Follow me.

# Introduction

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# Introduction

This morning we have reached the end of our journey through the Gospel ofJohn. Over the last year or so we have walked through the earthly ministry of Jesus. We’ve seen the various conversations that are recorded between Jesus and other individuals and we also read the seven I am statements that Jesus makes. We looked at how He gave His life willingly on the cross and was sovereignly in control of the whole event. Last week we saw in the Word, the resurrected Lord Jesus appearing to His followers. This morning, as we end in we will again see Jesus appearing to His people. And with this wrap up of John’s Gospel account, we also have Jesus giving them a final word of invitation. To follow Him. As we dive into this passage this morning, let’s pray that God would open our eyes to His Word for us this morning.

# Read

John 21:1–25 CSB

1 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 “Friends,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered. 6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8 Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11 So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. 17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.” 20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23 So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

# Read

> “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

>4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 “Friends,” Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?”

>“No,” they answered.

>6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

>When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8 Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards, away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11 So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

>12 “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared, to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

>15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

>“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

>“Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

>“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

>“Shepherd my sheep,” he told him.

>17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

>Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

>“Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

>20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

>22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

>23 So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

> 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

> 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

# I. Jesus revealed

Peter decides he is going fishing. He’s going back to what he knew. Maybe there was some comfort there. Maybe he figured he needed to make some money or get food. Either way, the other guys go with him. Jesus reveals himself again to them. They catch no fish on one side and Jesus tells them to try the other side. And of course they have an amazing catch. Jesus once again shows His power and control over nature. He shows Himself as risen Lord. Here He shows that by providing for these guys a catch that would help them believe. Peter, realizing it was Jesus, decides to not wait for the boat and he goes right into he water.

Our confidence should not be in our own strength but in the Sovereignty of Christ.

In His sufficiency.

Hughes writes, “Serving Christ in our own strength, trying to do it our own way, is like going after Moby Dick with a pickle fork”.

Carter, Matt,Wredberg, Josh. Exalting Jesus in John (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (Kindle Locations 8260-8261). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

# II. Peter restored

They get to shore and Jesus has cooked them breakfast. They eat together. This shows us that Jesus’ resurrected body is physical and not just spiritual. He can eat. It also shows that He was spending some time with them, not just ducking in to give a message and ducking out. Then we come to this moment where Jesus restores Peter. Remember, Peter had denied even knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. And Jesus had predicted this and told Peter, who had a little pride. I have no doubt that Peter didn’t think he would actually deny Jesus, but he had and when he realized it, he wept. But now on the shore, after eating, Jesus would question Peter. There are three rounds of questioning. Peter had denied Jesus three times and now Jesus questioned him three times.

1. Q: Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?

A: Yes Lord, you know that I love you.

Response: Feed my lambs.

2. Q: Simon, son of John, do you love me?

A: Yes, you know that I love you.

Response: Feed my lambs.

3. Q: Simon, son of John, do you love me? (Peter was grieved at this.)

A: Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.

Response: Feed my sheep.

Our comfort should not be in our own morality, but in the mercy of Christ.

Your belief doesn’t save you. Jesus saves you. Your ability to behave well doesn’t save you. Jesus saves you. Your ability to follow Christ comes through and from and is found only in Him. Take no comfort in your good behavior. Take comfort in the mercy of Christ on sinners.

Verse 18 tells us that Jesus said this to indicate what kind of death Peter would die to glorify God. Church history tells us that Peter was crucified upside down. This flies in the face of theology that is taught in many churches that says something like, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” God does love His children. He also may have it planned that you get crucified upside down in order to bring Him glory. Print that on a bumper sticker.

Suffering is not easy, even for a mature believer.

The amount of our suffering is not based on our behavior. You’re not getting punished because you didn’t do the right things. God is in control of suffering.

So Jesus restores Peter and then tells him to follow Him. “Follow me.” Hang onto that phrase, follow me, because we are going to circle back around to it with something else Jesus says later on in this passage.

Carter and Wredburg point out: “The street sign hanging over the path Jesus calls us to walk does not say “Morality.” It says “Mercy.” His mercy is our comfort. When we fail—and we will fail—his mercy will restore us. Remember what the old Puritan preacher Richard Sibbes said: “There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us” (“The Bruised Reed”).”

There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.

Jesus restores Peter but then He commissions him. Jesus gives him a mission. He tells Peter to feed His sheep. When we follow Christ our concern is not for our own priorities but for the people of Christ. Following Jesus will radically alter our priorities. We no longer serve our selves but those in the church - Jesus’ sheep. I want to give you six points that can be picked at here in Jesus’ commissioning of Peter.

The sheep do not belong to Peter. They belong to Jesus.

The sheep need to be on a strict diet of Scripture.

1 Peter 2:2–3 CSB

2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.

I Peter

Those who shepherd must know God’s Word.

Pastor literally means shepherd. A pastor’s role is to fee the flock the food of the Word.

A shepherd’s first priority is to feed the sheep.

Jesus said He would build the church. Peter was to feed the sheep. A shepherd’s main duty, the number one is the ministry of the Word.

Shepherds must be motivated by love for God.

