The sermon titled 'Unfinished Business' by Jason Dohm focuses on John 21:15-19, where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. This part of the scripture is seen as addressing Peter's earlier denial of Jesus, and is interpreted as a process of restoration and reconciliation. The repeated questioning serves to reaffirm Peter's role and devotion. Jesus' use of 'Simon, son of Jonah' is significant, recalling Peter's original calling. The sermon also explores the nature of love, contrasting agape and phileo love, and emphasizes that genuine love for Jesus is demonstrated through patient and persistent service to His people. The concept of shepherding is discussed, with Peter being tasked to feed and tend Jesus' sheep, which signifies caring for the faith community. Peter's future martyrdom is framed as a glorification of God, drawing parallels with Jesus' own submission to God's will. The sermon concludes with applications on the importance of love and service as evidence of genuine faith.

Sermon text today is John 21 from 15 to 19. For context, I'll begin in verse 1. After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius, and in this way he showed himself. Simon Peter, Thomas, called the twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I'm going fishing.

They said to him, we're going with you also. They went out and immediately got into the boat. And that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had come, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet His disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

Then Jesus said to them, Children, have you any food? They answered, No. He said to them, Cast a net on the right side of the boat, and you'll find some. So they cast. And now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, it is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he put on his outer garment, for he had removed it, and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from land, but about 200 cubits, dragging the net of fish. Then as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught." Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land full of large fish, about 153.

And although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, Come and eat breakfast. Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, Who are You? Knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them and likewise the fish.

This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to the disciples after He was raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these? He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, feed my lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me?

He said to him, yes Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him a third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Most assuredly I say to you, when you were younger you girded yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. This he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. Let's pray.

Oh, Holy Spirit, we welcome you to this place this morning. Open our ears, open our hearts, and prepare us for the message that you have to give us through your servant, Jason. As we study and investigate your reconciliation, your restoration, let us never be far from your steadfast love for us. That is the driving force, your steadfast and tenacious love for sinners such as us, restored to a holy God by the work of your perfect sacrifice. For that we praise you.

Yes, this is in Jesus' name. Amen. John chapter 13 verses 36-38. This is at the Last Supper. Simon Peter said to him, to Jesus, Lord where are you going?

Jesus answered him, Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterward. Peter said to him, Lord why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake." Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for my sake? Most assuredly I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times." In the parallel text in Matthew's account of the same events, Matthew 26-33 reads, Peter answered and said to Jesus, even if all are made to stumble, I will never be made to stumble. John chapter 18 verses 15 through 18.

Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to her who kept the door and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?

He said, I am not. Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coal stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself." Skipping to verses 25-27, still in John chapter 18. Now, Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore, they said to him, "'You are not also one of his disciples, are you?

He denied it and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off said, Did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter then denied again and immediately a rooster crowed. The parallel account in Luke 22 says this, immediately while Peter was still speaking, the rooster crowed and the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the words of the Lord how he had said, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.

So Peter went out and wept bitterly. In Luke's account, it says that as Peter denies him the third time, Jesus turns and makes eye contact with Peter. And Peter remembered what Jesus had said, and Peter goes out and weeps bitterly. Let's pray. God, we thank you for our text.

God, I pray that the preaching of This text would result in the destruction of our self-confidence and in our looking to you and loving you more than we ever have before you. Pray that we would look to you more, we would love you more, we would cast away any self-confidence and love you from the heart. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. What I read serves as the backdrop for our text.

Peter in our vernacular swore up and down that he would be willing to lay down his life for Jesus, that he would never deny Jesus. Jesus knew better. And things played out just as Jesus had said they would. And Now, Jesus comes and addresses the things that were in their very recent history. Peter's insistence that he would never deny the Lord and the fact that he actually did deny the Lord not once, not twice, but three times.

So that's why the title on your handout is Unfinished Business. From all that we see across the Gospel accounts, this has not been dealt with yet. And so that's what we have in our text. Hopefully you have your finger in John chapter 21. So I'd like to begin by just breaking off a little bit of our text and then we'll look at it before moving on.

John chapter 21 verses 15 through 17, please follow along as I reread it. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me more than these? And he said to him, yes Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, feed my lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?

He said to him, yes Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord you know all things, you know that I love you.

Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep. In this section Jesus asks Peter one question three times, a single question but a question repeated and repeated and repeated. A handful of days earlier, you are not also one of this man's disciples, are you? I am not. You are not also one of his disciples, are you?

