West Park Baptist Church

Loving God, Loving People, Impacting the World

Resurrected King

Following the Resurrected King – Pt 6

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Have you ever examined someone’s life and wished that you could have his or her place or position?

It’s really a tendency in every human heart – to compare and want something more or even just something other than what we have.

The problem with that tendency is each of us is very shortsighted and likewise never see the whole picture.

In our encounter with the resurrected King today we see Peter in focus once again, this time comparing his destiny with another disciple’s. The Lord Jesus sees the whole picture, and His counsel and command to Peter is what we must hear today.

John 21:18–22

[18] 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.” [19] (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.”

[20] 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?” [21] When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” [22] Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (ESV)

What can we learn from this text?

Jesus has restored Peter, but that doesn’t mean Peter is a fully-sanctified disciple just yet! The Lord is gracious both in restoring Peter and in helping him prepare for the outcome he must expect for feeding Christ’s lambs. Peter himself will die a similar death to his Lord. Church history confirms this prediction of Jesus, for Peter was crucified (the meaning of “you will stretch out your hands”).

Upon hearing this news, Peter looked to John (often John’s humble reference to himself was “the one whom Jesus loved”) and asked Jesus, effectively, “So what about John?” Jesus’s answer apparently caused some controversy in those days about John’s destiny. While it sounded to them like John would not die until Christ’s return, Jesus merely said to Peter, “What if it is my will that he remain until I come back?” This was the Lord’s way of saying, “That’s none of your business, Peter.”

How often we meddle in affairs that are none of our business! It should be very easy for us to identify with Peter’s error. We too need reminders now and again to not compare our lives to those of others, nor wish our destiny to be the same as theirs or theirs the same as ours.

Most important is the command that follows the correction: “You follow me!” Jesus knows the comparisons we make in our hearts to others will never stop unless we get our eyes on Him. He is the only One who can sustain the weight of all our hopes, desires and ambitions. Our contentment and joy come from following Jesus alone.

Application:

  • It’s very easy to look at the lives of others and fall into a twin error of discontentment (two sides of the same coin): wanting what they have or wishing we didn’t have what we have. If you find that error in either evidence in your life, confess that to the Lord and receive His forgiveness and correction.
  • “Follow Me!” is a wonderful and freeing command! The Lord Jesus knows each of us uniquely and distinctly. He doesn’t lump all of His followers together and lose track of us. As our Shepherd He leads us and calls us by name. How worthy is our Lord of our obedience and faith.

Prayer: 

Lord Jesus, we love and thank You for leading us. We find refuge in following You instead of the whims of our hearts or the partial glimpses we have into the lives of others. Have mercy on us for our failures in comparing our destinies with other disciples. Forgive us for our sin of comparing. Help us to follow You only. Amen.

Worship:

Be Thou My Vision

Following the Resurrected King – Pt 5

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I’m wondering how many times I’ve said the words “I’m sorry.”

Certainly over my lifetime that number must be in the hundreds of thousands. At least!

I say “sorry” for bumping into someone accidentally, for forgetting something, or for sins I’ve committed against God and others.

Peter surely was sorry. Sorry for the way he had denied his Lord Jesus on the night Jesus was betrayed. Today we will continue our look into John 21 and the scene by the lakeside as Jesus restores Peter. Does Jesus demand an apology? Will He not restore before Peter says, “I’m sorry” and really means it? Thankfully, the Lord chooses a better way.

John 21:15–17

[15] 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.” [16] 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.” [17] 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. (ESV)

What can we learn from this text?

One element I left out of the explanation of yesterday’s text was the charcoal fire (21:9). When Peter arrived on shore he saw the Lord sitting down at that charcoal fire. I can envision Peter sitting down across that fire from the Lord. The last time Peter was recorded to be by a charcoal fire was in John 18:18 when he warmed himself by the charcoal fire in the courtyard of the High Priest. Jesus was inside at that time facing the abuse and mockery of the Sanhedrin. At that charcoal fire Peter had denied Jesus three times. How painful something like a common charcoal fire could be to Peter now, bringing to mind his sin.

Jesus intends to do some serious spiritual surgery on Peter. This fire is one of the elements of that operation. Just as Peter denied Jesus three times by the fire, he will now have the chance to reaffirm his loyalty to Jesus three times by the fire. Jesus has come to restore Peter.

