Picking Up the Pieces
Christian Assembly
October 14, 2007
Larry Craig
Five weeks ago, I preached my first sermon here, and we looked at a story in the Bible about several men who saw Jesus to be everything they were looking for and what effect this had on their lives. I thought it would be good to expand on some of the themes that we introduced in that sermon. If you have a copy of the outline, it will make the points more clear.
These disciples were introduced to Jesus as the Lamb of God through whom God would deliver His people. Many churches seem to focus on Jesus saving us from the penalty of sin, so we can go to heaven, but salvation is also meant to include deliverance from the power of sin.
We mentioned four ways that the power of sin affects our lives: guilt, addictive behaviors, depression, and sickness. We’ve touched on depression and sickness in sermons 2 and 4, and today I would like to talk about guilt, but probably not in the way you might have thought about it.
Guilt is the sense that something in your life is hampering you from experiencing God to the fullest, often it is something that you have done or do that causes you to think that God is less than pleased with this.
Several times in the Bible when a person had an experience with God, they were overcome by their sinfulness. In Isaiah chapter 6, God appeared to Isaiah, and Isaiah said: woe unto me, for I am a man of unclean lips. In Luke 5, Jesus was on a boat with Peter when Peter first really became aware that this Jesus was more than just a man, and Peter said: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man. If people like Isaiah and Peter had this sense with God, I think it is safe to say that this might be common for all of us.
If you had to write the story of your life for publication for all to read, what parts would you want to leave out? Are there things in your life that get in the way of your relationship with God? Things that you have done, or do, that you feel somehow blocks or stops or hinders God’s blessing you? What are the things in your life which if others knew about you would be afraid that they might not like you anymore or it would change things in your life in a negative way?
I read years ago about a hotel that housed hundreds of church youth leaders for a conference, and they reported the highest use of their adult movie service that weekend. The fact is that we are all fallible human beings trying to live our lives and making the most of it, often looking for some way to bring a little more joy into our lives, whether it is eating foods that we know aren’t good for us or just a lot of any foods, or spending money that we know we shouldn’t on toys to entertain us.
But the fact is that our awareness of our shortcomings can and does affect how we think God views us. Now I haven’t taken any scientific polls here, but I would suspect that if we are not aware of any such things that might make us a bit shy with God, our problem is that we are not seeing them rather than they aren’t there.
But this is not something that should cause us to despair. God is not surprised by all this; He knows what we are made of.
This morning I would like to look at an incident in the life of Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. What was on Peter’s mind? He had denied Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest. It’s not easy to compare the failings of others with how we perceive our own, but I am sure this had a major effect on him. On top of this general sense that nobody is perfect, he knew that he had failed God in a very basic, important area.
How Jesus responds to Peter here can encourage us by showing us God’s grace to us weak humans. John 21:15-22
I would like to look at this conversation in three parts.
I. The questions
If you read the commentaries on this passage, you learn something that you might otherwise miss. The disciples and Jesus were sitting around a coal fire here. The word is
a)nqraki€, Ó (an-thra-kee-ah′). This word is used one other time in the Gospel of John, when Peter was sitting around the campfire in the courtyard and he denied Jesus. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Jesus asked Peter three questions. But notice first what He doesn’t do. He doesn’t mention the past. He asks Peter about how things are now. “Do you love Me more than these?”
He addresses him as Simon, son of John. That was Peter’s given name. When Jesus first met Peter, He said that Simon’s name would now be Cephas (Aramaic for Peter, a stone). But now Jesus calls him Simon, like he was before he met Jesus.
“Do you love me more than these?” This can be interpreted two different ways. Do you love me more than these other disciples do? Or, do you love me more than these things: fishing, sitting around a campfire with the guys? In other words, his whole old way of life.
The other gospels make mention of the fact that Peter said that he wouldn’t deny Christ though the others might. But this gospel doesn’t. So it seems less likely that this would be brought up as an issue here. In the first verse of chapter 21, Peter announces that “I am going fishing.” It looks like he is seriously thinking about going back to his old life.
There are two different words for the word ‘love’ used here. Some Bible scholars don’t think there is any significance in the change, except for the avoidance of repetition. But I think that misses the whole story here.
