Grace Leads us from Failure to Faithful Service

Intro

Before we get to our reading today. I want to ask you a question. Have you ever felt inaddaquate, unworthy, have you have ever had imposter syndrome. Been in a situation where you look around and say how am I with these people or in this position. I don’t belong here. I know I have.

Today we are going to see Jesus come face to face with someone who had to be feeling all of that. By looking at the way Jesus interacts with someone who was feeling the weight of their failures and feeling of not belonging. You are going to see how Jesus responds to you when you feel that same way, and we will see that His grace can change everything for you.

Let me set the stage for you. Jesus has been resurrected, He has already appeared to the disciples twice as well as others like Mary, and the men on the road to Emmaus. But he isn’t with them all the time like he was before. So they are waiting around trying to figure out what’s next. And Peter who was the oldest disciple around 18-20 says to 6 other disciples who were 15-16 lets go fishing. They needed money. They fish all night long. Catch nothing. When people around here fish and catch nothing you say things like well atleast we arent at work, but for them fishing was work. So they couldn’t say that. It was a bad night. but then someone appears on the lakeshore, with the first light of the morning and he says maybe try the other side of the boat. So they try it and catch a lot of fish. It was then that John realized That guy is Jesus. And Peter jumps into the water. Leaving everyone else to do all the work to get to Jesus.

John 21:9–14 ESV

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.

Peter runs to Jesus. He gets to shore, and what does he find. Jesus standing around a charcoal fire. The only other time in the Gospels we see a charcoal fire being referenced directly was the charcoal fire that Peter was standing around when he denied that he knew Jesus three times. The smell and the smoke of the fire had to bring back the memory of his failure. A failure that he had tried to forget, That he had hoped Jesus would never ask him about. A failure and regret that was weighing him down more than the fish were weighing down his boat.

He was the oldest he was supposed to be the leader, the brave one. And yet when the time came for him to be bold he backed down.

And yet here we have Jesus not turning his back on Peter, but choosing to get face to face with Peter and even cooking him breakfast. Jesus didn’t flee when Peter failed. And he doesn’t flee when you fail.

1. He Lit the Fire Before You Came Back.

Peter messed up there is not denying that. You and I mess up regularly there is no denying that. Jesus response to Peter’s failure is the same response he gave to Thomas when he doubted, he didn’t’ run farther away he came close. And it is the same response he gives me when I fail to live up to the standard he wants me to live to, and it is the response he will give to you when you fail. He doesn’t run away he comes closer.

We see that Peter swam and got to Jesus as fast as possible. That should be our response when we fail. We don’t run from Jesus we run to him. Because when we turn to him even after an epic failure like Peter’s. Jesus is not going to turn away. Jesus had already lit the fire before Peter ever started running back. Jesus was ready to invite him back into a deeper relationship.

Our response when we fail shows what we believe about God our father. Relationships with fathers are tricky. Every single person in here has a completely different dynamic between them and their father. Some people in here have no relationship, some have a weak relationship, some unfortunetly had an abusive relationship, some of you have or had good relationships with your father. Others of you would simply say its complicated.

Some of you may have had the type of relationship with your father where you felt like you had to hide your failures. You had to make it look like you never messed up and excelled everywhere to make him proud and receive love. If that is how your relationship with your father was, if we aren’t careful we can treat God our father the same way.

We run from him when we mess up. When we refuse to obey him and we know it. We get more distant. we don’t pray as much, we let dust collect on our Bibles. or you go to use your bible app and your phone auto uninstalled it cause you hadn’t used it in so long. We avoid other believers. We are afraid spending time with him because we don’t want to feel his disappointment. I have done this and it is a dark and lonely place to be. That is what believers who misunderstand God’s grace do.

Believers who understand God’s grace don’t hide their failures from God they run to God to tell them they messed up and to ask for help. Because they know the fire has already been lit for them to sit and restore that fellowship with God.

John 21:15–19 “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. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.””

Sitting around the charchole fire. Jesus asks him a question 3 times the same way the last time he was around a charcole fire he was asked a question 3 times. The last time he answered denying Jesus 3 times. This time he answers declaring his love for Jesus 3 times.

2. Love Is the Only Resume Jesus Wants.

Jesus doesn’t ask him Peter how are you going to fix this? He didn’t ask him how can you make up for what you did? He simply asks him do you love me? not because he didn’t know the answer. But so Peter could think on it and say it. Declaring it to himself as much as Jesus.

The one thing that Jesus knew Peter needed to get right before he continued leading, continued serving was that he was doing it out of his love for Jesus and not the desire to make up for what he had done.

