Come and See: The Highest Priority

A small-town congregation gathers in a familiar rhythm of announcements, prayers, and pastoral care before turning to John 21 for a lesson on restoration, priority, and service. The narrative re-presents Peter at the lakeshore after resurrection appearances: a humbled disciple, still wounded by denial, meets the risen Lord who asks three times, "Do you love me?" Each question invites honest confession, repair, and renewed commissioning. The dialogue exposes the gap between human affection and divine expectation—between the warm loyalty of friendship and the sacrificial breadth of agape—yet also shows how grace meets weakness and redirects it toward fruitful work.

Restoration is portrayed not as dismissal or shame, but as affirmation that broken people remain useful in God’s economy. Jesus does not excoriate Peter into silence; he asks, confirms, and sends him to "feed my sheep." The sermon emphasizes that love for Jesus must translate into obedience and service: priority determines effectiveness. Making Jesus the chief concern reshapes worship, ministry, and mission, so that church activities flow from allegiance rather than ambition.

The talk refuses perfection as a precondition for ministry. Rather, vulnerability, confession, and the hard work of reconciliation become pathways to renewed fruitfulness. Pain is acknowledged as a common instrument of restoration—God often uses grief and regret to pry open hearts—but that pain is not final. Those who return are sent back into the fields with responsibility and promise. The congregation is urged to be a people who pursue the fallen, who invite “come and see” moments, and who welcome people back into service even when their love is imperfect. The closing appeal is both pastoral and practical: adore Jesus enough to be faithful, accept that friendship-love may be the starting point, and let restoration culminate in obedience and fruitful labor for the kingdom.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Restoration follows honest confession Restoration begins when a person faces failure without evasion. Admission of sin dismantles the self-justifying narratives that keep people exiled from community, and confession becomes the hinge that lets grace swing back into life. The invitation to repent is also an invitation to re-enter service, not merely to be forgiven but to be remobilized for God’s purposes. [49:11]
• 2. Obedience matters more than profession Verbal claims of love are insufficient if they do not result in changed living. Jesus’ questions to Peter expose the difference between declaring loyalty and practicing it; obedience is the measurable fruit of affection. When love is tested, obedience is the crucible where true devotion is proven and strengthened for ministry. [38:30]
• 3. God uses pain to restore people Suffering often strips away pretenses and reveals spiritual need, making people teachable and humble. Restoration is frequently painful because it requires confronting truth, repairing relationships, and surrendering pride. Yet the pain is redemptive: it opens the way for renewal and recommissioning to faithful work. [65:04]
• 4. Friendship-love can lead to faithful work Imperfect love—phileo—does not disqualify someone from serving; it can be the honest starting point for renewed obedience. Jesus accepts the disciple’s honest affection and sends him out: the threshold to ministry is often sincerity, followed by growing fidelity. God’s grace turns friendship into faithfulness when people are put back to work feeding his sheep. [54:45]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [03:32] - Opening announcements and greetings
• [04:57] - Hope Connect postponement explained
• [07:23] - VBS and volunteer needs
• [09:44] - Corporate prayer and petitions
• [14:23] - Special love offering instructions
• [28:50] - Psalm reading and call to bold witness
• [34:27] - Sermon begins: John 21 introduction
• [41:19] - Peter at the shore: the dialogue
• [49:11] - Restoration: stories and application
• [54:45] - Agape vs. phileo: love examined
• [61:06] - Priority of Jesus and faithful service
• [67:06] - Invitation, prayer, and altar call
• [74:54] - Final prayers, membership, and dismissal

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon:

Bible Reading

John 21:15-19 (ESV)
> 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
> 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
> 17 He said to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
> 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you were dressed yourself and went 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.”
> 19 (This he said to indicate by what kind of death he would glorify God.) And after he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Observation questions

1. After Jesus had breakfast with the disciples, what was the first question He asked Peter? [41:19]
2. When Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, what was Peter's initial response, and what did Jesus then tell him to do? [42:26]
3. What was Peter's reaction when Jesus asked him the same question a third time, and what did Jesus instruct him to do after Peter's final answer? [42:46]
4. The sermon mentioned that "Restoration is portrayed not as dismissal or shame, but as affirmation that broken people remain useful in God’s economy." [34:52] How does Jesus' interaction with Peter in this passage illustrate this idea?

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus asks Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" [41:19] What might "these" refer to in this context, and what does this question reveal about the nature of Jesus' concern for Peter's priorities?
2. The text notes that Peter was "grieved" when Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" [42:46] What might have caused Peter's grief, and what does this suggest about the depth of his struggle and the process of his restoration?
3. Jesus uses two different Greek words for "love" in His questions to Peter (agape) and Peter's responses (phileo). [54:03] What is the significance of this difference, and how does Jesus' acceptance of Peter's response demonstrate His grace?
4. The sermon states, "Obedience matters more than profession." [38:30] How does Jesus' repeated command to "Feed my sheep" or "Tend my sheep" after Peter's affirmations of love demonstrate this principle?

Application questions

1. The story of Peter's restoration highlights that honest confession is the starting point for healing. [49:11] When have you found it difficult to admit a failure or a mistake, and what might be a small step you can take this week to practice more honest confession in your relationships or with God?
2. Jesus' questions to Peter reveal a gap between human affection and divine expectation, but also show how grace meets weakness. [34:52] Think about a time you felt inadequate or unqualified to serve. How can the example of Peter encourage you to believe that God can still use you, even with imperfect love? [54:45]
3. The sermon emphasizes that "priority determines effectiveness." [01:01:06] If Jesus is truly our highest priority, how should that shape the way we approach our daily activities, our conversations, and our involvement in ministry?
4. Pain is acknowledged as an instrument of restoration. [01:05:04] Can you recall a time when a difficult experience, though painful, ultimately led to spiritual growth or a deeper reliance on God? How can you lean into God's work in your life during current or future challenges?
5. Jesus' repeated commission to Peter, "Feed my sheep," shows that restoration leads to renewed purpose and service. [42:26] What is one specific way you can actively serve or encourage someone in your community or church this week, even if you feel your "friendship-love" is just a starting point? [59:43]
6. The sermon suggests that "friendship-love can lead to faithful work." [54:45] How can you intentionally cultivate a deeper, more obedient love for Jesus that moves beyond mere affection to active service, even when it feels challenging?