Peter’s Second Restoration (John 21)

This sermon was preached on 19/6/2011

This incident is the seventh of the recorded appearances of Jesus after his resurrection and the third to his apostles (the previous two occurred in Jerusalem, one on the resurrection day and the other a week later when Thomas confessed his faith in Jesus). As far as Peter is concerned, this is the fourth time that he has met the risen Christ because he had a personal meeting in addition to those he had shared with the other apostles. On that personal occasion, he had received forgiveness from Jesus and restoration (otherwise he would not have rejoined the apostolic group).

John here lists seven disciples, but his list is unusual in that he mentions the two worst failures before the others. Peter had denied Jesus, and Thomas had refused to believe in his resurrection. It would have been possible for John not to have named them because he include a couple of nameless disciples. Surely his example here is a challenge to how we honour restored disciples. Instead of putting them to the end of the line, he puts them at the beginning, giving them a place of respect.

This incident also reminds us that most of the disciples were poor, dependent on daily work to meet their needs, with fishing being their main occupation before they became disciples of Jesus. Yet they were the men who, with others such as Paul and Barnabas, were later to turn the world upside down when they spread the faith to the world. By the time John wrote these words, he was living in Ephesus in modern Turkey, Peter had reached Rome with the gospel and had died there, and Thomas had taken the gospel to India.

Bishop Ryle stresses the small detail that John mentions regarding the power of the Saviour’s voice when he tells us in verse 8 that the boat was one hundred yards out in the water, yet the disciples heard Jesus clearly. We know that one’s voice carries over water, nevertheless to be clearly heard at such a distance indicates that the Saviour was a powerful speaker in the open-air.

There is an obvious parallel between this occasion and the time when Simon was given his personal call to the apostleship by Jesus, recorded in Luke 5. On each occasion the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing, but when guided by Jesus where to fish they made a good catch. The obvious lesson from both incidents is that Peter was being reminded that he could do nothing without Jesus. This is a lesson that we have to learn many times. Sometimes Jesus will, in providence, bring about similar situations to the one where we first learned this lesson, as he did with Peter here. It was good for Peter, as he set out on this new stage in his discipleship, to realise that even his experiences as a restored disciple did not do away with this essential aspect of discipleship, total and ongoing dependence on Jesus.

The delay of Jesus

The disciples had gone to Galilee from Jerusalem because Jesus had told them that he would meet them there. He had not yet appeared, and the disciples decided to spend a night fishing, perhaps to obtain some money for supplies. Some commentators suggest that Peter was impatient, but there is no hint of this in the passage. We are not told why they went fishing.

There is an important message for Peter and the other disciples here. They knew that obedience is the path of blessing, but they were learning that it does not result in immediate blessing. Out of obedience, they had gone to Galilee to see Jesus and he had not yet appeared. They had to learn that Jesus was sovereign over every detail of their lives, even to the point of deciding when to meet them.

Peter and his friends here also learned another important lesson, which was that Jesus loves to give surprises to his people (we noted in the previous chapter that he gave surprise visits to Peter personally and to the disciples corporately on the day he rose from the dead). On this occasion, the disciples knew that they had to meet Jesus at an appointed mountain in Galilee: ‘Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them’ (Matt. 28:16). This meeting would involve all the disciples on a mountainside (perhaps near to where they were), but since all the disciples were not there, they had no reason to expect to meet Jesus on this particular day. Yet he came and revealed himself to them. And he does this for us as well. Often we have unexpected visits from Jesus. We may be anticipating meeting him at a conference or during a series of special meetings – such are the equivalent of the mountain in Galilee. Yet he may give us a visit today or tomorrow – while we are reading his Word or praying to him, we sense his presence in a special manner.

There is a third lesson for Peter and the disciples here, which was that they discovered once again that Jesus had sympathy for them in their weakness. Jesus had been aware of their miserable night when they caught nothing. He was under no obligation to come and help them, yet he did. Jesus did not need the fish that he enabled them to catch, because he already had fish prepared for their meal (although he did use some of the fish that they had caught). Yet he asked them if they had any food (verse 5). He did not ask because he was ignorant of their fruitless night’s work, nor did he ask because he was in personal need himself. The reason he asked was to open a way for them to experience his fullness. They would receive plenty when they confessed their emptiness. So we can see here another example of the sufficiency of Jesus to meet all our needs. Yet I don’t think we benefit enough from the sympathy that Jesus shows to us when our helplessness is on display.

The dinner of Jesus

The disciples discovered that Jesus had a meal (breakfast) ready for them. It is obvious that he knew where to find them, which should have been a great comfort to them. We can note too the term of endearment by which he addressed them: ‘Children.’ They were his servants, but he addressed them as his family.

Yet the most impressive aspect of the meal is that it was prepared for and served by Jesus – he handled the food personally to them. He revealed himself on this occasion as the Servant. Perhaps the feeding of the 5000 came to mind as they received the bread and the fish from him, because on that occasion he had handed to them bread and fish to pass on to the multitude. If that event did come to mind, we can see an obvious connection with how Peter was to feed Christ’s sheep – take spiritual provision from Jesus and pass it on to his people.

