That’s the statement (in the title above) Peter made in the days after the Easter resurrection of Jesus. I think when we have a tremendous time of failure in our lives, we will often say something like this: “I am just going to do something else and try to take my mind off of the failures that are mine.”
Peter was a fisherman by trade. That’s what he was doing when he met Jesus the first time (see Luke 5). Peter was called out by Jesus to be a “fisher of men” at that meeting. This is the same Peter who was pretty much the real leader of the inner circle of twelve disciples. This is the Peter who was the most vocal and bold in most situations. This is the same Peter who made an incredible declaration of Jesus being the Messiah at one point (see Matthew 16). This is the same Peter who told Jesus, during the last week of Jesus’ life, that he would stand by Jesus until death if need be! Then, in quick fashion, this same Peter denied Jesus when the pressure was on (in all four gospels).
This is also the same Peter who ran to the tomb when he was told by the women who visited the tomb that Jesus was gone from the grave.
Now, having had an encounter with the resurrected Jesus, you can tell there were many questions and doubts in Peter’s mind, and absolutely a strong insecurity of what he was to do next. This is the back story that brings us to John 21 and the story that is often labeled “the reinstatement of Peter.”
This coming Sunday, April 11, during our Sunday worship and teaching time, I will begin the last section of year-long teaching in what we have called “The Book of Jesus.” Jesus’ work has now been accomplished. He has defeated death and risen from the grave. But this same Jesus is now about to address his followers—his intimate disciples. And it’s interesting to me that he is turning his work over to those who actually did not qualify. He was handing this whole work over to the very ones who had disappointed, betrayed, and failed him when he was going to the cross.
We are going to unpack all this together on Sunday morning.
Read this story in John 21 before worship on April 11. We will see you this coming Sunday morning at 10 a.m. through one of our 3 doors to LifeWay Church:
- 1: Watch online in your own home
- 2: Join a small group and stream the service together
- 3: Come to church and join us inside the building (remember to register!)
