Sermon Tone Analysis

The Foundation of Ministry

John 21:15-25

 

            John 21:15-25 “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"

He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.

Then he said to him, "Follow me!" 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them.

(This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?

You must follow me."

23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die.

But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, 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 Jesus did many other things as well.

If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

(NIV)

            Have you ever been confused or disillusioned about your calling?

For some of you early in your Christian walk, God called you to serve Him in a particular way.

You knew it was from God.

But then stuff happened.

Then you tried and it didn’t work.

There may have been a specific failure or you may have just felt very ineffective.

In either case, you got so discouraged that you began to wonder if it would really ever happen.

Perhaps there are those this morning who deeply need fresh assurance from God concerning His purpose for you.

Sometimes we just need God to intervene and renew the call that He has on our lives.

That happened to Moses.

As a young prince in Egypt he knew God had called him to deliver Israel.

He did his best to fulfill that calling.

But it didn’t work.

In fact, he had to flee Egypt and live as a fugitive of justice.

After 40 years in the wilderness I suspect he had pretty well given up on ever being a great deliver.

That’s when the Lord intervened and he had his burning bush experience.

God had not forgotten and God had not given up on His plan.

There is also Elijah, a prophet of God, but when Jezebel threatened, he ran.

So, as he lay worn out, and disillusioned and discouraged, God met with him and re-established him in his calling.

And that’s what we see going on in our text with Peter.

This incident is not about God restoring Peter in his relationship with the Lord.

That has already happened.

That began immediately after Peter failed.

Remember when the rooster crowed and Jesus looked into the eyes of Peter.

That look of love melted Peter’s heart and the Bible says he went out and wept.

He wept sincere tears of repentance.[5]

After Jesus rose from the dead the first message sent from the empty grave was, “Go and tell his disciples and Peter...” Peter continued to be on Jesus’ mind and Jesus pursued his restoration.

In fact, after His resurrection He met privately with Peter.

We do not know the conversation that took place in that meeting between Peter and Jesus.

Some of our experiences with God are for public knowledge and some are very private and personal.

Surely, in that quiet time alone with Jesus, Peter’s fellowship with the Lord was restored.

I don’t think our text this morning is about Peter’s fellowship with the Lord being restored.[8]

This is Peter’s restoration to ministry.

Peter may have felt that even though the Lord had forgiven him, he would never be trusted with ministry again.

Would he ever be able to actually fulfill his destiny in God?

This incident puts all those questions to rest.

Here Jesus is re-establishing Peter’s ministry calling.

Look with me at this incident and see how Jesus addresses the three foundations of ministry: \\ \\ 1.

The Motive of Ministry

Jesus approaches the issue of motive with a question, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

In John 21:15 they have finished their breakfast.

The practical, natural need for daily food has been met.

Jesus has gently connected with these disciples.

And now He turns His attention to one individual, Peter.

“Simon son of John, do you love me?

While restoring Peter to ministry he begins with the most basic issue of all,our love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you want to feel the impact of that question, put you own name there.

“_____, do you love me? ______, do you love me?”

It is all fairly academic and remote until we make it personal in that way.

“Do you love me,” Jesus asks.

There are all kinds of questions Jesus might have asked Peter that day.

He might have begun with, “Why did you deny me?

What were you thinking?

What do you have to say for yourself?”

Jesus is not implying that Peter doesn’t love Him.

He is bringing Peter to the bedrock of what makes him tick.

He is bringing him to an awareness of why he can and must serve.

“Do you love me?” Nothing is more fundamental to who Peter is than that.

No question is more basic to real ministry than that question.

He does not ask him if he is a great speaker, a great people person.

He does inquire about his seminary training or Bible knowledge.

He doesn’t analyze his personality to see whether he has the people skills to do the job.

All those factors are important.

But they are not basic.

The one basic qualification for ministry is found in this most probing question from Jesus, “Do you love me?”

He does not ask Peter, “Do you want a lot of rewards when you get to heaven?

Do you want to be a real success in life?”

Even closer to the issue, “Do you want to find your real purpose and be everything you were designed to be?”

Those are valid questions and they are dealt with in Scripture.

But there is a reason for ministry that is more important and more powerful than any of those motives.

That is the only motive for ministry that will endure the test.

He doesn’t even ask, “Do you love people?”

Ministry does not begin with a love for people.

It begins with a love for God and that love overflows to people.

If we ministry only out of a humanistic love for people we will be people-pleasers rather than a God-pleasers.

We ultimately will not help them nor serve the purposes of God.

But if everything begins with a holy love toward the Lord we will love people and we will serve their best interest, not always their whims and desires but always their best interest.

Nothing keeps ministry on course like a deep love for the Lord.

Nothing will carry us through the hard times like a sincere devotion to Christ.

Love is strong and powerful.