I am not. Did I not see you in the garden with him?" And Matthew's account says, Peter began to curse and swear saying, I do not know the man. Matthew's account gives us something that John's account doesn't. On being asked the third time, if he was one of Jesus' disciples, if he was with Jesus in the garden, that he began to curse and swear, and he insisted that he didn't even know Jesus. I do not know the man.

Peter boasted about a superior devotion to the Lord than the other disciples. Even if all are made to stumble, I will never be made to stumble. But this is how circumstances actually played out. Not in the mind of Peter, but in reality. Jesus hasn't dealt with this yet.

So it really is unfinished business. Maybe you've been in a situation where something has happened and there can be no way forward until that something has been dealt with and resolved. There would be no way to pretend that it didn't happen and to continue without getting right down to the core of it and then dealing with it. This is something like that. In our text, Jesus brings Peter face to face with what he said and what really happened.

He deals with it and resolves it in a way in which there won't be something lingering between them. In a way in which there won't be a dark cloud hanging over where Peter is left to wonder when this is actually going to be dealt with. Now, a couple of preliminary thoughts. Jesus initiates this after providing the disciples with a hot breakfast. Remember, they had fished all night and hadn't caught a thing.

And Jesus says, cast the net on the right side of the boat. And there's this tremendous haul of fish. Jesus doesn't just charge into this encounter with Peter. He actually has a hot breakfast waiting for these fishermen. They enjoy the hot breakfast together.

We're not given any of the details of that. Our text this week just begins with, so when they had eaten breakfast, they've enjoyed breakfast together. And then Jesus begins this dialogue with Peter. He begins it after they've enjoyed some fellowship together. They've warmed up relationally, and then Jesus brings this to a head.

Also the only other time we have seen Jesus call Peter Simon son of Jonah was in chapter 1. The rest of the time he has either been Simon Peter or Peter. Repeatedly throughout the whole Gospel of John, it was only right at the beginning of John did Jesus use this name for Peter, Simon son of Jonah. I would like to look at that. Turn back to John chapter 1.

Let's look at the last and only time we've seen Jesus call Peter by this name Simon son of Jonah because I think it's significant John chapter 1 I'll read verses 35 through 42 John chapter 1 beginning in verse 35, follow along. Again the next day John, this is John the Baptist, stood with two of his disciples and looking at Jesus as he walked He said, Behold the Lamb of God. The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned and seeing them following, said to them, What do you seek? They said to him, Rabbi, which is to say, when translated teacher, where are you staying?

He said to them, come and see. They came and saw where he was staying and remained with him that day. Now it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. So Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist.

He heard what John the Baptist said about Jesus and he follows Jesus and spends an afternoon with Jesus. And now in verse 41 we see this, he, Andrew, first found his own brother Simon and said to him, We have found the Messiah which is translated the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him he said, You are Simon the son of Jonah, you shall be called Cephas which is translated a stone. Now Cephas is Aramaic for stone.

Peter is Greek for stone. They both mean stone. In Jesus' day there were two languages in daily use, Aramaic and Greek. This is the same meaning in the two daily languages in use. Cephas meaning stone or Peter meaning stone.

And you see those both used. Sometimes Peter is called Simon Peter, his given name, along with the name that Jesus gives him here. Sometimes he's called Cephas in the New Testament, sometimes he's just called Peter. But the first thing Jesus calls him is Simon the son of Jonah, And then he changes his name. Now I just understand in scripture how significant name changes are God changes Abram's name to Abraham and In doing that God is laying claim to a man saying, I have all the rights over you, I give you a new name.

God changes Jacob's name to Israel. Again, it is God in heaven laying claim to Jacob and saying, you were this, you were a deceiver, but now you are this, you are the father of a nation, you were Jacob, now you are Israel, I am taking control of you, I am taking ownership of you. And this is the same in John chapter 1. Jesus is God and He's taking control of a man to say, you have a given name, But you're a rock that I'm going to build my church on. Because I make you a rock.

You are mine. You are set apart for my purposes. And the name change signifies all of that. In this discussion Jesus goes back before the name change and says Simon son of Jonah That's not the name he gave him. This is significant.

Now the question is asked three times. Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Not do you trust me. Not do you believe me. I've been teaching all these things.

