Easter John 21:15-25
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We all have things, and people, we love.
What, and who, we love drives how we act.
Perhaps, you love bringing your boat out to the lake, puttering around, and catching fish. Go for it! That’s fun. But here’s the problem, I’ve sometimes heard Boat isn’t just a word, it’s an acronym, BOAT stands for “Bust Out Another Thousand” referring to the frequent and expensive repairs that plague boats. But, here’s the thing, you love that boat, you really do. So…You grumble, you complain, and you pony up the cash and fix it. Because you love it.
Your love leads you to sacrifice and make hard things work. Your love works through the problems and pain. Your love invests heavily. That’s your love at work.
I can tell when people are talking about, or doing, the things they love. It brings a sparkle in their eyes and a spring to their steps. That love makes the difference!
Love has been a key word in John’s Gospel.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Even later, John wrote a letter proclaiming
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
And even I John 4:19
We love because he first loved us.
This Sunday is Easter, that beautiful Sunday we set aside to celebrate, in an even deeper way, the resurrection of Jesus! This is the Sunday we celebrate his beating death and bring us life in him. This is when we celebrate the boundless love of God!
Something he did because he loves us.
Humanity had turned away and gone astray from God, we have been selfish, violent, deceptive, and manipulative, lustful even, with every man doing what was right in his own eyes, but God took the punishment for our sins that we rightly deserve and put it on his own son, on Jesus, on that cross. Jesus died in our place, taking on himself the sins of the world and he died. What love! But that death wasn't the end of the story. Three days later, that first Easter morning, he rose again! He came out of that tomb alive and well! Jesus is alive!
He holds the keys to death and the grave. And his love freely offers salvation to all! He calls us to believe in him and follow him. To find salvation and satisfaction in him.
That's what his love did! That's what Easter is all about, that's our God! That's HIS love. But then, God isn’t the only one who loves.
John 13:34 brings a new dimension to that, as now Jesus’ followers are to love one another!
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
More, John 14:15 tells us that if you love God, you’ll keep his commands!
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
But all this turns on that word, love.
God’s love for us, resulting in a responding love for him!
God’s love saves us, and in gratitude we love him back!
Or, at least, we should. Sometimes, that could be called into question.
After all, investing into, doing things with, and even being inconvenienced by the things you love is no lasting bother. It’s worth it, you love it.
But here’s the question, what, exactly do you love?
Because, if we say we love Christ, that should show in our actions.
You know, if you tell me that you love carrot cake, but haven’t eaten any in 30 years, I’d have to question your love.
And sometimes, our actions can call our love into question.
Peter would understand that. He had denied Jesus three times, he had gathered around a charcoal fire and three times, he said he had nothing to do with that man, and threw away the last three years of his life with a couple of lies. He had failed.
And Jesus needed to tie up that last string. Jesus needed to deal with Peter’s failure. He was going to question Peter’s love.
As we saw last week, Peter and some other disciples go fishing, they catch nothing all night, and finally Jesus shows up. He tells them to try casting the net on the other side of the boat, they do, and get a miraculous catch! Jesus calls the disciples to shore and feeds them breakfast. Fish and bread. Things are going well. And then, he pulls Peter aside. They’re going to have a heart to heart.
15-19 “Do you love me?”
15-19 “Do you love me?”
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.”
“Simon, do you love me more than these?”
More than these…
More than these….what?
Well, that’s a great question.
Grammatically, there are three answers.
Do you love me more than these fish?
Do you love me more than you love these other disciples?
Do you love me more than these other disciples love me?
So, a word on each.
Many would comment that Jesus is asking Peter which he loves more, these fish, this life of fishing, or Jesus, and the life of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. They tie this to their interpretation that Peter’s “I go fishing” is an abandonment of his Gospel call and a turning his back to Jesus. I can certainly see where they get that!
But at nearly every appearance of Jesus, and even at the news of the Empty tomb, Peter has immediately and enthusiastically ran to Jesus. He has great love for Jesus! Perhaps this is what Christ was questioning. Peter is prone to wildly back and forth actions, and this remains a possibility, though perhaps not the strongest.
The second, “do you love me more than you love these other disciples,” doesn’t make a lot of sense here. Peter hasn’t shown any problems with loving these other men over loving and following Jesus. While grammatically possible, it’s highly unlikely.
