May 12, 2013
All Things New | It's Up to Us
- John 21:15-25
- Rev. Scott Shelton
We just saw this video using the lyrics of Amazing Grace to relate to people’s own lives. These are real people, not actors, in a video produced by the Salvation Army.
God is truly able to bring about restoration.
Last week, I asked those of you who were here to consider this statement and fill in the blanks:
I once was ________________ but now I’m ____________________. (STOP)
I want you to be thinking about it again today.
Today, we will look at the final interchanges in the gospels between Jesus and his closest friends.
We see that Jesus restores his relationship with Peter and calls him again to follow.
Let’s read today’s scripture: John 21:15-25 –
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 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. 18 Very truly I tell you, 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.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
20 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?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Again, today we have notes printed in your bulletin for today’s message. Let’s take a look:
NOTES:
After eating a meal of fish and bread, and being reconnected intimately with seven of the disciples, Jesus calls Peter out and they have this exchange three times:
Jesus: Simon, son of John (Peter’s full name), do you love me?
Peter: Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
Jesus: Feed my sheep.
Jesus makes the first step of coming to Peter after a disconnect. John 21:12-13
Jesus restores Peter 3 times after Peter denied Jesus 3 times. John 21:15-17
Jesus re-calls Peter to “Follow me!” and tells Peter to “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17-19
This is Peter’s calling. Peter is not to worry about John’s calling, but only his own. John 21:21-23
Don’t worry about the other person’s calling, but your own. What is your calling?
APPLY:
When has Jesus restored you to relationship with him? Can you describe it in this phrase:
I once was ________________ but now I’m ____________________.
Give thanks to God for restoration through Jesus.
Go and follow Jesus to fulfill your calling.
Last week, we heard about how God restores us through the person of Jesus from a guest preacher Rev. Rebekah Maul. She said when we have questions, the answer is Jesus.
Two weeks ago, we saw how Jesus intimately reconnected with the disciples at the Sea of Galilee with a miraculous catch of fish and breakfast on the beach with 7 of his disciples.
Today, we pick up again there and see how Jesus calls out Peter in this story.
Is it fair for Jesus to pick on Peter? Yes, because Jesus has a goal to RESTORE the relationship with Peter since his crucifixion.
If we think back just a few weeks before this story, we could see that Peter had said he would follow Jesus wherever. But during the night when Jesus was arrested, questioned and tortured, we saw Peter denying that he knew Jesus three times.
It was Peter who pulled away from Jesus when he was in danger. It is now Jesus who initiates restoration.
Jesus goes to the Sea of Galilee where the guys are fishing, and calls Peter out, after sharing a meal with the men on the beach.
It looks like this:
Jesus calls Peter out and they have this exchange three times:
Jesus: Simon, son of John (Peter’s full name), do you love me?
Peter: Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
Jesus: Feed my sheep.
First, Jesus uses Peter’s full name – and his pre-disciple name, Simon. What does it mean Moms, when you use your child’s full name? Trouble.
Scott Thomas Shelton, come here right now! Uh-oh!
Yes, Peter had denied knowing Jesus, but Jesus still knew Peter and Jesus loved him.
The first ask, Jesus had added: Do you truly love me more than these? When Jesus used the word, these, we don’t know if the these is the other disciples sitting nearby… or the fishing nets, boats and equipment? If it’s the fishing, Jesus could be saying, as Willam Barclay says, “are you prepared to give them all up, to abandon all hope of a successful career, to give up a steady job and comfort, in order to give yourself up for my people and my work?” This is what it can mean to follow Jesus – give it all up.
Either way, Jesus is giving a chance for Peter who has messed up to recommit himself to Jesus – to give all of himself to Jesus – and to be his fully devoted follower.
Just about 5 years ago, there was another disciple of a powerful man, who messed up and had a chance for restoration.
In 2001, Tim Goeglein started running the White House Office of Public Liaison, giving him almost daily access to President George W. Bush – the 43rd president. Goeglein worked on faith based initiatives. That ended abruptly on Feb. 29 2008. A reporter uncovered the fact that one of his Goeglein’s articles involved plagiarism, and soon 27 of 39 articles he wrote were uncovered as plagiarism.
For Goeglein, “this brought on a personal crisis, great humiliation on my wife and children, and my friends, including the POTUS.”
Goeglein was devastated and was called to the Oval Office. Once inside the office, he turned to the president and said, “I owe you an…”
President Bush simply said, “You are forgiven.” Tim was speechless. He tried again, “But sir…”
The president interrupted him again with a firm, “stop.” Then President Bush added, “I have known grace and mercy in my life and you are forgiven.”
After a long talk, a healing process was launched for Goeglein which included repentance, reflection and spiritual growth. Goeglein said, “Political power can lead to pride. That was my sin. But offering and receiving forgiveness is a different kind of strength. That’s the kind of strength I want to develop now.”
We too receive forgiveness, from our leader who is much more powerful than the president. And he restores his relationship with us when we mess up and answer his call to follow him.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He does not just say, Peter, now that I know you love me, now go back to your former life as a fisherman. No, he says, “follow me!”
