Begin Again

Introduction

Our passage this morning may seem like an odd passage to use for an end of year sermon but I like the text because it gives us a rounded out vision of the life of Jesus. It gives us a complete picture of the redemptive story that Jesus gives us.

You see we can celebrate the birth of Jesus and we can party all we want to but without the complete picture of who Jesus is and the redeeming reason he came to earth, complete with his death and resurrection then really all we have is a birth of a little boy.

Jesus didn’t come to make life easy on us, he came so that we may learn from him, that we may follow him to spread His gospel message to all who will listen.

Jesus knows our weaknesses, he knows the sins of our past and the sins of our future but its through our past and into our future that Jesus calls us to love him and to follow him. To care for his sheep.

Throughout scripture there is reference made to crops, mostly to wheat, grapes and olives. Reference to how God will separate the grain from the chaff.

Amos 9:9 NIV

9 “For I will give the command, and I will shake the people of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground.

A month ago I was driving with my dad and we were remembering a time when I was young and my grandfather brought us to a farm where they still used an old steam engine to thrash wheat. We got to watch the process. I don’t remember much of the details but remember being there and climbing up on the steam powered machine as it was trashing the wheat.

During the time of our scripture it would have been common for the farmers to take a bundle of wheat and perhaps put it into a large sack. They would then take a stick or a mallet and smash the stalks of wheat. This smashing would then separate the grain from the chaff. The chaff would be the waste of the stalk. They would then allow the contents of the bag to sort of fall out and let the breeze blow the waste pieces away and the heads of grain would fall to the ground where they could be gathered up.

In light of our text this morning I feel like it gives us just an added 3-dimensional picture of what Satan wants to do when Jesus says he wants to sift all of you as wheat. He wants us all to be broken and smashed. Unfit in his eyes for anything useful.

But Jesus invites us this morning to love Him and to follow Him as we care for His flock.

Jesus us invites us to Begin Again.

Luke 22:31–34 NIV

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

John 21:15–19 NIV

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!”

Satan Wants You and Me.

Satan has asked for the soul and life of peter.

Jesus says in vs 31 that Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. When I studied this passage this week I just was very shocked to read these words. I mean yes, I know and most of you know of the power that Satan has been given but for some reason reading these words from Jesus they just seemed to have a chilling affect on me.

Chapter 22 begins with Satan taking over control of one of the 12 when it says in Luke 22:3

Luke 22:3 NIV

3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

Were given another very strong image of the work that Satan is going through to take control

So with control of Judas already in the hands of Satan to hear Jesus say that he has asked to sift Peter like that of wheat is a powerful statement.

Peter was one of the leaders of the 12. Often Peter was looked up to by the others and certainly was looked up to by friends and others who knew Peter. Makes sense then why Satan would want to have Peter in his camp right? It would give Satan an edge over the remaining 10 disciples. It would give Satan the edge over the friends of Peter and those who knew him.

The prophet Amos gives this warning in Amos 9:9 “9 “For I will give the command, and I will shake the people of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground.”

The grain will fall through and the pebbles and the waste will be caught in the sieve and thrown out and discarded.

Satan is after Peter, he is after you and me. He wants us to be thrown out with the waste, the waste of our lives. The sins that separate us from God just like the grain is separated from the chafe.

Jesus has a response to each one of us just like the response he has for Peter. Jesus has prayed for you, He has prayed that your faith may not fail, “and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus says he has prayed, its in past tense. Jesus is telling Peter that he has already prayed for him. Not only that but he is telling Peter that is faith is going to fail.

Where in our lives have we failed in our faith? When times get tough we often feel alone and separated from God. We feel like we need to do it on our own.

Its not that we or Peter have abandoned our faith, no that is not what I am saying but are there times in our lives that we have walked away from our faith. Walked away because we are angry at God? Walked away because we are ashamed of ourselves in front of God?

2012 might have been one of those times where I look back now and could easily have been angry it God. In the course of the 5 months in 2012 I would loose my grandmother, our dear friend Joel, my wife’s uncle and then an aunt, and finally the Saturday before Christmas 2012 my company closed and filed chapter 11.

I could have easily walked away from my faith during this time, but Jesus says he prayed for me. He said I prayed for you that your faith would not fail. AND THEN when you have turned back strengthen your brothers.

Jesus is telling Peter that its going to be alright, your going to come through this and when you do your faith is going to be stronger, your going to be more resilient. And so strengthen your brothers. Put your energy to good use. As the leader type that Peter is Jesus knows that he will be able to lead through this.

Peter though unaware of exactly what Jesus is telling him lets his pride get in the way and he says to Jesus Lord I am ready and willing to die for you and go to prison with you.

Peter is having this moment where he is feeling almost invincible. Sort of like when your on a spiritual retreat and you come home and your feeling like your on top of the mountain top.

