Divine Reversal of Peter’s Denials John 21:15-17

 Text:  “If My people (Redeemed by Christ’s Blood), which are called by My Name (Christian), shall humble themselves (confessing our sins), and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways (full repentance from sin); then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14.

          “If we (professing Christians) say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins (to God alone), He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9.

Good morning, forgiven and restored Christian!  You and I, like the apostle Peter, have sinned many many times since that wonderful day that the Lord God granted us repentance and faith to believe in Christ’s Sacrifice for us at the Cross of Calvary.  We sin naturally, because we are natural born sinners.  This is merely a fact we have to face up to, and live with, daily. 

However, our Holy Lord God cannot abide sin, and therefore if we would consistently fellowship with Him, we must always acknowledge our sins; confess our sins to the Lord God, turn away again from our sins; and receive His continual forgiveness.  This is what we call Progressive Sanctification.  (Isaiah 59:1-4)

“I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn Thou me, and I shall be turned; for Thou art the Lord my God.  Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did hear the reproach of my youth.  Is Ephraim My dear son?  Is he a pleasant child?  For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore My bowels (emotions) are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.”  (Jeremiah 31:18-20) 

Our selected Bible reading for today sets forth one of the most wonderful aspects of God’s forgiveness of our sins - sins we naturally commit even after we are graciously saved!  When the Lord God forgives, He forgives completely.

The Lord God in His matchless grace, makes Divine reversals in the lives of His redeemed people!  He makes all things new.  Praise His Name!  (Revelation 22:4-5)

The risen Lord Jesus called His disciples from the boat to the shore; fed them bread and fish; then made one of the greatest Divine reversals of sin recorded. 

The Lord Jesus reversed all three of Peter’s public denials of Himself.

“Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now (prior to Christ’s Crucifixion)?  I will lay down my life for Thy sake.  Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?  Verily, verily (truly), I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice (three times).”  (John 13:37-38)

 “Peter then denied again; and immediately the cock crew.”  (John 18:27)

In verse fifteen, through to verse seventeen of today’s Bible reading, John records how Christ asked Peter three times whether or not he really loved Him: 

“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?…Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?…Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” (Vs. 15-17)

When the repentant Peter answered in the affirmative, the Lord instructed him to "Feed My lambs…Feed My sheep…Feed My sheep."

By asking the repentant Peter this same question three times over in such a brief discussion, with the rest of the disciples as public witnesses - we can believe that the Lord Jesus was literally reversing Peter’s three denials of Himself, following His initial arrest.  The Lord Jesus makes all things new.  Praise His Holy Name!

Furthermore, we learn from this Scripture passage that the Lord is willing to forgive you and I - His latter-day disciples - when we fail, and falter, and fall into Christ-denying sin. Repentance is the sinner’s passport to God’s full forgiveness; and a progressive sanctification from all our sins.  (1 John 1:8-10)

Not only did the Christ reverse Peter’s public denials, He restored the big fisherman to full service and ministry to the sheep of His Blood-bought Fold.  Glory to the Lord!

Thought:  You and I betray the Christ every day in some manner.  Let us come quickly before Him in repentance, knowing His willingness to forgives us.  We cannot serve Christ while our sin is unconfessed.  Let us now repent and pray.

The Number Three: Divine Completion John 21:14

Text:  “And this is now the third time that Jesus showed Himself to His disciples, after that He was risen from the dead.”

John 21:14.

          “And there are THREE that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these Three are One.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one."                 

1 John 5:7-8.

Good morning, ordained Christian witness!  Just as the Lord Jesus "…showed Himself to His disciples…" three times, "…after that He was risen from the dead."; you and I - who have by God’s free and Sovereign grace been Spiritually regenerated and saved from our sins - are ordained by God to bear witness to others of His completed Sacrifice at Calvary’s Cross. 

“But ye (the redeemed) shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto Me (Christ Jesus) both in Jerusalem,  and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)

Let us ask ourselves: are we faithfully bearing such Christian witness daily?  A challenging question with which to commence any new day, what?

Let us first focus in on exactly what the Holy Scriptures are teaching us here in our Journey In John’s Gospel. 

