Sermon - John 21 - What is that to you? - Littleby Baptist Church - September 1, 2019
Last week we looked at a woman who worshipped Jesus with
every ounce of love she had. She was not worried about what people thought, how
she looked, or the cost. She held absolutely nothing back. As followers of
Jesus we need to love our Savior like she did. We need to give Him everything
we have and hold nothing back when we praise Him, when we serve Him, and when
we Follow Him. We need to give Jesus our Pure Unfiltered Worship!
This morning we are jumping forward to a time after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In John 21 we come to Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples. Peter and a handful of the other guys were hanging out and decided to go fishing, maybe returning to something they were comfortable with, or maybe just trying to take a break. After a night of a lot of fishing but no catching, Jesus appears and tells them where to cast the net. They pulled in a huge amount of fish and they knew then that it was Jesus. We are going to start with a conversation that happened after breakfast.
John 21:15-19
“15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “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. 16 A second time he asked him, “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.
17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, 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 indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.””
Peter had given up everything, spent several years following Jesus, witnessed miracles that we could only dream of seeing, and saw things that only a handful of people have witnessed. Peter was following Jesus and had firsthand experience with the King of Kings and His teaching. He devoted his life to Jesus then he denied him three times on the night that Jesus was betrayed.
Peter would have felt completely unqualified to do anything for Jesus. He probably felt that his actions, his past, would keep him from serving Jesus in the future.
Jesus asked Him 3 times:
Verse 15 “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
Verse 16 “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Verse 17 “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter answered Jesus 3 times:
Verse 15 “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
Verse 16 “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
Verse 17 “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Each time Jesus responded giving the man who denied Him a job to do. Peter is to feed and shepherd the Lords sheep.
Jesus is telling Peter that the fact that he messed up does not matter, his past was not stopping his ability to do the job that he was created to do. He needs to go out and continue feeding and shepherding. He needs to spread Jesus’ message of love, repentance, and salvation. With this conversation Jesus was helping Peter get back on track, to get him moving in the right direction.
John 21:20-21
“20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?””
For some reason Peter turned his attention to John. Maybe it was simple curiosity, he may have been wondering if John was going to be martyred to. Maybe Peter wanted to change the subject because the conversation was making him uncomfortable. We don’t know the motivation, but Peter turned his focus from Jesus and the task he was called to do, to someone else.
John 21:22
“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus Answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
Hey Peter, don’t worry about him, don’t get distracted by what others have, what they get to do, or what they are going to endure, simply follow me.
This happens to all of us in one form or fashion. We get moving in the direction that God wants us to and then we get distracted by seeing what others are doing. We may be going full boar after what God called us to do and we simply take a glance to the side to see how we compare. We may be wondering if someone is as successful as we are, are they facing the same struggles, or maybe looking at how someone famous feels about what is going on.
Sadly, we tend to be influenced or distracted by political tweets, movie stars, our favorite athletes, TV pastors, coworkers, and friends. We can lose our focus on what Jesus has called us to do. If our focus shifts from Jesus to someone or something else, Jesus would ask us the exact same question He asked Peter, ‘What is that to you?’ and He would follow it up with ‘as for you, follow me.’
Sometimes the distractions are caused by things going on in the world. It was disappointing to hear that over the last several weeks that a Christian Author and a Worship Leader of a large mega church have walked away from Jesus and are questioning their faith. I have seen a video where a seminary Dean declares he is a racist just because he has white skin, I have watched part of a video of a Pastor make a case for accepting un-Biblical behaviors.
Maybe it is something that hits closer to home. Somebody said something that we did not like, maybe they did notice we were hurting, or they did not call us as we wanted. These too are distractions that can interfere with us keeping our focus on Jesus.
If we were to have a conversation with Jesus about how someone hurt us, did not pay attention to us, or how someone else fell from grace… Jesus would ask you, ‘What is that to you?’
Don’t let anyone get between you and your Savior, period, end of story. Someone else talking garbage, falling into sin, or falling short in any way should never stop you from trusting in Jesus. Things will never be exactly as we want them, we are going to have our struggles, we are going to have people we look up to fall from the pedestal we have put them on… and Jesus will ask us ‘What is that to you?’ and then He will follow that up with ‘As for you, follow me.’
