So the Lord is asking Peter here, Peter, do you have a committed love, loyal? Love for me. And Peter responds by saying, Well, you know I love you and he uses philo. That's an affectionate love. That's a lesser love in terms of loyalty than agape.
See, by now, the confidence of Peter's resolutions, which had fueled his arrogant blindness that has now been Crushed. out of him. Here you find a failure is admitting it. Have you ever promised God you'd do better? only to fail again.
Maybe you've resolved to pray more. Live faithfully or break a bad habit, yet you keep falling short.
Well, you're not alone. Welcome to Wisdom for the Heart with Stephen Davey. Stephen is the President of Wisdom International. Even the Apostle Peter. Bold?
confident and committed. denied Christ three times. But failure didn't end his story. Today, Stephen takes you to a seashore breakfast where the risen Lord restores Peter. You'll discover why Jesus didn't shame him.
If you've ever felt unworthy, Keep listening. Samuel Johnson lived in England throughout most of the 1700s. He was a famous author and scholar He became renowned in the Western world because he Completed. One of the first ever comprehensive dictionaries of the English language. It was a tedious Job.
worked at it tirelessly and completed it in nine years. When he finally finished it, He was also a committed Christian. Mm-hmm. An insightful perspective on life. He was sought after by people, by leaders who depended on his wisdom.
It came from his relationship with the Word and the Lord. His personal journal, however, revealed his lifelong battle. with consistent Christian living. Especially in the area of prayer. His journal chronicles repeated resolutions to get up early in the morning to pray, and he would fail more often than he would succeed.
One uh morning he slept in. and at the age of twenty nine years old wrote in his journal, O Lord, enable me to redeem the time which I have spent in sloth. Twenty years later, he would write again: O mighty God, enable me to redeem the time misspent in idleness. In seventeen fifty nine, when he was fifty years old, Samuel wrote yet another resolution to get up early and pray. He wrote, to shake off idleness, And sloth.
At the age of 52, He finally wrote in his journal, I have resolved that I am afraid to resolve again. Three years later, when he was fifty-five, he wrote, I resolve. to rise early to read the scriptures. At the age of 66, He wrote in his journal, When I look back upon resolution of improvements and commitments which have year after year been made and broken, why do I yet try to resolve again? I try.
Because spiritual discipline is necessary. and despair is sinful. Therefore, I resolve to rise at 8 a.m. for prayer. At the age of seventy-one, Three years before his death, he wrote, I will not despair.
Help me, O Lord. I resolve again to rise at 8 a.m. for prayer. Do you thought you had trouble with your devotions? This was a lifelong battle for him.
as it is for you. And me. William Carey, the pioneering missionary of India. I mean, he was so faithful at Christ that he was an unlikely candidate for this kind of struggle. After all, he had earned the title the father of modern missions.
You don't get that for goofing off. Yet he wrote in his personal journal similar words. He said, quote, I am defective in all my duties. In prayer, I wander and soon tire. My devotion languishes.
I do not walk with God. On another occasion, he would write, I am so cold.
so indifferent to the cause of God, I often seem to be at the point of giving up entirely. Yet again, on another occasion, he writes, I can scarcely recollect a single day in which I have not sinned against God. I am very unfit. for his servant. The truth is, if If every Christian kept an honest journal of their walk with Christ, it would sound like Samuel Johnson and William Kerry.
Why would God use them so significantly, even though they battled? With spiritual disciplines throughout their lives.
Well, for one thing, because they never excused it. They never cease to confess it. They repeatedly admitted it. And God Beloved. is ever ready to forgive.
The Christian life, frankly, is a life of new starts. Beginning. You don't lose your salvation, get saved again. But you need renewal. and forgiveness.
The truth is, God used Samuel Johnson and William Carey for the same reason He uses you. And me. He will not use an unrepentant vessel. He will not use an insincere vessel. He will not use an apathetic, I don't care.
Vessel. He uses a broken vessel. Humbled. before the Lord. Like David, who wrote in Psalm 51: a broken and contrite heart.
Yeah. Oh God. You will never despise.
Well the brief biographies of the disciples. which we have studied through our exposition in Luke's Gospel. reveals the same truth. Simon Peters' biography is a case study in the cycle of. of failure and confession and sin and repentance.
Peter models what it means to make spiritual resolutions and experience. spiritual reversals. Doesn't they? Aren't you glad his biography was given to us? in the Bible.
I want to take a closer look at him. One more time. in our series today.
Now Luke's gospel account informs us, if you've been with us, that the resurrected Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene. He appeared to a group of women who returned from the tomb to anoint his body. He appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He appeared to the 11 disciples several times as well. The most detailed account of a post-resurrection appearance.
