Characters of the Resurrection: Peter Restored

Finding our way back

QUESTION: When you are lost/confused in life how do you navigate life?

QUESTION: What is significant about doing what is familiar in times of confusion?

Peter and the disciples were still grasping the magnitude of the resurrection of Christ. They saw him die and now they have seen him alive twice in Jerusalem.

Per the instruction the disciples were to rendezvous with Christ in Galilee

Mark 16:7 NKJV

7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

While in Galilee waiting for Jesus, fishermen went fishing...

John 21:1–8 NKJV

1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 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 are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.

The power of familiarity!

psychologically our brains turn to things that are familiar, because we know we have survived it.

Luke 5:1–6 NASB95

1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;

At this first instance, Peter was confused about who Jesus was and was He worth following. Through the challenge of fishing Peter was enlightened.

So He returned to what was familiar and in the process gained clarity of the resurrection of the Lord. Truly Jesus had risen in the body!

John 21:12 NKJV

12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord.

Peter and the disciples felt peace through the presence of their Master.

One of the primary goals of Christ during his 40 days is to prepare His followers for the ministry to come. Christ always walked with the end in mind. From the time He choose His disciples to the descent of the HS, He was preparing.

Going back to go forward

For all of us to reach our potential we must go through the process of freeing ourselves from the past.

To parent your children better than you were parented, you must face the generational curses passed down

In order to lead others, you must be lead yourself

In order to teach others to pray, you must have unlocked the depth of prayer in your own life.

You must learn to receive forgiveness in order to forgive others

For Peter to lead the other disciples and the early church to a life of repentance, he must first repent.

For Peter that meant dealing with his denial.

Jesus meets Peter on familiar ground in order to restore him. There is a sense of security with familiarity.

Security in fishing is woven in with a negative association.

John 21:9 NKJV

9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.

John 18:18 NKJV

18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

Jesus set the stage for Peters restoration.

John 21:15–17 NKJV

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 Jonah, 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 all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Interesting passage...

What is not mentioned by Christ is Peter’s denial, yet it is impossible to see this passage apart from Peter’s denial. Why?

As humans, we are so familiar with guilt and shame, we can smell it a mile away.

We resonate with Peter…we feel how small he likely felt when Christ was questioning him.

This speaks to our human tendency to emphasize our guilt and shame while Christ wants to emphasize reconciliation and restoration.

Christ wants Peter to be freed from his guilt and shame because Christ has entrusted him with a great service. In order to get to the service of others, Christ meets Peter where he is at.

The restoration is implicit in the request to “feed and tend”…Only a foolish person would entrust someone with the care of their children If they were still at odds with them. Peter know the Lord isn’t foolish…therefore the only logical conclusion would be that Christ has forgiven Peter and it is time for Peter to forgive himself rise up to the service entrusted to Him from the Lord.

Augustine

After all, what benefit could Peter confer on Christ by the mere fact of his loving Christ? If Christ loves you, it is to your advantage, not Christ’s. And if you love Christ, it is to your advantage, not Christ’s. And yet Christ the Lord wanted to indicate how people ought to show that they love Christ. And he made it plain enough by entrusting him with his sheep.

Peter, first handedly experienced the love and forgiveness of God. It is that same love and forgiveness he would go on to proclaim to the world.

Just as Peter would lead others, he would continue to be lead himself.

John 21:18–19 NKJV

18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Next Series starting on June 24th @7:30