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So as we begin this morning, I want to just take a moment and explain to you why I want to preach on this text. And I think it's worth saying that anyone who stands up, anyone who preaches, anyone who seeks to to teach in any capacity the Word of God ought to be impressed to do so.
And so I'm saying to you this morning that I am looking to speak specifically from John's Gospel because I believe that's what the Lord has laid on my heart. And I would be dishonest to do anything else.
With that, I realize that you might be sitting here and saying, hey wait a minute now. Brother Keith's teaching through the Gospel of John. What are you doing stepping on his territory? Well, Brother Keith is in John chapter 10.
I don't think I even have to finish what I was going to say. By the time Brother Keith gets to John chapter 21, where we will be this morning, it'll be a while. And I think perhaps it will help us to look at it now so that maybe it'll be a little bit of an aid to us when we get there.
So I wanted to say that because again, I do think it's important, especially when you stand up and you preach not so much on a regular basis like Brother Keith does, but when you are given an opportunity to preach that you, people might wonder and say, well where did you come up with that text?
Why that? And the answer really is that I believe that God through the person of the Holy Spirit moves in our hearts and creates a desire for us to say something and hopefully something that is true, worthwhile, edifying, and gives God the glory.
So again, that is why I am asking us to look at. So if you would turn to John chapter 21. I'm going to read four verses this morning. Remember now I read from the New King James. If you read with me from verse 18 through verse 22, as the Lord Jesus Christ is continuing his interaction, conversation, meeting with Peter, he says this in verse 18, Most assuredly I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished.
But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. This he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me.
Then Peter turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on the breast at the supper and said, Lord, who is the one who and and said, Lord, who is the one who portrays you?
Peter seeing him said to Jesus, but Lord, what about this man? Jesus answered him, if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me. Let's just ask God's blessing. Father, again, we come to you in that name, the name of Jesus, the son of God, the son of man, the one who so loved us that he gave himself for us.
And we pray, Holy Spirit, that now as we open your word, you would indeed, even as my brother has prayed, open our hearts, open our ears, open our mouths, creating us, Lord, a cleaner heart, a transformed heart, that we might be living epistles known and read of all men.
And now, Lord, again, for those who believe and those who do not, we pray that you would do what only you can do and take the engrafted word which is able to save the soul. So bless us now, we pray in Christ's name.
Amen. Interesting text. It's one of the final accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ before he ascends back on high and sits at the right hand on the throne. And I want to begin it this way. I want to ask us to think about this.
I would think that all of us, in some way, perhaps you will agree, in some way, we are all followers, that we have certain things in our life that we follow others with. It could be that, you know, as they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
And then many times we'll find someone who is growing up and their parents do this for a living that they will follow in their footsteps. Perhaps become a police officer, a doctor, or a lawyer, or maybe even an Indian chief.
I don't know. But if dad's an Indian chief, maybe that's what follows. I think you would also agree that sometimes we all wind up following not only in the footsteps of our parents, but at times we seem to be followers of society.
Could be, well, I grew up in the 70s and it wasn't 1870, it was 1970. And at that time the dress was, I don't know, it was hippies. And I can remember following certain dressing patterns that others had.
No, you don't want to see a picture. But I would think you would agree with me that we all wind up following in certain areas. And it could be just the way people conduct themselves, or people carry themselves.
And you sometimes wind up following someone else's mannerisms. And I'm not saying that it's wrong, because I know what Paul says. Remember what Paul says? He says, follow me. Why? For I follow Christ.
So following in someone's footsteps is not necessarily incorrect or wrong. But as we look at this, and as I hope to show you, here's the thing that's most essential, is that you and I follow Christ. Of all the examples, of all the people, of all the things that could be followed, the most important is to follow the Son of God.
And as you look at this text, again, in context, let me just, I'm not going to deal with it too much, but in context, he's now having a conversation with Peter after the resurrection, before his ascension, and he's walking with Peter.
