Welcome to Day 2191 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Gospel of John – 42 – Our Weakness...His Strength – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 01/08/2023

The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication of the Word – Our Weakness…His Strength

Last, we continued in our series of messages of the Good News according to John the Apostle, and we looked at the Reactions to the Resurrected Lord. The question we finished with is what is my reaction to the resurrected Lord? Now that the disciples are convinced that Jesus rose from the dead, today we see the struggle they faced with this new reality, which is quite different from their Messiah establishing His kingdom immediately on earth. Our scripture for today is John 21:1-23.  Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish Afterward, Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way:  Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. Jesus Reinstates Peter When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” When Peter first met Jesus and then responded to His call to follow, he probably thought he was doing the Messiah a big favor. The new King of Israel would need a man like him—a bold, brave, take-charge leader of men. He was strong, decisive, a hard worker, quick with a blade, and even quicker to decide what should be done/ and how to do it./ Peter was the kind of man who got things done by sheer force of will. After he failed in the courtyard during Jesus’ trials, Peter wasn’t so high on himself. He undoubtedly winced every time he recalled his impulsive commitment in the upper room: “‘But why can’t I come now, Lord?’” he asked. “‘I’m ready to die for you.’” (John 13:37). Indeed, when surrounded by six hundred men, he was ready to take them on with a blade only slightly longer than a dagger. But he feared for his life in the courtyard and lied like a coward. Failure is difficult enough to overcome, but moral failure in ministry is a killer. After a hideous moral blunder, one might ask, “What good can I do now?”  The answer to that question may be surprising. 1:1–3 John establishes the setting of this event as Galilee, sometime after Jesus’ confrontation with Thomas in or near Jerusalem. Capernaum is where they previously had their fishing business. We cannot know how long after the resurrection occurred, but it was not likely more than a month (40 days) (Acts 1:3). Five of the Twelve are named, while another two disciples are left anonymous, perhaps because they were not of the Twelve. Regardless, Peter and the “sons of Zebedee” (James and John) shared much history with this region. This was where Jesus had extended His call for the men to follow, promising to transform them into “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). For at least three years, these men followed their Messiah, learning from Him and fully expecting Him to reign as King of the Jews. Then suddenly, in a matter of hours, everything changed. He was arrested, tried, judged, crucified, and laid in a tomb. When the followers of Jesus buried their Messiah, they buried their fondest expectations with Him. And when He emerged from the tomb, their dreams were left behind with His grave clothes. This long, quiet period undoubtedly became an eerie state of limbo for them. The Messiah died, but was no longer dead. Jesus communed with them on a remarkably intimate level at times, but before the coming of the Holy Spirit, they were without daily leadership. The coming kingdom was not to be what they had all hoped, so it remained a shapeless, unfixed future for them. Human nature cannot abide limbo for very long. So, when we cannot move forward, we cannot help but return to the familiar—even a past we were happy to leave. But, as the old adage goes, “You can never go home again.” So, even if home has not changed—and it always does—you have changed. “I’m going fishing” was not merely a plan to pass the unbearable meantime. Peter, ever the man of action, saw no future for himself in service to Christ, so he returned to his successful, pre-Christ vocation. But, unfortunately, Peter’s efforts to catch fish fared no better than his prospects of catching men (Luke 5:10). 