Untitled Sermon (3)

A Second Chance

John 21:1-19

If you have a copy of God’s word, turn with me to John 21.

In the 15th century, there was a famous Japanese leader who was grieved when he broke his antique Chinese celadon-glazed bowl. He sent the valuable piece to China to have it replaced. When China received the bowl they recognized that it was so rare, that it could not be replaced. So as a fresh idea, they used metal staples to repair the original and sent it back. This unique moment sparked the imagination of Japanese craftsmen who turned broken ceramics into an art form. When ceramics would break, the artists would put the shattered pieces back together using unique lacquer and gold. This tradition has been named Kintsugi, meaning "golden repair". (Kintsugi pieces became so attractive that some artists would intentionally break pieces knowing that the restored ceramic would be more valuable and beautiful than the original.)

This morning, we are going to witness Jesus offer a second chance to one of his disciples who was greatly broken. And rather than discard him because of his brokenness, Jesus is going to cover his brokenness with God's beautiful mercy.

Do you need a fresh start? Then this passage is going to ask us to be honest with our brokenness, trusting that Jesus will not discard us, but rather make us more beautiful when our brokenness is mended by his beauty.

First, we see that..

Jesus can turn a famine into a feast.

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.

Seven disciples are gathered together this evening. Two are unnamed. Let's strap ourselves into their sandals. As we look around we see Thomas, he's typically a cerebral man, but tonight he has a big smile. His doubts were relieved by Jesus' invitation to touch his resurrected scars. Nathanael also had doubts, when he first met Jesus he struggled to believe in him because he couldn’t wrap his mind around anything good coming from Nazareth. But after the resurrection, he learned that hope comes from the most unlikely of circumstances. We keep looking and see the sons of Zebedee, not long ago we were indignant at them when they asked to sit at Jesus' left and right hand in glory. But now, post-resurrection, they see that it is better to give than to receive. That leaves us with Peter, the leader of our group. He claimed that even if everyone else fell away because of Jesus, he never would. But in the intensity of Jesus' arrest and trial, Peter denied that he even knew Christ, three times. Thomas got his doubts answered, but Peter had yet to have his brokenness restored. He needed a second chance.

On this morning's happy occasion, you may feel like everyone else feels restored. You may feel like no one understands the guilt that you feel. Jesus understands. Jesus knows what you need. And he comes toward you in your moments of shame.

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

The first few appearances of Jesus after his resurrection happened in Jerusalem. During one of those moments, the disciples were instructed to return to Galilee about 80 miles from Jerusalem. Jesus promised to meet them there. But in this moment, there's still no Jesus. So instead of just waiting around. The disciples returned to the work they were comfortable with, fishing.

As professional fishermen, they would have known that the night was the best time to fish in Galilee. It would give you the best opportunity to make some cash in the morning markets if you had a successful catch. As we think of Peter, it is tempting to imagine that the darkness of the night reflected the confusion in his heart. I wonder, what he was thinking about in the boat that evening? Perhaps he thought, "I failed at fishing for men, so maybe I should just return to what I did before.", "Jesus, met the doubts of Thomas, but has he forgotten me?", "Will Jesus deny me because I denied him?" What are your thoughts after embarrassing moments of failure? How will Jesus respond to Peter? How does he respond to us when the nets are empty? What do we do when nothing is going right? When we are trying to do all that we know to do but we catch nothing. Some of us may have empty nets. We are tired. We are confused. We feel like we're just wasting time. Famine. But little do we know, that our famine is setting the stage for Jesus to provide a feast.

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. When you fail. When you catch nothing. When you deny God. How do you picture his response? Do you view him in heaven with his arms crossed? Do you see his back as he walks away from you like others have done in your moment of brokenness? Here is good news, Jesus is different. He walks toward you during moments of shame. He is aware of your brokenness, but is so full of beauty that he is not intimidated, why? Because his presence breaks the darkness and brings the daylight. But when our attention is on trying to fix ourselves, we may miss that he is standing on the shore ready to receive us.

As you read self-help books to try to make sense of the broken pieces, Jesus is standing on the shore. As you cast the net of your own efforts one more time to see if it will produce a different result, Jesus is standing on the shore. Older believers, can you not testify that in some of your darkest nights Jesus was standing on the shore, ready to receive you when you were ready?

