COLERAINE
INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES SUNDAY
21 JULY 2024 PM – MR ANDREW DALY
JOHN 13 VERSES
36 – 38 – IS FAILURE FINAL?
There are so many examples in the word of
God where men and women failed the Lord.
Throughout church history there are examples of people who failed
too. Abraham, that great patriarch who
was set aside for the service of God yet he failed the Lord. The Psalmist David, known in the Acts of the
Apostles as the man after God’s own heart failed and failed miserably. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. He had Uriah her husband sent to the front of
the battle. He became an adulterer and a
murderer. Peter is the most striking of
failures of all when he denied the Lord.
The Lord had chosen and called him into his service, to leave behind his
boats and business to wholly follow the Lord.
He was the leader among the disciples, a brave, strong man but also a
volatile man. The last you would expect
to fall down in such a fashion yet he failed the Lord. Failure is not final. Through the mercy and grace and love of God failure
wasn’t final. Nor was it fatal in the
life of Peter. We are in John 13 in the
Upper Room. Jesus and the 11
disciples. Judas has gone out into the
night and betrayed the Lord. Jesus is
ministering to his remaining disciples, to prepare them for what was coming
ahead. It was the night before the
crucifixion. In a few hours they would
go up to the Garden of Gethsemane. They
would see Jesus praying to his Father in heaven. They would see the drops of blood dripping
from his brow. Here he is ministering to
them in his last hours. He has been
telling them for the past 6 months that he has to go, he will die but he will rise
again. He tells them he is going but
where he is going his disciples cannot go with him. Peter was struck more than the others. His failure was predicted. The Lord knew before the foundation of the
world that Peter would be the one who would deny him. If you were to read John’s gospel you would
see that Jesus knew all that would happen to the people he met. He knew Nicodemus, the woman at the
well. He knows his sheep. He is all knowing. He was ministering to his disciples about
going away. Peter is bewildered and asks
where he is going. He is bewildered by
what he has seen and heard. As he heard
these words the full impact is dawning on him. They received much instruction
from Jesus but didn’t fully take it all in.
They had preconceived ideas of who Jesus was. They were now being told what was actually going
to happen. Jesus was going to go away,
going to die. They didn’t fully get
it. They couldn’t come now but they
would one day. Peter knew the Old
Testament revelation of what happened after someone died. They did not have any meaningful revelation
of what happened after death. This was
before the resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit made a
difference. Paul to Timothy said “our
Saviour has abolished death and brought life and immortality through the
gospel.” That is what Christ has
done. He has abolished death for the
believer. Death has lost its sting. It became the gateway into the heavenly
realm. Peter is not grasping it. He couldn’t understand why he couldn’t go
with Jesus. The questions Peter asked
are similar to what many ask today – what lies beyond the grave, where am I
going after I die, where is Jesus Christ and how do I get to where he is? Peter was bewildered – verse 36.
Peter’s boastfulness – verse
37. Why cannot I follow thee? You must know that I would lay down my life
for your sake. He is starting to grasp
Jesus is going to the cross. If he is
going to die he was willing to die too.
Peter believed that in that moment as he came to love the Lord with a deep
and warm affection for him, he was perfectly willing to lay down his life for
Jesus. What a paradox between him and
Judas. After seeing the treachery of
Judas his resolve was strengthened that he would never betray the Lord in a
despicable way. Rather he would lay down
his life for his Saviour. As Peter
thought and reflected there was no sense of doubting. His personal devotion for Christ is evident. Christ knew all about his future betrayal
just as he knew about Judas. Christ knew
Peter well enough. Verse 38. The word “deny” doesn’t mean to pretend to
not to know but rather to utterly utterly deny.
Peter is making a big statement.
Not only will you not lay down your life for me but you will utterly
utterly deny me. He would plumb the utter
depths of cowardice. No blame or malice
on Jesus’ part. Peter doesn’t seem to
answer back which was so unlike him. He
was silent. Was he examining his own
life? Failure was predicted.
John 18 failure was perpetuated. Verses 15 – 18, 25 to 27. In a short space of time Peter went from
being staunchly loyal to Christ, I stand with you, I will die for you to now he
is standing by the fire warming himself and denying the Lord. Not once, not twice but 3 times just as Jesus
predicted. Perhaps we can be up with the
Lord on the mountaintop and the next minute we have failed him. Peter utterly denies the Lord. “I will lay down my life for you.” He hadn’t realised the fragility of his
nature which fights against the new man.
Peter thought he was strong enough to fight against the old nature. “wherefore him that thinketh he standeth take
heed lest he fall.” Peter thought he was
standing but didn’t realise the human condition of his heart. Do you think you can stand? To follow first your heart? To follow your feelings? We go off track from the Lord. “The heart is deceitful above all things who
can know it?” We need to be grounded on
the unchangeable word of God. Peter knew
God in his heart but he is now failing in a dramatic way. His weakness which made him fall as he warms
himself at the worlds fire. He did not
think Satan would not get a foothold. He
was willing to die now he is denying the Lord 3 times. Just as Christ predicted. Matthew records his reaction when on the
third denial he heard the cock crowing.
