When Jesus became real to me:  I remember that summer evening like it was yesterday.  I was 16 years old and I was questioning if God was real.  For some reason, I drove myself to a playground that had a basketball court with goals that were lower than 10 feet.  Maybe because those 8 foot basketball goals were the only that I could actually dunk on…God just made gravity affect some of us more than others! Don’t think less of me…I wrestled with God that night on that basketball court.  I was angry. I was confused. I was ready to walk out on God forever.  But God showed up that night.  Why that night? I don’t know. But God showed up.  In a moment, God picked me up in His arms and let me know how much He loved me.  He showed me His Son on the cross and He showed me the empty tomb.  He showed me that all of it was all for me.  In that moment, the resurrection of Jesus became more real to me than ever before.  And it changed the course of my life.  There wasn’t a dramatic change in the moment, but looking back, I believe I would be in a completely different place if it wasn’t for that night when the resurrection took root in my heart in a way that would hold together for the rest of my life.  None of us would here, right now, if not for those 8 foot basketball goals that I could actually dunk on…

Your story, whether you realize it or not, has everything to do with the resurrection of Jesus.  It’s one thing for you to come to church on Easter and hear the story about a cross, death, a burial, a resurrection, and an empty tomb.  It’s a completely different thing to come to church on Easter and ask yourself this question:  “Has the resurrection of Jesus become real to me?”  The way you answer that question changes the course of your life.  If there is one thing I hope the Holy Spirit works on your heart this morning, it’s the reality that Jesus really rose from the dead.  And that’s exactly what we see in our passage today:  The resurrection of Jesus must become real to you.  Do you remember where we left off last week with Peter?  Peter was weeping bitterly because he denied Jesus 3 times.  Peter’s story didn’t end with his denial of Jesus.  Jesus came to let Peter know that Peter’s story wasn’t over.  This isn’t your typical Easter sermon in terms of going through the resurrection account.  But this passage we are covering today has everything to do with the resurrection.  Peter’s story has everything to do with the resurrection.  This passage today is where we see the resurrection of Jesus become real to Peter.  Our Easter Sermon Series: Three: Days and Denials.  Go ahead and open up your Bibles to John 21.  If you are new to the Bible…This Easter, we are focusing on Peter’s perspective of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Last week, we saw when the pressure was on right before Jesus was crucified, Peter denied Jesus.  Today, we see Jesus restore Peter in a way that the resurrection became 100% real to Peter.  Read John 21:12-17.  

I love John 21 as a chapter.  If you were to sit down and read through the book of John, it would seem as if the book could have ended with John 20.  John 20 is where we Thomas believe in Jesus.  And the final two verses of the chapter put this beautiful bow on the book.  But the book of John can’t end with chapter 20. Why?  Because Peter’s story isn’t done.  He’s glaringly absent, especially since the last account up until this book is Peter denying Jesus.  It just can’t end that way.  And it doesn’t.  Peter is about a to learn a truth that we all need to learn that makes the resurrection of Jesus real:  You don’t need to prove yourself to Jesus.

1) You don’t need to prove yourself to Jesus. (vs. 1-11)  Let’s pick up in verse 1:  ¹ Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He made a few appearances to the disciples and people who followed Him.   After the resurrection, the only way Jesus was recognizable is if He chose to reveal Himself.  The disciples had already seen Jesus, but Jesus appears to them again.  There were 7 disciples this time.  ² Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.  BTW, I feel for the 2 disciples that just got the “other category…”  It’s like when of your friends is telling an old story and they forget you were there.  “Dude, I was there…”  These disciples are gathered by the sea, hanging out, and then take a look at what Peter says in verse 3:  ³ Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.  Before some of you men lean over to your wives and say you are going to follow Peter’s example and go fishing today too, there’s a lot more going on in verse 3 than fishing.  Why is Peter going fishing?  Do you remember what Peter did before he met Jesus?  He fished for a living.  But when Jesus called him to become a disciple, Peter left all of it behind.  But now, he’s back fishing. 

