John chapter 21. John chapter 21. Before I read the text, let me give you the background to these verses of scripture so that you can get them in the context. It's always helpful in understanding the words of our Lord to understand the context in which they're given. In chapters 13, 14, and 15, and in chapter 16, we have our Lord's final message to us before he left this world. His final words to his disciples whom he left in this world to serve the interest of his kingdom.

Then in chapter 17 of the Gospel of John, we have a detailed declaration of that which our Lord Jesus prayed for us as our great high priest, as he made intercession for us in a manner in which the disciples themselves heard it and recorded it by inspiration. It do you good and me good to read that 17th chapter of John very, very frequently. and understand how our Lord intercedes for us and that which he seeks for us in all things. And then in John chapter 18, the Lord Jesus is in the garden. He's praying with his disciples, Peter, James, and John, anticipating everything that he must suffer. everything that he must endure by the hand of his father, according to his own surety ship engagements as our covenant surety, mediator and substitute.

When the soldiers came to arrest him in the garden, Peter, often impetuous, but very bold. And there are many things you can say about Peter. Many times folks look at him and we We have a tendency to think of Peter and a lot of his weaknesses. His impetuosity certainly was a weakness in many ways, but in some ways a great strength. Peter jumped to the forefront and drew out his sword. Actually, it wasn't much of a sword.

I'm sure he was a fisherman. He drew out his knife that he carried to his side and smote off the high priest's servant's ear. I'm sure he was aiming for his throat. I don't have any question. He was aiming for his throat. was prepared to die in defense of the Son of God, his master. What a bold man he was. But our Savior told Peter that his kingdom doesn't stand by power. It doesn't stand by the sword. He said, put up your sword. Then he healed the high priest servant's ear.

And he voluntarily gave himself up to the soldiers who came to arrest him. He voluntarily submitted himself in humiliation to those who had come to take him. He did so in order that his people might be spared. You'll remember he said to the disciples, he said, if you seek me, let these go their way. And he says to the law of God, You've come for me, now let these my people go away. That's what he prayed for in John 17. He prayed that the Father would save his people on the basis and merit of his intercession as our great high priest who has made sacrifice for us.

And then in chapter 18, verse 27, they led him away to the judgment hall. And there, at the judgment hall, Peter denied him and denied him again. And then he cussed and said, I don't know that man. And the cock crew, as the Savior said it would, and Peter was smitten in his heart, went out and wept bitterly.

And then in verses 28, 29, and 30 of chapter 19, our Lord Jesus has finally accomplished redemption for us. When he had suffered all the wrath of God as our substitute, when he had by himself endured our hell, heaped upon him justly because he was made to be sin for us, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And he said, it is finished. having accomplished redemption for us, he died in our place, voluntarily laid down his life for us. And then in chapter 20, you read verses 1 through 17, You see that how on the third day after he was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, our Lord Jesus, who had accomplished redemption for us, in order to declare that sin had been put away in the most public manner possible, he was raised again for our justification three days after he was crucified. Now, Brother Skip and I were talking about this Sunday afternoon after the message Sunday morning.

There seems to be a little difficulty. in the scripture declaring that our Lord was in the earth as Jonah was in the whale of the belly for three days and three nights. After all, he was crucified on Friday afternoon, late Friday afternoon. His body was laid in the tomb before the Jewish Sabbath began, but late in the afternoon. The Jewish Sabbath began late Friday afternoon, dark on Friday. Our Lord Jesus then being laid in the body in the tomb on Friday afternoon, and rising from the dead early in the morning on Sunday morning, that's only one full day in part of two others.

How then was he in the tomb for three days and three nights? Well, the difficulty is in the language that the Jews commonly used. And the scriptures, of course, the Gospels particularly, were written in the language of the Jews in that time. The Jews referred to any part of a day or any part of a night as the whole, even if it was just a few minutes of the day or a few minutes of the night.

Our Lord Jesus then was in the tomb on the day of Friday and the night of Friday. He was in the tomb on the day of Saturday and the night of Saturday. And he was in the tomb until the breaking of day on Sunday. So he was also in the tomb on the day of Sunday or on the night of Sunday and the day of Sunday arising in the early part of the morning.

Our Lord Jesus rising from the tomb then appears to Mary Magdalene and he appeared to the disciples, Thomas being absent. And then he appeared to them one week later when Thomas was present. Now, We come to chapter 21. The Lord Jesus now appears to his disciples as a whole for the third time.

But he appears now specifically to restore and confirm his fallen servant, Peter. He came to Peter to restore to Peter the fellowship of his love. Not to restore to Peter his salvation. He never lost that. But to restore to him the joy of his salvation. Not to restore to Peter his love. He never lost that. but to restore to Peter the knowledge and assurance of his love. Not to restore Peter to his place in his kingdom, he never lost that, but to restore Peter to the blessedness of that place.

