Transcript
Have you ever turned your back on what you know you believe? That’s a tough question, but it’s the one that emerges from today’s Gospel reading. And I’ve learned that even a small turn—a little compromise—can have big consequences. Let me give you an example.
Was it Cheating?
When I was in fourth grade, I had a teacher named Mrs. Schwint. She was old-school to say the least—I think she started teaching before they even discovered self-esteem! Her teaching style was all about memorizing and obeying... and when that didn’t work, she used shame. Every morning, first thing, she made us fill out a two-sided sheet of multiplication tables. It was tedious—like a Bart Simpson detention drill.
Then one day I noticed something: Mrs. Schwint collected our papers but never checked the back side of the sheet. She looked at our name on the front and checked it into her grade book. So, I started filling out just one side and never got caught. All the credit for half the work! Was it cheating? Well, I didn’t copy off anyone’s paper. How could that be cheating? I’ll let you decide. But looking back, I have to admit I turned my back on what I knew was right. And worse, it began a pattern—a habit of looking for academic shortcuts that I didn’t really break until college.
That little childhood memory gives us just a glimpse of what the disciples must have felt in today’s passage. In a split second, they turned their backs on all they believed about Jesus. And now, they’re left with a deep sense of failure.
Restoration: The Flip Side of Failure
So today we’re going to look at John 21 because it deals with the flip side of failure, which is restoration. And restoration is one of the big ideas of the Christian faith.
As the chapter begins, the disciples know Jesus is alive (John 21:14). But there’s an unresolved issue. Remember what happened when Jesus was arrested? “Then all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). It was a collective failure for the disciples. A moment of turning away. We’ll call it the elephant on the beach. They didn’t want to talk about it. But they all knew it was there. So, they decide to take this overnight fishing trip (John 21:3).
And when they get back, Jesus takes the initiative to resolve the issue. “Come and have breakfast,” he cheerfully says (John 21:12). The same servant-hearted leader they had seen before—washing their feet on the night he was betrayed—is now cooking breakfast for them. No rebuke. Just grace.
I believe this scene captures the heart of the Gospel in two profound ways. First, Jesus is alive. That’s the foundational fact of our faith. He doesn’t just “live on in our memory.” No! He was there on the beach, cooking fish, witnessed by those who knew him best. We worship a living Savior!
Second, Jesus forgives sinners who come to him. That’s why the Gospel is such good news. There’s no better feeling than the joy of knowing your sins are forgiven—of getting back on track with Jesus and moving from sadness to joy.
Three Truths About Restoration
Then we come to a unique ending—John 21:15–19, found in no other Gospel. John is following close behind Jesus, and he overhears a private conversation (John 21:20) where Jesus gently, intentionally restores Peter. And through that, we find three truths about restoration that still speak powerfully to us today.
1. Everyone Has a Burden
We already know the disciples were carrying the burden of having deserted Jesus. But Peter’s burden was even heavier. He was the leader—the Rock. And he not only deserted Jesus, he denied and disowned him, vehemently and publicly (Luke 22:54–62). The elephant was sitting on his back.
Let’s zoom out to Good Samaritan for a moment. We come here every Sunday, and we look basically the same, sit in the same pews. But we’re all carrying burdens inside. The truth is, we’ve brought elephants to church with us. So how do we deal with them?
At American Bible Society, where I was on staff for the past several years, we were working on a Bible-based trauma healing program that applied Scripture, mental health principles, and compassion to the 'heart wounds’ we all carry. I learned that if you really want to help people with their burdens, one of the most important shifts you need to make is this: Instead of saying, 'What’s wrong with you?' try asking, 'What happened to you?' That question changes the way you look at people and opens the door to grace.
The takeaway is that if you want to help people carry their burdens, you need to practice what author Margaret Guenther calls 'holy listening.' And I promise—you don’t have to look far to find someone who’s desperate for that kind of listening today.
2. Everyone Needs Restoration
Notice how Jesus restores Peter: three times he asks, 'Do you love me?' (John 21:15–17). Scholars point out the different Greek words used—agape (unconditional love) and phileo (brotherly affection). In the first two questions, Jesus uses agape, 'Do you truly love me?' And Peter responds with phileo, 'Sure, you’re my brother.' But in the third question, Jesus comes down to Peter’s level and uses phileo, as if to say, 'Are you still my brother?' Which may explain why Peter felt hurt.
Other scholars see the symmetry—Peter fell asleep three times in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:37–41), and he denied Jesus three times in the courtyard of the high priest (Luke 22:54–62). So, Jesus asked the same question three times to remind Peter, and then to restore him.
But I think the best way to understand what’s going on here is to take a plain reading of the text: Jesus asks three times because he wants to emphasize the most important thing: loving him. And then he says, 'Follow me' (John 21:19). That’s the bottom line.
The takeaway here is that the starting point for restoration—and for the Christian life—is to go back to the basics: to love and follow Jesus.
3. Everyone Gets a Second Chance
Notice that Jesus doesn’t just forgive Peter. He recommissions him: 'Feed my sheep' (John 21:17). And he says it three times. Peter’s failure didn’t disqualify him. That’s what the enemy wants us to believe. 'If you mess up, you’re done. God can’t use you because he doesn’t even love you anymore.' But that is a lie! In fact, Jesus saw Peter’s failure as something that deepened him, made him more committed, and better prepared to take on the difficult task Jesus had for him.
The takeaway? Failure isn’t the end. It’s a new beginning. Jesus uses it to restore us, recommission us, and draw us closer to himself than ever before. That’s exactly what he did for Peter—and what he can do for you and me.
Broken World People
Let me give you a real-world example. Gordon MacDonald was once the president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He wrote a classic book called Ordering Your Private World—about building a strong inner life with God. But later, a moral failure—an affair—came to light. He confessed, stepped down, and his world fell apart.
Now let me pause for a minute. Sometimes we think this particular sin is the worst of all. Let me be clear: it is sin. But it’s not the only sin. If our enemy can’t trip us up with lust, he’ll use greed or pride or any number of temptations. As Peter himself later wrote, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
But that’s where the story of Gordon MacDonald took a different turn. He didn’t cover it up. He confessed. He welcomed accountability. He rebuilt over a period of years. And he continued to write, to mentor, and to coach next-generation leaders. Not only that, Gordon and his wife Gail have now been married for over 60 years.
And I’m not gossiping here—MacDonald has written about all of this himself. Years later, he published Rebuilding Your Broken World. In it, he talks about “Broken World People”—those who have failed, been humbled, and come through the fire more effective for God than ever. Why? Because they’re more humble, more dependent on God, and have a gut-level understanding of grace. That’s who God is looking for.
I’ve discovered you don’t even need a major crash to learn that lesson. Every few years, I find myself in a big jam. Something that makes me lie awake at night and cry out to God. And I’ve discovered that those hard times—though painful—are a bittersweet blessing. They’re what Christian author Sheldon Vanauken called 'a severe mercy.' Because God uses them to make my walk with him more real and alive.
An Invitation Just for You
Before we close, let me add a P.S. Maybe you’re still thinking, 'Yeah, all that stuff about restoration sounds great but I just can’t get rid of the elephant in my heart.' If that’s where you are, then I believe this passage still has a word for you. It’s the same one Jesus gave Peter. It’s not a quick fix or a magic formula. And it won’t make your burden go away overnight. Some heart wounds take years of time and prayer to heal. But it’s a word of encouragement—a nudge to take a first step toward restoration.
As Chris Hall says, let’s use our sanctified imagination for a moment. Let me ask you to close your eyes… and picture Jesus looking directly at you—not with judgment, but with love. Then he says your name, your first name, leans toward you and says: “Do you love me?... Do you love me?... Do... you... love me?... Then follow me.” You can open your eyes. That’s the invitation Jesus offers all of us today. Amen.
