Do you have decisions you've made in your past that leave you with lingering regret? Maybe a recent mistake you've made that has left you feeling ashamed. Today on Truth for Life, Alastair Begg points out why our failures are never final with God. Let's turn on our Bibles to John chapter 21, where we'll see the Apostle Peter's spiritual failure. and His Restoration.
Well, we have been proceeding through the Gospel of John at a somewhat leisurely pace. Considering each of the truly, truly statements of Jesus. Of those statements, only two that I have found are directed expressly to Simon Peter. One of them we just read, you can see it there in the eighteenth verse. Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young, You used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you're old, you will stretch out your hands.
and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. It's a very solemn statement on the part of Jesus. It surely must have reverberated to the very core of Simon Peter himself. And in order to come to terms with this truly, truly statement, I want us first of all to recognize that in it we have a prediction of Peter's death. And that comes within the context of the revelation of Jesus himself.
And that in turn In the context of an examination conducted by Jesus in relationship to Peter. First of all, though, here in this statement, a prediction of Peter's death. Perhaps it would be better to refer to it as a prophecy or a promise. uh the solemn nature of it truly truly I tell you the truth Everything that Jesus says is true, but he chooses on certain occasions to introduce what he's saying in this particular fashion. He speaks, as always, straightforwardly, candidly, we might say.
Uh and in addressing Peter in this way, Uh his words are Hard. But as we will see, they are necessary. Jesus is actually saying to Peter, you know, you as you look back on your life, understand this.
Now in the present tense, I want you to know that life is going to be different for you. you're going to eventually stretch out your arms and you're going to be carried Where you do not want to go. Where does he not want to go?
Well, he didn't want to go to crucifixion. which as John is about to explain, is the nature of the euphemism. And It is an important point to pause and recognize something. that the absence of uh people through death. is a sad and painful reality.
Those who do not believe in Jesus, who don't understand Jesus as the resurrection and the life. have no answer to death. They really have no explanation of death. They're tempted to believe that it is simply a natural incurrence, that we can just embrace it. When in actual fact, the Bible makes it clear that death is the penalty for sin.
And the only place that that is dealt with is in the one who dies in the place of the sinners, namely Jesus. And so we understand that as we conduct funerals, as some of us will do in the next few days, we're able to affirm that. And without question, we affirm that.
However, the fact is, as Calvin observes, The dread of death is implanted in us. Augustine similarly and just cryptically said, no man likes to die. And even Jesus himself in the Garden of Gethsemane prays, Father, if you are willing, let this cup pass. Pass for me. And so, this is a solemn statement, this prediction of the death of Peter, because he's not simply saying, Peter, you're going to die.
He is explaining the manner of Peter's death. The picture here of arms outstretched, as you see in verse 19, John helps us, clarifies it. This Jesus said, to show but what kind of death he was to glorify God. Peter had heard Jesus on previous occasions explaining that the pathway of discipleship is a pathway that is a cross-shaped one. If anyone, Jesus said, would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will find it. Peter heard that, Peter believed that, and Peter wrote that when he wrote to the recipients of his first letter. For speed of four. He says to his sheep, If you're insulted for the name of Christ, You're blessed. Because the spirit of glory and of God rests Upon you.
And that is the significance of the closing phrase there: that he will show you by what kind of death he was to glorify God. It's a strange thought, and yet it points in that direction. It must have been an interesting reality for Peter to realize, taking Jesus' word at face value, as he must. that somewhere along the line this was going to happen to It was a promise that came from Jesus. We don't know.
We don't know. But as long as we have health in our bodies, We need to ask God to enable us to live in such a way. That when our end comes, we might even glorify God in our death.
Now that is essentially the truly, truly statement. I'm telling you, you used to be able to go around, put on your own clothes, go where you want. A day is coming, Peter, when you won't be able to do that. Rather, someone will dress you, that will carry you where you do not want to go.
Well Let's leave that there and let's move to our second point. by pointing this out. It would have been a dreadful thing if Peter Had gone to this second truly, truly statement of Jesus directly from the first one. Where Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus said, Where I'm going, you can't follow me now, but you will follow afterward.
Peter characteristically says, Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. And Jesus answered, Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me. Three times.
Do you see what I'm saying? It would it would be a dreadful thing if That truly truly statement was then to be followed immediately by this truly truly statement, and then the death of Peter. But look at all that happens in the interim. between the denial and what we find here. In fact, The verses of chapter 21, which give us the context, make this marvelously clear.
Notice verse 21. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. And then if you look down to verse 14, this was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples. Why the repetition? I think, in order that we might understand that to translate it, Jesus appeared.
