Resurrection Grace: Renewal, Restoration, and Release

We are into the final week of our series called Alive. Uh and in this uh series, we've been tracing Jesus as he's uh headed towards the cross and then to uh resurrection that we saw last week. Uh and today we're actually going to step out of Luke's gospel. So, we've been there for the last four weeks, and we're going to finish this series in the book of John because this morning, what I really want to do is I want to move from seeing the resurrection as this profoundly significant moment for all of humanity to seeing the resurrection, the result of it in one life, to seeing it as a deeply personal thing. [00:09:12]

What do we do with our failures? What do we do with our failures? What do we do when we feel like we've let God down? When we feel like we've maybe failed the expectations that we had for ourself. when we feel like we've let others down or we've missed the mark. Now, our culture has tried to answer that question in a really interesting way. And the way that it's tried to answer it is with this phrase that I'm sure you've heard, no regrets. [00:71:26]

It's almost like we've decided that the ultimate sign of being enlightened, being modern and being progressive, is that we could look back over our life and we could examine everything that we've done and we could say, "I don't regret a thing. I wouldn't change a thing." It's a nice idea. But I think if we were honest, we would all say that there are things that if we were given our time over again, we would do differently. That there are words that we've said that we wish we could unsay. That there are actions that we've taken that we wish we uh didn't do. [00:123:36]

And I think the reason why this idea of no regrets has become so popular in our world is that for those who don't know Jesus, it's really scary to admit that you've been wrong. Like, what do you do with admitting you got it wrong when there's no one to put it right? What do you do with failure if there's no forgiveness? What do you do with regrets if there's no one to heal what has been broken? I think that's why our world has really caught on to this idea of no regrets. [00:160:00]

But John 21 speaks directly to this issue in our lives. John 21 really matters because here we see a picture of someone who really messed up. We see a picture of someone who I have no doubt is struggling with shame and deep, deep regret. before we jump into John 21, which will take us to the story of Peter this morning. You could turn there if you'd like. We'll be there in just a moment. But we read of Peter, but Peter's had quite a journey through the Gospels. [00:213:41]

We see this picture of him across the gospels. But I actually think he really believed it. He really believed that when push came to shove that he would die with Christ. He really believed that Jesus was the Messiah, that he was worth laying down your life for. But then we see, don't we, this famous story that when theory becomes practice, it quickly changes because in Luke 22, we see this moment that Jesus is predicted here in the courtyard of the high priest. Just after Jesus's arrest, Peter's asked three times, not by soldiers, mind you, but by a servant girl and some other bystanders. [00:327:11]

And the last time he actually says, "I I I don't know him. I swear I swear to you, I don't know Jesus." And we see there in Luke's gospel that as Peter declares that Jesus looks probably through the crowd, Jesus looks over to him and we read that Peter leaves weeping bitterly full of regret. Now I suspect that as much as he rejoiced in the resurrected Christ, I have no doubt that he was elated by the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead. I suspect that deep down in Peter's heart there was a deep shame sitting there. [00:384:43]

There was deep regret that what he had said that he really believed that he was willing to die for Jesus. that when the moment had come that Peter had denied Christ, that he rejected Christ in in Jesus's moment of need. That Peter had turned his back and like so many of the others, he had run and fled from Jesus. And the incredible thing is that John 21 in this passage, Jesus speaks to this directly. Jesus speaks to this moment. [00:424:43]

Now John 21 takes us to the Sea of Galilee back home for Peter. It's after the resurrection. It's after the women at the tomb. It's after uh the guys on the road to Emmas that we looked at last week. It's after Jesus has appeared to his disciples. Now we read that the disciples have gone back home. And some have read this as if they've given up, that they've fled, that they've kind of gone back to their old life. But Jesus has actually said to them, "Go back to Galilee and I will meet you there." And so they've done that. They've gone back and they're waiting. [00:551:16]

In a time of turmoil, in a time where kind of expectations had all of a sudden changed, Peter decides to go back to what he knows. Now, I'm not much of a fisherman. I'm really actually terrible at it. The best thing I've ever caught was a $50 note. I'm not even joking. It's literally the best thing I've ever caught. Best fish. Um, but I do know probably because I'm so poor at fishing that the frustration of fishing and not catching anything. It's like every time I go fishing, that's my story. I fish and I don't catch anything. And we read that the disciples, they fish all night. [00:601:41]

