041 - Simon, Walk With Me

You pick up your Bible and wonder, is there more here than meets the is there something here for me.

I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than a join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our own. As we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than he appeared in a writable resurrection you reveal relationally, quietly today on more than make good our glad you're with us. We are coming we say this overtime rate or dining room table are glad you're with. Glad you're with us at our dining room table. I'm sitting across from a lovely overthinking that I'm sitting crassly and subject to so we are glad you with this. We're wrapping up the book of John today and it's it's it's a really tender tender scene that comes up again. It's one of those things that John tells about the other gospel writers gospel writers don't tell us about and it's wonderful well it's a famous famous passage you've probably already heard dozens of sermons about this particular conversation between Jesus and Peter were not going to decode any that for you but we can walk through it and just kind of process that allowed we really haven't talked about it right as we told you before these these conversations are not scripted. We both do our own preparation and bring our own so we surprising questions and issues and just respond to this very honest way like were having a conversation and you get to the park and hope that you know if you were sitting at the table with us will be doing then jump right into this just it's a fascinating to sit down and informal way and just chew on what got for us and just a wonder and scratch our heads and make observations. It's really it's it it's the best well and that you know these 40 weeks that we spent and John have been amazing to us.

We have had so much fun just having this conversation where look at each other's eyes and listening to each other and it's just been it's been encouraging and it's been refreshing and there have been fresh insights just even as we've talked about it so we hope that that's happening for you. So let's jump right into it so I in John 21 we saw Jesus at the beach with the apostles.

He caught fish and miraculous catch and now breakfast is over. Bryce is over and another conversation seems like it's kind of one ensues between Jesus and Peter as we close out the books anyone reinforced yeah just doesn't say that this study can have the feeling that Jesus had said to Peter, let's take a walk anyways. So starting in verse 15 when they finished breakfast. Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these, and he said to him you know that I love you and he said to them, feed my lambs.

He sent them a second time, Simon son of John, do you laugh me and he said yes Lord you know that I love you.

He said to him, tend my sheep Jesus sent him 1/3 time. Simon son of John, do you laugh 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 I love you. Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you when you are young you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted but when you're old, you'll stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go this he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God after saying this he said to him, follow me famous words again well. There for second in the wind back for a long time very famous conversation with three questions to Peter and Peter's three answers only minutely different between them. But why asked three times. I think that's the question again.

If your Bible study or you'll say wait a second. There was another three-time event in the life of Peter and and it wasn't a pretty one, so you remember, if you go back when Jesus saying what's going to happen to them. Peter says what you know if I can in Mark 14. I looked it up, Peter goes as far as saying even though they all fall away right. Well, not me. No way, which come to give some credence for wine. The first question Jesus asked him do you love me more than these, like remember that you said you did love me yeah so I think in a way in a Pretty Direct Way, Jesus is allowing Peter to unwind those three do because he says before the cockroach three times away and what an elephant in the room must've been between Peter and Jesus because in the first two appearances you know about up in the upper right was about that. They don't talk about it. I think maybe that's what was preoccupying Peter right in that, in the shadow or the daylight of the resurrection all these weeks later he still is preoccupied with his own failure that and these three questions do you love me and we know that John tells us specifically the third, when grieved, Peter won't worry. Don't pick up in English and probably you know this because you heard it or studied it yourself. There are different words for love going on here and different words for no knowing going on in Jesus's response is slightly different each time know what is the same. Well it's my lambs.

My sheep you know this, so there's some subtle things here that we probably need to linger on that. So the first time he says he says Simon son of John. You love me more than these. I find it interesting because in Simon Peter yeah his old name is old and his pre-Jesus name over and in fact we know that Jesus gave Peter that new name before he even walked out the boat with right at the very beginning of a very yeah that that name always marked Peter's relationship, but here he comes back to well… Is this because Cephas or Peter mean stone right he's not calling him a rock saying Mr. Orwell, son of John son of your father right right just the guy.

Do you love me more than these guys in the word Jesus uses. Therefore love is that word that we know from other scriptures and say I got a word that selfless self giving other Oriental about about me right sacrificial and Peter says, Lord, you know you get it.

You understand that I love you with FL Leo a brotherly affection and Brad Chapa were in the same team here, but not quite the level of sacrifice for shoulder. Peter knows enough to know that he can't bluster his way out of this sly think would be impossible for him to claim an agape love right still is facing his denial of Jesus when he totally deferred for self protection for self protect and for identifying with knowing Jesus, so he was protecting himself.

