A New Lease on Life

Introduction

Ever made a boast and couldn’t do it? Years ago there was a program entitled “Name That Tune.” It was a game show. When one got down to the final round each contestant was told something about a song and then they were to bid how many notes it would take to name that tune. It was amazing to watch contestants boast that they could name that tune in one note. Then the piano player would play the first note of the tune and hopefully the clues were enough to help the person know the song in question. But there were always times in which a person thought they knew the song but didn’t and the boast they had made didn’t occur.

Recently, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis boxed for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. It was a unification fight. The different boxing boards had agreed that this fight would bring all the titles into the ring and decide who the real champion was. Holyfield boasted that he would knockout Lewis in the third round. While the fight ended in a draw, Holyfield when reminded of his boast said that it probably means it will be the next fight that he will knock Lewis out in the third round. Boasts are made. And then the event occurs and we are reminded of our words and we fall flat on our face.

In Mark 14:27-31, there is a brief section in which Jesus tells his disciples on the night of his betrayal that they will each one fall away before the night is done. Peter takes offense at such an idea and he announces with great bravado “Even if all the others leave you, I will not.” Jesus says before the rooster crows twice Peter will deny him three times. Peter is adamant, “I will die with you before I will deny you.” Boasting about what his actions will be, Peter is confident that he will not fail in his love and devotion. We know that Peter’s boast ended with empty words. The result was a threefold denial and a broken heart. Peter weeps. Disappointed in his behavior and knowing that he has failed leaves Peter a defeated man. What is going to happen? Tonight’s lesson from John 21 tells us how Jesus handled Peter’s failure and in the process we can learn something about our own failures and how Jesus will handle them.

Breakfast

John 21 begins with a miracle. Peter and several of the other disciples are fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Don’t skip over the first part of John 21 too quickly. John is a master at using words which have more than one meaning. That doesn’t mean we should read John allegorically, but we do need to notice some words which are intended to take us below the surface and penetrate to deeper meanings. For instance in verse 3, Peter announces to the group assembled that he is going fishing.

Normally such a conversation means very little. In fact, it is so insignificant that this conversation does not make it into the other gospels. Why didn’t John just write “the disciples were fishing at the Sea of Galilee”? Why did John find it necessary to write Peter’s brief comment and the other disciples affirmation that they would join him? If we go below the surface, John seems to want his readers to understand that with the miracle and the conversation Jesus is going to have with these men, what they intend to do is going to be dramatically changed. Remember they have already seen Jesus following the resurrection. According to verse 14 this will be the third time that Jesus and his disciples have met since the resurrection. Peter is going fishing. That is true, but Jesus is going to give him a different kind of fishing to take up.

The disciples have seen Jesus in Jerusalem but now they are in Galilee. Jesus told them in Mark 14:28 that he would meet them in Galilee. But don’t you get the impression that they are just kind of waiting. They don’t really know what they are supposed to do with their lives. Jesus is risen. That’s great, but he shows no sign of starting an uproar. Peter and the rest go back to Galilee because Jesus told them to, but now they don’t know what to do. So instead of sitting around, Peter says “I’m going fishing” and he is unaware that he has just made the most important statement of his life since the resurrection.

Jesus standing on the shore, calls out in verse 5 “how’s the fishing?” Since no fish have been caught, Jesus recommends that they try the right side of the boat; thus, we can rightfully assume they have been fishing on the left side. The disciples do not recognize Jesus. So following the advice of a stranger they try the other side. The catch is tremendous. John very much aware that only Jesus could have caused such a thing to happen tells Peter in an excited voice “It is the Lord.” While the others are struggling to get the catch on board, Peter dives into the water and swims to shore. He can’t wait to be with Jesus. When they came ashore, Jesus has a fire going with a fish cooking and some bread cooking. Jesus tells them to bring a fish from their net.

Look carefully at verse 12. Doesn’t that strike you as odd? None would ask him “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Just a quick side note. While Jesus has risen, he has changed. What that change is we are uncertain. Recall in John 20:14, Mary Magdalene did not recognize Jesus. In Luke 24, the two walking to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus. Here in John 21 the disciples are only 100 yards from shore and they do not recognize Jesus. John is telling us that the resurrected Jesus has changed. This affirms what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 that our bodies will be changed from mortal to immortal. So the question may arise: “Will we recognize each other in heaven?” Some fanciful thinking may allow us to see this that we will recognize each other but in greater purity than this world allows. Speculation at best but interesting nonetheless. The disciples join Jesus for breakfast. And sitting around that campfire, Jesus and Peter have a conversation to reconfirm Peter’s role in this world.

Confirmation

Remember this is the third time Jesus and Peter have been together since the resurrection. After their meal, Jesus asks Peter “do you love me more than these.” Jesus is referring to Peter’s boast that although others would leave Jesus he would never leave him. So now Jesus asks if Peter’s love is greater than the others around that campfire. What is Jesus doing? Is he taking Peter down a notch? Is he trying to embarrass Peter? No. It seems that Jesus is wanting Peter to affirm the truth. Peter is no better than any of these others. They all left him. Peter’s boast did not hold. Everyone knows it. They had all professed dying love for Jesus, but when the time came for action, they all fell away.

Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Three times Peter is given the opportunity to affirm his love just as in three times he denied Jesus. By the third time the question is asked, Peter is very sad because the question was asked three times. Some have made a point to point out that Jesus uses one word for love in the first two questions and then uses a different word for love in the third question. The point is then being made that Peter isn’t ready to admit a great love for Jesus. I don’t believe this is what is taking place in the text. What makes Peter sad is that the question is asked a third time not that Jesus uses a different word for love. Jesus also uses different words to talk about the sheep, but the overall point is the same. What Jesus is doing here is calling Peter to set his life on a new mission. Fishing is not to be his occupation. Now he is to concern himself with taking care of Jesus’s followers.

So what? Let me give you two quick lessons from this story as seen in Peter’s life. First, the only real mission that counts is setting our hearts and mind on doing the will of Jesus. We all have a lot of things that we want to accomplish in our lives. Whatever goals we set mean very little unless Jesus is the one who motivates us. Do whatever you do to the glory of the Father. Make sure what you are doing is because of Jesus. Peter had to return to allowing all he did for Jesus.

Second, look at Peter’s responses to the question in verses 15-17. What is stated in verses 15 and 16 is stated with complete affirmation in verse 17. Jesus knows our motives. While the only real mission in life is the one which is fueled by Jesus, he knows our motives. Peter failed miserably when he denied Jesus. Like all the others he fell away. But Jesus knew Peter’s heart and that was all Peter had to go on. We can play games and present an image which convinces others that we love Jesus, but Jesus knows our real motives. Several years ago I was sitting with a man at Shoney’s. And this is what he said. “Dana, everyone see me and thinks I have it all together. People think I don’t struggle with anything. I have a pretty wife and good things. What they don’t realize is that I am empty and that the outside is just a show.” We can pretend. We can play the game. We can be convincing. But Jesus knows our real motives. And so Peter does all he knows to do and places his heart in Jesus’ hands. Will you do that tonight?

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