The word for love that Jesus uses is a)gapa/w (a – ga – pah′ – o), the noun is a)ga/ph (a – ga′ – pay). Peter responds with file/w (phi – le′ – o), the noun is fili/a (phi - lee′ - ah). The word Jesus uses generally describes a more rational love, Peter a more emotional love. If you say that you love chocolate ice cream or football, you would generally mean that you enjoy these immensely. You might even use that term with your spouse or kids, but it would suggest more how you enjoy being with them.
a)gapa/w love, especially of love as based on evaluation and choice, a matter of will and action; (1) toward persons love, be loyal to, regard highly (EP 5.25); (2) toward God (MT 22.37); (3) from God (JN 3.16); (4) toward things value, delight in, strive for (LU 11.43); long for (2T 4.8); (5) show love (JN 17.26)
File/w (1) love, as devotion based in the emotions, often distinguished from a)gap€w (love), which is devotion based in the will like, feel affection for; with the accusative of person (MT 10.37; JN 11.3); with the accusative of the thing (MT 23.6); (2) as an outward expression of affection kiss (MT 26.48); (3) followed by an infinitive like to or be accustomed to do something (MT 6.5)
Aga/ph would suggest more the value you put on these things. People love God who don’t necessarily enjoy it. Jesus was essentially asking Peter what was most important to him. His answer was a little off the point. He really likes Jesus, but he seems noncommittal.
Jesus asks again: Simon son of John, do you love Me? Instead of ‘do you love Me more than these?’, do you love Me (at all)? Do you love Me?
When I first became a Christian, I first realized that I did believe in God. When that question stood before me, I realized that automatically God was the most important thing in my life. How can it be otherwise? If God is not the most important thing in your life, it means that you haven’t really understood the question.
Everything in life is temporary, except God. You can’t run from God, you can’t hide from God. One day you will face Him whether you want to or not. You need to come to terms with Him sooner or later. But when it comes to living your life, how can God not be the most important thing in it?
Peter again has the same answer. Lord, I like you, alright?
Then Jesus asks: Do you like Me? He uses the same word that Peter used, and so He questions if Peter really knows or means what He says. It’s like Jesus is saying: if you really liked Me, you couldn’t help but love Me. And if you really loved Me, you couldn’t help but love Me more than anything else. If Jesus were merely human, this would all sound vainglorious, but as humans looking God in the face, how can it be otherwise?
II. The responses
The first two times Peter’s answers are identical. Yes, Lord, You know that I love you. The word Lord is ambiguous. It can mean Sir, as in addressing someone politely, either a stranger or an acquaintance. It can mean Master, as to a slave or a subordinate. Caesar took the title to mean Supreme Ruler. And it is also used to translate Jehovah, the name of God, in the Greek Bible. So this is no indication that Peter was calling Jesus God, though Doubting Thomas called Him My Lord and My God (John 20).
Some scholars think that, since Peter said Yes, Lord, he was agreeing with Jesus, and this choice of the word ‘love’ is not different from Jesus’. I think that Jesus changed the question each time shows differently. He likes Jesus, a lot, but maybe He is afraid to say too much. Just like in the Upper Room when he told Jesus so confidently how he would never betray Him.
Peter emphasizes the word You. In Greek the word ‘you’ is part of the verb, so you don’t need to use it unless you want to emphasize it. YOU know that I love you. I may not have the courage to follow through on what I want, but, Lord, YOU know my heart. You know how I really feel inside. You know what I really want.
The last time Peter is upset, because Jesus asked him if he indeed liked Him. Now Peter is more insistent. “Lord, all things You Yourself know. YOU know that I love you.” The two words ‘know’ are different. The first suggests that Jesus has this complete knowledge of everything, like an all-seeing eye. The second ‘know’ suggests that Jesus should have this figured out from all the time they have spent together. HE knows what Peter really feels inside.
Pink, 324, “Lord,” he says, “thou knowest all things.” Men could see no signs of any love or affection when I denied Thee; but Thou canst read my very heart; I appeal therefore to Thine all-seeing eye. That Christ knew all things comforted this disciple, as it should us. Peter realized that the Lord knew the depths as well as the surfaces of thing, and therefore, that He saw what was in his poor servant’s heart, though his lips had so transgressed.