Jesus also says, feed my lambs and feed my sheep.
We see Peter later answering the call to feed the sheep, visiting and encouraging Christians around the Mediterranean. He is called to feed the lambs and the sheep.
Feed the young – lambs, and the old – sheep. To take care of the whole flock.
What does Jesus ask first? Do you love me?
Peter says yes. Peter in following Jesus is called to love God first and to love others by caring for the flock.
William Barclay says this, “we can prove that we love Jesus only by loving others. Love is the greatest privilege in the world, but it brings the greatest responsibility.” He goes on to say, “Love always involves responsibility, and it always involves sacrifice.”
As we know it is Mother’s Day and we love our moms. We know that Moms sacrifice for their kids – through shopping, cooking, carrying, changing diapers and clothes, through sleep deprivation. But moms do even more than that. Sharon Pierce is a mom and a proud grandmother who helps kids with no homes find foster care through the Villages. They helps kids get adopted and find foster homes; and they believe every child will flourish in a healthy, nurturing, self-sufficient family. Sharon is a leader in our church and often prays at the 9:00 service.
Last Friday, I found out she had spoken to our Friday MOPS group, Mothers of Preschoolers. I saw them collecting all kinds of stuff in our gathering space. I found out that Jenn McDonald had spearheaded an outreach to young people who were graduating out of foster care at 18. There was a homeschool family organized and sorted the stuff that was donated. What was brought in - Pots and pans, clothes, bedding linens, nonperishable goods, outfits for job interviews, picture frames, artwork, home décor. The storage unit was completely full to get it out to older foster kids in need.
Moms don’t just love by saying they love, they must sacrifice. Sharon Pierce with the Villages sacrifices all the time to help kids in need. The MOPS group did the same in the midst of their busy lives and not just for their own kids.
It’s hard to understand but God loves each of us, his children, more than a mom, or a dad, can love our children here on earth. And in that love, he calls us to follow him and to love others in the same way.
That’s our calling, to love God and to love others with a sacrificial love - as it was for Peter and for John.
We also see that Peter’s and John’s callings are different.
Peter will be called eventually to die for his faith, while John will live into old age. Peter will be the shepherd for Christ, while John will be the witness for Christ through this gospel, his 3 letters and the book of Revelation.
So it is Peter’s call to feed the sheep – to be the shepherd of the church. But John’s call is different.
This is Peter’s calling. Peter is not to worry about John’s calling, but only his own. John 21:21-23
Don’t worry about the other person’s calling, but your own. What is your calling?
Bible commentator J. Ramsey Michaels says,
“Everyone who would be a disciple must yield total obedience to the call and command of God, but the call and command is not the same for every person.”
God tells Peter as he has for three years, “Follow me!”
God calls to each of us too, and says, “Follow me!”
At the end, we see John say this. John 21:24-25
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
John is saying that his testimony is true and has given great detail and gone to great lengths to show us the reality of Jesus and his resurrection. We’ve been reading Luke as well, and he ends his gospel with Jesus ascending to heaven and begins Acts chapter one with the same story. We’ll begin looking into the book of Acts next Sunday.
But today, let’s apply John’s and Peter’s and Jesus story to our own.
Peter could say this…
I once denied knowing Jesus three times in his moment of greatest need,
But now, I’m restored and fully following Jesus.
What about us?
What can you say?
I once was ________________ but now I’m ____________________.
I know I could say,
I once was very shy, but now I’m getting the chance to talk about Jesus to many people.
Where have you been restored in relationship with Jesus?
I know in my future, there are still things where I need help. I have some very close friends, mostly other men here at ZPC, that I share some of those needs one on one. They pray for me. I pray for them.
If you still need restoration, first talk to God about him – just ask him plainly to bring you back to him, to forgive you, to change you, to give you confidence to live with him.
If you still need help, reach out for help to your small group, to a trusted friend, to me or another pastor, or to a Christian counselor – I could recommend some if needed.
We all need restoration.
Lead in….
In the movie Hoosiers, it is the story of a small town team who can win the high school basketball championship in the 1950’s. One important character, an alcoholic named Shooter, played by Dennis Hopper, has failed at many things in his life. But he has a great knowledge and passion for basketball. The head coach, Gene Hackman, has worked with Shooter, to get sober and asks him to be his assistant coach and sit on the bench. The coach in this scene asks to get kicked out of the game in order to give Shooter a chance to show his gifts, and to restore him into his role as a dad and a coach. Let’s watch.
They boy who says, “You did good, Pop. You did real good.” is Shooter’s son. We can see that a weak, shame-filled alcoholic did real good because the coach decided he was worth taking a risk on. In the same way, God sees past our weakness, and sees our value, as he did Peter’s and loves us enough to take a risk on us. God restores us to him through Jesus love.
You have been restored, because God has forgiven you too. He calls you to him. And then calls you to follow him wherever you go.
What’s our response?
Give thanks to God for restoration through Jesus.
Go – and follow your calling to love God and love others. Peter had his call, John had his call, what is your calling?
Jesus, come – follow me! Will you come and follow him?
Let’s pray. Close…