Isn't it interesting that as you read this, and as you read just a couple of verses before, it'll be where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. How many times did Peter deny Christ? Three times.
So it's a most interesting, and I would say, intimate conversation between them, and yet it's going to take some different turns as we go through it. And I want to suggest to you that although there is a historical understanding of this passage, I want to use it this morning to maybe present some different thoughts.
And I will give them to you, and then maybe we can look at them. And the first thought would be, I want to think about what Jesus and Peter discuss, and I want to think about it as far as young people.
Because that's what he says. He says, when you were younger, you girded yourself and you walked where you wished. And then in the second place, I want to talk about some things that have to do with old age.
Because he then says, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. And then I want to, in the third place, just spend a moment or two on some thoughts about the pursuit of following Christ.
And then finally, just a couple of thoughts about the providence of God in following Christ. So that's the agenda, if you will. That's the, I know you're not supposed to go over three points as a Baptist, but that's okay.
We'll be all right. And I want to say this as we begin, because I'm going to try to tie this in. You and I have been created in the image of God, and that we are all unique. And that at times, although we might follow others, ultimately being created in the image of God, and being created uniquely, that we ought to pursue following Christ.
And not if you will, get caught up with following things. So let me ask us to think about that as we go through this, that you are created unique. Isn't that great though? Here's what I was gonna say, and I was gonna say it later, but I'm gonna say it now.
Let me just ask you to think about this. I did a little work with Professor Google. You guys know Professor Google? Sure you do. And here's what I asked Google. I asked Google how many different kinds of birds there were, and how many different kinds of fish there were, and different things like that.
It was interesting how they responded to me, and here's what it said. Just trying to get to the exact quote, but it said that there's 11 ,000 different kinds of birds. And it also said that there are 35 ,000 different kinds of fish.
And then it went even further, and it said that there are 1 .5 million different kinds of animal species. I don't know about you, but that's pretty unique, don't you think? 11 ,000 different kinds of birds, 35 ,000 different kinds of fish, and that's the only ones they know.
And 1 .5 million different kinds of animal species. And then there's you and I created in the image of God, and yet we are all absolutely unique. And so keep that in mind as we go through this. Most assuredly, I say to you, Peter, when you were younger, you girded yourself and you went where you wished.
But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not want to go. So in the first place, I want to talk to you about younger people this morning.
And I actually am interested to make sure you understand what I mean when I say young people. And here's what I thought. If you're still living in your parents' house, if you're still underneath the care of someone else, then these thoughts are for you.
I'm characterizing, sometimes I say differently, I say you figure out who's young and who's old. But I want us to think about this this morning. Thoughts of youth. And if you're underneath someone's care, this part of the message is directly for you.
He tells Peter something really interesting, my friends. He says, when you were younger, you girded yourself and you walked where you wished. You know, we know that Peter was a fisherman, right? But at some point, he made that choice for that lifestyle, didn't he?
Now, you could say, well, maybe his father was a fisherman and maybe it was just he come from a long line of fishermen. But the point that I want us to think about is that the Lord Jesus Christ knew he was, he would be a fisherman long before Peter knew it.
That long before he realized that that was his, if you will, calling, Jesus knew because he was the divine son. He knew he would choose that living. And if you will, Peter walked where he wished. Now, I want you to really listen to me, younger people.
And I can say, you're young, I'm not as young as you. You're underneath the care of someone else. You know what the Bible says about being a youth? I was just thinking of the two youths in the Cousin Vinny thing when he tells them, some of you have laughed because you understand what I'm saying.
But here's what I want you to think about, you young people, to live in such a secure setting right now. You are being taken care of by someone else. You are being provided for by someone else. And that's great.
But you know what the Bible says about being a youth? It says, foolishness is bound up in the heart of the youth. I'm not trying to offend you, I'm just telling you what it says. It says, foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.