These are professional fishermanmen, a number of them, and they catch nothing. Now, I don't think it's unreasonable for us to then picture them on this boat as worn out. They've been working all night. And it's a physically uh uh taxing job, but they're also tired emotionally and spiritually because they're carrying a lot of disappointment that they're back here. This isn't how the story was supposed to go. They were supposed to be with Jesus, the Messiah, the son of God, as he ruled and he reigned and he overthrew the Romans and he restored them to their rightful place. That's where they were supposed to be. [00:637:36]

And yet here they are back on their old lake in their old boats. I also suspect for many of them there was a deep sense of regret that they had failed him, that they'd fled when the pressure was on. And so John tells us that as they're fishing and probably just as the sun is breaking over the horizon, Jesus joins them on the edge of the water and he calls out, they don't know it's him. He says, "Have you caught any fish?" Now, I love that because again, it's another example of like a lot of times gone past, but not much changes because I can't walk past someone who's fishing and not ask them that question. [00:679:12]

And then he says something to them that kind of sounds crazy. He says, "Hey, throw the net over the other side and you'll catch them." Now, this boat was probably about 3 m wide and it's the same lake on either side of the boat. And so they they do what he says. I mean, what have they got to lose? They've caught nothing. And so they throw it over and we read that the result is immediate. That suddenly the net is so full they can't haul it in. Then we see Peter's response in verse 7. [00:733:41]

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic, for he'd stripped for work, jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat, and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about 100 yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them, fish cooking over a charcoal fire and some bread. "Bring some of the fish you've just caught," Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn't torn. "Now come and have some breakfast," Jesus said. [00:767:21]

None of the disciples dared to ask, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. And so we read that as soon as the nets are bulging, John recognizes this must be Jesus. Only Jesus could have orchestrated this miracle. And so Peter's response is typical Peter. He leaves the hard work for the uh other guy still in the boat. He throws on his outer garment and he swims for shore. And there on the shore is Jesus standing over a charcoal fire cooking fish. [00:803:16]

But I also want to uh want to make sure that we don't miss the practical implications of this today because the disciples are worn out. But what does Jesus do? He meets with them and he feeds them. And it's the same response we see over in one Kings 19 to the prophet Elijah. We've spoken about that before. Elijah has seen God do amazing things, but then in fear he's run and he ends up in the wilderness. He's exhausted and he ends up in this deep depression. And if you read one Kings 19, what does God do? He provides him some food and he says, "Have us." [00:852:24]

But I want us just to to just to see this that for some of us in our exhaustion, what we need is rest and to eat. What you need is to have a good good lunch and a nap. And that that's actually something about that that we see through scripture. Like I've always tried to tell Cindy that, you know, having naps is biblical. I love a nap. I'm a master at taking a nap. But but there is for some of us that is literally what you need. You need to have something to eat, have a nap, and spend some time with Jesus because it's restorative. It brings energy. [00:940:23]

"After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "You know I love you." "Then feed my lambs," Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question. Simon, son of John, do you love me? Yes, Lord, Peter said. You know I love you. Then take care of my sheep, Jesus said. A third time he asked Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you. Jesus said, then feed my sheep. [00:991:45]

I tell you the truth. When you young, you were able to go able to do as you liked. You dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go. Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, "Follow me." Now Jesus speaks to Peter in the presence of the disciples as they're gathered around and he says to him, "Simon, son of John." [01:1030:00]

Now, I think it's not unreasonable to think that this first question that Jesus asks him when he says more than these, he's not talking about the fish. He's not talking about fishing. I suspect he's referring to the other disciples as they gathered around. He says, "Hey, Simon, do you love me more than these?" He's saying, "Do you love me more than the others do?" He's scratching beneath the surface of Peter's pride. Remember, we said at the start that Peter had once declared, "Jesus, even if everybody else deserts you, I never will." So Jesus is asking him to reflect on these statements after all that has happened. [01:1111:43]

Simon, can you claim that you have a greater love for me than all of these others? And notice here that Peter doesn't compare himself anymore. He just says, "Yes, Lord. You know I love you." And then Jesus responds to him, "Feed my lambs." And then we see the question repeated a second time and Peter answers the same again. And Jesus says to him, "Take care of my sheep." And then a third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? And Peter is upset this time. We read, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." And Peter uh Jesus replies, "Then feed my sheep." [01:1150:14]

