By Floyd McClung

John 21:1-19 The Message

This week the world was celebrating the life and accomplishments of John Paul II

In his life time he:

• Stood up to the Nazis and the Communists
• Opposed the culture of death in our world – abortion, war, capitol punishment
• Called America to account for our wealth and how we use it
• Forgave his assassin
• Faced pain and suffering with dignity

One young person I talked to said the thing that stood out most about his life is that He did not fear…

Things people fear most:

Fear of failure…
Fear of losing control…
Fear of pain and suffering…
Fear of commitment…
Fear of something new …

Life of Peter: impulsive…quick to act…courageous…all or nothing type guy…quick to fail as well…that’s me…that’s many of us. I would like to think I am a great apostle like Paul, but the truth is I am more like Peter. One story from his life stood out to me this week – from John 21:1-19:

Peter went back to an old way… We all have places we go back to when all else fails…old patterns of behavior that are hiding places for us, places of comfort, places where we search for meaning…an old behavior… but God was calling Peter to a new way…fishing wasn’t bad it was just that Jesus had called him to be a fisher of men…verse 3: “Peter announced, I’m going fishing.” ARE YOU AT THAT PLACE?

Peter’s “failures” were his passions and gifts misdirected… the great thing about Peter was his willingness to go for it…verse 7 “Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Master! When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea…” Peter’s personality was an all or nothing style…ARE YOUR EFFORTS COMING UP EMPTY? ARE YOU BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL AND GETTING BURNED OUT? IS THE LORD CALLING YOU? FRESH START?

Jesus came to his Peter at just the right time – Jesus visited Peter at the time he needed him the most…verses 5-6…Jesus appeared to them and even though they didn’t recognize him, he helped them through their crisis…it was a crisis of faith, of trust…they did not lack knowledge about Jesus, or time with Jesus…it was not that they needed to believe he was raised from the dead… they needed to trust him and what he had already told them…God has a way of showing up at these times in our life…we don’t often recognize him when he comes to us…but Jesus meets us where we are to help us get where we need to be… DO YOU NEED JESUS TO SHOW UP IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW? LOOK FOR HIM…

Jesus asked Peter the right questions…verses 15-17… notice what Jesus did not ask Peter:

Did you fail? Did you go back to your old ways?
Did you deny me? Did you lie about me, Peter?
Where were you when I needed you?

Jesus simply asked Peter, “Do you love me? Do you love me more than fishing, more than you love your friends? Do you love me, Peter? Do you trust me?” That’s the heart of what Jesus was asking Peter. Let me ask the same question Jesus asked Peter: DO YOU LOVE ME? A simple yes is all he needs.

That’s all Jesus needs from us to give us a fresh start, to get us back on track.

Fear. Mistrust. Denial. After Peter had denied Jesus there was a cloud of shame hanging over him. In his conversation with Peter, Jesus goes to the heart of Peter’s denial: fear.

It was a trust issue.

Do you trust Jesus? Do you trust him enough to lose control of your life? Do you trust him with your failures? Do you trust him enough to jump out of the boat? Do you trust him with your shame? Do you trust him enough to get everything into the open, every sin and failure? Do you trust him enough to change direction when what you’re doing isn’t what he wants you to do?

What do you do if you don’t love Jesus? If you don’t trust him?

Revelation 2:5 gives us the answer:

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

I like the way another translation says it,

“Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste…” Three things we must do if we have failed, if we have turned back from Jesus, if our faith is weak:

Remember… Jesus, remember his words of love to you

Repent… turn away from fear and unbelief, from cynicism and mistrust

Recover… what the Lord called you to do