By the Lord. takes place On a seashore where the Lord appears to several of his closest disciples. which include Peter and James and John, Thomas. And Nathaniel. A few others that are not named.
They'd been fishing all night. Caught nothing. The Lord repeats an earlier miracle where he shows up. gives them some direction and the miraculously fills their nets.
Now, with that, on this occasion, the Lord invites them to join him on shore. where he's prepared a breakfast. for them. Fish Fresh bread.
Now Peter doesn't know it yet. But this is going to become the scene of his renewal. To ministry. And let me tell you, Peter's the one disciple who would, at this point, be thinking, Jesus will never use me. Again.
He's arrived. at the place William Carey was when he wrote in his journal, and I quote: When I look at myself, I see nothing but a mass of corruption. I wonder why God would use such a wretch. like me.
Well, that's Peter right now. As far as he's concerned, his denials have destroyed his chances. His failures at last. have been fatal. But were they?
John is one of the disciples there at that breakfast that morning, and he's the only one who gives us the details of this encounter.
So let me invite you to turn to John chapter twenty one. Luke just mentions Jesus appeared to Peter. This more than likely is another appearance. While you're turning, Let me tell you, this is really a story of grace. It's been the theme of our music.
Today. This is how the Lord touches broken hearts. This is how God redeems. This is how God crushes. By his grace.
People. You were never the same. Let me tell you, this is good news. for failures here. Like Peter.
James and John and Thomas and Nathaniel. But this is good news for you. And me. Now one more comment. to set the stage.
In this culture, to be invited to eat a meal with someone you had wronged was a sign of Grace being offered. No lingering resentment. Bitterness. or grudge.
Now, according to what John writes here, Uh earlier in verse 9. The Lord has already prepared a charcoal fire. No, that doesn't. That that takes a while, right? A charcoal fire.
So it's been warming up. for some time. Fish are grilling. On it. Fresh bread.
As well. By the way, the Lord didn't bring charcoal down here to the seashore to start a fire. He spoke these elements into existence. He didn't catch a fish. either.
He has no net, no boat. He simply created them. And this bread, it's been summoned into existence by his power as if he'd just taken it out of the oven.
So you have here the resurrected Lord serving as waiter. Host Cook More importantly, a gracious Lord.
Now, I want us to slip into this scene just as breakfast is finishing up. Here at verse 15. And when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, Do you love me more than these?
Now Not too fast here. Did you notice that Jesus didn't call Simon by the name he had given him? Earlier. years earlier. Peter.
Simon. Peter. It was back to Simon.
Son of John.
Now that would have stung A little bit. Jesus is effectively saying, you know, when I named you Peter, Cephas, little pebble. Rock, that meant you were going to be steadfast. You're going to grow up into being consistent. And Peter had agreed, of course.
That name fits me. I deserve that. In the upper room, when Jesus told the disciples that one of them would deny him, you know, Peter effectively says, That's not me. You know, I'm the rock.
Now, these other jellyfish guys over here, they're probably going to do that, but not me. And the Lord responded. Peter, three times you're going to deny me. that you even know me and Peter counters with Lord you don't know me You don't know me. My love for you is rock.
Solid. Just wait and see.
Now, here at the seashore, it's as if Jesus says. Let's drop that rock part out of your name.
Well, let's go back to the beginning. Back to the base here. Simon?
Son of John, do you love me? more than these and Peter said, Lord, you know that I love you.
Now Jesus and Peter Happen to use two different words in the original language for love.
Now, some don't agree that there's any significance in these different terms used in the conversation. I would Entirely disagree. I believe John's deliberate choice of different terms for love is highly significant. I don't just preach. The word of God.
I preach the words. Of God, they are all significant. And these terms are loaded with implications. Simon, son of John, do you love Acapahoo? Do you agapa?
Do you love me like that? This is the love word for strong. Consistent unfailing, loyal love. This is the word used when we're told that God loves us. Consistent.
Faithful. It's not driven, this word, by emotion. It's defined by purpose. Commitment. This is the love word, by the way, God's word tells us should underpin marriage.
This agape Unfailing love.
So the Lord is asking Peter here: Peter, do you have a committed love, loyal love for me? And Peter responds by saying, Well, you know, I love you and he uses fellow. That's an affectionate love. That's a lesser love in terms of loyalty than agape. Fileo is a word that would be used for close friends.
See, by now, the confidence Of Peter's resolutions, which had fueled his proud. All right. arrogant blindness that has now been crushed. out of him. Here you find a failure who's admitting it.