He was a sacrifice right so you got me stuck below my league. So that's choices. Yeah, I love you gray warmly, dearly, brotherly what okay but you know Jesus's response to that Peter says eat Lord know that I love you as a brother that I love you I'm not a sacrificial way because I haven't strayed in the hat but Jesus says him in verse 16. So tend my sheep know only missing 15 feed my lambs female am sorry I turned the page to sit feed my lambs tend my sheep feed my sheep right right peers about you it's about me and my sheep. And what a wonderful thing. A menu probably knows this already is affected. Peter, standing there kind of the face of his denial and and Jesus says I'm giving you a gigantic responsibility. People fail us.

The last thing we do is give them more responsibility.

I don't know about that. You know I lent to the keys to my car and wrecked my car and I love you Mike. I'll lend you my keys anymore. Even my more important things.

Jesus. Jesus says in the face of that, the reality of that denial. He says gigantic responsibility.

Interesting you would say the keys to the carcass that sets me thinking Jesus had told Peter halfway through the ministry and I'll give you the keys of the kingdom right and what you up and no one will shut your Smith you know Jesus is not fighting. He's re-instituting the call, which is important because in Peter's mind he's thinking he's below is a hall light blue. The whole thing recognize Jesus is no know one for Jesus, a false prophet.

If you set I've called you for this purpose and you're going to do it.

And then Peter denies him. But Jesus had said it would happen will happen right by Jesus and it's going to happen so so the plan is still on even in the face of your denial. I still call you for a purpose here in this daunting morning after your night of failure. Trying to go back to the old self of who we were, which must've in the interim between these two events must've just chewed Peter yeah I think that's what he was so this is what were doing. This is why the conversation is somewhat private. Here Jesus down to do this in front of the apostles, which is interesting because it was very public, very public republic so he in a very tender way. He says Peter walk let's put this to rest. Just you and me so than the second time he says you know you love the fact that you know he Peter all three times as you know right is also Peter said hate you know that you know the status of my heart you know you're not you, so I'll defer to whatever you say you see me so. The second time. You know you do you love me says we know that look. You know that I minutes tend my sheep.

It changes slightly. The first word is feed. This actually is shepherdess from the shepherds, so it's not only just for you but everything involved with taking care. Of the ones that I love. I mean, think about this. What if you entrusted your children to someone's care and that person had had done something really wrong before, but you're still been in trust the Lord so tenderly to them. And Jesus knows Peter's heart so it's not a gamble right. He knows that the that Peter will carry this out because remember when that guy came to Jesus, said master was the greatest commandment you have any says will love the Lord, you are someone strength and the love your neighbor as yourself. For those neighbors are just neighbors their people. God loves so there's a connection between loving God and loving the people that God love her and that's exactly connection is making MD that's what he had said back in his prayer in chapter 17 when he says I'm sending you the way I sent you right. I came for a purpose and I'm sending you for a purpose right so the plan is still on. Although in Peter's mind.

He's wondering if he really blew it.

Jesus is Lisa's Lord, you know I love you. You know the extent to which I love you.

You know I want to be at, you know, I want to love you.

You know this intuitively. You know me right but that's third time when Jesus says do you love me keep Jesus changes his turn and he says that for Leo term okay yeah the last question okay Peter you know we've already identify for each hole. Do you really love me for do you really love me as your brother as your partner as your son is nice because it is Jesus saying by saying it that way says you I do know that say Steve yeah I really do. Yeah but that's okay. The plan is still on. Okay buddy calls into question again in. I was his greedy just Lord you know you now experientially all things you this is a different knowing you know deeply, you know me and you have experienced my my love for you and all of its many faceted failures, says feed my sheep. Just like I have just said you in the shadow of your failure. You feed my sheep. It's it's a tremendous focus because all is such a great piece immersing an incredible thing and and Peter who we like to harangue because he seemed to be routine failure is not really but he sticks his foot in his mouth a lot. He's a guy we can like to make fun of in here at the end Jesus saying well I know that but I still call you to feed my sheep showing you how to do it and I'm trying to give you the power to do it, which were going to see well we would see if we pressed on into acts and followed through with the with Pentecost and we see Peter to hold totally transformed yeah yeah I mean it really raises in our application today. You know you feel you trip you send you something that's just like no man one might who I become got ever use me again. Is the plan off now to bite some people say have I done so bad that it actually messed up myself Asian you know tonight can I air so bad that God says oh I'm sorry didn't anticipate this now.

Jesus anticipated these three denials of Peter and in the very end in a wonderfully touching kind of emotional way in a gentle way, he says, but the process were still on the program is still on.

You cannot fail enough for me to change my mind. Well, because the power to go on is going to be because the father and I will come and make our abode in you yeah the Holy Spirit we will live in it. We work will empower you so yeah so when you get to the when you get to the end of 17 Peter's put back in the game when he was probably thinking he's been taken out again because remember Jesus very boldly said, you know, if you deny me. I'll deny you from the far right. I'm sure that's ringing in his head.

He said that he didn't deny her once he denied him three leave me. I must be out of the game.

I don't want them doing in here anymore so so here Jesus is know you're thinking as a member I predicted. You know that. So, right, and I told you I am anxious to Luke's gospel records. This now saves demanded permission to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you and when you've turned strengthen your brothers so you know this is this passage were looking at is the actual real turning yeah right Jesus time grabbing hold of Peter's face and say now look in my eyes. Let's turn. Let's make this turn yeah it's it's a really love the soul, and although Jesus does not mention it.

There they are walking on the seashore probably very close to the place very Jesus says follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. And that prophecy that's a prediction and so if you know if Peter's thingies of the game that he would be calling Jesus a wire rack brought that's right you said this is what's going happen to the game is still on Manuel and my plans. This is not changed and walking right there in that very spot that original thing was amazing that that's why think the context just brilliant well and the interesting thing is they hear they were back on the beach that they nail in the boats that they still owned the familiar stop doing what they always had done and so the Lord Jesus meets them there on the beach.

As we said last week. Keep full circles back to where we started from, but with a new beginning but what you have reaffirmed promising to make yeah and that and they reaffirmed call you follow me, follow me again that was said the first time right in here it is again walking so after three years of driving that's going on. After all, your failure is still seen again.

Follow me okay walk in my steps right and John gives us this little editorial insight here in verse 19.

After Jesus is tells Peter email there's going to be a time coming when the year going to be taken somewhere you don't want to go, not your own well and John says in verse 19 he said this to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. Right is here. Peter's filled with self-doubt and self recrimination because he stepped away from Jesus when Jesus was about to die, but here Jesus is saying, you know you will. You'll follow me yeah yeah yeah remember there was that passage were I John 13 where Jesus says you know you can't follow me now right but you will will I yeah well here we are very nice.

After all that's transpired, including the direction he saying follow me and now you're informed about what your wife is going to look like so still what he said follow me and they do they do you follow me later so we need.

Press onto the tail end of this year for me to read. Yeah okay so verse 20 so you know, the walk along the seashore should show Peter turn Saul the disciple whom Jesus laughs John Joplin following them.

The one who also leaned back against him during the supper just to forget who were talking about and had said, Lord, who is it that's going to betray grandmother will think that's John okay 21. So when Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man and Jesus said to them if it's my will that he remain until I come.

What is that to you.

You follow so the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die.

Yet Jesus didn't say to him that he was not to die but if it's my will that he remain until I come to you.

So this is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things to himself, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true with this Dr. so the nice letter changes Peter and Jesus walking on the beach. Peter looks over shoulders. What about him what's going happen to him. He told us what happened to me will what about him. I was on wondered why he asked that question. Well, do you suppose there was still little remnant of understanding that John had this distinctly close relationship is just a different kind of a relationship not greater or lesser of a different quality. Perhaps a heart quality that Peter would come to have later and was on his way there but John seems to have had it sooner was closer in many respects yeah and Peter and John were visible buddies a lot partners in business before that yeah but murmur the two guys are into the tomb right Peter and John, Peter and Johnny so there was there was something tight about Ms. Walker just been Peter asking based on the fact of this good younger friend.

You know that's what's going have to be born about my friend John so it's interesting that John did outlive all of the others. All the others yeah yeah all of the others and you know he, Jesus says you know if it's my will that he remain until I come. When sent to you weld it in a very real sense John didn't see that coming.

