Do You Love Jesus? A Grand Finale of His Greatness

0:00 When I first came to Minneapolis in 2003, I came to Bethlehem at that time. We had a little program here called TBI, the Bethlehem Institute. And it grew up and became an adult called Bethlehem College and Seminary. And so I found myself in the fall of 2003 in a cohort of 12, 20-something guys. They were sharp. They were able. They had ministry, vocation, ambition. and it was hard not to compare ourselves to each other. You get to know a cohort so well, not just on the surface in a big classroom. You guys know this. You get to know each other well in those small settings, and you find out your own inclinations and abilities in those comparisons, some holy, some unholy.

0:59 Ponder how God made us differently and is forming us differently for the various works he has for us in the decades to come. But here I stand now, 20 years later, since my TBI graduation. So that was the spring of 2005 when our cohort of 12 graduated. We dispersed mainly. Some stayed in the Twin Cities, mainly dispersed. And so I've had a joy that you seniors haven't yet had, but it's coming. My joy has been for two decades, I've seen these brothers. I've seen how God's dispersed them. Some have gone overseas to very hard places. Some have been pastors and endured in pastoral ministry. Some guys went on, did grad studies, got PhDs. I know one who's worked among youth here in the Twin Cities. Another is a deeply invested layman in Iowa.

1:56 and think of one who's a pastor in Asheville, North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, others in Minnesota, others elsewhere. That comes to mind for me in this Bethlehem College and Seminary setting because of the glimpse that we get into the glory of Jesus in John 21, 20 to 24. That's where I want to start, 20 to 24. We're mainly going to be in verses 15 and 19, but let's start here in 20 to 24. I'll read it. Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray you? When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man?

2:54 Can you resonate with Peter here? I can. Lord, what about that guy in my cohort or in the college class? What about her? Jesus said to him, if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.

3:14 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die. But if, that's an important if, if it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? This is the disciple who was bearing witness about these things and who has written these things. And we know that his testimony is true. I love that humble editorial we as an editor. 20 years ago, what I needed as an apprentice and seminary student, and what I still often need to hear today, and what you may need as a Bethlehem College and seminary student here, is to hear Jesus say, what's that to you? how I mean to use your peers.

4:14 You follow me. You follow me. Don't swell with conceit because you perceive your abilities to be better than your peers. Don't melt in discouragement over those abilities you perceive to be less than those peers. What's that to you? Jesus says. You follow me. How I'd like to proceed through this last section of the Gospel of John is to enjoy three aspects here of the greatness of Jesus. So John has seen the glory. Chapter 1 verse 14. He's seen the glory, full of grace and truth. And he's filled 21 chapters with the glory of Christ. And now we come to this final chapel of the semester and the final section of the Gospel of John.

5:14 This is fitting, whoever did this, tab or whomever job. And we get to watch three fireworks in John's grand finale. This is it, right here at the end of the Gospel of John. Three fireworks or three aspects of the greatness of Jesus' glory. we've already seen the first one in verses 20 to 24. So number one, Jesus puts his farm hands to different uses in his global harvest. He puts his farm hands to different uses in his global harvest. This is the glory of the master farmer.

5:58 He knows his workers and he knows the work and he knows how to put them to best use. just think about Peter and John Peter he's going to use Peter at Pentecost as the preacher as the speaker and Peter's going to be the one who gets that vision in Acts 10 and 11 about the inclusion of the Gentiles and Peter, getting help from Silas and some others, he's going to write his thoughts that we have in 1st and 2nd Peter Peter's going to be the one who represents the apostles to extend in that right hand of fellowship to the Apostle Paul in a moment that is not insignificant in the history of the church, Peter's gonna be the one in humility to receive the Apostle Paul's public rebuke in Antioch when Peter has made a ministry miscalculation and Peter will be crucified like Jesus.

7:04 as Jesus foretells in verses 18 and 19 here. What about John? John lived a very different apostolic life, a long life. John lived to be an old man, and he's exiled at Patmos. And John would write this masterpiece of a gospel, one of the great gems of scripture and ever written. And Jesus would appear to John on that island and give him the revelation and the capstone of New Testament revelation.

7:44 And of course, neither John nor Peter was Paul. And none of those three had the abilities not only of being a medical doctor, but also the facility in Greek, like Luke. Nobody's Greek is better than Luke's. Save one.

8:07 That genius that wrote the epistle to the Hebrews. And so Jesus' different uses of Peter and John in verses 20 to 24, that makes for the transition into verse 24. There's the differences. Now verse 24, John's writing this gospel. And in a humble, self-effacing way, he's putting his name on this humble masterpiece. So that's a first firework in this grand finale. Jesus, the master farmer, puts his farm hands to different uses in his global harvest. And I hope that as a BCS student, you'll hear this, know this, anticipate this, love this about your king. Love how he has this multifaceted global vision. Look for his tough and tender promptings in your life to direct you where he's sending you, especially seniors, those who are up here, maybe feeling that burden most, that need most.

9:13 And be as free as you can from deflating or inflating comparison with your fellow farmhands. We're just farmhands. We're just workers on his farm. Number two, Jesus restores a humbled disciple with toughness and tenderness.

9:37 It's verses 15 to 19. Jesus restores a humble disciple with toughness and tenderness. I say humble disciple, not just the plural disciples, because he knows how to handle each of us. I'm not assuming he handles John in the same way he handles Peter. Peter seems to be on the receiving end of some really blunt words from Jesus. Like, get behind me, Satan. That's to Peter.

10:06 From the record we have in the Gospels, he seems to handle John differently. He knew John's frame. John maybe didn't act out in the same ways. Jesus is surprisingly tough here with Peter. Even as the plane's landing in this Gospel, Jesus asks him three times here if he loves him. which I take as a match for the three times Peter has denied him on the night before Jesus was crucified. And in doing that, Jesus, he pushes on Peter. He pushes on him enough to grieve him. Verse 17 says, Peter was grieved because Jesus said to him the third time, do you love me? Jesus is not afraid to grieve him. Jesus did not make a mistake or miscalculation in grieving Peter.

11:08 He meant to do it. He meant to cut him. He meant to pierce him. He meant to prick him so that he could heal him and restore him. This failed disciple will not be memorably and solidly and convincingly restored without being grieved.

11:31 Brothers and sisters, let's hope and let's pray that Jesus loves us like that. Enough to grieve us, to restore us. Those whom he loves, he trains. And for the moment, all training seems painful rather than pleasant. But later, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12, 11. Do not regard lightly the training of the Lord, nor be weary when grieved by him. For the Lord trains the one he loves and grieves every son whom he receives. you might think Jesus' toughness would be done at this point but he's got a little bit more. Peter's already grieved then Jesus tells him he will die painfully for Jesus' sake. Just have that over your head the rest of your life or how long it's going to be.

12:37 And then Peter asks about John and Jesus says what's that to you? I'll take care of John. You follow me. So verses 15 to 19 are Jesus' tough and tender recommissioning of a humble disciple. Listen to verses 15 to 19. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, 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 a second time, Simon, son of John, 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 John, do you love me?

13:33 Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him feed my sheep truly truly I say to you when you were young you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go and then John says in this parenthesis this he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. And after saying this, he said to him, follow me. I said we'd linger longer here in verses 15 to 19. So I tell the guys in the preaching class not to do this often.

14:32 Yeah, I got sub points. All right, we're tracking with three glories of Jesus here at the end. And under point number two, I got four sub points for you about verses 15. I see the guy smiling. All right, yeah. There's not many always's and nevers in preaching.

14:52 Four ways, mark these four ways that Jesus handles his humbled disciple. Number one, first, he calls him by his humble name. Three times, it's Simon, son of John. Not Peter, not Rock.

15:12 It'd be really encouraging to be called Rock at this moment. But he goes back. This is the first way that Jesus called Peter back in John 1, verse 42. You are Simon, son of John. All the way back to the beginning. Remember your origins. Remember your beginning before you were rock.

15:34 And now, having failed Jesus, genuinely failed Jesus three times, Jesus moves to reinstate Peter and to do this publicly. It's very important. There's six other disciples that are watching. So that later on, there's no debate. Like, well, Peter's out. He failed. Jesus reinstated Peter.

15:55 And he brings Peter back to this early, simple moment of their first meeting. Their first, Peter's first response of faith. Jesus would have his disciples remember those first simple moments. I know it can be covered over by layer after layer. I got papers to do. I got assignments to finish. I got exams coming. I've got this relational burden now in the church life.

16:27 It's good to remember those moments of just standing under the waterfall of grace without the other cares that have accumulated, the layers that have stacked on, to let what you heard from the beginning abide, even as you do add real layers of responsibility, challenges in relationships and church life and sanctification, to go back and remember the beginning and not presume to ever go beyond the beginning in trusting Jesus' grace as the bottom on which your two feet stand. Second then, Jesus asks the hardest question.