And here's what I want you to think about. You're not always going to be young. Jesus tells Peter, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. If you have the ability right now to continue to live under someone else's care, not only should you be extremely thankful, but you should be extremely thoughtful.
Because guess what? It doesn't last forever. One day, someday, you'll be out on your own. One day, someday, you'll have to make your own choices. You'll have to provide more for yourself than you do now.
Isn't that great? To be under the care of someone else. Isn't that great? Wouldn't it not be great if every time you went home, dinner was, I'm talking to everybody, dinner was ready, it was exactly what you wanted, it was plentiful, you didn't have to do a thing, you didn't have to wash the dishes, you didn't have to do anything.
You just sat down and ate. Magically, your clothes are clean. Magically, your room is in good condition. Magically, the roof doesn't leak. But guess what, you young people? One day, you're going to be responsible for it.
Lord willing, he tells Peter, when you were younger, you girded yourself and you walked where you wished. Now listen. Listen to me, young people. Don't allow the multitudes to do evil. Don't allow other people to pour you into their mold.
There are many decisions that you will have to make. Now if you're old, don't think I forgot you because I didn't. But I really am addressing you young people this morning and I have been praying that bring enough young people to make it pointed this morning.
You are going to be bombarded with people telling you to do this, do that, live this way, live that way, live your own life, sow your own oats, make your own choices. And here's what I want you to think about.
Follow Christ. Follow Christ. Don't waste your life on foolish things. You know that there's some of us, if not all of us, that could say, I made decisions when I was younger that I regret till today.
Oh, that I could go back and do it over. You can't. So you kids, you young people, and I don't care if you're 18 or I guess the youngest would be little Charlie perhaps, at least besides the little babies.
I don't care if you're 8 or 18. I don't care if you're 28. If you're still in the care of someone else, I'm telling you to make wise decisions with your life. Follow Christ. As he says to Peter, when you were younger, you did what you wished.
Life gets harder as time goes on. Does anybody want to say amen to that? I didn't hear the kids say that. I heard the parents and the older folks say that. But it does. It gets harder. And some of the decisions that you make, there's more consequence attached to it.
I've seen young people make decisions that they have suffered severe consequences from. Don't waste your time on foolish things and foolish thoughts. Make, listen to me, make godly choices. Follow godly examples.
Isn't it amazing how many people we read about, young people who are following a trend on TikTok and they wind up dead, swallowed laundry detergent, stick this up their nose or this in their body or hang, jump off a bridge, whatever it is.
It's insanity. And I'm telling you young people, do not let the world pour you into its mold. Don't follow the multitudes to do evil. Make godly decisions. Make prayerful decisions. Follow Christ. Follow him who will, in his great, never lead us in a wrong way.
Many of us would say, if we were honest, oh god, I'm so sorry that I didn't listen to you when I had the opportunity as a young person, sheltered in so many ways from the evils and the labor of this world.
And I just did what I wanted to do. Young people, don't just do what you want to do. I realize it might seem narrow and it might seem boring right now. And you kind of got to follow the rules and you got to follow the dictates of the house.
But listen, it's better than falling into a pit later on. How many of us would say, if we could only be young once again. And so Jesus tells Peter, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and you walked where you wished.
Make godly choices, kids. Follow godly examples. Pray before you act. Think before you act. Don't just jump in with the crowd. Don't follow the multitudes to do evil. Exodus 23 .2, don't follow the multitudes to do evil.
My kids still remember that to this day. I remember that, dad, that you taught us that. And guess what? I didn't always listen. I'm asking you young people to think about what Jesus says. He said to Peter, when you were younger, you walked where you wished.
We encourage you to think ahead. We encourage you to be wise. We encourage you to let the Lord lead you instead of other kids or other people or society or TikTok or this thing or that thing or television or trends or anything else.
We encourage you to think ahead, work hard, bring yourself into submission to Christ. Before I leave this, I want to just ask all of us to think about how many of us would honestly say, oh, if I had only listened to the voice of God when I was younger, if only I had followed Christ, I would have saved myself from so much sorrow and so much suffering and so much consequence.