We are not to serve Jesus out of obligation to pay him back for paying the penalty for our mistakes. In movies, when someone saves another person’s life, what usually happens? They become bound—loyal out of debt. That’s how Gollum is with Frodo. That’s how Chewie is with Han. That’s how Dobby is with Harry. But that’s not the gospel. Jesus didn’t save you to put you in debt. He saved you to bring you into a relationship. We don’t follow Him because we have to repay Him. We follow Him because we love Him. And even that love comes from Him first.

Whatever Peter’s failure. In order to restore him to a place of trust the one thing that he questioned. The qualification that he needed to have. Wasn’t an education, it wasn’t a speaking ability, it wasn’t musical talent, it wasn’t availability, it wasn’t any other fruit of the spirit. Before he took care of other followers of Jesus his sheep. He had to make sure he was doing it because he loved him. This is the basic qualification for all Christian service. Whether you are a pastor, Sunday school teacher, greeter, nursery worker, worship leader, camera operator, janitor, or example of faith in your workplace. The most important qualification is are you doing it because you love Jesus.

Jesus then makes it plain to Peter and I want to make it clear to you. That your love of Jesus is to be exercised in your love for the people who belong to Jesus.

That was jesus’ call to Peter and it wasn’t just for him, it isn’t just for pastors, it is for all of us. Let your love of Jesus be exercised, not by just by church attendance, how loud you sing in worship, giving, having a quiet time, all good thing. But let your love for Jesus be put on display by how you love the people who belong to Jesus.

John 21:20–22 ESV

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

Jesus had just told Peter that following him would mean suffering and eventual death, that was to be Peter’s path. Knowing that he looks over at John and says well what about him? Basically If I am going to suffer and be killed for following you John’s going to have to do it too right? John and Peter definetly had a bit of a rivalry. Remember John included that he beat Peter to the tomb in a race for no reason. and now Peter is like well if I am going to die he has to as well right? He can’t help but compare. He is getting very rare post resurrection one on one time with Jesus and he is comparing himself to John.

And Jesus hits him with “what is it to you, You follow me”

3. You’re Not Called to Be Them—You’re Called to Follow Him..

If you want to become discontent, and feel like a failure. compare yourself to others instead of following Jesus. Don’t waste the time you could be spending by the fire with Jesus comparing yourself to everyone else. Your calling is not to be them. Peter’s calling was not to be John. Peter’s calling was to follow Jesus. Your calling is to follow Jesus.

I have to fight this every day. I have to remind myself that my calling is not to be Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, Matt Chanler, Levi Lusko or any other famous pastor. My calling is not to be Dan Spencer, Anthony Kendall, Jeff Wright, or any of our other amazing local pastors in our area. Their calling is their calling. The path Jesus has them on is their path. I can learn from them but my calling is not to follow them. My calling is to follow Christ.

The more time I spend with my eyes focused comparing myself to them or their churches to our church is less time my eyes are focused on Jesus following what calling he has for me and for our church.

I say this as someone who fights this battle and is in the trenches with you. comparison is the thief of joy and it is the thief of your focus. Don’t waste your life trying to be your sister. don’t waste your life trying to get a house like your brother in law, don’t waste your life being insecure in who God made you to be because you would rather be who he made someone else to be. Don’t chase after the image that people curate for themselves on social media. Chase after Jesus.

In the words of Jesus. What is that to you? You follow me.

All of those people have had failures just as big as yours the only difference is you don’t know them. You only know your failures.

Follow the one who has never failed, and who doesn’t run away when we fail, but lights a fire, and invites us to sit down and let our relationship go deeper during the restoration process.

Conclusion.

I don’t what you may be holding onto today. What failure or addiction you are carrying around thinking thats too messy. Too big of a failure to bring to Jesus. Run to the father this morning. The fire has already been lit come experience the grace that you don’t deserve but is available to you today.

Maybe you are hear this morning and you’ve been going through the motions but it hasn’t been because of your love for Jesus or people. What is motivating you to work? to serve? if it isn’t fueled by your love for Jesus it isn’t sustainable. Don’t keep running on empty spend some time at the altar or kneeling at your seat answering the question Jesus asked Peter do you love me?

Lastly if you are here this morning and your joy has been stolen by comparison. I want you to identify the source of that for you. and remove it. Some of you need to unfollow some people. Some of you have social media apps you need to delete. Some of you have spent more time following certain politicians or celebeties than Jesus. And that needs to change today. I want to invite you to do that during this song. pull out your phone and do it now. Don’t wait till you get home because you and i both know you may lose your nerve between here and your bedroom. It is time stop the enemy from stealing the joy that Jesus paid for with his blood.

What is all that to you? we get to follow Jesus.

He lit the fire before you ever started swimming back. That’s grace. He asked Peter not to perform, but to love. That’s relationship. And when Peter tried to look over at John, Jesus said, 'What is that to you? You follow me.' That’s purpose." We find all three and so much more when follow Jesus.