This passage tells the story of Peter's reinstatement as a disciple. Peter had denied Jesus three times before His death on the cross. Now Jesus gently calls Peter to demonstrate his love for Christ by taking care of the "sheep," or congregation of believers, who will remain after Jesus ascends to heaven. Much has been made of Jesus' use of the word "agape" (unconditional love) when He asks Peter if he loves Jesus, and Peter's use of the word "phileo" (brotherly love) in his response. How important this really is can be debated. What matters most, certainly, is Jesus' call at the end of the discussion when He says, "Follow Me!" This was Jesus' first command to Peter when He called him as a disciple. Here that same command invites Peter to once again follow the Lord. What an encouragement this is to us as we struggle to faithfully follow Jesus! Even when we stray, even when we effectively deny that we know Jesus, whether in word or deed, our Lord remains faithful and invites us to confess our sin, take up our cross, and follow once more.
"Funny" enough, today's daily devotional from "My Utmost For His Highest" (Oswald Chambers) is about John 21:17: http://utmost.org/his-commission-to-us/
"Very truly I tell you, 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.”
It is said that Peter was crucified for his faith upside down because he felt he was unworthy to die as his Savior did. What matters, and what changed, was Peter's willingness to die. When Jesus began to tell the apostles that He would be crucified, Peter claimed that he was willing to defend his faith in Jesus even unto death (Matthew 26:35). A short time later Peter angrily denied even knowing Jesus. His words and his actions did not match. After being reinstated as an apostle, however, Peter's deeds aligned with his words, and he remained steadfast in his faith even when it led to his death. How often our words fail to materialize as deeds! And yet Jesus loves us still, and calls us to do better with His help. If you've stumbled recently, if what you claim you believe has not been evident in your life, you need not despair. The Lord has called you and me to obedience, but He has also promised to forgive us even when we fail to live up to our words. He has also promised that not one of those given to Him by the Father will ever be snatched out of His Father's hand (John 10:29). Be comforted, knowing that you belong to God, who will not let you go, who will patiently help you to grow up into your faith, and who loves you when you succeed and when you fail. That is our blessed assurance.
Today is a good day to remind you, in light of John 21:15-19, that the church is not built on shame and judgment. It is built on grace. It cannot possibly surprise any of us at this point that the church is full of broken people. That's because broken people are the only kind of people there are. We are all of us broken, in many and diverse ways. We did not come to Christ because we had something to offer. We did not come to Christ because we were uniquely qualified to do so. We came to Christ because He called us by name; because at some point, in the midst of your brokenness, the God who loved you enough to die for you said, "Follow me." I have reminded you of this passage many, many times, but here it is again: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Peter was not reinstated because he had somehow "fixed" himself after Jesus died on the cross. Peter did not work himself back into God's good graces. Peter was reinstated because Jesus loved him; because the Father had given Peter to Jesus and no one who belongs to Him can be snatched out of His Father's hand. You and I are surrounded by broken people who, in their hearts, have convinced themselves that they are worthless; that they are not worthy of love. But we have good news for them. God is not looking for "worthy" people. He is looking for broken people who are weary and heavy-laden, in need of rest. The world doesn't need the church's help in order to point out the sins and short-comings of those around us, and when the church joins in on that, it ceases to carry the message of grace, the message of God, to those who need it most. So today is a good day to remind someone that God loves them, that God wants them, and that God values them; that indeed they are not worthless in God's eyes, but priceless. Though they are as broken as Peter, the Lord has called them to Himself, to rest, that they might made whole and that they might be made free. Tell someone that today, won't you?
