What Comes After faith.

 (John 21: 1-25)

Full Transcript. 

If I were to imagine that the entire population of the world could hear a single Christian message and if I were asked what that message should be, I would have no doubt recommending what the content of that message should, at it is: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

Now, suppose instead we gathered all those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior in one place and asked one man to preach one message to them. What would that message be? 

That is a much more challenging question, isn't it? There could be a variety of answers. Typically, follow-up topics to those who have already heard and received the gospel might include things like assurance, prayer, Bible study, and evangelism. 

But is that what you would say to everyone who have trusted Christ?

Many would agree, saying these topics are crucial. These are indeed important for new believers, and all believers for that matter.

So, if we could gather all the believers in the world in one place and preach one message, what should that message be? In todays episode I'd like to propose what I believe John's answer would be, as recorded in John chapter 21. Because I think this chapter provides one of the best possible answers to the question, and that is what I would like to look at today.

Welcome to The Bible Project daily Podcast….

To give some context to what I am about to says, John chapter 20, which we looked at yesterday is the climax of the Gospel of John. At the end of that chapter, John tells us that he wrote the entire gospel so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ and that, by believing, we might have life through His name. 

Up until John chapter 20, the great purpose of this gospel has been to convince us of who Jesus Christ is and bring us to faith. When we trust in Jesus Christ, we are said to be born again and to have eternal life. John chapter 20 serves as the climax of that gospel message, but it is not the end of the book.

Since John chapter 20 serves as such a fitting climax and conclusion, some have even argued that John did not write chapter 21. However, if you have heard that view let me say that I strongly disagree with that notion, and I believe there are many indications that John did indeed write chapter 21. 

It is interesting that this chapter occurs after we have reached the climax and stated purpose of the book.

I suggest that it is almost as if John is saying, "Through these 20 chapters, I've tried to bring you to faith in Christ." Then, he pens an epilogue, almost as if to say, "Now, this is what you need to hear after you have trusted Christ, after you have been born again by the Spirit of God. 

This is the message, or the kind of message, Christin believers need to hear."

Let's look at this chapter and try to grapple with that question further. There are 25 verses in this chapter, and I suggest that the first 14 verses simply record a miracle that the Lord performed after His resurrection when He appeared to some of the disciples in Galilee.

Let's begin by examining these first 14 verses. Verse one says…

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

(John 21: 1-14)

We need to pause here for just a second. It’s helpful to understand that after the Lord arose, He told the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee. This is recorded in several places, including Matthew 28. So, this verse is simply telling us that some of the disciples made the journey from Jerusalem back north up to Galilee.

There were seven disciples gathered on this occasion, named here: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. There is a great deal of discussion, even debate, about the identities of these unnamed disciples. My personal opinion is that the sons of Zebedee would include John the gospel writer, who we are told was one of the sons of Zebedee. If that is the case, then I conclude that the list of apostles ends with the sons of Zebedee. This list of names also possibly means the last two disciples mentioned in verse 2 were not among the original apostles. So, on this occasion, there were five apostles and two other disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." And other said, "We will go with you." They went out and immediately got into a boat, but that night they caught nothing. I have heard some preachers criticize Peter for returning to his previous occupation of fishing, especially after the resurrection and appearances of Christ. Some interpret this as a mistake, saying Peter was ignoring what the Lord had told him to do.

However, I don't agree with that interpretation. For one thing, Jesus had told them He would meet them in Galilee. For another, Peter is not rebuked in this passage for going fishing. I think Peter was simply in Galilee, waiting for the Lord to appear and for Pentecost to come. The Lord had instructed them to be in Jerusalem for Pentecost. Peter was probably bored, so he decided to go fishing, and the others joined him.

They fished all night and caught nothing it says, "But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know

Now, the point I wish to make is simply this: the disciples were up in Galilee, they went fishing, and they caught nothing. But when Jesus appeared to them, He worked a miracle, and they caught so many fish that they could barely contain them all. 

There is a picture here, isn’t there that suggests that after the Lord's death and resurrection, He still took care of them, feeding them both physically and spiritually.

I believe that's what John is trying to convey in chapter 20. He concluded the Gospel by saying that all of this was written so that you might believe. The very next thing he tells us is that the Lord provided for them, almost as if to say that once you believe, the Lord wants to meet with you and feed you. Let's explore this further.

One thing is clear: the Lord supplied the food in this particular case. The disciples were fishing and caught nothing until Jesus told them to cast their net on the other side of the boat. They did so, and they instantly caught fish. So, in that sense, the Lord supplied their food. 

The point being made is that the Lord wants to provide for our needs, both physical and spiritual.

Let's me remind you of what John recorded Jesus saying for us back in 14:26. It says, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

As I pointed out when discussing the Upper Room Discourse, the Lord promised the apostles that the Holy Spirit would bring to their minds all that they had heard and guide them into all truth.

These references were fulfilled and then documented for us in the writing of the New Testament. The Spirit of God, through some of these men, caused them to write down what we now have as our spiritual food—the Word of God.