5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

The fastest way to overcome our failures is to be honest about our failures. One of the reasons why we feel uncomfortable reading God's word when we have been away from it is because it diagnoses our sickness accurately.If we are going to be set free from darkness, we must do the painful step of bringing our darkness out into the light through honesty.

After a long break in college one of my roommates came back looking like a different person. When I asked him how he lost so much weight he said that one evening he was eating a hamburger in a fast food restaurant and was appalled by how quickly a man near him was eating. He realized that the man he was looking at was his own reflection in the window.

If you want a second commencement. If you want a fresh start with God, it starts with honesty. How many of us out of simple embarrassment or pride would have answered Jesus' questions with, "Yeah, it's been a great night of fishing." or "Just give me a few more minutes and I'll catch some for you." When the Holy Spirit convicts you with truth it is for the purpose of healing. How do you respond when he asks, "Is this TV show leading you closer to me?", "Is this relationship honoring your family?", "Is your attitude leading to your joy and showing the world that I'm the source of joy"? Don't slip back into the dark comfort of dishonesty. Be honest with God and those around you and you will experience healing.

6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” If they have been fishing all night, why would they try again at the suggestion of a stranger, what is the theological explanation? I'll tell you why, fishermen are willing to try anything to catch more fish.

So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

As that boat begins to tip because of the weight of the catch, I imagine Jesus smiling and laughing on the shore as he watches the splashes and excitement of the disciples. We can expend a whole season of energy on our own strength and energy and catch nothing. And with one word of instruction, Jesus can provide the catch of a lifetime.

If you do not want to waste your time, energy, and life, take Jesus at his word. It may seem silly. It may not make sense. You might have tried similar instructions. But if you will follow Jesus and believe his word, you will be blessed beyond your imagination.

And the source of this miraculous blessing had been revealed. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. Peter was so excited about the news that it was Jesus that he awkwardly and wholeheartedly threw himself into the sea. Forgetting that the other disciples may like some help dragging this catch to shore.

In contrast, here was the scene of Peter's first commencement, when he first met Jesus, (consider paraphrasing) "he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;" His partners were amazed by the miracle. Simon was in awe of the man. In seeing Jesus' power, and understanding that he was in the presence of a holy man, he thought he had no belonging. But through three years of time spent with Jesus, he learned that Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. He came not for the healthy, who think they are well, but the sick. When Peter recognized that it was Jesus for the first time it caused fear. When Peter recognized Jesus the second time it caused jump out of the boat excitement.

When you hear about Jesus, think about Jesus, or learn about Jesus do you respond like Peter did the first time or the second? Does he make you uncomfortable and afraid? What makes the difference? It is no secret and there is no substitute: Peter spent time getting to know Jesus. You can only love who you know. And the more you get to know the true Christ, the more you will love him. And how can you do that? Start by being honest with him.

It was Peter's knowledge of Jesus that made the difference, but it was his denial of ever knowing him during Jesus' trial that was his biggest regret. A regret that was going to be renewed.

Jesus can turn regret into renewal.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

As Peter approaches the shore to meet Jesus with his clothes dripping and his heart beating, his heart skips a beat as a familiar smell sparks a painful memory. The fire that Jesus used to make breakfast was the same type of fire mentioned one other time in this gospel, Let’s press rewind to see the scene: 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants[e] and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. Jesus used the same type of fire that was burning at the moment of Peter's denial. Neuroscientists believe that smell has a stronger connection to emotion and memory than any other sense. It is no surprise then that Peter seems to go from excited to avoidant...

11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them.

When I was younger, I scraped my knee often. So often, I wouldn't be surprised that this very day my mom has rubbing alcohol and cotton balls in her purse. If I fell, she was the first person I would run to. I knew she loved me. I knew she knew what to do to heal me. I knew she wouldn't shame me. But about as soon as I ran to her, she would pull out the rubbing alcohol. Making me want to run away from her or say, "It's a miracle, I'm healed!" The pain intimidated me, but my mom's words comforted me, "This is going to hurt, but it will bring you healing."

And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

The conversation Jesus is about to have with Peter is going to be heavy, but it will not break the net. The fire may remind him of his biggest regret, but he is using this same fire to bring comfort to him. He is turning regrets into renewal. And he wants to do the same in our hearts.