He's a broken man. I got to tell you, the Lord's question is crushing Peter even. More. That's because God Doesn't want proud, self-assured. Self-confident.
self-promoting Vessels. He wants broken Can't write. People. Did you notice at the end of this first question that Jesus adds those little words, verse 15 again? Jesus said to Simon, Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
Now, what are the these? Here. We're not told. Could it be the Nets? Could it be the boats?
Could it be the fishing enterprise? Or could it be a reference to loving the Lord more than these other disciples? Did Jesus say, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? I believe Jesus is tying this back to the upper room. All others are All these others will forsake you.
But even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you. Mark 14, 31. In other words, I love you. With With dying loyalty, more than these other men. I have agape like you can't imagine.
Simon?
Son of John.
Is that true? And Humboldt crushed Peter. Effectively responds, Lord, I can't say that now like I used to. But I do have warm affection for you. as a close friend.
And with that, Jesus stuns. Yeah. Peter. everyone else there. Because he doesn't deliver to him a rebuke.
but a recommission. Statement. It's as if the Lord says, well, you know, Simon, son of John. You're ready to be used. I can work with you now.
Because he says here in verse 15, Jesus said to him, feed my lamb. Tend to my young lambs, Arneon. That's the word for weak. Sheep, young, tender, believers. who are prone to wander.
Look after those who wander. Peter, you know what that's like.
Now verse 16. Jesus said to him a second time. Simon. Son of John.
Do you love me?
Now notice how Jesus drops out any mention of comparison. It's because it Okay. In this moment in the conversation, Peter's gotten the point. No more comparing, no more bravado, no more I'm better than everybody else. Let me show you my journal.
I never miss a morning.
Well, good for you. Jesus is actually probing deeper here. Peter or Simon son of John. Do you Love. Me.
Lord, you know I can't use that word. You know I have strong affection for you. It isn't as steadfast as I had resolved it to be. But I do have strong affectionate love for you. And instead of rebuking him again, the second time, the Lord repeats his commission, verse 16.
He said to him, Tend my sheep.
Now the word The Lord uses for 10 point minai. means to shepherd. The word gives us poim. which is translated pastor. in Ephesians 4.11.
Pastor my sheep, or more woodenly, pasture. My sheep. Jesus is using shepherding terminology here to tell Peter, take the sheep. to green pasture. By the way, Jesus, the chief shepherd, is very concerned that his under shepherds.
Feed The flock. This isn't a suggestion. This isn't optional. This is a command. This is a reminder.
That That Jesus is very concerned about the leading and the feeding of his. Sheep. Hungry sheep are a disgrace. to the undershepherd. Jesus is effectively saying, you'd better make sure.
My sheep. are well fed. By the way, Jesus never refers to the sheep. As belonging to Peter. Did you notice that?
Or for any, to any apostle. Jesus doesn't say, Simon, feed your sheep. No, feed my Sheep. The flock doesn't belong to the undershepherds. The flock belongs to the chief.
Shepherd. The undershepherds are simply working on his behalf. the behalf of the chief. shepherd, the pastors, the elders. Deacons who involve themselves in guiding and guarding The flock, they're given the command here from the Lord to take care of his flock.
on his behalf. They're his. You're his. That's why I never say from this pulpit, you're my people. You're not my people in that sense of possession.
You don't belong to me. You belong to him. Is that good news? Keep in mind Peter's a fisherman, not a shepherd. He knew how to work with boats and nets and knives and And hooks.
He's being called to change his Profession. and his perspective. Fishing and shepherding are very different. Occupations. Think about it.
Fishermen Don't stay up at night. Protecting fish from predators. Fishermen are the predators. Fishermen Don't feed. Fish.
Fishermen eat. Fish. Some of you really sharp Bible students are saying, you know, will shepherds eat sheep. two. They do.
That didn't fit my illustration. Would you get past that?
Okay. Yeah. Here's another analogy to think through. Fishermen are not Fish. Shepherds are also Sheep.
Every shepherd needs to remember they have to depend. on the shepherd. They are also members of the flock. Peter's ready to live with that kind of dependency now. Look at verse seventeen.
Jesus now says to him the third time, Simon.
Son of John.
Do you love me?
Peter was grieved. Because he said to him the third time, do you love me?
Now, this third time, Jesus changes his term for love. It's a powerful moment. When the good shepherd, the best shepherd, stoops down to his broken. Contrite, humbled. She drops the use of agapa'o.
and uses Peter's word. Flow. As if to say, Peter, if the best you can offer me is the affection of a close friend, I accept that. Because you and I both know at this moment in your life. If you were to say that you have unwavering Loyal agapa'o, or agape, love for me, you'd just be bragging like old time.
He'd be the old Peter.