Sheep meet together to feed on God’s Word.

Sheep should be growing.

You see the effects of your diet. If you are feeding on the Word of God, the sheep will grow. It’s possible to sit down in front of a giant table of food and then not eat anything. IF you stop eating, what happens?

This is why it is so concerning to me that as one pastor has said, it is strange to walk into an American church and find a growing Christian.

Peter couldn’t share this grace until he experienced it himself. He now had first hand knowledge of the mercy of Jesus.

# III. Peter reminded

Right after Peter has been restored we see that Jesus has to remind him of his place and of the sovereignty of Jesus’ plan for each of them. Peter gets immediately distracted. He’s concerned about what is going to happen with John. Jesus reminds Peter that His call is to follow Jesus. He is simply to follow Jesus and let the Lord deal with everyone else as He wishes.

Don’t get so distracted with what other people have going on or what God’s plan is for someone else that you aren’t being obedient to Jesus’ call for you to follow Him. There seems to be no end of things that want to distract us from the main thing. The main thing is to follow Jesus. He’s revealed how to do this in His Word. You might be distracted by something that seems like a good thing but you have made it into an idol in your life and have let whatever it is distract you from personally and actively following Jesus.

The law tells us we are all sinners who are separated from God and due the wrath of God. The Gospel tells us that Jesus, God in the flesh, came and died in our place on the cross, taking on the wrath that was due us. If we trust in Him and Him alone, we can be forgiven for our sin and be made right with God. He raised from the grave three days after giving His life up and therefore we know that His willing sacrifice was accepted as sufficient by God. He defeated death and the grave and so therefore we can FOLLOW HIM. The gospel is what makes this possible. You can’t do it on your own. You can’t try hard enough to follow Him and succeed. Only by the Holy Spirit working in you can you follow the Lord Jesus.

So Jesus sets Peter straight.

The amount of our suffering is not based on our behavior. You’re not getting punished because you didn’t do the right things. God is in control of suffering.

1 Peter 4:12–13 CSB

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.

I Peter

1 Peter 4:19 CSB

19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

# IV. John recorded

John recorded these things so that we would believe in Jesus. That He is the Messiah, the Son of God. John recorded the things he had heard and seen Jesus say and do. This is EYEWITNESS NEWS! If we have a trial and call witnesses, the eyewitnesses are always the more trustworthy ones because they saw whatever it was happen. Same here, we have eyewitnesses who report directly to us about what they saw and heard. Our faith is not simply a leap into the dark but it is based on truth and facts. It’s based on who Jesus is.

# Application of Follow Me.

Now, I want to step back into Jesus’ interaction with Peter. Because I think there is something else we need to understand about following Jesus. I think it will draw it together for you and I think it will challenge you.

The word follow, followed, or following is used several times in the Gospels. It can carry a few meanings that are closely related:

To follow, go after, be a disciple, with, obey, to follow a teacher, to be one’s disciple, to follow his teaching, to follow in succession.

Let’s go to a few of these verses:

John

John 1:43 CSB

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.”

John 8:12 CSB

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

John 8:

John 10:27 CSB

27 My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.

If are his sheep, you will follow Him. His sheep hear Him and follow Him. We hear Him though His Word, the Bible.

Luke 9:23 CSB

23 Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Here in Luke, Jesus lays it out for those who want to follow after him. He says they:

Deny himself (themselves)

Not living for their desires but for the Lord’s. This also means not trying to make their desires seem like they are God’s and try to justify living however they want.

Take up his cross (their cross)

We tend to just race by that without thinking about what it means. A cross was an instrument of immense pain and suffering. Ultimately it was an instrument of your own death. So, taking up your cross could mean, you take up your suffering, that very thing that is eventually going to kill you and you carry it along as you follow after Jesus.

And follow Jesus.

Walk behind Him. Let Him lead you. Listen to His teaching and do the things He does. Work where God is working. Love. Forgive. Sacrifice. Be selfless. Fruit of the Spirit. Pray. Talk to Him every day.

Our commitment is not to our own comfort but to the cross of Christ.

## Invite musicians up

Are you getting distracted from following Jesus by lesser things? Have you let the center of your life get away from the Gospel. I am inviting you to repent and center your entire life on the Gospel. Let it be the reason you do everything you do.

Have you focused so much on other things that you find you are actually worshipping them as an idol in your life?

Are you actively following Jesus? I don’t mean to ask if you have ever trusted Christ. Yes, I want to know that but I want to know if you are actively following Jesus. If you are, wonderful.

If not, I have to then ask, why not? What stopped you along the way? Have you ever truly met Jesus or have you been relying on your good behavior or good deeds to hopefully outweigh your sin. It won’t happen. The bad news is that you’re a sinner and you can’t do anything about that. The good news is that Jesus already did something about that. The only way this following Jesus stuff even happens is if the Holy Spirit changes our hearts and grants us repentance and faith. So if in this moment, right now, you realize that you don’t know this Jesus, I would like to talk to you. Come talk to me after the service.

Trust in Jesus. That’s the invitation to you today. Will you follow Christ?

Let’s pray and then we will sing a final song together.