“His self-judgment is complete. Searched out under the Divine eye, he is found and owns himself, not better but worse than others; so self-emptied that he cannot claim quality for his love at all. The needed point is reached: the strong man converted to weakness is now fit to strengthen his brethren,; and, as Peter descends step by step the ladder of humiliation, step by step the Lord follows him with assurance of the work for which he is destined.” Numerical Bible quoted in Pink
Some see Peter’s continued use of the word file/w as an expression of his passion for Jesus and that the use of Jesus’ original word is too heady, too unemotional to capture his deepest feelings. I see it as Peter’s hesitancy to say more than he feels he can live up to. I think most of us would like to be bold witnesses for Christ, but we’re scared, just like Peter was the night of Jesus’ arrest.
III. The commands
When I hear what Jesus says to Peter after Peter gives what I call his weak answers, it’s almost like Jesus wasn’t really listening to what he said. I think Jesus would have said the same things regardless of what Peter said.
After Jesus asks Peter if he loved Him more than these things, He tells him to feed His lambs. Peter had failed Jesus in a large way. It didn’t make things worse for Jesus, but it could make him think that God wouldn’t really want to have much to do with him, yet alone be this leader in His Church. Yet nothing seems to have changed.
bçskw (1) active, of herdsmen tending flocks or herds feed, pasture, tend while grazing (MT 8.33); (2) passive, of grazing animals feed, be feeding (MT 8.30)
What we may consider a disqualifying act, to God it can be an enabling act. Jesus told Peter before it happened that Peter would deny Him, yet at the same time He told him that when he has turned back, he should strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32).
In fact, Jesus didn’t seem too distraught by the fact of Peter’s denial. He knew it was coming. He knew that Satan wanted to ‘sift him like wheat,’ but He didn’t pray that Peter would be protected from this, only that Peter’s faith wouldn’t fail.
Just like Paul was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming proud because of all the privileges he had been given by God, so too our failings keep before our eyes that we are just ordinary human beings. Like Jesus told the disciples a little later on, “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
The people of God are frequently referred to as sheep. And lambs would be the little ones, the children both literally and spiritually, those young in years and those new to faith.
We mentioned a few weeks ago about the fact that God created families for a reason. One was to teach us about the relationship between God and people, His love. In fact, all of life has analogies to our life with God.
When we were children, our parents fed us. When we got older, we were able to feed ourselves. When we are older yet, we feed our children and provide for them. In your spiritual life, the same dynamic is at work. As a new Christian, you are dependent on others teaching you about the faith. Later, you should be able to feed yourself. Then you need to become mentors and teachers of others.
Jesus asked Peter the second time: Do you love Me? Peter still has the same answer, and Jesus tells him to shepherd His sheep. Some translations and scholars think that the two words mean pretty much the same thing: feed, tend.
The first word Jesus used means basically to provide grain for, feed. The second word is what shepherds do. By the way, the word ‘pastor’ is the noun form of this verb. Pastors are shepherds, who shepherd their flocks. They care for them, maintain them, feed them, look after them.
poima°nw literally, as one who takes care of a group of animals, especially shepherding a flock tend, feed, pasture (LU 17.7); metaphorically, of administrative and .protective activity in relation to a community of believers; guide, care for, look after (AC 20.28); with emphasis on the governing aspects of administration rule (RV 2.27)
This same Peter who denied Jesus would now be a shepherd to the flock of God.
The third question that Jesus asked Peter questioned even what little commitment Peter could make. Yet Jesus continues as if Peter’s answer didn’t even matter. “Feed my sheep.” He was already told to shepherd His sheep, but the most important thing he can do for them is to feed them.
Shortly after this, Peter asked Jesus about one of the other disciples who was there. “So what’s going to happen with him?” Jesus’ answer essentially was: Don’t worry about anybody else, just follow Me.” The wording is interesting. Greek is not bound by common English syntax. Literally it says: You Me follow. The first two words placed there for emphasis.
In fact, there is a Biblical principle, which we will refer to over and over in different contexts. And that is the need to maintain a focus on Jesus, the Word, and not be distracted by events, circumstances, people, or problems. There isn’t time to develop this now, but we are often tempted to look at others and make comparisons. We can’t do that. That makes as much sense as passing a car on the highway and saying that you won.
Conclusion:
The issue is not what you have done in the past, but what are you going to do now with your life. Everyday is like a new start. Forget how yesterday went. Today, say that you will live for God and do what you can to follow Him and build your life. Don’t get in the trap of constantly looking in the past at what you have done or what has happened to you. Jesus doesn’t and neither should you.
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