So Simon Son of John, Do you have affection for me? as a close friend. Now, the Bible says this brought grief. To Peter, Clearly, because it was the third time. It reminded him of his three failures.
By the way. And three times You remember the Lord was denied. by Peter. Where? before a charcoal fire.
In the courtyard of the high priest. That wasn't dropped in just as a little throwaway, that was significant. This charcoal fire here on the seashore is a reminder of that courtyard. And three times to match his three denials. Here he is convicting Peter, crushing Peter, breaking Peter, reassuring Peter, recommissioning Peter.
Well, Peter, at least you have deep affection for me. Right? And Peter said, and I'm sure it was through tears. Yeah. You know, Jesus could have asked Peter a thousand different questions.
If I were the Lord, I would have said to him something. I would have asked, Peter, are you sorry for what you did? Are you willing to apologize to me and the other disciples? Are you willing to go back to that high priest and tell him you were wrong and make it right? Peter, will you promise, will you make a little resolution to never fail me again?
No. Peter Do you love me? Isn't that the bottom line? Beloved. Is it our lack of prayer?
A reflection of our love. For Christ? Isn't our sin a choice to love something? More than Isn't that the fundamental issue? Isn't that the foundational?
Principle. And the greatest commandment Jesus said was: what? Love God. With all your heart.
Soul and might. And love your neighbor as yourself. Maybe we should stop praying so much that God will give us a greater love for our spouse. Our children All right. job, our community.
our church, our ministry, and and go down to that seashore and start asking for the most important. Thing. A greater love. for Christ. Peter responds.
Verse 17, the last part: Lord, you know everything. You can write into the margin about me. Lord, you know everything about me. I used to say you knew nothing about me. You don't know me.
Now you know everything about me. You know that I love you. with affection. And Jesus said, feed my Sheep. It all came down to this.
What a tremendous mark of growth, by the way, in Peter here. where he acknowledges Lord, you know everything about me. Jesus effectively says, Well, I can work with you now. You're ready to serve me? Take care of my sheep.
See, Jesus is recommissioning a broken. Simon Peter to service.
Now if you're wondering, did Peter learn?
Well, as an old man, years from now, He's going to write, and all of you clothe yourselves with. Humility. God stands in opposition to the proud. He gives grace. to the humble.
That's another way of knowing that Peter's failures weren't fatal. He'd learned a lot from being. Broken.
Well, did Peter grow proud again? As the successes of the ministry Imagine preaching a sermon and 3,000 people are converted. He becomes a leader in the early church. Did he get back to bragging? Yeah, I was unfaithful way back then, but I'm back to the rock.
Now Yeah. In fact, the last recorded words of Peter in the Bible Are these? Grow. In the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to him be The glory.
Now And to the day of eternity. Vince Havner. A country preacher and evangelist. I've found a little book in my dad's library. I inherited his books when he passed away a couple of years ago.
Never went to school. Self-taught. He was used significantly by God, and he put it so well, he wrote on this text, God uses broken Things. The broken alabaster box gives forth perfume. Broken soil.
produces a crop. Broken clouds. Give rain. Broken Grain. gives bread.
Broken bread. Give strength. Let me encourage you, beloved, instead of focusing on your failures and journaling your defeats and Cataloging and rehearsing your sins, go back to the gospel. It isn't just good news for the unbeliever who repents and trusts Christ. It's good news.
for failures. who are also disciples. Sh who disappoint the Lord. This text is an invitation. To me.
and to you, to come down to the seashore. in your own life. And sit by this charcoal fire often. And be reminded of what matters. Most.
The hymn writer put it this way: More love to thee, O Christ. More love to thee. This is my earnest plea. More love. O Christ.
Yeah. Thank you for this encounter that You inspired in John to recall and record. For you know, Lord. Everything. About us.
We would never want the journal of our hearts to be displayed. But they are open to you. On this Lord's day when the world at large Okay. Your Humility. You model for us what Peter would learn.
Relearn. And the other disciples.
So what we must as well. For you went through that. Yeah. For love. To die.
And while we were yet sinners. You died for us because of your love. For God so love. the world. That he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish.
but have everlasting life. That's your love. For us, would you Deep and Our love For you. That's what we ask.
So we need If you're here today and you don't know Christ as your Savior, I'll be here on the platform. Would love to talk with you. But as always, as we gather this The purpose of our gathering is for the feeding of the flocks. flock on your word. We're grateful, Lord, for that privilege.
and to be able to sing. to your majesty. And you're crazy. We thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.
This is Wisdom for the Heart with Stephen Davey. Stephen called this message, good news for failures. Before we wrap up, I want to invite you to connect with us on social media. You can like our Facebook page for updates. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for extra content and encouragement and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
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