Aligning Priorities

Being a committed Christian

In the 1930’s a man named Ivy Lee (management consultant) and Charles Schwab (president of Bethlehem Steel and one of the most powerful men int he world) had a meeting. Lee told Schwab that if he would follow his advice, then Schwab’s company would be greatly improved and his profits greatly increased. Schwab said.... Mr. Lee, if you can show me a way to get more things done, I’ll be glad to listen and if it works I”ll pay you whatever you ask within reason.

Lee handed Schwab a piece of paper and said, “write down the most important things you have to do tomorrow, and number them in importance. Tomorrow, start with #1 and stay with it until you complete it. Then go on to #2 and #3 and #4, an so on. Don’t worry if you don’t complete everything by the end of the day. At least you will have completed the most important things. Do this every day.

After you are convinced of the value of this system, have your men try it. Whenever you are satisfied send me a check for whatever you think the idea is worth.

Super simple idea right? A few weeks later Charles Schwab sent Mr. Lee a check for $25,000 — a huge amount of money during the 30’s. He said it was the most profitable lesson he had ever learned in his long business career.

In business… and perhaps in life itself there are few lessons that are more important than learning how to prioritize and then live by those priorities.

As Christians I think we can see this principle and apply it to our spiritual lives, but on a much higher level.

Our priorities tend to drive our actions. If your priority is ______________, then your actions will most likely lean towards _____________________.

The things were prioritize… are the things on which we will focus and succeed.

As Jesus sits around a campfire with his disciples, he expresses a very similar truth to Peter about life and ministry.

As you find your place in the Gospel of John, chapter 21, let’s remember that even though Peter jumped (literally) at the chance to be with Jesus when he saw him on shore… even after Peter demonstrated his love for Christ by impulsively jumping into the water for a swim to shore.... Peter knew that he had still failed his Lord. Peter had denied Christ and for the last 2 weeks had been constantly doubting his own ability to walk with Christ or minister to others in his name.

As Peter sat there on the beach eating breakfast with Jesus, I wonder what was going through his mind? He probably wondered if he could ever be used again.

Peter needed the touch of Christ in his life… delivered by the Word of God... in the same way that we all do sometimes.

As we come to God’s inspired Word today, let’s remember how powerful it is. It is God’s Word that pierces the heart.... It is God’s Word that transforms the soul.... It is God’s Word (the gospel) that is the power of God unto Salvation.

The text (21:15-25) we are going to study today is a passage that has been used by the Lord to touch the hearts of many. Some people have said that it may be one of the most helpful passages in all of Scripture, because it takes us back to the foundation of our faith.

This passage of Scripture will help us to assess where we really are… and then it instructs us how we are to set our lives straight. God shows us through His Word, how we are to bring our lives into order… and our priorities into alignment.

As Jesus finishes breakfast with his disciples, he turns to Peter with the intention of teaching him this very valuable lesson. John wants us to see that the lesson Jesus is teaching is that when we concentrate on our Highest Priority first… then other aspects of life and ministry will come into alignment.

As we approach this text… the question we should be asking ourselves is: What should be our highest priority?

Let’s look at the text today and see if we can learn from Jesus’ conversation with Peter.

John 21:15–25 ESV

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.” 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?” 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.

(Let’s Pray)

Jesus begins a conversation with Peter in verse 15 in which he will reveal to Peter the priority that restores.

I. Priority that Restores (15-17)

Jesus begins to express this truth in verse 15 when he begins this 3 part questioning of Peter.

In verses 15-17 Jesus begins to help Peter understand that his highest priority is to love… but Peter is not ready to hear it yet. As Jesus asks Peter two questions, he is helping Peter to see that what is needed is not a comparison of love, but loving restoration.

This is a pretty well known and often preached passage.

You have probably heard before that as Jesus and Peter talk, they are both using the word “love”, but they are both using different forms of the word that express different aspects of love.

We’ll discuss that today as well but first let’s notice how Jesus addresses Peter.

John 21:15 ESV

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.”

Every time Jesus speaks to Peter in this passage he doesn’t call him Peter. He addresses him as “Simon, son of John”. We know this man as Peter… but before he met Christ… he was known as Simon.

After all that had taken place over the last few weeks, now Jesus… standing face to face with Peter, “the rock”.... intentionally calls him “Simon”.

Jesus’ personal message for Peter was this… “Peter, do you remember your human weakness? Do you remember what you were like before you met me?”

