The Failure

Pastor Jamie Greer talks about overcoming our greatest failures. You understand that you are a sinner, yes, but your sin even though you know it's bad there's something in you that knows that God is gracious God is drawing you to himself that you know that God is good God is tenderness in God's love. You want to come close to him. The world really is complete, the gospel centered Bible teaching ministry of JD Greer, pastor of the Summit church in Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina. As always, I'm your host Molly benefits you know for honest we've all had those days where we've messed up big time maybe fell back into an old saying or did something you swore he would never do in that moment that you wondered if God could ever forgive you maybe felt broken like damaged goods will don't worry, we've got some good news today pastor Janie explains how God can redeem her greatest failures as part of our series in the book of John select dive right into the John yesterday titled this message. Failure one.

After this, Jesus revealed himself again.

Now after what was the after their refer to source of the resurrection. She when you're reading the gospel of John for the first time you get to the end of chapter 20 and by every invitation. The gospel is over. Right because you have the ultimate revelation of Jesus.

He's been risen from the dead and all the disciples believing they were supreme except for one holdout skeptic name doubting Thomas and he says unless I see the nail prints in his hands of the card is not about a belief as Jesus walked the wall and shows himself topics, so you lightning out of what about Walt my hands about the US about that what you Thomas falls on his face and he lifts up his hands as my Lord and my God.

And then John the author adds in a little kind of concluding statements verse 31. These things all these stories were written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and not by believing you would have likely this may not bet his account wrap up concluding statement. This is in every way. The climax of the book but then got unexplainable way. There's a chapter 21 strategies rambled on just looks like attack on Jesus revealed himself again why why this tacked on chapter.

There's why there is one key guy who is been noticeably absent from these resurrection narratives 1.Peter has been one of the main characters of the gospel jot more often than not, he is carrying the plot is the one making the conversation. The last real significant mention that you have a Peter in the Gospel of John is Peter making a fool out of himself, Peter and Jesus had just told the disciples that they're all going to forsake him and Peter stands up and Jesus says that says you know what all these fools may forsake you. But not me because I'm super Christian and I don't care of even take my life I will never deny you. Peter looks use of diabetes is a Peter actually not only will you forsake me you're going to deny me three times before tomorrow morning for the rooster crows and… Whatever. You know he's like these are the fools, either they're not strong but I'm a man I'm a spiritual man I'm your biggest follower flexes its spiritual muscles and run everybody and strikes a pose as I look at me I'm your I'm your most faithful disciple many goes out of a few hours later he standing around a fire teenage girl looks at him and says hey aren't you want to Jesus followers and what not. I never heard of the guy get scared.

He denies Jesus, not once, not twice but three times.

As the words are coming out of his mouth. That third time that rooster crows somewhere in the distance and I rooster crowed at least two times. It would not shut up when you know that Peter want to go over and just bet that that second got shot up just reminding him of his failure and so he's driven out.

He is embarrassed he is humiliated he knew that he had failed Jesus and just about the worst possible way and this gospel cannot come to a conclusion until Peter has been brought back in his seat because that's because the gospel is not just Jesus story. The gospel is Peter story as well. The gospel is not just the story of Jesus resurrection.

The gospel is not complete until the resurrection is been applied to you. And so even though the ultimate revelation is happened. Jesus is been risen from the dead. Everything is changed for the world but everything has not changed for Peter. The gospel is not just his story is your story, and he can end this until this story has been applied to Peter before we look at it we don't scale the same page for a minute.

Have you ever been more Peter is been there Mr. bold and confident. Mr. I'm never going to devalue Jesus Mr. Robin to make some grand promise about how I'm gonna follow you and then you have just abject embarrassing spiritual failure. Never had that you cave you fall back into the temptation again. You embarrass yourself.

You embarrass God one of our pastors this week was tell me that that he was when he came to Christ.

