Between the Fires

Good morning, Happy Easter, welcome to New Horizon Christian Church. Please open your Bibles to the gospel of John, chapter 18.

A brief introduction to Peter.

Fisherman by trade.

Called by Jesus- “At once they left their nets and followed him.”

We find from the first mention of Peter that he has a real desire to be in the presence of Jesus.

Throughout the ministry of Jesus, we hear a lot from Peter.

Often when Jesus was speaking with the disciples, it was Peter who would speak up as a sort of representative.

Mark 8:27–29- “And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they told him, ‘John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.’ And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ.’”

Thus, we find in Peter a willingness to speak up, and at times an impulsiveness that did not serve him well.

Mark 8:32–33- “And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.’”

Peter is presented, whether fairly or not, as a brash, impulsive, filter-less disciple of Jesus.

Such a personality likely culminates in Peter’s defense of Jesus while Jesus is being arrested early in John 18.

Cuts off the ear of a servant of the High Priest named Malchus, earning a rebuke once again from Jesus.

So we find the disciple Peter, deeply committed to Jesus, while often at times uncontrollable in his words and actions.

Let’s focus in on two particular moments in the life of Peter, both found in John’s gospel. We begin in chapter 18.

Read John 18:15–18- “Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 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.’ Now the servants 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.”

1. Peter’s Failure.

How easy it is to abandon Jesus.

Peter is found warming himself by a charcoal fire, surrounded by people who begin to ask him questions.

Notice the ease with which Peter denied Jesus, as Jesus had predicted he would do, at the first question asked of him.

Let’s pay attention to a few of the details we have just read.

Following Jesus is contrary to following the world.

The world cannot comprehend a person giving his or her life to following Jesus so closely.

Did you catch the phrasing of the question from the servant girl? “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?”

The question is asked, “You’re not like that, are you?”

The easiest and simplest reply is simply, “No.”

No persecution is required.

Servant girl is doing the questioning. Not the Sanhedrin, not Rome.

One of Jesus’ closest followers abandons him completely.

This is not a case study in the behavior and mindset of one person, it is representative of all of humanity.

John Calvin- “Now, at the voice of a single maid, and that voice unaccompanied by threatening, he is confounded and throws down his arms. Such is a demonstration of the power of man. Do we not continually tremble at the rustling of a falling leaf? A false appearance of danger, which was still distant, made Peter tremble: and are we not every day led away from Christ by childish absurdities?”

What is it that caused Peter to behave in such a way toward such a loved friend?

Self-confidence.

Mark 14:29–31- “Peter said to him, ‘Even though they all fall away, I will not.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ But he said emphatically, ‘If I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And they all said the same.”

We fail miserably when we say that we have no need for Christ and can instead depend upon our own abilities and strengths.

John 15:5- “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

With clarity, we see the failure of Peter, and we see glimpses of him in our own lives.

The question each of us face, as Peter had to face himself, is whether it is the end of our story. For Peter, thankfully, it was not.

Read John 21:9–17- “When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 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. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 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.’ 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.’”

Here we find ourselves once again around a charcoal fire, and yet the circumstances could not be more different.

2. Peter’s Forgiveness.

Notice the setting of this second fire.

Rather than servant girls and bystanders questioning Peter, we find instead Jesus Himself asking the questions.

Consider the atmosphere- This is not a harsh interrogation, but instead a loving conversation.

Jesus has provided breakfast for the disciples. In the same way that He provided the bread and wine prior to his death, here we see Him providing bread and fish, continuing to care for the needs of those who had abandoned him.

Jesus asks three times of Peter’s love for him.

Do you love me more than these?

Difficult to speak to this with any confidence, but many scholars believe Jesus is asking about his love in comparison to the disciples.

“Do you still believe that you love me more than the rest of them, even after your failure?

In asking such a question, Jesus confronts Peter’s sin and failure, even touching on Peter’s self-confidence.

Doesn’t ask anything of Peter’s knowledge of Jesus, or His obedience to Him; instead the simple question- Do you love me?

Peter relies on the omniscience, or all-knowing nature of Jesus, to answer the questions.

You know that I do. You know all things.

Peter can’t rest on his behavior; he has failed too miserably.

Jesus commissions Peter.

Doesn’t state that Peter must now remain on the sideline.

He loves Jesus, He is forgiven by Jesus, He is restored by Jesus, and he is sent by Jesus.

We are reminded here that failure isn’t final.

What has happened between the fires? What has brought Peter from failure to forgiveness?

3. Jesus’ Fitness.

When I say fitness, I’m not speaking of aerobics, but instead of Jesus’ ability.

We find our answer entirely in the work of Jesus.

It should be no surprise that Peter writes clearly of the necessary work of Jesus to bring about forgiveness and restoration.

And what we find was necessary for the change in Peter is precisely what we celebrate every Easter weekend.

First, notice how he writes of the death of Jesus.

1 Peter 2:24–25- “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Note the language.

First, see what Jesus has done- He bore our sins in his body on the tree. By his wounds you have been healed.

Next, see what the outcome of Jesus’ suffering and death is.

Healing.

Returning to the shepherd and overseer.

Second, notice how he writes of the resurrection of Jesus.

1 Peter 1:3- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

What is made possible because Jesus has been raised from the dead?

Rebirth, born again, new life.

At Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Not merely because it happened, but because of what it made possible.

Forgiveness and eternal life are made possible only because Jesus was crucified, died, was buried and was risen.

4. Our Future.

Where in the life of Peter do you find yourself?

For many, you find yourself today in a state of denying Jesus.

You claim that you have no need for Him in your life, and you live accordingly, setting your own rules, seeking your own goals, making it all up as you go along.

And you find that none of it satisfies.

Do you not faintly find a reflection of yourself in Peter?

Interesting to me how many people feel they do not belong in a church because of the kind of life that they live.

The failure and forgiveness of Peter remind us that we can be forgiven, we can enter into the presence of Jesus, we can receive eternal life, life as it was meant to be lived from the very beginning of creation.

R.C. Sproul- “The passage also teaches us what kind of people Jesus died to save. He gave Himself for people who have it in them to betray Him, people like you and me.”

No matter where you find yourself, can you not see Jesus, preparing a meal for you, asking you the same basic questions that He asked Peter.

He doesn’t ask how good you are, or what you have accomplished for Him. He doesn’t even ask about your failures. One question He asks- Do you love Him?

If your answer is yes, then oh boy does Jesus has a plan for the rest of your life, as He calls you to follow Him.

You may not think it possible, so rather than thinking of your own abilities and failures, rest instead in God’s grace and love.

William Cowper- Hark, My Soul, It is the Lord- “Lord, it is my chief complaint; That my love is weak and faint; Yet I love Thee and adore, Oh! for grace to love Thee more.”