Resolve to Focus Pt 3

Good morning! Winter in Ohio!

For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been looking into the life of Peter and at some of the events he walked through…and for sure “how he walked through them.

Two weeks ago, we found Peter walking on water…making his way towards Jesus on the Sea of Galilea after stepping out of the boat during a storm.

And then…he looked at the world around him and fear crept in. Jesus asked, after pulling him from sinking down in the water…why did you doubt?

Peter, for a little bit of time, experienced two worlds…two ways of living…one with eyes on Jesus…and one with eyes on the world. The world affected him more than Christ. And through Jesus’ question, we see why He was here. He wants us to look to Him, reach out our hand, and allow Him to save us…pull us out of this world’s mindset and into a Kingdom mindset.

We then looked at Peter, and three events where he struggled between trust in Jesus and Jesus’ plan ....and his own (Peter’s own) plan. Peter had an idea of what would be best and chose those things…one of those events being when Jesus was on His way to the cross…to the crucifixion…and Peter was asked he knew Jesus…and Peter denied that three times (just as Jesus had predicted).

Now, Jesus has died, rose again, has visited the group twice (it looks like in the upper room on at least one of those occasions …maybe both). But then we have a third instance according to John. We’re going to look at this event today. And I hope that it is helpful to all of you today.

The story of is told of a girl who regretted breaking her engagement and wrote this letter:

“Dearest Tom, No words could ever express the great unhappiness I’ve felt since breaking our engagement. Please say you’ll take me back. No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me. I love you, I love you, I love you! I love you!”

Yours forever, Kally

PS: And congratulations on winning the state lottery.

In a way…when we look at what happened to Peter…I wonder if there was a moment when Peter realized what he had done when he denied Jesus. I have a feeling he realized really who it was that he denied knowing (and it was so much bigger than the state lottery).

I’m going to be reading from the book of John this morning. It is a lengthy passage so we’ll just have story time with Mr. Ed this morning. We’ll go through it and then I’d like to add another passage to it as well so we get a full picture of what happened to Peter…and I think…what can happen with us. And it all has to do with Jesus.

John 21:1–19 NIV

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. 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!”

This account is so full of meaning…and we don’t have to dig deep for it. Its not like there’s hidden meaning here. We just have to sit back, read slowly, and think about what is happening…it also helps to know some things that happened previously.

In Luke chapter 5 we read of when Jesus is just beginning His ministry. He is just about to begin gathering a few men as his disciples…his first followers. He’s about to teach a crowd....they’re all by the sea of Galilea and Jesus asks Simon Peter if he would allow Him to step into the boat…move out from shore a bit…so that he could see the whole crowd and teach the people on the shore line from the boat…accoustics and all would be great.

Peter said sure…Simon Peter saw him as a teacher (rabbi) …so He was like sure.

After ward Jesus says…hey lets go out to the deeper water and put down the nets. Peter’s reply is …we’ve been at it all night and we haven’t caught anything....but because you ask we’ll do this.

When this happened…they caught so many fish that the nets began breaking with they were pulling them into the boat. They needed another boat…some came to help.

When Peter realized what was happening, he bowed down before Jesus and said…I am a sinful man…go away from me....

Now …a few others were standing there too…all amazed, James and John and Andrew...

But Jesus looked at Peter and said…Don’t be afraid, from now on you will catch men....and then Luke writes that they brought in the boats…left them there on the shore and followed Jesus.

Matthew and Mark give us the picture of Jesus saying, as he’s bringing on disciples …he’s using the phrase…come follow me.

Connections here…and how does this work into our lives.

Peter jumps and swims…the rest stay in the boat…Peter jumps in and swims…no hesistation. He knows it’s Jesus. Even after things being quiet for him for awhile after Jesus’ resurrection. I mean…yeah…he just denied the son of God three times a very short time ago.

Here he’s jumping in and swimming…I don’t know. Maybe more awareness…more faith…less of this world holding him back in shame. A bit of …I don’t care …I’m going.

I’m done with the past …the boats will be too slow…I’ve got to get to him.

Ever feel like that? Ever want to feel like that?

Another cool thin is this…in the first miraculous catch…the nets are full and breaking…this time…the nets are full…but John makes note that they are not breaking this time. I’m not sure…I think John is just focusing on Peter and saying…this time its all different. This time…after realizing the effects of sin…and jumping towards Jesus…everything is different.

Cool stuff…Peter’s discipleship life, when he started to learn about the Kingdom life, begins with a miraculous catch of fish…with Jesus right there in the boat.