He was is that I had a really bad pornography habit and he saw smoke a lot of weed beside it and so when I got Sadie's admin. It was a it was a big huge turnaround and I was kind of the glory story in the church. I was the guy they were making the videos about their put me on screen and I was as I was become a leader in the church and here's a God installed from your business, totally taken lifestyle. Now I'm excited Jesus followers numbly, Bible studies, small group leader and he said, but I after about you several months of being in this position.

He said I got really depressed.

My business wasn't going well. Things were falling apart since I got back in the pornography is up about two months. It was worse than it ever was that I went back to smoking weed that I smoked it all the time just for too much. He says I just went back is as bad as possible.

He said I was embarrassed. I do not acknowledge this. The people because here I was Mr. Christian later on. The guy in the video, and I fall back into my old ways have you ever been there were Peter is as a Christian. If you know me for a while unit.

I spent a couple years as a missionary ever in Southeast Asia. No situation in Southeast Asia which I will not go into detail about what there was some danger involved. Some friends of mine on our team to put into in the prison there was a mob violence.

It was directed against them. There cars had been taken and burned to the ground. Men were imprisoned and and and and and I found out that the mob had been targeted on and we were in danger and I remember being there in my house afraid I was under house arrest.

Essentially all the mob to show up on the house and be drug out of the stream of thought.

There's a real chance that I could die. So I went and I dug this hole in the back yard because I was trying to hide all the Bibles all the things that would show that I was a missionary got hit all my house what I could hide a multitude dug a hole and buried him not been the guy leading up to that had stood up in front of people been like you need to be ready to be like Jesus that said that boldly I preached that it deployed comic for commitment. Hybrid newsletters about it and I just love if you got my newsletters I talked about. We gotta be willing to give up everything for Christ missing one thing is a lot easier same room like this will make things like that. That is to be a place for some ice about to take you up on that offer. And so when it happened. I was like Peter, I caved.

I caved and I was embarrassed. I was embarrassed. It was almost like how how does God still have a plan for me because in my moment in my moment when it was time to declare in my moment lasted never deny you, Jesus, Dante, just like anybody else have you ever been there, maybe not that situation maybe had little pornography or merit. Marijuana maybe it's just, you know what it's like to start and then the fall after that. And then this possibly could God have a plan for me. John chapter 21 is for you. Jesus reveals himself again for you. He does this for Peter. He does this for believers, it doesn't for the moral and spiritual failure to show you that he's not finished and the greatest things is doing is your life are just beginning. Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberius, and he revealed himself in this way. In this way for important birth to Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathaniel Taylor and Dolly the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. By the way, how would you have liked to have been. There's two other disciples writer. This is your one chance to get your name in the Bible right everybody else in this picture gets named but you Simon. Thomas was Nathaniel and two other guys were three Simon Peter said to them, I'm going fishing not fishing you know was what Peter did before Jesus called them so Peter now depressed over his failure is going back to his pre-Jesus life the gravity of depressive or you been what happens you just go back to what was familiar to you. Go back into the relationship with the boyfriend drugs. The parties though whatever they baby, something of Zebedee, and two other guys they said to him, we will go with you. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing, so he went back to his old life. It was the same anymore. He fished all night and caught nothing about that is that ever happened to you.

Your discourage spiritually and you back to your old life that she just can't find the same enjoyment in it any longer. Verse four just as day was breaking Jesus to the store yet the disciples did I know that it was Jesus. Verse five Jesus said to them, children do you have any fish they answered and no verse six he said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some of this has to be like the worst set of things that you could say to a fisherman. First of all he called in children. They are grown.

Secondly, structurally, knowing full well they had fished all night and not on anything is okay to catch any fish.

Thirdly, it gives them fishing advice.

Maybe you should've tried your nets on the other side of the boat. Can't you see Peter got no idea by the way, this is Jesus saying all on the right side of the boat we think about that.

You two other guys want to throw the net on the other side of the book. I want to do something for spite. That's what he had done.

Quick question. You'll why she's doing this. Why is he doing this, why does he ask questions like this when he knows the answer because he always want you to be honest with yourself about yourself needs Peter to be honest that he is fished all night and caught nothing. He needs Peter to be honest that he's not happy because finding God's plan for your life always starts would be honest with yourself about yourself using the first person that you need to quit lying to you about yourself is you. You need to be able to just admit I'm just not that happy I'm not happy where I am in life and at some point I got to wake up and say I just can't keep the women out on the different sides of the boat, thinking it's all going to change time not happy. I fished all night long. I have labored all lifelong and I am just not happy.

That's what he needs Peter to admit or Peter spitefully cast his net the other side the whole right side of the boat when he does that submerges in the water under the strain of fish that are now filling in that verse seven that disciple whom Jesus loved, which is by the way John's reference for himself that disciple whom Jesus loves as the Peter is the Lord when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord. He put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work and he threw himself into the sea birthday the other disciples came in them.

By the way, I don't know anybody that can outswim about your peers in water. He's just trust me just freestyle and he's fighting his ways and his other guys like to roll alongside them. As Ryan seriously went 1 is a grudging custody. I'll show you what's significant about that in a minute because there is some significant audit.

They were not far from the land.

They were about 100 yards away. First time I got out on land they saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid out on an inbred Jesus said to them, bring some of the fish that you just caught verse 11 so Simon Peter went aboard right to swim anyone aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish hundred 53 of Butler University till hundred €53 symbolic about the number hundred 53. Nothing. Nothing is just a random detail is the reasonably things like that out to you so that you realize that the idea that these are legends that are written by somebody a long time later, it just doesn't hold up because when you're writing legible when random details like that just shows the detailed this is an eyewitness account anyway. Peter got out of the water from his swim notes: the net full of fish hundred 53 big ones backup from the shore questions that whites characterizes Peter in these verses strenuous effort right he swim in the Marais women he's holding it in by himself as one of seawater by LC on swimming arrived.

There's an efficient, he's right. Sure.

Meanwhile Jesus as their Messiah breakfasts is already prepared for Peter that he need leaders fish no just the detail verse nine that Jesus already had fish on the fire. John Beecher included the telomere according to the fish. He's Jesus he's got a really interesting relationship with fish in the Gospel of John thought Fisher multiplied to be 15,000 people, they cannot make fish were more he wants to fit you one was when he created on an ultimately come up here on the fire need leaders fish the contrast in this chapter, get this, the whole thing. The contrast in this chapter is between peters feeling like he needs to prove himself and Jesus invitation of rest them. That's the contrast in this chapter peters feeling like he's got always be proving itself Peter in this chapter is Tyler. These tire because he's guilty. He's tired because he been swimming all fish for Jesus all the time because he for Peter.

His relationship to God has always been about training and work and proving himself, his relationship to God is always been based on him being the best.

I will deny you, Jesus. I will deny you the ball these of the fools do on swimming hole in Jesus is not asking Peter to prove anything you need leaders for she's already prepared a table for Peter. By the way, I think at this point Peter has gotten half of the gospel past material I say that this whole castanets of the other side and the little fish. That's not the first time it happened. Peter when Jesus called Peter to be a disciple.was the very thing that he used to call Peter to himself. Peter was a fisherman did know Jesus was and she said they want to cash in on the upside, Peter does it build up a fish and Peter overwhelmed with a sense of Jesus glory and majesty, realizing that he's the son of God told him. His face is the part for me because I'm a simple man. Get away from me. His sense of his sin and God's holiness made him want to run away from God. Now you see the exact same thing but instead of Peter saying get away for me God. Peter shut out of the boat trying to get close to God.

