The Restoration of Peter

John 21 : 15 – 25

Peter the disciple

Simon Peter was a prominent figure in the Gospel story. We haven’t been given a physical description of him but in my mind’s eye he is an imposing bearded, mature, married man with an outgoing personality. He was a man of action not given to introspection but impulsive. Peter must have been fairly affluent as Jesus based his Galilee mission in Peter’s house at Capernaum where Peter had a fishing partnership with his brother Andrew and the sons of Zebedee. He sometimes spoke his mind before engaging his brain but was consistent in his faith in Jesus.

Peter was introduced to Jesus by his brother Andrew who had been a disciple of John the Baptist. At that first meeting Jesus gave him the name Peter:

.Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1 verse 40 – 42)

Together with James and John,  Peter became part of the central core of the disciples who regularly followed Jesus. The three of them were privileged to share some very special moments with Jesus, The raising of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration and Gethsemane.

When Jesus asked the disciples who people thought he was, it was Peter who replied immediately:  

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16 : 16)

Jesus said in response;

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16 : 17 – 19)

There have been  arguments as to what Jesus meant by his words to Peter. Some believe that Jesus was placing Peter as the foundation stone of the church whereas most Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus was saying that Peter’s statement of faith in Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God”, would be the rock, the basis on which the community of believers would be built. Although Peter was a very influential character in the history of the early church when it came to leadership the apostles chose James, the brother of Jesus to head up the church in Jerusalem. Peter, like many of the other apostles became an itinerant preacher and teacher spreading the good news of Jesus Christ wherever he went. As an eyewitness to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and being as forthright as he was he exercised great moral authority among the followers of the Way as Christians were known.

Peter was also instrumental in opening up the Gospel to the Gentile population after his vision at Joppa and subsequent visit to the home of Cornelius. Given the fragmented nature of Christian fellowships in Rome at that time, it is unlikely that Peter would have recognised himself as Bishop of Rome as such titles and structures did not exist.                                                                                                                     

The last supper

As Jesus and the disciples celebrated that last Passover Jesus taught them a great deal in preparation for his coming passion. He had told them that he was going away. John records Peter’s response:

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later. “Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!  (John 13 : 36 – 38)

We are not told how but the disciple John had contacts within the High Priest’s court and was able to get into the courtyard where Jesus had been taken after his arrest. John arranged for Peter to get into the courtyard. John records the events:

Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,  but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.”  It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. (John 18 : 15 – 18)

As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not. “One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. (John 18 : 25 – 27)

At that point Peter remembered Jesus’ words and he broke down and wept bitterly and we don’t read about him again until Mary Magdalene told him of the empty tomb. Together with John, Peter rushed to the tomb and without hesitation he burst in and saw that it was empty.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians states that Peter was the first disciple to meet Jesus face to face after the resurrection.

Breakfast on the beach

Being at a loss to know what to do next, (after all the disciples had experienced first-hand the earth-shattering defeat of death, sin and the devil and it must have taken some time to come to terms with their change in circumstances), Peter suggested that they go fishing and it was while they were in their boat that Jesus appeared to them on the beach. The disciples hadn’t caught anything, perhaps they had lost the knack, so Jesus told them to cast the net on the other side of the boat and the result was a huge catch. Peter remembering a similar miracle when he first met Jesus (see Luke 5 : 4 – 8) realised that it was him and threw himself into the sea and swam to shore.

Jesus had prepared  a charcoal fire and cooked breakfast for the disciples using some bread he had brought and the fish they had caught.

It was after breakfast that Jesus took Peter aside and asked him:

 “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs. “Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. (John 21 : 15 – 17)

It was important that Peter realised that Jesus knew that despite the warning he had given him at the last supper, when challenged about his love for Jesus, he had denied him three times. Three times Jesus asked Peter to reaffirm his love for him and at the same time he commissioned him to be a pastor for the community that would eventually quickly grow.

Jesus prophesied about Peter’s final days and then concluded with the call that he had given him right at the beginning of his ministry, “Follow me”.

We are all different with unique strengths and weaknesses but despite all our efforts and best intentions we will, from time to time, be challenged about our faith and have to make the decision to stand firm in our love for Jesus and suffer the consequences or deny him and suffer the worse consequence of a guilty conscience and regret. Paul had some advice for the church members at Corinth:

 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

(1 Corinthians 10 : 13)

God has provided strength for us through the Holy Spirit if we only ask him to come into our lives.

Since, Lord, thou dost defend us with thy Spirit.

We know we at the end shall life inherit.

Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,

I’ll labour night and day to be a pilgrim.  John Bunyan

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for the example of the saints of old and praise you that your love and grace is still available to us even when we let you down. Help us by your Holy Spirit to confess when we have fallen short and resolve to follow you with sincere hearts. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen


Category: Sermons , The Bridge

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