And what does Peter say to Jesus after this awareness of what’s happening?

Luke 5:8 CSB

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!”

Peter realized who he was…and who Jesus was…and the difference. And he bowed in worship....but did he stay there? No…he was kind of bowing in shame…but then what happened next…he followed Jesus.

Here, at the end…after realizing all he had done through his time as a learner…as a disciple of the Creator (Jesus himself)…he realizes still that he is a sinful man. But he jumps in and swims to Jesus.

And then…Jesus pulls him aside…Simon son of John…do you love me?

3x

Can you imagine being Peter? Peter says you know I do...

You know all things?

Why do you keep asking you know I love you....

Feed my lambs

Take care of my sheep

Feed my sheep

Follow me...

There are some unsaid things here aren’t there? We don’t have Peter groveling at Jesus’ feet saying forgive me! Please i love you i live you i love you… We have Jesus approaching him…Hi Peter let me get you some breakfast! Hey Peter…Let me ask you a question…just to verify what I already know i my heart…Hey Peter…I know that’s the truth…so

Feed my lambs… I know who you are but I also know who you can be...

Take care of my sheep… Peter I know what you did…but Take care of my sheep...

Feed my sheep…I know that you’re a sinful person…but I’ve redeemed you…you have been called out of the world and into my Kingdom…you’re different now…not perfect Yet… but feed my sheep...

It’s almost like this is another way of Jesus giving the great commission.

It’s almost like this is Jesus giving us another call to discipleship....

How many of us have been like Peter? We’ve denied Jesus’ plans for life. We’ve lived in ways that would moreso match the world’s way of living rather than God’s hope for us.

How many of us have given into Satan’s deceptions…His whispers of ....”Well I know God said this but did He really mean that?”

You can apply this to any part of your life can’t you? Let’s glimpse just for a second …we started with a sanctity of life video. We have a sancticty of life day so that we can remember God’s true intent of family…of children…of marriage…of his design for humanity.

We have this day of rememberance…of focus…because…somewhere along the way…the world walked away from that plan, God’s intent…and went towards Satan’s whisper…why don’t you look at life this way. Why don’t you look at relationships like this…pregnancy will only get in the way…there’s nothing really to it…life is all about how you want to live…how you want to see truth.

Jesus is calling us back to that original intent for all of life. And Peter has walked through those whispers from Satan. He’s followed his own plan rather than Christ’s. He’s look at life through the eyes of the world…through the eyes of fear rather than through the eyes focused on the Kingdom…through the eyes of Jesus…with the heart of Jesus.

How many times have we been on that road that Peter was on.

And even so what does Jesus say to Peter…I know what you’ve done…but you have realized it. You know that you fell. Now…move toward me again..

and not only toward me...

but help other people see this life that I am giving to you.

Other people…my sheep…need to see my forgiveness…that they are worthy of redemption…that I am there for them…and that there is room in the Kingdom.

Only realize one thing…I need all of you…give me your heart to change it…and I’ll give it back to you with a new life to boot.

On this side things still won’t be perfect....but look at me…I walked out of the grave. I am making all things new…and begins right now...

Peter…tell others about me.

Peter was a disciple…not a perfect person…a disciple. A disciple is one who is learning, growing…and then at the right point in time…Jesus said…now Peter…you are now going to catch people…go and make more disciples. Help others know about this Kingdom life. Help them know me.

Follow me....he ends this little section with the same words that were more of a question in the very beginning. Will you follow me?....Now…it…is…follow me…Keep following…and bring others along with you.

Do we follow Jesus or the ways of the world.

Ralph Waldo Emerson - There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy - and not pain - around us.

To be a disciple and a disciple maker is to scatter joy…not pain…around us.

We are the body of Christ. Redeemed from our sin. Brought out of the world…in it but not of it. And Jesus always keeps saying…follow me.

Will you follow him?

Jesus said to Peter…sinful, sometimes failing, but the one who also loves the lord and jumps out of the boat meet him…this is what Jesus says....

John 21:19 (NIV)

...he said to him, “Follow me!”

Peter is an image bearer of God. Jesus created him like that…and he knows that Peter knows this. Jesus wants his image bearer to follow Him…to show others that all of us are image bearers too. Just like the video said…life is precious and life is found in the one who is life…Jesus.

So the question isn’t only will you follow Him?....the question is, will you help others follow Him too? Other image bearers…will you help those who don’t know that they bear His image…to follow Him?

6am McDonalds.