17:15 Jesus has his way of doing this. Samaritan woman at the well, five men, go call your man, it's right there. He puts his finger on the pain point and pushes. Peter, do you love me more than these?

17:41 That's really significant for Peter. Because more than these, I don't think that's a reference to the fishing gear. Peter, you love me more than your fishing occupation. I don't think it's a reference to whether Peter loves Jesus more than he loves the other disciples. I think he's saying, Peter, do you love me more than the other disciples love me? Are you comparing yourself? Are you gauging your love toward me based on the other disciples? I love you more than them. Peter's the one who's saying, I will die for you. He said that again and again. What a record we have of the type of guy that Peter is. He's the guy who wants to be the guy. He wants to be first. He wants to take the lead. He's aware of others to lead them or to best them. In verse 15, Jesus' way of asking Peter, whom he knows so well, he says, Simon, son of John, might say, natural leader that you are, have you been humbled yet? Has your failure served its purpose? There was purpose in the failure. Jesus told him ahead of time, Satan's asked to sift you like wheat. I've prayed for you that your faith will not fail. You'll strengthen the brothers.

19:08 Peter's the one who says in chapter 13, you shall never wash my feet. Other disciples are taking the washing. Peter, he's above that. You never wash my feet. I will lay down my life for you, he says. Not we, I. Chapter 13, verse 37. Peter's the one drawing the sword, lopping off the ear of the high priest's servant. In these episodes in the gospels where the disciples are discussing who's the greatest? I can't imagine there's any way that Peter's not at the center of that. Mark 9, verse 34, on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. Luke 9, verse 46, an argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. And if you think it's just a synoptic issue that it only happened once and it's told multiple times, Luke tells it twice. This is Luke 22, verse 24, same gospel. A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

20:07 And it's in this very context, Luke 22, that Jesus turns and addresses Peter. This is where he talks to him about what's coming. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat. but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

20:34 So Jesus goes right there to Peter's issue, to Peter's pattern. Simon, son of John, have you been humbled? Are you still the greatest in your own mind? Do you still surpass the others in your love and your loyalty toward me?

20:56 And if you're like Peter, we all are in some sense. We all have pride. We're all like Peter in some sense. There are some of us way more like Peter than others. Grant that. If you're at all like Peter, be encouraged that Jesus doesn't give up on this guy. This guy's arguing to be the greatest.

21:20 And Jesus doesn't abandon him. He doesn't cast him away. He's like, he sees something to work with. I'm going to humble him, but I'm going to make a Pentecost preacher out of this man. On the other side of the humbling that I will appoint and use for my purposes. Third, Jesus goes for the heart. He asked Peter, this manly man, this leader, the guy who naturally wants to be first, he asks him about his love, his feelings.

21:58 Do you love me, Peter? How do you feel about me, Peter? Your emotions, your affections, your heart. Talk to me about your heart. Jesus goes to the heart. He goes to the deepest person, the truest person. He doesn't come to Peter and say, Peter, do you know the truth? Peter, do you fight for the truth? Peter, do you embody biblical manhood?

22:30 Peter, do you stand unashamed for me? Peter didn't stand unashamed. He failed in his courage. And Jesus takes it to the heart of the matter, and that's Peter's heart, your heart, my heart.

22:52 Do you love him? How do you feel about him? John paints this scene so well for it, so concrete. They're fishing, there's a large catch, impulsive Peter jumps into the water. Is he trying to demonstrate, I love Jesus more than the others. I'm jumping in the water. I'm going. Maybe. I don't know. There's a taste of breakfast. There's a smell of charcoal. And the only other charcoal in the New Testament is John chapter 18, verse 18, the charcoal fire around which Peter denies Jesus three times. So John draws us into this scene and at the close of the gospel, he wants to ask us a question. It's not just Jesus asking Peter a question.

23:44 This is John, 21 chapters in, asking every reader a question, every listener a question as Jesus speaks to Peter. Do you love Jesus? Yes. Number four, final aspect here under number two, his tough and tender words. Jesus gives him a mission. And we see Jesus' tenderness to restore a failed disciple and he gives him meaningful work to do. Given that Peter feels love for Jesus, how should he respond? Jesus' answer is, feed my sheep. it's worth observing what Jesus doesn't say at this moment he doesn't say all right work to impress me he doesn't say serve my needs Peter but he says care for my sheep I'm the good shepherd I'm ascending I will sit on heaven's throne and I'm drawing you in to serve as an under shepherd. Be my hands.

