WEBVTT 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:23.760 The reading today is from John 21, verse 1 to 25 from the ESV. 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:28.640 If anyone needs a Bible, they're over on the white little stool over there as well. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:32.880 Jesus appears to seven disciples. 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:40.640 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberius, and he revealed himself in this way. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:49.759 Simon Peter, Thomas, called a twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:53.200 Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:55.759 They said to him, We will go with you. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:00.479 They went out and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:07.359 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:11.200 Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:12.719 They answered him, No. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:18.480 He said to them, Cast a net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:24.400 So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:29.519 The disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, It is the Lord. 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:37.760 When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:46.239 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:52.879 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.280 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. 00:01:57.519 --> 00:02:04.719 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty three of them. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:08.479 And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:12.560 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:16.240 Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:18.400 They knew it was the Lord. 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:23.439 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:29.759 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:37.680 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.439 He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:44.479 He said to him, Feed my lambs. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:48.879 He said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.240 He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.439 He said to him, Tend my sheep. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:00.879 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:05.680 Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.960 And he said to him, Lord, you know everything. 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:10.960 You know that I love you. 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:14.319 Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:28.080 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. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:36.560 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. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:49.759 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper, and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray you? 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:54.080 When Peter saw him he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? 00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.719 Jesus said to him, If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:02.400 You follow me. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:09.039 So the saying spread abroad among the among the brothers that this disciple was not to die. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:17.120 Yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:24.879 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:30.079 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did, were every one of them to be written. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:34.079 I suppose that the word itself could not contain the books that would be written. 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:35.279 And so reads God's word. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.199 Welcome to you if you join us while we were singing and doing kids' songs. 00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:45.040 I love one of the things I love about City is that we don't take ourselves so seriously that the adults can't do the actions. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.279 I nailed those actions today. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:49.759 Uh you're you are welcome. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:52.480 Uh that was that was great. 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:57.040 Uh, if you're new or visiting, you're particularly uh welcome with us. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:04.000 Can I invite you to uh look it up on your phone or if you've got a Bible with you to have John 21 in front of you? 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:09.199 There's so many wonderful little details uh in this passage, and so I'm gonna be digging in. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:16.720 It'd be good if you kind of had that in front of you on your uh on your phone in uh whatever language works for you. 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:19.199 We're using the English Standard Version of the Bible. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:21.839 If you're on Bible Gateway, you're like, is this the NIV? 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:23.040 Is this the King James? 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:26.399 It's the English Standard Version, the ESV, so you can look it up there. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:35.519 Um for those of you who don't know, uh we've done 47 sermons through the Gospel of John, and this is the last one. 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:41.040 We're about to conclude 47 sermons, not all in one go, it has to be said. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:53.920 We've uh uh we've broken up with summertime and things like that, but we have uh uh we're about to conclude this marathon book, and this is where John draws things to a close. 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.439 If you remember, John begins in a very grand sort of way. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:16.639 He he starts uh essentially with eternity in the beginning, was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, these grand themes in his prologue of light and darkness, of life and truth and grace, and uh being made a child of God. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:38.800 And he talks about the the logos, the word that becomes flesh, the logos being that uh that divine spark that uh that permeates all of creation, that brings all of our reason and rationality and creativity uh to life, and how that logos, that word stepped onto the stage of human history. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:50.160 He begins with ideas so philosophically and theologically and spiritually rich that it's hard to grasp, and so much ink has been spilled about what they mean. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:54.560 And and now John has brought us to the end of that great grand gospel. 00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:56.879 And the question is, well, how will he conclude? 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:02.879 If this is where he started, how will he end this grand magnum opus of his work? 