Do You Love Me? - John 21:15-19

Since I’ve been in ministry, one of the things that I’ve learned along the way is that everyone loves to talk about their personal sin struggles. But what we all love more than talking about our personal sin struggles is for someone else to talk about our personal sin struggles. That’s just the best isn’t it?

The reality is even if you trust in Jesus Christ you still have to confess it and turn from it before the Lord. I’m reminded of what David wrote in Psalm 32:5,

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Amen.

So much of what Peter’s restoration is about sin. In particular Peter’s sin and dealing with it and moving on from it.

Often in church contexts we talk about restoration. In the Presbyterian world, we practice church discipline with the end goal of restoration. We want to see people turn from their sin and walk with the Lord. However, what exactly must go into “the restoration process” isn’t all that clear. “The restoration process” is more of a discernment process than a twelve step program.

All that to say, John 21:15-19 isn’t a passage that directly applies to churches restoring someone to their fellowship because Jesus Christ himself is directing the restoration process. I don’t think it would go over very well for church officers to sit someone down who is in sin and ask them if they love them. It doesn’t have the same effect.

The big picture that we all must take away from this passage is your fate is not sealed because of the sins of your past. Just because you have sinned and perhaps sinned grievously does not mean that you’re damaged goods or have nothing to contribute in God’s Kingdom. The Lord can make beauty from ashes, amen?

We see the restoration process develop in three ways throughout this passage: first, Peter confessed Christ, second, Peter is commissioned by Christ, and lastly, Peter is told what it’s going to cost to follow Christ.

Last week, we saw where the resurrected Christ told his disciples where to find fish. Remember that? They just needed to cast their nets onto the right side of the boat. But once the disciples figured out that it was Jesus giving them directions they eventually ended up with him on the shore of the lake for breakfast.

Peter Confessed Christ (vv. 15-17)

And so, they’re still on the shore, they’ve finished breakfast and then Jesus turned his attention to Peter, and asked him in verse 15, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Jesus invoked Peter's original name, which alludes to his life prior to Christ. It certainly hints at his spiritual life before Christ, which certainly would fall in line with the rest of what we read in these verses.

But perhaps you noticed that Jesus asked Peter, “do you love me more than these?

What are “these?” Is he talking about fishing, is he comparing himself to the other disciples? What exactly is Jesus referring to? The best way to understand what Jesus is asking Peter is, “do you love me more than the other disciples?”

There’s some debate over the use of the word “love” in this passage, because in the Greek Jesus uses the word “agape” while Peter uses the word, “phileo.” They both mean love, but agape describes God’s love. It’s used to describe a spiritual type of love. While phileo is used to describe a brotherly love. Jesus says, “Do you agape me?” While Peter says, “I phileo you.”

In John’s gospel, John used both of those words interchangeably. So I don’t think we should make too much of that particular detail.

The idea that Jesus is really getting at with his question to Peter is: are you completely loyal to me? Are you totally with me? That’s at the heart of what Jesus is getting at when he asks Peter, “Do you love me?”

So Jesus is asking Peter, “are you more loyal to me than the other disciples?”

Why would Jesus ask Peter such a pointed question like that? Did he really expect Peter to say, “Yes Lord, I’m more devoted to you than all the other disciples.” That would sound incredibly arrogant wouldn’t it?

But here’s the thing: Peter had done just that! Peter had said that he did love Jesus more than the other disciples. Peter had said in front of the other disciples that he was more loyal, more devoted, more committed to Jesus than they were.

It’s exactly what happened in Matthew 26. Jesus tells his disciples that they’re all going to abandon him when he’s arrested. And Peter said, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” And do you remember what Jesus said in response? “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.”

Jesus tells his disciples that they’re all going to abandon him when he’s arrested but Peter says, “They might, but I won’t!” Peter was arrogant, wasn't he?

And of course, what’s the implication of a comment like that? Peter was saying, “none of these other men are as committed, as devoted, or love you to the same degree that I do.” “I love you more than everyone else!”

That particular comment was incredibly ironic because just as Jesus predicted, Peter was the one who publicly denied knowing Jesus Christ three times!

So it’s in light of that Jesus asks Peter in front of the other disciples, “Do you love me more than these?”

But Peter no longer compares himself to the other disciples. He doesn’t claim a higher degree of love than the other disciples. All he says is, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He just speaks for himself.

And Jesus of course asks him this question three times and Peter was grieved when Jesus asked him if he loved him for the third time. Look at verse 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.”

Peter was grieved because when someone asks you the same question over and over again it implies that they don’t believe you. “Peter, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Peter, do you really love me?”