Be wise as a serpent, young ones. Be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. You know what I think that I'll try to give you a way to understand? Be smart, but be humble. Be smart about the ways of the world and trust the Lord.
Don't rely only on yourself. Listen, I will just say this in closing about that. It's a little scary to get out on your own, isn't it? It's a little scary the first time you get in the car by yourself, isn't it?
It's a little scary when you got to pay your own phone bill, isn't it? All of a sudden money becomes very essential once it's not coming from mom and dad. It's like, well, wait a minute now. Let me think through this one a little bit.
Well, I'm encouraging you. We're encouraging you. Think now. Think ahead. Be smart. Be wise. Don't just think it's all your choice because it's not. Jesus then says something. So like in 18a, he says, most assuredly I say to you, Peter, when you were younger, you guarded yourself and you walked where you wished.
But then he says this. When you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will guard you and carry you where you don't want to go. So let's just think for a moment some thoughts about old age.
I would suspect that Peter is probably middle age at this point. And yet Jesus tells him, you did what you wanted when you were younger. But when you are old, you'll stretch out your hand and another will guard you.
The Lord Jesus Christ begins to tell Peter what's about to come his way. And I wanted to ask us to think about some things that might come our way as we get old. Older. You know what? I'm beginning to realize getting old is not for the weak.
Getting old is really pretty hard. Now, if you're not old, old, fine. But I'm beginning to feel some of the consequences of beginning older. And I can honestly say getting old is not for the weak of heart.
And it's interesting how he tells it to Peter. Peter, when you're old, you will stretch out your hands and another will guard you and carry you where you do not want to go. You know, if history's right, Peter was crucified upside down.
I wonder, in part, how much Peter understood what Jesus was saying at this moment. When you're old, you'll stretch out your hands and another will guard you and carry you where you do not want to go. How many of us would rightfully say that getting old takes a lot of energy?
I want to add this. I guess I got to be careful how I say this because I'm a man. And thank God I know I'm a man. I guess you got to defend that in today's world. But I don't fully understand all the things that that women do.
You in trouble, brother. All these creams, all these lotions, all these tucks and twists and all kinds of chemicals. And I just don't understand it, ladies. And yet, I do see more and more men are jumping.
More and more men are jumping into the picture and they're buying creams to put under their eyes. And they're getting this tucked and that twisted and this pulled and stretched. Some of you are laughing.
Maybe you've been buying some of them creams. Guess what? You're still going to get old. You're still going to go where you, in many ways, don't want to go. I want to tell you a quick thing about me. So I was born in the Bronx, right?
As if you couldn't tell. And growing up as a young boy in in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium was the place. New York Yankees followed them. And I could honestly say I remember having daydreams about being up at the plate in the ninth inning, two outs, bases loaded, we're down by three runs, and guess who hits the grand slam?
I do. And I could have that daydream and it was good at that point. And you know what? Now I begin to realize if you threw a baseball at me, I'd have to duck because I can't see anything coming at me anymore.
That's how I know I'm getting old. But guess what? So are you. I don't want to call any people out. Brother Jack, it's not easy to get old, is it? Brother Paul, not that easy. It's not even easy sometimes to get out of bed when you get old.
And he tells Peter, and here's the thing, again, he tells him not only short term but long term. He tells him what's going to happen. And if you remember in the book of Acts, as the book of Acts opens up, what does Peter meet with?
He meets with imprisonment. He meets with persecution. He meets with those that mean him harm. It didn't take that long for Peter to realize that what Jesus said was that Peter was going to suffer for his name.
But yet there is that other part that might have been later on. I want to read something. And familiar, just the audio of the section we'll look at. Ecclesiastes chapter 12. If you want to turn to it, that's fine.
Ecclesiastes chapter 12. And just read what it says. And you can understand it in a couple different ways, but listen to what it says. And the strong men bow down when the grinders cease because they are few.
