Missionaries that run away.
John 21
For all kinds of reasons people find themselves running away.
Some geographically but more and more people run thinking no one can see, for they run away from things that are private, from devotion to God, from enthusiasm for witnessing, from energy for worship, they back away from fellowship that’s too vulnerable. And yet even though they think only they know, the truth is eventually everyone knows. The missionary has run away.
Peter who replied when Jesus asked ‘who do you say I am?’ “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”
Peter who promises “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” Now says “I’m going out to fish.”
What about you?
Has the devil declared over your life, “Run away because of people’s unkindness, running because of fear, running away from obedience, running because of guilt of your past failure”.
Like Peter we need to bring back the missionaries to their calling.
Peter returns but in hiding, v7.
Why put a coat on when you have to jump in the water to run to shore 100 yards away? It will become heavy with the water and slow you down.
However you would do this if that coat was Peter’s pathetic way of covering up. The denial was still at the forefront of his mind and Jesus has not discussed this, in fact no one has talked about it since it happened.
What did Adam and Eve do when they heard God’s footsteps? They dived for cover.
The accuser will always convince you to cover up.
The reinstatement always happens at the fire. For Peter it was a fire of reminder
The first thing Peter sees as he races from the water is a fire of burning coals with fish on it and bread by the side. Where did Peter deny Jesus? John 18:18 “around a fire”.
And here on the lakeshore Peter is facing a fire with Jesus behind it. It’s a gentle reminder of his sin. No one says anything, it is silent. But the reinstatement has begun!
The missionary is home.
Missions Paul 