Grace and Truth

And one of the key phrases that John uses is found in John 1:14 “14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

And John’s gospel has revealed that to us.

Jesus is full of grace and truth.

He is full of mercy.

He is full of what we need.

So John ends his gospel with this in mind.

We see Jesus’ grace and truth on display in the final chapter.

Jesus forgives, restores, and commissions Peter after his betrayal and abandonment of Jesus.

Peter’s restoration stands in stark contrast to Judas’ betrayal.

Judas didn’t love Jesus.

Judas didn’t want to follow Jesus.

Judas only saw Jesus for what he could gain.

Peter loved Jesus.

Peter wanted to follow Jesus

He felt shame, remorse, and overwhelmed by his betrayal.

Peter was repentant. Judas was not.

But the picture painted here is the generous grace of Jesus toward Peter.

That after failure there can be forgiveness.

After Failure there can be restoration.

And after failure there can be glory.

So let’s look at this account through the eyes of Jesus’ grace and truth.

Through the eyes of failure being forgiven.

Through the eyes of our merciful savior.

Let’s pray.

John 21:1–3 CSB

1 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Fishing Miracle

John begins the epilogue by telling us that Jesus is going to reveal himself to the disciples for a third time.

If you’re counting, you would probably see that this would be the 4 appearance of Jesus.

But one of those appearances was just to Mary Magdalene.

This is the Third time Jesus appears to a group of the disciples.

Being the third time, this is also the third witness in proving that Jesus really did rise from the dead.

Not only that, but we do see here that Jesus appears to them not in Jerusalem, but in Galilee.

In the other gospel accounts, this is where Jesus tells the disciples he will show up and meet with them again.

So the disciples are obediently waiting for Jesus in Galilee.

I want us to notice that Jesus’ appearances post-resurrection are revelations.

Jesus is revealing his true nature.

He is revealing the truth of who he is and what he came to do.

Jesus is revealing his glory and power in his appearances to the disciples.

We are told there are 7 disciples, Simon Peter (listed first as indication of the leader), Thomas, Nathanael, Zebedee’s Sons (James and John), two other disciples.

They are sitting around and Peter decides that he wants to go fishing.

There have been other throughout history that want to accost the disciples for this action.

They claim that they are going fishing as a distraction or out of despair.

They claim that this is disobedient to Jesus’ command.

But the reality is the disciples didn’t know when Jesus was going to show up in Galilee.

So they went fishing.

They were fishermen.

They were presumably hungry.

They needed to provide food for themselves.

This action of fishing isn’t an act of rebellion or a distraction.

It was to fulfill a basic human need.

They went out at night, b/c that was when the best fishing happened in Galilee.

But John tells us that these experienced fishermen didn’t catch anything.

They were unsuccessful in their attempt to provide for themselves.

I believe that the disciples actually went fishing at night, but I also believe that John is very careful with his langugage.

And remember, throughout his gospel, night and darkness are used as place holders for not seeing Jesus as he truly is.

So the atmosphere for these fishing disciples reflected their incomplete understanding of Jesus.

But their trip wasn’t over.

John 21:4–7 CSB

4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 “Friends,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered. 6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea.

Fishing Miracle

As the sun was peaking over the horizon, we are told that Jesus was standing on the shore.

This shows just a little glimpse of God’s sovereignty.

They didn’t tell Jesus where they were going, but he showed up anyway.

He knew where they would be.

He knew where to find his disciples.

The light of the world had arrived to reveal himself to his own.

But they didn’t recognize Jesus.

It could have been as simple as the sun was in their eyes.

Or like with Mary in the Garden, Jesus could have been hiding his true nature.

Regardless, the disciples are clueless to the reality that Jesus was there.

So he calls out to them asking if they have any fish.

And of course they don’t, so that’s how they respond.

This this voice from the shore tells them to cast on the right side of the boat and they’ll be some.

Why did they listen?

They had no idea it was Jesus.

They were experienced fishermen.

They knew what they were doing.

Maybe they figured they had nothing else to lose.

Maybe they decided that nothing else worked so we’ll try anything.

Regardless of why, when they through the net on the other side of the boat, they hauled in a large number of fish.

And immediately, John looks at Peter, and says “It is the Lord!”

Perhaps John is reflecting on a similar account that we can read about in Luke 5.

Where the disciples are out fishing and Jesus approaches them.

He tells them to cast on the other side of the boat and their nets get so full that it breaks.

Jesus then commands them to follow him.

So their calling to Jesus is reflected in their commissioning by Jesus.

These professional fishermen couldn’t catch anything all night, but the Lord showed up and their net was full.

This should remind us and point us to the reality that even in the mundane.

Even in our profession.

At work, At School, at home and in our neighborhood, we have to rely on Jesus to aid us.

He is our life and our focus.

Trying to do things w/o him will lead to fruitless labor.

But when we rely on him, when our focus is on him, knowing that he will help.

Knowing that he will aid, whatever we purpose in our hearts to do will in one way or another be fruitful.

Not because of us, but because of him.

Now, Peter, the bold and brash, puts his outer cloak back on and jumps into the sea to go and meet Jesus.

He wanted to go and see Jesus.

John 21:8–14 CSB

8 Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11 So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Fishing Miracle

The other disciples make it to shore, dragging a net full of fish behind them.

And the sight that is seen on the shore is that of a charcoal fire with fish being cooked on it.

The phrase charcoal fire is only used 2 times in all the NT.

Here 21:9 and back in Jn 18:18 “18 Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.”

John and Jesus are setting the stage for something to take place.

And no doubt that when Peter sees and smells the charcoal fire, memories rush back to the night that he denied Jesus.

The interaction between Peter and Jesus we will read about in a minute is a recreation and undoing of Peter’s denial of Jesus.

And this charcoal fire, should remind us of the image of Peter warming himself as Jesus was being put on trial.

Denying his knowledge of Jesus to those who questioned him.

But I also want us to notice that Jesus is serving the disciples.

Like he did the night before his crucifixion through the washing of their feet.

He is now cooking and serving them breakfast.

The Resurrected King is serving his followers breakfast.

He is meeting their needs.

He is taking care of his own.

He is the good shepherd that makes sure his sheep are cared for.

Jesus’ servant attitude wasn’t just something he did prior to his resurrection.

It’s something that he does now.

As he sits at the right hand of the Father.

Jesus very character is one of a servant.

But let us not forget that he is also king.

He is the perfect Servant King.

And as his followers we should imitate Jesus.

We should be servants.

Just like our King and Savior.

John tells us that there are 153 large fish that are caught that morning.

Why does John relay this information to us?

Why is this important?

Over the centuries people have tried to make sense out of this number.

They have tried to explain what is going on here with 153.

Some believe that there is some special meaning behind the number.

That there is something hidden in the text.

But most likely, the plainest reading of the text, is John is simply recording a historical event.

This was a miraculous occurrence.

Not only did they catch an insane amount of fish, but the net didn’t break, unlike in the Luke account.

They also would have counted the fish to know how to split them up evenly.

They caught a lot of fish.

Also, I don’t know if you’ve been around fishers, but they love to talk about their big catches, and I am sure this is a universal reality.

So for all of history, it is recorded that with Jesus’ help these 7 Disciples caught 153 fish.

They sit down to have breakfast, but the disciples are a little uneasy.

They don’t really know what to think.

They know that this is Jesus, but it’s a new experience to dine with the Resurrected Lord.

So how does Jesus solve this issue?

He serves them bread and fish.

He wanted them to be comfortable.

He wanted them to know that though he is glorified, he’s the same Jesus they spent 3 years with.

He cares about them.

He loves them.

So he serves them.

John again tells us that this is the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples.

Rounding out this account and leading us to the next scene between Jesus and Peter.

John 21:15–17 CSB

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. 17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said.

Restoration

Our God is a God of restoration.

He is a God of reconciliation.

He takes what is broken.

He takes what has failed and recreates and restores it to beauty.

And he does this b/c of his grace and mercy.

That is on full display here in this Scene between Peter and Jesus.

The stage has been set.

The charcoal fire was going.

Their bellies were full.

And Jesus looks at Peter and asks if he loves him.

And not just if Peter loves him, but if Peter loves him more than the other disciples love him.

Peter’s zeal and fervor demonstrated his adherence to Jesus.

Peter boldly proclaims that he will follow Jesus to his death.

He cuts off a man’s ear to protect Jesus.

He Jumps out of a boat to walk on water to get to Jesus.

He jumped out of this boat fully clothed with the catch of a lifetime to run to see Jesus.

He demonstrated his zeal for Jesus.

But Jesus here is asking for his love.

For commitment.

For a change of Affection from Peter.

Here’s one thing we need to know about restoration is that it always begins when we go back to the basics.

And what are the basics that Jesus asks of us?

