Restoration of Courage

Key Verse — And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31 ESV

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

1. Courage Needed

Peter is told he will need courage

John 13:

John 13:36–38 ESV

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Emotions & Faith

Peter’s FAITH allowed him to say that he would lay his life down

Peter’s EMOTIONS sustained him until pressure set in

Peter was willing to lay down his life for Jesus in that moment, but wasn’t able to stand the idea of people laughing at him for Jesus’ sake.

To Peter, the executioners sword wasn’t as bad as the servant-girl’s tongue.

Peter Denies Jesus

John 18:15–18 ESV

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

John 18:25–27 ESV

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Peter denies knowing Jesus three times, and then the rooster crows, reminding him of Jesus’ recent words

Peter denies knowing Jesus three times, and then the rooster crows, reminding him of Jesus’ recent words

Peter denies knowing Jesus three times, and then the rooster crows, reminding him of Jesus’ recent words

It’s not Peter’s FAITH that fails him, it is his COURAGE.

After Peter fails, he weeps because he really does love Jesus.

It’s not that he stopped believing in Him, it’s that he didn’t have the courage to stand up for Him.

2. Courage Given

Jesus has died & resurrected and we find Peter and some disciples back on the lake, fishing...

John 21:2–3 ESV

2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Jesus pulls Peter aside and begins to talk to him...

John 21:15–19 ESV

15 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.” 16 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.” 17 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. 18 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.” 19 (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.”

John 21:1

Do you love me more than these...

Jesus asks Peter is he loves Him more than “these” - these could be the other disciples or the fish.

Either way, the question stands before us today, do we love Jesus more than “these”

What are some “these” in your life?

Jesus’ response — FEED MY LAMBS

Feeding the lambs means that we must give ourselves to the service of God’s people.

Why did Jesus ask 3 times?

Asking 3 times about Peter’s love was a direct reminder of his 3-time denial of Jesus.

Jesus will RESTORE us by pointing us directly at our failure, then he CHALLENGES us to set our eyes on future work.

Jesus doesn’t ask “are you sorry?” nor “will you promise never to do that again?” “Jesus Christ asks each one of us, not for obedience primarily, not for repentance, not for vows, not for conduct, but for a heart; and that being given, all the rest will follow.”

(Maclaren)

Jesus allowed Peter a 3-time public affirmation of love to replace a 3-time denial, and gave him a 3-time challenge to feed my sheep.

3. Courage Applied

Peter had two options: 1. Go ALL-IN or 2. Go ALL-OUT

When we find Peter in the book of Acts, Jesus has already left Earth and the Holy Spirit has come to help the disciples.

In the disciples find themselves praying for boldness to continue the Gospel Message

At this point, Peter is one of the main leaders of the early church. He chose to go all in, and now their life was on the line.

The prayed for Courage.

“The word boldness means lucid and daring statement. In the Greek the word is parresia, ‘telling it all.’ ” (Ogilvie)

Boldness Today

We need this boldness today to REPRESENT Jesus to this world.

This boldness is a GIFT from God, received through PRAYER. It is not something we can work up ourselves.