21:4–6 One of the qualities about the Lord I love the most is His grace—not just in the theological sense. I mean His charming manner of accepting and loving His own. Peter and his friends returned to the familiar, so the Lord met them there. He even used their overdependence on the past to their mutual advantage. The Lord’s question rendered in Greek, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” anticipates a negative response, not unlike saying, “So, you haven’t caught anything, right?” Moreover, He called them paidia, the plural form of the word for a small child. According to one lexicon, “it may also denote ‘servant’ (social position). Figuratively, it carries the sense of undeveloped understanding but is also used in affectionate address.” The disciples had been in this situation before. These men had spent a wasted night on the sea when Jesus instructed them to recast their nets. When their obedience netted them a record catch, He promised them similar success in ministry (Luke 5:5–11). After so much had happened, their resurrected Lord instructed them to recast their nets. Surely, one of the men must have suspected the stranger on the shore was Jesus. Once the top line of the net stretched to the point of breaking, however, there was no question. Let us not forget the full context of this event. As some have suggested, Jesus did not merely see a large school of fish from one hundred yards out. He’s the Creator. He made fish. And He caused those fish to be where the disciples could pull them into their nets. 21:7–8 The phrase “taken off his outer garment” does not mean Peter was naked, merely that he had removed his outer robe and girded his chiton, or “undergarment,” between his legs and around his waist. Then, in characteristic Peter style, he plunged into the sea and swam to shore, delighted to see his Master again. Meanwhile, the other disciples pulled in a full net of fish. 21:9 John includes three important details: Jesus had prepared a charcoal fire. This is a deliberate literary allusion to Peter’s failure in the courtyard, which occurred over a charcoal fire (see 18:18). Jesus had fish cooking on the fire. The Lord does not depend upon the efforts of humanity to accomplish His will. Jesus had loaves of bread waiting. The wilderness in which Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two small fish lay just behind them.   21:10–11 In his impulsive exuberance, Peter left the other disciples to haul in a load of fish. Jesus’ invitation for him to add his fish to the fire is significant. While the Lord can do all things without any help from anyone, he invited Peter to contribute the fruit of his efforts. The Lord wants to enjoy the victory we accomplish together, not because He needs us, but because He wants us! So, Peter returned to the nets with his comrades and processed the extraordinary results of divine help given to human effort. 21:12–14 John clarifies that the men knew they were in the presence of the Lord. And his image of Jesus distributing the bread and fish is no accident—it is a clear allusion to the abundance He created in the wilderness (6:11). John notes that this is the third time Jesus had “appeared” after His resurrection. The term means “to make visible what was not previously seen.” 21:15–17 As if to take Peter back to the beginning, before he was “the Rock,” Jesus looked across the charcoal fire and addressed the dejected disciple by his original given name: Simon, the son of John. “Simon” is based on the Hebrew name “Simeon,” which in turn is based on the Hebrew verb shama, “to hear, to hearken, to heed.” The time had come for Jesus to address Peter’s deepest wound. Were it not for the Lord’s perfect compassion; His question might have been considered a cruel taunt. Instead, the added phrase, “more than these,” was an unmistakable reference to Peter’s bold declaration of loyalty in the upper room (13:37; see also Matt. 26:33; Mark 14:29; Luke 22:33). The Greek language has three words for love. Erōs describes the euphoric, “in-love” feelings of romance; that is, before the honeymoon ends. Philia expresses the warm affection shared by friends, close family members, and even romantic lovers after intimacy has cemented their union. The verb form, phileō, means “to treat somebody as one of one’s own people.” The Greeks highly regarded philia as a deeply emotional connection between people. A third word, agapē, is rarely found outside Jewish and Christian literature. Unlike short-lived erōs, agapē is not impetuous, but steady and deliberate, a choice. Whereas philia describes affection, agapē speaks of loyalty: “Here is a love that makes distinctions, choosing its objects freely. Hence, it is especially the love of a higher for a lower. It is active, not self-seeking love.” The New Testament writers drew upon this word to express the kind of love Jesus lived and taught./ Agapē loves God first,/ loves neighbor as self,/ and loves enemies and friends alike. While intensely emotive, agapē is not fueled by emotion. This Christlike love places high value on tangible expressions of kindness rather than emotions that accomplish nothing.   