And those who look through the windows grow dim. When the doors are shut in the streets and the sound of grinding is low. And when one rises up at the sound of a bird and all the daughters of music are brought low.
And when they are afraid of height and of terrors in the way. When the almond blossoms, the grasshopper is a burden and desire falls for man goes to his eternal home as the mourners go about the street.
You know what I think essentially this is saying? We break down, don't we? How many of us would say that there was a time when we could, we thought we were invincible. We thought we can handle anything that came our way.
I wasn't, my wife don't know I'm saying this and she's shaking her head already. My wife was a great swimmer. My wife used to do cartwheels, just to watch her do cartwheels. Now she tries to do it. I'm going to say stop.
Things start to break down. Things get, the eyes go, the ears go, the hearing goes. You know what the Bible says? Curses the man who makes his arm his strength. Man, I would do anything. I watched someone the other day and they were picking something up and handling it.
They were middle age in their 40s. They just handled it as if it was a feather. I couldn't even pick that up in my dreams anymore. Jesus tells Peter when he's older, he's going to stretch out his hands and he's going to go where he does not wish.
And here's the issue. As we get older, I believe we need to trust God more and more. I believe we need to wait patiently on him more and more. I believe that it's, it becomes more and more needful for us to be obedient rather than just saying, well, I finally got there.
Got where anyway? We need to trust him more and more. Suffering to Peter was going to be a great tool in the pot his hand. How many of us would say we have gone through some, some suffering? How many of us would say things are not getting easier?
You and I have to ask ourselves, are we willing to follow him through the tough times, hard times? You see how this, this all connects? So when you're young, you need to trust in the Lord with all your heart.
You need to follow Christ. And guess what? When you get old, you need to do the same. And if you think I left out the middle, you're wrong because you, you, if you're in the middle, you're just kind of in between two different worlds.
Lord willing, you'll, you'll get there. Jesus tells Peter, it will be that he goes where he doesn't wish. And again, I'm just going to say, I think Peter was probably pretty unsettled about all this. Matter of fact, at least with my third point, and I just got to move on real quick, that look at verse 20.
In verse 19, he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. And then Peter turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who had also leaned on his breast at the supper.
And he says this, Lord, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays you? Peter seeing and said to Jesus, but Lord, what about this man? I kind of blended this in a little bit already, but let me ask us to think about this for a minute.
And I suppose you could probably try to think of this in two different ways. I'm going to suggest two different thoughts, although I lean more towards one than the other. So Peter turns around after Jesus tells him he's going to suffer, after Jesus tells him it's not going to get any easier.
In fact, you're going to go where you don't wish to go. And then he says to him, what about John? What about this man? Now, I guess we could think of it this way, that Peter, having been told what's about to come upon him, says to Jesus, what are you going to do with John?
Is he going to suffer? Well, you're telling me I'm going to suffer. You're telling me I'm going to go where I don't want to go. You're telling me it's going to get harder for me. What about John? And in that sense, I guess you could say he's a little bit of a complainer.
I want to say it this way to you, brothers and sisters, and this really has to do not only with following Christ, but thoughts about the providence of God. Be careful about looking over the fence at someone else's issues.
Be careful about looking over the fence to see what's happening to others. And the reason why I say that is because it's dangerous. And if that's the way it's to be understood, where Peter is basically saying, if I got to suffer, what about John?
I mean, I know he loved you and he was leaning on your breast, but what about him? My friends, we need to be careful about looking over the fence. You know there's a saying, right? Some by the fire, some by the flood, some through great Charles, but what?
All through the blood. And what's most interesting in this is what Jesus said in verse 22. Jesus said to him, if I will that he remains till I come. What is that to you? You follow me. Here's a morbid thought that some people might think is rather morbid.
Have you ever considered how you're going to be taken out of this world? Will I go smiling? Will I go sad? Will I go suddenly? Will it be after a long trial? Will I be sick? Will I be healthy? Will I get eaten by an alligator?