Probably they were reminded of his actions in the upper room when he, the Host, became the Servant and washed their feet. By his symbolic action, Jesus was teaching them that he would be working with them, taking care of them. Wherever they would go, they could depend on him.

The desire of Jesus

Jesus asks Peter three searching questions. First, he asks Peter if he loves Jesus more than his other disciples do. This is connected to Peter’s proud boast in the upper room that even if the other disciples would deny Jesus, he would not. At that time, Peter did think that he loved Jesus better than the others did. He now knew that he could never again say that he did. Peter’s love was marked by humility, not self-confidence. Having heard Peter’s confession, Jesus commissions him to feed his lambs (new believers, young believers). It seems that humility is an essential aspect of teaching such about Jesus.

The next question is shorter, and contains no comparisons. Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Upon Peter’s affirmation that he did, Jesus commissions him to feed his sheep. Yet Peter needs to have another qualification if he is to serve Jesus well, and it is the third question that brings this quality to the surface. The third question reminds Peter of his threefold denial, and he is grieved by the memory. In order to be a diligent servant, Peter needed a wounded heart. There had to be sorrow for his failings, a spirit of repentance.

Yet Peter also used a very effective argument as he responded to Jesus – he appealed to the omniscience of Jesus. This was not a proud claim to a personal ability, rather it was a humble acknowledgement of the superiority of his Master; and with this humble love to Jesus in his heart, Peter was ready to be a disciple. Simon had revealed the key to true discipleship: it is not love for the role nor is it love for one’s fellow disciples, important as both these aspects are. One cannot be a disciple without love for Jesus.

This is what Jesus wanted to hear – true love from a broken heart. As David says of God in Psalm 51:17: ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.’ If Jesus were to ask us a question today, it is this question, ‘Do you love me?’ The truthful answer to that question says everything about us.

The discipleship of Peter – four requirements

The initial impression that one gets of Peter in this situation is that of eagerness. He was first to run to Jesus once he had been identified. Also he had gone to get some of the fish and bring it to his Master when asked. It is very important for a disciple to engage in immediate responses, although from another perspective Peter’s actions may have only been caused by his impulsive personality. In addition to such prompt response to Christ, Peter had to have other qualities in his discipleship.

One requirement that Jesus stresses to Peter was that he had to use his gifts in serving Christ by helping his people. Peter’s particular gift was teaching the people of God, described here as feeding them. The same obligation is required of us. In order to be a disciple of Jesus, we must be more than enthusiastic, we must use our gifts in serving Jesus as he directs.

A second requirement that Jesus stresses to Peter was that of faithfulness, no matter the price. Peter was informed by Jesus that eventually he would become a martyr for his Master’s cause: ‘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.” (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”’ (vv. 18-19). Simon would live the rest of his life knowing that one day he would pay the ultimate price. Yet the knowledge of his destiny was not a reason for trying to avoid it. If he was going to be a disciple he had to be faithful. This demand is also made of us. Faithfulness is not only shown by big events (such as martyrdom) but in the ongoing commitment to Jesus wherever we are.

A third requirement for Peter as a disciple was to remain focussed on his own particular calling and not to pry into Christ’s plans for the other disciples. Jesus forbids Peter to engage in comparisons; he was not to concern himself with John’s future. One obvious reason for this rebuke was that Peter could not take care of John – only Jesus could do so. In addition, comparison is a sure way to despondency. Sometimes ministers compare their situation with the locations that others have, and the result is usually depression and despair. Or any disciple can contrast his gifts with the apparently superior talents of another, and this too can lead to despondency. Instead each disciple should focus on the task that God has given him or her, and leave the work of others to Christ.

It is certain that the apostle John wrote this account after Peter had been put to death. Perhaps John included it as a tribute to the memory of his friend. He wanted Peter to be remembered as a disciple who, despite the denial he had made, loved his Master passionately. By the time John wrote this account, Peter had taken care of thousands of his Master’s lambs and sheep, and eventually he heard the Good Shepherd calling him to his reward.

The fourth requirement for Peter was to have feelings in his religious outlook. Love includes feelings of warmth and delight. As J. C. Ryle puts it, ‘Let us take heed that there is some feeling in our religion. Knowledge, orthodoxy, correct views, regular use of forms, a respectable moral life – all these do not make up a true Christian. There must be some personal feeling towards Christ. Feeling alone, no doubt, is a poor useless thing, and may be here today and gone tomorrow. But the entire absence of feeling is a very bad symptom, and speaks ill for the state of a man's soul. The men and women to whom Paul wrote his Epistles had feelings, and were not ashamed of them. There was One in heaven whom they loved, and that One was Jesus the Son of God. Let us strive to be like them, and to have some real feeling in our Christianity, if we hope to share their reward.’

What matters for us is not whether we have had the exact experiences of Peter, but whether we can say with him, ‘Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.’