The second coming of the Lord Jesus in the vision that he granted when he wrote Revelation so he even he even know John was the only guy who survived to the 70 A.D. trash rulers John John with a lot of stuff the other guys didn't and for purposes to God. God really wanted John to do what he did as well as right Revelation, etc. they all were dead by 78 they're all dead by 70 now that this is all according to secular history yeah I don't I would have to check that out and we didn't. We did mention effect. According to secular history, Peter dies by being crucified well room right so everything about the deficit apostles is all according to the store to other history historical account by John we know was alive until probably 90 right. At least maybe a little longer and so he was.

He had known the longest time to contemplate how to communicate, so his gospel is the last one written, and he set out to write things that the others had perhaps not included and after a lifetime of ministry and following Jesus steps. He writes his gospel and it's a really good emphasis to and uses no regardless, John. You follow me, and we get back to this this independent stand we have in following Jesus you know ufology is based on what he wants you to do right for you.

It's it's a very unique calling for many of us were in different places and you will call and comparison comparing one another to what were doing what we experience, eyes really start out of the question. You don't do that because the issue is what about you. Are you willing to follow. You follow me where I need you and it reminds me that song used to sing in Psalm 37 the steps of a man established by the love he delights in his way and if he should fall he will be rolled headlong Lord's one holds his hands on the steps of manner established by the Lord to a sense that's what Jesus is saying back to Peter reduces his steps are established by me and yours are established by me. So here's the deal you follow you responsible follow you follow all talking about that this is no 38 weeks we've spent.

I think talking about John's Gospel and we only got maybe three minutes left to talk about kind of final thoughts about this gospel and John's final thought in verse 25 rail there's many other things that Jesus did and were everyone of them to be written down. I suppose the world itself couldn't contain the books that would be written right and it said before the end of chapter 20, but this touch. I've written I can tell you a lot, but this much is enough so that you can believe this is sufficient that he's the son of God, and be saying is why many times and people looking into following the Lord, we always give them a book of John, because we know that John is there's a nightmare for you and Jesus and John tells us that yet.

There's a sufficient minimal number. Although we have questions about a lot of other things would like to know I would. They might be told in heaven.

We don't know well you know some of his questions will be answered if you just go back and read it again. Yeah you and read it again with your eyes open, perhaps with pencil in your hand and jot down things right that that are still a lingering question, read it again. I often tell people read it as often as you can read as completely as you can like whole paragraphs, whole chapters read as broadly as you can.

Right compare it with what the other gospels have to say the cell phone connect the dots or the really key John's Gospel fills in a lot of gaps from the other Gospels, but you gotta read the other Gospels so very personal right, it's a personal witness after a lifetime of this this particular parcel lived longer than the others and walked with Jesus in the spirit longer than the others had the opportunity to sell what he writes is in a different flavor different flavor and also gives a great power to what he says it I ever call mine when Peter was in ministry. He went up to Caesarea to be with Cornelius and Cornelius's interest in the gospel whole family and himself become believers, but the process of what Peter says to him, he says, look, we ate and we drink with him in the resurrection to one telling you about his firsthand true and that's what John is telling us here is first-hand to walk the walk. We saw him, he raised from the dead. He is who we say he is, we can write down so much more, but this is enough.

So will you believe this will you follow because that's what the emphasis in this last chapters to us. He will list a Peter will you follow me. Yeah, follow, and the question is that you have to answer yourself is, who is this Jesus whose worth changing the entire course of my life to follow him, going out just like Peter did get up out of my boat and live my whole previous life behind worth it.

Is he really who he says is as if he is who he says he is. And John says I told you enough then your year at a junction point to make a decision so read it again right you know and especially go back to the beginning. Now after reading the whole thing with us.

As John tells us at the very beginning that word, the living word of God became flesh, and count them on to something he uses this amazing little word in the first chapter. Something happened and he dwelt among us, and we could see his glory. He fully declared the father, no one can see. So John made some absolutely on patients claim first breath of John's Gospel, and now you read this and got his entire gospel. You convinced where you are you a followers.

Well, based on what John has told us because he made some huge point became flesh and 21 chapters John's account will join us next week were going to tell you some different changes are going to do here and now the light. In doing this, and we are so glad you can do it with us this whole gospel and you know it's it's nice is often a time.

I'm hoping that you found God in these pages is this what God wants to do this wrong. So join us next week as we continue doing that one more. Many