John 21:15-25: Coming, Confiding & Continuing

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly 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 truly 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 asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, 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 that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was 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.” John 21:15-24

As many of you know, Peter was one of Jesus most devoted disciples. In many ways he was seen as the leader, and Jesus had even changed his name from Simon to Peter, meaning the Rock. And yet Peter had many faults. He talked big and yet couldn’t always follow through – most recently and most painfully, hours after claiming that even though everyone else might fall away he would stand strong. He would even die for Jesus – he stands terrified before servants and slave girls swearing that he did not even know Jesus. Can you imagine the shame, the humiliation? Jesus then rises from the tomb, and while Peter rejoices in the return of his friend and teacher, he also wonders – have I gone too far this time? Will it ever go back to what it was between us? Will Jesus ever trust me again? How could I have done it? I wish I could go back…

But in spite of these fears Peter does three things right. And this is what we will be looking at. In my research there is so so much richness in this passage – hundreds of different sermons could be written and each time we read it something else could speak to us. I encourage you to do some research and a Bible study into what happens here as in the time we have, we will only begin to scrape the surface, not mine its depths.

We can read slightly before our passage that when Jesus walked along the shore, Peter dives in the water to meet with him. In verse 7 we read

“Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him, and jumped into the water.”

The first thing Peter does is that he runs to (or in this instance swims to) Jesus. I know when I’ve offended someone my instinct is to avoid them. The shame and embarrassment makes me want to hide rather than to seek them out, and yet here Peter cannot even wait for the boat to arrive at the shore. Ever impulsive Peter goes straight to his master.

“Come to me” Jesus says

 “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened”

“Let the little children come to me” Luke 18:16

“…Come to me to have life” John 5:40

“He who comes to me will never go hungry…” John 6:35

“If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink” John 7:37

 “…Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” John 6:37

I don’t know where you are or what it is that keeps you from going to Jesus. Perhaps you feel you have stumbled too far off the path, perhaps you feel it’s been too long, maybe its shame or fear or anger. Maybe its sheer laziness or apathy – it might even be a blindness we have to the slippery path we have begun to walk and so feel no need to go to Jesus – it’s just a little thing we rationalise…

One of the keenest lessons I ever learnt from Jess, Kingsley wife came a few years back at St Mungo’s on a Sunday morning. I was making my way through the tea area on my way to Teen Church when a dear congregation member came and criticised me for something I felt she had no right or knowledge on to truly criticise! And so feeling quite hurt I left her and went downstairs to a close friend of mine, and moaned to her about how very unfair this comment had been.

Jess over-hearing our conversation came and said, “Jackie – run to Jesus. Take this hurt, this feeling and run straight to him – you cannot let any seed of bitterness or resentment grow up!” And so we did, right then and there in the pre-primary classroom.

Is there something you need to run to Jesus about?

 The second thing that Peter did right was he was honest with Jesus.

Seated there beside the fire, Jesus turns to Peter and says Simon, son of John – do you truly love me more than these?

Our Lord searched the heart of Peter with three questions, which brought up to Peter's mind the roots of his failure, rather than the overt act of denial. The heart of the matter was that Peter, if you love me, you will obey my commands, you will acknowledge me. So the real question is Peter – do you love me?

In C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the White Witch needed to know only one thing about Edmund to get him to betray his siblings. By asking a few simple questions, the witch learned that Edmund’s weakness was his love for a candy called Turkish Delight. The piece she gave to Edmund was more delicious than anything he had ever tasted. Soon Edmund could think only about “trying to shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could, and the more he ate the more he wanted.”

Each of us has a vulnerability like Edmund’s. It may be something addictive like drugs or alcohol, or it may be something seemingly harmless and perhaps even good like food, friendship, or work.

After His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter this personal and probing question: “Do you love Me more than these?” Many have speculated as to what Jesus meant by the word “these,” but it’s probably better that we don’t know. It allows each of us to personalize the question and ask ourselves, “What do I love more than Jesus?”

And when we hear Him asking "Do you love Me?" how do you answer? 'Jesus, I admire You. Jesus, I think you are fascinating. Jesus, I have a great respect for You'? Or can you say with Peter, 'Lord, you know what is in my heart, You know that I love You'?

One of the fascinating gems I found in studying this passage was that there are two different Greek words here used for our word “know”

The first three times Peter says, “Lord you know…” he is using the word ‘oida’ which means know intellectually, in your mind, but the last time he says Lord you know “oida” all things, you know “ginosko” that I love you. This second Greek word means to know experientially or personally. To know because you have been there and witnessed and are familiar with it…

I can quite comfortably say that I know Nelson Mandela. I mean you all know Mr Mandela right? We’ve heard him speak, we know where he lived and lives. We know quotes of his and how he struggled for democracy. Some of us may have visited his prison cell on Robben Island, or his old house in Soweto and some of us may even be able to say we have had the honour of shaking his hand. This is Oida knowledge…

But then I can say that I know my husband Tim. This is a very different kind of knowledge. I know Tim because I live with him, I wake up beside him every morning, I know his dreams, his worries and what he is passionate about. I know why he enjoys running the sound at the church and what to cook for him on his birthday. I also know that he loves me. This is ginosko knowledge… I am familiar with Tim, I experience living with him every day.

