Failure if not final

Failure if not final

This Sunday at CDC, we were privileged to have our own Pastor Micky give the message on John Chapter 21, titled: Failure is not final.

Failure is part of human life, and each one of us has failed at one time or other, for we are all imperfect beings. The heroic feats and achievements of the rich and famous are often highlighted again and again. However, little attention is drawn to the many times that they failed before they achieved success. Thomas Edison failed over 900 times before finding the way to light up the light bulb. Winston Churchill was condemned in a school report card as a conspicuous lack of success. Abraham Lincoln failed again and again, in business, in marriage and in politics, but he pressed on, and became one of America’s most famous and beloved presidents. Throughout the Bible, we see many men of God who failed at one time or other, but were restored and revived by the mercy of God. The important thing is not the failure but how you deal with the failure.

The morning’s passage is focused on the apostle Peter. Peter and some of the other disciples are fishing in the sea of Galilee, and they see the Master call out to them from the beach. The risen Lord calls out to them, and they come to Him. Together they enjoy the breakfast He has prepared for them. The Lord indeed provides for our daily needs.

Before the crucifixion, all the disciples had failed Jesus, fleeing when their Master was arrested. However, Peter was especially downcast for he had denied the Master publicly three times. Before, Peter was confident and rash, even boastful, but now, he was greatly humbled, and remorseful. His eyes probably could not meet Jesus. His guilt continued to haunt him. And then Jesus called him by name…..

Addressing him by his full title, Simon, son of John, Peter was instantly aware that the Lord had something important to say to him. “Do you love me more than these?” The Lord asked. Theologians have many theories about this question. It could mean “Do you love me more than the other disciples love me? or “Do you love me more than you love the other disciples?” or “Do you love me more than you love your fishing boat and nets, your career, your lifestyle?. In any case, the Lord’s call is clearly for Peter to love Him, and it is the same for us. Two times more the Lord asked Peter “Do you love me?” When God calls a person for service, the most important thing is not his qualification or his charisma. The most important thing is whether the person loves Jesus!

Three times Peter denied Jesus and now three times, Peter confessed that he loved Jesus, and so did he receive full forgiveness and restoration. The Lord did not condemn him or point out his failures. The Lord understands that we are weak. He let the past bury the past and asked Peter to focus on the present and the future. Feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep. Feed my sheep. Yes, we may have failed many times, but the Lord calls us today, leave it behind, love me today, serve me today. Feed my lambs. Take care of my sheep. Feed my sheep.

May we find forgiveness and mercy in the Lord for our failures, and find strength and faith to love Him and serve Him as we press forward to finish the race that He calls each one of us to run.

God bless,

Jason