Now you're familiar with the story. Peter had publicly denied the Lord Jesus three times. And so now he is compelled by the Lord Jesus to confess and to confess three times his love for him. Not for the master's sake, but for Peter's sake and for the sake of those who stood around and for us. The Lord Jesus compelled Peter now at last to say, Lord, you know all things. I love that language.

To the unbelieving religious hypocrite, the Lord's omniscience is a terrifying thing. It's a terrifying thing. To the hypocrite, to know that God knows everything is the most terrifying thing in the world. He knows what's in us. He knows the secret of all things. The darkness and light are a light before him. In the hidden part, God sees everything. But to the believer, to say, Lord, you know everything? Larry, that's the greatest joy and consolation of which we can be aware. Because you don't see everything. All you see of me is what I let you see or what by accident I call you to see. He sees everything. Everything. Everything. Lord, you know all things.

You know what I am, and you know what I've done. James and John don't know. My brethren don't know. All they know is I've cussed you. All they know is my impetuosity and sin. They don't know anything. They know my pride and arrogance. Lord, you know me in the deep recess of my inmost being. You know what I am, because you made me. You know that I love you. In spite of what I said, in spite of what I am, in spite of what I've done, you know all things. You know that I love you.

And then the Lord Jesus commissioned Peter three times. He gave the commission to Peter, but he gave it so that others heard it. He said, feed my sheep. Feed my lambs, feed my sheep. He commands him three times as his disciple, as his servant, and as his apostle to go on about his business feeding his sheep.

Now then, let's read beginning at verse 18 in chapter 21. We looked briefly at this just a few weeks ago on Sunday evening, and I knew then I wanted to come back to this text. And I trust God will give me the liberty to deliver to you what's prepared before. Verse 18.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the Lord Jesus is speaking to Peter. When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest whither thou wouldest. But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Now, you don't have to guess what that means. Verse 19 tells you.

This spake he signifying by what death he should glorify God. That is, the Lord Jesus here made a prediction. He made a prophecy. He said, Peter, you're going to glorify me in the manner in which you die when somebody forcibly executes you. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, follow me. He said, now, Peter, this is what's going to happen to you.

You're going to be put to death for me. Follow me. My soul. What kind of motive is that to follow me? Maybe you're going to be put to death. No, no, no. Peter, they're going to put you to death. Somebody is going to execute you forcibly. Follow me. Amen.

Then Peter turning about, seeth that disciple whom Jesus loved following, the apostle John, the one which also leaned on the Savior's breast at supper and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Oh, brother Peter, you're so much like me. What about John? What about John? He's always seemed to get along the easiest. What about John? He's always seemed to have nothing to do.

The Lord Jesus told Peter how he would be required to suffer and die for the glory of God, impetuous and sometimes fickle at his youth. Peter was assured that in the end he would, after all, die with Christ just like he said he would in his pride, and yet he told the truth. He said, I'm prepared to go to Jerusalem and to die with you. He said that Peter would die and he was. He was crucified at Rome because of his faithfulness to Christ. When the Lord Jesus gave Peter this word of assurance, he said, follow thou me. And then as they were walking along the beach, old brother Peter, he took the Lord Jesus at his word.

Everything's all right now. And now he speaks to him just as confidently. and just as comfortably as he did before, and expresses exactly what he thought. He says, as he saw John coming, he said, now, Lord, you told me what I'm going to do. You told me how things were going to turn out for me. You told me how the end was going to be for me. What about John?

And the Lord said, Peter, that's none of your business. That's none of your business. That's exactly what he said. Peter turning, verse 21, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following, one which leaned on the Lord's breast and said, who is he that betrayeth thee? And Peter seeing him said to Jesus, Lord, what shall this man do? And the Lord Jesus looked at him and he said, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

Follow thou Now here's a message directly for Bobby Estes and Don Fortner. A message directly for Nancy Wormuth and Larry Curtis. A message directly for Shelby Fortner and Sally Foster. Directly for each of us. Here's a message which the Lord Jesus has given to you and to me. It's a message for you who believe and for you who believe not.

It is our responsibility. It is our privilege, our blessed, blessed privilege But it is our responsibility to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in all things. Now, let me give you two or three things, and I'll spend the bulk of my time on the first statement here, because it's the most important. First, our primary responsibility in life is to follow Christ.

I was walking the other day, getting my exercise in the shopping center over in Lexington while Shelby was playing grandma. As I was walking along, I passed a couple of college girls. I guess they were 25, 26 years old. Looked like they must have been in graduate school. And one was saying to the other, I could hardly believe it. She said, you know, nobody expects us to know what we are, where we're going, or what we're going to do at this age.

Man, things have changed. When I was 18 years old, bud, you feed yourself from now on. That's all there is to it. You're on your own from this day forward. Not these days. When a fellow's 40, he's still trying to find himself, and that's all right. We're trying to find ourselves. The most miserable fellow on this earth is the fellow who's grown up trying to find himself.