One commentator wrote this about the final option:
“The meaning we are left with—the only possible meaning—is “more than these other disciples—who are present right here on the scene—love me.” Here, as elsewhere in the chapter (and occasionally in the Gospel as a whole), Jesus builds on an incident or pronouncement found in other Gospels—in this case Peter’s confident claim, in the face of Jesus’ prediction that the disciples would abandon him, “Even if they all are offended, yet not I” (Mrk 14:29; also Mat 26:33). John’s Gospel has nothing quite so explicit, although Peter did say, “I will lay down my life for you!” (Jhn 13:37), a rash promise that no other disciple was willing to make. - NICNT”
Did you catch that? Jesus is reminding Peter about this promise in John 13:37, a proud boast that he loves Jesus and will be more loyal to Jesus than any of the other disciples! A boast that looks empty after his denials.
Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
So, now Jesus questions his love, and gives him an opportunity to repent.
You see, some time before, Peter has seen Jesus arrested. Peter got into the courtyard, and while Jesus was on trial, Peter warmed himself at the fire. Three times he denied Jesus. Slightly different wording, but the same idea each time. He denied Jesus.
So now, around the fire that Jesus kindled, (21:9) Jesus is asking Peter three times to proclaim his love for Christ, once for each denial.
So the three-fold cycle takes place in 15-17
Depending on your translation, you may notice some variation in the wording with each repetition. Don’t forget, this wasn’t written in English, and sometimes there are things going on we don’t always see in every translation.
UBS Handbook
“To facilitate the discussion of the remainder of this verse and of verses 16 and 17, the following outline is provided.
1. The first series: (verse 15)
A. Jesus’ Question: “love” (agapaō)
B. Peter’s Answer: “know” (oida) “love” (phileō)
C. Jesus’ Response: “feed” (boskō) “lambs” (arnion)
2. The second series: (verse 16):
A. Jesus’ Question: “love” (agapaō)
B. Peter’s Answer: “know” (oida) “love” (phileō)
C. Jesus’ Response: “shepherd/tend” (poimainō)
“sheep” (probaton)
3. The third series: (verse 17):
A. Jesus’ Question: “love” (phileō)
B. Peter’s Answer: “know” (oida) everything
C. Jesus’ Response: “feed” (boskō) “sheep” (probaton)“
Keep track of all that? Yeah, it’s a lot. We have different words for sheep, different words for love, and different words for feeding or tending the flock! Goodness!
So, what’s going on?
Well, some preachers want to really dig in and see if there’s a significant meaning difference. Others would argue otherwise. Let’s take a look.
“That different verbs and different nouns are used here to describe the same event and object is no more significant that the use of three different words for “fish” in verses 5–13” UBS Handbook
However, even if we ignore the different words for sheep and for tending and feeding them, many see something special in the different uses of words for love.
Agape is said to be the highest love.
phileō is said to be a lesser love.
Best way to put that into English is to say something like this:
Jesus is asking “do you truly, in the highest way, love me?”
and Peter replied “yes, you know I like you.”
Many pastors have invested a lot of time into bringing some valuable lessons and convincing challenges from that difference. Do we really LOVE Jesus, or do we merely find him pleasant, and nice? Do we like him, or LOVE him?
Convicting, and powerful.
Agape and Phileo.
Both Greek words are significant, right? Of course, but, are they that distinct?
“...An examination of the uses of ἀγαπάω and φιλέω in the Fourth Gospel seems to indicate a general interchangeability between the two. Both terms are used of God’s love for man (3:16, 16:27); of the Father’s love for the Son (3:35, 5:20); of Jesus’ love for men (11:5, 11:3); of the love of men for men (13:34, 15:19); and of the love of men for Jesus (8:42, 16:27). -NET
Both are used synonymously all throughout the Book of John! And even more so throughout the Bible. So, perhaps let’s be careful reading too deeply into that. Even if that particular point doesn’t still stand, the actually Biblical point is abundantly clear.
Do you love Jesus?
He is challenging Peter to examine his heart. He’s challenging him to proclaim his care for Jesus, and care for the flock of God, and his care for his church. Three times, Jesus asks if Peter loves him, and three times, Peter replies, yes!
Do you love me?
But the conversation grieves him, Peter is hurt that Jesus, who knows everything, has to ask three times. But Jesus does to remind Peter of his three denials. He’s also reminding Peter that love demands action.
Love always requires action.
Just like loving your wife requires providing for her, speaking kindly to her, and buying her plenty of Dr Pepper, love requires action.
And Peter must live out that love by caring for Jesus’ people, his church, his sheep.
Christ styled himself the good Shepherd, and all throughout the Bible, the followers of God are called sheep. Even our term today, “Pastor” comes from that term for shepherd, leader, protector, and provider. Jesus was calling Peter to shepherd his church, to be the leader, even among the disciples, and live out his love by always serving other followers of Jesus. That was God’s calling for him.
Peter’s love would require action!
But Jesus also has a reassurance for him. Jesus makes it clear he will die as a martyr. Peter will die for Jesus, he will be killed for his love for Jesus. Now, my first thought was probably the same as yours, like, oh dear. How is that reassuring??!! That’s not helpful??!! Now that we’ve got those first thoughts out of the way, let’s give it a second thought.