Now, I don't think this moment or the significance of it was lost on the disciples. It certainly wasn't lost on John as he records this moment sometimes sometime later. Just as Peter had denied Christ three times, Jesus gives him the opportunity to declare his love three times. Now, if you're like me and you've heard this passage preached on before, you've probably heard much made of the words for love, the different Greek words that we find in our New Testament for the love that Jesus is using and Peter's using. And you can find sermons online if that's of interest to you. [01:1191:07]

But I think sometimes it can distract us from the simplicity of the question which is Peter, do you love me? Peter, do you love me? And Peter's response, yes, Lord. And Jesus says to him, well, now put it into practice. Serve my flock. Care for my followers. Even as Jesus says in the last part that we read, he says, "Follow me all of your days, even when it takes you to death." What an incredible moment it is as Jesus speaks with Peter here. It's the outworking of the resurrection because this story here is all about what the resurrection does. [01:1230:48]

Because Jesus is alive, there is grace. There's grace that finds Peter. There's grace that restores Peter. There's grace that sends Peter back into purpose. And so this morning as we close, I want us just to reflect on three really simple things. There's nothing sophisticated here today, but we read here three things. Firstly, that resurrection grace renews. Resurrection grace renews. If we wound back the clock three and a half years, there's something striking about this moment because this isn't the first time that Peter has fished all night and caught nothing. [01:1275:05]

But here we have another command from Jesus and another miraculous catch. It's not a coincidence. It's intentional grace. And Jesus is repeating the miracle here because he's reminding Peter of his calling. He's taking him back to where it all began, not to shame him, but to show him that nothing about his failure has cancelled Jesus's plans for his life. The calling still stands, Peter, Jesus is saying to him. And I think some of us perhaps need to hear that today. Maybe somewhere along the way, somewhere uh during your journey, you've stepped back. [01:1373:12]

You've let shame or disappointment or maybe just plain weariness pull you away from that calling. Maybe you've returned to what's familiar, to the old rhythms, the safe spaces, the same boats. But Jesus here is saying, "I know where you are. I know what you've walked through. and I haven't changed my mind about you. And so grace renews the call and says follow me again. Secondly, we see that resurrection grace restores. I want us to notice something here because John includes a detail that takes us right back to Peter's lowest moment. [01:1419:02]

But here's what I find so incredible. Jesus doesn't avoid the memory. He doesn't avoid the memory. He doesn't say, "Well, we're eating sushi today. There's no fish being cooked because I don't want to remind you." He actually brings Peter right back to it. And it's not to punish him. It's not to make him feel worse. It's actually to make it a moment of healing because here in front of the others, he gives Peter the chance to respond. And I love the fact that Jesus doesn't say to him, "Peter, are you sorry? Do you understand how badly you messed up? [01:1496:38]

How badly you let me down? Peter, of all of them, why did you do it?" Jesus doesn't ask that. He simply says, "Peter, do you love me?" Because what Jesus wants is Peter's heart back. He wants Peter's heart back. And maybe you've had moments as well where you feel like you've let God down and you wonder if that's it. Am I now disqualified? But what this moment shows us is that Jesus doesn't write people off. He doesn't bring shame. He brings restoration because that's what resurrection grace does. [01:1534:53]

Because resurrection grace doesn't just patch up our wounds and heal our hurt. It does more than that. It sends us out. You see, Peter was about to become the pillar, a pillar of the early church. Not because he was perfect, but because he was loved, because he was forgiven, and because he was willing to follow Jesus. And that's my challenge to you today is that resurrection grace, the grace that you and I have received as we come to know Christ, releases us to a life of serving Jesus. It releases us. It calls us and releases us to a life of ministry as we serve Jesus. [01:1612:05]

But whatever it is for you, your love for Jesus finds its expression in how you live. And so the question that Jesus asks Peter and he would ask each one of us is, "Do you love me? Do you love me?" And the message is clear to each one of us today that if your answer to that is yes, Jesus, you know I love you. Then he say, "Well, I've called you. Now live that out. I've called you. Now live it out." [01:1675:45]