THE FALLEN RESTORED

JOHN 21:15-19

NOVEMBER 16, 1997

 

Could anyone have sunk lower than Simon Peter?  He had been to the top of the mountain in spiritual experience.  Here was a man who had been called from his fishing nets to follow Jesus Christ as a disciple.  He had been part of the inner circle that walked in great intimacy with Jesus Christ.  He had taken part in the miracles, the feeding of the multitudes, the raising of the dead.  He had joined two other disciples in witnessing the resplendent glory of Christ on the mountain as He was transfigured before them.  

 

Then he plummeted to the lowest depths in his denial of Christ.  Peter was not a fair-weather follower of Christ.  His intentions were to die for Jesus if the need arose.  At least that was his intention.  He spoke boldly of his devotion to Jesus and how even if others left Christ, Peter himself would not.  He even tried to single-handedly defend the Lord from the mob who came to arrest Him in the Garden.  Peter drew the sword and was ready to fight perhaps 100-200 men!  Yet, the words of a slave girl brought him low.  He denied Jesus Christ three times, then upon hearing the crowing of the rooster, he looked at Christ, hung his head in shame, and fled the scene of his denial.  How could he be restored to a sense of spiritual sanity, much less usefulness in the kingdom of God?

 

Peter's problem is not unusual.  Many would find themselves identifying with him over their own sense of spiritual faltering and falling.  How many have made good confessions, committed to firm resolutions of faithfulness, then have fallen into sin, spiritual coldness, and barrenness?  How often have we done the very thing we said that we would not do in terms of spiritual commitment?

 

The encouragement for all of us in this passage is that there is mercy with the Lord!  He alone can restore the fallen to usefulness.  Peter "wept bitterly" over his sin against Christ, but there was not a sense of resolution at this point in his spiritual journey.  He had publicly boasted of his level of dedication and commitment.  Then he had publicly humiliated himself in the denial of Christ.  Now, by the great mercy of Christ, we find Peter being publicly restored to usefulness in the kingdom of God.  The most striking element of this whole scene is that we see Jesus Christ pursuing the fallen.  The women who saw the angel at the empty tomb were told to go ahead to Galilee and tell the disciples and Peter of the resurrection (Mark 16:7).  Jesus, on two occasions, entered the closed doors where Peter and the other disciples met to give them assurance and minister out of the abundance of His great power.  Now He confronts Peter in what has to be a time of intense pain, as Peter faces up to the reality of his sin. Yet, we find this a time of great healing and restoration for the fallen.

 

How does this take place?

 

I.  Question

 

Our text is well-known for its series of three questions and Peter's three replies.  Much has been made of the variation of the particular words used in the Greek.  However, it seems that with John's style of utilizing variety or synonyms throughout his Gospel, the distinctions in words for "love," "shepherd/tend," and "know" are not meant to put us on a new theological trail but just shows John's preference for mixing up his words.  Without going into all the arguments, I believe the context bears this out.  

 

The question our Lord asked three times with the use of two different Greek terms for love is really quite simple:  "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?...Simon, son of John, do you love Me?...Simon, son of John, do you love Me?"  The whole issue of Peter's true affection for Jesus Christ is questioned in light of his denial.  Our Lord could have asked most any other question and it would not have produced the same degree of heart-searching and consequent assurance as that of questioning Peter's love.  He could have asked, "Peter, do you serve Me?" and Peter would have been able to answer quite easily.  Or "Peter, do you fear Me?" and again he could have answered without much heart-searching.  But the question goes to the heart of Peter's life, the deepest realities of his soul.  Could he honestly say that he loved Jesus Christ in light of what he had done?

 

1.  Its intention

 

What was Christ doing with His questions?  Obviously, as Peter himself pointed out, Jesus Christ already knew whether or not Peter loved Him.  Jesus was not seeking information that had skipped past His omniscient gaze.  He asked in order to accomplish some distinct purposes.

 

He asked Peter, "...do you love Me more than these?" to cause him to question the reality of his own salvation.  Yes, Peter needed to consider whether or not he had faith in Jesus Christ.  He had fallen into grievous sin.  He had been confronted with three opportunities to confess Christ before men, but in all three He denied even the faintest knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Now he is confronted three times with the searching question, "do you love Me?"  