Given the last two posts, you may be thinking something like this: "Oh, sure, Peter was 'broken.' Of course we are all 'broken' in some way. But we can't just STAY broken. We have to do better." I tell you the truth, Peter was no more worthy of heaven while hanging upside down on a cross then he was when, face flushed and tears in his eyes, he denied ever knowing Jesus. By the grace of God Peter was more like Jesus by the end of his life, but he wasn't Jesus--he was Peter, a follower of Jesus. The Peter who preached so powerfully at Pentecost was the same Peter who had to be admonished by Paul when he refused to eat with Gentiles. And the Paul who admonished Peter was the same Paul who wrote off John Mark when he abandoned Paul on a missionary journey--the John Mark who proved to be indispensable to Paul once he had a little more time to mature in his faith. We who follow Jesus have the unfortunate tendency to become Pharisees over time. When that happens, we are tempted to look at the lost and decide that they are lazy, to notice that they keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over, to wish that they would just realize that the Lord helps those who help themselves. But they are no more able to help themselves than we are. We forget that the growth we have experienced was not produced by our work, but by the work of Christ. God doesn't save me and then call me to maintain that salvation. I don't get to heaven by being good before I'm a Christian, and I surely don't get to heaven for being good after I get to heaven. Jesus is not just the author of my faith; He is also the one who perfects of my faith. By the same token, it is not our job to make those around us do better; to transform them into God's image. That is God's job. I don't know who first said this, but it is our job to "err on the side of grace;" to love people as we have been loved, to welcome them in all of their brokenness and pain into the family of God just as they are, knowing that the Lord will take it from there. I am not the man I was when I came to Christ. Some thirty-five years later, I am not the man God intends me to be either. There is still brokenness in my life, and some of it won't be repaired until I stand before God in glory, when every tear is wiped away and all things are made new. Until then I am dependent on grace, as we all are. Keep that in mind the next time you find yourself wanting to "fix" someone, or judging them because they can't seem to "fix" themselves. And then, with God's help, err on the side of grace and choose to love them as God first loved you.
Typo, with no way to edit: "I surely don't get to heaven for being good after I become a Christian...", NOT "I surely don't get to heaven for being good after I get to heaven." There are others, but you can probably fix those as you go along.
Having now preached, let me remind you, lest I fall myself into un-grace, that I am as broken as you are in this regard, and that I can be as quick to judge those who judge as they are to judge others. But judging others is not my job. I am called to preach--to feed God's sheep--but not to judge. I am called to love--to shepherd God's sheep--but not to condemn. I am called to love God's people as they are, not just as they will be. And so you are loved, where you are, as you are, without judgment or condemnation. 1 John 3:1-2 reminds us, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is." Until that day, know that you are loved by the Good Shepherd and, by His grace and mercy, by this shepherd. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not much to add, but I thought these lyrics from one of my favorite Gaither songs was appropriate.
Something beautiful, something good All my confusion He understood All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife But he made something beautiful of my life
If there ever were dreams That were lofty and noble They were my dreams at the start And hope for life's best were the hopes That I harbor down deep in my heart But my dreams turned to ashes And my castles all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss So I wrapped it all in the rags of life And laid it at the cross
Heartaches, broken pieces, Ruined lives are why You died on Calvary. Your touch was what I longed for, You have given life to me. I will serve Thee because I love Thee You have given life to me. I was nothing before You found me, You have given life to me.
This was at least the third time that Jesus had met with Peter. No mention of Peter’s denial at the other two times. It needed the right timing. Is not there a time for everything?
So then, it was after a full breakfast -- remember all those hundreds of fish – that Jesus approached the issue with Peter. Discussion at the meal was probably great and edifying, without being too serious. But don’t some of the best, most serious discussions occur after a good meal?
And then Jesus approached the issue ever so tenderly. No hint of rebuke or judgment. For He asked, simply, three times, Do you love me? And then: Follow me; Feed my sheep.
Total reconciliation and restoration. Now Peter was prepared for his new life’s work, even unto death. Isn’t amazing that the Spirit of Jesus does the same with us when we’ve messed up – tenderly reminding us, mildly rebuking us, and graciously restoring us?
