John 21

“And God Said If”

If you never felt pain,

Then how would you know that I’m a Healer?

If you never went through difficulty,

How would you know that I’m a Deliverer?

If you never had a trial,

How could you call yourself an over-comer?

If you never felt sadness,

How would you know that I’m a Comforter?

If you never made a mistake,

How would you know that I’m forgiving?

If you never were in trouble,

How would you know that I will come to your rescue?

If you never were broken,

Then how would you know that I can make you whole?

If you never had a problem,

How would you know that I can solve them?

If you never had any suffering,

Then how would you know what I went through?

If you never went through the fire,

Then how would you become pure?

If I gave you all things,

How would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you,

How would you know that I love you?

If you had all power,

Then how would you learn to depend on me?

If your life was perfect,

Then what would you need me for?

If your life was perfect,

Then what would you need me for?

Failure is an event, not a destiny.

Only those who have greatly failed will truly appreciate this story.

How does Jesus restore His fallen disciple?

• He Sent for Him
  • Peter may have failed in the Upper Room, but Jesus sent for him.
  • Peter may have failed with Malchus, but Jesus sent for him.
  • Peter may have failed in the courtyard, but Jesus sent for him.
  • Realizing what he had done, Peter went outside and wept bitterly.
• He Met with Him
  • Where did Peter go after he denied Christ?
  • Where did Peter go after he denied Christ?
  • Sin separates us from God and from God’s people.
  • Peter was probably asking…
    • “Why? Why did I do it?”
    • “What made me think I was so much better than the others?”
    • “How could I have been so stupid?”
    • “What does Jesus think of me now?”
    • ¨“It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34).
  • “He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:4-5).
  • There was no public humiliation!

• He Challenged Him
  • They needed to fail.
  • Failure in this case was the necessary prerequisite to eventual success.
  • The Lord allows us to fail in our own strength so that we may learn that only by his power will we ever succeed.
  • “Will you obey me even when it makes no sense?”

• He Reinstated Him

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 the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the 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.”

John 21:15-17

• • Consider what Christ didn’t do:
    • He doesn’t try to make Peter feel guilty.
    • He doesn’t humiliate publicly.
    • He doesn’t ask him, “Are you sorry for what you did?”
    • He doesn’t make him promise to do better.
  • He just asks one question:   “Do you love me?”

Three Qualifications for Serving the Lord

1. Love God.
2. Love God.
3. Love God.

How do I get back up after I’ve blown it?

1. First love, then serve.
2. First love, then speak.
3. First love, then lead.

Sometimes we have to hit bottom and hit it hard before we can truly say that we love.

How does Jesus restore His fallen disciple?

1. He Sent for Him
2. He Met with Him
3. He Challenged Him
4. He Reinstated Him
5. He Reenlisted Him

• He Reenlisted Him

18 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.”

19 (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.”

John 21:18-19

“If your life was perfect, Then what would you need me for?”