 

Why not ask, "Do you have faith in Me?"  That would certainly have been legitimate, for faith serves as the foundation of our relationship to Jesus Christ.  But as certain as faith is the foundation, love is the evidence.  We find it listed first in the evidences of Christ's indwelling in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).  Paul considered it to be the crowning virtue of true Christian living (I Cor. 13).  John wrote in his first epistle, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (I John 4:7-8).  Jonathan Edwards, in writing about those things that characterize a true work of the Spirit of God, spoke of the necessity of divine love in a person.  He commented, "And there are other things that the devil neither can nor will do; he will not give men a spirit of divine love, or Christian humility and poverty of spirit; nor could he if he would.  He cannot give those things he has not himself; these things are as contrary as possible to his nature [Jonathan Edwards on Revival, Banner of Truth, 118].  The question to Peter and to any of us who struggle with our relationship to Christ is meant to bring us to the place of recognizing the reality of the divine love placed within us through the new birth.  This kind of love is unnatural to the sinner.  It is a gift of grace born by the Holy Spirit within us.  So, when our Lord asks, "Do you love Me?" He is pointedly asking whether there is the reality of the new birth in your life.

 

But we also see this question humbling us.  We can only imagine the depth of humility cast upon Peter when he was questioned by Christ.  Is that not what we need when in pride we have gone our own way and rebelled against the will of Christ?  Do we not need to be humbled and broken in conviction concerning our own sinfulness?  Jesus' question is meant to clear away the rubbish in our lives, to get down to the rock bottom of our affections.  Do you love Jesus Christ?  

 

The question examines us in our motives.  It searches the true intentions of our hearts.  Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, 

It is well, especially after a foul sin, that the Christian should well probe the wound.  It is right that he should examine himself; for sin gives grave cause for suspicion, and it would be wrong for a Christian to live an hour with a suspicion concerning his spiritual estate, unless he occupy that hour in examination of himself.  Self-examination should more especially follow sin, though it ought to be the daily habit of every Christian, and should be practiced by him perpetually [New Park Street Pulpit, vol. III, 81].


2.  Its effect

 

"Do you love Me?" Jesus asked Peter.  He sought through this question, pointedly asked three times, to arouse, awaken, and stir Simon Peter to see the gravity of his sin, while at the same moment resting in the greatness of Christ's mercy.  When we fall into sin and come to the place of admitting our wretchedness, it should serve to keep us out of the same quicksand again.  

 

Peter had to have realized his own weakness as our Lord questioned him.  For so long he thought that he had no weaknesses, at least not in comparison with the other disciples.  So Jesus could ask him after Peter denied Him, "Do you love Me more than these?" that is, do you love me, truly love me more than all of the other disciples as you professed earlier?  Has that been proved out by your behavior?  Do you not see that instead you are weak and the only good that comes from you is a result of My grace implanted in your soul?

 

Perhaps you find yourself in Peter's position.  You have professed great love for Christ and great commitment to Him, but now you find yourself spiritually cold, distant, committing sins that you thought were long gone in your life.  Here the words of our Lord, "Do you love Me?"  Is there reality to your affections for Jesus Christ?  If so, do you see that in your own strength and power, you are weak; that your propensity is to fall away if Christ does not hold you up by His grace?

 

I remind all of us of those wonderful words which Peter heard the Lord speak on an earlier occasion.  "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John 6:37).  You may falter, you may fall miserably to the bottom, but if you have come to Christ He will not cast you out, but will uphold you by His own hand.  He pursues you, as He did Peter, and brings you back into the joy of fellowship and usefulness in His kingdom.  But it does not come without pain.  The searching question, "Do you love Me?" causes you to wring your heart out before the Lord, to see your own unworthiness, to feel the horror of your sin; yet to know that in spite of it all because He has given grace to you, you love Him.

 

II. Answer

 

Peter's response on all three occasions of the questioning is in the affirmative.  Yes, he had denied the Lord.  Yes, he had fallen from usefulness.  Yes, he was unworthy to even be called a disciple of Jesus Christ.  But he could say  with all integrity of heart, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."  Had his performance indicated his love for Christ?  We cannot deny that it did not.  My friend, if we keep our eye on our performance instead of the grace of God that has been given to us in Christ, we will inevitably be disappointed!  Notice what transpires in his answer.

 

1.  No excuses

 

Our Lord does not give Peter room for excuses.  He is confronted with a 'yes' or 'no' answer to a probing question.  There was no room for offering 'maybe' or 'I don't know' or 'I'm not sure' to the pointed question, "Do you love Me?"  Put yourself in the position of Peter for a moment.  How do you answer the same pointed question?  

 

I would dare to presume that there may be some in our midst today who have been waffling when it comes to this question of your love for Jesus Christ.  It is not one of the boys asking you this question, but as we read the Word of God we see Jesus Christ Himself asking each of us this same question, "Do you love Me?"  Can you look into the face of Him who died for you and say, "I don't know"?  Some have been putting off a confrontation like this.  You don't want to take a personal inventory nor examine what is in your heart.  You have made your excuses and sloughed off previous efforts at probing.  I call you to attention!  Hear the word of the Lord, "Do you love Me?"  How will you answer Him; for you must give an answer?

 

Would you say, 'Oh, Jesus, I admire You; I find you to be fascinating; I have a great respect for You'?  Or can you say with Peter, 'You, Lord, know what is in my heart, You know that I love You'?