This passage tells the story of Peter's reinstatement as a disciple. Peter had denied Jesus three times before His death on the cross. Now Jesus gently calls Peter to demonstrate his love for Christ by taking care of the "sheep," or congregation of believers, who will remain after Jesus ascends to heaven. Much has been made of Jesus' use of the word "agape" (unconditional love) when He asks Peter if he loves Jesus, and Peter's use of the word "phileo" (brotherly love) in his response. How important this really is can be debated. What matters most, certainly, is Jesus' call at the end of the discussion when He says, "Follow Me!" This was Jesus' first command to Peter when He called him as a disciple. Here that same command invites Peter to once again follow the Lord. What an encouragement this is to us as we struggle to faithfully follow Jesus! Even when we stray, even when we effectively deny that we know Jesus, whether in word or deed, our Lord remains faithful and invites us to confess our sin, take up our cross, and follow once more.
ReplyDelete"Funny" enough, today's daily devotional from "My Utmost For His Highest" (Oswald Chambers) is about John 21:17: http://utmost.org/his-commission-to-us/
ReplyDelete"Very truly I tell you, 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.”
ReplyDeleteIt is said that Peter was crucified for his faith upside down because he felt he was unworthy to die as his Savior did. What matters, and what changed, was Peter's willingness to die. When Jesus began to tell the apostles that He would be crucified, Peter claimed that he was willing to defend his faith in Jesus even unto death (Matthew 26:35). A short time later Peter angrily denied even knowing Jesus. His words and his actions did not match. After being reinstated as an apostle, however, Peter's deeds aligned with his words, and he remained steadfast in his faith even when it led to his death. How often our words fail to materialize as deeds! And yet Jesus loves us still, and calls us to do better with His help. If you've stumbled recently, if what you claim you believe has not been evident in your life, you need not despair. The Lord has called you and me to obedience, but He has also promised to forgive us even when we fail to live up to our words. He has also promised that not one of those given to Him by the Father will ever be snatched out of His Father's hand (John 10:29). Be comforted, knowing that you belong to God, who will not let you go, who will patiently help you to grow up into your faith, and who loves you when you succeed and when you fail. That is our blessed assurance.
Today is a good day to remind you, in light of John 21:15-19, that the church is not built on shame and judgment. It is built on grace. It cannot possibly surprise any of us at this point that the church is full of broken people. That's because broken people are the only kind of people there are. We are all of us broken, in many and diverse ways. We did not come to Christ because we had something to offer. We did not come to Christ because we were uniquely qualified to do so. We came to Christ because He called us by name; because at some point, in the midst of your brokenness, the God who loved you enough to die for you said, "Follow me." I have reminded you of this passage many, many times, but here it is again: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) Peter was not reinstated because he had somehow "fixed" himself after Jesus died on the cross. Peter did not work himself back into God's good graces. Peter was reinstated because Jesus loved him; because the Father had given Peter to Jesus and no one who belongs to Him can be snatched out of His Father's hand. You and I are surrounded by broken people who, in their hearts, have convinced themselves that they are worthless; that they are not worthy of love. But we have good news for them. God is not looking for "worthy" people. He is looking for broken people who are weary and heavy-laden, in need of rest. The world doesn't need the church's help in order to point out the sins and short-comings of those around us, and when the church joins in on that, it ceases to carry the message of grace, the message of God, to those who need it most. So today is a good day to remind someone that God loves them, that God wants them, and that God values them; that indeed they are not worthless in God's eyes, but priceless. Though they are as broken as Peter, the Lord has called them to Himself, to rest, that they might made whole and that they might be made free. Tell someone that today, won't you?