And this is what Peter is saying – Lord you know all things you have experienced and are familiar with how I love you. Can you say this to Jesus? Do you know Jesus in this way? Do you love Jesus in this way?

The reason I say that Peter was honest in these questions was because of how he responded. Again we miss so much without the Greek translation… as many of you know there are different kinds of love in the Greek language and the two that are mentioned here are Agape which is a pure, self-less God-like love. And Phileo, a deep love between friends or companions. Keeping that in mind, the conversation between Jesus and Peter actually goes as follows, “Peter do you love me with a God-like love?” “You know that I care for you” “Peter do you love me with a God-like love?” “You know that I care for you” “Peter do you care for me?”

“Yes Lord, you know that I care you.” The change in Peters tone is astounding. From being the boastful, sure-of-himself leader… Peter has changed to, Lord I dare not claim anything that I cannot be sure of – I cannot claim to agape you, you know my heart, you know how I love you. It reminds me of a father who takes his demon possessed son to Jesus to be healed, and when Jesus asks him if he has faith, the father cries in desperation, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief”

Jesus in his compassion in the last question sinks to Peter’s level and asks if he cares for him…  The Lord asks for our honesty and our love. Peter gave both.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart oh God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:170

Lastly, Peter accepted his forgiveness and continued to follow Jesus. So many of us when we have broken our word, when we have hurt others, when we have let God down, let ourselves down – exclude ourselves from his calling.

Many say that the reason that Jesus asked the question 3 times was because Peter had denied him 3 times. This is a likely possibility, but there is another way of looking at it. The three questions might relate to the three denials… thus the undoing of them. Or they might refer to the making of a contract. At this time in history a threefold of questions and answers was done to enact a contract. Peter was being re-commissioned.

In Matthew 4 we read, “And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately left the nets, and followed Him.

Imagine Peter's thoughts - This same seaside is where Jesus called Peter to follow Him. And he had left all to follow Him. And then he had declared his "unshakeable" loyalty. But now he’s failed and denied Him three times. And now he was back where he had began the journey with Jesus. Was this the end of the journey? Could Jesus ever use a failure like Peter? If we have followed Jesus for more than a few years, these are questions we've all probably mulled over in our mind at one time or another, which is why this personal, poignant interaction between Jesus and Peter is so powerful and so pertinent to our lives -- because we have all failed our Lord in one way or another and our failure has left us downcast and grieved in spirit. Is this the end of the journey for us? Can Jesus ever use failures like us?

Peter had returned to fishing. When Jesus walked along the shore this time, Peter was back in the boat. Yet at the sight of Jesus, Peter swam back into his arms, was humble and honest with him, and in doing so reaccepted his calling, his commission from God.

Feed my lambs, Tend my sheep, feed my sheep.

We might feel like we’re useless, that we’re failures. But Jesus is able and willing to take broken hearts and restore them to his service. To the service of loving and caring and tending to his family.

Jesus then finishes the conversation with the same command that he had given Peter so long ago… Follow me.

At times our path is rough and steep,
Our way is hard to see;
We ask God, "Why is life unfair?"
He answers, "Follow Me."

The question I want to ask you – have you had a fireside conversation with Jesus? Have you gone to him with all that it is in your heart, and heard what he has to say to you? Will you be courageous like Peter and run to him, will you be honest like Peter and tell him that you want to love him, that you want to truly know him? Will you be faithful like Peter and hear the call to follow, to live to glorify him, to tend his sheep…

Jesus is saying, Come to me, Confide in me, Continue with me…

May I encourage you to have a time of prayer now, where you can truly meet with Jesus. Where you can sit with him and have that conversation.

Lord Jesus, we welcome you here. Meet with us as we run to you this morning…

Lord you know all things.  You know about our immaturity.  Lord you know about our past experiences.  Lord you know we struggle with authority; Lord you know that sometimes we are confused about our own feelings.  You know we lack direction.  Lord you know we don’t even know what to ask.  Lord you know we are lonely.  Lord you know the world seems confusing to us.  Lord you know we are living with bitterness or un-forgiveness and Lord you know about our personal struggle with besetting sin.

Your word tells us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” and how very grateful we are Lord.

You also promise Lord that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This morning accept us once again back into your service… as the old hymn says

Son of the living God! Oh, call us
Once and again to follow Thee;
And give us strength, whate’er befall us,
Thy true disciples still to be.
—Martin