Peter Restored

Peter Restored

Westhill Community Church 12 Dec 2021

Reading: John 21: 1-23

This is the final topic in our series on Encounters with Jesus. We are looking at Simon Peter’s encounter with Jesus beside Lake Galilee, a week or two after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

Now I suppose one question that might come to mind on reading this account from John’s gospel is, what were the disciples doing in Galilee? John says this was now the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples as a group (v 14). The previous two times had been in Jerusalem, the first on the evening of resurrection Sunday (John 20: 19-24) and the second a week later (John 20: 26-29). And during one of these meetings hadn’t Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem until they had been clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49)?

It is true that Jesus told them to gather together in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But first he told them to return to Galilee. When he appeared to some of the women as they left the garden tomb Jesus said, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Matt 28: 10). In fact Jesus himself had told them this before he went to the cross. He said. “After I have risen I will go ahead of you into Galilee” (Matt 26: 32).

In the normal course of events the disciples would have remained in Jerusalem for at least one week after celebrating Passover, because the seven days following the sacrifice of the Passover lamb were a national holiday – the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It was during this time of their stay in Jerusalem that Jesus’ first two resurrection appearances to them all had taken place. But Jesus’ instructions to them were clear. After celebrating this feast in Jerusalem they were to return to Galilee, and he would meet them there.

So here they were, back in Galilee. And what were they going to do? For three years they had been actively involved in Jesus’ ministry, always on the go, oftentimes missing out on sleep. Their previous life before meeting Jesus was now but a distant memory. Even two weeks ago, or thereabouts, the crowds had been demanding constant attention, and deafening in their rapturous support of Jesus as they had all entered Jerusalem in triumph. But now all of this had come to an abrupt end. No crowds following their every move now. No tasks to perform to support Jesus’ ministry. In fact apparently no Jesus ministry, and no Jesus, either. Oh, yes, they had witnessed the amazing truth of his resurrection, and experienced the indescribable joy of seeing his resurrected body up close. But even so most of them had only seen him twice in the last couple of weeks since he was raised, just once if your name was Thomas, and right now he was nowhere to be seen, and they had no idea what he was doing or when he might turn up again. The days stretched out before them, empty and meaningless.

I think that helps us better understand Peter’s sudden announcement one evening, “I’m going fishing,” and the swift response of six others, “We’re going with you!”

I think sometimes the most difficult times we face are when our usual activities are brought to an abrupt end, when the purpose and vision that once motivated us is no longer relevant. It might be retirement from a lifetime’s work that threatens to leave us without meaningful purpose. It might be the sudden onset of serious illness, for ourselves or a close loved one, that turns our life completely upside down. For some it might be the restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic that put normal activities on hold.

In such times we are tempted to feel that we are no longer in a place where God can use us or meet with us. Maybe we once believed that we were fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives, but now things have changed we are not so sure. We may feel that what we do has very little meaning for this life, and has even less impact for eternity. And we may feel that in the place we are now it is very unlikely that we will meet with Jesus in a significant way, or even at all. Maybe you are one of those who can no longer worship along with others in a church building, but instead have to watch services online. When you attended church in person you would often hear God speaking to you, but now watching from home you doubt whether that would be possible, because you’re not in the place where God is moving and working.

Did the disciples feel that way, I wonder? Jesus had said he would go ahead of them to Galilee, but Galilee is a big place. How would they know where to find him? With the benefit of the gospel record we know precisely where Jesus intended to meet them, and precisely what he intended to accomplish. For he intended to meet them on a mountainside in Galilee – I imagine the same mountainside from which he had previously taught them during his ministry – and there commission them with a calling and vision that would motivate the church through the ages, continuing undiminished until he comes again. Matthew tells us the story.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matt 28: 16-20)

Jesus intended to meet them on a Galilee mountain. I don’t know when he told them about this, or when the right time was to meet him. I only know that the disciples were not up on the mountain, nor were they heading that way. They were down on the lake, aimlessly occupied in a very unsuccessful pastime. How could they hope to meet with Jesus there?

Now there are three things in this account that I believe we need to understand and hold onto by faith.

Jesus meets us where we are.

Jesus deals with our shortcomings and failings.

Jesus calls us to a ministry and purpose that fits us perfectly.

1. Jesus meets us where we are.

Jesus was not waiting on top of a nearby mountain for the disciples to find him. He went to where they were. They encountered him whilst they were engaged in their unsuccessful fishing trip. More than that, he actually participated in what they were doing, enabling them to net a large catch of fish. I am not saying that we can expect to encounter him if we are not seeking him, although that actually was the experience of Saul of Tarsus. The Bible says, “Seek and you will find.” But, like Zacchaeus sitting in the tree, when we seek Jesus comes to where we are, whatever our circumstances. He knocks on our door.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Rev 3: 20)

When we wander from him, he is the good shepherd that seeks us out and brings us home rejoicing. Psalm 40 tells us

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. (Psalm 40: 1-3)

He comes into our slimy pit to lift us out.

2. Jesus deals with our shortcomings and failings.

And this brings me to the second point: Jesus deals completely with our shortcomings and failings. There were still issues that needed to be dealt with, particularly with Peter who had denied him three times on the night of Jesus’ trial. Luke tells us that Jesus had already met with Peter, on Resurrection Sunday (Luke 24: 34). We do not know what took place during that meeting, but whatever it was there was clearly some unfinished business. Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter. “Simon, do you love me?” Three times Jesus asked, and John tells us that on the third time Peter felt emotional pain.

Our society today seems to be rapidly embracing a philosophy that says causing any kind of pain to another or causing them offence is wrong, indeed evil. In many, many cases that may indeed be true; but Jesus actions here show us that pure love can sometimes cause pain, indeed might even give offence.

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” … No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Heb 12: 5-11)

The surgeon cuts deep to remove all traces of a tumour, and the Lord cuts deep to deal with the source of our follies and shortcomings. But always with grace. Remember that, his objective is always to pour on us the oil of grace, to bless us with his undeserved, boundless favour.

3. Jesus calls us to a ministry and purpose that fits us perfectly.

Jesus always calls us to follow him, and that always means that he commissions us with a mission, with a task or tasks to carry out in his name and for his glory. Now there is a mission that is corporate, that all of us are called to fulfil. That mission Jesus spoke of to Peter and others when he first called them, when he said, “I will make you to become fishers of men.” And that mission he re-stated with greater clarity a few days after this breakfast by the lake, when on a nearby mountain he issued the Great Commission that is shared by each one of us that follow him.

‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matt 28: 18-20)

But, in addition to this over-riding calling, Jesus also gives tasks to each of us individually. Jesus assigned to Peter the task of feeding the flock, teaching and caring for the fledgling Christian community, much as Jesus himself had taught and cared for the disciples. But when Peter asked, “What are you asking John to do?” Jesus replied, “Don’t concern yourself with my calling and gifting to others – you ensure that you yourself follow me closely!”

Peter might have been tempted to compare himself to others, and maybe he thought of himself as a failure. His commitment to Jesus had been revealed to be hollow and empty. Even in his professional capacity as a fisherman he seemed no longer able to cut the mustard. But Jesus showed him that God’s perspective is different. He does not see you as what you are now or what you have been, but as what you will become in his hands. God loves to take those that the world despises and use them to accomplish great things for his glory.

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. (1 Cor 1: 27-30).

In Jesus Peter was fully righteous, fully holy, fully redeemed. And so too are you, if you belong to Jesus, no matter what your own view of yourself is, or the views of others. And so are we all, as a company of his people, as a church here in this community of Westhill. And he will indeed use us to accomplish great things, not for our glory but for his.