While the question “do you love me more than these?” was said with love, it was also meant to cut Peter to the heart.

Edifying and encouraging people sometimes means calling them out… (faithful are the wounds of a friend — proverbs 27:6) — Sometimes our true friends have to lovingly tell us things that hurt in the moment, but are said to help us grow. That is what Jesus is doing here. He is saying something hard to Peter, not to be mean… but to express his love for Peter.

Simon, do you truly love me? After all that has happened, and you know what I mean, can you truly say that you love me? And do you love me more than these? The context of the passage suggests that Jesus was talking about these things (fishing equipment and boat) that represented his old life. But, Jesus could also have been alluding to the other disciples. Do you think you love me more than these other disciples?

As Jesus asked Peter if he loved him “more than these”, Peter could have flashed back to the upper room just two weeks before when Peter asked Jesus,

John 13:36–37 ESV

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.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Matthew 26:33 ESV

Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”

As Peter and Jesus sit before a fire, similar to the fire Peter stood before as he denied Christ, Peter was most likely full of emotion. Peter had said that he would never leave Christ… Peter had boasted that he would die for Christ… then he denied him.

Now, sitting here before the fire hearing Christ ask 3 times.... “do you love me?”.... The power of Jesus’ questions were mercifully brutal.

As Jesus asks his question.... how does Peter answer ? Each time, Peter answer “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Let’s pause for a moment for a brief discussion about love.

There are several different Greek words that are translated as love in the English language.

Storge: familial/ instinctual love (I love you because you are related to me — I love you b/c you are part of me.) —

Eros: Erotic/ sensual love (not found in the NT) — I love you b/c of how you make me feel

Phileo: affection/ friendship love ( I love you because you are like me)

Agape: Commitment love: I have made a decision to love you no matter your response.

Storge, Eros, and Phileo are all conditional loves.... I love you because you do this....

Agape, is the only form of love that is absolutely unconditional. That is why it is the word used to describe God’s love. Unconditional… unchanging.... never-ending love.

The word for love that Jesus uses in verses 15 is the word “Agape”: “I am committed to loving you no matter what”

As Peter responds to Jesus in verses 15, he uses the word “Phileo”: “I am affectionate towards you.”

Why is this worth talking about when our English bibles translate both as love? — John wants us to see the process of restoration that Jesus is leading Peter through.

As Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?.... Are you committed to loving me no matter what happens? ,

Peter answers… “Lord, I have an affection (a deep personal attachment) for you. But, Lord I can’t say the word love.... not after all all of my failures.

As broken Peter sits before the resurrected Lord, something amazing happens. Jesus doesn’t say, well my friend keep trying! I’ll be praying for you that one day you’ll get your confidence back and be restored to ministry.

No, What does Jesus say? “Feed my lambs.” (v. 15). ---- Jesus looks at the downhearted and broken Peter.... and says.... Even if your circumstances have you in a place where you can’t say that you “love” me more than your past life… or more than the other people around you, but you know that you have an affection for me.... then serve me! --- Just because you’ve failed in the past… doesn’t mean that you can’t succeed in the future.

Jesus is not done. In verse 16 he asks again, “Simon son of John”, do you love me?”.... Simon… stop comparing your love for me to anything else.... the bottom line is… do you truly love me?

I would think that a few moments went by where all that was heard was the crackling of the fire and the waves breaking on shore. Then, Peter quietly answers, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

Again, Peter isn’t able to give a full-blown bold proclamation of love… but he again confesses his affection for Christ.

While some people have criticized Peter for his lack of ability to respond to Jesus with the same level of agape commitment love, Paul uses the same form of Love (Phileo) in 1 Cor. 16:22 when he wrote:

1 Corinthians 16:22 ESV

If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!

While Phileo love is not Agape, it is a form of love that expresses friendship and friendship love is a wonderful kind of love.

Again, Jesus responds by calling and restoring Peter to action.... “Tend my sheep”.

While I’m sure this questioning by Jesus was hard to swallow for Peter, Jesus is doing something wonderful here. Now in verse 17, Jesus again asks “Simon, son of John, do you love me? But, this time Jesus doesn’t use the word Agape, he uses the same word that Peter has been confessing. Phileo.

Quite literally Jesus is saying, Peter, do you really have the affection for me that you have claimed?

Jesus was taking Peter at his word. Jesus had challenged the level of Peter’s love compared with other things in the first question. Jesus had challenged whether Peter if he had any love at all with the second question. Now… with Jesus’ final question he challenges Peter’s own claim to have an affectionate love for Christ.