Our focus is to be on Jesus and following Him!
God has called each of us to serve Him in one form or fashion and we need to do exactly what He created us to do. Our job is to follow Him and only Him. Our Focus needs to be fully on Jesus not on the distractions around us.
Philippians 2:12-16
“12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.”
Our salvation is not dependent on what the mega church Worship Leader did, it is not dependent on what Pastor said, it is not dependent on anything going on in the world. Our salvation is dependent on our recognizing that Jesus is God, repenting of our sins, and choosing to Follow Him.
It does not matter what someone else does, is gifted with, struggles with, says, forgets, or how they fall short. Our salvation is between us as individuals and our Savior Jesus Christ. For it is God who is at work in each of us. It is through His will and His power that we can even attempt to carry out the task He has laid before us. If we follow His will for our lives and live these words in verse 14 ‘do everything without grumbling and arguing’ we will be truly focused on our Lord and Savior and what He has given us, not worried about what others do.
Hold firm to the Word of God, keep your focus on Jesus, and carry out His will for your life.
Peter denied Jesus three times and then Jesus still gave him a task to complete, do you think Jesus has something for you to do? If Jesus told Peter to not worry about others and simply Follow Me, do you think those instructions apply to us today?
‘What is that to you? As for you, follow Me.’
Don’t let anyone or anything sidetrack you, don’t let anyone else interfere with you following Jesus.
Peter walked with Jesus and witnessed things we will never see, but he is no different than we are. He made mistakes, he spoke without thinking, and he denied Jesus. With all of that Jesus forgave him and still used him to carry out the Father’s Plan.
If Jesus can use Peter, He can use you. He does not want you to worry about the past, He definitely does not want you to worry about your mistakes, and he does not want you to be distracted by others.
‘What is that to you? As for you, follow Me.’
If we are following Jesus, giving Him our all like was asked of the Rich Young Ruler, giving Him our Pure Unfiltered Worship like the woman who anointed Him, our focus will be on Him and Him alone. Focusing on Jesus makes it much easier to follow Him.
Focus on Jesus and follow wherever He leads.
May the Lord Bless You!
Robert
This morning we are jumping forward to a time after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In John 21 we come to Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples. Peter and a handful of the other guys were hanging out and decided to go fishing, maybe returning to something they were comfortable with, or maybe just trying to take a break. After a night of a lot of fishing but no catching, Jesus appears and tells them where to cast the net. They pulled in a huge amount of fish and they knew then that it was Jesus. We are going to start with a conversation that happened after breakfast.
John 21:15-19
“15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “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. 16 A second time he asked him, “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.
17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, 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 indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.””
Peter had given up everything, spent several years following Jesus, witnessed miracles that we could only dream of seeing, and saw things that only a handful of people have witnessed. Peter was following Jesus and had firsthand experience with the King of Kings and His teaching. He devoted his life to Jesus then he denied him three times on the night that Jesus was betrayed.
Peter would have felt completely unqualified to do anything for Jesus. He probably felt that his actions, his past, would keep him from serving Jesus in the future.
Jesus asked Him 3 times:
Verse 15 “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
Verse 16 “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Verse 17 “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter answered Jesus 3 times:
Verse 15 “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
Verse 16 “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
Verse 17 “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Each time Jesus responded giving the man who denied Him a job to do. Peter is to feed and shepherd the Lords sheep.
Jesus is telling Peter that the fact that he messed up does not matter, his past was not stopping his ability to do the job that he was created to do. He needs to go out and continue feeding and shepherding. He needs to spread Jesus’ message of love, repentance, and salvation. With this conversation Jesus was helping Peter get back on track, to get him moving in the right direction.
John 21:20-21
“20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?””
For some reason Peter turned his attention to John. Maybe it was simple curiosity, he may have been wondering if John was going to be martyred to. Maybe Peter wanted to change the subject because the conversation was making him uncomfortable. We don’t know the motivation, but Peter turned his focus from Jesus and the task he was called to do, to someone else.
