Feed My Sheep...

This Sunday, we “Overheard” a conversation that began with failure and ended with restoration.

The sermon was based on the Scripture from John 21:15–19.

After the resurrection, the disciples found themselves back at what was familiar, fishing on the sea. But Peter was not the same man. He had denied Jesus three times, and that moment had not left him. Then Jesus met him by a fire and asked him a simple but piercing question, “Do you love Me?” Three times Peter responded, and three times Jesus called him forward. What looked like the end of Peter’s story became the place where everything changed.

First, we saw a Failure.

Peter’s failure was not small or private. It happened in the open, under pressure, and it happened three times. He had once been confident, certain he would never deny the Lord. Yet when the moment came, fear took over. Luke 22:61–62 shows us the weight of that moment when Peter realized what he had done and went out weeping bitterly. That kind of failure leaves a mark. It brings shame, regret, and a deep sense of disappointment. And the truth is, we all know something about that. Failure often comes when we trust ourselves more than we should, and when the pressure rises, we fall.

Second, we saw a Restoration.

When Jesus meets Peter again, He does not begin with condemnation. He begins with a question. “Do you love Me?” This was not meant to shame Peter, but to restore him. Each question brought Peter face to face with his denial, but also gave him the opportunity to respond rightly. This was personal, intentional grace. Jesus did not ignore the failure, He dealt with it. 1 John 1:9 reminds us that when we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us. Restoration begins when we stop making excuses and come honestly before God. Like David in Psalm 51, it is the broken and contrite heart that God receives.

Finally, we saw a Recommission.

Jesus did not stop at forgiveness. Each time Peter affirmed his love, Jesus entrusted him with responsibility. He was called to care for the Lord’s people. This was not random. It was a clear picture of recommissioning. The same man who failed was now being trusted again. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are created for good works. God does not just bring us back, He sends us forward. Peter’s story did not end in failure. In Acts 2, he stood boldly and preached, and the Bible tells us that about three-thousand came to faith. What had once broken him became the very place where God prepared him for what was ahead.

We closed with the question: What do you do when you have failed?

You come back to Jesus.
You stop hiding.
You bring it into the light.
You let Him restore what has been broken.

Failure is not the end of the story. It is often the place where Jesus steps in, does His work, and leads you forward with purpose.

- Pastor Charley Munro
Living Grace Church
Tyler, Texas