So, the Lord wants us to eat, and this is our breakfast. But there's more to it. The Lord supplied the food, but the disciples had still bring it to shore so to speak. They had to throw the net overboard and drag it back to shore filled with fish. Similarly, God gives us the food—His Word—and then tells us to put forth effort to dig out the truth of this book so that we might be fed spiritually.

Think of it this way: God has placed gold in the earth. It's not something man can manufacture from scratch, in fact people tried in medieval times for 100’s of years to do just that. They called it academy, but they never succeeded. To be wealthy, we must dig for gold; it doesn't just lie around on the surface. 

Likewise, after we come to know Christ, God wants to feed us, but He expects us to dig, to fish is out, to put forth effort so that we might be fed spiritually.

Let me ask you a question: Are you being fed? When a baby first arrives, all it wants to do is eat. Over time you feed it but you also have to teach it to eat. Hopefully, as it grows to adulthood, it learns to eat properly and feed itself. 

Where are you in that process of being spiritually fed? If you have just recently trusted Christ, you're probably hungry and want to eat all the time. I wish we were all like that. Unfortunately, some of us have gotten older and now just want the dessert—we want to hear teachings that tickle our emotions and have someone spoon-feed us all the time.

Once a week in church with a message that make you feel good, backed up by some great music and communal singing.

But God wants you to eat, but He also wants you to put forth effort to eat. This means learning to eat what is right and to learn feed yourself. 

For some, the only spiritual food they get is when you go to church on Sunday morning. If you only eat one spiritual meal a week, you can't help but become spiritually weak. If you only ate one physical meal a week, you would soon be in the hospital. In fact, try eating just one meal a day and you will probably struggle to make it through the day.

We must learn to eat properly and mature spiritually by learning to feed ourselves. If you want to know how to feed yourself, there's no other way than to study the Bible.

Some of you are satisfied to stay in your crib, but you need to learn to eat so that you can grow and get out and live in the real world.

It's time to stop playing around and grow up. Learn to eat your meat and vegetables instead of waiting for dessert. Dessert has its place, but anyone who knows anything about nutrition understands that you can't live off sugar. You need the protein—the meat and milk of the Word of God—not just entertainment.

The point is you need to consume substantial spiritual food to grow. God has supplied the food, and He wants you to grow.

Let's look at the rest of the passage in John 21:15-19, where there's a conversation between the Lord and Peter. In this conversation, the Lord gives Peter a mandate. Let's move from the miracle in the first 14 verses to the mandate in verses 15-19.

Jesus Reinstates Peter.

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 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. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

(John 21: 15-19)

To understand all this, recall Matthew 26:33, where Simon Peter said “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”." 

Peter said this before the crucifixion and just before he denied Christ three times. Now, after all this has transpired, Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him more than the other disciples. This is because Peter had claimed he wouldn't be offended even if all the others were. Now, having denied Jesus three times, the Lord asks him, "Do you love me more than these?"

There are different Greek words for love. The highest form is agape, meaning to choose to do what is best for the object of love. The second word is Philo, which has the meaning of brotherly love. Jesus uses agape when He asks Peter if he loves Him. Peter responds, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you," but he uses Philo, in his reply. 

Bible experts say Peter does this because he is now humbled, and is too ashamed to use the highest form of love, admitting only to a deep fondness for Jesus.

Jesus then says to him, "Feed my lambs." The word lambs refers to young sheep. It’s as if Jesus is saying, "Whether you love me to the fullest extent or are only fond of me, I still need you to take care of my young followers."

The conversation continues in verse 16. Jesus asks again, "Do you love me?" He uses the word agape again, but without the comparison to the other disciples. This time, He focuses solely on whether Peter loves Him with the highest form of love. 

Peter responds once more, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you," using the term phileo again. Peter's recent denials make him hesitant to claim the highest form of love in their relationship because he feels to do so would be hypocritical considering his recent fall from grace.

 Jesus then says, "Tend my sheep." The word tend in verse 16 means to shepherd, indicating a broader pastoral care, and the word sheep (not lambs) now refers to mature followers.

So, Jesus' mandate changes slightly: "Shepherd my mature followers", he says. This passage highlights the transition from a miracle of provision to a mandate of leadership and care. Jesus sidesteps the specific issue of Peter’s word choice for love and focuses on the responsibility to care for His followers.

Notice He does not criticise Peter for using the word for love, but it's almost as if to say, "Regardless of how you feel at the moment Peter, this is what I want you to do: I want you to tend my sheep." Tending certainly includes feeding, but it involves much more. It includes guiding, protecting, and providing overall watchful protection and care for the flock. The Lord is giving Peter not just the responsibility of feeding the sheep but the general watching over the flock.

Then, Jesus asks Peter a third time, "Do you love me?" This time, Jesus changes His word. Instead of using the highest and holiest word for love, agape, He drops down to Peter's word, phileo, and asks in a sense, "Peter, are you just fond of me?" 

This upsets Peter deeply, because he has now asked him three times and he says, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.'" Peter uses his word for love again, indicating a deep fondness and emotional attachment, but he is still aware that he cannot claim the highest form of love due to his past denials.