Do you trust Jesus enough to let him confront you? Do you love Jesus enough to be with him and his people even when your regrets make you uncomfortable? There will be moments in life that sting. There will be conversations, prayers, and sermons that sting. But these awkward moments are for our healing. We must be brave. We must refuse to avoid the sharp truths that exist to surgically remove the cancer of sin that lives within each of our souls. Jesus loved Peter too much to act like there was no problem. And he wants to do the same healing in our hearts if we will have the courage to sit with him.

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Jesus is going to entrust Peter with leading the start of a global movement that would change all of human history. But before he does, he wants him to understand that there was only one true savior, and it wasn't him. The name "Peter" means "rock". But here Jesus calls him by his original name, "Simon" which means, "to hear". Jesus has an important conversation to share with Peter, and it is vital that Peter is humble enough to listen.

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

Amazingly, though Jesus' wanted Peter to have an accurate and humble view of himself, he had a high calling for Peter. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, he is not doing so to remove you from ministry, but to make you more prepared to do greater ministry. Think about it, Jesus asked the man who denied him three times to be the one who would teach and lead the start of the New Testament church.

Some of us may be on the brink of giving up living for Jesus because we imagine that he surely has given up on us by now. However, this passage teaches us that he has a plan and a purpose for us. We all have a part to play in seeing the world restored and aligned to God's will. We think that our failures disqualify us from living for Jesus. But we need to understand that living for Jesus by loving others is part of the medicine that will restore us after failures. And love for Christ will be the only motive strong enough to keep us going.

17 He said 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?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Peter is right, Jesus does know everything. He doesn't need Peter to tell him that he is loved to make him feel good about himself. He doesn't need Peter to tell him something that he already knows. So why does he ask Peter, three times, "Do you love me"? Though it grieved Peter, he asked him for Peter's good.

Peter denied Jesus three times. And now, over a charcoal fire, Jesus is going to affirm Peter's calling, purpose, and priority. Before Jesus wanted Peter's action, he simply wanted Peter's affection. Peter's heart is more important than Peter's hustle.

We can give Jesus our wallet and miss the whole point. We can give Jesus our time and miss the whole point. We can give Jesus our service and miss the whole point. Jesus wants our hearts to be healed. And our hearts will find healing when we understand his love for us. We will love him when we believe in his love for us. Our love will fall short. But his love for us is strong.

Jesus can turn our regrets into renewal.

And lastly…

Jesus can turn grief into glory.

Have you ever noticed how grim vows are? "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death." Despite the intensity of these words, our vows were the most beautiful part of our wedding. Jordyn barely made it through and had the whole crowd crying.

Why is such a somber message so beautiful? Because real love is willing to endure pain. And that suffering proves the value of the one for which you have endured suffering.

Wedding vows that ignored the reality of life would be shallow. If they only read, "in health, in happiness, in good times" then the crowd would have the right to doubt if there is any real love present.

Unlike other worldviews, Christianity is honest about the pains of this life. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." As the final step of Peter's second commencement, Jesus is going to tell Peter of coming troubles.

18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.)

Historians believe that Peter was killed by crucifixion under Emperor Nero. Jesus reminds Peter that there was a time when he was younger, he did what he wanted, he enjoyed limited responsibilities. But this same passion and youthful zeal was the cause of his misunderstanding of the mission of Jesus and three-time denial. He faced the possibility of suffering once and shied away. But not this time. He was ready. He was going to face the cross again and he was going to do it boldly. How? What made the difference? Love.

Because Jesus died for Peter, he was going to be willing to glorify God through his death. Proving that the message was credible and that the Messiah was worthy of our love. Even in his darkest moment, there was going to be purpose. Jesus was going to turn his grief into glory.

Jesus could have brought up that he would use Peter to write books in the New Testament, that he would be the key leader of the church in Jerusalem, or that his Pentacost sermon would be used by God to see 3000 people saved. Instead, he brought up Peter's death. There are moments of blessing in your future. There are days of intense happiness ahead of you. You are going to do remarkable things for the Lord. But the moments that will show the world most brightly that there is a God, that that he is good, are the moments when we endure trials with faith because of our love for Jesus.

And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

At Peter's first introduction to Christ, he had no idea what those two small words would mean. But he had trust in Jesus and followed him. At Peter's second chance, he fully knew the cost of following Jesus. And he took him at his word.

Today is a new chance. Will you accept Jesus' invitation? Will you follow him?