It doesn't doesn't really give value to the verb in the Greek. In other words, We can appear or disappear. But two Manifest himself, to show himself was a decision on the part of Jesus. After all, he's resurrected from the dead. The New Testament is is quiet on where he was during all of that time.
We can speak concerning it. He was alive, he was present. And so, if you like, if we put it just Yeah. Simply When he wakened up in the morning, He said, I'm going to go and show myself to these fellows today. And that is exactly what he's doing.
And so it is that the one who is revealed is the one of whom Peter had said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. This Jesus, who is now beside the shore, is the one that he has been declared to be the very Messiah of God, and he has been. Crucified, buried, raised, and revealed. And now he comes to the shore. And the picture is an understandable one.
You'll see there are seven ordinary men. on an evening fishing trip. The fishing trip is significant insofar as they caught nothing. They went out, got into the boat, and they caught nothing. Peter is the initiator.
He's the one who says, I'm going to go fishing.
So that's okay, let's go. And that's exactly what happens. And then there's a stranger on the shore. A stranger on the shore. Just as the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore.
Now, notice, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Not only does he stand there, but he speaks to them. I've got a question for you boys, he says. Do you have any fish? Surely that's the one question that fishermen don't want asked, especially if they've got answered in this way.
Did you catch any? No, but I influenced a few. Yeah, I I. No, no. Did you have any fish?
No. They said to him, And so he said, Well, cast your net on the right side of the boat. and you will find some.
Now you see what's happening here? Jesus is first of all enabling them to acknowledge their failure. before he then guarantees their success. There's a principle here. It is only when they realize what they are unable to do.
That way they will then marvel at what Jesus has enabled them to do. And as you think about the whole notion of fishing for men, then you realize how important it actually is. You will find some on the other side, he says, and they might have then responded, you can say that again, because they hauled in such a quantity of fish. 153, we're told. And look at the notion of trying to get it back to where they need to be.
But before you get there, there's the revelation of Jesus. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It's the Lord. Wow. It's the Lord. And Peter said, Let's erect a monument.
No. He threw himself into the sea. You gotta love Peter. I mean, when he gets it right, he gets it really right. When he gets it wrong, he gets it completely wrong.
It is the Lord. Boom, he's gone straight in. He actually puts his clothes back on. He stripped down fishing and he's now going to meet divinity, so he kind of cleans his act up. He's not going to wear a baseball cap in a church.
Not Peter. Oh no. He puts his clothes back on, ready to meet. And the disciples came in the boat behind him, dragging the net full of fish, for they weren't far from the land, about a hundred yards off. And when they got to the land They saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid out on it.
And breath. Yeah. If we were making a movie of this, We would now bring in The theme music. That we had played At the previous charcoal fire, In the courtyard of the high priest. Because you can't but imagine.
Charcoal fires have an aroma to them. You can't imagine that Peter was able to walk up to this charcoal fire without the smell in his nostrils reminding him of where he had been at the previous charcoal fire, which was the occasion when the other truly true statement that had been made to him at the charcoal fire. Jesus here. Masterfully Repairs him. Come, he says, and have breakfast.
What a beautiful invitation. And they are in awe of him, you will see that. He can imagine them all gathering around him. None of them said, Who are you? Why would you say, who are you?
We know who he is. They knew it was the Lord, it's the I am. It's amazing. And he took the bread and he gave it to them. And so with the fish.
He is committed to them. He is committed to those who are his own. But we mustn't miss the picture. Because I think that what we have in this encounter is not only a memorable historical incident, but it is a parable in some ways. Because the shoreline, as I just mentioned to you, is where this whole story had begun.
Mark chapter 1. Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Jesus, saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers. of man. They then had begun to follow him, and recorded for us in Luke chapter 5 is a similar but different incident in which the boats are out on a lake.
And uh Simon is encouraged to put out into the deep and let your nets down for a catch. And again, on that amazing occasion, Jesus is revealed in all of his power. And the reaction of Simon, of course, is to say, Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, O Lord. And on that occasion, Jesus says, Don't be afraid. Because from now on, you will be catching men.
Jesus has gone to the cross. He has emerged from the cross. He's about to dispatch his followers into the world. And before he sends them out into the world, He wants them to understand that the mission to which they are going. lies on the other side of their acknowledgment of their impotence.
Have you caught any? No. Do this. overwhelmed. The invitation to breakfast that Jesus provides here is actually preparing them for the role that they are going to fulfill.
That they are actually going to see people come into the fellowship of the kingdom. Revelation 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him. I will sup with him and he with me. The picture of the celebration that is represented in that meal.