This third time appearance of Christ Jesus was not merely a third time meeting with men in the course of normal everyday events.  This was the appearing of One Who had been publicly and cruelly scourged and brutally beaten by the Roman soldiers; nailed to a Cross; tortured in this manner for hours in the relentless heat of the sun; then viciously thrust through the heart with a spear and killed stone dead!  Of these facts there could be no doubt.

This was a third time appearing of Christ Jesus ‘…after He was risen from the dead…’!  We are talking about a Supernatural event here; we are, perhaps, too calmly reading about a complete miracle of God!  Hallelujah!  What a Lord God!

“Ah Lord God!  Behold, Thou hast made the Heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is NOTHING too hard for Thee.”  (Jeremiah 32:17)

The evangelist and Gospel writer, John, was an actual eye-witness, on this third occasion, of the walking miracle that was, and is, the risen Jesus Christ.  There was, therefore, absolutely no doubt whatsoever of the truth and facts of Christ’s miraculous resurrection from the dead.  

Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Living Lord God, is alive and well today!  Glory to His very Name!

“…Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of Hell and of death.”  (Revelation 1:17-18)

The apostle John was tasked by the Lord God to make a faithful record of what he and the other disciples had witnessed with their own eyes concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.  He did so, and now we have the written Word of God, the Word given to men by God; the Word of God Himself depicted in human accounts for our Eternal benefit.  We are His witnesses!

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son.  He that believeth (trusts, and continues to trust) on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.  And this is the record, that God hath given to us Eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God (Jesus Christ); that ye may KNOW that ye have Eternal life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God.”  (1 John 5:9-13)

This is a full quotation from God’s written Word - do you believe it?

If you believe God’s Word - then you are tasked to be His witness.

The witness given to mankind by God is true. The complete evidence of this truth was the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, from the dead.  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - co-equal Persons in the Eternal Godhead of Jehovah - declare this Gospel record to be God’s own revealed Truth.

Thought:  Let us - we who are saved by God’s Truth and what He did for us on the Cross - never tire of being ordained witnesses of Christ’s Salvation record of grace.  The Lord returns real soon.  Amen. (Rev. 22:20-21)

Jesus Makes the Feast! John 21:9-13

Text:  “And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed (blessed with multiple blessings) are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.  And He saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Revelation 19:9.

Good morning, Lamb-invited Christian!  You and I have been invited to the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb of God - Christ Jesus.  Hallelujah!  We are Lamb-invited guests, and we shall attend the greatest Wedding Supper ever, for it is a Marriage Divinely appointed for us to attend.  Praise the Lord!

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him; for the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife (the church) hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”  (Revelation 19:8)

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh Himself with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”  (Isaiah 61:10)

When the Lord Jesus called the crooked tax-collector, Zacchaeus, down from the sycamore tree, and up into a saving faith - Zacchaeus "…made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully…"  (Luke19:5-6)

Why do you think Zacchaeus was so immediately thrilled to have Jesus come to abide in his house that day?  He was ‘joyful’ because he realized that wherever the Lord Jesus goes, He makes perfect and Divine Provision.  Praise and all glory to His Name!

“Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if any man/woman hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him/her, and will sup with him/her, and he/she with Me.”  (Revelation 3:20)

Christ’s Divine promise to the Laodicean church - the universal church of this present 21^st Century - is also a Divine promise to every individual who hears the universal call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

If anyone hears God’s call effectually, with the ears and hearts of God-given and saving faith, the Lord Jesus promises to come into that individual; to dwell within that person; and to bring His wonderful feast of Salvation with Him.  Glory to the Lamb!  It is Jesus that makes the Eternal feast!

The feast righteous Lot made for the visiting angels at sinful Sodom, closely mirrors, in type, the great Feast Christ Jesus offers to sinners such as we:

“And he (Lot) pressed upon them greatly (implored them); and they (the two angels) turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.”  (Genesis 19:3)

Wherever Christ Jesus’ Presence abides - it is He that makes the feast!

“Thou wilt show me the path of life; in Thy Presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.”  (Psalm 16:11)

Read again our selected Bible reading from John’s Gospel account.  See with fresh Spiritual eyes the great Jehovah Jireh at work, providing for "...His people".  (Jehovah Jireh: ‘the Lord Who seeth afar off, and provideth.’) (Genesis 22:14) (Matthew 1:21)

“As soon then, as they (Christ’s disciples) were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there (Divine warmth), and fish laid thereon (necessary food), and bread (Christ is the Bread of life).”  (John 21:9)

Wherever the Lord effectually calls us to be - it is Jesus that makes the feast!

When the Disciples had made it from the ship to the shore - they discovered that Christ Jesus had already made all the preparations and provided for their every need; in His strength, in His Divine wisdom; in His Almighty power.

Christ calls you and me to become "…fishers of men…" in His service.  We are to preach/teach the Gospel; live godly lives; and be witnesses for Him.  When we do - the Lord again adds the increase, He allows us to win souls for His Kingdom.  What a privilege!  It is Jesus Who makes the feast!

He then instructed them to, “ Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.”  (V.10)

“Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three (all numbered by God the Spirit!); and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.”  (V. 11)

Thought:  How many souls, by God's grace, will YOU and I bring to Christ‘s great Wedding Feast?

 

Immanuel: Christ With Us! John 21:7

Text:  “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved (John, speaking of himself) saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.  Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.”

John 21:7.

Good morning, God-fearing Christian!  Being a ‘disgustingly normal’ Christian - just like the author - you and I know by our experience of life exactly what the apostle Paul knew by his own experience: we are Hell-deserving sinners.  In our flesh dwelleth no good thing! (Romans 7:18)

Thus we have a healthy fear of being in the Presence of the Holy Lord God Almighty Whom we both love and seek to serve.  This is how it should be, reverend friend.   Yet, in Christ Jesus, all our sins are covered.  Hallelujah!

“Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.”                                 (Hebrews 12:28-29)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:9)  Wow!  What  a Saviour!

Peter’s reaction to the knowledge that he was in Christ’s Presence, mirrors the reaction of our Created progenitors - Adam and Eve - in Eden’s Garden, after they had sinned by disobedience to the Lord God. 

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”                   (Genesis 3:8)

Peter, being informed that the Lord Jesus Himself was standing on the shore speaking with them, immediately perceived himself as "…naked…" in his sins before God, and "…cast himself into the sea."  (V.7)

Our unconfessed sins, in the Presence of a thrice Holy Lord God, makes us feel thoroughly ashamed - and there is no place to hide from God, not even in the midst of a great sea. “Be sure! Your sin will find you out!”  (Num. 32:23)

“Blessed is he/she whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered… the man/woman unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity”  (Psalm 32:1-2)

 

Emmanuel

Muse on then Blood-cleansed Christian mind;

Of foes before thee, foes behind!

Mid mad adversities to find:

Emmanuel, God with us.

Chorus: Christ before me, Christ behind;

Everywhere a cross I find.

Yet, no more sin-sick, cursed, and blind:

Emmanuel, God with us.

 

I’ve faced the bear of poverty,

And hungered much, and so have ye;

Yet, slain the beast, ‘cause e’er we see:

Emmanuel, God with us.

The lion, so wicked, roared in rage;

My back was blistered in its cage;

Yet, Victory was my Master’s wage:

Emmanuel, God with us.

 

The giant despair with me did grapple.

He held me fast in Doubting Castle;

Yet, Blood-bought faith my chains unshackled:

Emmanuel, God with us.

The king of Hades’ realms, demented,

With fiery passions sore tormented;

Yet, all my failings, Jesus mended:

Emmanuel, God with us.

 

Then Satan’s servants, Philistines!

Defamed my name with evil lies.

Yet, Christ the Lamb my pardon signed:

Emmanuel, God with us.

 

The bear, the lion, the giant, the king;

The Hell-bound, evil, Philistines;

Are ever vanquished when they find:

Emmanuel, God with us.

Christ before me, Christ behind;

Everywhere His Cross I find!

Now, no more sin-sick, cursed, and blind:

Jesus gives me Victory!

Dr C.K.McClinton, BA (Hons); MA; Ph.D.; D.Litt.

 

Thought:  Covered by the precious Blood of Christ Jesus, we are forever welcomed and safe in God’s Holy Presence.  Come, let’s worship Him now.