ReplyDeleteGiven the last two posts, you may be thinking something like this: "Oh, sure, Peter was 'broken.' Of course we are all 'broken' in some way. But we can't just STAY broken. We have to do better." I tell you the truth, Peter was no more worthy of heaven while hanging upside down on a cross then he was when, face flushed and tears in his eyes, he denied ever knowing Jesus. By the grace of God Peter was more like Jesus by the end of his life, but he wasn't Jesus--he was Peter, a follower of Jesus. The Peter who preached so powerfully at Pentecost was the same Peter who had to be admonished by Paul when he refused to eat with Gentiles. And the Paul who admonished Peter was the same Paul who wrote off John Mark when he abandoned Paul on a missionary journey--the John Mark who proved to be indispensable to Paul once he had a little more time to mature in his faith. We who follow Jesus have the unfortunate tendency to become Pharisees over time. When that happens, we are tempted to look at the lost and decide that they are lazy, to notice that they keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over, to wish that they would just realize that the Lord helps those who help themselves. But they are no more able to help themselves than we are. We forget that the growth we have experienced was not produced by our work, but by the work of Christ. God doesn't save me and then call me to maintain that salvation. I don't get to heaven by being good before I'm a Christian, and I surely don't get to heaven for being good after I get to heaven. Jesus is not just the author of my faith; He is also the one who perfects of my faith. By the same token, it is not our job to make those around us do better; to transform them into God's image. That is God's job. I don't know who first said this, but it is our job to "err on the side of grace;" to love people as we have been loved, to welcome them in all of their brokenness and pain into the family of God just as they are, knowing that the Lord will take it from there. I am not the man I was when I came to Christ. Some thirty-five years later, I am not the man God intends me to be either. There is still brokenness in my life, and some of it won't be repaired until I stand before God in glory, when every tear is wiped away and all things are made new. Until then I am dependent on grace, as we all are. Keep that in mind the next time you find yourself wanting to "fix" someone, or judging them because they can't seem to "fix" themselves. And then, with God's help, err on the side of grace and choose to love them as God first loved you.
ReplyDeleteTypo, with no way to edit: "I surely don't get to heaven for being good after I become a Christian...", NOT "I surely don't get to heaven for being good after I get to heaven." There are others, but you can probably fix those as you go along.
DeleteHaving now preached, let me remind you, lest I fall myself into un-grace, that I am as broken as you are in this regard, and that I can be as quick to judge those who judge as they are to judge others. But judging others is not my job. I am called to preach--to feed God's sheep--but not to judge. I am called to love--to shepherd God's sheep--but not to condemn. I am called to love God's people as they are, not just as they will be. And so you are loved, where you are, as you are, without judgment or condemnation. 1 John 3:1-2 reminds us, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is." Until that day, know that you are loved by the Good Shepherd and, by His grace and mercy, by this shepherd. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteNot much to add, but I thought these lyrics from one of my favorite Gaither songs was appropriate.
ReplyDeleteSomething beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But he made something beautiful of my life
If there ever were dreams
That were lofty and noble
They were my dreams at the start
And hope for life's best were the hopes
That I harbor down deep in my heart
But my dreams turned to ashes
And my castles all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss
So I wrapped it all in the rags of life
And laid it at the cross
And another favorite from Gaither:
ReplyDeleteHeartaches, broken pieces,
Ruined lives are why You died on Calvary.
Your touch was what I longed for,
You have given life to me.
I will serve Thee because I love Thee
You have given life to me.
I was nothing before You found me,
You have given life to me.
This was at least the third time that Jesus had met with Peter. No mention of Peter’s denial at the other two times. It needed the right timing. Is not there a time for everything?
ReplyDeleteSo then, it was after a full breakfast -- remember all those hundreds of fish – that Jesus approached the issue with Peter. Discussion at the meal was probably great and edifying, without being too serious. But don’t some of the best, most serious discussions occur after a good meal?
And then Jesus approached the issue ever so tenderly. No hint of rebuke or judgment. For He asked, simply, three times, Do you love me? And then: Follow me; Feed my sheep.
Total reconciliation and restoration. Now Peter was prepared for his new life’s work, even unto death. Isn’t amazing that the Spirit of Jesus does the same with us when we’ve messed up – tenderly reminding us, mildly rebuking us, and graciously restoring us?