Peter was just confronted about his cowardly denial of Jesus. Peter was trying to duck out of trouble by lying about his faith, and trying to avoid problems by denying Jesus.
Jesus is assuring him that, one day, he would be faithful enough, even in the face of death, to experience death for Jesus. Exchanging his cowardice for courage, and his fear for faith, Jesus let him know he would die faithful to Christ! He would not fail next time!
Amazing!
Imagine knowing that when the chips were down, you'd stay faithful! When you faced death, you'd be faithful! When your end comes, you'd be faithful!
That's amazing.
Of course Jesus knows that Peter loves him, he knows that Peter will die for him!
But what does he know of your love?
Let us love the risen Christ!
We agree, if you are a Christian that we should love Christ.
But what does he know of your love?
Christ knows the truth. He knows if you love him.
Let us deeply, truely, love the risen Christ!
What does he know of your love…or lack thereof?
Hmm…
Because he is a God that cannot be tricked. He cannot be fooled. There is no point trying.
But after learning of his own faithfulness, Peter looked around.
20-23 “Don’t worry about him, YOU follow me.”
20-23 “Don’t worry about him, YOU follow me.”
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!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
But then, Peter asks another question. He gets a bit distracted and asks about John.
V 20 is basically a long introduction to the character, reminding us exactly who he was.
Jesus’ answer is a touch odd, has certainly been misunderstood, but basically boils down to, “you serve me, don't worry about him. You serve me. You follow me, whatever he may do. You follow.
v. 22 is fascinating. Jesus replies with some hyperbole. “...even if he stays alive until my coming, what is that to you?” Jesus is telling Peter that it doesn't matter if John lives nearly forever, or if he doesn’t. For that matter, included in there is also probably the idea that it doesn’t matter if John is faithful, Peter will be. Peter is being called to follow Jesus, if others are, or are not. He’s being called to follow Jesus even to death, a death others may not, and will not, have to face.
Reminds me of “I have decided to follow Jesus:
”“Though none go with me, still I will follow”
That’s quite relevant for us today.
Not all of us are called to make the exact same sacrifices, not all of us serve God in the same way with our lives…or our deaths. But before you let that be an excuse to slack off and settle for less, remember this, you are commanded to follow Christ, regardless of the good or bad of others.
Yes, but he-
What is that to you?
No, but she-
What is that to you?
Yes, but they-
What is that to you?
We can gather strength and encouragement from those that have run the Christian race differently, but we cannot begin to compare ourselves among ourselves. We must, instead, set our eyes on Christ, be faithful to him, and run the race set before us, to whatever end God has for us.
We must be able to honestly say
”“Though none go with me, still I will follow”
If you truly love something, you won’t listen to the mockery of others, you won’t turn back if others don’t like it. You’ll carry on, even in the mockery!
If you love a certain football team, even if your neighbors all cheer for the other, you’ll keep loving your team. Even when they lose, even when they look weak, or are mocked. Even if others laugh at you. You stay loyal because you love your team. You love it, you’re sticking with it.
You should love the risen Christ with an unwavering love.
Though none go with me, still I will follow”
Peter needed to understand that, because John wouldn’t be following him in being killed for Christ.
Then, Jesuse speaks of John’s death, or lack thereof.
Taking until V 23, John clearly reminds readers, again, of Jesus' words, and notes the “if.”
It’s a pity that even from the beginning, many didn’t think through what Jesus actually said, and instead invented some crazy interpretation.
Apparently, in their day, some imagined that John really was going to live until Jesus’ return, so John thought it necessary to add a little note. But like I said, this is often misunderstood.
The rumor, apparently, was that even though Peter would die, John would live all the way until the second coming. And, well, at the time he was writing this, he was probably the last surviving member of the 12, and unlike all, or nearly all, the others, hadn’t been killed for his faith. He had been arrested, exiled, tortured, and some legends recorded an attempted execution, but no, John was still alive and kicking.
But, that’s why it’s important to closely read the Word of God, to closely read this written record in front of us. Twice, in these two verses, 22-23, John makes clear Jesus’ words “if I want him to remain…” Not that he will, but if.
Church history records John lived the longest of the 12 apostles, eventually dying peacefully in old age in Ephesus, the church he pastored in his final years. His was a different service than Peter, but both loved the risen Christ.
Jesus didn't promise he would, because obviously he didn’t. So, lesson learned, recall Jesus’ words well! Don’t forget to read, well, even if we don’t have much more to read of this book we have left.
