In January, when we begin the year, we may find we are still suffering from the December blues.

December time is the time when everything in this city of ours seems to slow down, including the people. This seems to be the time of year when people just run out of steam. Schoolchildren are tired at school. Workers are tired and listless at the office. People are just counting the days to their December break.

It’s a kind of entropy. Entropy is the name scientists give to the process by which systems lose energy. Unless you are pushing it, a car slows down. Unless you keep spinning it, a top stops spinning. Unless you keep heating it, water cools down. On a broader level, our world suggests similar patterns. Things go from ordered to chaos, not the other way around. Things decay, rust, weaken, crumble, fade, loosen. Everywhere, God has placed in this world the message that in a fallen world, you have to keep injecting energy to keep something maintained.

As surely as these things wind down, lose power, lose energy, lose cohesion, the same principle is at work in our spiritual lives. It is a basic error to think that the Christian life is a life of perpetual growth, which somehow automatically generates its own momentum. If that were true, much of the Bible would be redundant, since we would be coasting downhill towards spiritual growth.

But while Scripture describes the Christian life as a life of growth, it is still very much a life which is uphill in experience. You are not going to find a point in your Christian life in which nothing more will be needed to keep you enjoying God, delighting in Him, walking in obedience to Him. Until the day of Christ’s return, or of your gathering to Him, your spiritual tires will leak, your spiritual momentum slows down, your passion cools down, your zeal dips. That is simply a fact. Your Christian life needs continual maintenance, continual injections of truth, continual sharpening and rebuking and encouraging.

God knows our hearts are prone to drifting, growing tired, bored, distracted. For our encouragement and edification, Scripture has enough examples of people who lost spiritual momentum, who had dipped into a slumber, who needed to be restored, awoken, prodded. Only the Lord Jesus Christ kept His zeal for His Father from beginning to end, and even He only did so according to Hebrews 5 with vehement cries and tears in His prayers. We think wrongly when we think either we ourselves, or some Christians we know, are immune to spiritual entropy.

One of the clearest examples of someone needing restoration is Simon Peter. Peter had boasted about if the other disciples would forsake him – he would die for Jesus.

29 Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” 30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” 31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise. (Mar 14:29-31)

And a young lady sitting around a fire had recognised him as one of the disciples, pointed him out, and Peter cursed and swore and disowned Jesus. He denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. And all four Gospels record this. We then read of his weeping bitterly. He is crushed under the weight of his failure – the weight of his sin. Worse, the disciples he was meant to lead know of his failure. He must feel forever disqualified from ministry. Judas betrayed him for money, he betrayed him for self-protection.

But then Jesus rises from the dead. And this must be bitter-sweet for Peter. Try to imagine what is in Peter’s heart. The One he denied three times, the One he refused to acknowledge has risen victoriously over death. The sense of failure must have been overwhelming. He must feel Christ will never again walk so closely with him.

Seeing Jesus alive is all at once a joy and an agony for him. Jesus is alive, and Peter is a failure. But then we open the book of Acts and suddenly Peter is the leader. He is leading in prayer, he is guiding the disciples to choose a replacement for Judas. He preaches a powerful sermon at Pentecost.

It seems we are dealing with a different man. There is no hint in the closing chapters of Matthew, Mark, or Luke that the impulsive, rash and in the end cowardly Peter would become the natural leader of the others. The Peter of the book of Acts is so different to the Peter of the Gospels, that when a new Christian was reading the New Testament for the first time, she asked her teachers, is this the same Peter?

How did the discouraged, tired, wounded-in-conscience Peter of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday become the bold, zealous, earnest Peter of Pentecost?

When the apostle John wrote his Gospel several decades after the other Matthew mark and Luke, he undoubtedly wanted to fill in the gaps, record those incidents not as clearly seen in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and answer outstanding questions such as this one: how did the Christ-denying Peter at the end of the Gospels recover and end up the leader we meet in the book of Acts? John 21 is the answer. And by God’s providence, it has been arranged to fall exactly behind Acts 1.

As we’ll see as we work our way through the Gospel, John 21 is like an afterword; the climax of the Gospel is when Thomas declares Jesus to be My Lord and my God, and John then comments on that in 20:31. So John 21 is more like the denouement of the whole Gospel, tying up the loose ends, particularly the loose end of how Peter was restored by a loving Lord Jesus. But it does more than just answer the question of how Peter was restored. Here are three timeless principles for every believer to be rejuvenated, to be restored from spiritual slumber, to re-igniting the flames in ourselves, to rejuvenating zeal for God. It involves remembering, renewing and refusing.

I. Remember God’s Gracious Call

John 21:1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

After the dramatic Passion week events which took place in Jerusalem, the disciples are back in the north, in their home province of Galilee. Jesus told them to wait for him in Galilee. “And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (Mat 28:7)

Peter announces, “I’m going fishing”. Perhaps we should not read too much into this, since this was his profession– but it looks like Peter is saying – I’m going to go back to what I used to do. I was a better fisherman than apostle. Let me return to familiar waters.