The latter part of verse 17 is more vivid in the original text. Because Peter says, "Lord, you know all things"—using one word for knowledge—and then he adds, "you know that I love you," using another word that implies knowledge gained from personal observation. 

Therefore Peter acknowledges that Jesus knows everything andhas seen everything, good and bad, Peter knows Jesus is aware of Peter's record, which prevents him from claiming the fullest extent of love.

So there is a clear progression through this exchange: Jesus starts with "feed my little lambs," then moves to "tend my sheep," and now says "shepherd my sheep." In other words, Peter is to care of the others in general and feed them spiritually in particular.

Let's pause here and make some observations. For one, we can ask ourselves, "Do we love the Lord?" But perhaps a more accurate question should be, "How do you love the Lord?" 

Most Christian people might say, "Yes, I love the Lord," but the real question is about the nature of that love. Do you love the Lord emotionally? Is there fondness in your heart? That's good, but there's something higher: a love that includes commitment and obedience. 

Jesus said, "If you love me" with this higher form of agape love, then you will, "keep my commandments."

Three times Peter had denied the Lord, so three times the Lord now asks if Peter loves Him. 

We too must ask ourselves if we love the Lord enough to obey Him.

Another observation from these verses is that even if Peter couldn't claim the highest form of love, Jesus still commanded him to feed His lambs and sheep. So, if you only have a basic understanding of the love of God, don't use that as an excuse for disobedience. Jesus still gives commands, and if you love Him, you will obey them.

Putting this passage in it whole perspective, the first 14 verses show the Lord feeding Peter, and in verses 15-19, the Lord tells Peter to feed others. 

If you want to know what God wants to say to those who have trusted Christ, here it is from John's point of view: 

When you trust Christ, start eating spiritually, fall deeper in love with the Lord, and feed others. 

If you are about the business that God intends for you, you will be feasting on the Word of God so that you can then feed other people with it. 

The Bible itself tells us to meditate on it day and night, and if you do not have some kind of ministry of applying what you have learnt into the lives of others, then you are not really where God wants you to be. 

God wants all of us to digest His Word so that we can feed other people.

Peter not only received a mandate from Jesus but also a prediction concerning his own life.

Peter, once capable and independent, would eventually be helpless and reliant on others. John adds an editorial comment to clarify: Jesus was signifying the type of death by which Peter would glorify God, hinting that Peter would die a martyr's death, which indeed came to pass according to most traditions.

This leads us to the final section of the chapter, verses 20 to 25, where Peter makes a mistake. 

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumour spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

(John 21: 20-25)

As Jesus and Peter Walk away, Peter turns and sees John following them. Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, what about him”? Jesus’ reply highlights a crucial lesson: It's none of our business how God deals with others. Jesus response emphasizes Peter's and our personal responsibility is simply to: "Follow Him."

Reflecting on this we see he did what many of us do this sort of thing. Instead of focusing on Jesus and following Him, Peter compared himself to another disciple. When we neglect our spiritual nourishment and ministry to others, we tend to focus on others and become critical of them instead of examining our own hearts.

The passage's key lesson is clear: don't focus on others but feed on the Word of God and then feed others. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, we should focus on our relationship with God and our ministry on earth.

To conclude, I think there are two important takeaways:

Firstly, avoid comparisons. 

When Peter was told about his future martyrdom, he immediately asked about John. Jesus' response was essentially, "That's none of your business." God deals with each of His children differently, so we should focus on our unique journey and calling.

Our primary responsibility is to nourish ourselves spiritually and then minister to others. If we focus on this, we will avoid the pitfalls of comparison and criticism.

Remember, God deals with us individually. Some may live longer, some may suffer more, and some may face severe trials. We may not understand why, but our focus should always be on following Jesus and fulfilling our unique calling.

This is where we often get into trouble: we look at someone else's gifts, talents, possessions,  or popularity and think, "Why do they have it easier?" It's not our place to understand or question this. Comparing ourselves to others only makes us negative and jealous, and it does not enhance our spiritual life.

Life does not seem fair sometimes but we must focus on our own walk with God, and not be about comparing ourselves to others.

The second point is the core of this passage: 

You need to feed on the Word of God and be involved in feeding other people. When you finally understand this and let it permeate your life, you will be where God wants you, and then you will be in the place where God can bless you.

 As a result of reflecting on this, I hope some of you today have been enabled to decide to stop looking at others and instead immerse themselves in the Scriptures.

James chapter 1 says that when you're doers of the Word, then you will be blessed in your deeds. When you are where God has put you, doing what God has told you to do, then God will bless you in that place.

Focusing on Him will satisfy you, while focusing on others will only lead to disappointment and frustration. 

Dr. M.R. DeHaan once said, "When I look at you, I'm disappointed. When I look at myself, I'm disgusted. But when I look at Him, I'm satisfied." 

You need to get your eyes off of everyone else and fix them on the Lord, so you can feed others and be blessed by God.

Look into your heart and let your love for God guide you into a deeper relationship with Him and a commitment to feed others from the Word of God. This is where you will find true satisfaction and blessing in life.