But I'm telling you, this is your responsibility. This is my responsibility in all things to follow the Son of God. I know the consequences, the ramifications, and the implications of what I'm saying. I know that it will cost us if we dare do what the Son of God commands. but it'll cost us infinitely more if we don't. Oh, how I pray that God will give us grace to hear and obey his word. The main business of your life, the primary, all-consuming business of my life is to follow Jesus Christ.

I hope that you'll write this down and write it down somewhere where you can take it home and remember it. Larry, we live in vain. if we don't live for Christ. We live in vain if we don't live for Christ. Indeed, it were better for you and me had we never been born than that we should live and die without Christ. The Lord Jesus says to each of us, follow me, follow thou me. Now this is the command of the gospel.

I know that many today, most everybody, tries to separate what's called salvation from discipleship. Churches all over the planet, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, and otherwise, have discipleship classes, and discipleship revivals, and discipleship meetings, trying to get folks who profess faith in Christ to act like they really are saved. They try to get folks who don't know Christ to act like Christians. It's not hard to act like it, but it's utterly frustrating to try. and I'm telling you that it's all just put on, it's all just an act. Faith in Christ, God's salvation of necessity in its very character and nature involves being His disciple. There's no separation, there's no distinction. The scriptures use many terms and many expressions to describe faith. Don't turn there, because we won't have time to look at all these passages, but let me give you a few.

In Matthew chapter 4, when our Lord Jesus is walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew casting nets into the sea. And he said to them, follow me and I'll make you fishers of me. They dropped their nets, followed him. He then saw the sons of Zebedee, James and John. He said, follow me. And they dropped their nets, followed him. They dropped their business and went about his business. They quit their lives and sought his life. In Matthew 16, our Lord said to his disciples, take up your cross and follow me or you cannot be my disciples. And then in Matthew 19, the Lord Jesus said to that rich young ruler who thought he had done so much.

He said, if you'd enter into life, go sell everything you have, give it to the poor and come follow me. What does that mean? A man can earn salvation by selling his riches and giving them to the poor? No, no, no, no, no, no. That's not what it means at all. It does mean this, Lindsey, if you follow Him, if you believe Him, you got to sell all and follow Him.

Got to give it all to Him. And it's not a once for all thing. It's a continual day by day, taking up your cross and following Him. Everything is yours. Everything is subject to your rule and your disposal and your will. The Lord Jesus says to you and to me, follow me. If you're without Christ, God help you to hear me.

You would be wise to make the salvation of your immortal soul the primary concern of your life. Make your soul your first care, if necessary, to the neglect, even to the pain of all other things. What do you mean, pastor? What will it profit you? He gained the whole world, lose your own self.

Our Lord said, if your right hand offends you, what does they do with it? Cut it off. If your right foot offends you, cut it off. If your right eye offends you, pluck it out. Does that mean literally? Pluck out your eye, cut off your hand, cut off your foot? No, no, no, no, no. But whatever it is that's dear to you, whatever it is, don't you let it keep you from Christ. Don't do it.

If you're without Christ, you're under the wrath of God, cursed and condemned. If you die without him, you're going to hell. The wrath of God is upon you. Will you follow Christ and be forever saved? Or follow your own devices and be forever damned? Now, buddy, for a lot of folks, That's just confusing. You preach to them free grace, and they say, well, if God predestinated it, and God's chosen son to be saved, and Christ redeems the spirit, it causes them to, we have no responsibility.

Well, you can fuss and argue with God until you go to hell if you want to, but I'm telling you, this is what the book says. See, I have set before thee this day life, and good, and death, and evil. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you. I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life that you may choose. You mean preach your fellow God to choose? Yes, sir. And you're going to make that choice now. That's right. That's exactly right.

What about God's purpose, God's grace, God's predestination? I know that dead sinners will never seek the Lord except He seek you, but I know you're dead sure responsible to seek Him and choose Him for yourself, and choose Him you must. To follow Christ is to willingly submit to His will. It is to willingly be saved by His grace to believe on Him, and this is His commandment, follow me. More than that, this is the character of true faith. Faith follows Christ. His doctrine? Yes. His will? Yes. His word? Yes. His example? Yes. Faith follows Christ. Faith does not live in rebellion to the Son of God.

It just doesn't. Now, I know our flesh is contrary to everything about our God and our Savior. Our flesh rebels against everything in this book. I know our flesh is flesh and will be flesh till we die, and it rots in the ground. But I'm telling you, believers are new creatures in Christ, and they follow Him. That means, Sammy, if you and I know Him, we follow Him. And if we don't follow Him, bless your heart, you don't know Him. That's all there is to it.