Jesus asked Simon about his agapē; Simon responded with philia. Scholars and expositors disagree about the significance of the different terms chosen by John to render their conversation from Aramaic. However, I don’t think John’s deliberate choice of Greek terms was irrelevant. On the contrary, I am convinced his word choice reflects the sentiments of each man. Note the pattern of their dialogue: Simon, son of John, do you love [agapaō] Me more than these? Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileō] You. Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, do you love [agapaō] Me? Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileō] You. Take care of my sheep. Simon, son of John, do you love [phileō] Me? Lord, You know all things; You know that I love [phileō] You. Feed my sheep. The confidence and passion that had earlier fueled Peter’s decisions—both wise and foolish, heroic and cowardly—had been crushed out of him. This impulsive zeal distracted Peter from acknowledging a lifelong problem. As long as there were external foes to fight, challenges to meet, difficulties to overcome, and quandaries to solve, he didn’t have to face that he was, in fact, quite powerless (until Pentecost, when he received God’s power). Peter’s philia fell short of what either man desired, but he deserved high marks for honesty. Furthermore, it acknowledged the truth of Peter’s love. His affection for Jesus could not be denied, but he was powerless to avoid future failure—and he knew it. Now—with proud self-confidence a thing of the past—Peter was ready to depend upon the Lord to accomplish ministry. God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost brought the Agape love to Peter. Just as Jesus gently rescued Thomas from his hopelessness—or perhaps dogged pragmatism—the Lord pulled Peter from his despair. And he invited the humbled disciple to recast his nets for another miraculous catch … only this time, for people’s souls. 21:18–19 (After breakfast, a walk on the shore) I suspect Jesus allowed time for His invitation to sink in. Then, as an expert mentor, He encouraged His disciples. Finally, having dealt with Simon’s past, He revealed Peter’s future. In the past, Simon was a self-confident, willful man who directed his life. He even attempted discipleship on his own terms, with tragic results. Then, he behaved like a coward to distance himself from Christ. Following this disappointment, while Peter was at his lowest depths of despair and discouragement, Jesus assured him of a Christ-worthy death. His reference to outstretched arms alludes to being laid on a cross. The verb translated “dress” literally means “to fasten.” This is a clever pun, obviously referring to being fastened to a cross with nails or rope. In the past, Simon decided what to wear and where to go; in the future, Peter would submit to the leading of his Master, and he would “wear” a cross to his honorable death. Jesus punctuated His encouragement with “Follow Me!”—a command reminiscent of Simon’s original calling (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10). 21:20–23 The conversation between Master and servant took place as they strolled along the shore. Peter noticed John following along behind them. Of all the disciples, John behaved the most honorably. While he fled the assault on Gethsemane (Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:50), he soon returned and remained close to Jesus throughout His trials and crucifixion. While Simon kept his distance and denied his discipleship in the courtyard, John stood in the courtroom. While Simon cowered during the crucifixion, John stood at the base of the cross. Personal failure usually leads to comparisons. We either push others down to feel less inferior or allow shame to bury us at the bottom of the world. Neither response is from God. “Lord, what about him?” Peter was indicating John. Jesus rebuked Peter’s question, saying in effect, “You do what you’re supposed to do; let me manage John.” Then He emphasized His earlier call: “You must follow me.” John concludes his description of their encounter with a humorous footnote. This particular story circulated as oral history long before he prepared his narrative. Peter undoubtedly told it often as a means of encouraging other down-and-out believers. Moreover, Peter spent much of his later life tackling false teachings concerning Jesus, so he probably relished the irony of having to put down an error involving himself! Many took Jesus’ correction of Peter to mean that He planned to return before John died. Believers during John’s lifetime didn’t suppose he would exceed an average life expectancy; they used Jesus’ comment to support their wishful thinking that He would return soon. John’s comment clarified before his death that this was a false rumor. The corporate world, like all...

Welcome to Day: 2191

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Gospel of John – 42 – Our Weakness...His Strength – Daily Wisdom

/: 2023

The Gospel of John – Part 5: Vindication Of The Word – Our Weakness…His Strength

, starting on page: 1687

 Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

21 Afterward, Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

When Peter first met Jesus and then responded to His call to follow, he probably thought he was doing the Messiah a big favor. The new King of Israel would need a man like him—a bold, brave, take-charge leader of men. He was strong,/ decisive,/ a hard worker,/ quick with a blade,/ and even quicker to decide what should be done/ and how to do it./ Peter was the kind of man who got things done by sheer force of will.

eady to die for you.” (John: 13:37

Failure is difficult enough to overcome, but moral failure in ministry is a killer. After a hideous moral blunder, one might ask, “What good can I do now?”  The answer to that question may be surprising.

—21:1–3— (Bulletin Insert – Map)

John establishes the setting of this event as Galilee, sometime after Jesus’ confrontation with Thomas in or near Jerusalem. Capernaum is where they previously had their fishing business. We cannot know how long after the resurrection occurred, but it was not likely more than a month (40 days) (Acts 1:3). Five of the Twelve are named, while another two disciples are left anonymous, perhaps because they were not of the Twelve. Regardless, Peter and the “sons of Zebedee” (James and John) shared much history with this region. This was where Jesus had extended His call for the men to follow, promising to transform them into “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).

For at least three years, these men followed their Messiah, learning from Him and fully expecting Him to reign as King of the Jews. Then suddenly, in a matter of hours, everything changed. He was arrested, tried, judged, crucified, and laid in a tomb. When the followers of Jesus buried their Messiah, they buried their fondest expectations with Him. And when He emerged from the tomb, their dreams were left behind with His grave clothes. This long, quiet period undoubtedly became an eerie state of limbo for them. The Messiah died, but was no longer dead. Jesus communed with them on a remarkably intimate level at times, but before the coming of the Holy Spirit, they were without daily leadership. The coming kingdom was not to be what they had all hoped, so it remained a shapeless, unfixed future for them.

(Bulletin Insert)

Human nature cannot abide limbo for very long. So, when we cannot move forward, we cannot help but return to the familiar—even a past we were happy to leave. But, as the old adage goes, “You can never go home again.” So, even if home has not changed—and it always does—you have changed.

“I’m going fishing” was not merely a plan to pass the unbearable meantime. Peter, ever the man of action, saw no future for himself in service to Christ, so he returned to his successful, pre-Christ vocation. But, unfortunately, Peter’s efforts to catch fish fared no better than his prospects of catching men (Luke 5:10).

—21:4–6—

One of the qualities about the Lord I love the most is His grace—not just in the theological sense. I mean His charming manner of accepting and loving His own. Peter and his friends returned to the familiar, so the Lord met them there. He even used their overdependence on the past to their mutual advantage.

The Lord’s question rendered in Greek, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” anticipates a negative response, not unlike saying, “So, you haven’t caught anything, right?” Moreover, He called them paidia, the plural form of the word for a small child. According to one lexicon, “it may also denote ‘servant’ (social position). Figuratively, it carries the sense of undeveloped understanding but is also used in affectionate address.”

The disciples had been in this situation before. These men had spent a wasted night on the sea when Jesus instructed them to recast their nets. When their obedience netted them a record catch, He promised them similar success in ministry (Luke 5:5–11). After so much had happened, their resurrected Lord instructed them to recast their nets. Surely, one of the men must have suspected the stranger on the shore was Jesus. Once the top line of the net stretched to the point of breaking, however, there was no question.

Let us not forget the full context of this event. As some have suggested, Jesus did not merely see a large school of fish from one hundred yards out. He’s the Creator. He made fish. And He caused those fish to be where the disciples could pull them into their nets.

—21:7–8—

The phrase “taken off his outer garment” does not mean Peter was naked, merely that he had removed his outer robe and girded his chiton, or “undergarment,” between his legs and around his waist. Then, in characteristic Peter style, he plunged into the sea and swam to shore, delighted to see his Master again. Meanwhile, the other disciples pulled in a full net of fish.

—21:9—

John includes three important details:

red over a charcoal fire (see: 18:18

Jesus had fish cooking on the fire. The Lord does not depend upon the efforts of humanity to accomplish His will.

Jesus had loaves of bread waiting. The wilderness in which Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two small fish lay just behind them.

