Bible Study - Life After Failure - From Failure to Action - John 18, 21 and Acts4 - October 28, 2012

Bible Study – Life After Failure – from Failure to Action - October 28, 2012

This is our final lesson in our series entitled “Is There Life After Failure?”

Our scripture is John 18:15-18, 25b-27; 21:15-19; Acts 4:13, 18-20.

This lesson is such an encouraging study about forgiveness. The Apostle Peter was a dynamic, committed follower of JESUS. He was Mr. Gung-ho and a faithful, obedient follower of JESUS. He saw CHRIST walk on water and was willing to jump into the water to walk on the water. He was willing to fight to the death for JESUS. He even cut off the ear of one of the soldiers who came to arrest JESUS. JESUS immediately healed the ear of the soldier.

This likely caused some confusion in Peter’s mind. He thought that JESUS was planning to over throw the Roman government and free Israel from Roman rule. He may have questioned why would JESUS heal the ear of the soldier who came with other soldiers to arrest HIM? The other disciples, except John and Peter, fled when they arrested JESUS. We see earlier that Peter was committed to defend CHRIST to the death, as recorded in John 13:36-38:

36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to Him, “where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going x you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.” 37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life y for You!” z 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? I assure you: A rooster will not crow until you have denied Me three times.

JESUS gave Peter the sad news that he would deny HIM three times before the rooster crowed.

Let’s read John 18:15-18, 25b-27:

Peter Denies Jesus

15 Meanwhile, Simon Peter r was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the slave girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not!” he said. 18 Now the slaves and the temple police had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.

Peter followed as JESUS was taken to the high priest but the other disciple was not identified. It is believed this unidentified disciple was the Apostle John. The high priest was Caiaphas. Annas was Caiaphas’ father-in-law and was referred to as “high priest” out of respect.

John knew the high priest and, as such, was able to get Peter admitted to the area where JESUS was being questioned. It was likely a tense situation because the Jewish leaders knew that JESUS was very popular with the people and were likely concerned with a riot. Since Peter was the disciple who cut off the ear of the soldier, they may have been reluctant to let him into the same area with the high priest. However, John vouched for him and the girl at the door let him into the area. The girl asked Peter question one, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” “I am not!” he said.” She asked the question that begged a negative response.

Peter was warming himself along with the slaves and temple police around a charcoal fire. 

Let’s read John 18:25-27:

Peter Denies Jesus Twice More

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of His disciples too, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” 26 One of the high priest’s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” 27 Peter then denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed. Z

Peter warmed himself along with the slaves and temple police. They asked him the second question. They also phrased their question to make it easy to give a negative response. All was fine for a moment until one of the high priest’s slaves zeroed in on him. This slave’s relative was the one who Peter cut off his ear and was in the garden when JESUS was arrested. The slave asked the question, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” Peter denied it for the third time as JESUS had told him. The rooster crowed.

You can almost feel the blood drain out of Peter’s head and the overwhelming shame that he felt when that rooster crowed. He knew that JESUS knew that he had denied HIM. It hurt Peter to the core and he left and wept bitterly. Note what Dr. Luke had to say about this.

Let’s read Luke 22:60-62:

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter.w Mk 10:21 So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”x Lk 22:31-34; Ac 3:13-14
62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

We can only imagine how Peter felt when JESUS heard the rooster crow and turned HIS head and looked at Peter. It hurt Peter to the core and he went outside and wept bitterly.

This is what I like about the Bible. It tells it like it is. Stalwart Peter was likely disappointed in his larger than life, super hero JESUS. Peter knew HE was different and he had witnessed many miracles that GOD performed through HIM. But Peter had drawn some false conclusions about the kingdom JESUS was establishing. However, he did not know they were false at this point. He wept bitterly because he loved JESUS and he had let HIM down.