Which is why Peter says the third time, “Lord, you know everything (you know my heart); you know that I love you.” Peter was of course responding in all sincerity.

Jesus is restoring Peter by giving him the opportunity to publicly confess his love, affection, and faith in Christ. And just as Peter had publicly denied Jesus three times, now Jesus gives him three opportunities to publicly profess his love and affection for him.

It is very interesting how similar the settings are between Peter’s denial of Christ and his restoration. Both times he repeats himself three times and both times take place in front of a charcoal fire.

What happens here really reminds me of the hall of faith from Hebrews chapter 11. All of those people whose faith is commended went through something, right? By faith… this person did that. By faith this other person did something else.

But then you reflect on the lives of all the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 and are quickly reminded of the sins of their past. On multiple occasions Abraham told powerful people that Sarah was his sister, not his wife. Moses killed a man. Samson and Jephthah somehow both made it into Hebrews 11. Jephthah made a rash vow and killed his daughter.

It’s not that these people were sinless, it’s that God used them and worked through them in spite of their sin. And they’re not defined by their sin, rather, they’re defined by their faith in Christ.

It’s not the people who have it all together and have never made a mistake that God uses, it’s quite the opposite. God works in and through broken sinners - people like you and me. And that’s exactly what’s happened to Peter.

Because here’s the truth: in order for God to use you he first has to break you.

Peter’s broken. His sin is ever before him, which puts him in a perfect position to be used by God.

Peter is Commissioned (vv. 15-17)

It’s not like Peter lost his salvation and now Jesus is in the process of giving it back to him. Peter was saved, but Peter had committed a serious sin when he denied Jesus. And that sin left many questions unanswered, like did it disqualify him from ministry?

After all, Peter was a pastor-in-training, or better yet, an apostle-in-training.

Jesus answers that lingering question with his famous instructions to Peter - “feed my sheep.” He says “feed my sheep” twice and “tend my sheep” once. Jesus uses slightly different words but they are more or less the same: Jesus was instructing Peter to shepherd his flock.

But it wasn’t like there was a flock of sheep lying around the beach with them, Jesus is picking up an old metaphor. The shepherd/sheep metaphor is one of the most prominent metaphors throughout the Bible.

But when Jesus uses the sheep/shepherd metaphor you cannot think of John 10, which is where Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd.”

Do you remember what else Jesus went on to say in John 10? “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

And in this metaphor, Jesus is referring to the church, the body of believers as, “his sheep.” They are his flock.

And Jesus instructs Peter to feed and tend them. When Jesus tells Peter to tend or shepherd God’s people - he’s calling him to minister to the church.

But I think we can distill it to something even more specific: preaching. That’s what Jesus was telling Peter to do.

And you cannot really talk about preaching without mentioning Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was one of the great English Preachers of the 20th century.

And his thesis for one of the most influential books on preaching entitled, “Preaching and Preachers” was, “The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching.”

It’s a pretty remarkable thesis isn’t it? Of all the things that were going on in the world at that particular point in time, Lloyd-Jones said that the “most urgent need of the church is true preaching.” He didn’t say cultural transformation, good church programs, or even something like hospitality.

According to Lloyd-Jones faithful preaching is what the church needs most and I think you could certainly make the case that his thesis still holds true. We need strong, biblical, faithful, expositional preaching. So goes the pulpit, so goes the church.

And it’s interesting because even here, Jesus instructs Peter to preach but in our modern evangelical climate, preaching has gotten a bad wrap. After all, who wants to be “preached” at? No one. Often preaching is presented as friendly advice, or a thought-provoking lecture or a few helpful suggestions.

Preaching has been degraded to the point where many do not believe it has any impact on their spiritual growth. So many well-intentioned believers have been taught that real spiritual growth comes through meetings with mentors or in small group settings. And of course there is nothing wrong with those things but when we elevate them over preaching then we’ve effectively stripped it of its power. The Bible seems to think that preaching is important, why don’t we?

We need more faithful, God-honoring, expositional preaching that nourishes your soul. Preaching is the real kind of soul food that the Lord gives us to feast on.

Bethan Lloyd-Jones, wife of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, used to ask him, “Do you think your sermon will be enough to get these people through the week?” The preaching of God’s word should be the cud that we chew on.

You cannot feed or tend the Lord’s sheep without preaching. Peter was being called to preach. And so it should come as no surprise that twice in 1 Peter chapter 1, Peter mentions… you guessed it - preaching.

Preaching isn’t something you must suffer through, it’s something God speaks through.

The second thing that I think is worth noting from Jesus’ instructions to Peter is that he says, “feed my sheep” not, “feed your sheep.”