You've heard me teach for three years. Do you believe what I've been teaching? Or even do you believe in me? Do you entrust yourself to me? Not, will you follow me?

Will you work for me? But do you love me? Is there affection in your heart for me? Is your heart drawn to me? What is left unsaid here?

When the pressure was on, you said you didn't even know me. When push came to shove, you said you didn't even know me. This actually has background meaning that Jesus has already said something to Peter about this. Turn to Luke 22. Luke 22 is the perfect precursor, the perfect Prior text to the text that we are studying today.

Luke 22 verses 31 and 32. Follow along as I read Luke 22, 31 and 32. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren." But he said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Then he said, I tell you Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know me." So before Jesus even predicted that Peter would deny him three times, He tells Peter, calling him Simon, Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he might sift you as wheat.

Jesus tells Peter that Satan had asked permission to undo Peter, to sift him like you would sift wheat, to grind him. Jesus assures him, I prayed for you that your faith would not fail. But, and, and when you have returned to me, meaning there will be a falling away, there will be sin and failure, but you will come back because I prayed for you that ultimately your faith will not fail and ultimately his faith does not fail, he does come back, strengthen your brethren. Now in our text he is going to say feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep, strengthen your brethren. The same things being said in our text have in a sort of another way have been said in Luke 22.

In our text everything Jesus said has come to pass. His faith has not failed and yet he's sinned and is coming back and will be commissioned to strengthen his brethren. The first time Jesus says, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? And there is something additional, meaning he's going to ask the same question three times but the first time he asks it, there's an addition At the end of the question, do you love me more than these? Now commentators almost universally agree that there are three possible interpretations of what is meant by these, more than these.

What does these mean? And that grammatically any of the three interpretations is appropriate, meaning you can't just go to the Greek and say, well because of Greek grammar, it could mean these three things in English but not in Greek. The commentators agree that it can mean any of these three things in Greek and the Greeks find grammatically appropriate. So here they are. Number one, Do you love me more than these fish, these boats, these nets?

I called you away once from your occupation as a fisherman to make you a fisher of men. Will you be called again in this time for good? Do you love me more than your familiar occupation so that I can call you out of it again? It's possible, but I don't think so. Number two, do you love me more than you love your friends here?

Over the last three and a half years, undoubtedly these men had become like brothers to Peter. After all, Jesus said, He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me." That's Matthew 10 verses 37 and 38. What is being taught in Matthew 10 as Jesus teaches it is that Jesus must be preeminent in your love. You cannot love your mother and father more than Jesus, or your son or daughter more than Jesus. He must have the placed of highest affection in your heart.

Good theology, but I don't think that's what is being taught here. Number three. Do you love me more than these other disciples of mine love me? Do you have a love for me that surpasses the love for these other men who are sitting around the fire with us love me. I believe this is far and away the best given the context.

What is the context? Peter boasted about a superior devotion. Jesus I could sort of see these other men stumbling. They have one level of devotion. I have a different level of affection and devotion for you.

Even if all are made to stumble, I will never be made to stumble." Peter boasted about a superior devotion to the Lord than the other disciples. Now what does he say? A short time ago, the answer to that question, do you love me more than these other disciples of mine love me, would have been an immediate Yes! What is it now? How does Peter answer?

Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. There's no statement about the depth or intensity of his own love compared to anyone else's love for Jesus. All that he says is, you know, and I can see in my heart there is real affection for you Jesus. He simply appeals to Jesus's knowledge of his heart. You know that I love you.

That is very significant. Why? Because Peter has been prone to argue with the Lord about the state of his own heart. Who knows his own heart best? When Peter had one sense of what was in his heart and Jesus had another sense of what was in Peter's heart.

Peter trusted his own sense of it. Jesus said, you're all going to scatter. Peter said, even if all are made to stumble, I will never be made to stumble. I'm right about my heart, Jesus, you're wrong about my heart." Now we're seeing a reversal of that. Peter is bowing to Jesus' sense of what's in Peter's heart.

Peter is acknowledging that Jesus knows what's in Peter's heart better than Peter knows what's in Peter's heart. And that is new. That is new and that is good. Jesus responds to Peter's answer, feed my lambs. You love me?

Feed my lambs. Remember what Jesus said in John chapter 10, I am the good shepherd. It's one of the seven I am statements in the book of John. I am the good shepherd. I give my life for the sheep.

My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Jesus said all of those things in John chapter 10. So Jesus has a people, in fact he has just bought this people with his own blood. He did what he said he would do in John chapter 10, he laid down his life for the sheep. Now he says to Peter, feed my lambs.

My lambs! He's not giving lambs to Peter. Feed your lambs, Peter. I own these lambs. I bought them with precious, spotless, undefiled blood.

My blood, they're mine. You feed them. The youngest and most vulnerable of those my people, the lambs feed them." And at the most basic level we know what food is for Jesus' people. It was Jesus himself who said, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. If you want to know what the Lord's people need to be fed, it is God's words.

It is this. This is food for the people of God. The book of Acts bears out that Peter did this. Peter is a proclamer of the words of God in the book of Acts. Jesus calls him to this and he does it.

We see it fulfilled in the book of Acts. There, issue addressed, right? No. The second time Jesus asks Peter, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter's answer is exactly the same, yes Lord, you know that I love you.

The second time Jesus responds to Peter, Peter's answer, tend my sheep. Tend, so it was first time it was feed my lambs. And feed just means feed. I mean it is, there's not a lot of additional information to give you about the translation of this word. Feed means feed.

The Greek word that is translated, tend, in Jesus' second response, is so much broader. In fact, the NASB, when it renders this Greek word, says, shepherd my sheep. In other words, everything that is wrapped up in the notion of keeping sheep, of shepherding sheep. Do that to the sheep. Shepherd my sheep, or tend my sheep, or keep my sheep.

All that sheep need and that shepherds give them in response to their need is wrapped up in this Greek word. Leading, feeding, protecting. Turn to 1 Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter 5 fast 1 Peter chapter 5 fast forwards something like 30 years probably from the close of John to when Peter is writing letters to churches. Probably something like three decades have transpired.

And Peter, in his first letter, 1 Peter, is giving advice to exhorting church leaders, elders. He identifies with them. He says, I'm an elder, so I'm exhorting you as a fellow elder. Listen to what he says in 1 Peter 5 verses 1 through 4. Follow along.

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed, shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly, nor as being lords over those entrusted to you but being examples to the flock and when the chief Shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Peter, as a church leader, gives to other church leaders what Jesus has given to him, which is an exhortation to shepherd the flock of God. Jesus bought a people with his own blood and he wants them cared for and So he raises up leaders to tend to his people, to lead and to protect and to feed his people like shepherds do, real shepherds do to real sheep. That's the exhortation in verse 2, Shepherd the flock of God. And then in verse 4 we see this wonderful phrase, when the chief shepherd appears, who is that?

That is not Peter, that is Jesus. So shepherds in a local church are just under shepherds, meaning there's a real and ultimate shepherd which is the Lord Jesus and their shepherding is just in service to the chief shepherd. They are to act as examples, not lording it over the people entrusted to them, but laying down their lives for those people like Jesus did, pouring out themselves for those people like Jesus did, in Jesus' name, for Jesus' sake. Finally a third time Jesus asks Simon son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter is grieved.

How can Peter be anything else but grieved after being asked the same question the third time as if he hasn't been believed? That's why Peter is grieved because Peter has to acknowledge that it's a fair question, right? Peter would have to know in his heart of hearts, it's not inappropriate for Jesus to ask me this question more than once. I swore up and down that even if all were made to stumble, I would never be made to stumble, and with hours I denied him not once, not twice, but three times I said, I don't even know the man. It's not wrong for Jesus to ask me this question multiple times It's not inappropriate for Jesus to ask me this the third time So he's great Peter answers Lord you know all things you know all things Everything that can be known you know.

So you know that I love you. I'm really glad James read all of Psalm 139, but I'm going to reread verses, just verses 1-4. Now think of our text in light of what David says about God in Psalm 139, 1-4. David writes, Oh Lord, you have searched me and know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up.

You understand my thought afar off. Just think about what David just says. You understand my thought before I think it. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. There is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

Before the word is even on my tongue, now it's not out of your mouth yet when it's on your tongue. While it's on my tongue, you know it altogether. In verse 6 he ends up saying, such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain it.

Friends, this is only true of God. Only God knows your thoughts before you think it, right? Only God knows your words before you say it, right? But Peter is attributing this to Jesus. Jesus, you know all things.