When Jesus asks this final question, the text tells us that Peter was grieved… he was hurt. The realization of Jesus’ words had cut deep into his heart. Then, Peter answers “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you”… you know that I have an affection for you.

The fallen disciple and the eternally loving Lord sit face to face. Peter would never forget seeing Jesus’ face after he denied him that 3rd time. Now.... as Peter sits with Christ… he is wondering if he would ever be restored.... could he be forgiven.... Could he ever be what he had once been?

When Peter answers Jesus this third time, Peter was basically saying… Jesus, you know exactly where I am… and I don’t try to pretend or even dare to claim anything more than I am right now.

Peter had hit rock bottom. Peter loved Jesus with the deepest love imaginable, but now all of his illusions and presumptions of who he thought he was… were gone.

And… the Lord Jesus accepted right him where he was.... and says “Feed my sheep”.

With those words, Jesus’ deep love for Peter was expressed.

Peter had denied Christ 3 times before a fire. Now as Peter confesses his heart , Jesus grants restoration and redemption.

Three times Peter had denied Christ… and now 3 times Jesus has graciously commissioned Peter to the ministry.

Why 3 times? —> In the ANE culture, to say something 3 times before witnesses was a way to make it official. As Jesus goes through this question and answer process with Peter… he is publicly bringing Peter’s restoration to completion.

Jesus is teaching Peter… and each one of us through this text that the greatest and highest priority in life is to be our love for God.

Peter had loved God with all his heart, but in a time of deep hurt and pain needed to be affirmed in that love before he could again faithfully serve the Lord and produce fruit.

Yes, loving God is super important… it is our absolutely highest priority in life… but aren’t we called to serve as Christians? What about that? Isn’t our service important too? We’ve briefly looked at the Priority that Restores. Peter had failed Jesus… but then been lovingly restored.... and challenged to place Loving God as his top and highest priority. Now, let’s take a look at the Priority that Compels.

II. The Priority that Compels (18-23)

Our highest priority is to love Christ! But throughout the New Testament christians are also called to serve. Throughout our study of the gospel of John we have been called to serve like Christ served.

But, there is a problem. The problem is, that as we live our lives … it is extremely easy for our top priority to shift to a focus on service rather than on loving God. It is easier than you think to have our priorities shift to results rather than relationship. When that happens… our priorities are out of alignment.... and as our relationship lessens our effectiveness for Christ suffers.

How does this happen? As we think through the techniques and methods for living out the Christian life, our methods and techniques become our primary focus. Results or success in our endeavors becomes the center of our thinking… and we sometimes begin to lust for the power of change… the results of ministry and growth rather than longing for and loving the One who is to be our true focus.

Roy Hession had some interesting insights in his book “We Would See Jesus”.

“To concentrate on service and activity for God may often actually prevent us from attaining the true goal, God himself.

At first it seems heroic to fling our lives away in the service of God and of our fellows. We feel that it must mean more to God that we serve him than our experience of him.

Service seems so unselfish, whereas concentrating on our walk with God seems selfish and self-centered. But, it is the very opposite. The things that God is most concerned about are our coldness of heart towards him and our proud, unbroken natures.

Christian service of itself can, and often does, leave our self-centered natures untouched. It is possible to serve and keep those things hidden in our heart..... hidden. When we keep things hidden in our hearts, all we have to do is begin working alongside someone else, and we find resentment, hardness, criticism, jealousy, and frustration begin to flow from our hearts. We think we are working for God, but the test of how little of our service is for him is revealed by our resentment or self-pitty.

We need to leave our lusting for ever-larger spheres of Christian service and concentrate on seeing God for ourselves and finding the deep answer for life in him. ( Roy & Revel Hession, We Would See Jesus (Ft. Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1961), p. 15.)

Having our priorities out of alignment is a deadly trap, especially for those who take their Christianity seriously. It doesn’t matter whether you are leader or a layman in the church. God has always made the first priority clear.

God made it super clear in the book of Deuteronomy 6:4-5. God expressed his plan for our priorities in the Shema that was often sung by Israel:

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Everything we have is to be devoted to loving God. Jesus picked up on this theme when a lawyer who thought he was smart and trying to trip Jesus up said, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” To which Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:36-38).

Nothing is of greater importance than loving God! If we fail to take this seriously, we may find at the end of our lives that all our works counted for nothing.