Peter is back fishing because he believes his failure has robbed him of any future he might have in Jesus.  Peter was a great fisherman, so he knew he could be successful in that.  Peter is running back to his pre-Jesus life.  It’s amazing how easily we believe the lie that our failures rob us of any future with Jesus. Hear me clearly on this: Your past failures don’t rob you of a future with Jesus.  Jesus isn’t done with Peter. Take a look at verse 4:  ⁴ At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. ⁵ He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied.  The disciples were a hundred yards from the shore – a football field.  They hear a man yell out to them to the typical fishing question, “Have you caught anything?”  Peter thought he could go right back to the way his life was before Jesus.  But it wasn’t the same.  Not only could he not catch any fish, but you know it was a dull experience.  Once you taste the sweetness of Jesus, anything else in life is bland.  Jesus tells them, “Throw it on the other side of the boat.”   I could just see Peter mumbling under his breath, “Oh, brilliant idea! Go to the other side of the boat. Why didn’t I think of that?! I mean, really who is this guy…” 

The Car Wash Credit Card Licker - The man walks to the car.  My credit card won’t read.  The man says, “Sometimes you just need to lick it.”  There are two thoughts running through my mind at this point as he holds my credit card:  1) That’s not going to work and 2) Please don’t lick my credit card.  Well, he licked his fingers and then rubbed his fingers on my card.  And it worked…I grabbed the tiniest corner of my credit card as he handed it back to me.  But it worked and it took me completely by surprise.  I’ll never doubt Mr. Credit Card Licker again…I can imagine Peter was mumbling under his breath as he tossed the net on the other side.  And then what happened in verse 6?  ⁶ Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.  Immediately, John knows what just happened.  Look at verse 7:  ⁷ Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.   And Peter does what Peter does.  Peter puts his tunic back on, jumps into the water, and starts swimming.  The reason Peter his tunic back on was because you don’t go to your Rabbi without being properly dressed. 

Why is Peter doing this?  Couldn’t he have just stayed inside the boat with the other disciples?  Peter is trying to prove himself to Jesus.  He’s being Michael Phelps so he can show Jesus just how hard he’s working.  If Peter can catch enough fish, swim hard and long enough, then maybe, just maybe he can earn Jesus’ approval.  Look at what happens when Peter gets to the shore.  ⁸ The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. ⁹ When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. ¹⁰ “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.  Peter runs back to the boat and drags the net in – again trying to prove himself to Jesus.  But Jesus hasn’t asked Peter to prove himself.  And Jesus doesn’t want to Peter to prove himself.  Peter is trying to earn what he cannot earn.  You may not be swimming or hauling in fish, but if you come to church to check off a religious checklist in hopes that God will accept you, you are missing what the resurrection of Jesus does for you.  Peter walked with Jesus, yet he was still operating on his own power.  If you are trying to prove yourself to Jesus, then the resurrection needs to become real.  Peter was missing half of the gospel.  Jesus is about to work on Peter’s heart in tough way.  Here is what Jesus is about to teach Peter next about the resurrection:  Jesus did all the work so you don’t have to.

2) Jesus did all the work so you don’t have to. (vs. 12-17)  I love this scene starting in verse 12:  Peter is soaking wet, pulling in those 153 fish.  He’s working so hard to get Jesus’ approval.  And I can’t help but think the courtyard where Peter denied Jesus is on his mind.  Peter is desperately trying to win Jesus back.  Jesus calls the disciples to eat breakfast.  They all knew who He was without asking.  ¹² “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. ¹⁴ This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.  I want you to see this scene.  Peter has been running around, and Jesus calls Peter to stop and rest.  Not only is Peter going to come and rest, but Jesus is going to feed him.  Jesus didn’t need his 153 fish.  Jesus had everything Peter needed already.  And then there was the fire.  Do you remember last week what kind of fire it was?  A charcoal fire.  The mention of a charcoal fire is only found twice in the Bible.  The charcoal fire of the courtyard and now the charcoal fire of the beach.  I can imagine when Peter sits down so excited to be with Jesus.  He’s getting warm, letting his clothes dry, eating up this delicious breakfast that Jesus made.  And then the smell of the charcoal fire hits him.  Our sense of smell is so powerful.

