When You Feel Like You’ve Failed God: How Jesus Restores What We Break
The Heart of the Message
In this sermon from John 21, Pastor Kirt Anderson walks through one of the most tender moments in all of Scripture: Jesus tracking down Peter after his three-fold denial and offering him something Peter could not have expected. Rather than a lecture, Jesus offers a meal, a walk, and a question asked three times. This message is a reminder that failure does not disqualify you from purpose. The God who sought Peter is the same God who seeks us.
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Does God Still Use People Who Have Failed Him?
Pastor Kirt points to Peter as a clear answer to that question. Peter had boldly declared that he would never abandon Jesus, even if everyone else did. Then, under no real pressure, he denied knowing Jesus three times to a servant girl. Yet after the resurrection, Jesus went out of his way to find Peter, make him breakfast, and restore him to his calling. The message is not that failure is acceptable, but that it is not final.
What Does It Mean That Jesus Asked Peter “Do You Love Me” Three Times?
Pastor Kirt explains that there is intentional depth in the repetition. The first two times Jesus asked, he used the Greek word “agape,” a selfless, unconditional form of love. Peter responded with “phileo,” a word closer to friendship or affection. The third time, Jesus came down to Peter’s level and used “phileo” himself, as if to say that he would meet Peter exactly where he was. According to Pastor Kirt, this shows the lengths Jesus will go to in order to restore someone he loves.
How Should Christians Think About Aging, Losing Control, and Death?
Pastor Kirt addresses this directly through Jesus’ words to Peter: “When you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” He notes that John explains this phrase as a reference to how Peter would die, and that it also speaks to the broader human experience of losing independence. Pastor Kirt reflects on his years of ministry sitting with people in their final days, and says that those who hold genuine faith carry a peace that he himself draws strength from. Death is real, he says, but for those in Christ, it is a portal, not an ending.
Scripture Focus
Primary Anchor Verse: John 21:15-17 (NLT)
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ Peter replied, ‘you know I love you.’ ‘Then feed my lambs,’ Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ ‘Yes, Lord, Peter said, ‘you know I love you.’ ‘Then take care of my sheep,’ Jesus said. A third time he asked him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, ‘Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Then feed my sheep.'”
Additional References: John 21:1-14, John 21:18-25
