Restoration to Ministry Leadership

That You May Believe:

Restoration to Ministry Leadership John 21:15-17

Dr. Wes George

April 28, 2024

 

Prayer

 

Introduction: This is a continuation from last week’s message.  After coming to His disciples and empowering them for a great catch of fish and sharing a meal with them, Jesus turns to Peter for a personal conversation of great importance.

 

This is the public restoration of Peter who had denied Christ three times after boasting that if all others fall away that he would not.  This passage functions as a public examination, instruction, and restoration of Peter.  It ultimately would be Jesus’ affirmation of Peter moving forward in ministry leadership.

 

READ TEXT

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you ^blove Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”  16He *said to him again 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, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

 

After Peter’s failure,

 

Jesus cooked for him and fed.

Jesus initiated the conversation.

Jesus questioned Peter.

Jesus re-called Peter to ministry leadership.

 

Jesus asked the primary question for ministry leaders.

 

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you ^blove Me more than these?”. . .

 

16He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”. . .

 

17He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

 

He asks do you agapay Me the first two times and the third time He asks do you phileo Me?  Peter always responds with phileo. As many of you know, agapay  is unconditional love.  It is the kind of love that God has for us.  Phileo love is typically brotherly love (Philadelphia- the city of brotherly love).  But in this context of a repeated questioning and the response of Peter, there should not be considered any distinction between the two words.  Notice the Scripture in verse 17 states Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” using the word phileo.  If the meaning was different, then it would not have been the third time but the first time using this new word.

 

Jesus repeats the primary question for ministry leaders.

Three times certainly remind us and Peter of his three denials of Jesus.

 

It is considered by many that this was a public restoration of Peter because his denial was public. As the outspoken leader who did exactly opposite of what he boasted that he would not do in denying Christ three times.  It was important for those witnesses or those familiar with his denial hear the examination, instruction, and restoration of Peter.

 

The repetition also emphasized the importance of making sure and counting the cost.

 

The repetition also emphasizes the importance of recalls in ministry leadership.

Sometimes these recalls are reminders, and some are redirections.  The importance of a continuous walk and relationship with Jesus.

The repeated call of God and reminders of God’s Word are necessary for a long tenured ministry.  We need today’s grace, today’s Word, today’s touch, today’s vision for ministry leadership today and tomorrow.

 

The content of the question is what is most important, Do you love Jesus?  The question is not are you a good communicator? Do you have empathy? Are you a great charismatic leader?  Are smart? Are you educated?  Am I happy with my loss of ministry leadership? The first and foremost necessity of a ministry leader is someone who loves Jesus.

 

Jesus asked this question three times to the point that it frustrated Peter in having to answer the same question continually and repeatedly.  He had to answer the same question because it was the main question.

 

Peter appealed to the omniscience of Jesus, Lord you know that I love you.  God does know.  He knows your heart.  He knows if you love Him or the world or fame or importance.

 

The question is not do you love the ministry?  Do you love Jesus?  The first qualification of ministry is loving Jesus.

 

Certainly, loving people follows close behind, but I would submit to you that you cannot love people apart from loving Jesus.

 

Jesus gives the primary task for ministry leaders.

 

15. . . He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”

Boske means to feed PAImv2S

Arnia means lambs. (plural)

 

16. . . .” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

Poiman means shepherd PAImv2S

Probate means sheep.

 

17. . . Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Boske means feed (PAImv2S)

Probate means sheep.

 

These are verbs and not nouns.  Not be a pastor or feeder or teacher. Shepherd as an action, feed as an action.  This is not a position but an action.

 

The sheep are Christ’s sheep and not Peter’s.

The church belongs to Christ.

The sheep belong to Christ.

Pastors are sheep serving under the Lordship of Christ.

 

This passage does not establish the primacy of Peter as a pope.  If anything, it emphasized the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus to one who shot his mouth off and could not deliver.  This is hope and help to all of us who will humble ourselves in repentance and future obedience.

 

When close comparisons are made with Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 4:1–4, it becomes clear that each shepherd of the flock of God, of Jesus’ sheep, of the church of God, is to mirror both authority and a certain brokenness that is utterly exemplary. The Ephesian elders are to guard and shepherd the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers (‘bishops’—but without any evidence to support a notion, this early, of monarchical bishops with authority over several parishes), while Peter pictures himself as a ‘fellow elder’ who can encourage other elders to be ‘shepherds’ and ‘overseers’ (‘bishops’), ‘being examples to the flock’. And all must give an account to the Chief Shepherd when he appears, the Lord Jesus himself. Thus there is nothing intrinsic to the language of John 21:15–17 that suggests a distinctive authority for Peter. All Christian leadership entails a certain tension between authority and meek, exemplary service, patterned finally on Jesus himself. In the context of the Fourth Gospel, these verses deal with Peter’s reinstatement to^[1]

 

Biblical principles of restoration to ministry leadership.