4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.

This incident is a near duplicate of something that had happened years earlier. When God repeats a miracle, we have to know it is deliberate. And you may recall the miracle Jesus did to cause them to commit fully to Christ.

Luke 5:1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luk 5:8)

So what do you think is going on in this miracle in John 21? Jesus is deliberately recreating the scene of Peter’s first real full surrender to Him. Jesus tells them to cast down their nets, and again, just like in Luke 5, after a whole night of no success, the net is full of fish and they are unable to even lift the net up. When the apostle John sees this, his memory is triggered. He knows this too much deja-vu to be coincidence. He says – it is the Lord.

Jesus is using the circumstances to bring Peter’s mind back to when he first realized that fishing was not going to be his life. In Luke 5, Peter realised that Jesus was God in the flesh and deserved his whole life, and that in spite of being a sinful man, Jesus wanted him to serve.

When Peter hears that it is Jesus on the shore, with characteristic Peter-zeal, he puts his overcoat over his fishing clothes and dives in to swim to shore. So here is the first step back to spiritual health: Peter needed to be reminded of God’s gracious call.

Peter needed to be reminded of that moment where he saw Christ as holy and gracious and gave himself totally to Jesus. He needed to be reminded of when fishing seemed to fade into insignificance and all he wanted was to serve the Lord. Jesus does not remind him of the Transfiguration, or of the raising of Lazarus, or of the feeding of the 5000. He reminds Peter of the day he experienced Jesus calling him to Himself.

Remembering grace is a major theme in Scripture. God’s people are continually exhorted to remember. This is not a nostalgic call to look into the family photo album. This is God saying, don’t begin to take for granted the miracle I have done in your life.

God knows the entropy in fallen hearts is towards forgetfulness and taking miracles for granted.

“Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 “lest– when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 “and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 “when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; ….’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deu 8:15-18)

Jesus did this with the church at Ephesus. He tells them in spite of all their labour and discernment and rigorous living – they had left their first love. And then he says this ‘Remember from where you have fallen”.

God institutes the Lord’s Supper, where every time we partake, we are told that we do it ‘in remembrance of Him”.

Peter tells us that reminders are not a waste of time or breath. For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, (2Pe 1:12-13)

Paul says, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. (Phi 3:1)

What does it mean to remember your gracious call?

Stop, and take the time to ask yourself questions like these: where would I be right now if God had not called me? Where would I have gone had I died without His calling me? What did it cost for God to call me? Was God obligated and required to call me? Did I earn or merit his call?

God gave Israel the Passover so that they would not become indifferent to the miraculous national deliverance on that night and through the Red Sea. And God gives us the Lord’s Supper which is the primary, biblically prescribed time to remember your gracious call. God knows that in the busyness of life, we will forget. So He says, come apart and remember your gracious call.

That can be painful, can’t it? When you have begun to take something for granted, it stings to realise that. It only reminds me of how cold I am right now.

That’s the idea. That’s what Christ wants. You can’t heal a man who doesn’t think he’s sick. You can’t heal a man who thinks he is spiritually healthy. God has to remind us, like he did Peter – remember your call.

But there’s a reason this medicine works. If you start your renewal by trying to pledge what you will do, and how hard you will work, and how disciplined you will be, you will feed the fires of pride, fleshly religion, legalism, and self-righteous works. So God wants us to begin not with what we will do, but with what He has done. Any recommitment that is birthed in the Holy Spirit will start with the theme of grace: what God has done.

So the disciples arrive, dragging the fish, and Jesus has a charcoal fire ready for them with some food already there. Jesus does not ask them to come and meet His needs. He is there serving them, meeting their needs.

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”

II. Renew Your Devotion to Christ

Jesus asks Peter a question. He addresses him by his full name – Simon son of Jonah. He is calling Peter by a formal title, addressing him formally in front of the other disciples. And in front of the others – what does He ask Peter? “Do you love me more than these?”

Now what was the sin that got Peter into trouble? Peter denied Jesus because on that night he feared people. People became big in his eyes and Christ became small. Pleasing man became more important than pleasing God. He loved others, and self, more than Christ.

So Jesus attacks that at the root. Peter, who and what is most important to you? What comes first in your life? Is it pleasing man, or pleasing Me? Jesus is saying to Peter, if you want to be restored, put first things first. Put Me back where I belong.

There has been a slippage. At some point, something or someone else became more important to you than Me. And now, I ask you, do you love Me, more than these?

Jesus is letting Peter re-order and renew his priorities. Do you love Me, Peter?

Again, Jesus, formally, publicly asks – Simon son of Jonah – do you love me? Peter says – Yes, Lord, you know I love you.

A third time, Jesus says- Peter do you love me? Peter is grieved. Why is he grieved? What would three questions remind Peter of? His three denials. But do you see what the Lord is letting Peter do? He is letting Peter undo His three denials. He denied Jesus three times publicly, and now Jesus, graciously lets him retract those denials and publicly affirm his love for Jesus. In front of the disciples he had possibly lost respect with, he turns his denials into worship.

In other words, he is repenting. He is turning from his sin of denial and turning to the obedience of confession.

When Peter affirmed his love for the Lord, he was repenting and recommitting. He was re-ordering his priorities. And Jesus was not arguing with him, nor was He unhappy with Peter’s replies.

Though different Greek words are used here for love, it is probably more of a stylistic thing, and not that Jesus wanted Peter to love Him a certain way, and Peter refused.

If you wish to come back to a place of spiritual health and zeal, you go straight to your priorities. Spiritual entropy is always something pushing God out, some secondary love becoming the first love, something that is a means becoming an end. And very often, that other love, that other priority is not something sinful or evil. It’s usually something normal that has grown to idolatrous size.

What has become more important than it should be? What has taken the place that belongs to Christ? What has quietly usurped the supremacy of Christ? Efficiency at work? Being a great mom? Getting straight A’s? Meeting your sales target? Getting married? Upgrading your lifestyle? Putting the kids through school? Being loved and admired by your friends? Keeping your body in peak condition?

Here are some other ways of asking who or what you love the most: What do you think about most often? Whom must you please? Whose love and approval do you need? What do you fear? What do you not want? What do you tend to worry about? What has quietly climbed to the top of your importance list?

As Peter answers affirmatively to each do you love Me?, Jesus gives Peter a task. He says Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep. In other words, if you are truly re-ordering your priorities where Christ is first, it will have visible, tangible effects in the world. If I am first in your loves, then love what I love. We deceive ourselves and would like to say, “Oh, yes, Jesus – you are my first priority!” But Jesus says, “If that is so, then love what I love. Get it out of the realm of intention and into the realm of action. Feed my sheep.” Love my church. Love the lost. Love the truth. Love holiness. Love missions. Love evangelism. Love discipleship. Love mercy. Love doctrine. Love preaching. Love Israel. Love ministry.

Again, to the church at Ephesus, Jesus said, Remember from where you have fallen, repent, and do the first works. Start doing the very things you stopped doing. Start in the Word again. Start fellowshipping more than you do now. Start praying regularly. Go back to discipling your family. Go back to serving God’s people in the church. Go back to supporting missionaries. Go back to actively praying for others. Go back to opening your mouth and witnessing. Go back to working on your character and identifying areas of change. Go back to Scripture memory.

Spiritual entropy means often enough we have to say, I have allowed good things to become bigger than they should be. We need to re-order the priorities and do the first works.

But it is a strange thing in the human heart. Just about the moment we are returning to our first love and getting our priorities straight, we get distracted. We start looking over our shoulder at others. In verses 18 and 19, Jesus tells Peter that he can rest assured that one day in the future, he would die for Christ and not deny Him. He would endure to the end. He would not fail. But then look at verse 20.

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (Joh 21:1-22)

III. Refuse Comparisons With Others

Strange creatures we are – just when we are drawing near to the Lord, we are tempted to look over our shoulder at others, and wonder how committed they are? This is what Peter did. After the Lord has restored him and told him about his future, Peter looks at John and says, what about him, Lord?

Now in truth, why should it matter at all to Peter what happens to John except a kind of curiosity which seeks to divert attention off the work God is doing in his heart? So the Lord has to rebuke him gently and say, If I want him to live until my return, what is that to you? And again, He repeats – you follow Me. Don’t be distracted by others. For we must each carry our own load.

You might think this is a minor point, but comparing yourself with others is deadly to the work God is doing in your heart. The sin of comparing is taking your eyes off God and putting them back on man. It’s a kind of man-pleasing.

How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:42–43)

But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (2 Co 10:12)

Jesus was dealing with Peter’s man-pleasing, and putting the fear of man ahead of Christ, which led him to deny Christ. And just when Peter is repenting, he is tempted to again be more concerned with John.

Comparing yourself to others, either favourably or negatively distract you from single-mindedly following through on your priorities. It distracts you from remembering your call to salvation. In other words, it gets your eyes off Christ, off His salvation, off Him as your first love, and onto others. Comparisons are deadly to devotion.

“How committed are the other people at church? How much do they seek the Lord? So-and-so, he’s a deacon, and he doesn’t do x. She is the wife of so-and-so, and I don’t see her doing this or that? What about him – he teaches in church, but I haven’t seen him do that.” Why does the Christian life seem to work for him? How come it comes so easily to that person? Why can’t I have her life?

Other people are not the standard. What most people are doing in church is not the standard. The standard is what Christ said to Peter here twice – you follow me!

That’s why people in Scripture who were committing to God were so singleminded, so oblivious of the crowd.

15 “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Jos 24:15)

I don’t know today where you find yourself in your walk with the Lord. I know this: your Christian life, just like mine, is not an imaginary perpetual motion machine. If you are not actively stirring up your faith, you are likely losing some of that zeal.

You need to remember God’s gracious call. You need to take stock of your priorities, and order them biblically and renew your devotion to Christ. And then you need to single-mindedly refuse to be distracted, refuse to compare yourself with others as you flesh that out that devotion for the coming year.