Failure John 13:31-38 Pat Conroy wrote a book about his senior year as the point guard on the basketball team for the Citadel during the season of 1966-67. The book is entitled My Losing Season. Entering that season Conroy thought they would have one of the best teams in the history of the Citadel. But as the season progressed, Conroy writes, they perfected the art of falling to pieces. The losses were not the worst part of that season; by far, the most painful aspect of that season was Conroy s relationship with his coach. His coach took every opportunity to humiliate him and to communicate that he didn t believe in him. As Conroy brought the ball down the court, his coach would often yell out, Conroy, don t shoot the ball. It was a painful, tragic season. Almost thirty years after that season, Conroy, who had become a successful author, began running into old teammates at book signings. He hadn t kept up with a single guy from his team. But he came to realize that unless he wrote about his losing season, he would never get past the shame and frustration that he had experienced. Conroy points out that sports books are almost always written about winners and winning teams. But he wrote about his losing season because, he writes, losing is a fiercer, more uncompromising teacher than winning. My Losing Season was a tragic story to me not because their season was so disappointing (that s common) or even because Conroy s coach was humiliating (also rather common). I found it to be tragic because he lived in frustration and shame for 30 years. It broke my heart to read that there was nobody in his life who could help him deal with his pain and point him away from the self-destructive habits that were obvious to everybody: alcoholism, anger, etc. Conroy s story illustrates that not everybody learns from their failures and from the shameful things they endure. Some people who experience some type of catastrophic failure never recover. This was the experience of Judas. After he betrayed Jesus, he was so distraught that he ended his own life. But others who experience dramatic failure will turn back to God in humility. God redeems their failure. Their failure is one more thing that God uses to deepen their lives and bring them to maturity. Sometimes that failure even becomes a foundational element in their usefulness to God. This was the experience of Peter - whom we ll consider today. He wasn t disqualified or rejected because he denied Jesus three times. He was humbled and deepened as a result of his failure. This is an especially relevant topic in the body of Christ. We all experience failure - in relationships, in responsibilities, in our own behavior and character. And when we do, there s the the potential for shame and despair. But if we are willing, God will redeem our failure; we ll emerge deepened and humble and useful to God.
Farewell Discourse #3 - John 13:31-38, FEFC, 1/29/12! 2 Today as we continue our study of the Farewell Discourse, we ll consider John 13:31-38. In this passage we see Peter s failure in light of God s glory, in light of loving one another, and in light of Jesus knowledge. Peter s failure will have a couple of implications for the failure we experience. God s Glory (seen most clearly in the cross and resurrection) (13:31-32) The entire gospel of John has been building to the hour when people would see the glory of God - the complex of events in which people would see just how glorious God is. In verses 31 and 32 we read that after Judas goes out to betray Him, Jesus says, in effect, that everything is set in motion to show off the glory of God. 31 Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; 32 if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. The wording of these verses is somewhat confusing, but basically these two verses describe the mission of Jesus from two different perspectives. Verse 31 says that Jesus glorified God the Father, putting on full display just how glorious God is. John had written in 1:14 that when they looked at Jesus, they saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Nothing shouts that God is a God of grace and truth like the cross of Christ. Looking at the cross and resurrection from another perspective, John says in verse 32 that God the Father also glorifies the Son: God will glorify Him [Jesus] in Himself [God]. Through the cross and resurrection, God would show off the magnificence of Jesus. God made people see that Jesus is wise, compassionate, forgiving, full of faith, gentle, humble in heart, etc. Through the events of the next several days, both the Father and the Son would be glorified. Peter s failure will be set in stark contrast with God s glory. He illustrates that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3). Almost parenthetically, Jesus mentions that this glorification would mean being separated from the disciples: 33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, Where I am going, you cannot come. John 7 records how Jesus had told the Jewish authorities this same thing - namely that He was going where they could not follow Him. That statement left the Jewish authorities scratching their heads wondering where in the world Jesus was going. But, of course, He wasn t going anywhere in the world ; He was returning to His Father in heaven. Jesus will continue this theme in chapter 14 when He tells His disciples that He s actually going to prepare a place for them. So the separation isn t permanent, and He s not hiding from them. But Jesus did want to prepare the disciples for the reality of
Farewell Discourse #3 - John 13:31-38, FEFC, 1/29/12! 3 living without his physical presence. He will be with them through the Holy Spirit, but He would be physically, bodily going where they could not come. Our Love for One Another (imitating Jesus love for us) (13:34-35) In verses 34 and 35 Jesus tells the disciples what He expects them to be doing while He s away (Carson, p. 483). 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. In what sense is Jesus giving a new commandment? The basic command to love one another isn t completely new; in the old covenant God had commanded, love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus Himself had summarized the entire Law by the two commands, Love God and love your neighbor. This command to love one another is new in a couple of different ways. First, this commandment is new in that Jesus says, love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. Jesus love for them was a new standard for their love for one another. In John 13:1 we read that Jesus loved them to the end - to the end of His life and to the fullest extent. In chapter 15 Jesus will say, Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. And so the new standard will be His sacrificial, to-the-death love for them. Second, this commandment is new because of what it demonstrates: By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. People don t conclude that you are apprenticed to Jesus by your finely-tuned theology (although theology is critical... and it s always better to have good, accurate theology than bad, sloppy theology). People don t conclude that you re apprenticed to Jesus because your entire life is up and to the right (your finances, your health, and your reputation are all improving). People don t conclude that you re apprenticed to Jesus by your intellectual prowess (there are many, many intelligent people who have no allegiance to Jesus whatsoever). Jesus is saying that people can discern that we re apprenticed to Him if (and only if) we love each other the way He loved us. Without such love we may be smart, successful, theologically-correct people. But we won t be Jesus disciples. We ll see this theme again in chapter 15 (vv. 12ff). Jesus Knowledge (of our failure). (13:36-38) This account is so very true to life: Peter doesn t seem to hear anything Jesus has been saying about God being glorified and about the disciples loving one another. He s stuck on what Jesus said (almost in passing) about going somewhere that the disciples could not follow (v. 33).