That's the first part of the gospel waking in your heart. You understand that you are a sinner, yes, but your sin even though you know it's bad or something in you that knows that God is gracious and that God is drawing you to himself that you know that God is good tenderness in God's love and you want to come close to him that half of the gospel, but he still hasn't found the rest in the gospel he knows God loves and he knows he wants to be close to God, but he still thinks he's got a prove himself to God. So he's always working, always tried to show that he is worthy of Jesus love because he works harder than everybody else is. That's what Peter is in Peter thinks that he earns his position with Jesus by how hard that he works but the gospel is that Jesus has given you his acceptance as a gift, purchased by him not added to by you work really is complete.

There really is nothing that you could do to make God love you anymore because he has completed the work of your salvation in Christ and he said it is finished his last words on the cross were not not done, 90% who had the last 10%. That's how close all BVU based on 970 and 10% you.

His last words were, it is complete it is finished. It is done, you rest in what I have done because my closest to you.

My acceptance of you is not based on how well you've done my acceptance of you is based on what I accomplished on your behalf and you were going to receive that and rest, and it so the question is not how close do you feel to me. The question is how close have I made myself to you the gospel leads you to a profound rest rest in your spirit rest when you're not proven yourself to God rest. We don't feel like God is depending on you means that she just did a very sober kind of reflection, which is a better picture of your relationship with Jesus swimming for Jesus and hauling fish for breakfast on the beach with him. Which one is a better picture of your relationship with God wasn't told him the wrong Christians work hard to do but they do so with an entirely different spirit and Peter has here they work hard not in order to be accepted by God. They work hard because they have been accepted by God. They work hard not in order to earn God's approval. They work hard because they been given.

It is a gift and they love Jesus, in response, they work hard not because Jesus needs them, but because they delight to cooperate with Jesus and his mission to reach the world and they want to offer themselves or others away to Jesus has offered himself or them the gospel changes you fundamentally, it takes a heart of duty and transforms it into one of love and you will never have that heart of love for Jesus until you understand that his acceptance is given as a gift and not according to your merit. We say around here God could not love you anymore than he does. Right at this moment that's not because God a sentimental sap. It's because God has finished the work of your acceptance in Christ. Every single thing that would separate you from God. Everything that would displease him about you everything you committed has been put upon Jesus head. He died in your place so that you could have his position of righteousness, which means that regardless of how well your week has gone or is close to God the father is Jesus Christ himself is and when you understand that position of grace that's going to change you to change. Peter like nothing else could.

So Jesus gives Peter another gospel invitation verse 12. As I got a reverse loves you read as a gospel invitation.

Probably most unusual one you ever heard about you give a gospel invitation Jesus, have breakfast, what you coming to breakfast that I prepared for you. Verse 15 when they finished breakfast. Jesus said to Simon Peter watched as Simon son of John, did you love me more than these, you will be morning stable Peter, else that his language is yes right in all of Jesus appears as a data feed my sheep never breaks his gaze keep looking.

Peter eyes. He says a second opportunity.

Let me kiss I just told you I love the mushy Peter do you love me. John says that when Jesus asked to miss 1/3 time he was grieved. Why was he grieved. Why was Peter briefed.

He recognized that Jesus was asking him three times to be loved him because he had denied him three times. In fact, if you want to read this the right way, you can see Jesus set up this whole scenario to remind Peter of his failure. He asked him around the fire Peter had denied Jesus around the fire.

He said Peter do you love me more than these.

These are the disciples love me never want Peter's post had been even of all these schools all these losers forsake you.

I never will and she's like really Peter you will be morning's good ones. Records show Peter record and look I go to your on your behalf, you both should you. Love you more knees, but they certainly you. Me and denied me positive. Peter asked him three times. Why is Jesus doing this. Why is Jesus doing it this way is he trying to embarrass Peter is this control now is not actually tenderness. Jesus is trying to show me now because of his performance based on his finished work on the goodness we don't have to earn that acceptance on her own. You're listening to Summit life with pastor JD Greer titled the failure will hear more on this topic. Monday when JD wraps up our current teaching series.

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