"One On One" 5-14-23
Overview
The God Who Comes to Us One on One
While Jesus often ministered to large crowds, Scripture is filled with deeply personal encounters: Nathanael under the fig tree, Mary at Cana, Nicodemus by night, the Samaritan woman at the well. In Luke 24:33-34, as the two Emmaus disciples rush back to Jerusalem with news of the risen Christ, they are met by the eleven with a parallel testimony: "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" The same hour they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread, they retraced seven miles in the dark—safety forgotten—because they had to tell what they had seen. And they arrived to discover that Christ had been at work in another one-on-one as well.
What makes the appearance to Simon Peter striking is what Scripture does not tell us. Unlike the detailed encounter with Mary Magdalene in John 20:15-17, no words from Peter's meeting with the risen Lord are recorded. We only know it happened—and that it transformed him. Peter's last interaction with Jesus before the cross had been his threefold denial; Luke 22:61-62 tells us the Lord turned and looked at him, and Peter went out and wept bitterly. He did not go to the cross. After looking into the empty tomb, he simply went home John 20:10. Yet after that hidden one-on-one, this same Peter would later write of "a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" 1 Peter 1:3.
Jesus was not finished with him. By the Sea of Tiberias John 21:2-3, during a long wait between resurrection appearances, Peter announced, "I am going fishing"—language that echoes Jesus' warning in John 16:32 about the disciples scattering, each to his own. Peter was retreating to his former life. There the risen Lord met him again John 21:15-17. Twice Jesus asked, "Do you agapē me?"—using the word for total, self-sacrificial commitment. Twice Peter could only answer with phileō, the love of friendship. The third time, Jesus condescended to Peter's word and asked, "Do you phileō me?"—even calling that into question. And yet, against the threefold denial, Jesus gave a threefold commission: "Feed my sheep." That is grace.
We are often more like Peter than we care to admit—prone to deny, to grow weary in waiting, to drift back to what we knew before. But the Lord keeps coming to us one on one. He comes in the gospel word that our sins are forgiven through the blood of Christ. He comes in the waters of Baptism, washing us in His promises. He comes in absolution, speaking, "I forgive you." He comes at the Table: "This is my body, given for you. This is my blood, shed for you." The Lord is risen indeed, and He has appeared to Simon—and the one-on-ones have not stopped.
Transcript
Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the 24th chapter of the gospel of St. Luke, 3s
if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture this morning, you'll find that page 78 in 8s
the New Testament. 14s
Luke the 24th chapter. 15s
The Lord Jesus Christ was no stranger to large crowds. 19s
There was a feeding of the 5,000. 25s
There was when he was teaching and the crowd was pressing in on him that he got into a boat. 28s
He was no stranger to a large crowd. 36s
But he was also no stranger to the one-on-one. 42s
To the one-on-one. 47s
Scripture reveals the one-on-one with Nathaniel. 50s
That birth the response from Nathaniel, where he says, of the Lord, you are the son of God. 53s
Here's the one-on-one with Mary at the wedding at Kina. 61s
Remember Jesus and his disciples had been invited to the wedding, and they had run out of wine 66s
at the wedding, something that will just wasn't done in ancient day. 71s
It would have been an incredible, incredible embarrassment. 75s
And in the conversation that one-on-one with Mary, the Lord turns and says, 77s
my time is not yet pointing ahead to the cross. 84s
Here's the one-on-one with Nicodemus in which Jesus teaches about being born again through 91s
water and the Spirit. 99s
There's the one-on-one with a woman at the well in which Jesus turns to her and says 101s
that he has water in which she will never be thirsty. 107s
Jesus was no stranger to crowds, and he was no stranger to the one-on-one. 112s
And as we continue this series, this Easter season, 121s
looking at the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, this incredible story, the road to Amaz. 124s
We come to a section here that makes reference to a one-on-one. 132s
But there's mystery surrounding this one. 141s
You recall what we've studied so far. 151s
The false crystallology of the disciples was revealed. 154s
Their false understanding of the belief and person of Christ. 157s
Jesus reveals his crystallology. 162s
By taking them through scripture, as they walk the seven miles from Jerusalem to Amaz. 165s
The false crystallology then corrected by Jesus' crystallology. 171s
We studied last week of the connection between the table and teaching. 175s
Every time in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is at table, he is teaching. 180s
And we see how pervasive that is in our lives. 187s
We study how that forms, how we gather and worship, 191s
how we gather and worship. It is really word and sacrament. 196s
It is teaching and it is the table. 201s
And now we come to this section. 206s
Where after Jesus has revealed himself, 210s
after the disciples have come to the understanding by God's grace that it's Jesus, 213s
the resurrected Christ, who is breaking the bread, then comes the response. 219s
Look at me, please, at verse 33 of our text. 224s
That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. 229s
And they found the 11 and their companions gathered together. 233s
Let's break that down. That's same hour. 239s
Remember, this is the day of resurrection. 242s
They've walked seven miles from Jerusalem to Amaz. 245s
So, best guess, it's about nine o'clock or ten o'clock at night. 250s
Jesus has broken the bread. 258s
That's the first course of the meal. 260s
So often, when we go into a restaurant or perhaps in our homes, 264s
the first thing that is served is the bread. 267s
When Jesus breaks the bread and their eyes are opened, 271s
they returned. And what do they do? 277s
But they get back on the same road they were on. 279s
They had walked from Jerusalem to Amaz, the seven miles 284s
and now having seen the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, 288s
they get back on the road and go back the seven miles. 292s
Never mind, it's dark. Never mind, the road might be filled with robbers. 298s
Never mind about their personal safety. 306s
They need to go back and tell 310s
of whom they have see. 314s
They're going back. The Scripture says to the 11. 319s
That's just a reference to the apostles, right? 323s
Why is there 11? Because of Judas' betrayal. 327s
That we 12, again, when Judas' is replaced, 331s
but they go back to the 11. That's the apostles. 334s
And it says in Scripture that the apostles were gathered together. 337s
The word there in the Greek, the word means that they were drawn together. 341s
Well, what drew them together? Their fear after the crucifixion of Christ certainly, 347s
but a much larger drawing of the Lord who had drawn them together 354s
for the appearance to them, that would come. 358s
So the Lord reveals himself, their eyes are opened. 365s
The disciples in, the two, head back to tell the 11. 369s
And when they return, they are greeted with a similar message. 375s
Look at verse 34. They, the 11, they were saying, the Lord has risen indeed, 380s
and he is appeared to Simon. Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made 387s
to them in the breaking of the bread. What a joyous conversation that was. 393s
The two disciples coming back with great news and the 11 have news of their own. 401s
And it's the similar message that the Lord Jesus Christ was risen indeed. 406s
And you notice what the 11 said, and he is appeared also 414s
to Simon, Peter, he's appeared to Simon. 421s
11, so 11, but here's the thing. 437s
Scripture does not record any details with regard to the 11 that the resurrected Christ had with Peter. 445s
Doesn't record any details about it. It just states that it happened. The 11, but there's no details. 458s
There were certainly details with regard to the 11 with Mary Magdalene, right? 474s
The 20th chapter of John. Scripture says, Jesus said to her woman, why are you weeping? Who 480s
are you looking for? Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, sir, if you've carried him away, 488s
tell me where you've laid him and I will take him away. Jesus said to her Mary. She turned and said 494s
him and Hebrew, Rabonai, which means teacher. Jesus said to her, do not hold on to me, 502s
because I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, 509s
I'm ascending to my Father and your Father to my God and your God. 514s
Well, there's a one on one with Mary Magdalene and there are the details. Well, there was a one on one with 521s
Simon Peter, but why aren't there any details about that? Why aren't there details about that? 526s
One on one? The last interaction that our Lord had prior to the cross with Peter 539s
was the denials of Peter of the Lord. That was the last interaction. 554s
In fact, Luke 22nd chapter says, the Lord turned and looked at Peter. 561s
Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, before the cock crowes today, 569s
you will deny me three times and he went out and whipped, whipped bitterly. 575s
That was the last interaction before the cross. Peter didn't go to the cross. 584s
Peter hid after the cross. When the women came back from the tomb saying that the tomb is empty, 593s
that Christ is risen, Peter runs to the tomb, Peter looks in and sees that the tomb is empty. 605s
But John 20 says, as yet they did not understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead, 616s
then the disciples returned to their homes. It's not really a glowing report here with regard to 624s
Peter, isn't. When you look at the last interaction he had with Jesus and fundamentally 634s
his reaction in looking in and seeing that the tomb is empty. But then comes the one on one. 643s
Then there's the one on one. What was said? What wasn't said? 658s
Whatever happened in that one on one, it invoked that confidence and that faith in the 669s
resurrection of Christ, Peter writes in first Peter the first chapter, blessed be the God and 678s
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His great mercy. He has given us a new birth into a living hope 684s
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 693s
Look again, please, at verse 34 of the text. They were saying, the Lord has risen indeed and he is 701s
appeared to Simon. Notice the transformation when you compare that to verse 11 of chapter 24, 711s
that when the women came back with the message from the tomb, verse 11 says, but these words seem 721s
to them an idle tale and they did not believe them. But the one on one with Peter and the 728s
message of Peter to the disciples coupled with the message of the women, he is risen indeed. 741s
The one on one and Jesus wasn't done with his one on one with Peter. 759s
In John, the 21st chapter, it tells us that the disciples were around the sea of type areas. 778s
And in verse 2 it says, gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, 791s
Nathaniel of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebadi and two others of his disciples. 797s
Simon Peter said to them, I'm going fishing. They said to him, we will go with you. 804s
They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 812s
This occurs after there is a delay. After delay from one of Christ's post-resurrection appearances, 821s
one of his resurrection appearances, there is a delay. And so what this Peter decided to do? 833s
How do we understand what he was feeling there? We understand it because in John the 16th chapter, 849s
Jesus said, the hour is coming, indeed it has come. When you will be scattered, each one to his home, 859s
and you will leave me alone. When you look at the Greek there, to his own, to his own home, 867s
that refers to referring back to one's former life, where you just go back to the way it was. 879s
A clue in that is in John 21 where it says they went out and got into the boat. 892s
So he's just going back. He's just going back to his whole life. 900s
There's this waiting period he hasn't seen the resurrected Christ anymore. 908s
I'm going fishing. I'm going back. I'm going back to what I knew. 915s
The resurrected Christ appears to the disciples and the Lord turns to Peter in John 21 and he says, 928s
Peter, do you love me? And the word that he uses there is a gopée. That word a gopée 943s
is the highest word for love. It means total commitment, total commitment. 954s
Peter says, you know I love you. Now in the English it sounds like Peter's just coming back with the same word. 965s
Jesus says, do you love me? Peter and Peter says, you know I love you. 978s
But in the Greek. In the Greek Jesus says, Peter do you love me? Do you gopée me? And Peter responds 984s
by saying, Lord, you know I fillet oh you. Now fillet oh is a word for friendship love. Friendship love. 993s
It's different than a gopée. It's different than total commitment, self-sacrificial love. 1008s
For let oh love is affection for one's friend. So Jesus says, do you gopée me? 1012s
And Peter says, you know I fillet oh you. Jesus says again, 1020s
Peter, do you love me? A gopée. Peter responds again. You know I fillet oh you. You know I fillet oh you. 1028s
Jesus asks the third time of Peter. But this time he turns and he says, 1041s
Peter, do you fillet oh me? He's asked him twice do you agape me? And Peter says, I fillet you, I fillet oh you. 1054s
And Jesus says, Peter, do you fillet oh me? Calling in to question. 1067s
If even fillet oh is the right word to use. This was Peter who had heard the testimony of the 1084s
women had gone to the tomb and seen that it was empty who had experienced the one on one 1103s
with the resurrected Christ who was in the room when the resurrected Christ came and appeared to 1114s
the rest of disciples when Thomas was absent and showed them his hands in his side. 1123s
This was Peter who was in the room again when the resurrected Christ came again when Thomas was then 1130s
there and had another resurrected resurrection appearance. This was Peter after experiencing 1140s
all of that when he experiences the wait time of not seeing the Lord again says, 1148s
I'm just going back and when Jesus comes to him says, do you agape me? 1160s
He confesses, you know I fillet oh you and then Jesus calls into question whether he even 1176s
fillet oh is him. But what does Jesus do? Despite the admission of Peter, despite the confession, 1192s
despite the legitimate question of our Lord, do you fillet oh me? Our Lord commissions him. 1214s
He restores the threefold denier the scripture tells us with a threefold commission 1227s
for Peter to feed the sheep, ten the sheep, feed the sheep. That is grace isn't it? 1235s
That is the amazing grace of God. And to us, to us who are so often like Peter 1248s
where if the Lord makes us wait for something or resolution for something, we can have a tendency 1265s
to one degree or another to say in our own way I'm I'm going fishing. I'm done. 1271s
We can be like Peter denying our Lord to one degree or another. We can be just like Peter 1282s
where it's appropriate for the Lord to ask us. Do you even fillet oh me? 1295s
But God and His grace keeps coming to us. One on one, he comes to us one on one with the 1310s
credible message of the gospel that indeed our sins are forgiven through the blood of Christ 1323s
and the sacrifice has been accepted. The tomb is empty. He keeps coming to us the one on one. 1330s
With that word, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 1341s
And we're washed in His promises and victory. He keeps coming to us in His word saying to us, 1351s
I forgive you, you, we gather and we confess our sins and we hear the absolute 1364s
truth in each and every week and it is that word to us, I forgive you. He comes to us in the one 1374s
on one at the table and He said to us, says to us, this is my body given for you. This is my blood, 1387s
shed for you in His amazing grace to us who confess how often we're like Peter 1402s
comes the one on one and His grace to us. 1421s
The Lord has risen indeed and He's appeared to Simon the one on one and the one on one's, 1435s
they haven't stopped. 1452s
Yeah. 1454s