Three times Jesus asks, “Simon, some of John, do you love me more than these?” (21:15). This question is the most gracious way to restore Peter, and it’s how the Lord restores all He has died to redeem. Jesus could have asked Peter, “Simon, are you sorry for what you did to me? Do you promise to be faithful to me from this point on?” It could have perhaps been easier for Peter to answer that question with a resounding, “Yes! I’m so sorry! I’ll never do it again.” But Peter had already made strong declarations about his will and intent to follow Jesus before, and he had failed to keep his word. Jesus knows this too, and He ultimately doesn’t need that well-intended but ultimately powerless pledge. Jesus asks “Do you love me?” three times to give Peter three opportunities to reverse his previous denials, but the question itself shows us something too important to miss: Jesus wants Peter’s heart. He knows if He has Peter’s heart, his obedience will follow.

Application:

  • This story teaches us that we need restoration. It’s not enough to say “sorry” and move on. When we sin against the Lord, He wants our sorrow to be expressed by love for Him because of His love and grace to us. Have you expressed your love to Jesus in prayer recently? Think of how He graciously restores your heart and express your love to Him.
  • Jesus gave Peter the command “Feed my sheep/lambs” three times. The way we show our love to Jesus is by loving others and sharing with them the same grace He has shown to us. How can you show the love of Jesus to your brothers or sisters when they sin against you? How can husbands and wives show this kind of love and forgiveness? How should we as the body of Christ in the church love each other this way?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for restoring Peter to love and service for You. We too need restoring, to love and service that demonstrates to others the great love You have for us. Continue that work of changing us and working out in us the restoration that You alone can do. Amen.

Worship:

My Jesus, I Love Thee

Following the Resurrected King – Pt 4

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“Come and have breakfast!”

That’s one of my favorite invitations in the New Testament. I love breakfast for one thing! But I love the image of the resurrected King Jesus sitting on the shore of the lake by the charcoal fire making breakfast for His disciples.

Over the next three days we’ll focus on John 21. Today we look at the miraculous catch of fish in John 21:1-14, with a focus on 9-14.

John 21:9–14

[9] When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. [10] Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” [11] So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. [12] Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. [13] Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. [14] This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (ESV)

What can we learn from this passage?

After the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread in Jerusalem, the disciples returned to Galilee. Peter went fishing, and six other disciples went with him. I’m sure it was frustrating yet familiar to work all night yet catch nothing.

The story turns on the arrival of Jesus on the shore. At His command the disciples catch 153 fish, at a time when fish shouldn’t be there, and very much like the time when Jesus first calls many of those disciples. They realize it’s the Lord, and Peter launches himself out of the boat to get to Jesus.

We should be encouraged by this. Peter denied Jesus and wept bitterly over it. No doubt that terrible night still weighed heavily on Peter’s conscience, and he is broken by his sin. Yet he loved Jesus and his actions still show it.

What does Jesus do? We learn later in John 21 that He is here to restore Peter, and that will involve some further humbling and pain. Yet Jesus begins with ministry to Peter’s immediate needs by making him and the other disciples breakfast. Jesus is patient, and everything He does comes from His great love for these men.

Application:

  • We all deal with sin in our own hearts, ways that we have been unfaithful to Jesus. Often those times are associated with the dark of night, and we carry shame into the light. Peter experienced that and can identify with us.
  • Yet Peter gives us the right example of what to do in that situation: run to Jesus! How encouraging it is to picture a grown man with nothing to lose, throwing himself into the lake to get to Jesus. We must be equally humble and equally brash. No matter what you have done, do whatever you must to get to Jesus!
  • Why do we do this? Because Jesus is so faithful, patient, loving, kind, good, generous, forgiving, and on we could go! Never will you find a Friend so faithful as Jesus, who sticks with you no matter what you have done. Get to Him, and you will experience His faithful love. And be ready, because He wants to also restore you to faithful love to Him.

Prayer: 

Oh how good You are, Lord Jesus! As you ministered to Peter and the others by the sea, we ask that You minister to us today. Someday we will eat with You on the New Earth, but until that time we seek Your ministry through refreshment, love, light for our lives, and ongoing restoration to You.

Worship:

Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus