Scripture reading this morning. Please turn your Bibles to Colossians chapter one. Colossians chapter one beginning with first number nine. For this reason, we also since the day we heard it. Do not cease to pray for you and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering, with joy. giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible. whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, and that in all things he may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell. and by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight. If indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. If you follow the sermon schedule, we are changing things just a little bit and concluding our studying the gospel of John today. And today's sermon is entitled A New Beginning or even a subtitle Restoration. A new beginning as we see the last chapter of John. The main character in this chapter is Peter. We know a little bit about his life. It's filled with ups and downs. Peter was either hot or cold. Rarely in between. And after boasting he would never leave Jesus, he's walking from a distance. As Jesus is led away to trial, observing from that far distance as He's warming Himself by a fire. Three times Peter is recognized by various individuals. Three times he had a golden opportunity to say what he professed about Jesus Christ. And three times Peter failed. He failed to speak up for Jesus Christ. He blew it. And then suddenly the rooster crowed. And Scripture says, Peter wept. He wept bitterly. I sometimes wonder what I would do if I was confronted with the same challenge. That if my faith was put to the test, If I was challenged with my faith in circumstances similar to his day or even our day in various countries around the globe where our faith is put to test, would we stand up for the gospel or would we shrink and act as a coward? Be afraid to be called a child of God's. Think of fellow believers in China or in Iran. in these Muslim countries where it costs something to be called a Christian. We may not be too judgmental, too quick to judge, Peter, in these circumstances. Well, John chapter 21 then records the third meeting of Jesus with a group of disciples. The first time was Sunday night of the resurrection. Before ten of the apostles, Thomas was not there. The second time a week later, eleven of the disciples were gathered together. And now here in John chapter 21, there's the third meeting before seven disciples. Peter, Thomas, who's also called Didymus in the passage, which means twin, Nathaniel, James and John and two unnamed disciples that are gathered at the Sea of Galilee. Peter, though, is the main character in this text. What we find here is about Peter after his fall. Peter fell as much as anyone could in their lifetime. He had denied the Lord three times. He was a man that said, according to John 13, verse 37, I will lay down my life for you. And yet, instead of laying down his life, he denied the Lord. This had to be the lowest point in Peter's life. Certainly the joy and exuberance of seeing the risen Messiah was great in his life. And he saw Christ on two occasions. Now this third meeting, I believe, was vital, very important in the life of Peter. Ed Welch says about this occasion, since we all have some Peter in us, We are eager to see how far Jesus' forgiveness actually extends. If Christ's forgiveness is extended to Peter, certainly it should be extended to every believer in every age. Let's read the first few verses of John 21. John 21, verse 1. After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, which was another name for the Sea of Galilee. And on this Y showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then said Jesus unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore. And now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of the fishes." Doesn't this story sound very familiar? Very familiar to something that occurred several years before recorded in Luke chapter 5. Same lake. Same people. No success in this fishing expedition, a command of Jesus. And then suddenly there's a ton of fish. The last time Peter was fishing, Jesus called him and said, you're not only you're not going to be a fisher of fish anymore, you're soon going to be a fisher of men and follow me. Peter, at this time now, though, is a man without a mission. A couple of weeks have passed. Perhaps he thought that that invitation to catch men was no longer valid, that he would no longer be involved in that type of ministry. And so what does he do? He goes back to fishing for fish. He was joined by several of these other disciples in this expedition that was very unsuccessful until Jesus called out, throw off your net on the right side of the boat. And they did so. And in this familiar story that is now repeated a second time, their nets are bursting overloaded with fish. In fact, later on in the text, we find that they counted the fish. There was 153 fish. Perhaps they did that because they would divide that among them and they had to know the exact number so they could divide them equally among them. Certainly, as they went through this experience, it was what we could call a déjà vu experience. It had to be even an eerie feeling. Haven't we seen this before? Done this before? Have you ever had that experience? Like I'm just walking through the same page of my life? Yes, it was very familiar. It had happened before. It was an opportunity for restoration in their lives. to see God's grace, to see God's marvelous power displayed with the catch of many fish. John is the first one to recognize Jesus on the shore. When he recognizes Jesus, then suddenly Peter jumps out of the boat, swims to shore as the first one there. Peter, impulsive once again, is the first to reach Jesus. Let's read on in the text, beginning in verse 9. And as soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus said unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to the land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty-three. And for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus said unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou, knowing that it was the Lord? Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus showed Himself to the disciples. After that, He was risen from the dead. What is happening here at these moments? After this tremendous display of God's awesome power, And God's reaching out to these disciples where they were at the Sea of Galilee. And by the way, it was not unusual that they would be at Galilee because there are a couple of references after the resurrection of Christ that they were to go back to Galilee and find Christ in the mountain. But now, Peter, once again, the leader says, let's go fishing. And we find six of the disciples following Peter as he showed his leadership skills as they joined in with him in the fishing expedition. But now they're at the seaside. Jesus is already baking some fish and bread for breakfast. I don't know about you. Fish for breakfast just doesn't seem right. Give me an egg McMuffin. Give me a French toast, pancakes and syrup, but not fish for breakfast. I remember when Sue and I were in the Holy Land a number of years ago and they had fish for breakfast. And I thought, there's some fish that I will eat. I'm not a big fish eater anyway, but the idea of fish, the whole thing there, head and toes and everything, you know, there for breakfast just did not sit well with me. But this was significant. In their days, and similar to our days, inviting somebody to dinner meant something. Or breakfast. It meant, I am restoring you to fellowship. I am reaching out to you with open arms. It was a sign of fellowship and acceptance. The hosts hear Jesus Christ as saying, all is well. in our relationship. You are welcome back for the Jews. This was an idea of the symbolism behind it means much more than maybe we think of a sign of unity and friendship. The message that Jesus is giving Peter is you are my friend. I have forgiven you. I am willing to restore you to the place that you once deserve. Then Jesus matches Peter's threefold denial with his threefold questions that occurred after the breakfast was over. And at once, during the next segment that we'll read here in the text, does Jesus remind Peter of the shameful event of the past. You won't find it anywhere in chapter 21. Let's notice in verse 15, the dialogue that took place. Verse 15 says, So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, Yea, or yes, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my lambs. He said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me? He said unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, Feed my sheep. He said unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And so he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep." I believe somewhere between the denial of Peter and those waning hours at the trial of Jesus Christ, and this appearance of Jesus Christ, Peter had poured his heart out before the Lord. It might have been the time that he went out and went bitterly. and cried repentant tears, pleading for the forgiveness of the Messiah that he had denied. I believe this is already settled and done. In case you're saying, well, where is the repentance? Where is the confession of the sin? Where is he crying out to God for forgiveness? I believe it had to happen based on this text. I believe Peter had repented and been forgiven. And now he needed to know things were right. that he had been restored. And I believe we find in this section of verses, we want to give you four important points here. How restoration can take place. What is necessary for restoration on both sides of the table? And the first, Through these questioning, these questions and answers, number one, I believe the significance of the transgression has to be recognized. Christ asked Peter three times. We see that Peter is grieved, hurt. that he would have to ask him the same question three times. But I believe there was a point behind this. Christ wanted Peter to know the significance of what had happened, the offense, the violation against the holy God. Now, let's remember. Peter had spent. Day by day, hour by hour, practically 24 seven with Christ. He believed He was the Messiah. He had testified of His deity. He had displayed a great amount of faith. And yes, He boasted, I'll stand with you. I'll die with you. And a few hours later, maybe even a few minutes later, He's denying the Lord. Not once. Not twice. But three times. So Peter is asked this question not once, not twice, but three times. Do you love me? You can understand being perturbed. But I believe Christ wanted Peter to understand the significance of his sin, of the transgression against him, the magnitude of sin, a violation against the holy God. Do you and I recognize the magnitude of our sin? I don't think we do. I don't think I do enough. I think too often my confession is lip service. I want to get it off my chest and move on. Our sins bring great separation in our walk with the Lord. even though we are reconciled by the blood of Jesus Christ, says, if there's iniquity in my heart, I will not hear you. I can't have a prayer relationship with the Lord if there's sin, unconfessed sin in my heart. Sin has a devastating effect. It's like a tornado or a hurricane that wipes out a whole city. We all have pictures in our mind of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans after the hurricane. Watching the devastating effect upon the city. Sin has a devastating effect. And we often make light of it. Sugarcoat it. And say our lies are just white lies. Little lies. Not that important. Sometimes blame others, shift the blame and lie about our sin. Peter, who was the leader of this small band of disciples, had turned his back on the Messiah. He was a man who said, even if all fall away on account of you, I never will. But he did. I believe he needed to understand the shame, the significance of the transgression against his holy God. I believe there's another truth we need to learn from this text, and that is the supremacy of love must be established. The supremacy of love, of our love, to the one that we have violated, because three times as Jesus asked Peter, do you love me? Peter said three times, I love you. I love you. Verse 15, we see the phrase, do you love me more than these? Who were the these? Or what was the these there that he's talking about in verse 15? It could be he wanted to know, do you love me more than these fish? 153 of them. The life of fishing, do you love me more than that? Some of the Bible commentators believe that he was talking about, do you love me more than these other guys? The other six disciples. You who have boasted and said, you will stand with me. Do you love me more than these? Will you show more dedication? Maybe Christ was asking this question as a subtle reminder of his previous boast to be more loyal than these other disciples. We don't know for sure. But we do know there's idols in our hearts. There's pride in our lives that we deal with on a daily basis. Do we love the Lord more than anything else? And I have to shake my head and say, oftentimes, no. I let idols usurp God's place. I let things come in the place of God. I love my schedule to come in the place of God, my likes, my hopes, my wishes, are they God's? Am I God focused or self-focused? Am I more concerned about my kingdom or God's kingdom? Do I really love Jesus? Do we really love Jesus, my friend? Well, thank goodness in Peter's reply to Christ, he doesn't make excuses. We don't hear the proud, boastful reminder, well, I will love you more than those guys. I will be more loyal. He left that spirit of pride that he had displayed in the past. I believe Peter's sin, through his sin, he had learned some humility. And Peter simply said, Lord, I love you. And I believe Peter was asked this question three times because Christ wanted to show the supremacy of love. Restoration sometimes means that I want to make sure. And when you've been violated or when you violated somebody else and you've said, I'm sorry, maybe there's been times where you've had to say it more than once. Just to make sure they understand, I really am sorry. I really do love you. I really want to be restored. I believe Christ was saying, do you really love me supremely? We could also ask the question, why did he do this publicly? Because there's no indication in the text that Jesus dismissed the other disciples. They had just had breakfast of fish and bread. Breadsticks, maybe. I don't know. They had just dined together a breakfast and there the disciples were to hear this dialogue. He had publicly denied the Lord and now he needed to publicly make things right before those who knew. Now, I do want to pause here for a little technicality. I don't want to lose sight of this text, what it is saying. But some of you may be aware of the fact that there's two words for love that are given in this passage. that Christ asked in the form of agapeo or agape type love, which is often thought of the highest form of love. And Peter responds with brotherly love or phileo love. And a third time, then Christ uses that word phileo and Peter responds with phileo. And I know whole sermons have been built around the use of those two words in this text. And I've heard them before, and I don't think I've preached that before, because honestly, I don't think I've ever preached this chapter before. But as I've thought about it and studied it, and D.A. Carson points this out in his commentary, that these words can be used so interchangeably that there really should not be made too much significance about the choice of words. Because we find in John's gospel, the father talking about his love for his son, and he uses those words interchangeably, agape type love and phileo type love. So perhaps we should not make too much about that in case you've heard those kind of sermons in the past. I think the point still is, Peter, do you love me? Do you love me supremely? Peter probably felt like quitting. Maybe that's why he was fishing again. Fishing for fish. He felt like quitting. He said, I'm going back to my old life. You've had periods in your life where you've said, you know, this Christianity stuff hasn't worked for me. It's not all what it's cracked up to be. I'm not sure I want to embrace Christianity. Peter was ready to leave it all behind and start out with an old job, a familiar place, the Sea of Galilee, fishing once again. until Jesus got a hold of his life here and asked him if he really loved him. Perhaps today Christ is asking you through this passage, what's your priority? Do you really love Jesus? Do you love him supremely? A third truth I believe we can learn from this passage is the sovereignty of the Lord must be established. That God is all-powerful. That God is all-knowing. That He is the sovereign Lord of this situation. Three times in this passage, Peter appealed to the Lord's knowledge. In v. 15 and v. 16 he says, Lord, You know that I love You. In v. 17 he says, Lord, You know all things. Peter, once again, did not try to put down the other disciples, did not try to excel above the other disciples. Peter had been humbled and recognized how powerless he was before the sovereign hand of God, before the cross. Peter had brazenly and brashly said he would die for the Lord. He even tried to prove his own power by slashing at Malchus. And all he got was an ear in the Garden of Gethsemane. But now, Peter was humbled and totally powerless before the supremacy and sovereignty of God. And he rested his hands in the knowledge of God. There are some things we can't change. There are some things we can't do. But we have to leave it in the all-powerful hands of God, the all-knowledge of God, in His sovereignty, His supremacy in our lives, and let Him be God. So I believe, by the third time, Peter rested his case in the sovereignty of God. The last few days I've been reading the book of Esther, a familiar book. An interesting book. And even though I know this story, I was caught through the drama of the book of Esther. And also caught with the fact that some people would say, look what fate did. Look what happened. That Mordecai just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Or look, Haman built his own gallows that he hoped to hang Mordecai on. And he happened to get caught. The essence of Esther is God is sovereign. God is in control. Things just do not happen. And I believe Peter was learning, Lord, you know all things. And you know my heart. And my friend, should cause us pause for reflection right now. God knows your heart and my heart. Whether we're true and sincere, whether we are a born-again Christian or not, whether we have a heart of love and confession or not, He knows. And that ought to give us cause for serious reflection on our heart. And then fourthly, in these verses, then service to the Lord can be resumed. The Lord reinstated Peter three times, he said, feed my lambs one time and then twice he said, feed my sheep. Peter would have the opportunity to be restored. Restoration happens through the process that we've already cited here in points one through three. But then restoration was accomplished. Peter would no longer have to fish for fish the rest of his life. He could get away from that smelly task and deal with smelly people and try to reach out to lost people with the gospel and shepherd the flock of God. Peter's sin was now distant in the past. And he was able to adopt the mission of his Lord and Savior and his King. Later on in verses 18 and 19, we won't have time to read these verses, but Christ spoke about the ultimate sacrifice Peter would pay for serving Him. And tradition and historical books tell us that Peter was crucified. That his hands would be outstretched. He would pay for serving Jesus. Peter would be true. Peter was changed. He lost that humility, that conceit, that arrogance that once was part of his life for three years before Christ and the disciples. He was a changed man. He also would show his devotion to the ministry by giving instructions in his first letter to pastors. In 1 Peter 5, verse 2, Peter, now the apostle of Jesus Christ, who was feeding sheep, now instructs pastors, feed the flock of God. Peter, as an authority under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, is now telling me, telling every pastor, you have a duty to do, and that is to feed. The flock of God. Friends, God is in the restoration business. Amen? We can thank God for that. Galatians 6 verse 1 reminds us, brothers, if a man is overtaken in a fault, you who are spiritual, restore such a one. Restore such a one in a spirit of meekness. Why? Considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Believers need to be actively engaged in this task of Galatians 6.1, especially those who are God fearing, those who are spiritual. And we need to receive that when a God fearing leader comes to us, a God fearing man or woman comes to you and says, can I just challenge you in this area? Can I encourage you in this area in your walk, in your lifestyle? When a pastor might come and say, can I encourage you and exhort you? We need to receive it. We need to see that this is a ministry of restoration that God has given one another. Even in the passage in Matthew 18 of church discipline. Through the steps of church discipline, the goal is not to put somebody out. It's not excommunication. The goal is restoration. That the sinner would be repentant and restored to the body, to a fellowship and relationship with one another and with Christ. We need to thank God that he is in the ministry of restoration. He also is in a ministry, my friend, of reconciliation. I'd like to turn to that for just a moment in our thinking. The passage that was read for Scripture in Colossians 1 closed with the term that we are reconciled by the blood of the cross. That there is a ministry of reconciliation. To reconcile means to cause to be friendly again. to bring back in harmony, to make peace. So, reconciliation is one of those key words in Scripture, one of the key words of the Gospel, because it means that a sinner who is separated and alienated from God can have fellowship with a holy God. And how is that possible? Not because God violated you and I, and that He needs to make up for it. No, we violated a holy God with our sin. And God went the whole way on our behalf when He made His Son to be sin for us who knew no sin. When Christ's blood accomplished all that was necessary for us to be victorious, to have a relationship with a holy God that we cannot have in our own power, in our own effort. That's the glorious message of the Gospel, that we can be reconciled with Jesus Christ. As Colossians 1.22 says, he is now reconciled in his body of the flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. In 2nd Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 18, now all these things are from God who has reconciled us through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Perhaps, as someone here today, you're not certain about your salvation. Or you know there's nothing there. There's no spiritual relationship with Christ. There's no life and vitality in you. As Paul writes in Romans 5, verse 1, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Christ's blood, through the cross, we can be reconciled. But the first part of that verse is so critical. We are justified, doesn't say by works, doesn't say by going to church, doesn't say by taking the Lord's Supper. It doesn't say by following the golden rule, we are justified by what? Say it again. Faith. We are justified by faith, for by grace through faith are you saved. It's faith in Christ alone and his accomplished work on the cross of Calvary. What a privilege that it is for us to be reconciled to Christ. But let me close by reminding sinners who have been converted, sinners who were lost and now saved, As Christians, we still violate the Holy and Living God, don't we? We still sin. Thank God we have the reminder, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all our unrighteousness. We need to keep in mind that we are guilty of denying our Lord. Maybe you haven't verbalized it like Peter did. But do we, by our actions, by our lifestyle, demonstrate that we are not true followers of Christ? We are followers of our own. By our cowardliness, by our failure to stand up for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we become Christ deniers. Or again, by our actions. We need to be always vigilant, always on guard. For it's easy for us to fall, as Paul writes, wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. David probably thought he would never commit adultery. Solomon probably thought he would never worship idols. And Peter thought he would never deny the Lord. Even once. And yet he did three times. But as I look over the course of my life, I know I have grieved my Lord so many times. Too many times. I've grieved Him by my sin, by my pride. I've grieved Him with my greed and selfishness. I've grieved my Lord by my stubbornness and my idolatry. How about you, my friend? If you grieve the Lord, is there unconfessed sin in your life? He wants to restore you. He wants to have a fellowship with you, a walk with you. But our stubbornness, our unrepentant heart is holding that back. Let's come clean before the Lord. For my walk, with the Lord is more important than even my reputation. Our walk is more important than what people think of us. Is the Lord asking you today, do you love me more than these? My friend, is the Lord asking you today, do you love me more than these? How is your soul today? Please don't pretend your relationship with the Lord is fine, is alright if it's not. It's alright to admit when it's not what it ought to be. He wants to hear the clear confession of repentant sinners. For the Church of Jesus Christ, Maranatha Baptist Church is not a place of sinless, obedient people. It's a place of dirty, rotten, stinking people. It's a hospital for the sick, for the hurting and the need of God's grace and assistance. And we need to call on the name of the Lord. We need to admit that we need his help and his assistance in our lives. So we bow together in prayer.