 

2.  In light of Omniscience

 

Peter knew that He was speaking with the Omniscient Lord.  He could not give excuses or waffle at the question of Christ.  He did not ask the Lord for further explanation of exactly what He meant by loving Him.  The eyes of the Lord are upon us just as much as upon Peter.  Do you love Him?  What is your answer to this most searching question before Him who sees all and knows all?

 

You can stand before me as I ask this question in reading this text.  You can have one intention in your heart and offer another answer on your lips.  I will not know it.  My knowledge is just as limited as your own.  But He who sees all is peering into your heart. Nothing is hidden from Him: not your motives, not your desires, not the least of your affections.  He sees all and calls for your response.  Do you love Him?  Even with your failures and your faltering, is there still that truest sense of affection for Jesus Christ in the depths of your soul?

 

I do not think that this is an easy question when we realize we are offering an answer to Him who really knows what is in our hearts.  I realize that every Sunday in churches across our land, people are singing, "Oh how I love Jesus!  Oh how I love Jesus!"  But all of us know that not everyone who sings that hymn sings it in truth.  Some lie before the King of kings in a pretense of worship.  He sees through all of that.  Some want to give the impression that they are believers by their outward show.  Jesus Christ cuts right through the outward show and sees the reality of our hearts.  We must look deeply to answer this question today.  We cannot look at our sermons preached or our deeds of service done or the money we have given or the people we have helped.  We must stand only upon the merits of His work of grace in our hearts.  Because He has cast His love upon you first, can you declare your love for Jesus Christ?

 

3.  Rekindling assurance

 

What does all of this have to do with restoring the fallen brother?  At the heart of it all is that glorious truth that we are saved by grace, that Christ loved us before we ever loved Him, that His love for us is not rooted in our performance.  So often when someone struggles with assurance of salvation, they will cast themselves into a frenzy of service and good deeds, hoping that such efforts will merit the love of Christ and gain divine approval.  Peter had nothing to offer Jesus Christ after his fall.  He was empty and bankrupt of any merit.  He could only search the depths of his heart to see if any lingering evidence of grace remained.  There it was!  The love of Christ born into his heart by the Holy Spirit was still there, so that Peter could say in all honesty, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."  Peter was reminded that his acceptance with Jesus Christ was not on his performance but upon the merits of Him who died in his place, who bore his sin in His own body on the cross.  He needed the fresh confession of love for Christ to rekindle within him a new sense of assurance of belonging to Christ and being in fellowship with Him.

 

Our love for Christ is a reciprocal love.  That is, we love Him because He first loved us.  This truth refers not to the general love of Christ for humanity, but His special love shown to us in saving grace.  He showered His great love upon us so that we responded to Him in repentance and faith.  Now love for Christ is born in our hearts; but it did not originate in our own personal affections.  It was a gift of His grace.  To realize that love for Christ is in our hearts is to rekindle the assurance that we are His and He is ours.

 

J.C. Ryle, in his typically incisive style, has expressed this reality of Christ's question and Peter's response like this:

Ask him whether he is converted, whether he is a believer, whether he has grace, whether he is justified, whether he is sanctified, whether he is elect, whether he is a child of God--ask him any one of these questions and he may perhaps reply that he really does not know!  But ask him whether he loves Christ and he will reply, 'I do.'  He may add that he does not love him as much as he ought to do, but he will not say that he does not love him at all.  The rule will be found true with very few exceptions.  Wherever there is true grace, there will be a consciousness of love towards Christ  [Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 264].


Is that kind of love evident in your own heart?  The answer to this question does not belong to me.  It is to be given to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Can you look into the face of Christ as we have gathered in His Name this morning and declare without question, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You"?  If so, then rejoice my friend, as I am sure that Peter rejoiced on that special day in his life.  Rejoice to recognize that in spite of your performance, in spite of your sin, you love Jesus Christ in truth because He put His undying love in your own heart.  

 

III. Command

 

I believe we know that Peter was honest with the Lord in his response by the way he followed through at this turning point in his life.  He did not just profess love for Christ, then crawl back into his hole of denial.  He did not have assurance rekindled only to walk in spiritual passivity.  The good confession of love for Christ which rekindled Peter's assurance, was followed by the command of Jesus Christ.  Knowing that joy of assurance should always give motivation to press on in the Christian life in obedience to our Lord.  It is never a cause for apathy or self-satisfaction.  Those who claim assurance yet have no desire to go on in obedience to the command of Christ are still in their sins.  "If you love Me," Jesus stated, "you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15).  It is not a question of whether or not we decide that we will obey Christ.  Our Lord says that we have no alternative.  If we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

 

What did Christ command Peter upon profession of his love?