If the story of Peter ended here it would be tragic indeed but Peter went from failure to correction and to a life as an obedient servant of CHRIST. It took time after the resurrection, ascension of CHRIST and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for him to fully understand and comprehend the purpose of CHRIST’S life, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.

When GOD sent the Holy Spirit to earth at Pentecost to indwell all who believed in CHRIST as their Savior, Peter preached CHRIST and about 3,000 people accepted CHRIST as their Savior. Peter continued to obediently serve CHRIST until, as legend has it, he was crucified. He did not want to be crucified like CHRIST and asked to be crucified upside down.

JESUS was crucified, buried and raised from the dead on the third day. HE appeared to Mary Magdalene, the two men walking to Emmaus, HIS disciples without Thomas, a week later to HIS disciples with Thomas. Sometime later Peter told his fellow disciples that he was going fishing.

The scripture reveals that Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples said they would go with him. They had not caught anything. JESUS was on the shore but the disciples did not recognize that it was HIM. HE called out to them and asked if they had caught anything? No, was their reply. I think this is one of another occasion that JESUS revealed that he had a sense of humor. It was also to get their attention. HE told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught a bountiful supply of fish (153). The Apostle John exclaimed to Peter, “It’s the LORD!” Impetus Peter jumped into the water and swam ashore where JESUS had a fire of burning coals waiting to cook the fish. This brings us to our next scripture.

Let’s read John 21:15-19:

Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, w do you love x Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Feed y My lambs,” z He told him. 16 A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love a Me?” b “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Shepherd c My sheep,” d He told him. 17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love e Me?” Peter was grieved f that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! g You know that I love You.” “Feed h My sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “•I assure you: i When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to signify by what kind of death j he would glorify God. kl After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!” m

After they had eaten breakfast, JESUS asked Simon Peter three questions. Peter had denied HIM three times, thus three questions for restoration. Peter had gone out and wept bitterly, which revealed that Peter had repented for what he had done as far as GOD was concerned. But the big problem was that Peter could not forgive himself.

JESUS addressed Peter as Simon, son of John, so Peter would know that JESUS was speaking to him.  

JESUS asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Feed My lambs,” He told him.

There has been much speculation regarding what JESUS was referring to when HE used the word “these”? Some believe HE was referring to his fellow disciples and others believe HE was referring to the fishing gear, boats and possibly the fish they had caught. I lean more toward the things that were used for fishing. Earlier Peter stated that he was going fishing indicating that he was returning to commercial fishing. After all, their leader seemingly had been neutralized. So what was left for him to do?

In the English language we have one word for love that covers many different attributes of love. The Greek language has four (4) words to express the love to which they were referring – agape (self-giving love, which demands nothing in return and a willingness to give your life for the person you agape love.), phillia (Brotherly love), storge (Family love, natural affection) and Eros (Erotic love). JESUS used agape in the first two questions and phillia in the third question.

When JESUS asked Peter if he loved HIM in question one, HE used the word agape. When Peter responded, he used the word phillia. Agape love means you are willing to give your life for the person you agape love. Peter knew that he had not done that, therefore, his response to JESUS’ question was, “YOU know I love you as a brother but YOU know I did not love YOU enough for me to give my life for YOU. I don’t know why I caved because I was willing to fight with YOU. But when YOU did not offer any resistance, when YOU were arrested, I did not know what to do. I was very ashamed that I did not stand up for YOU. When the cock crowed and YOU turned and looked into my eyes, I knew that YOU knew that I had denied YOU. It was more that I could take, I fled and wept bitterly.”

“Now YOU ask me to feed YOUR lambs? I know what YOU are referring to, because I have heard YOU teach about being the Good Shepherd. That must mean that YOU forgive me and YOU want me to teach others and feed them Spiritual food. But I did such a terrible thing.”

JESUS again asked him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”  “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.”

