| Church School Lesson: If At First You Don't Succeed, You're Probably Human |
"If At First You Don’t Succeed, You’re Probably Human"
January 25, 2026
Background: Matt. 4:18-20; 16:15-18; Lk. 2:40, 52; Jn. 1:40-42; 21:15-19;
Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 1:6, 9-11; 3:12-16; Col. 1:9-11; Heb. 6:1-3; 2 Pet. 3:14-18;
Print: Matt. 4:18-20; 16:16-18; Jn. 21:15-18; 2 Pet. 3:14-15, 18
Key Verse: John 21:17; Devotional: Colossians 2:1-7
Matthew 4:18-20 (ESV)
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 16:16-18 (ESV)
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
John 21:15-18 (ESV)
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, 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 a second time, “Simon, son of John, 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 John, 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”
2 Peter 3:14-15 (ESV)
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Commentary
Matthew 4:18-22 In these verses we have the calling of the first disciples: Peter and his brother Andrew (4:18-20), and James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee (4:21-22). All four men were fishermen. And when Jesus called them to follow him, he said, I will make you fish for people (4:19).
There’s an important principle here. If you’re not fishing, you’re not following. If your Christian life does not involve evangelizing the lost, you’re not functioning like the disciple Jesus intends you to be. Evangelism includes sharing the gospel and intentionally seeking to convert the hearer to faith in Jesus Christ.
When called, Peter, Andrew, James, and John immediately left their jobs and followed Jesus (4:20, 22). Not every believer is called to a full-time Christian vocation, but every believer is called to be a full-time Christian. That means that following Christ must be your number one priority.
Matthew 16:16-18 Simon Peter quickly and correctly answered: You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God (16:16). Jesus affirmed this great confession of faith by praising God the Father for revealing this truth to Peter and blessing him (16:17). That opened the door for an announcement from Jesus. Something so awesome that hell itself can’t overpower it was coming: the church (16:18).
John 21:15 After breakfast, Jesus had a talk with Simon Peter. He asked him, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?—that is, “more than these other disciples do?” Why would Jesus ask this? Because when he had predicted that the disciples would fall away, Peter had vowed, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away” (Matt 26:31-33). Peter had wanted Jesus to know that though the devotion of the other disciples might waver, he could count on Peter remaining steadfast. He would be the one disciple that Jesus could trust. But here, after Peter had shamefully denied Jesus three times, Jesus basically asked Peter, “Are you still the most committed disciple?”
Yes, Lord . . . you know that I love you. When Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, the Greek verb used is agapaō, often used to describe self-sacrificial love. But when Peter affirmed his love for Jesus, the Greek verb is phileō, a brotherly kind of love and affection—a love between good friends. Previously, Peter had claimed that his love for and commitment to Jesus was superior to that of the others. But after his failure and denial, he wasn’t willing to arrogantly say that he loved Jesus with a sacrificial love. In light of this humble response, Jesus told him, Feed my lambs. In other words, “Since you’re not thinking so highly of yourself anymore, I can use you to lead and care for my people.”
21:16-17 A second time, Jesus asked, Simon, son of John, do you love me? (using agapaō). Peter responded again, Yes, Lord . . . you know that I love you (using phileō). And again Jesus commanded him to look after his people: Shepherd my sheep (21:16). Then, for a third time, Jesus asked, Simon, son of John, do you love me? This time the verb is phileō. So, seeing Peter humbled, Jesus came down to Peter’s level and met him where he was. Peter was grieved. His three denials of his Lord had now been matched by a question from his Lord repeated three times: “Do you love me?” It broke Peter’s heart. All he could do was say, Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you (21:17).
When Peter was proudly self-assured about his ability to stand fast at a critical moment, Jesus knew that he would actually crack under pressure (see 13:37-38). He knew Peter’s heart better than Peter did. The grieving disciple understood that now. And since Jesus knew all things, Peter was convinced that Jesus also knew that Peter loved him in spite of his prior failure.
Again, Jesus told him, Feed my sheep. Thus, Jesus was restoring his humbled disciple to ministry. Peter’s repentance allowed for restoration. Though Peter had previously thought highly of himself, he had come to adopt Jesus’s view of leadership in ministry. Peter understood that being a leader of God’s people is not about arrogantly exercising power. Therefore, he could later write to other church leaders, “Shepherd God’s flock among you . . . not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Pet 5:2-3). Peter had taken to heart Jesus’s command, “Shepherd my sheep.” Sometimes God lets his people fail in order to develop them spiritually and prepare them for greater usefulness (see Luke 22:31-32).
21:18-19 After this restoration, Jesus prophesied about Peter’s future: When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go (21:18).
2 Peter 3:14 This final section recaps some of the themes highlighted elsewhere in the letter. In light of the imminent return of Christ, believers are to make every effort (cf. 1:5, 15) to be holy and godly. As sacrificial animals in the Old Testament were to be without spot or blemish in [God’s] sight, new covenant believers are to be without moral defect before the Lord, repenting when they do sin.
3:15 The Lord’s delay in coming is designed to give men and women time to repent of their sin and come to salvation. Therefore, we must take advantage of his patience by repenting, rather than presuming upon his patience and living for unrighteous purposes. The apostle Paul, Peter says, has written similar admonitions in his epistles.
3:18 The theme of spiritual growth bookends the letter, recurring here after its introduction in 1:1-15. Believers are to grow in their understanding of grace and their experiential knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They should resist false teachers, focusing on growth and spiritual development in a way that glorifies God both now and to the day of eternity.