 

1.  Feed the sheep

 

The words that Jesus uses come from the realm of shepherding.  "Tend My lambs....Shepherd My sheep....Tend My sheep."  As with the Greek terms for love in this passage, it seems that there is not an intentional shift in duties as if there were three levels of feeding the sheep.  Instead, as is common throughout the Gospel of John, the apostle mixes his language.  The command calls upon Peter to exercise the role of a shepherd with the precious flock of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Here was one who had fallen in sin, yet now he is restored to be entrusted with shepherding the people of God.

 

The reality of Christ's acceptance of Peter so that he was entrusted with tending the lambs of Christ's flock, gave Peter that motivation to press on in obedience to Christ.  In just a few days he would not be seeing Christ face to face.  So the fondest expressions of his love for Christ would be to the sheep Christ purchased with His own blood.  We see that the evidence of loving Jesus Christ is best seen in our devotion, love, patience, and care for the people of God.  

 

It is notable that Peter's restoration to a sense of spiritual wholeness involved his continuing relationship to others in the body of Christ.  He was not to strike out as a 'spiritual Lone Ranger' who had to go around with his head down, having no association with others.  He was to be involved with the body of Christ, exercising particular responsibilities for the church's welfare.  He was not to go around with a perpetual 'pity-party', bemoaning his failures as a Christian.  He was to rise up and assume more responsibility for others in the body.  He was to give himself in untiring devotion to shepherding the flock of Jesus Christ.

 

Do you struggle in this area?  Perhaps some of you have wrestled with your own failures in your walk with Christ.  You have cried to Him for mercy.  But rather than believing in His great mercy and forgiveness, you have continued to feel sorry for yourself that you would do what you have done.  Get involved with the sheep!  Quit coddling and nursing your wounds through self-pity and begin to give yourself to others as a servant of Jesus Christ.

 

I certainly don't believe that Peter ever forgot that he was weak and vulnerable to falling into sin.  His experience in the denial kept his conscience warned.  But he learned that he could not live in his failure.  There were sheep that needed to be fed!  He could not spend his time thinking of all his failures when Christ had forgiven him and charged him with a new responsibility.  Learn this lesson, my brethren.  With forgiveness and restoration to fellowship comes the charge of Christian service.  

 

2.  Be faithful unto death

 

The Lord unveiled for Peter that he would die a violent death as an older man.  Peter had shrunk from death in the time of denial, but he would one day face it again.  "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go."  The idea of 'stretching out your hands' and someone else girding him and taking him where he did not wish to go pointed to crucifixion.  John adds, "Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God."  Peter ran from a violent death at his first confrontation, but he would face it yet again for the glory of God.

 

Throughout the ages, we have had recorded for us the testimony of men, women, and even children who faced violent deaths for their faith in Jesus Christ.  Some were burned to death, others were drown, still others faced the executioner's axe.  In our own day there are multiplied thousands who face torture, imprisonment, and violent deaths because of their faith in Christ.  This is our lot as God's people.  The death of a Christian is never in vain but to glorify God.  For in each death the believer is ushered from this life into the glories of eternity with Jesus Christ. He triumphs because Christ triumphed for him.  His death is a testimony of Christ's triumph.

 

The message to Peter and to all of us who know the Lord Jesus is be faithful unto death.  Peter was informed that he would face a violent death.  According to ancient tradition, Peter was crucified; reportedly he was crucified upside down at his own request.  He was faithful unto death.  While we do not know what might befall us in the future, the exhortation in these verses is to be faithful unto death.  

 

3.  Follow Jesus Christ

 

After telling Peter that he would face a violent death as an older man, the Lord gave him a clear instruction for the rest of his life:  "Follow Me!"  This was how the disciples were first called out by Christ, so the Lord reminds Peter that nothing has changed.  He is still to follow Christ without hesitation or question.  

 

How do you follow Jesus Christ?  While this is a question for a long series of sermons, let me summarize the essence of following Him in two areas.  First, following Christ is an attitude of devotion and true affection which is set upon the Person of Christ.  It is a following in fellowship with Him.  We worship, pray, and seek the Lord as we follow Him.  We seek to fellowship with Him.  We desire to know Him more intimately.  We long for His presence as we worship Him.

 

But secondly, following Christ also demands that we understand what Jesus Christ has commanded of us.  We can only follow Him if we know what He desires of us.  This can be found only in the Word of God.  Following Christ is no time to 'let your conscience be your guide'.  Instead, it is time to dig into the Word of God and take seriously the demands upon us as recipients of the gospel.  While in our devotion to Christ we worship, pray, and seek Him, in our actions of Christian living, we read, study, and hear the Word of the Lord so that we might know how to live out the demands of the Christian life.

 

Conclusion

 

"Do you love Me?" Jesus asked.  How do you answer this question?

 

The question has been asked.  All of us must respond.  There is great mercy with the Lord.  Let's run to Him who alone can restore us from our brokenness and renew us in service to Him.

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