That it's not just having a meal, but it is an indication of the reality of what has taken place. And so instead of moving from Peter's denial to the prediction of Peter's crucifixion He reveals himself. How good and kind he is And then In verses 15, and following He conducts an examination. with Peter. There's only one question.
One question and it's asked three times. A painful conversation, for sure. but as we will see profitable. A painful examination, insofar as by means of this examination, Peter was reminded of the mess that he had made. It was impossible for this not to be the case.
Do you love me?
Well, of course, he was reminded of his ill-advised audacity. It came to loving. Peter was the one who had said, you know, if everybody else goes away, you can count on me. Even if they all fall away. I won't fall away.
And yet in due course He collapsed. Do you judge him? Have you ever collapsed? You ever fudged it? You ever said, no, not really.
James Confronts us all when he says we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone doesn't stumble in what he says, he's a perfect man. From the same mouth, come blessing and cursing. My brothers. This ought not to be so. The same lips that said you're the Christ.
Are the lips that said I'm telling you. I do not know this man. And what Jesus is doing here in this painful examination. is giving Peter the opportunity. Three opportunities.
to confess his love For him. That's the question. Do you love me?
That is actually the great question. Because he wants to make sure That Peter is confronted by the fact of his demise and his sin.
So that he can then be restored, reconfirmed, re-energized, and go forward. You see, when I turn my back on Christ, when I deny Christ, when I do whatever it is that runs absolutely foul of what Jesus says. He doesn't just come along and say, Well, it doesn't matter. Let's just keep moving. You know, that was Tuesday, but this is Wednesday.
No, he comes and he examines us. He wants to know. Do you actually love me? Because after all, we know that if a person loves me, he will keep his commandments.
So what in the world were you doing? Do you love me?
Do you? That's what he's saying.
Now Peter He doesn't get into comparisons at all. Perfectly. He simply says, Lord, you know everything. You know. That I love you.
And that's why The examination is profitable. Because not only does it remind him of the mess that he'd made, But it reminds him of the mission to which he is returning. He's not only going to fish for For men. He's going to shepherd the sheep. The lambs.
The old, the young, the whole the whole gang. And here's what I want you to notice as we close. Peter denied Jesus. But he wasn't disqualified by Jesus. Jesus was not part of the cancel culture.
He didn't say, you know what, one strike and you're out. You're done. No, Peter's shame at the first charcoal fire. is more than overshadowed. By the love of Christ here at the second charcoal fire.
Because he's the sinner's friend. He didn't come to add a big company of righteous people.
So let me say to you this morning, wherever you are on this journey, You might actually be here, painfully aware of the fact. That you have made a horrible mess of things. You might even be paralyzed by a sense of shame. And you need to know, as Peter discovered, and as Paul made clear. It's God who forgives.
It's God who renews. It's God who fits us. for service. See To answer the question, Lord, do you know that I love you? is to acknowledge That that in an inward sense The love that we have for Jesus is a love that emerges from the fact that we know that our Mess.
has been paid for, has been pardoned. has been forgiven. The question is really simple. And the answer is really honest. He's not asking.
Peter Do you think you're properly repentant? Peter Do you believe sincerely? Peter, are you serving me properly? Peter Are you witnessing regularly? No.
One simple, single searching question. Do you love me?
Lord, he says, you know everything. You know I love you. I don't love you perfectly. I don't love you. As consistently as I should.
But I love you. And it for the rest of his life. the sincerity of Peter's love, would be tested and would be displayed. In feeding Christ's sheep, and in facing his death. There's one simple question.
Looking for one honest answer. I mean, you prepare to go out into the community. and tell people, you know what? I am what I am, but I'll tell you one thing. I love Jesus.
Uh I love it. I don't know if I love him enough, but I do love him. But are you religious? I don't I love Jesus. You're listening to Truth for Life with Alastair Begg.
That question, do you love Jesus? It's a simple and yet profound question each of us must consider. whether we've been believers for a long time or were new to the faith.
So today we want to recommend to you a book that will help you understand the rich rewards of being in Christ. The book is called Union with Christ, The Blessings of Being in Him. It's written by Alistair's close friend Sinclair Ferguson.
So what does it mean to be in Christ? Sinclair Ferguson explores the answer and describes the life transforming privileges we enjoy. when we belong to Jesus. The book Union with Christ is yours today. When you give a donation to Truth for Life, you can do that online at truthforlife.org/slash donate.
or call us at 888-588-7884. I'm Bob Lepine. Tomorrow we'll learn how Jesus restores us to fruitful service. after we've failed. The Bible teaching of Alastair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life.
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