—: 21:10

In his impulsive exuberance, Peter left the other disciples to haul in a load of fish. Jesus’ invitation for him to add his fish to the fire is significant. While the Lord can do all things without any help from anyone, he invited Peter to contribute the fruit of his efforts. The Lord wants to enjoy the victory we accomplish together, not because He needs us, but because He wants us! (Future series)

So, Peter returned to the nets with his comrades and processed the extraordinary results of divine help given to human effort. (153 large fish)

—: 21:12

John clarifies that the men knew they were in the presence of the Lord. And his image of Jesus distributing the bread and fish is no accident—it is a clear allusion to the abundance He created in the wilderness (6:11).

John notes that this is the third time Jesus had “appeared” after His resurrection. The term means “to make visible what was not previously seen.”

—: 21:15

As if to take Peter back to the beginning, before he was “the Rock,” Jesus looked across the charcoal fire and addressed the dejected disciple by his original given name: Simon, the son of John. “Simon” is based on the Hebrew name “Simeon,” which in turn is based on the Hebrew verb shama, “to hear, to hearken, to heed.”

of loyalty in the upper room (: 13:37

The Greek language has three words for love. Erōs describes the euphoric, “in-love” feelings of romance; that is, before the honeymoon ends. Philia expresses the warm affection shared by friends, close family members, and even romantic lovers after intimacy has cemented their union. The verb form, phileō, means “to treat somebody as one of one’s own people.” The Greeks highly regarded philia as a deeply emotional connection between people.

A third word, agapē, is rarely found outside Jewish and Christian literature. Unlike short-lived erōs, agapē is not impetuous, but steady and deliberate, a choice. Whereas philia describes affection, agapē speaks of loyalty: “Here is a love that makes distinctions, choosing its objects freely. Hence, it is especially the love of a higher for a lower. It is active, not self-seeking love.” The New Testament writers drew upon this word to express the kind of love Jesus lived and taught./ Agapē loves God first,/ loves neighbor as self,/ and loves enemies and friends alike. While intensely emotive, agapē is not fueled by emotion. This Christlike love places high value on tangible expressions of kindness rather than emotions that accomplish nothing.

Jesus asked Simon about his agapē; Simon responded with philia. Scholars and expositors disagree about the significance of the different terms chosen by John to render their conversation from Aramaic. However, I don’t think John’s deliberate choice of Greek terms was irrelevant. On the contrary, I am convinced his word choice reflects the sentiments of each man. Note the pattern of their dialogue:

Simon, son of John, do you love [agapaō] Me more than these? Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileō] You. Feed my lambs.

Simon, son of John, do you love [agapaō] Me? Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileō] You. Take care of my sheep.

Simon, son of John, do you love [phileō] Me? Lord, You know all things; You know that I love [phileō] You. Feed my sheep.

The confidence and passion that had earlier fueled Peter’s decisions—both wise and foolish, heroic and cowardly—had been crushed out of him. This impulsive zeal distracted Peter from acknowledging a lifelong problem. As long as there were external foes to fight,/ challenges to meet,/ difficulties to overcome,/ and quandaries to solve,/ he didn’t have to face that he was,/ in fact, quite powerless. (until Pentecost, when he received God’s power)

Peter’s philia fell short of what either man desired, but he deserved high marks for honesty. Furthermore, it acknowledged the truth of Peter’s love. His affection for Jesus could not be denied, but he was powerless to avoid future failure—and he knew it. Now—with proud self-confidence a thing of the past—Peter was ready to depend upon the Lord to accomplish ministry. God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost brought the Agape love to Peter.

Just as Jesus gently rescued Thomas from his hopelessness—or perhaps dogged pragmatism—the Lord pulled Peter from his despair. And he invited the humbled disciple to recast his nets for another miraculous catch … only this time, for people’s souls.

—: 21:18

I suspect Jesus allowed time for His invitation to sink in. Then, as an expert mentor, He encouraged His disciples. Finally, having dealt with Simon’s past, He revealed Peter’s future. In the past, Simon was a self-confident, willful man who directed his life. He even attempted discipleship on his own terms, with tragic results. Then, he behaved like a coward to distance himself from Christ.