For us to love him and to follow him.

Both of which are going to be found in this account of the restoration of Peter.

So the Basics of Restoration is Loving Jesus and Following him.

So when Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, it isn’t a rebuke.

It’s driving at the fundamental of Faith.

As you noticed when I read it, Jesus asks him this question three times.

This is to mirror the denial.

This is meant to bring Peter to the point of humility and repentance.

If we’re honest with ourselves there is not much more humbling than being confronted with our sin and our failures.

And imagine if the Lord of All Creation, and your dear friend was looking you in the eye after you denied him 3 times, and he asks you 3 times if you love him.

Peter’s sin.

Peter’s denial.

Peter’s betrayal is being laid bear in the presence of his Lord.

But Jesus isn’t confront Peter to make him feel shameful.

To make humiliate him.

He wants Peter to see that his sin is real.

It’s true.

It’s an affront to God.

But grace is available.

Forgiveness is free.

Restoration is possible.

That’s the beauty of Jesus. “There is more Mercy in Christ than there is sin in us.”

The grace and mercy can never be tapped out.

Jesus wants to restore.

Jesus wants to reconcile.

Jesus wants to renew.

But for that to happen we have to be humbled.

We can we have to recognize our need for restoration.

If we don’t, then we don’t believe that we actually need Jesus.

If we aren’t sinners then we don’t need forgiveness.

And if we don’t need forgiveness we don’t need Jesus.

But the reality is we do need Jesus.

And he doesn’t just offer forgiveness he extends it.

Here he specifically seeks out Peter to extend restoration to him.

Now, before I continue here with what’s going on, I need to address something that if you’ve heard this passage preached before, you’ve probably heard.

Many pastors and teachers make it a point to highlight that in the Greek the words used for love between Jesus and Peter are a big deal.

If you aren’t aware, in Greek there are 3 words for love.

Eros-Erotic or lustful love

Phileo-Friendship or Brotherly Love

Agape-Divine, perfect love.

And in this passage 2 of the three are used Agape and Phileo.

Agape is used by Jesus and Phileo is used by Peter, until the last time Jesus says it and then he uses Phileo.

Pastors and preachers have used this to teach that Jesus is trying to bring Peter up to his level of love, but eventually (because Jesus meets us where we are) Jesus meets Peter at his level.

I don’t believe that’s what is happening here.

And here’s why.

Both Agape and Phileo are used to describe The Father’s love for Jesus and his love for us in John’s Gospel.

They are used interchangeably.

Not only that, but this conversation wouldn’t have happened in Greek to begin with.

Jesus and Peter would have spoken Aramaic.

And Aramaic doesn’t have the same distinctions that Greek does for love.

What’s important here isn’t the word for love, it’s the action that follows.

When Peter is restored by this threefold questioning of if he loves Jesus, what does Jesus tell him.

Feed/Shepherd my sheep.

The point that Jesus is driving at is that Peter is going to be restored and when he is restored he is going to take care of his fellow brothers and sisters.

He is going to care for the people of God.

I want you to hear the emphasis that Jesus puts on the church here in this dialogue.

Jesus cares about his church.

And he knows that the church is going to face dangerous times.

He knows that the church is going to need to be trained.

They are going to need to be fed.

As a leader, Peter’s concern is to make sure that God’s people are provided the Word of God.

But what are the wider implications for each one of us?

Obviously, we aren’t Peter, (though some of us may act like him), so what are we to do with this.

We need to have the same love and care for the church that Peter is commissioned with.

We should have the same love and care for the church that Jesus does.

We should be committed to growing in God’s Word.

We should be committed to leading and helping one another grow in holiness.

We should always be pointing one another to the love of Jesus through loving one another.

Not everyone is called to be a pastor.

But every follower of Jesus is called to care and love one another.

John 13:34-35 “34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.””

Our love and care for one another should be an outflow of our love for Jesus.

And here’s where people get it wrong.

We don’t love people to love God more.

We love God to love people.

When we love people to love God we get the flow wrong.

and this leads us to compromising the truth.

To allowing sin to sink in.

It’s the reverse of proper order.

We don’t love from the bottom up.

We love from the top down.

B/c when we love Jesus.

Our love for others, especially fellow believers, will grow.

The love God has for his followers will spill out on to us and we couldn’t help but love them b/c we love God.

But if we have the reverse, when we love others to love God, the opposite is true.

We can love or pseudo-love others without God at all.

But that kind of love, isn’t based on truth.