He wept bitterly. He reached a
depth he never thought he would. He
thought his ministry was over. He was
one of the strong disciples, a messenger of the gospel. Now he has failed. That could have been fatal. It could have been final. God’s grace reaches further than our
failure. Love is wider than we could
ever get around. His failure was not
fatal.
His failure was pardoned. John 21.
Jesus had a private meeting with Peter before there was a public
declaration – 1 Corinthians tells us he was seen of Cephas which is Peter and
then the rest of the disciples. That
fisherman’s heart must have been broken.
He confessed to the Lord that he had failed him. The Lord assured him of his forgiveness,
grace and mercy. It was possible to have
a new beginning. There is one faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There must be a public declaration. John 21 takes place at the Sea of Galilee. The Roman name for Tiberius. Imagine the morning sun coming up over the
mountains and hitting that sea making it glisten. Right out in the middle was a boat with 7 big
fishermen on it. They had been out all
night and caught nothing. They were
experienced fishermen and had caught nothing.
They were disappointed and cold.
They could see a figure on the shore preparing a fire. They heard a voice calling them “Children
have ye any meat?” Who else could it be
but the Lord? A public restoration for
Peter. The disciples witnessed a miracle
because the creator brought in the fish into the net. They had a great catch. They were unmistaken about the work of
God. Peter realises who it is. He jumps out of the boat and swims to the
shore. He found a Saviour who met his
every need. Jesus knew they were cold
and he prepared a fire. He knew they
were hungry and he provided them with breakfast. He knew they needed fellowship even though
they had each other. They had fellowship
with the risen Lord. He met them at their
very point of need. “My God shall supply
all your needs in Christ Jesus.” He met
their physical need then their spiritual need.
Peter would be commissioned to the service of God. He needed to confess the Lord 3 times around
that fire. He did so on the shores of
Galilee. Verses 15 to 17. There are several things to notice in these
verses. The love Simon had, it had to be
his priority. The Lord questioned him in
verse 15. Did you notice the extra 3
words – “more than these”. Those words
have caused some debate down through the centuries. Was he pointing to the other fishermen, his
friends and companions? Andrew his
brother was in amongst that company.
That man who had grown up with him, who had led him to the Lord. Jesus had previously said “he that loveth
father and mother more is not worthy.” Imagine Peter locking his eyes on Andrew. The Lord is asking him “lovest thou me more
than these?” Maybe he is pointing to the
boats and nets and asking “do you love me more than these things?” Christ is examining his heart. He is determining his motives to see if he
loved him more than the old way of life, more than the business, more than
making a profit. It is so easy to get
caught up with material things but what about our devotion for the Lord? Do we love the Lord more than created
things? Do you love me more than these
disciples? Will you die for me? Peter examine your heart – is there an idol
that is taking my place? Something in
your life you are giving more affection to?
Maybe it is time for a little self-reflection of our own. So often our love for the Lord is low. Maybe there is something in your heart that
has dampened your affection for the Lord.
A family business, church activities.
Let’s be like Peter and examine our hearts. “Lovest thou me more than these?” Love had to be a priority. Love had to be personal – verse 16. Christ has cut all those things out of his
life. He is driving home the main
thing. The glow of your affections, the
devotion of your feelings that really mattered.
It had to be pertinent.
Agape love is the strongest, highest selfish love. It is the word attributed to God’s love in
John 3 verse 16. A love that cannot be
surpassed. There is another love – phileo
love. A bond between good friends. The Lord is asking in 2 questions – lovest thou
me – agape love, the highest love. Peter
realises he cannot say that. His
response is I have affection for you.
That is the word used in verse 17.
Jesus asked him a third time “lovest thou me?” The bond of friendship. The Lord has lowered the bar and rattled
Peter. The Lord is searching his
heart. He has to come with an honest
confession. He is not boasting any more. He does not have his sword, he is literally
confession, he is being honest. Lord my
love is not what it ought to be. Not
only confession here but there is a commission.
Verse 15. “Feed my lambs”, “feed
my sheep”, “feed my sheep”. If you love
me here’s the way to express it. The
love for the sheep is determined by the tender shepherding of the sheep. Our love must be expressed in action and
attitude to others. It is reflective of
our love for Christ. John 13 set that
standard – “as I have loved you.” That
is sacrificial love, unconditional love, Christ’s love. No group we don’t love. No exclusive groups once we care for others. The Lord gives Simon a new commission. He was called to be a fisher of men, an
evangelist. Now he is being given a broader
remit – he is being given souls to care for in a pastoral ministry. God gave that servant a mighty task to feed
the flock of God. He became a bold rock. He stood before the Sanhedrin who had the
ability to put him to death. He told
them they had put their Messiah to death.
He became a theological giant as he wrote 2 amazing epistles recorded in
our word of God today. He died in
crucifixion upside down – he didn’t feel worthy enough to die the same way his
master had. The Lord used Peter after he
pardoned his failures. Failure is never
fatal. It is never final. Maybe you have failed the Lord. Maybe you have been silent when you should
have spoken or spoken when you should have remained silent. The Lord is waiting on the shore of our disillusionment
and disappointment, waiting to restore a fallen disciple. He is faithful and just to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
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