Again, JESUS used “agape” for love and Peter responded with “phillia.” JESUS called him to Shepherd HIS sheep. Asking Peter to shepherd HIS sheep meant for him to provide guidance and taking care of HIS followers who have been fed the Spiritual Word and received salvation. It was JESUS’ way of telling Peter, “I trust you with the most precious thing there is in the world - a person’s eternal security because I know your heart.”

When JESUS asked the third question Peter, Peter got a bit upset. JESUS changed from the word “agape” to the word “phillia.” JESUS asked, “Do you love (as a brother) Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! (You know my heart) You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” JESUS, in essence, asked Peter, “If you cannot love ME with a sacrificial love, can you love ME like a brother?” Peter replied with a resounding, YES! JESUS response, in essence, was, “Then forget about returning to your previous career of fishing and instead, fish for the salvation of fellow human beings.” It was JESUS’ call to Peter to do what he knew in his heart to do because JESUS knew where his heart was. It was a heart to preach the Good News, see people receive CHRIST as their Savior and to grow and mature Spiritually.

JESUS assured Peter that he had what it takes to continue to be HIS disciple until he was an old man. I have forgiven you. You must forgive yourself and FOLLOW ME!!!

We know from our next scripture that Peter went on to be a purpose driven disciple. He had some rough edges that GOD needed to smooth out but GOD took care of that as Peter obediently served HIM. Our next scripture takes up after Peter and John had healed a man who was lame since birth, by the power of GOD. This gave them opportunity to preach CHRIST and HIS resurrection in the temple where 5,000 people received CHRIST as their Savior. This success upset the religious rulers. In fact, the very religious rulers involved in having CHRIST crucified were involved in this issue. They had Peter and John brought before them for questioning, to punish them, intimidate and silence them.

Let’s read Acts 4:13, 18-20:

The Name Forbidden

13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. m 14 And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in response. 15 After they had ordered them to leave the •Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign, evident to all who live in Jerusalem, has been done through them, and we cannot deny it! n 17 However, so this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.” 18 So they called for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; o 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” p 21 After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them, because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done; q 22 for this sign of healing had been performed on a man over 40 years old.

The religious rulers observed that Peter and John were ordinary people and the man that was healed was well known to those who had been coming to the temple for years. The people knew that the man had been lame since birth and he was now 40 years old. So that took all the guess work out of trying to claim fraud. So the religious rulers had a dilemma. They asked the man who was healed, Peter and John to leave while they discussed how to handle the issue. They were concerned that so many people had become followers of CHRIST.

So the religious rulers threatened them and ordered them not to preach about this JESUS. Peter and John boldly told them to take a hike because they were about doing the will of GOD. The religious leaders had to remain silent because the people were giving GOD the glory for what HE had done and not Peter and John.

The man that GOD had healed was 40 years old plus the religious rulers knew the lame man. They could only conclude that a miracle of GOD had taken place.

Peter went from denying CHRIST to obediently serving HIM and witnessing the power of GOD being manifested through him.

Have you denied CHRIST? Have you asked HIM to forgive you? If so, HE has and is willing to use you according to HIS plan, purpose and restore the joy of your salvation. Don’t let a failure prevent you from experiencing the handiwork of GOD through your life.

There is nothing you can do that will separate you from the love of GOD, except the unpardonable sin. Are you worried that you might have committed the unpardonable sin? If so, I have some great news for you. If you are worried, you have NOT committed the unpardonable sin. Those who have committed it never worry about it and they are truly in a very bad situation.

What is the unpardonable sin? It is resisting the wooing of the Holy Spirit until your heart is so hard that the Spirit of GOD cannot appeal to you to accept CHRIST as your Savior. That situation is truly failure from which there is no recovery. But again, if you think you have committed the unpardonable sin, then you haven’t. So confess your sins, ask CHRIST to forgive you and for HIM to come into your life. CHRIST in you is what makes you a Christian. Then ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to a church where you can grow, mature Spiritually and obediently serve CHRIST. Blessings!!!