 

Restoration looks different in different settings, but here are some basic principles of being restored to ministry leadership.

 

Everyone cannot be restored to ministry leadership.

Judas is a primary example.  Alexander, Hymanaeus, Demas were called out publicly as those who had abandoned the faith and or cause great harm to the church or to Paul himself.

Someone who has committed sexual immorality while serving in ministry leadership forfeits their ministry leadership.  There are certain groups, denominations, and people who disagree with this. Sexual immorality and adultery in ministry leadership carries extreme consequences and impact on typically multiple families, relationships, children, churches, ministries. It is a breaking of trust of the highest measure.  Ministry is based on trust.  Trust in Jesus and trust in leadership.  Perfection is not possible. Sexual purity is possible and expected.

 

Just because in some cases ministry leadership cannot be restored, forgiveness can be experienced.  The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all unrighteousness.

 

Sometimes, if not all the time, a change of ministry responsibility is required and restoration to the same ministry leadership position cannot happen.  Obviously, if you are in prison, your ministry leadership if restored will have to carried out in prison.  Restoration in no way advocates allowing ministry leaders to move to a different church for a fresh start without going through a process of confession, repentance, restitution under biblical leadership of those with direct knowledge and responsibility of the sin.

 

Ministry leaders that are restored must:

 

Confess your failure and don’t blame others.

Humility instead of anger.  Contrition over comparison. Don’t use the word “but” in your confession.

 

Assume responsibility for your failure or sin. 

Assuming responsibility includes accepting the consequences of your failure.  Consequence can include restitution.  It can and probably should include removal from an area of ministry leadership for a season or forever.  Assuming responsibility includes accepting the possibility or reality of disqualification from certain ministry leadership roles.

 

Await and submit to the biblical leadership’s prescribed process of restoration. 

Often, if not most times, the one who has failed wants instant restoration.  Sometimes it takes time for a variety of reasons for full restoration to take place.  While Jesus was restoring Peter, it would not be until after the Upper Room waiting and the Holy Spirit coming that we see Peter in a ministry leadership role.  Peter’s offense was a verbal denial of Christ.  In doing so, his primary offense was against Jesus.  His secondary offense was against his fellow disciples because he was the leader.  Jesus could extend immediate restoration.  Since his offense was against Jesus, Jesus was the biblical leadership that has the authority to restore Peter.  His offense was denial.  His restoration process included a repeated public confession that demonstrated a change from what he had said earlier.

 

Move forward with humility and gratitude, with awareness of the consequences of your sin and the forgiveness of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Christ died on the cross to forgive, so forgiveness is certainly available.  But also, Jesus had to die on the cross for your sin, so your sin is very serious business.  So, you should take your sin as serious as the cross of Jesus.  Self-justification and criticism of those who do not approve of your restoration communicates pride, entitlement, and a lack of understanding of the seriousness and consequences of your sin even though forgiveness is granted.

 

Marital unfaithfulness is a clear example of what we are talking about.  Jesus is the groom and you are the bride.  So, biblical unfaithfulness is against the Groom, the Lord Jesus.  When a spouse is unfaithful in adultery, lying, or other sins; it causes a break in trust.  Forgiveness can be granted without trust being granted immediately or maybe ever.  The offending spouse desires immediate restoration along with forgiveness.  The offending spouse desire immediate full trust to be reinstated.  Jesus as the perfect Groom with omniscience knowing all things about the offense and the future has a greater capacity and ability to grant restoration.

 

We as a not omniscient and imperfect church do not have the capacity and ability that Jesus has to perfectly grant restoration.  Our process will be flawed at best.  Our conclusions can be plagued with flaws because the church does not know everything involved in any situation.  The church does not know the future in how those in restoration will respond and live.  The church cannot understand completely the collateral implications of others outside the ones most directly offended.  When a spouse commits adultery, the sin is against God, against their spouse, against their children, against their family, against their church, against the lost community who knows them as a Jesus follower, against believers they have led, served alongside in the past, and the list goes on and on.

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Remember the primary question for ministry leadership.

Remember the primary assignment for ministry leadership.

Remember the initiative of Jesus in restoring us to ministry involvement.

            Our desire is to restore those who have fallen away from Christ.

            Our humble pursuit of restoration will be less than perfect thus pursued humbly.

Remember the consequences of our sin is always greater than we can imagine.

Remember the goal of restoration is not so you can serve but that you can have a right relationship with Christ and His church.

 

^[1] Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (pp. 678–679). Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.

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