You know the meditations of my heart before I engage in them. Well, yes, Jesus is God. Peter is saying as much here. Peter is finally acknowledging that Jesus, who is God, knows more about his heart than Peter knows about his own heart. Jesus responds to Peter's answer, feed my sheep.

It is a combination of the first two responses. Feed my lambs and tend my sheep. Now it is feed my sheep. I think what we glean from this, what we take out of this, is that sheep don't grow out of needing to be fed. Food is the most basic form of care, right?

If you have people that you're entrusted to the overall care of, it starts with food. But sheep, of course you need to feed the lambs, but do you need to feed the sheep? Well, yes. In this flock, the sheep still need food. We never grow out of our need for the food that God gives to His people, which is His Word.

Now, what is underlying all of this? There's something that's beneath everything that I haven't even touched on yet, which is this. A genuine evidence of genuine love for Jesus is not big talk. Peter engaged in big talk. That was not genuine evidence of genuine love.

It is not swinging a sword at Jesus' enemies. Peter engaged in swinging a sword at Jesus' enemies. It is not jumping out of the boat while the other disciples come behind with the fish. That's what just happened. That's not evidence of genuine love.

What is? Patiently and persistently serving Jesus' people. If you want to demonstrate that you are aligned with the heart of Jesus, that your affections towards Him have given you an affection for the things that he loves, you patiently and persistently love his people. Serve his people. There are big talkers who know nothing of that.

There are sword swingers that know nothing of that. There are ship jumpers that know nothing of that. People who are demonstrating, They have a genuine love for the Lord Jesus. To the point that they love the things that He loves, are persistently and patiently serving His people, because He loves His people. His heart is towards His people.

His people are the apple of His eye. We should be very careful about our big talk and our sword swinging and our ship jumping and not pretend that proves a genuine love for Jesus if we do not also have a patient persistent care for the Lord's people. The world has seen plenty of big talkers, sword swingers, ship jumpers, who care nothing for the Lord's people. That is not a genuine demonstration of genuine love for the Lord Jesus. One final point about the two Greek words for love that are used here.

I haven't said anything about this yet. We miss it in English because there are two Greek words that are being used, but they both are appropriately translated as love. So here it is. Jesus asks him, Simon, do you love me? It's a Greek variant of this, but I'm going to use agape, because that's what we've heard in Sunday school.

Agape love. Do you agape love me? But Peter replies back using a different word, phileo. You get Philadelphia from that, the city of brotherly love. And phileo is a more kind of brotherly love, just a sentiment of affection in the heart.

We'll oversimplify this because we have been through Sunday school most of us that agape love is unconditional love and Filao love is brotherly love. It's just more more just sentimental love. That is a radical oversimplification. Here's the truth of it, which the commentators proved to me this week, Jesus and John, the Gospel writer, both use those two Greek words interchangeably so that there is more overlap than there is variance. In other words, you can use them interchangeably, and it's OK.

Now I believe because you have both words in the same text, that you have to make something of that. Because That's definitely done on purpose by the speakers in the text. So you have to do something with the nuance. But I'm just saying, hey, just understand, this is nuance. This is subtle in the language.

And it's not as straightforward as agape is real hardcore love and phileo is just sentimental only love. That's way too oversimplified. There's way more overlap in these two words than that. By the way, if you want me to prove to you that Jesus and John use these two words interchangeably ask me I'll give you some great examples of that but the sense of the nuance is Peter Do you love me with agape love? Do you love me with unconditional, higher, more substantial love?

And Peter says, Jesus, I love you with brotherly love. And in my sense of that is that Peter is not renouncing agape love, but he is hesitant to claim agape love because of how his love has just failed so spectacularly. He's reluctant to come up to saying, I love you with agape love because of what he just did, his three denials. Jesus asks him again, Peter, do you love me with agape love? Jesus, you know I love you with brotherly love.

You know there is affection in my heart with you. I love you like a brother. Then the third time, Jesus asks him with his term. Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me with brotherly love? Do you love me with filet-o-love?

And Peter says, you know all things, you know I love you with brotherly love. On to the last two verses. John 21 verses 18 and 19, follow along. Jesus says, Most assuredly I say to you, this is the amen, amen that we've become accustomed to, that really draws attention to the truth that comes after it. Most assuredly I say to you, when you were younger you girded yourself and walked where you wished.

But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." This he, Jesus spoke, signifying by what death he, Peter, would glorify God. When he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. In this section, Jesus instructs Peter on the ultimate cost of following him. I love this. I love that Jesus doesn't sugarcoat for disciples and potential disciples what the future may hold.