Think back to when Jesus talked with Mary and Martha, when Martha begged Jesus to send Mary into the kitchen to help her and stop waisting time at his feet. Remember? Jesus answered Martha by saying, “Martha, you are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better.”

God wants us to be doers — to feed his sheep. But, he wants us to BE before we DO. We are to love first. That is the lesson Jesus was teaching Peter on the shore that morning.

As Peter responds to Jesus in verse 17 saying, “Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you” , we need to honestly reflect on our lives… and on our love for God in light of Peter’s confession.

In verses 15 and 16 when Jesus asked Peter “do you love me”, Peter responded and said Yes Lord you know that I love you. Each time a Greek word is used that expresses Jesus omniscience and helps us understand that Jesus knew every logistical detail about Peter.

But, in verse 17, Peter uses a different word. He switches to a word that expresses the reality that Jesus had an intimate, and deep personal knowledge of him. It is like in verse 17 Peter is saying, “Lord, you have walked with me, you know me personally in every way.”

We know that is true. We know that Jesus “knows” us in that way. Jesus knows each and every one of us intimately and personally.

Peter was honest with Jesus that morning about his love for him. We need to be honest with the Lord as well. When we come to the Lord honestly about our priority of love for him, He will affirm what exists and will challenge us to a higher level of love.

But, when our priorities are wrong or out of alignment… we will experience constant frustration in life.

Maybe your job is all that you can think about, our your video games or social media account, or your season tickets, or your pet ministry. If those things are your priority… then you need a re-set. You need a re-boot. You need to stop and evaluate your priorities and as soon as possible bring them into alignment so that your love for God is first!

Imagine yourself standing on the beach with Christ, with the sea of eternity stretching infinitely beyond the horizon. Jesus looks at you.... he looks at you with a stare that you know penetrates knowingly into your soul.... and he asks.... “_________________, do you love me?”

Without looking around for confirmation.... and without comparing yourself with anyone else..... do you really love me? Do you have affection for me? --- If Jesus were to ask you that question today.... how would you honestly answer?

Is loving Jesus your absolute highest priority?

How do we make our love for Christ our highest priority?

We must be completely honest about our love for him. (0-10) — be honest

We must spend time with him. The more time we spend with Jesus… the more we will love him. How much time do you honestly spend with Christ each day? (example of dating)

Conclusion/ Application: (18-23)

As Jesus finishes his restorative conversation with Peter, Jesus shares with Peter in verse 18-19 a glimpse of his future. Many believe that this was Jesus’ way of telling Peter that he would die by crucifixion.

After Jesus restores Peter’s relationship with Jesus and restores Peter to ministry, He shares one last truth. Peter.... following me is not easy. Following me will not be comfortable.

But, because of your love for me.... because of your love for God.... no matter what the cost.... no matter what the consequences… Jesus says… “Follow me”.

As Peter digests the challenge from Christ to Follow Him and Live for Him no matter what the cost.... we are told that Peter turns and sees John, the one known as the disciple that Jesus loved” following them. And in verse 21, Peter asks Jesus:

John 21:21 ESV

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”

Basically, Peter is asking Jesus.... If following you will lead me to crucifixion… then what about John? What will following you cost him?

Jesus answers in verse 22

John 21:22 ESV

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

Peter, don’t worry about anyone else. If you love me.... then you follow me!

Each one of us has a personal walk with Jesus. And each and every one of us is responsible for our own relationship with Jesus. We are not called to compare ourselves to others.... We are called to love Christ… and Follow Him.

As we serve the Lord.... let’s make sure that our service for Him is not an end in itself. NO, let’s make sure that our service for Christ is driven.... or compelled by our love for Christ.

Do you love him? Then follow him!

John wants each and every one of his readers to understand that Our love for Christ enables us to follow Christ! — > that is a main idea from this passage.

When loving Christ is our top priority… then he will make sure we are equipped and empowered to follow Him.

When loving Christ is our highest priority.... then we will be compelled to serve Him.

Response/ Truths to Apply:

Love Christ more than anything!

Follow Christ… no matter the sacrifice. ( a willingness to give up everything for Christ and Follow Him anywhere)

—> When our priority is loving God… we will be empowered to follow and serve Him. <—

Examine your life today. What is your highest priority? Is your relationship with Jesus really your highest priority?

Do you feel out of control? Are you overwhelmed? Do you not know what to do?

Perhaps your priorities are out of alignment. Let’s practice putting the first things first. .... and the highest “first thing”… our top priority.... is to Love God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) with all of our hearts!