They have just shared the Lord’s Supper with Jesus, a time when they most likely felt the closest to Him and so nothing was going to get in Peters way and he was going to protect Jesus at all costs, even to his death.

And then that rooster has to ruin the mood as Jesus says Peter your faith is going to fail, not abandon you but fail you because your going to deny me 3 times before the rooster crows.

You see Jesus knows our failures before they even happen. Jesus has been praying for each one of his followers. Praying that our faith would not fail, that we would not abandon our faith but that we would come back again stronger than ever. Jesus knows our past and yet that doesn’t prevent us from a future with Him. All we have to do is follow him.

Do You Love Me?

In one of the mysteries of the gospels each one is written by a different witness, unique in what they write and the memories they share. We have to go to the gospel of John to see sort of the continuation of this conversation with Peter if you will.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, he appears to different groups of people in different locations. At the end of Johns gospel we read this interaction with Jesus and Peter.

The disciples have gone back to what they know well and thats fishing. They are in the boat fishing and Jesus appears to them from the shoreline. He asks them if they have any fish and their answer is no. Then he tells them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat and you will find fish.

Its then that their nets are filled with fish and the disciples tell Peter its the Lord John 21:7 “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.”

Peter the leader that he was drops everything to go and meet Jesus. Nobody really wanted to ask the question but they all knew that it was Jesus.

That is when this conversation starts and Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him.

John 21:15 “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.””

Do you love me more than these other men do?

Do you love me more than you love these men?

Do you love me more than these things, the boats, the fish, etc?

The greek word for love Jesus used is Agape or a love pure and selfless, unconditional.

Peters response in Greek is a Philos love or a love that is warm and affectionate.

John 21:16 “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.””

Jesus uses the same Agape love the second time to demonstrate the desire that Peter must love Jesus with an unconditional heart in order to follow his commands.

Peter responds a second time with that same Phileo love.

John 21:17 “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.”

This third time Jesus uses the Phileo love but its interesting that Peters response while using the same type of love the first two responses Peter uses the greek word g:oida for know meaning an intellectual knowledge of the fact but the third time Peter ads to his response, he says Lord you know all things, you know that I love you. This third response ads the greek work g:ginosko, meaning that you possess information in your knowledge.

This final time Jesus says “Feed My Sheep”, and he ends our passage with “Follow Me”.

Jesus knew that Peter was going to struggle. Jesus knew the future that was before Peter and the actions he would take yet Jesus prayed for him and knew the outcome. He knew that while he would fail in his faith he would not abandon it and that he would come back to his faith stronger and bolder than before. Its then that Jesus reiterates to Peter that Peter must love Jesus beyond anything, love Jesus with an unconditional love and care for his flock.

When we truly love Jesus despite our own short comings and failures Jesus still invites us to care for his flock.

Oh Come All Ye...

If you listen to the many Christmas songs we sing during this time of the year so many of them are from a joyous feeling right. So many of them talk about this happy morning, this town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie. They talk about stars brightly shining and the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

Yet, for some or perhaps for many this time of the year is not so joyous. We have strain in our family relationships. For some of us we have lost a loved one and we are still trying to journey through the new set of circumstances we find ourselves in. I know for some they are faced with loss of a job. So how can this time of the year be so joyous?

Listen to this remake of a popular Christmas song and see if you can here yourself within the words.

“Come You Unfaithful”

Jesus came for each one of us here this morning. No matter where we are in life, no matter the things we are going through today or tomorrow. No matter our past mistakes. See Jesus came for you.

Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny him. When things got rough it didnt take much for Peter to fullfill what Jesus said to him.

Luke 22:54–62 NIV

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Friends Jesus knows our failures and mistakes. He knows we are not perfect yet he still wants to have a relationship with us. He wants us to feed His sheet and care for His lambs

As we finish out 2024 is there something in your life that is preventing you from having that relationship with Jesus? Is there some reason that you are holding back because you feel that Jesus cant use you?

As you start to look forward to 2025 this year be reminded that:

In Jesus birth we find Hope for a new start, a fresh beginning.

We find an abundance of Joy in the work Jesus is doing in our lives in the midst of our hurt and loss.

We find an Agape kind of love in the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in the manager.

and we find Peace in know that despite our mistakes and failures Jesus came for you and for me.

We just celebrated the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. A birth that was unlike any other birth of a king. A king that we have direct access to. A king that changes everything for you and for me.

Jesus says Matthew 11:28–30 “28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

Jesus gives us that chance to Begin Again. What a perfect time to start fresh in 2025. Leave your burdens at the feet of Jesus and start fresh. Begin today to have that relationship with Jesus, to feel his loving embrace and to feed his sheep and care for his lambs.