Encounters
with Christ
Christ’s
Gracious Restoration of Peter
John
21:15-22
When
they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than
these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know
that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my
lambs." [16]
He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do
you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you
know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my
sheep." [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." Jesus said to him, "Feed my
sheep. [18]
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.) And after saying this he said to him,
"Follow me."
[20] Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus
loved following them, the one who had been reclining at
table close to him and had said, "Lord, who is it
that is going to betray you?"
[21] When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus,
"Lord, what about this man?"
[22] Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that
he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow
me!"
1.
The Tearing Down of Peter’s Pride, His Three-fold Denial
-Peter’s
Problem-(John 13:5-9; Luke
22:31
-34)
Jesus
didn’t pray that Peter would be kept from Satan’s
sifting but that through it he would be changed.
Through his suffering Peter’s self-confidence
would be stripped away and his proud spirit would be
humbled.
-Peter’s
Denial-(Luke 22:60-62)
2.
The Building-Up of Peter’s Soul, His Three-Fold
Confession (
21:15
-17)
Here we
have Christ giving Peter the opportunity before all His
disciples to confess his self-reliance and show his
changed spirit. Peter
has been humbled by Satan’s work.
He is not rendered useless as Satan hoped but made
powerful as Jesus knew.
First
Round-(
21:15
)
Jesus’
Question- do
you love me more than these?
Peter’s
Response- Yes,
Lord; you know that I love you.
Jesus’
Commission-
Feed my
lambs.
Second
Round-
Jesus’
Question-
do you love me?
Peter’s
Response- Yes,
Lord; you know that I love you.
Jesus’
Commission- Tend
my sheep.
Third
Round-
Jesus’
Question-
do you love
me?
Peter’s
Response- Lord,
you know everything; you know that I love you.
Jesus’
Commission- Feed
my sheep.
In grace,
Christ blots out Peter’s sin and restores him to a more
effective apostle than ever before.
(2 Cor. 12:9)
3.
The Proof of Christ’s Omniscience (
21:18
-19)
Jesus
warns Peter that the shepherding of the flock of God would
cost him his life. Jesus
was reassuring Peter that he would not deny his Lord even
if it cost him his life.
4.
Peter’s Fallen Nature (
21:20
-22)
Our
fallen nature is so quick to surface when we take our eyes
off of Christ.
We must
keep our eyes fixed on Christ.
If we find ourselves drifting away from our Lord we
must fix our gaze back onto Christ.
We must see Him in the Scriptures and in prayer.
Even
though Peter was restored, the old Peter was still around.
Here is
the idea, Peter as you follow Me, care for My sheep.
As you follow Me care for My Church.
Peter is
called the Apostle of Hope.
Peter’s primary message in his letters is to
trust the Lord, live obediently no matter the
circumstances, and keep your hope fixed on God.
Suffering is expected but it yields great blessings
to those who remain steadfast. (1
Peter 1:13-15)
The Lord
commissioned Peter to care for His young church.
Who better to write about looking to Christ and
standing steadfast under persecution than the one who
denied his Lord three times…the Apostle Peter?
Even
though Peter still wasn’t perfect, he lived the rest of
his life tending Christ’s sheep.
