I Failed, Now What?

When worn/wrecked vehicle is restored, can be better than new; Worn/wrecked people restored

· Researchers say one of biggest fears is Fear of Failure, that’s why anxiety dreams most common

o Yet, failure occurs our entire lives; we aren't perfect (James 3:2)

· Peter denied the Lord 3x’s in one night (spiritual failure), he even denied he knew the Lord!

o His failure became the fulcrum of his victory

o He preached on Pentecost, thousands saved

o He opened the door of the gospel to Cornelius and the Gentiles

o Superintended the spread of the gospel north into Antioch of Syria

o Addressed the Council at Jerusalem (see Acts 15)

· "The real legacy of my life was my biggest failure—that I was an ex-convict. My greatest humiliation—being sent to prison—was the beginning of God's greatest use of my life; He chose the one experience in which I could not glory for His glory."—Chuck Colson

· Peter's conversation with the Lord

o Peter denied the Lord over a fire; Jesus restores Peter over a fire

o Conversation between Jesus and Peter alone, but other disciples around

o Public conversation was Previously a private conversation (Lk 24:34) (1 Cor 15:5-6)

o Peter denied Jesus publicly; Jesus allows him to be restored publicly

o "A Man's repentance must be as notorious as his sin."—Charles Spurgeon

o Public denial requires public confession and public restoration

Love Christ Supremely (vv. 15-17)

A. A Probing Question

1. Simon, son of Jonah

a. Must have hurt Peter; his name before he met Jesus

b. Remind Peter of who he really was

c. Peter needed to learn: "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5)

i. Self reliance, self sufficiency a problem

ii. "He who looks up and admires his own halo gets nothing more than a pain in the neck."

2. Do you love me more than these?

a. These

i. The fish, the boats, the nets, the lake: Are you willing to give it up?

ii. The disciples: Do you love Me more than you love these disciples?

a. Unlikely, Peter never had trouble loving the others too much

b. He argued a lot

iii. Most likely: Is your love for Me greater than the love these others have for Me?

a. Peter bragged that he did (see Matthew 26:35)

b. Said he was willing to die for the Lord

b. Three times

i. Peter denied Jesus three times

ii. "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times" (John 13:38).

iii. Jesus allowed Peter to affirm his love three times

3. Not: "Peter, do you know Me?"

a. Peter denied knowing the Lord

b. Not: "Do you have the correct, doctrinal, theological stance?"

4. Not: "Peter, will you work hard for Me?"

5. The issue is how much you love the Lord

a. The Lord wants your heart above all else

b. Once He has your heart, He'll have your mind, your hands, etc.

c. "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23)

B. A Pressing Reaction

1. Word Play

a. Two of the Greek words for love used

i. ἀγαπάω; agapaó - love of total commitment

a. Jesus used this in the question twice

b. Highest form of love

c. Love of the will

d. 100% love

ii. Φιλέω; phileó - regard with affection

a. Peter's answer

b. Fondness for you

c. Friendship

b. Jesus: "Peter, do you with a total commitment, 100%, super-duper love Me?" Peter: "Well you know Lord, I like you a lot."

c. Peter's action and denial prove he didn't

d. Third time, Jesus uses Peter's word, phileó

i. Broke Peter's heart

ii. He wasn't sure

2. Peter appeals to Jesus' knowledge

a. Signifies a real change

i. You know me, I'll be honest

ii. Previously, you really don't know me

3. God wants us to make an honest evaluation of ourselves before Him

a. We aren't very good at honesty

b. Honesty should prevail around God's people

c. The church is not a museum for saints, it's a hospital for sinners

C. A Promising Commission

1. Jesus doesn't reject Peter's honesty, He deals with it

2. Jesus has a job for Peter

a. Encouragement for a fallen leader

b. Entrusted His flock, for whom He shed His blood, to Peter

3. Births a supreme love for Christ

4. "Whom having not seen you love" (1 Peter 1:8) agapaó

II. Serve Christ Unswervingly (v. 18)

A. At Every Age of Life

1. Addressed Peter's life, now addresses his death

a. Stretch out refers to crucifixion

b. According to Eusibius, Peter lived his life, in the end bound, girded, taken to Rome, stretched out on a cross, requested crucifixion upside down (not worthy to be crucified like the Lord)

c. Not discouraging, but encouraging for Peter

i. Peter once bragged that he would die for Jesus

a. But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death" (Luke 22:33)

b. Peter's second chance

c. Successful

ii. Peter won't die when he is young

a. "When you are old"

b. When arrested, James beheaded, Herod planned to kill Peter: "Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison” (Acts 12:6)

c. Peter knew he wouldn't die young

iii. Peter knew he would never deny the Lord again

B. At Every Stage in Life

1. "Then I saw the Interpreter take Christian by the hand and lead him into a place where was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, always casting much water upon it, to quench it; yet did the fire burn higher and hotter. Christian: What means this? Interpreter: This fire is God’s work of grace in the heart. He who casts water upon it to put it out, is the devil; but you shall see why in spite of the water it still burns. So he led him to the other side of the wall, where he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, which oil he continually cast, but secretly, into the fire. Christian: What means this? Interpreter: This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of His grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart. So in spite of what the devil can do, grace never dies out in the heart. The man behind the wall to keep the fire is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is kept alive in the soul." (Excerpt from The Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan)

2. When you come to Christ in love, He gives you the strength and power to serve Him

3. When you come to Christ, you surrender your life

a. Surrender your control

b. Willing to be controlled by His will

c. Commitment

d. "He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:38)

e. May have to pay the ultimate price

f. "Go into all the world" says nothing about returning

g. When person settles the issue of death, he is ready to live

III. Follow Christ Continually (v. 19)

A. Follow me

1. Memory trigger

a. Jesus said it earlier on the shores of the same lake

b. "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19)

2. Follow in the present tense: continually, actively, perpetually follow me

B. Peter denied Jesus in Jerusalem; Jesus restored him at the lake

C. Peter denied Jesus at night; Jesus restored Jesus during the day

D. Jesus was denied three times by Peter; Jesus is affirmed three times by Peter

E. When you feel far from God: you moved

F. Jesus took a weak, failed apostle and made him one of his greatest ambassadors