We have prosperity gospel preachers running around promising you that you'll never get sick and you'll be wealthy if you only follow Jesus. Jesus never did that. You have to recognize this. Peter, follow me to your death. So much for sugar on top.

But praise God that he actually tells us what following him actually means. Don't ever dumb down the radical demands of discipleship. Don't ever dumb down the radical demands of discipleship because Jesus never ever ever ever does that. We have two verses. Let's start in reverse order.

This is about Peter's future death. The main thrust then of verse 18 is that circumstances will be totally out of Peter's control. Peter's death will be imposed on him by others against his wishes. Peter, you're a young man, you go wherever you want to go, you dress yourself. When you're an old man, someone else will dress you and they'll take you where you don't want to go and Verse 19 explains it.

This is about the death that Peter would die to glorify God Don't misunderstand you can patiently submit to the sovereignty of God in your own martyrdom When it is still against your wishes Peter you'll you'll be dressed by others and taken where you don't want to go. His martyrdom will be against his wishes, but you know what? That doesn't mean that he doesn't patiently submit himself to the sovereignty of God in his own martyrdom. How do we know that? Because Jesus did the same thing.

Think about Gethsemane. Father if there is a way that this cup can pass from me, let it pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." The cross, Jesus being made sin, was against his wishes, and yet he submitted himself patiently to his Father's will. Listen to how Peter himself spoke of this decades later. This is in his second letter.

Listen to 2 Peter 1 verses 13 and 14. 2 Peter 1 verses 13 and 14. He's just been speaking of the fundamental doctrines of the faith and he then says, I am reminding you and I think it is good that I am reminding you of the fundamentals. Listen to this, 2 Peter 1, 13 and 14, yes I think it is right As long as I am in this tent to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Peter never forgot.

Of course Peter never forgot what Jesus tells him in John 21. So when he's writing about it, probably 30 years later in 2 Peter chapter 1, he said, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me, I'll be putting off this tent. Now think of calling your physical body, your life as you know it, your tent. What does that say? Temporary, temporary, temporary.

A tent is just a place to make do in until you have a suitable dwelling. Peter thought of his body, his health, his life as that, to temporary quarters until I get suitable housing. Suitable housing is coming. Jesus showed me this. Jesus showed me that I would give my life for the gospel and then I could go to a mansion prepared for me by my Lord.

A dwelling prepared for me by my Lord. The words in our text, stretch out your hands, you will stretch out your hands, are very consistent with how crucifixion was spoken of at the time and probably would have been understood as that meaning then. Meaning right when those words came out of Jesus' mouth, you will stretch out your hands. People were talking about crucifixion in those terms, and Peter and everyone else listening probably would have understood it to mean crucifixion. One caution, now listen to the sources and the timeline.

Clement of Rome, we don't really know about him, but he is an ancient church He is an ancient church father. He was writing in about 96 AD. Jesus was crucified maybe in 33 AD. Peter was probably martyred in 67 AD or something like that. This is maybe 25 years after Peter was martyred and maybe 60 years after Jesus went to the cross.

So this is early church history. Clement of Rome in 212 AD recorded that Peter was crucified. And then in the 300 AD's you have sources saying that Peter requested to be crucified upside down because he didn't believe he was worthy to die in the same fashion that Jesus died. But those accounts that he asked to be crucified and was crucified upside down for that reason is surrounded by all sorts of other materials that you cannot ground historically. There are claims that don't have other grounds and they're very fanciful.

They read as mythological. So they're unreliable. You've probably heard church historians think that Peter was crucified upside down. The oldest, most reliable sources like Clement of Rome just says he was martyred. And then as you get further away, you don't even get any accounts of Peter being crucified upside down until the 300s.

Just count that as unreliable. My guess is that never happened. My guess is that is mythology. It's possible, But it's dubious. Here is the point we should take away from the actual text.

Martyrdom isn't defeat. Martyrdom is victory. Here in our text, John says that Peter's martyrdom, Peter's losing his life for the faith, was how he would glorify God in His death. In other words, a pillar of the church, the Apostle Peter, is martyred. Is that defeat?

No, he glorifies God in it. Listen to how Jesus speaks of His own death. John 12, 27 and 28, Jesus says, Now my soul is troubled, the cross is right on the horizon. Jesus says, My soul is troubled about that, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour, Father hold me back from the cross?