John 21:22
“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus Answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
Hey Peter, don’t worry about him, don’t get distracted by what others have, what they get to do, or what they are going to endure, simply follow me.
This happens to all of us in one form or fashion. We get moving in the direction that God wants us to and then we get distracted by seeing what others are doing. We may be going full boar after what God called us to do and we simply take a glance to the side to see how we compare. We may be wondering if someone is as successful as we are, are they facing the same struggles, or maybe looking at how someone famous feels about what is going on.
Sadly, we tend to be influenced or distracted by political tweets, movie stars, our favorite athletes, TV pastors, coworkers, and friends. We can lose our focus on what Jesus has called us to do. If our focus shifts from Jesus to someone or something else, Jesus would ask us the exact same question He asked Peter, ‘What is that to you?’ and He would follow it up with ‘as for you, follow me.’
Sometimes the distractions are caused by things going on in the world. It was disappointing to hear that over the last several weeks that a Christian Author and a Worship Leader of a large mega church have walked away from Jesus and are questioning their faith. I have seen a video where a seminary Dean declares he is a racist just because he has white skin, I have watched part of a video of a Pastor make a case for accepting un-Biblical behaviors.
Maybe it is something that hits closer to home. Somebody said something that we did not like, maybe they did notice we were hurting, or they did not call us as we wanted. These too are distractions that can interfere with us keeping our focus on Jesus.
If we were to have a conversation with Jesus about how someone hurt us, did not pay attention to us, or how someone else fell from grace… Jesus would ask you, ‘What is that to you?’
Don’t let anyone get between you and your Savior, period, end of story. Someone else talking garbage, falling into sin, or falling short in any way should never stop you from trusting in Jesus. Things will never be exactly as we want them, we are going to have our struggles, we are going to have people we look up to fall from the pedestal we have put them on… and Jesus will ask us ‘What is that to you?’ and then He will follow that up with ‘As for you, follow me.’
Our focus is to be on Jesus and following Him!
God has called each of us to serve Him in one form or fashion and we need to do exactly what He created us to do. Our job is to follow Him and only Him. Our Focus needs to be fully on Jesus not on the distractions around us.
Philippians 2:12-16
“12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.”
Our salvation is not dependent on what the mega church Worship Leader did, it is not dependent on what Pastor said, it is not dependent on anything going on in the world. Our salvation is dependent on our recognizing that Jesus is God, repenting of our sins, and choosing to Follow Him.
It does not matter what someone else does, is gifted with, struggles with, says, forgets, or how they fall short. Our salvation is between us as individuals and our Savior Jesus Christ. For it is God who is at work in each of us. It is through His will and His power that we can even attempt to carry out the task He has laid before us. If we follow His will for our lives and live these words in verse 14 ‘do everything without grumbling and arguing’ we will be truly focused on our Lord and Savior and what He has given us, not worried about what others do.
Hold firm to the Word of God, keep your focus on Jesus, and carry out His will for your life.
Peter denied Jesus three times and then Jesus still gave him a task to complete, do you think Jesus has something for you to do? If Jesus told Peter to not worry about others and simply Follow Me, do you think those instructions apply to us today?
‘What is that to you? As for you, follow Me.’
Don’t let anyone or anything sidetrack you, don’t let anyone else interfere with you following Jesus.
Peter walked with Jesus and witnessed things we will never see, but he is no different than we are. He made mistakes, he spoke without thinking, and he denied Jesus. With all of that Jesus forgave him and still used him to carry out the Father’s Plan.
If Jesus can use Peter, He can use you. He does not want you to worry about the past, He definitely does not want you to worry about your mistakes, and he does not want you to be distracted by others.
‘What is that to you? As for you, follow Me.’
If we are following Jesus, giving Him our all like was asked of the Rich Young Ruler, giving Him our Pure Unfiltered Worship like the woman who anointed Him, our focus will be on Him and Him alone. Focusing on Jesus makes it much easier to follow Him.
Focus on Jesus and follow wherever He leads.
May the Lord Bless You!
Robert
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