25:07 Be my feet and go to them. Be my voice and speak to them. Be my heart and love them. I don't need your work, Peter. The sheep need your work. They need your care. Brothers and sisters, you have been loved by Jesus. He demonstrates his love for us in that while we're We're still sinners, deniers, faithless, foolish. He died for us. And I take it that most in this room would say, I do love him. I love him. I love him. Not perfectly, not apart from the daily help of his spirit, but genuine love. You ask, is Jesus worthy? Is he lovable? And I can't help but say, I love him. I want to love him, and in that I love him. You love him. Do you love him?

26:08 feed his lambs. I say, do you love him? Tend his sheep. Do you love him? It would be appropriate to respond yes. Are you grieved that I asked you three times if you love him? No, you're not grieved like Peter because you haven't publicly denied him three times.

26:41 Feed his sheep. Love him. Feed them. Receive from him. Give to them. First, feel. And then, feed. If you love him who first loved you, then in that love, seek to be his tool of grace in loving and caring for and tending to others. So we close with one last glory, one last firework in the Gospel of John. It's a big one. This is like a firework that never ends. So they haven't made these yet. Maybe God's saving it for Jesus to be this. A firework goes up. Sometimes you see these.

27:33 The firework goes up and it spreads and then there's a secondary burst. What if there was then a tertiary burst and a quaternary burst and on and on and on for all eternity? That's the last firework here in John's last verse. This is number three. Jesus never runs out of glories to see and savor and share. Verse 25, he never runs out of glories to see and savor and share. Don't you love how John ends this masterpiece of his gospel? And how would you do it? You got any ideas for a better ending? The final glimpse he gives us of Jesus' glories is this. You have only begun to taste them.

28:25 So we end our chapel series here with how John ends his gospel. Verse 25. Now, there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. and that's it. That's the end of one of the greatest books ever written. 21 chapters of glory. In that last note, John says, oh, this is just a taste, and this is just a taste from his life on earth as the God-man. What more is there to come in eternity?

29:12 21 chapters full of glory and three other gospels full of glory and 39 old covenant books preparing the way for his glory and 23 other New Testament documents telling the story of his ongoing work through the spirit in the church, teaching us to observe all that he commanded, celebrating his glory now in heaven on the throne of the universe and awaiting the coming glory. The glories of Jesus Christ are endless. For the brothers in the room who aspire to preach, and others who want to write, teach, feed his sheep in various ways, and for Christians with a hungry soul who want to feed that soul for the rest of your life, it is such good news that the glories of Christ are endless. you will never run out of glories to enjoy.

30:13 If your eyes are open, if you have the help of the Holy Spirit, you will never bore of Jesus, of seeing him, enjoying him, saying what you see that others too might enjoy it. His riches are unsearchable. Ephesians 3.8. And if you take Psalm 40 verse 5 and put it in the tune of the Gospel of John, you would say in Jesus, God has multiplied his wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us. None can compare with him. We will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. I want to end here with Romans 8 31. is when Paul seems to have said it all. He just said, I mean, all of Romans 8 to this point, 28, 29, 30, all things work together for good, foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified, golden, unbreakable chain.

31:19 And Paul says, Romans 8, 31, what shall we say to these things? You might expect Paul to say, I've said it all. I've said it all. What more can be said? That's it. You can't top this. And then what does Paul do?

31:43 He keeps talking. He keeps looking. He keeps seeing. He keeps enjoying. He keeps saying the glories. and then he goes on to write what might be the most glorious nine consecutive verses in the Bible and all that after he says what more can be said so brothers and sisters

32:11 what's it to you the plans that Jesus has for your collegiate seminary peers what's that to you you follow Jesus. And he will handle you just as he needs to, however tough, however tender, and all the while he's working on your heart that you would love him, treasure him, that that would be the wellspring from which your ministry flows. And whatever your calling, whatever your assignment on the farm, whatever your failings as a disciple, The glories do not end. Jesus will show us his glory and thrill our souls and give us words to speak in praise of his glory for the rest of this life.

33:04 You will not run out of words to feed the sheep. And he'll do that through all eternity. Let's pray together. So Father in heaven, on this last chapel, I pray that we would receive this commission from you and from the Gospel of John to look even more for the glories of Christ. There's no pretense that we've covered them all or just begun to taste. We've only begun to taste. And so Father, in the week to come here, with the stresses, with the pressures, with the papers, with the exams, I pray you would bring us back to our humble name bring us back to the beginning, help us to abide in the simple truths with our feet on Jesus. May we love him and would you grant men and women in this room who would be prompted, be sent, be assigned as feeders of your sheep from love for Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen.