Can a man come back from the dead?  Can a man spiritually come back from the brink of spiritual death?  These are the two main questions that arise from John 20-21.

Jesus proves that a man can come back from physical death to live again.  But this is only possible for sinful human beings if we are able to first rise back from spiritual death.  This is vividly demonstrated in the progression of Peter’s spiritual journey in these chapters.

Peter had boldly proclaimed that he was willing to lay down his life for Jesus (John 13:37).  Jesus then reveals that Peter would deny Jesus that same night three times (John 13:38).  The fact that he would deny him THREE times is significant here (as we will later see).

Peter does what Jesus predicted.  Interestingly, John gives a vivid description of this denial.  After first denying Jesus to the servant girl at the gate (John 18:17), we then see Peter warming himself by a “charcoal fire” in the company of the officers (John 18:18).  This is another detail that must not escape our attention this same “charcoal fire” will resurface later.

In the flickering light of this charcoal fire, Peter denies Jesus two more times as a nearby rooster’s crow signals the break of a new day (John 18:25-27).  This is the last we hear of Peter as his Lord is tried, beaten, crucified and buried.

Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene runs to find Peter with the message that the stone that covers Jesus tomb has been removed (John 20:1-2).  Peter and John (the disciple Jesus loved, and modest author of this gospel account), both run to the tomb of Jesus.  Outrunning Peter, John is the first to arrive at the tomb and looking inside he “saw” Jesus’ abandoned burial cloths (John 20:5).  The word translated “saw” here (blepo) means “to look at.”  John “looks at” the linen burial cloths and doesn’t yet know what to make of it.

Peter hurriedly arrives at the tomb and he rushes directly into the burial chamber and John follows him inside (John 20:6).  Peter looks and he “saw” the linen burial cloths (20:6). Interestingly, John uses a different word here for what Peter did.  The word translated “saw” here (theoreo) means “to gaze upon or contemplate.”  Peter is doing more than just “looking at” the burial clothes, he is trying to ascertain what has really happened.  As he “contemplates” what he is seeing, he notices that the burial cloths are not scattered around the tomb as though robbers stole the body.  Instead, the facecloth that covered Jesus’ head is neatly folded and put in a place by itself.  “Robbers in a frenzy to whisk away a body would not have done such a thing,” Peter likely contemplates.

It is then that John says that when he went into the tomb he “saw and believed” (John 20:8).  The word translated “saw” here (orao) means “to spiritually perceive.”  By looking at the evidence of the empty tomb and the way the grave cloths were arranged, John comes to a startling conclusion of belief: Jesus has RETURNED FROM THE DEAD!  Despite the fact that Jesus had told them of this and the Old Testament Scriptures had prophesied this truth (John 20:9), Peter and John come to a first-hand awareness of this reality!

Jesus, now back from the dead, appears to Mary Magdalene in the garden and also to the apostles on two occasions.  The third occasion (John 21:14) that John records happens on the shore of the Galilean sea.  After instruction from a spectator on the shore produces a miraculous catch of fish, John realizes that the spectator is Jesus.  Peter quickly jumps into the water and swims to shore.  Jesus instructs his disciples to bring the fish that they caught.  When they arrived to the place where Jesus was, they “saw a charcoal fire” (John 21:9).  Peter saw it too.

Around this fire, Jesus cooks breakfast for his followers (John 21:12).  Around this “charcoal fire” Jesus directly addresses Peter and asks him “Do you love me?”  Jesus does not ask Peter once or even twice.  Instead around this “charcoal fire” Jesus asks Peter the question of his loyalty three times.  Just as Peter had denied Jesus three times, now Peter pledges his loyalty to Christ three times.  This demonstrates that Peter is being restored in his relationship to Christ.  Peter has been at the brink of spiritual death.  But Peter can come BACK FROM THE DEAD.

Jesus believes in Peter’s potential.  And he believes in your potential as well.  No matter how much we think we may have “blown it” or how far we think we have fallen.  Jesus is willing to take us back and use us for his glory to do amazing things.

Jesus entrusts the care of his followers to Peter.  He instructs him to “feed my lambs,” “tend my sheep” and “feed my sheep.”  Peter’s denial was not the end of his discipleship.  Peter can come back from that monumental mistake.  Peter would do great things for Jesus’ cause.  Peter would be a great leader in the early church and eventually would even be martyred for his faith being unwilling this second time to deny or renounce Christ (John 21:18-19).

No matter what you have done, Christ sees great potential in you.  You can come back from your mistakes.  You can be restored after your rebellion.  You can return from the brink.  You can rise from the ashes.  Yes, you can COME BACK FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH.  All you have to do is answer Jesus question, “Do you love me?”