Following this disappointment, while Peter was at his lowest depths of despair and discouragement, Jesus assured him of a Christ-worthy death. His reference to outstretched arms alludes to being laid on a cross. The verb translated “dress” literally means “to fasten.” This is a clever pun, obviously referring to being fastened to a cross with nails or rope. In the past, Simon decided what to wear and where to go; in the future, Peter would submit to the leading of his Master, and he would “wear” a cross to his honorable death. Jesus punctuated His encouragement with “Follow Me!”—a command reminiscent of Simon’s original calling (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10).

—: 21:20

assault on Gethsemane (Matt.: 26:56

Personal failure usually leads to comparisons. We either push others down to feel less inferior or allow shame to bury us at the bottom of the world. Neither response is from God. “Lord, what about him?” Peter was indicating John. Jesus rebuked Peter’s question, saying in effect, “You do what you’re supposed to do; let me manage John.” Then He emphasized His earlier call: “You must follow me.”

John concludes his description of their encounter with a humorous footnote. This particular story circulated as oral history long before he prepared his narrative. Peter undoubtedly told it often as a means of encouraging other down-and-out believers. Moreover, Peter spent much of his later life tackling false teachings concerning Jesus, so he probably relished the irony of having to put down an error involving himself!

Many took Jesus’ correction of Peter to mean that He planned to return before John died. Believers during John’s lifetime didn’t suppose he would exceed an average life expectancy; they used Jesus’ comment to support their wishful thinking that He would return soon. John’s comment clarified before his death that this was a false rumor.

The corporate world, like all kingdoms of the world, looks for leaders among those who have exceptional natural abilities. Nations look for charisma and innate people skills in their politicians. The military has adopted the motto “Up or out” because officers are expected to rise through the ranks until they can rise no further … or retire. In virtually every sphere of life, a significant failure usually means termination or demotion—“Shape up or ship out!” But not in the kingdom of God.

Peter emerged from his failure as a transformed man, ready to acknowledge his inabilities and exchange self-confidence for Christ-confidence. With the sound of the miracle haul of fish flopping in the background, Peter was finally prepared to accept the Lord’s call. “You—keep on following Me!” Have you failed the Lord? That’s His call to you as well. Keep on following.

APPLICATION: JOHN 21:1–23

Coming to Terms with Your Calling – (Bulletin Insert)

Unfortunately, in Christian circles, we tend to think of full-time vocational ministers as “called” by God. However, they are not the only people called by God to fulfill a divine purpose. All believers have been called to glorify God in whatever we do. Therefore, I think extending the range of “calling” to include any vocation a believer chooses is appropriate. With that in mind, let me offer three thoughts from John 21:1–23 that will help us understand our calling.

First, we must come to terms with our limitations. While we should do our best and continuously pursue excellence, never forget that, ultimately, success is not up to us. Peter and his business partners ran a lucrative fishing enterprise and were experts in their vocation. They had years of experience and all the right equipment, yet their nets were empty. Only with the Lord’s help did the men find success. The miracle haul of fish illustrated that without the Lord’s help, our expertise and diligence will come to nothing.

o “make disciples” (Matt.: 28:19

Third, we must come to terms with our imperfections. Peter laid aside his calling of “catching men” (Luke 5:10) because of his failure and took up a vocation in which failure wouldn’t cause as much damage to the kingdom—at least in his way of thinking. But we must fully understand that all work is kingdom work. While he wanted to put it in the past and make the best of a lesser future, Jesus met it head-on. He didn’t deny, minimize, rationalize, or ignore Peter’s failure. Instead, He emphasized it thrice, calling the dejected disciple to “Feed and take care of my sheep.” The Lord said, in effect, “Yes, Peter, you blew it. And you’ll blow it again. Nevertheless, I want you to fulfill your calling.”

Failure is inevitable. And the Lord is never surprised when we fail. It’s not as though He called us to follow Him without knowing the future! With the penalty of our sins paid in full, failure for the believer is merely a reminder to depend upon Him rather than self—to replace self-confidence with Christ-confidence.

e with them. Please read John: 21:24