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:12.240 Will he take us into heaven itself so that we glimpse and hear just for a moment the sound of the seraphs singing, holy, holy, holy. 00:07:12.399 --> 00:07:13.279 What will he do? 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:14.959 Well, what is it John does? 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:18.000 How does he wrap up the conclusion with this epic book? 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:20.399 He gives us breakfast. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:24.560 I'm not a breakfast person. 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:26.399 I don't know if you are. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:27.199 My daughter is. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:29.279 My daughter could eat courses of breakfast. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:30.319 I don't really get that. 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:31.279 My son's like me. 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:32.959 He's like, no, I just want a cup of coffee. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:34.959 Well, he's four, he doesn't drink a cup of coffee. 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:39.120 Although, looking at him sometimes after the service, you think that's what we were giving him. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:41.279 Maybe you're not a breakfast person like me. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:44.720 If you're not a breakfast person, don't switch off. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.480 Because we need this breakfast. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.839 This breakfast is so beautiful. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:53.439 Not because it's fish for breakfast. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:55.199 Fish for breakfast is weird, right? 00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:00.079 But it is so beautiful for so many other reasons. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:08.000 And if you think about it, it's such a good way to end, considering where John started. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:10.319 Because remember, where did John start? 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:26.079 John starts with all of these grand philosophical, theological, spiritual themes of the Word of God made flesh, stepping onto the stage of human history and dwelling among us, of the very epitome of life and truth and grace coming to be among us. 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:36.000 And he sat down one morning on a beach with his friends who were weary, flawed, and he cooked them breakfast. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:40.320 This is the Christian God. 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:50.320 If you're not a follower of the Lord Jesus here this morning, you're particularly welcome because you're getting a glimpse into well, what is the what is the God the Christians proclaim? 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:51.360 What's he like? 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:53.919 This is the God of the Christian. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:09:01.120 Awesome in power and glory and love, and he makes you breakfast. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:05.679 If you're a Christian here this morning, this is your God. 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:19.360 He loves you in the big things for ten days, two weeks, after Good Friday, after the cross and the resurrection, where Jesus defeated sin and death. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:25.600 He loves you in the big things, but he also loves you in the ordinary rhythms of life. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:28.639 He cooks you breakfast. 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:37.279 There are two things, two invitations that Jesus extends to us this morning from this passage. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:47.360 The first thing, the first invitation is that he invites us into relationship, into fellowship. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.320 So Jesus invites us into relationship. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:52.399 It's the first thing that we're going to look at. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:55.759 The disciples are back uh north now. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:58.159 They've gone to Galilee, that's where they're from. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:02.559 So they're back in their in their hometowns, they've left Jerusalem and headed back there. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:04.080 Some people think that this is weird. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:09.039 Some people think, well, is this a sign of their uh of their walking away from Jesus? 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.279 You know, why didn't they you know hang around in Jerusalem? 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:19.919 You know, they've just kind of uh cleared off home again and uh you know gone back to their to their normal day jobs, but I don't think that that's what's going on. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:27.440 Mark in his gospel tells us that Jesus instructed them to go back to Galilee and to wait uh for him there. 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:35.679 And so they are being obedient to Jesus, heading off back to where they're from, and very understandably, it's very human, it's very normal. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.840 Uh, they occupy themselves rather than just sitting around. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:44.559 They decide to get on doing something and they do the one thing that they know. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:50.720 So Peter, as ever the the leader, the initiator, he says, I'm gonna go fishing. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:54.320 And they all kind of look at one another and go, Well, we'll go too, right? 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:55.200 We'll head out. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:01.600 And uh we'll we'll occupy ourselves until uh until we hear more from from Jesus. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:04.080 Normal, ordinary thing to do. 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:08.799 And they fish all night, but fish aren't biting, they catch nothing. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:15.840 Uh, and as day begins to break, they become aware that there is a there's a figure standing on the shore. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:23.759 They can't quite see him clearly in the the dawning morning light, and he he calls out from the shore, they're not far off. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:29.200 And and so this voice calls out and says, Children, do you have any fish? 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:33.039 The word for children here is the it's the word technon, it means kids. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.840 It's hey kids, any fish? 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:39.440 No, we haven't caught anything. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:44.720 The voice calls out again and says, Let down again on the on the right hand side. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:46.320 Let down your net. 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:58.159 And so again, in obedience to the voice, they do, and whoosh, the net is full of, as we'll read later, 153 large fish. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:00.720 I don't think there's much significance of 153. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:02.879 There's one possible theory, but I'm not going to go into it now. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:06.000 You can, if you remember, you can ask me about it later. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:15.519 And again, the personalities, as we've seen over the, uh, particularly these closing chapters, the personalities of the disciples is coming to the fore again. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:18.399 Uh, John is the disciple whom Jesus loved. 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:23.120 Uh, when you read the disciple whom Jesus loved, that's John talking about himself. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:25.600 That's a little autobiographical detail. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:35.440 So John being kind of slightly more analytical uh than Peter, uh, he makes the connection first and he says, It's the Lord. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:40.320 And Peter, being Peter, throws himself into the sea. 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:40.960 All right. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:46.639 So he and you read this little curious little detail that he uh that he puts his clothes on. 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:49.200 Um so he would have been, he would have been shirtless for work. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:56.480 So he puts his tunic back on uh and he kind of gird girds up his lawn and it he uh bends himself into the sea and he starts swimming. 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:02.159 These guys, but just think, if you're one of the disciples, you're there with the nets, and you're like, where's where's he going? 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:02.879 Right? 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:08.720 But he's just blinkers on again at Peter, into the sea, I'm getting to Jesus, right? 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:12.320 And so off he goes, leaving the guys behind. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:15.679 Now, pause there. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:26.480 Have you ever considered that your work is a place to encounter Jesus? 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:34.960 They're doing what they've been trained to do, they're doing what they know, and Jesus came and met them there. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:43.679 Don't be fooled into the notion that God only meets you in so-called holy spaces. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:49.679 Every space is sanctified, every moment is holy. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:56.799 Jesus elevates and honors your work. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:06.080 He sees you in your work, and your work is a place to encounter him. 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:18.639 Your office is holy ground, your classroom a place of worship, your cafe is a cathedral, your laundry room is a sanctuary. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:27.440 Whether you're a doctor or an engineer or a stay-at-home mum, or even an art student. 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.399 Jesus honors your labor. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:37.759 Jesus honors your work. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:39.279 Look up. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:45.039 See him at the shore of your labors and have an encounter with him. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:57.039 Sanctify those tedious tasks, dedicate tomorrow's drudgery to him and invite him to meet you in your work. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:07.759 Don't park the spiritual uh vitality of today, let it bleed into tomorrow. 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:19.440 When you get up and you go into the ordinary rhythms of life, do so with a mindfulness that Jesus stands at the shore, he sees your work, and he longs to bless you and meet you in it. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:21.840 Why wouldn't you? 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.360 Why wouldn't he want to do that? 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:30.879 He's the God of the big things and the small things, if he's the the God who uh who dies for you and who cooks you breakfast, wouldn't he meet you tomorrow morning? 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:46.399 And wouldn't it reframe your work if you would look up from your computer screen, from your desk, and and and consecrate it in a moment and say, let me see Jesus in the people that I meet? 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:56.000 Take this difficult meeting and may it be an opportunity for me to grow in grace and patience and love. 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:21.120 May this menial task of uh of cleaning and of doing dishes and of emptying the dishwasher and of hanging up clothes and uh and making beds be a way that I image and reflect the God who prepared this world that I might live in it and flourish. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.720 Jesus honors your work. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:29.279 And we should honor one another's work as a result. 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:33.679 The miracle itself, on pause. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:40.240 The miracle itself is presented so tenderly, so wonderfully. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:44.960 Jesus was right when he taught them in chapter 15. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.720 Yeah, he taught in chapter 15, he says, I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:54.320 One of the things that he says there in John 15, verse 5, he says, Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:56.879 And that's true in this miracle. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:05.359 They sh they fish all night, there's nobody biting, and it's not until Jesus comes along that they have this huge catch of large fish. 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:08.960 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:12.640 So they come ashore, and what do they see? 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.359 Verse 9 the fire's lit, and there's fish already on it. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.880 Now don't miss this. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:24.960 This is uh another one of those glorious, beautiful little details. 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:28.079 There's fish already on the fire. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.440 Jesus is all about grace. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:34.000 Breakfast is already there. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.839 They don't need to bring something to the meal. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:42.480 It's not like, oh, well, I've got no fish, but if you bring some, I'll cook it. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:43.039 No, no. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:44.799 Jesus is all about grace. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:18:03.039 Jesus feeds them with something that he has already provided, and yet it goes another, it goes another depth down in its in its wonder and in its beauty, and yet he also graciously invites them to contribute the fish. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:06.240 So verse 9, uh so there's fish already on the table. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:10.880 When they got on the land, they saw a charcoal file in place and fish laid out on it in bread. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:15.039 Verse 10, Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:16.960 How wonderful is that? 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:24.559 That Jesus would also honor their work and say, Bring some of your labors and let's enjoy that together. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:27.920 Bring some of the fish that you caught. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:30.559 They've been laboring all night. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.480 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:34.720 And yet Jesus is so gracious, he's so loving. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:36.640 He looks and says, You did you did that. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.960 Hey kids, you did that. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:41.759 I think that's why he calls them children. 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:45.200 Why does he call these grown men children? 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:51.359 Well, in part because this is how a good dad acts. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:54.400 I'm not always a good dad. 00:18:54.559 --> 00:19:09.279 I'm flawed and broken, and uh, and so I don't say any of this to uh to blow my own horn, Lord knows uh my own failures and weaknesses, but there are times, you know, I don't need Isla to help me paint the shed. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:14.799 In fact, sometimes I really don't need Ila to help me paint the shed. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:40.240 I don't need Owen to help me light the fire of an evening or to bake a cake, but it gives me pleasure to invite them into that process with me, and it gives them joy that they feel used and that they're partnering with dad in this objective. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:43.359 And Jesus is doing that. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:45.680 Bring some of the fish that you caught. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:48.559 Apart from him, they can do nothing. 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:53.599 And yet he still says, Come on, let's share it, let's eat together. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:55.920 It's really beautiful, isn't it? 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.119 Isn't it? 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:58.319 Yeah. 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:12.000 So they sit on the beach with the word made flesh, two weeks after his crucifixion, and with nail-pierced hands, he serves them. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:17.680 He serves them again, this time in a much more ordinary way. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:25.599 But again, high extraordinary, that the God who would take our sin would also say, Let's eat together. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:37.680 In doing this, Jesus not only elevates our work, I think he elevates the normal rhythms of life. 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.559 I think he makes every meal holy. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:46.720 I think he makes every meal a place of encountering him too. 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:52.400 You know, in Christianity, there's only one altar. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:58.480 You know, people sometimes talk about when they walk into kind of old cathedrals and churches, go, that's the there's the altar. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:01.839 It's not because altar is a place of sacrifice. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:06.000 There's only one altar in Christianity, it's the cross of the Lord Jesus. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:25.680 In the Christian religion, in the Christian worldview, every altar is turned into a table around which followers of the Lord Jesus dine with each other and dine with the divine as we break bread with his image-bearers. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:37.680 And so just as Jesus elevates and sanctifies work, he sanctifies those normal rhythms of of eating and of sharing fellowship together. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:43.359 Most of us, roughly speaking, eat three times a day. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:50.079 Jesus makes those times, times of meet for meeting him. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:22:13.039 And so can I encourage you and invite you to make your your own table, however big However, cluttered to make your own table a place of refreshing and encouragement and encounter, either for the people in your own home, but but maybe also for inviting others into it. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:24.079 Let your tables be stained with the spaghetti sauce and turmeric yellow of joyous encounter. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:30.960 Let the tears of honest vulnerability fall on those tables. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:39.759 And let Jesus sit there and heal and forgive have people round for lunch. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:43.039 Doesn't have to be big, doesn't have to be fancy. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:48.400 But make your table a place of encountering Jesus. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.440 An old anonymous poem that I find this week that I really like. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:58.000 It says, Come and dine. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:59.759 The master calleth. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:01.279 Come and dine. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:05.039 You may feast at Jesus' table all the time. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:14.880 He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine, says to hungry, thirsty sinners, Come and dine. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:17.200 You're invited. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:23.839 You're invited to dine at the table of the king, to have fellowship with him. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:35.119 In some cultures, uh it's assumed that you're that you're not included, not here, not with Christianity. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.559 You're invited. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:38.240 The king invites you. 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:39.759 Come and dine. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:42.480 That's the first invitation. 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:50.480 The second invitation is that Jesus invites us to be renewed. 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:57.680 He invites us into fellowship with himself, and he also invites us to be renewed. 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:07.119 Sadly, sometimes the church has a tendency to shoot its wounded. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.720 I'm sorry if you've experienced that. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:17.519 You know, in baseball, I'm reliably informed by Ben, that it's three strikes and you're out. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:21.759 Sometimes in the church it feels like one. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:25.680 We have a tendency to shoot our wounded. 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:33.039 But Jesus says in John chapter 10 that he came to give life and to give life in all its fullness. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:45.680 If we learn anything from this conversation with Peter, it's this: that life and life in all its fullness is for failures. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:55.759 We the readers know that there's a cloud hanging over Peter. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:59.279 The cloud of denial. 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:10.720 Jesus, a couple of weeks ago, had been standing there in the courtyard facing trial, and Peter was there warming himself by the fire. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:13.680 And three times he denied him. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:30.559 And Jesus now in chapter 21, right at the end of the gospel, he addresses that issue, he kind of grasps that nettle, but he does so with such gentleness and grace and wisdom. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.279 Oftentimes we seek to actively avoid these conversations. 00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:41.039 We've been hurt by people. 00:25:50.160 --> 00:26:02.880 But have you ever considered that actually the person who's hurt you needs to know and hear that forgiveness and that restoration? 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:06.960 So Jesus enters into this conversation. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:11.599 And again, there are lots of just such wonderful details. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:14.160 First of all, so we're down in verse 15. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:16.240 Have a look at it on your phone with you. 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.680 Verse 15. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.119 When they had finished breakfast, stop there. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:24.640 When they had finished breakfast. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:32.720 Breakfast with Jesus for Peter was not conditional. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:35.119 Do you see that? 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:45.680 It's not like the other disciples, you know, they're walking up the beach, they're heading towards the charcoal fire, and Jesus sees Peter coming in there and goes, Well, hold on. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:50.079 You and me, before you eat that, we need to have a talk. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.920 None of that. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:53.680 And we would do that, wouldn't we? 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:54.640 Hold on. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:58.480 You don't get to come into my house and start eating my food until we've had a chat. 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:00.559 No, breakfast is not conditional. 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:01.519 Why? 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:04.480 Because Jesus is all about grace. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:08.240 Forgiveness, fellowship, renewal. 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:11.039 It's all of his kindness. 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:13.119 Look it up again, verse 15. 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:20.799 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John. 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:22.160 Stop there. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:31.119 Jesus hasn't called Peter, Simon, son of John, since chapter one. 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:34.960 Since his original calling. 00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:43.759 Jesus, in a sense, is taking Peter right back to the start of his journey with Jesus. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:47.920 He's taking him right back to how things began. 00:27:48.160 --> 00:27:49.680 Simon, son of John. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.440 Follow me. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:59.920 Simon, son of John, he's reminding him of his original calling to be a follower of Jesus. 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:13.359 Folks, do some of you here need to remember when Jesus called you first and the joy of that. 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:16.880 And the wonder that was in your heart. 00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:24.319 To remember those early days when everything seemed so new and fresh and exciting. 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:31.440 Jesus takes him back to that original calling, Simon, son of John. 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.599 Keep going. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:38.160 Verse 15. 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:43.680 Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:52.000 Jesus begins with a question, not a lecture. 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.720 You notice that? 00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:58.480 Peter knows that he's messed up. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:04.400 And Jesus doesn't weigh in with two feet and go, Well, yeah, I told you so. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:05.839 And another thing. 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:06.960 Right? 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:10.400 He starts with a question. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.480 Drawing Peter out. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:16.960 This is like this is like God in the garden, isn't it? 00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:28.319 What does God do in the Garden of Eden after uh the man and the woman, Adam and Eve, have taken of the the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and they hide themselves? 00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:31.359 How does God begin that conversation? 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:33.039 Where are you? 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.480 Who told you that you were naked? 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:39.839 God's very good at asking insightful questions. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:42.319 He begins with a question and not a lecture. 00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:44.960 Now, what does the question mean? 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:54.079 It could mean, and I think we instinctively read it this way, as do you love me more than you love these guys? 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.279 Do you love me more than you love these? 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:07.680 Or the one that I think it is, it's do you love me more than these other disciples love me? 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:14.319 Or Jesus is asking Peter, is your love better than their love? 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:18.160 Is your love better than their love? 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:22.240 Now, why is he asking Peter that? 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:26.240 Why would Jesus ask that sort of question? 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:27.440 And this is important. 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:47.519 Because a few weeks ago, in that upper room, with all of the talk of betrayal, Peter had said with great pride and bravado, even if all of these fall away, I will never fall away. 00:30:47.839 --> 00:30:49.680 I would lay down my life for you. 