Regaining the Right Focus in Life
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· 15 viewsJesus calls Peter to follow Him in spite of personal failure and without regard to God's plan for other beleivers.
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Regaining the Right Focus in Life
John 21:15-25
John 21:15-25
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”
21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
23 So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.
25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
INTRODUCTION:
A- Background:
1- Peter and his companions had a fresh encounter with Jesus.
B- If we are to be effective, fruit-bearing disciples of Jesus, a fresh encounter with Jesus must include allowing Him to refocus our spiritual vision in two distinct ways.
I-REFOCUSING US AWAY FROM CONDEMNING SELF. ()
I-REFOCUSING US AWAY FROM CONDEMNING SELF. ()
A- Jesus wants us to deal with our heart and refocus on our love for Him.
A- Jesus wants us to deal with our heart and refocus on our love for Him.
(, , )
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
1- He dealt with each of Peter’s denials. (, )
17 The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?” “No,” he said, “I am not.”
25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”
26 But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?”
27 Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.
2- He dealt with the issue of Peter’s broken pride. ()
61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
a. Peter had boasted that he would stand for Christ even if others did not. ()
29 Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”
b. Peter’s failure had left Peter’s pride broken and left him viewing himself as a failure.
3- He dealt with Peter’s declarations progressively. (, , )
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Word Pictures in the New Testament John 21:15
ἀγαπᾳς με πλεον τουτων
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
Word Pictures in the New Testament John 21:15
ἀγαπᾳς με πλεον τουτων
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
a. Notice the progression in Jesus’ questions to Peter.
“Do you love me more than these?” (ἀγαπᾳς με πλεον τουτων)
“Do you love me?” (ἀγαπᾳς με)
ἀγαπᾳς με πλεον τουτων)
ἀγαπᾳς με)
“Do you love me?” (φιλεις με)
φιλεις με
4- Jesus will deal with us at the point of our need:
Extending forgiveness for each and every failure in our lives.
He will deal with our broken pride and help us to realize our misplaced confidence.
He restores us by progressively dealing with us in the restoration process.
B- Jesus wants us to realize that He still has much for us to accomplish.
B- Jesus wants us to realize that He still has much for us to accomplish.
1- Jesus restored Peter’s call to fulfill the work of Christ. (, , )
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
a. Feed the little lambs (ewes). (Βοσκε τα ἀρνια μου)
Βοσκε τα ἀρνια μου)
b. Shepherd the young sheep. (ποιμαινε τα προβατια)
ποιμαινε τα προβατια)
c. Feed the maturing sheep. (βοσκε τα προβατα)
βοσκε τα προβατια)
προβατα)
2- Jesus wants to renew the call of God for each of us in Christ’s Mission.
a. Bringing little lambs into the flock and feeding them. ()
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
b. Helping to tend the sheep in various stages of growth.
c. Making sure that the maturing sheep are shepherded in the path of life.
II- REFOCUSING US AWAY FROM COMPETITION WITH OTHERS. ()
II- REFOCUSING US AWAY FROM COMPETITION WITH OTHERS. ()
A- Recognize that being a disciple of Christ is a costly venture.
A- Recognize that being a disciple of Christ is a costly venture.
()
18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
1- Jesus’s prophecy concerning Peter’s Martyrdom underscores the costly nature of discipleship.
2- What is Peter’s focus here?
fear?
envy?
fairness?
2- First Clement was written to the Corinthians around the end of the first century ad by Clement, the bishop in Rome. Clement states that Peter endured hardship and died the glorious death of a martyr (5:4). The early church historian Eusebius confirms Clement’s statement, adding the detail that Peter was crucified upside-down; Eusebius claims that the church father Origen was the first to record this detail, in a now lost fragment of Origen’s Commentary on Genesis (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.1.2).
First Clement was written to the Corinthians around the end of the first century ad by Clement, the bishop in Rome. Clement states that Peter endured hardship and died the glorious death of a martyr (5:4). The early church historian Eusebius confirms Clement’s statement, adding the detail that Peter was crucified upside-down; Eusebius claims that the church father Origen was the first to record this detail, in a now lost fragment of Origen’s Commentary on Genesis (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.1.2).
3- Being a true disciple of Jesus does not produce the promise of comfort and prosperity, but many times leads to hardship.
()
12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
a. The encouraging part is that any suffering required in this life will be worth it in the life to come!
()
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
()
17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
B- Remember that your walk with Christ is not determined by someone else’s.
B- Remember that your walk with Christ is not determined by someone else’s.
()
21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
1- Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s martyrdom seems to have aroused Peter’s inquiry about John’s future.
a. “οὑτος δε τι” = “what about this one?”
οὑτος δε τι
b. Why did Peter ask this question?
Fear?
Jealousy?
A desire for “fairness?”
b. Whatever the reason, the question was inappropriate and led to Jesus’s rebuke.
“If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (τι προς σε).
Jesus pointed out that John’s fate should have no bearing on Peter’s faithfulness to Jesus.
τι προς σε)
c) Jesus points out that Peter’s mandate...
It is not to worry about God’s will for John.
It is simply this:
“As for you, keep follow me.” (συ μοι ἀκολουθει)
2- God’s will for other Christians should never be the determining factor in our obedience to follow Jesus.
συ μοι ἀκολουθει
Conclusion:
a. Remember that God is using you for a unique purpose.
b. Recognize that that unique purpose will lead to unique circumstances in your life.
c. The key is yielding to His guidance and following Him fully.
Conclusion: