way to emphasize the reality of this than to come back to that incident that we passed over back in chapter 18 and bring it to a close here at the end of his Gospel.

Has anyone here ever failed?

• I don't just mean lost at cards or checkers.

• I don't even mean blew it in a major game in team sports....

• Maybe more like destroyed a relationship...

• A marriage

• With a child

• A brother or sister.

• Or maybe you believe that you have failed God Himself.

• Struggling against a particular sin...

• Failing to do something that you believe that He wanted you to do.

• Just not being faithful in living for Him.

Peter has a pretty good resume of failures

• From trying to walk on wate and only making it a step or two, to telling Jesus that He was not going to die

• Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (23) But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

• As bad as that was, it was not like his last one.

• BACKGROUND John 18:18... Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. ... 25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!" (26) One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?" (27) Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

• Not only did Peter blow it here,

• Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (31) Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED.'(Zec. 13:7) (32) But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." (33) Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." (34) Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." (35) Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples.

• So Peter has really put his foot in his mouth.

• Not only that, but he has done that by claiming that he was one step ahead of everyone else, that if everyone else fell away that he would remain steadfast!

• Thought all pledged to die with Him that night....

• Yet we know how it ended.

John 21:1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:

• After Jesus was raised and saw the disciples

• Matthew says that He had directed them to Galilee that He would meet them there....

• John wants to give us another account of Jesus revealing Himself to the disciples.

• A very important one.... “in this way He showed Himself:”

John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. (3) Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

• Many of the disciples being fishermen by trade they, lead by Peter decide to go out and catch some fish.

• Some say Peter is abandoning his post, is he?

• I don't think so, ya gotta eat!

• Peter is the guy who has to provide for the group.

• He is the leader and the master fisherman.

• He has the boat and the equipment and the knowhow.

• They are on his turf.

• Interestingly, he seems to have lost his touch.....

• Especially since he has Thomas on board who is apparently not a fisherman.

John 21:4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. (5) Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." (6) And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

• Jesus, kind of says, “Hey boys, have you caught anything?”

• This is where these disciples and Jesus started out!

• He called them from a life of fishing, and early on in their relationship we see this...

• Luke 5:1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, (2) and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

• Same place as the Sea of Galilee,

• Luke is Greek and uses a Roman name

• Also a later Roman name, the Sea of Tiberias as in John's Gospel

• (3) Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. (4) When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." (5) But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." (6) And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. (7) So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. (8) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

• That was a day to remember...

John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. (8) But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.

• And so Jesus is reminding them of where they have come from and how they have gotten there.

John 21:9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.

• Jesus is also again bringing Peter to another familiar place.

• The warmth of a fire of coals on a cold morning....

• The place where Peter was when he committed his great sin...

John 21: 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught." (11) Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.

• One side note here the reason that John says that there were 153 fish is because there were 153 fish.

• He was there, He was a fisherman

• It was His fish story.

• This one was true!

• Maybe you remember such an incident and you can recall many small details.

John 21:12 Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?"--knowing that it was the Lord. (13) Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. (14) This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

• Notice; Jesus is still the Servant!

• This is the third time he has revealed Himself or showed Himself. First day, a week later and now in Galilee

• I think “reveal” is a better translation

• He was not just letting them see Him, He was teaching them through it.

John 21:15 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.

• This then is the most important part of this narrative.

• Jesus again is taking an opportunity, one where Peter has gone off (remember when Jesus washed his feet) and using it as a spring board to show His disciples more about Himself.

• Peter has publicly denied Jesus, Three times.

• Can you imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples?

• Jesus is dead

• Judas is dead at his own hand

• Peter, the leader among the apostles, has denied the Lord

• what a mess we are in!

• Jesus returns from the dead and now things are kind of weird....

• There is a sense in which Peter's public sin needs public restoration.

• The disciples are wondering if their leader has lost his right to lead...

• Peter's overconfidence has gotten him in trouble.

• Jesus in His love has come to him personally and first I believe that he is setting him straight!

• Vs 15 "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?"

• Do you still think that you have something more than the other disciples? (Matthew 26:32)

• Peter just says, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."

• Let's forget about that thing I said before.

• Jesus asks him again and yet again,

• “Do you love Me”

• Finally Peter gets frustrated, Vs 17 “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.”

• Each time Jesus has given him these three opportunities to affirm his love for Him, Jesus has also given Peter a command,

• Feed My lambs, Tend My sheep, Feed My sheep.

• Show me your love by taking care of what is most precious to Me....

• Love for Christ compels us to obedience.

• We will not be perfect,

• But we will have much greater success when our love for Christ is the focus and not the labor that is set before us.

• I remember as Rhonda and I were preparing for our wedding.

• It was only an engagement of a few months

• The last week or two were pretty crazy pulling things together, getting the dress, the cake, the hall, the minister....

• I would never have thought of not doing these things, Why?

• Because I was doing them from the love that I had for her, and more importantly because of the love she had for me!

But now it gets kind of tough for Peter.....

John 21:18 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."

• And so Jesus goes back to the dress of Peter..

• Peter had been working and had removed his outer garments.

• Much like a man might take off his shirt when he is working hard today.

• John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.

• Kind of odd that he would put more cloths on to go swimming.

• Peter girded himself to come to shore. Making sure that he was modest for polite company.

• He was working with the guys and had removed his outer garments and to go out he had to dress himself.

• One day another will take you and wrap you to a pole and stretch out your hands.

• John 21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."

• Peter's following of Jesus would ultimately end in his own martyrdom and indeed it did.

• According to Church history, after watching his wife be crucified, Peter was also crucified, upside down.

John 21:20 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?"

• Jesus, basically says to Peter, “You do what I have commanded you to do and don't worry about him.”

(24) This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. (25) And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

• John again assures us of his first hand knowledge of this and amplifies what he had said at the end of chapter 20.

I believe that applications here are fairly obvious.

• Jesus came to save sinners.

• In order to qualify for this you must have messed up!

• All have.

• Jesus came to Peter who had sinned publicly and restored Him so.

• Peter's love for Jesus was what Jesus based that restoration upon.

• Not penance! Not self-abasement

• With that love came a command to obedience and service.

• This ultimately ended with Peter's martyrdom

• All of this really happened and it is also intended for us.