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:53.599 He's looking at these disciples and goes, these guys, these guys suck. 00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:58.640 But me, I'll be with you till the end. 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:02.079 I'll never forsake you. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:04.799 And what happened? 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:10.720 Peter's faith that night shatters. 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:15.440 His strength utterly fails him. 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:19.519 And he denies his Lord not once but three times. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:27.920 So when Jesus comes and asks this first question, he's saying, Do you really love me more than these guys love me? 00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:41.599 He's asking Peter, do you still believe that your love is purer, stronger, more holy and fervent than theirs? 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:45.200 And what's Peter's reply? 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:51.279 Is Peter's Peter's reply is, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:53.039 And that's so important. 00:31:53.599 --> 00:31:56.720 Because for the first time, Peter's not comparing himself. 00:31:59.119 --> 00:32:05.680 He's not deriving his own value from how better he is than the other people. 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:09.279 He's no longer comparing himself. 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:11.599 There's no more bravado. 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:16.240 He's just saying, you know that I love you. 00:32:18.559 --> 00:32:20.480 Gosh, how important that is. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:30.319 Aren't we so given to actually deriving our part of our identity and our value from how better we are than other people? 00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:34.559 Or we face the anxiety of these people are better than me. 00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:37.440 We live in this comparison bubble. 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:41.759 This person's more intelligent than I am, more beautiful than I am, more able than I am. 00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:48.559 What happened to Peter has served to kill that part of him. 00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:50.640 No longer comparing. 00:32:55.039 --> 00:33:02.480 That's why the second and third questions don't repeat that part. 00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:12.400 The second and third questions don't have the more than these because Jesus knows in that moment that Peter's a different person. 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:17.599 That there's a new humility in Peter. 00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:22.079 And so there's no need to keep on probing that anymore. 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:26.240 But why ask him repeatedly at all? 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:32.640 By the third time, Peter, we read his heart is is grieved. 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:37.200 But Jesus knew that Peter needed something. 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:48.960 Peter needed to hear himself say, I love you, three times, one for each of the I do not know him. 00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:58.160 It's like with each beat, with each I love you, one of those denials is covered and dealt with. 00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:08.320 The forgiveness and the renewal and the restoration matches the sin and covers it entirely. 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:15.039 So that Peter might know that his sin is fully covered. 00:34:15.679 --> 00:34:22.880 Peter is renewed, and that that barrier, therefore, between him and his Lord is removed. 00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:26.639 What a beautiful thing that is. 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:33.360 And with that renewal comes two things. 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:37.039 First, there's a commissioning. 00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:46.480 You notice how after each question and answer, Jesus gives a uh a statement, he gives a command, actually. 00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:53.440 He says, feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. 00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:55.280 Whose sheep are they? 00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:57.039 They're Jesus's. 00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:02.880 But he invites Peter to be a shepherd under him. 00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:08.960 It's a bit like the come and bring your fish that I helped you catch. 00:35:11.280 --> 00:35:27.519 With renewal comes a call to serve, to love, to love our fellowship, to tend and care for one another, to nurture and to protect. 00:35:28.719 --> 00:35:39.599 Yes, there's a sense in which this is a this lands with a um a kind of particular weight uh on on folks in in my sort of job, right? 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:42.400 Um, because what does pastor mean? 00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:43.760 Pastor means shepherd. 00:35:45.840 --> 00:36:00.239 But it's also true, in a sense, for for each of us that we're all called first to be renewed by his grace, and then to live and to love one another for Jesus' sake. 00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:09.599 But do not think that that your renewal is just so I'm renewed, I'm forgiven, and restored fellowship with Jesus. 00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:12.159 So I'll just you know, let you know, Jesus take the wheel. 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:14.079 I'll just sit back, relax. 00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:20.800 I know you might be in the kind of the premium seats right now, uh, but that's only for the next 15 minutes or so. 00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:35.840 With your forgiveness, with your restoration, with your renewal, comes a commissioning and a call to serve and to love those around you, to nurture and to uh and to seek the good of your brothers and sisters. 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:40.880 Feed my lambs and my sheep, feed my sheep. 00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:46.480 But there's not only a commissioning, but also a cost. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:50.400 Verses 18 and 19. 00:36:51.119 --> 00:37:04.400 Jesus says, 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 to where you do not want to go. 00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:09.760 This he said to show by what kind of death he was going to glorify God. 00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:16.079 And after he said, uh after he'd said this to them, he said, Follow me. 00:37:17.440 --> 00:37:21.599 Jesus has forgiven Peter, renewed him, restored him. 00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:26.639 But that doesn't mean that all will automatically go well in his life. 00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:29.280 There's a cost to following Jesus. 00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:37.599 I suspect that many, if not all of you, either know that cost, or some of you are experiencing that cost right now. 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:43.199 There's a cost to being identified with the Lord Jesus. 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:48.000