John 21:15-25

Here we are the last chapter of John. this has been a long time coming. One year and eleven months but we are here.

Last week Peter and six other disciples was at the Sea of Tiberias {Galilee } and had decided to go fishing.

Thomas ,Nathanael, James , John,and two other disciples. So they went out at night. This is usually a good time to catch fish,but they caught nothing.

When morning came Jesus was standing on the shore but they disciples didn't recognize Him. Jesus called out to them do you have any fish ,and the answered “No”.

We talked a little last week about why they didn't recognize Him ,but we really don't know the answer. I'm guessing lighting. There were others that didn't recognize Jesus at first in His resurrected body ,but this is the third time He has reviled Himself to many of these men.

So Jesus tells them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. They pulled up 153 fish. This is a miracle, but they had seen it before.

Luke 5:1–11 NKJV

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So 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. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

This similar miracle convinced several to give up fishing and follow Jesus. It helped Peter to recognise who Jesus was . He said the wrong words . Depart from me , but he confessed He was a sinful man.

This reminds me of one of my best buddy's from the world. Although I believe that there are people in the church that can feel this same way and that is sad. He will tell me “ Ton I love hearing from you everyday. I know what you are trying to do and I believe in God an all, but I'm dammed. I've did to much ,cursed God and I'm going to hell. Depart from me I'm a sinner. No! I'm a sinner and I need you. This is from false teaching and no teaching. And note here Jesus tells Peter He will be a fisher of men but he returned to being a fisherman. Jesus had a work for Peter but Peter went back to relying on himself.

To get back to were we was. They had seen this before , and John said to Peter it is the Lord. Then Peter Jumped in the water and swam to shore, the rest of the men brought the boat in. when the got to shore Jesus already had a fire of coals going with some fish and bread and they sat down to have breakfast together.

John 21:15 NKJV

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.”

Jesus calls him Simon son of Jonah just like He did when the first met.

John 1:42 NKJV

And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

This is Peter. The rock.

Matthew 16:18 NKJV

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.

Peter had told Jesus who he said he was. Christ the son of the living God. Then Jesus tells Him ,That on Him He will build His Church. We cant confuse this with the cornerstone because that is Jesus but Peter will be the starting point of Jesus building His church. Jesus had a plan for Peter. His denial wasn't a surprise to Jesus. Jesus didn't say “I made a mistake now Andrew you be the rock” He moves on with the plan. The surprise was Peter didn't know the mercy Jesus would show him.

Jesus says Simon do you love Me more than these

Matthew 26:33 NKJV

Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”

We talked about it last week . Peter always had confidence in Peter. Jesus is going to restore him to greater Faith in Him.

Jesus ask Peter do you Agape me. {unconditional Love, sacrificial love] Peter replies I Phileo you. { I love you like a brother. I love being with you. Why would Peter answer Jesus like this. These are both deep kinds of love why wouldn't Peter just say I agape you to. Could it be that Peter knows Jesus knows his heart so he doesn't want to lie. I don't think its He doesn't want to lie. I think its because he is telling the truth. He tried to love Jesus unconditionally and failed. Does that make Peter a bad person. I don't know compared to Peter 30 years from this point maybe. Peters self righteousness put Him in bad situations .

Feed my Lambs. Do you Love me . Yes. Feed my Lambs. Jesus is telling Peter to teach the Gospel. This passage of scripture here is for everyone but if you are a Pastor and Elder a teacher this is defiantly talking to you He is telling Peter how to Shepard.

John 21:16 NKJV

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.”

Again do you agape me. Again yes phileo you. Take care of my sheep. Lead my sheep.

John 21:17 NKJV

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.

This time Jesus asked Peter do you Phileo me. This time Jesus uses the word for brotherly love. This is the third time He asked. Peter knew it was in response to the three times he denied Jesus and it hurt him. This was a memory he wanted to forget . He had bragged and puffed himself up and then denied his Lord when push came to shove. Peter was being humbled.

Peter says Lord you know everything . I know you know I love you. Jesus says feed my sheep. Lead my sheep. There is nothing here about do this or that or jump through this hoop. Cary on with the plan.

Matthew 4:18–19 NKJV

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

I will make you fishers of men

I will build my church. Jesus told Peter I will and it all happened

Peter said I will never be maid to stumble and He stumbled.

We can only succeed in Gods will

That is His desire. For us to follow Him.

John 21:18–19 NKJV

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.”

Jesus is telling Peter the way he would die. Thank about that. He didn’t tell him when just how. Its not like He said either , you will get old. You will go to bed one night and just never wake up. He says you will be martyred. Your life will be taken from you because of Me. God will glorify you for it. Then He says Follow Me. Wow that is some heavy stuff. Peter was put on a spot here.

Mark 8:34 NKJV

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

That is not just for Peter . That’s for all of us. The thing is . You don’t have to be martyred to be a follower of Jesus. Set around and pray. Oh Lord let me be Martyred. It says here Peter people are going to take you were you don’t want to go but follow me.

That is exactly what Peter did.

Acts 5:27–29 NKJV

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

Acts 5:40–42 NKJV

And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Jesus said Follow me. Continue to follow me. Spread the Gospel. tend to my sheep. The result is eternal life for you and everyone you reach. The result was not Peters death that was a consequence of following Jesus. The result was he glorified God and is now in Heaven

jn21:20-23

John 21:20–23 NKJV

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.” Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

Is there all kinds of human nature in this. Peter just gets told his fate. Gets told to follow me and he says what about that guy. I have figured out though scripture about Peter . What makes him unique is ,He actually says what he’s thinking. Just like saying he would follow Jesus unto death. He believed that and just put it out there.

Jesus reply is what we need to focus on. What is it to you. Then what it says is you must follow me. Through out this Gospel Jesus has told us what following Him looks like. Love your neighbor as you love yourself . Love your brothers and sisters in christ the way that I have loved you. preach the gospel to all nations. Follow me. Peter says what about that guy.

I think this can be difficult for all of us. Not just like I was saying there but even with people we love that may not be following the Lord. Trying to push our will on them when are will doesn't matter much. Follow Him. His will be done. Except His will.

Human nature no two. Jesus said John was going to live forever. This actually became a belief some had in the early church. John addresses that here. John might have been martyred but he did take up his cross. I'm not sure I wouldn’t rather be killed than boiled in oil

John 21:24–25 NKJV

This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 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 has wrote an eye witness report of his time with Jesus on earth. He says he could not even tell it all the world could not contain it and how could it Jesus has no beginning and no end.

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We we come to Jesus we are no longer the most important person in the world to us;Christ is. instead of living only for ourselves, we have a higher goal :to live for Jesus

Billy Graham