Jesus owns the sheep. They are his sheep. The sheep that Peter was supposed to feed are on loan from Jesus.

It’s important for all of us to remember that those who have been ordained and commissioned to preach, teach, and shepherd God’s people are undershepherds of the one true shepherd: Jesus Christ.

I’m sure for many of you that’s not anything new, but it’s a point worth making because elders sometimes forget this truth. Providence Presbyterian Church doesn’t own any sheep. We’re simply supposed to minister to the ones that have been entrusted to us. But so often elders in a church get out of their lane when they begin to believe that the sheep they’ve been entrusted to care for are actually their possession. They own these sheep.

Which is why I have a problem with the term “sheep-stealing.” Perhaps you’ve heard that term. The idea is that pastors are luring people away from their healthy church to their church. I’m sure at some point, it’s happened and that’s wrong.

And of course, we must take church membership seriously, and it’s wrong to hop from church to church over minor, insignificant things, but there are also real reasons to change where you attend church. Frequently, “sheep-stealing” is used as a way to delegitimize any reason for leaving a church. Too often it’s a gross oversimplification.

But most problematic of all, it suggests that the elders of the church own the sheep. My sheep and under no circumstance are they ever allowed to leave.

Elders do not own the sheep, rather the sheep are simply on loan from Jesus and we’ve been entrusted to care for and minister to them to the best of our ability.

I don’t feed my sheep, I feed Jesus’ sheep.

But let’s zoom out for just a moment and reflect upon what’s happening in this passage: Jesus is calling Peter to preach and minister to God’s people. Which is of course an incredible reversal given Peter’s history, right? The man who denied Jesus was being called to proclaim the good news about him.

And of course this was important for the other disciples to see and hear. Because it wasn’t like Jesus was giving Peter shoulder pads and a helmet to sit on the bench. He’s telling Peter you’re going to be in the game.

Peter is told what it will cost to follow Christ (vv. 18-19)

And it’s going to cost him something.

Look at verses 18-19 with me. Jesus said, “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.)

Many think that Peter was middle aged, perhaps in his late 40s early 50s. So Jesus is telling him that in the next 20 years or so, he’s going to be martyred for his faith in him. The tradition is that Peter was crucified upside down. And death by crucifixion seems to be implied by verse 18: “...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.” John even says that Jesus was “showing him by what kind of death he was to glorify God.”

All of this points to the fact that Peter would be killed for his faith in Jesus.

You might read that and think, well, that’s depressing news. Guess what Peter? You’re going to die for me. I don’t think that many of us would get too excited about that news, however, it’s incredibly gracious news for Peter.

Think about it: Peter denied Jesus three times because he was afraid of dying alongside him! He was trying to avoid everything that Jesus was going through, which is why he denied him to begin with! But in the sovereignty of God, the death that he so desperately tried to avoid would be the death that he would ultimately die!

This isn’t a picture of a cruel death sentence, rather it’s a picture of God’s grace, because Peter is getting a do-over in life.

What a blessing! What a gift! And now the man who had probably been wrestling and consumed by guilt over his sin hears the beautiful words of Jesus all over again: “follow me.”

I’m reminded of the Deitrich Bonhoeffer quote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

But Jesus said it best didn’t he, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Peter’s sin had humbled him which put him in a perfect position to pour himself out for the Lord.

Even if you’re a believer there may be times when you wonder - what good am I? I’ve blown it with my spouse, my children, friends, or whatever. It’s so easy to let the sins of your past cripple you. It’s so easy to let the guilt of the things that have happened control your life.

It’s so easy for the sins of the past to define who you are.

Hopefully you can see what’s happening in this passage: Jesus is moving Peter beyond the sins of his past. No longer is Peter the man who denied Christ, now he’s Peter the man who professed Christ and will lay down his life for him.

And the same is true for you and me. The sins of your past do not ultimately define who you are, Jesus Christ defines you. Because ladies and gentlemen if Jesus Christ declares your sins forgiven and righteous by his blood - then guess what? Your sins are forgiven and you are righteous.

And that’s one of the things that really bothers me about our current evangelical climate is that we give our sin more power over us than Jesus Christ. We quickly resign ourselves to our sin and say, this is just who I am.

The restoration of Peter could just as easily be called the forgiveness of Christ. Because when you and I fully grasp the depth of our sin and the unmerited forgiveness and grace that comes through faith in him it will change you. Peter was a totally different man after this, wasn’t he? His life was changed. He preached at Pentecost and 3,000 were saved.

Jesus doesn’t want you and I to wallow in our sin. He wants you and I to confess it, own it, take responsibility for it, turn from it, allow it to humble us, but to then move forward for him.

Let’s pray together.