Restoring Peter
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
AG: Restoration
This special nod to Peter hints at his full restoration despite his extraordinary breach of faith. Jesus does not give up on his disciples, no matter how great their failure or how many their faults.
David E. Garland
TS: John’s gospel concludes with the restoration of Peter. Think about it!
Peter had denied Christ. That was almost as bad as the betrayal. Peter had to carry a burden of guilt and it could have stood in his way of serving. Jesus had every right to never trust Peter again. HOWEVER, our loving Savior took the time to restore the fallen.
RS: We can learn from Jesus’ conversation with Peter the importance of total commitment to God.
Peter Freed
Peter Freed
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 Jonah, 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 all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Earlier, the night of Jesus’ arrest, Peter had denied Jesus 3 times.
Here we see Jesus restore Peter, freeing him of the guilt and burden.
He is asked to declare His love 3 times, seemingly one for each denial, and told to tend Jesus’ flock.
Do you love me more than these?
These, may mean the boats and nets
Peter’s old occupation
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
The meaning of this section hinges upon the usage of two synonyms for love.
In terms of interpretation, when two synonyms are placed in close proximity in context, a difference in meaning, however slight, is emphasized.
When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, He used a word for love that signified total commitment.
AGAPE
This same is “love” is the love of God
In fact, God is LOVE
It is unconditional and everlasting
Peter responded with a word for love that signified his love for Jesus, but not necessarily his total commitment.
He used Phileo
brotherly love
same root for Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love
It is a deep bond, but NOT total commitment
Many suggest this was not because he was reluctant to express that greater love, but because he had been disobedient and denied the Lord in the past.
Peter had gained wisdom.
No longer would he make the mistake of the past:
Disputing Jesus’ claim He would deny Jesus
Swearing he would die first!
Peter doubted himself!
He was, perhaps, now reluctant to make a claim of supreme devotion when, in the past, his life did not support such a claim.
The third time, Jesus changed the question:
Do you phileo me?
it wasn’t the total commitment level
Peter got the point and it grieved Him
Jesus pressed home to Peter the need for unswerving devotion by repeatedly asking Peter if he loved Him supremely.
The essential message here is that Jesus demands total commitment from His followers.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Their love for Him must place Him above their love for all else. Jesus confronted Peter with love because He wanted Peter to lead the apostles (Mt 16:18), but in order for Peter to be an effective shepherd, his overwhelming drive must exemplify supreme love for his Lord.
All three times, Jesus told Peter to shepherd His flock
Peter had to lead,
He was commissioned as the shepherd, Pastor, of the young church.
AP: To carry out our mission for Him, we must be totally committed to Him
We need to find ourselves at the same place Peter was
We need to be challenged to love God above all other people or things.
Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
This was the point of Jesus’ teaching:
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Jesus must be our number 1 love
He must be our highest commitment
We do what He says do regardless of the consequences!
That is love He expects us to have
When we are at that point, all the other affections come into the right perspective.
Peter Forewarned
Peter Forewarned
Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Now that Peter was restored and in the right frame of mind, Jesus forewarned Him of the cost of that commitment.
Ultimately, it would cost his LIFE
Peter would indeed die for the Lord
Peter lived and served for 3 decades!
He suffered persecution and anguish
He wrote of this as he neared his death
If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
Suffering for serving God can bring Him honor and glory
It takes unconditional love and complete surrender to follow Christ into those conditions!
For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
Church tradition records that Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero (ca. A.D. 67–68), being crucified upside down, because he refused to be crucified like his Lord
AP: True commitment has NO limit
We too may suffer
We too may die
Our commitment to Jesus must have no limit!
Jesus predicted it for us as well.
As He warned of the situation in the last days He said:
But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.
But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
But not a hair of your head shall be lost.
By your patience possess your souls.
From persecuted to preacher!
Give and answer in the face of persecution
Don’t defend ourselves, proclaim the truth!
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
Peter Focused
Peter Focused
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
Peter was always easily distracted
1 Remember when he walked on water.
He took his eyes off Jesus, and began sinking
2 Also- When he declared Jesus to be the Son of God and
received the new name Peter
He immediately contradicted Jesus when He declared He would be crucified in Jerusalem
Distracted, Peter asked about John
John 21:24–25 (NKJV)
24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
Maybe it was out of love
Maybe it was out of jealousy of a possible better outcome
Jesus refocused him by saying, “You follow Me!”
He even gave a hypothetical: “If I want Him to live until I return..”
Jesus was saying the point is Peter’s commitment to following Christ.
NOTE: even John remands us that Jesus didn’t prophesy John living until the 2nd coming. Some of the disciples must have thought that for John to correct it.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Commentary)
Christ’s service must be his all-consuming passion and nothing must detract from it
AP: We need to be focused on Christ
We can’t follow Him through fires and floods if we aren’t 100% committed and focused on Him.
Distractions will arise in our lives
Some are important, but not top priority
Example: Our spouses, children, friends, & occupations
They need attention and time. They are important, but God is more important!
That doesn’t reduce our love for them!
That keeps it in the proper perspective!
As I love God more than anything else and make Him my top priority, He enables me to love Shannon as Christ does the church. He gives me the ability to my children as He loves us. He equips me to serve Him as pastor and teacher.
It is so easy to get that out of order and it all collapses
When our loved ones, friends, and careers take priority over God, they become like idols!
Some are acceptable, but not necessary
Hobbies can grow to dominate our lives if we allow them
There is nothing wrong with them, but they must be kept in perspective
Hobbies must be kept in perspective and used for God’s glory
Most Christians come into contact with the world in at least three places: in their neighborhoods, at work (unless they work for a totally Christian organization), and in their spare-time activities—clubs, hobbies, sports, and adult education courses.
James Montgomery Boice
Some distractions are wrong and need to be avoided
All temptations to sin!
There are things which get between us and God
Lust, greed, etc
They must be removed from the to do list all together.
Concl.
Concl.
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
John wrote a condensed gospel, not an exhaustive history of Jesus’ life. He wrote what He wrote to lead us to believe Jesus is the Son of God
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Today, let us renew our commitment to Jesus.
Like Peter, if He were to take aside and ask, do you unconditionally love me and have Me as your top priority?
How would you answer?