Mr. Spurgeon said this, the one thing we are to aim at is to tread in Christ's footsteps, to do what he did, and as far as he is imitable by us, to do it as he did it, to be as he was in the midst of the sons and daughters of man. The grace of God that brings salvation, that grace of God that's appeared to all men in a general sense, has come to us, Bob, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.

You see, a disciple is more than just one who has learned his master's doctrine. A disciple is one who's done more than just learn what his master teaches. A disciple is one who is getting to be what his teacher is. Christianity is more than believing the doctrine of Christ.

It's following Christ. It's seeking to mold my life after Christ. If I'm God's child, if I'm His, I'm not a follower of John Calvin, I'm not a follower of John Gill, I'm not a follower of C.H. Spurgeon, I'm not a follower of any man, I'm a follower of the God-man, Jesus Christ the Lord.

Every now and then I'll get letters from folks that say, Say, in your Calvinistic position. And I write them back and I say, I don't have a Calvinistic position. That kind of throws them back a step or two. Don't have one. Oh, but aren't you a Calvinist? No, no, no, no. Nor a Gillite, nor a Spurgeonite. I am, I hope, by the grace of God, a Christian. That means I follow Christ. That's all. What about your creed? It's his word. What about your practices? What he commanded, what he did. That's all. It's so simple. So simple. We're not trying to convert me into Calvinism. I don't give a hoot whether the man's a Calvinist or an Arminian.

You can go to hell being either one or both. But I'm telling you, you must know and follow Christ. Our Lord Jesus is that one who said, I've given you an example. Go do what I did. You remember John 13? He who is God Almighty, he who is God Almighty, knelt down before this disciple, Simon Peter, whom he knew would cuss and deny him, and that's not all. There he even knelt down before Judas, who was about to betray him, and washed his What did he do? He served men for their good, both temporal and eternal.

That means, Rex, if we're his, we serve each other for our temporal and eternal good for the glory of God. Man, I thought following Christ meant you quit going to the picture show, quit watching television, and quit this, quit that, and started dressing funny and acting funny and talking funny. No, no, no, no. Following Christ means you love each other. That's what it means. It means you serve each other.

Our Lord Jesus not only expiated our sin at Calvary, but according to 1 Peter 2.21, he gave us an example that we should follow him. laying down our lives for one another. God's given each believer a place, a position, and gifts with which to serve Him, which nobody else can occupy.

We're going down to visit Cody and Walter and their families next week, Lord willing. I thought about that as I was preparing this message. I'm going to go visit our missionaries. Will you listen to me for a minute? Every believer is a missionary. You know what a missionary is? Someone who's sent on a mission. That's what he is. Every believer is God's missionary. Every believer is described by Christ as being his witness. That means, Mark, that we are men and women who are called of God, sent into this world on an errand of mercy, and that errand of mercy is to do the will of God.

You know what the word witness is? Our Lord said, you're my witnesses. The word witness is the word, if it were written out, for example, like the word baptism is written out, just transliterated from Greek to English, it's the word that would spell out martyr. You know what a martyr is? A martyr is a person who willingly lays down his life in the cause. That's what it is to believe in the Son of God. It is to lay down my life in his cause. Now then, if we would follow Christ, we must subject everything to his sovereign will.

That means we must not concern ourselves with the responsibilities of others. Skip and Sandy Gladfelter are not my responsibility. Now, we are watching over one another, we care for one another, we serve one another, but it is not my responsibility to see to it they do what God would have them to do, nor to see to it that you do what God have you to do. That's not my responsibility. It's my responsibility to help you. It's my responsibility to encourage you. It's my responsibility to assist you, but not my responsibility to watch over you as though I were your Lord.

Oh, no, no, no, no. Every man stands or falls for his own master. And it's my responsibility to leave you or his in his hands. That's right. Even as your pastor. I have no more to do than to watch over your souls carefully, prayerfully, declaring the word of God to you. But I am not about to invade your lives and try to mold you and force you by coercion of any kind to do what I want you to do. I'm not about to do it. Oh, no, no. Every man stands or falls for his own master.

And I'm prepared and I know it's best to leave it just like that. Just like that. Folks all the time want to know, what's this fellow going to do? What's that one going to do? God teach me to stick with what I am sent here to do. That's my business, and that's yours.

If we would follow Christ, we must avoid everything that deter us from doing his will. And we must not concern ourselves, even with our own personal interests and pleasures, but sacrifice everything to him. Everything. Just like Jephthah. Go back and read it for yourself in Judges chapter 11. If we would follow Christ, we must set ourselves to this one thing. Just one thing. Just one thing. Oh, God, make me a man of one thing. Just one thing.

We have limited powers. Let's use them for one thing. We have limited abilities. Let's use them for one thing. We have limited opportunity. God help us, probably to use him for one thing, to follow him, to serve the interest of his kingdom and the glory of his name. Amen.