No but for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Jesus said, God, don't hold me back from the cross, even though I'm troubled by the thought of going to the cross, don't hold me back from the cross. Instead, glorify your name by sending me to the cross." Same with Peter's down. Peter's martyrdom wasn't defeat, it was a glorious victory.

I don't know who to attribute this to, but it's a very well known saying, the blood of the saints is the seed of the church. What does that mean? The martyrs, the death of the martyrs has always pushed the growth of the church forward exponentially. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Human authorities thinking if I just kill these Christians it will stop the spread of Christianity because people will be afraid of Christians.

And yet, the world looking on to the martyrs and the shedding of their blood say, these people believe in their heart of hearts that this is worth dying for, and the church grows. It's always been that way. The call isn't to somehow become a superhero. The call is simply to follow Jesus. That's what Jesus says to Peter, follow me.

Wherever he leads, for Peter it was martyrdom, for most of us it won't be. For all of us, Peter and me, the calling is the same. Follow him wherever he leads. If he leads you to Turkey, you go to Turkey. If he leads you to a cross, you go to the cross.

Wherever he leads you, you go. Applications. I'll give you two. Number one. Do you love Jesus?

Now do you trust Jesus? You must trust Jesus, but that's a different question. Do you love Jesus? Not do you believe Jesus. He said things, yes I believe the things, but that wasn't the question.

Do you love him? Not, will you follow him or are you willing to work for him? We should follow him, we should be willing to work for him, but that's not the question. The question that the text presses on us is, do you love him? Are the affections of your heart towards him?

J. C. Ryle says this wisely, feeling alone no doubt is a poor useless thing, amen, And may be here today and gone tomorrow. But the entire absence of feeling is a very bad symptom, and speaks ill for the state of a man's soul. You've seen it.

Highly emotional religion, feeling only religion. That's despised by the world as hypocrisy and a Christian should say amen to that, but I think we should hold as that affectionless, feelingless religion is as blasphemous as the other, is as illegitimate and hypocritical as the other. If you have a religion with no detectable affections towards Jesus, you should suspect your own religion. You should suspect your faith. If you say, I trust in Jesus, I believe the things that He said, I'll follow Him and work for Him, and yet the affections of your heart are not engaged, you should suspect that as fake.

Do you love Him? Because if you love Him, it will have come out of a sense that He's done something precious for your soul that no one else can do. When God has pressed on you, your desperate condition, and that there's no hope outside of Christ but then you come to Christ and He forgives you and washes you clean. Not because of anything that you've thought or done or said, but because He is a merciful God who offers His blood in the place of people who deserve to die for their sins. When that truth is penetrated into your heart, you love Him.

You can't help but love Him. You don't earn salvation by loving Him, but love flows from salvation. It flows from salvation. How can you help but love a Savior who was the only way that you could be parted from eternal consequences for your sin. One verse on this that helps us to not misunderstand is 1 John 4 19.

Just jot that down if you like. 1st John 4 19. Very simple. You can memorize this in about 10 seconds. We love Him because He first loved us.

We love Christ because He first loved us. That does away with any thought that, I have this affection in my heart and that makes me worthy of salvation, or I've somehow worked for my salvation by loving Him, or I somehow deserve salvation by loving him. No, no, no. It's in exactly the opposite direction. If you have affection in your heart, it's just a sign that he loved you first.

His love is the root of your love. His love is The reason for your love. His love gets the credit for your love. His love deserves the credit for your love. It will keep love from becoming in our minds a work by which we work for salvation or merit salvation.

We love Him because He first loved us. Application number two. When you look at your life is there genuine evidence of genuine love? Is there a patient persistence in serving the Lord's people? Now there's a counterfeit for this.

You can be busy without any love for Christ, but if you have a real love for Christ it should work its way out in service to its people. Just as we see in our text. You look in your life, is there enough evidence to condemn you? If you come up on charges, you love Christ. Sorry, no evidence.

Not guilty. Not guilty of loving Christ. No evidence. Can you be convicted of loving Christ because of your patient persistence service to His people? It's an interesting question.

It's a soul searching question. God, I thank you for this text. I pray that we could be convicted of loving you because of real evidence that we have an affection for the apple of your eye, your people. Help us to love you. Help us to see all that you've done for our souls so that we'll love you more.

We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.