You think that's crazy, right? That 84-year-old grandma, she got eaten by an alligator not too long ago. I don't know about you. I don't want to go that way. No, sir. I don't want to be eaten by a shark.
But I ask us to think about that. Have you ever really considered and what does it matter if we're following Christ? You could say, why me? Why do I have to have this situation? Why do I have to suffer?
Why do I have to go through this? Why do I have to endure this? Why, why, why, why, why? Well, here's my answer. Why not? Why not? Is not the potter have power over the clay to make one vessel this way and another vessel that way?
What if it brings God glory in that we suffer this thing or that thing or we carry this cross or that cross? Sometimes, my friends, we're so busy comparing other people's crosses that we can't even carry our own.
And yet we all have crosses, right? So we need to be careful as we get old, old, that we're not comparing ourselves with others. That we are willing to say, Lord, like Paul, right? What will you have me to do?
He prayed three times that God would take away his thorn in the flesh. And then he says, God says, my grace is sufficient for you. I suppose that's one way you could take it. And I pretty much lean that way, that Peter was basically a little startled in his heart about what was to come.
And he says to him, what about, well, let me suggest real quick, a second way of thinking about it. What if John, what if Peter said that to Jesus about John out of love? What if it was, Lord, you've told me I'm going to suffer.
You told me it's not going to be easy. You told me it's going to get harder. You tell me I'm going to go where I don't wish. But what about John? I mean, he loves you. He's a beloved disciple. He's my friend.
He's my fellow apostle. Does he have to suffer too, Lord? Does he have to go through the fire and the flood? And here's a suggestion that comes out of that. And I mean this with all sincerity. I wish nothing but prosperity for you.
I really do. As I get older, I want you to prosper. I really do. And maybe it was out of love. Maybe it was out of concern. And oh Lord, spare him. Spare John from what you have already said I will endure.
To me, that's a great, if that's the way it's supposed to be understood, we should be longing to see other people prosper. We should be longing to see other people blossom. Even to the point where it says, what does it say in the Psalms?
We will bear fruit when? In old age. I'm going to say just this and I'll close. I said this Wednesday. I'm stepping down as an elder at the end of the year. I can say I've been thinking a lot lately how much the church has meant to me.
Really have. And I've been involved with three or four churches basically over the last 40 something years. And I've been really thinking about how much the people of God have done for me and how I want them to prosper.
And here's another thought I've had as much as I love the people of God and I love the church and I want to see people prosper and I want to see people grow and I want to see people become more and more like Christ.
I will say this. The church is not my savior. Jesus is. And I need to follow him. Do not lose sight of that my friends. Christ. Follow him. Don't let anything get in between. Even things that are legitimate.
Follow Jesus. For he is the friend that sticks closer to a brother than a brother. And he will never disappoint you. Friends may fail me, foes assail me, but Jesus lover of my soul. So ask yourself friends.
Are you following Christ more and more? Or less and less? Are you more pliable now than you were when you were younger? Or more stubborn? Follow Jesus. Well I tried to take a shot at everybody this morning.
But let me just ask us to think about this. To you that are not in Christ. To you who sit here and you're young or you're old or you're in between and yet you have not bowed the knee to Christ. My friends, if that's you, you're crazy.
You can't call people crazy from the pulpit. I just did. If you don't trust Christ, you're insane. What are you gonna do when the grinders cease? What are you gonna do when life ends? What are you gonna do in that day when you're called to give an account?
Run to Christ. Don't walk. Don't jog. Don't pontificate. Come to Christ. He is able to save your soul. Isn't that great? We have a glorious gospel. We do. We have a Savior who can save to the uttermost those that come to God through Him.
May God bless us. May God encourage us to not only follow Him but to follow Him more as time goes on. Let's just pray. Lord, again, we are so thankful for the time together. We pray, Lord, that you would you would help us, Lord, in this time of need.