Farewell Discourse #3 - John 13:31-38, FEFC, 1/29/12! 4 36 Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, where are You going? Jesus answered, Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later. This is yet another detail that will only make sense in retrospect. Peter could not follow Jesus to the cross now. But thirty years later Peter would follow in Jesus steps and be martyred as a follower of Christ. But Peter couldn t let it go... 37 Peter said to Him, Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You. Peter was (as they say) often wrong, never in doubt. Peter was confident that if only Jesus would allow him, he would go where Jesus was going and would lay down his life for Him. 38 Jesus answered, Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times. Apparently in Palestine, roosters crowed in the middle of the night (between midnight and 3 a.m.). And so Jesus prediction is that instead of laying down his life for Jesus, Peter would deny Jesus three times before the night is half over. I don t so much see Jesus as putting Peter in his place. I see it more as Jesus saying to Peter with sadness in His voice, I know you better than you know yourself. You re not going to lay down your life for Me. I am going to lay down my life for you. You are going to deny Me three times this very night. Jesus wanted Peter to know that He knew about even his failure. What would you consider to be your greatest failure - either in a relationship, in a responsibility or in personal character and behavior? Jesus knows about our failures as surely as He knew Peter s failure. I think we can assume that Jesus wants to redeem our failures just like He did Peter s. Keep your failure(s) in mind as we consider two implications for us in light of what we ve seen in Peter s experience. Implication #1: Our failures can bring God s glory into sharper focus. It wasn t until Peter understood his own weakness and failure that he could appreciate the glory of God revealed in the cross and resurrection. Peter wouldn t show off his glory by laying down his life for Jesus; Jesus would show off God s glory by laying down His life for Peter. Jesus would go to the cross because of Peter s failure and sin. When you and I blow it and even fail in catastrophic ways, God s glory can come into sharper focus. When you come face to face with your own failure, you should realize that your sin demanded that the glory of God be displayed in the death and resurrection of Jesus. You don t need to feel condemnation and shame; Jesus bore your condemnation and shame on the cross. Believe the gospel and you re see the glory of God like never before!
Farewell Discourse #3 - John 13:31-38, FEFC, 1/29/12! 5 Implication #2: Our failures can deepen our capacity to love each other. This was certainly the case for Peter. The gospels stress that Peter s failure would lead to greater capacity to love his brothers. In Luke s gospel we read that before predicting Peter s denial, Jesus actually told him (Luke 22): 31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Once Peter turned back to God, he would then strengthen his brothers. Peter s catastrophic failure would humble him to the core and would become the foundation of a life of submission to Christ. Peter would emerge from this failure strengthened and useful to Jesus. He would now have the capacity to love his brothers as Christ had loved him. John 21 records that just as Peter would deny Jesus three times, Jesus would give Peter three opportunities to declare his love for Jesus. After the resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter and the other disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus asked Peter variations of the question, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He allowed Peter to answer three times, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. The way Peter would show that love for Jesus was by shepherding Jesus sheep - loving the people for whom Jesus died. When you read Peter s writings, you get the sense that he was a changed man. He wrote about clothing yourself with humility (1 Peter 5:5) and keeping fervent in your love for one another (1 Peter 4:8). Peter wasn t perfect, but he now had a deep capacity to love others - in part, at least, because he was humbled by his failure. Our failure can bear the same fruit in our lives. Our failure can humble us to the core and give us genuine humility and empathy. When we turn back to God in repentance, we experience His love and cleansing in deeper ways. Since we have now experienced God s love in deeper ways, we can now show God s love in deeper ways. But this doesn t happen automatically. Some people who experience catastrophic failure emerge angry and hardened (like Pat Conroy in My Losing Season). M. Craig Barnes wrote this (The Pastor as Minor Poet, p. 51); gravitas means substance, weightiness. Only scarred-over wounds contribute to gravitas in a [person s] soul; there are no healing scars for the hurts that continue to fester in secrecy. If you have failed or sinned in deep ways, healing needs to take place. Pat Conroy s wounds festered for 30+ years; they didn t make him a better man. If your wounds are festering in secrecy, you need to place yourself in a position to be healed by God. Typically this involves being honest before God and before a trusted friend or two. If you allow God to heal the wounds of your failure, you will emerge like Peter: humble and useful to God in the lives of others.