Smell is strongly connected to memories.  Illustration: The smell at Sisters Restaurant.  I’m sure we are on a banned list.  If there is a smell that is even remotely close to that restaurant smell, it still brings this child back to not a good place.  Just recently, this child said to me, “That place still stinks”.  Smell is powerful.  Now, Peter is immediately brought back to the courtyard where he denied Jesus.  The whole time Peter is eating breakfast, his denials are in the back of his head.  His failure is weighing down on him.  Jesus knows this.  With warm clothes and full stomach, Jesus turns to Peter and asks him a question.  ¹⁵ After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.  This first question probably caught Peter’s attention, but not in an overwhelming way.  I can imagine Peter was thinking to himself, “Why would Jesus ask me if I love Him? Doesn’t He know that?”  “And why would Jesus tell me to feed His sheep? Doesn’t He know that I am going to take care of the disciples? Can’t He see how much I working for Him?”

Jesus asks a second time:  ¹⁶ Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.  Now, Peter’s radar is up.  He knows that when Jesus repeats Himself, it’s something important.  Peter was probably sitting there thinking, “Jesus must really be trying to tell me something. He wouldn’t ask the question again if it wasn’t important.”  “I still don’t get why he would ask it twice. I'm sure he doesn’t ask me a third time…”  And then it hits Peter.  Three times.  Charcoal fire.  Peter probably closed his eyes and started thinking, “Please don’t ask it a third time. Please Jesus. This is going to hurt if you do…”  Then comes the third question:  ¹⁷ A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”  Peter knows what Jesus was doing.  And it stung.  Why was Jesus doing this?  Was Jesus trying prove a point or just be rude?  Jesus was actually being compassionate.  What brought Peter to that courtyard of denial was still keeping Peter from embracing the full grace of Jesus. Peter was still trying to prove Himself to Jesus.  The biggest obstacle to the gospel is believing in yourself.  Around this fire, Jesus was making Peter embrace his mistake so that he finally sees that Jesus did all the work.  Jesus wants Peter to finally see that only reason Peter is accepted is because Jesus did all of the work.  Jesus went to the cross on behalf of Peter.  Jesus went to the cross on behalf of you and me.  The resurrection of Jesus must become real to you.  You must not earn your way into a relationship with Jesus.  You must not let your past keep you from believing in your future with Jesus.  You have to see that the resurrection of Jesus is for you.  And that’s where Peter’s story ends.  He finally learns this truth.

3) The resurrection of Jesus is for you. (vs. 18-22)  Jesus knew that Peter loved Him.  And now that Peter’s heart was fragile and tender, Jesus was going to bring Peter into the place of full restoration.  Verse 18 seems odd the on the surface, but Jesus is telling Peter that Peter will make good on his original promise.  The promise Peter made that he won’t deny Jesus even if it means he will die.  ¹⁸ “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”   Jesus is saying that Peter will die with his hands stretched out wide, completely dependent on God.  Look at verse 19:  ¹⁹ Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”  Jesus just told Peter, “That failure in the courtyard where you denied me is going to be the fuel you need in your future ministry. I know you are sorry. But I want you to learn to rely completely on me because you will never get anywhere I want you to be without Me.”  Dear Old Peter is almost there. The full restoration is almost complete.  But Peter opens up his mouth without thinking one more time.  ²⁰ Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”  Peter looks back and sees John.  And then look what Peter asks…²¹ Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”  Peter is still playing the comparison game. He’s still trying to figure out to get ahead and on his own power.  Jesus gives one final lesson to Peter.  ²² Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”  “This isn’t about anyone else! This is about you, Peter!”  “This is about your heart. This is about you going all in for me because I just went all in for you.”  “I was nailed to a cross, died, conquered death, conquered the penalty of sin, and rose again. I rose to life so that you may have life.”  “I did this for you. The resurrection was for you. Now, what are you going to do?”  “Peter, it’s time to follow Me.”  Because of the resurrection of Jesus, there is always a path forward.  My Two Sons and the Resurrection of Jesus - Holding Canon his first Easter - Holding Will’s casket.  What are you going to do with your life?  What are you going to do about the resurrection of Jesus?  “Is the resurrection real to you?”  The way you answer that question changes your life completely.  Yes or no, it changes your life.

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