I Surrender All
In John 21, we read about Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples. These verses primarily focus on the interaction between Jesus and Peter. However, the lesson wasn’t simply for Peter—it was for all the disciples, and for us.
On Sunday, we are going to talk about how the restorative grace of Christ leads to what Warren Wiersbe calls “Dynamic Faith” (James 2:14–26).
Dynamic faith is motivated by love, its a response to the grace Christ has poured out upon us. As the disciples learned in John 21, this is the kind of faith that is required for the work God is asking us to do. Dynamic Faith is:
- Directed by Christ – Jesus calls the shots, not us.
- Fueled by Christ – It’s only through His power that we can accomplish anything.
- Focused on Christ – It’s not about our benefit, but about God’s glory.
These three truths are echoed in the lyrics of our closing hymn, “I Surrender All.”
Verse 1
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
Dynamic faith is motivated by love, as a response to the grace God has shown us.
1 John 4:19 – “We love because He first loved us.”
What other response could we have for someone who gave everything for our benefit? For someone who took upon Himself our sins and the punishment we deserved, so that we could be forgiven? The only response is worship—a life devoted to God and seeking His glory.
Verse 2
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now
Dynamic faith is directed by Christ.
In John 21, the disciples are out fishing but caught nothing. Jesus shows up on the shore (at this point, they don’t yet recognize Him) and tells them to cast their nets on the other side, saying, “You will find some.” This moment holds a crucial lesson for them—and for us. We may have good intentions, good plans, and all the right tools, but unless our endeavors are directed by God, they will not produce lasting fruit.
Proverbs 16:9 – “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Verse 3
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
Let me feel the Holy Spirit
Truly know that Thou art mine
Dynamic faith is fueled by Christ.
On the beach, Jesus and Peter have a pivotal conversation. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Each time, Peter responds, “Yes.” Jesus is showing Peter that boldness and enthusiasm, while commendable, are not enough. Despite his passionate devotion, Peter still failed—and he needed something more. He needed to love and rely on Christ above all else.
The IVP Commentary notes:
“The qualification for this task, as this chapter indicates, is a love for Jesus that is characterized by humility, dependence, and obedience. Peter already had a devotion to Jesus, but he was still full of self-will and thrusting himself to the front. Such a proud attitude of heart would spell disaster for the community.”
Dynamic faith isn’t fueled by our own efforts, but by the presence and power of God.
Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”
Verse 4
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord, I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessing fall on me
Dynamic faith is focused on Christ.
Toward the end of John 21, Jesus gives Peter a glimpse of his future, telling him he will die for his commitment to Christ. Peter hears this and immediately turns to ask, “What about John?” Jesus responds, essentially, “That’s none of your business. You follow me.”
In Matthew 14:22–33, Peter steps out of the boat to walk on water, but verse 30 says, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”
Peter began to sink the moment he took his eyes off Jesus.
Dynamic faith is not self-centered or distracted by comparison. It is selfless, sacrificial, and focused solely on Christ and His glory.
Matthew 16:24–25 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.’”
In Luke 7, a sinful woman crashes a dinner party to worship Jesus. After the dust settles, Jesus makes this powerful statement:
Luke 7:47 – “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
The conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21 is one of the most uncomfortable passages for me in all of Scripture—because Peter is forced to confront the depth of his failure. What we often try to do is minimize the magnitude of our sin. But when we believe we have little to be forgiven for, our love and devotion will also be small.
I’m not saying Peter minimized his betrayal. But being reminded of the depth of his failure—and still being met with God’s grace and entrusted with a mission—surely moved him to deeper love and greater commitment to Christ.
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Because of the grace shown to us, may we live not as people who’ve merely made a few mistakes, but as those who’ve been brought from death to life through Christ’s sacrifice—giving all we have for His glory.
Adam