It’s based on feelings.

Love based on feelings isn’t love at all.

So if we want to love people we have to love them in truth.

But how do we do it?

We are called to live sacrificially.

That’s what Jesus tells Peter here.

John 21:18–19 CSB

18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

Commission

Peter’s life is going to change.

From this point out, he is committed to following Jesus.

And the reality is it’s going to cost him his life.

Peter lives about 30 years after Jesus’ Resurrection.

But prior to Jesus’ ascension, he tells Peter that he’s going to die a death similar to his own.

In v. 18, John is alluding to death by crucifixion.

In fact, “stretch out your hands” was a euphemism for crucifixion in the first century.

This would make the careful reader remember what Jesus said after Peter’s Declaration that he will follow Jesus to death.

Jn 13:36 “36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.””

Peter is going to die in a similar way to Jesus.

Tradition tells us that Peter asked to be crucified upside down, but there’s no real way to verify that claim.

Not saying it didn’t happen that way of course it was possible.

But notice what John says about Peter’s death.

This death was going to glorify God.

Peter’s death, though painful and tragic was going to Glorify God, the same way that Jesus’ death glorified God.

Peter, the one who betrayed the Lord, is going to glorify the Lord in obedience to the point of death, even death on a cross.

But in order for Peter to glorify God, he was called to follow Jesus.

Pursue Jesus.

To chase after Jesus.

Out of love and devotion to Jesus.

Peter is commissioned to follow him.

Here’s the reality that some preachers and pastors don’t want to preach and teach about.

Following Jesus is costly.

Being a disciple of Jesus is going to cost you something.

It may cost you friends, family, money, job, relationships, freedom, or even your life.

B/c when you pursue and chase after Jesus you are asked to give up things in your life.

You are asked to sacrifice your desires, preferences, and sometimes your ambitions.

But following Jesus is worth it.

From the outside looking in, it may seem that it’s not, but when you know the love, joy, and peace that comes with following Jesus nothing compares.

Peter was going to know first hand the cost.

He was going to be cut off from his community.

He was going to be imprisoned.

He was eventually going to die for his faith.

But guess what…He followed Jesus.

That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a hard pill to swallow.

Peter tries to process the news about his death, and as he processes, he tries to point Jesus’ attention back to John.

John 21:20–23 CSB

20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23 So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

Follow Me

Peter and Jesus are taking a stroll on the beach, and Peter looks back at John following after them.

And Peter wants to know about John.

He wants to know what John’s fate is going to be.

And Jesus essentially tells Peter that it’s none of his business.

If Jesus wants John to live until he comes back.

That’s Jesus’ prerogative.

What happens to John is none of Peter’s business.

What Peter needs to be focused on is Following Jesus.

This is a trap that we can find ourselves in as followers of Jesus.

We can look to our left and our right and compare or seek out what God is doing in someone elses life.

We compare our walk with Jesus with another persons walk with Jesus.

Why does he have those gifts?

Why does she have those talents?

Why is their life and circumstance different from mine?

But here’s what we have to remember, we aren’t called to be concerned with someone else’s life.

We aren’t called to confuse our calling with someone else’s calling.

We are called to follow Jesus.

God called us personally.

He equips us personally.

He blesses us personally.

We have our own individual callings in what it means to follow Jesus.

We find ourselves discontent when we compare our calling with someone else’s calling.

You are called to be a disciple of Jesus.

And He is going to equip and train YOU the way that he sees fit.

And that will be different from your friend and neighbor.

What God gives to you is perfect for you.

What God gives to others is perfect for them.

Find contentment in Jesus.

Comparison is the thief of Joy.

Be Content in Jesus.

John 21:24–25 CSB

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

Boundless Jesus

These concluding words match the concluding words of John 20:30-31 “30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The God we serve is so much grander and greater than we can even imagine.

Just think about it.

John here is saying that in the 3 years he followed Jesus there aren’t enough scrolls that can contain all the events of Jesus’ life.

Imagine every time Jesus saves a life.

Every time God restores a person.

Every time a sinner is forgiven a new story is being written.

But even during the time that Jesus walked the earth his life was so amazing that words can’t contain it.

Here’s what I want you to know.

Jesus is amazing.

His love, forgiveness, and grace is astounding.

He wants you to be a part of the work that he’s doing.

He wants to invite you to be restored.

He wants to invite you to love him as he loves you.

Jesus is calling out to you right now asking:

Do you love me?

Will you Follow me?

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