24-25 “His testimony is true”
24-25 “His testimony is true”
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
With that, congratulations! You made it! You made it all the way through! Here we are at the end of the book of John, with so, so many sermons behind us, so much good that we’ve heard, and I hope, begun to live out. The Bible isn’t just for reading, it’s for heeding, it’s for obeying.
These last few verses echo much of the wording of 20:30-31. It assures us of the trustworthiness of the author, and again, mentions just how much more Jesus had done that wasn’t recorded in this book.
Then, it’s over.
Jesus did many things not recorded here, and yes, the author was an eyewitness, and yes, others have confirmed his testimony, and yeah, we’re done.
John’s Gospel is behind us, and at every step, we have been challenged, convicted, and called to change. Jesus has called all of us. And that call can be summed up in two words: “follow me”
No matter your past sins “follow me”
No matter what others do “follow me”
Because these words are faithful and true, “follow me”
That is the call of Christ.
The call of Christ…even for you.
Application
Application
How does one live this out?
Follow the risen Christ by loving the risen Christ.
Kent Hughes once wrote: “Christians are called to serve, but it is all too easy in the everyday following of Christ to put our priority on service rather than on loving God.” (PTW, P477)
This is backed by Jesus’ own words in another Gospel
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
Kent Hughes continued “God wants us to be doers - to feed his sheep. But he wants us to be before we do. Love first!”
When you love something, sacrificing for it doesn’t feel like a chore. When you love something, you don’t mind the inconvenience or investment. When you love something, you want to be like it, with it, doing it, serving it.
If you truly love a band, and they are playing near you, you may buy overpriced tickets, you may block off your evening, you may even use PTO or sick time to make sure you can leave work early enough to be there for the full thing. You don’t mind those things, because you love that band. That love drives those actions!
If you love someone, you don’t mind the long hours in conversation, or the expense of flowers and gifts. You are delighted to invest in her, because you love her. You gladly invest into the stamps to write and send her letters over the summer while you are parted. You eagerly check the mailbox each day for some fresh communication with her handwriting, her scent, her love.
That eagerness, that passion, that drive, that’s one form of love.
So, let us Follow the risen Christ by loving the risen Christ
Do you love Christ?
Peter would face death for Christ, but his love was so deep, he didn’t mind. John would live long, the longest of the apostles, and die a quiet and peaceful death after many years of service. He didn’t mind.
Easy or hard, short or long, whatever life you have, invest it well by following Christ, by loving Christ.
But do you love Christ?
Perhaps your love has grown weak. Perhaps your love has grown cold. You find serving him dull, burdensome, and a chore. You grudge every dollar put into the plate, you dread reading your Bible in the morning, if you even do.
Your love is gone.
You don't feel the same about Christ, don't have that same passion for his word, and just…don't care like you used to.
How do we deal with that?
Let the warm sunlight of this Easter morning ignite anew the flame of your love for God! Let his mercy and his goodness and his greatness relight that passion for him! Let it fan into flame the dimming embers in your soul. Let his love build up your love for him, that his service for you would inspire your service in return!
How do you restore that lost love? You take time to shut all else out and recount all those good things that attracted you in the first place. God hasn’t changed. If he was good enough to serve before, he still is now. Recount those abundant qualities, remember his astonishing deeds, retell his amazing grace.
Count your blessings, as the old song implores. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done!
Follow the risen Christ by loving the risen Christ
Christian, perhaps you are simply celebrating the resurrection this morning, reveling in his goodness and care and love and provision for all men. Rejoice!
Christian, perhaps in your heart, somewhere deep down, you’ve felt the stings of conviction, and the soft groanings of guilt as your own betrayal of Christ, denial of Christ, and ignoring of Christ come to mind. Perhaps Christ has reason to question your love for him. Run to Jesus, as Peter did, and speak with him! Christian, Let us follow Christ by loving Christ.
Perhaps you are not a Christian this morning, perhaps you are with family or friend here today and have been dragged in half against your will. Let me assure you, nothing is greater than God’s grace! His love included you! His provision included you! To you is preached the good news of Jesus’ resurrection this morning.
Know this, Jesus died in your place. He suffered because of your sin, he was killed because of your guilt, he gave up his life because of you. But he also rose for you, and offers to you his salvation.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
From just about the very beginning, mankind has sinned. God created the world perfectly. Very Good, he called it. Mankind rebelled. Mankind sinned. So have you. But there is hope in The way, THE truth, THE this morning.
Come to Jesus this morning.
Believe in his power, his willingness, his provision to seek and to save the lost. Experience his love, see his forgiveness, enjoy his goodness, and let him transform you and change you and heal you and help you.
So that one day, you too can follow him by loving him.
He invites you to that, even now.
Follow the risen Christ by loving the risen Christ
Amen!
